#boy masquerades as man for 500 years

[poelenta]

armand, amadeo, arun

[hailsatanacab]

I'm a sucker for Twin Reveals, idk if you know that. So I have to ask about "you're joking, right? gala pranking turned twin reveal"

ngl this is the flavour of the month for me rn, I've really hopped straight back on the demon twins au with a passion! you get 500 words of the intro here because I have no restraint :)

———

Tonight is becoming, as often happens with a gala, a dismal affair.

Bruce has (finally) managed to extract himself from a torturous conversation with Mrs. Johnson, and is allowing himself a quiet breath with a glass of apple juice masquerading as whiskey when someone taps him on his shoulder.

“Mr. Wayne?”

It’s a voice he recognises, despite only meeting the man once. He doesn’t groan—he even resists the urge to throw his glass at him and make a break for it—but it’s a close affair. He’s not Superman, after all, and there’s a limit to his strength.

With a deep breath and the customary ditzy smile of Brucie Wayne plastered on his face, he turns towards Mr. Masters.

Only to immediately freeze.

“Ah, yes, I don’t believe you’ve met.” Mr. Masters turns and presents a young boy to him, gently pushing him forward slightly. His dark hair is ruffled and there’s a thunderous look on his face as he flashes Bruce a glare before stubbornly fixing his gaze back on the floor. “May I introduce to you my son, Daniel Masters?”

This is the fourth gala Vladimir Masters has been to since his reintroduction into high society, only the second one he and Bruce have attended together, and, as Bruce is silently lamenting, there is still so little known about the man. Yet, he doesn’t strike Bruce as someone that would pull a joke like this.

After 20 years locked away in his house suffering from an unnamed illness, his return had been completely unexpected and not entirely welcome, from what Bruce has heard. Too many years spent away shrouded in mystery has people weary about forging new connections, but his recent successes with his business might persuade a few brave—or foolhardy—individuals into making some investments.

Which must be why he’s now back on the gala scene.

Which must be why he’s chosen to become Mayor of a little unknown town in Illinois, as baffling as the choice may be.

Which must be why he’s pulling this stunt. This practical joke. Something to break the ice, to share a laugh with Bruce. To start a conversation.

The only real question is why Damian is going along with it.

“I’m sorry?” Bruce says, chuckling awkwardly.

Poor Damian looks just about ready to pull out a sword and start swinging, so perhaps he’s not as comfortable in going along with it as Bruce first thought. There's a tension in his shoulders, his whole body as taut as a bow string. Did Dick put him up to this? It’s definitely something his eldest would find funny.

“My son, Daniel. Daniel, say hello to Mr. Wayne.” There’s a flash of annoyance in Mr. Masters’ eyes as he gives Damian another nudge to introduce himself.

“Hello, Mr. Wayne.” Damian growls out, eyes still stubbornly lowered, his jaw tensing painfully. His voice sounds different, almost like he’s affecting Mr. Masters’ accent. Just what is he playing at? Bruce is struggling to find the funny side in all this.

Is this a case they’re working on? Not a prank, but rather some investigation that Bruce isn’t privy to? It wouldn’t be the first time his children have kept him out of the loop, but to do it in a gala, and a Wayne gala at that, where they’re sure to be recognised…

No, it has to be a joke. They’re planning to embarrass him, they have to be.

[hamliet]

Invincible: Proving the Superhero Genre Invincible

Another story I've watched recently is Invincible. I know it's based on comics, which I'll get around to eventually.

Despite masquerading as a dark deconstruction of the superhero story, the story is actually far more a hopeful coming-of-age story that just happens to don a gory costume. You can tell the writers love superhero comics, and that they aren't deconstructing it out of disdain but instead out of a desire to see what the main principles are.

In other words, it's far more akin to Hunter x Hunter's take on deconstructing shonen or even ASOIAF's spin on fantasy literature (matching the violence too) than it is a cynical, nihilistic tale with intent to ridicule. Love and friendships win the day. It's just complex to navigate them in a world where there has been so much hurt.

I wish Horikoshi had read a little more of this.

The tl;dr is that the world's Number One hero turns out to be working for a planet of alien colonizers who live forever and subjugate other lifeforms because they believe they're saving them. This gets to the heart of a thematic question often asked in the superhero genre but not often well-explored - what does it mean to save someone who doesn't want to be saved? Are there valid reasons to not want to be saved? What even counts as not wanting to be saved, and does perspective alter that? Is it not wanting to be saved for humans to cling to their fragile and short lives and free will when they could lose free will and have no more sickness and pain?

The story explores this through many different aspects and characters--from Eve being genetically engineered, to the boys turned into cyborgs, to Mark finding out his entire life has been a lie, to government bureaucracy running the superhero world. And just because the series affirms free will doesn't mean it's blind to the pitfalls of this, or that it doesn't explore the gray areas in which we live--namely, when to listen to others and obey orders, and when not to.

In addition to free will, the series affirms that one of the top gifts of humanity is love. Love is what wakes up the cyborgs when their emotions have been pried from their brains. Love is something intrinsic that can't be perfectly defined and doesn't listen to logic, yet also isn't purely emotional. It's powerful, and it's a weakness. It can save, but not always. (For example, Mark's love for his dad, the cyborg's love for his boyfriend, etc. But Eve's parents love for her doesn't save).

My favorite episode of the story is the final one in season 1, where Mark's father puts him through an overly literal lesson of the trolley problem and then tries to kill his own son. And then there's that one line:

Omni-Man: Why did you make me do this? You're fighting so you can watch everyone around you die! Think, Mark! You'll outlast every fragile, insignificant being on this planet. You'll live to see this world crumble to dust and blow away! Everyone and everything you know will be gone! What will have after 500 years? Mark: I'd still have you.

Really he has 0 reason to still want his father around at this point. And yet that single line contains so much power about what the series is saying.

Mark shouldn't still love his father, logically speaking. Even emotionally, he's determined to stop his father by any means necessary. But, he chooses to still love him, no matter what that means. Whether he lives or dies. Because whether he dies then or later, in that moment he loves his father. And it's so illogical and against what Omni-Man has been trying to literally beat into his son, yet so real, that it pauses destruction.

It doesn't fix anything. Not by a long shot. Not Mark and his father's relationship, not the world, not the plan of Omni-Man's Space!British Empire. Not Mark himself, as Mark will go on to make some pretty intensely Bad mistakes himself. But it means, in that moment, that a life is spared. And that single life is worth sparing (saving).

(This is how you write an abuser-son redemptive love arc!)

Mark and his parents are well done as characters, complex and flawed. I did wish the show had shown more of the ugly side of Debbie's grief (which they apparently do in the comics). I really would like women to be less sanitized, even if that means they act in despicable ways.

That said, the best female character is undoubtedly Eve. The special that chronicles her origin was brilliantly written--one of the best hours of TV I've watched. It's poignant and , despite being horror scifi cyberpunk in some ways, also realistic in how it portrays humanity. I appreciated that her adoptive parents were extremely complex for background characters. They desperately wanted a child, but not necessarily her. Her mom loves her, but still wishes she was someone else, and her father is just a bad dad. Of course, this is underscored by the fact that she's not their biological daughter, but I don't know that it would have been different if she was.

Plus, Eve and Mark are a great couple, though they take a bit too long to get together.

On that note, I also liked Amber as a character, but I thought the writing kind of didn't know what to do with Mark and Amber at times. Clearly they wanted this relationship to demonstrate the struggles of Mark trying to balance being a superhero with a normal high school life, but the writers were actually a bit too harsh on Mark at times. (I know, right?) I thought the main conflict between them in season 1 (about his identity) was unfairly framed as only Mark's fault when it wasn't, and it wasn't resolved in a satisfactory way.

Ultimately, though, the story is about humanity and all its ways of attempting to create superhumans. Science. Religion. Aliens. Living forever. Strength. Cyborgs. But what it affirms is that there is so much that is beautiful about humanity, and what transcends humanity are the traits we all can have--love and free will.

[dilemmaontwolegs]

Bucky Barnes Masterlist

|| Main Masterlist || A/N: all reader inserts are female unless otherwise stated. These are as inclusive as possible and only description that may be included is if reader has hair (mostly used in rough smut scenes). Banners by the wonderful @firefly-graphics KEY: ⁂ = smut † = death ⨮ =angst ꕥ = fluff ⧻ = 500+ notes

ONE SHOTS MASTERLIST HERE

Family First ꕥ || Parallel Story ꕥ || Prequel Blurb ꕥ  ➴ You and Bucky decided from the start you would be safer if no one knew about you or your child. The Fire Within ⁂ ⧻ || Prequel: Fire and Ice ➴ Enemies to lovers, angry sex Ships In The Night ꕥ || Part Two ꕥ⁂ || Empath/Telepath!reader ➴ You meet a man in the dreamscape and try to help him through his nightmares, the problem with dreams is you forget them when you wake Love ‘em and leave 'em ⁂ || Part Two ⁂ || Part Three ⁂ ➴ You use Bucky for a good time, no strings attached.  Back To You ⁂ ꕥ ⧻ || Part Two ➴ You and Bucky decide to give marriage another try Take You Away ꕥ ⧻ || Part Two ⨮ ➴ Bucky saves you from an abusive boyfriend.

Make It Better ⁂ ⧻ ➴ Thruple with Bucky and Steve after you get hurt. The Mad Hatter and Captain Underpants ⁂ ⧻ ➴ Halloween special Morning Sex ⁂ ⧻ ➴ A morning wake up of the best kind. Claws Out ꕥ || Part Two ⁂ || Part Three ⁂ ➴ You find two people you can trust with your life. Birthday Wishes ꕥ ➴ Your boyfriends spoil you on your special day (2) + 1 ⨮ ➴ A year after breaking up, you cross paths with your ex’s: Stucky More Than A Service ꕥ || mechanic au ➴ Life gets tough when you find yourself attracted two men equally

Two Minds, One Body - Bucky/Winter Your husband owes money to the wrong people and you are the collateral. ➴ Part One ⁂ ⧻ ➴ Deleted Scene ➴ ➴ Part Two ⁂ ➴ ➴ ➴ Part Three ⁂ ➴ ➴ ➴ ➴ Part Four ⁂

Lioness When your husband, Bucky, is kidnapped there is only one person you can rely on to save him - yourself. ➴ The Prequel ⁂ † ➴ ➴ Part One ⁂ †

Sweet Homecomings ꕥ ➴ You sweeten your grumpy husband when he comes home from being called away.

High Life ꕥ ➴ You help Bucky relax with the help of some weed

Cold Shoulder Steve asks you to be Bucky’s fake girlfriend for an event. ➴ Part One ➴ ➴ Part Two ➴ ➴ ➴ Part Three

Hidden Faces Trilogy You sneak into the party and capture the eyes of one bad boy billionaire ➴ Masquerade ꕥ ➴➴ Facade ⨮ ➴➴➴ Charade

Insecurities ⨮ ꕥ ⁂ ➴ Bucky helps you to see what he sees - how beautiful you really are

Obsidian Nights ꕥ ➴ You manage to change Bucky’s man-whoring ways

Toxicity ⨮ ➴ An abusive boss tries to change his ways after seeing the effect on you.

Unexpected Salvation ⨮ ꕥ ⁂ ➴ You escape an abusive fiancé with the help of his rival- Bucky Barnes

Homecoming ⁂ ꕥ ⨮ || ceo!Bucky ➴ Bucky is so busy with work he doesn’t see the toll it’s taking on you until it’s almost too late. Neighbourhood Watch ⁂ || Neighbour!Bucky ➴ Bucky overhears the cries of you pleasuring yourself and can't help checking up on his neighbour Lifesaver ꕥ || Bodyguard!Bucky ➴ Bucky is more than just your bodyguard he is your lifesaver in every sense of the word No Boundaries ꕥ || Best-friend!Bucky ➴ Bucky has no boundaries in your friendship Truth Hurts ⨮ || best-friend!Bucky ➴ Steve is not the man you thought he was and Bucky helps you to realise that. Ignescent ⁂ || demon!Bucky ➴ When Bucky entered your room you never expected to be attracted to the monster of the night. The Heart Song || greek gods/soulmate AU You are fated to a man that you hate. ➴ Part One ⨮ ꕥ ➴ ➴ Part Two ⨮ ꕥ Lost Boy ⨮ ꕥ ⁂ ⧻ || bodyguard!Bucky ➴ When Bucky returns after years away, you find your feeling are the only thing that didn’t change. Wake Up ꕥ || Dad!Bucky ➴ Bucky waking you up sweetly after being away from home The Cost of Kindness || Part Two || King!Bucky ➴ An innocent interaction leads you to a marriage you didn’t ask for. Body Heat || best friend! Bucky ➴ A holiday with your best friend Bucky leads to some sweet confessions Good Girl/Bad Girl ⁂ || rockstar!Bucky ➴ PWP - picking up a fem!groupie Mr Fix-It ꕥ || P.E teacher!Bucky ➴ Bucky goes out of his way to fix the broken things in your classroom

RETRIBUTION MC MASTERLIST || biker!Bucky

Breaking and Entering - complete ➴ You break into Bucky's house and steal more than just his dog tags

From Heartbreak To Happiness - complete ➴ Moving on from Steve seemed impossible until you meet Bucky

The Contingency Plan - complete ➴ A woc!reader in 1930's New York has to navigate life with a white man

The Surrogate - complete ➴ You are the surrogate for Natasha's baby but that doesn't mean you can't find love for yourself. Canon timeline and deaths.

Favourite Things - complete ➴ Dreamscape to reality, something calls you to Bucky and you just have to answer

Hands That Heal - complete ➴ You find someone strong enough to carry your baggage, and open jars.

Killing Time - incomplete ➴ AU - Bodyguard!Bucky, forbidden love, falling for the bosses daughter (you).

Letters After Dark - incomplete ➴ An archive of letters sent between you and Bucky when he enlists in the army.

Run These Streets || streetracer!Bucky - ongoing ➴ When tragedy nearly strikes Bucky, you can’t hold back you feelings any longer. He was always more than a friend.

{ Drabble #1 || Bucky Barnes } { Double Drabble #1 || Bucky Barnes } { Quindrabble #1 || Bucky Barnes } { Quindrabble #2 || Bucky Barnes } { Quindrabble #3 || Bucky Barnes }

[dailyunsolvedmysteries]

The Mystery Of Nicholas Barclay And His Imposter, Frédéric Bourdin

Nicholas Barclay was a 13-year-old boy from Texas who went missing in 1994 after a basketball game with his friends at the neighbourhood park. Frederic Bourdin was a 23-year-old man from France who had grown up in a home without love or affection and had taken to a life crime to keep himself afloat.

When Nicholas Barclay first went missing, his family didn’t immediately raise the alarm. Nicholas was a troubled kid and had a court hearing scheduled for the day after his disappearance that would determine if he would be sent to a home for juvenile delinquents. His family simply assumed he had run away to avoid the consequences of the hearing. 

Soon, however, it became clear that he was missing. He had only been carrying $5 and as far as anyone knew hadn’t packed any clothing. If he had been planning to run away, his family theorized, he would likely have taken personal items with him. As it was, he had left everything behind. Police opened a missing person investigation but there were virtually no leads on where Nicholas could have gone. As he had only $5 to his name, the likelihood of him having secured a ticket on public transportation was low as was the possibility of him finding room and board somewhere. It seemed the only explanation was that he’d hitchhiked out of town and if he had, there was even less hope of finding him.

Then, three months later, police received a phone call from Jason Barclay, Nicholas’ uncle. He claimed that he’d seen Nicholas trying to break into their garage, but when police arrived, Jason told them he’d fled. It was the only lead in the case so far though it eventually panned out to a dead end.

Three years later, just as the Barclay family was beginning to lose hope, they received a miraculous phone call. Nicholas Barclay had been found, lost and scared in the middle of a Spanish village.

Immediately, he was flown back to the United States and reunited with his family.

The family welcomed him back at once with open arms and an open home. They had kept his room just as he’d left it, and had been anxiously awaiting his return. They missed him so much that they didn’t notice the glaring inconsistencies between the son who had gone missing and the one who had been returned to them. The Nicholas Barclay who went missing in 1994 was a blond-haired blue-eyed boy of 13 with a violent temper and an unruly attitude problem. The Nicholas Barclay who was found in Spain in 1997 was a dark-haired brown-eyed boy of 16 who was eerily calm and made those around him uneasy. Despite the fact that he neither looked nor acted like their son, the Barclay family insisted, without a doubt, that the boy was their son Nicholas Barclay.

According to Nicholas, he had been kidnapped on his way home from the park where he had been playing basketball with his friends. Then, he’d been put on a plane and taken to Europe, where his kidnappers had forced him into a child sex trafficking ring. Eventually, he said, he had escaped and made it to safety where he was discovered by local law enforcement. As for his appearance, he said that the kidnappers had changed his eye color and dyed his hair to conceal his identity.

After hearing the account of Nicholas Barclay’s ordeal, private investigator Charlie Parker became suspicious. The hair and eyes claims were suspicious, as it was unlikely that the kidnappers went to such lengths as to alter his eye color, or could have even been able to.

Nicholas Barclay was not, in fact, 16, as he claimed to be, but 23. Furthermore, he wasn’t even Nicholas Barclay, but a Frenchman named Frederic Bourdin.

Frederic Bourdin, also known as “The Chameleon” by Interpol, was a French criminal and serial imposter, who had spent his entire life impersonating missing children and creating false identities and names. He’d been wanted by Interpol for several years and was believed to have masqueraded under no less than 500 false identities.

When Bourdin had heard the story of the distraught American family looking for their missing son, he had easily slipped into the persona, having gotten the idea when a Spanish police officer suggested that he bore a resemblance to the boy. He was able to keep up the charade for three and a half months, fooling the Spanish authorities, the FBI, and even the Barclay family.

Soon though, Parker realized that Bourdin may not have been fooling the entire Barclay family. Jason, Nicholas’ uncle, had apparently begun to question Bourdin’s authenticity as his nephew. As soon as Parker asked to interview him, however, Jason committed suicide, the victim of a drug overdose.

Jason Barclay’s death raised Parkers suspicions even more, and eventually outed Frédéric Bourdin to the family. The authorities arrested Bourdin and sentenced him to six years in prison, double the recommended time. Once again, the Barclay family was left without their son, the weight of which was so much more the second time after they believed he was finally home.

Bourdin, however, didn’t believe that Barclay’s grief was real. While in police custody, he proposed a disturbing theory: why would the Barclay family accept him into their home, so willingly, when it was so clear that he wasn’t their son unless they had something to hide?

Furthermore, he suggested that that something was murder – that one or all of the Barclay family members had murdered Nicholas and adopted Bourdain, knowing full well he was an imposter, to cover it up.

Charlie Parker bought into Frederic Bourdain’s theories and has been working toward proving them ever since. Using evidence gleaned from initial investigations and others that were opened after Bourdain’s imprisonment, Parker has put together a compelling case.

He believes that Nicholas Barclay’s rage eventually pushed a family member over the edge. Police had been called to the home on more than one occasion and the family had vocally expressed their displeasure with his attitude. Jason Barclay’s death was also seen as an admission to something, as it had come at an unusual time.

Though there is no body, and there has been no confession but that of a known criminal, Parker remains confident that the Barclays are not blameless in their son’s disappearance, and is hell-bent on discovering exactly what they had to do with it. 

[a-froger-epic]

Get out your glitter leotards and pour some champagne in your cat mugs! 🥂 🍾 It’s time to celebrate Freddie! 🎉😸

🎊 Freddie Mercury Weekend 2021 🎊

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

ABOUT THE EVENT

This weekend is a content creation event in honour of the man himself, the legend we all love, Freddie Mercury! Once more, everyone who is inspired by Freddie is invited to share their creativity with the fandom. You can write, draw, edit, record, even cross-stitch 😉 content for absolutely anything related to Freddie, any ship, any genre, any way you like. This is an indiscriminately inclusive, positive event. Everyone is welcome, there is no wrong way to be a fan of Freddie! (Except convincing yourself you're dating his ghost maybe. That's pretty wrong. And weird. Don't do that.)

WHEN? On the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of May.

HOW? On the above dates (or after!), post your contributions to the AO3 collection or alternatively on Tumblr, tagged ‘#fmw2021’ or/and ‘#freddie mercury weekend 2021’. If you post on Tumblr, please also tag @a-froger-epic to make sure you get a reblog from me!

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

THE PROMPTS

You can be as free with the prompts as you like. They are here to inspire, there is no wrong way to write them! Change them around, mix them up, make them fem!Freddie, A/B/O, add your favourite ship. Anything goes! 😊

21st of May - 500-1000 word challenge!

We’re kicking off the event with ficlets and drabbles. First time writer just testing the waters? No need for an epic, just write a scene! No time to write but you want to participate? Surely you’ll find time for 500 words! 😉 Interpret these mini-prompts however you like (every one is a separate prompt, but you can combine them!):

Make-Up 💄   |   Pain/Pleasure 👀

Strip 👕   |   Ring 💍

Forbidden 🤫   |   Delilah 🐈

Piano 🎹   |   Dormitory 🛏 

Outrageous 🎉   |   Contentment 😌

Come Together 🎇   |   Ballet 🩰

Piece of Art 🎨   |   Leather 🧥

Cockring 🐔   |   Kimono 👘

Petals 🌸   |   Leotard 🕺🏻

Mustache 🧔   |   Last Time 😔

22nd of May - Is This The Real Life? 

A list of real event/canon timeline prompts from Freddie’s life. How real you want to keep them, however, is entirely up to you!

Down in flames

Freddie is 16 years old when he leaves boarding school. Does it have something to do with the school gardener, Sanjay? Did he flunk his exams or did he not even sit them? Is one thing connected to the other? Does he really find a boyfriend when he goes to stay with his aunt in Mumbai (then Bombay)? Either way, there’s the small matter of his parents finding out about all of it... (Sources: x x )

When Freddie met Kenny

Freddie is a guest on Kenny Everett's radio show in spring 1974. Freddie is living with Mary, Kenny is married. Two gay men, deep in the closet. To no one's surprise, they hit it off immediately. (Source: x )

But when did he? 

At some point during his relationship with Mary, prior to his relationship with David, Freddie had already begun sleeping with men. But how and when did that first happen? Cottaging in London? On tour somewhere in the world? Your guess is as good as ours… 

Flying High

Sex, Drugs and Rock n' Roll. Like all rock bands of their time, Queen doesn’t escape the copious amounts of cocaine in the entertainment industry for long. Somewhere on tour in America, perhaps, Freddie is first introduced to it. Where? How? 

Hide your tears

Jim said that he tried to be strong for Freddie and only cried in private, so as not to burden Freddie with his feelings. But this time, he is found. 

One-liners:

In 1969, Freddie doesn’t know how to cook an egg and neither does Roger (Source: x )

In 1977, Freddie meets Joe while on tour in Boston and starts dating him behind David's back

In 1990, Brian and Freddie work on 'The Show Must Go On' (Source: x )

In a year of your choice, Jim reminisces about his fondest moment(s) with Freddie

In 1976, Freddie and Mary end their relationship 

In 1984, Winnie gives Freddie a wedding ring (middle of the post: x )

In the late 60s, Freddie agrees to model for an Ealing Art School fashion show, but panics and flees the runway (Source: x )

In 1974, Freddie is strip-searched upon arrival in Australia (Source: x )

In 1982, Freddie and Roger go shopping in Amsterdam (Source: x )

In 1978, Freddie swings from a chandelier - naked (Source: x )

23rd of May - Is It Just Fantasy?

A list of AU prompts to spark your imagination. Take them and run with them or change them up, just have fun!

Make your dreams come true

Freddie hasn't been very fortunate in his life, until he finds a very special oil lamp, and rubs it just the right way. 

Beautiful stranger

Freddie meets an alluring stranger at a masquerade ball, who has more secrets than he can hide behind a mask. But Freddie has some of his own. 

Thicker than water 

Freddie agrees to a dreadful fate in order to save his little sister from the very same. Fortunately, he has friends who are more than willing to help him, but can they? Or are they, too, in danger?

Diamonds are a boy's best friend

Freddie is the prized jewel of the court, a skilled belly-dancer and entertainer, but he may also be plotting murder and getting away with it. 

Almost Real

In a distant future, humans have all but done away with face to face interaction. Humanity largely lives online. Children grow up isolated and live with only their families well into young adulthood. Cybersex is the new normal, although some families take a puritanical approach for fear of addiction. One day, impossibly, a real life young man falls through the containment field in Freddie’s back garden. 

One-liners:

This plane is going to crash (Freddie knew there was a reason he hated flying) 

Shipwrecked on an island (Freddie could never bear to be alone, but luckily/unfortunately for him…) 

Hunger Games AU (Freddie is so dead) 

A terrible road accident (Everyone is so dead, or are they?) 

Blind Date AU (Freddie's best friend is so dead for setting him up with this person… or are they…) 

Bank robbery (but who are the robbers and who are the hostages?) 

Magic AU ("Yer a wizard, Freddie!")

Film Noir AU (Secrets and cigarette holders) 

Interior Design AU (Does the carpet match the drapes?)

The Bodyguard AU (“And I will always love yooouuuu…”)

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

RULES & FAQ

⛔ Strictly No Hate ⛔

This is the NUMBER ONE RULE of the event, to ensure that everybody feels safe. No rudeness, provocations or hate aimed at creators or other commenters will be permitted, not on AO3 nor Tumblr.

Follow these steps if you receive a comment or ask that distresses you:

Do not engage. (You can take a screenshot as proof.)

Delete it. No ifs, no buts. Just delete it. (Don’t hesitate to block anon hate on Tumblr.)

Alert me ( @a-froger-epic ) or @aboutnothingness, who is lending me a hand to make sure all needs are attended, all questions are answered and everything runs smoothly. We are here to actively support you. We’ve got your back, and we will gladly talk to you and help you feel better.

If you choose to ignore this rule, your work may be removed from the event. We would hate to resort to that.

But what if one of the works has upset me?

Can the thing that upset you be tagged, but it wasn’t? Then please inform @a-froger-epic or @aboutnothingness, and we will bring it to the creator’s attention. (Remember to use the appropriate tags, everybody!)

Was the thing that upset you already tagged? Or is it perhaps simply the characterisation you find disagreeable? Then we suggest you click on the ‘back’ button, take a deep breath and remind yourself it's just fanfic.

Who can participate?

Anyone who is inspired by Freddie Mercury in any way shape or form. This event is open to all.

Can I combine prompts from different days?

By all means! We look forward to your futuristic Freddie-gets-kicked-out-of-boarding-school Maycury Film Noir AU. With leotards. Go crazy.

I'm not sure where my creation fits in, what day do I post it? 

The days, like the prompts, are only suggestions. We don't mind when you post it, as long as you post it! Even if it's two weeks late! 

Help, I've never posted fic before! 

Don't worry, we've got you! (And more importantly, we've got AO3 invites!) @aboutnothingness is more than happy to walk you through the process of setting up an account and is also offering her services as a beta.

I’m still too nervous to participate!

You can post anonymously to the collection. You can disable anon comments on your work. You can disable comments entirely and just collect the kudos. You can close anon asks on Tumblr temporarily. But most importantly, we are here for you and we want you here!

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

“I love the fact that I make people happy, in any form. Even if it’s just half an hour of their lives, in any way that I can make them feel lucky or make them feel good, or bring a smile to a sour face, that to me is worthwhile.”

- Freddie Mercury

[theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin]

what do you think of dramione?

Ugh.

I've thought about this for a bit now, and that's really the best, most succinct, answer I can provide. However, this is a blog about me ranting about things, so we can't have that. 

 I suppose to start with I'll say that Dramione is a popular ship not just in Harry Potter. You see Dramione's in disguise all the time across every fandom. It's the ship in which our intelligent, female, lead who often masquerades as an SI ends up with the male somewhat villain who's spicy but not too spicy. 

 It's enemies to lovers, sometimes mixed in with betrayal, and a whole lot of taboo attraction.

 And it kills something inside me every time I come across it. 

I think it's very damning evidence that on the HP rec list the other day, while I had Tomione which I also loathe, there was not one Dramione fic. Not a single, damn, one. 

So, why does it bother me? 

Well, I guess to break it down, it comes down to both Hermione and Draco. 

Obviously, I mean, they are the heart of the ship, right? Hermione falls into the usual fanfiction Hermione trap: she becomes the fandom bicycle to profess who the author admires and often wants to be. She's softened down into "film Hermione", where her hard edges and frankly horrifying decisions disappear, we're told over and over again how wonderfully brilliant she is and how nobody understands or respects how brilliant she is, she becomes very pretty and loses that obnoxious personality edge that drove everyone away in canon, and she's usually just this feel good protagonist who is smarter than everyone else.

The author may try to convince me Hermione's edgy and perhaps in some cases a little dark, they may try a little too hard in fact, but Hermione usually becomes so palatable she's practically tasteless. Granted, this isn't a problem solely in the realm of Dramione, it's actually nearly every fic with Hermione, but it does come up there a lot. 

Then we get to Draco, oh Draco. Draco usually loses all sight of his original personality.

Remember that ridiculous kid who pretended he couldn't use his arm for months because he was convinced this would help his father get Hagrid fired (bitch, Lucius doesn't need that to get Hagrid fired)? Remember the guy who dressed up as a dementor because he was terrified Harry would win a stupid quidditch game? Remember that kid who did pretty much anything ever in the books, had "wait until my father hears about this!" as a catch phrase, and just sneers at everything? Remember that guy?

Congrats, he's now your sexy love interest. Enjoy.

Dramione authors to a tee completely forget what Draco was like in the books. His pinched features are gone (indeed, he is now the most beautiful man to ever grace Hogwarts), his sneering jeering attitude is gone and he's somehow managed to become witty, his constant stupidity and propensity to get into mischief in his endless quest to goad Harry Potter is gone. Instead we usually get this guy who's one cool, dark, dude who is attracted to Sexy Hermione despite himself. He's surrounded by edgy, dark, friends who are suddenly not the Pansy Parkinson we know and love from the books. Draco is made even blander and more tasteless than Hermione.

So we have these two bland people, mixed together like porridge, where one is sexy smart female lead and the other is sexy dark bad boy racist (if the author doesn't wipe that away completely) domestic terrorist (if the author doesn't wipe that away completely either).

Granted, I do think if Hermione and Draco stayed the way they were in canon they probably wouldn't end up together. Hermione would never deign to date Death Eater scum and Draco would never rock the boat by dating Hermione even if he wanted to. Which he wouldn't, because ew muggleborn.

That said, the fic of book!Hermione and book!Draco having a brief dating period would be hilarious. And probably end in Hermione's terrifying vengeance upon Draco that I can't even imagine but will be probably 500 years of endless pain and torment. This is the girl who gets Umbridge raped by centaurs gleefully, I can't imagine what she'd do as a jilted lover. Just that it would be out of this world.

[binch-i-might-be]

raystie any song recs?

omg I've never like made a list if song recs before,,,, let's see Imma go through my favourites list hehe

okay!

21 guns by green day (pretty sure you probably know this one but it slaps so 🤷)

alone together by fallout boy. bestie PLEASE listen to this it's so good

500 miles by the hooters!! Impeccable Vibes

bones shatter by hedley. literally been listening to this for ten years

breath by breaking benjamin. this song has fucking KEPT ME GOING

brother by gerard way. I've been wanting to recommend his whole solo album to you for a while now but a few songs will do for now :)

bullet by hollywood undead. this is an absolute BOP but HUGE trigger warning for selfharm, pills, and suicide. it's extremely upbeat but the lyrics can potentially be very triggering

cemetery drive by mcr. don't know if you've listened to it already but it's definitely worth it :)

common people by pulp. mcr has also covered this one and it slaps!

could have been me by the struts. I can't describe the person I would have been if I'd had this song as a teen

creep by radiohead. I'm a creep I'm a weirdo ect ect

dance mephisto by falco!!! it's largely in german but the VIBES this exudes. too powerful

dance with the devil by breaking benjamin :)

drugstore perfume by gerard way! it feels like Warm and Safe

empty spaces by drown in grace. this is also one I've had on my phone for a decade lmao

face down by the red jumpsuit apparatus!!! this just slaps tbh

final masquerade by linkin park. it's giving "everything ends and that's okay" vibes

five years by david bowie! it's just Good idk what to tell you

forbidden colours by ryuichi sakamoto and david sylvian. hrhrhhrjrjrjkfjd homo????? MY LOVE WEARS FORBIDDEN COLOURS!!!!!!

here we are by breaking benjamin!

hero of war by rise against!!!! this is such a good song for all the soldier blorbos!!!!

how it's going to be by gerard way. I'm not exaggerating when I say this has singlehandedly gotten me through Some Shit

I'm not okay by mcr in case you haven't listened to it yet!!

in the end by linkin park. hrhdghrhrhjrjd

insomnia suite by the dreams! this is just so vibey!

it takes a fool to remain sane by the ark. this song. this song,,,,,

jeanny by falco. it's again largely in german, I'm suggesting it because his acting on this is SO iconic. like the song is from the pov of a serial killer stalking a young girl, and it's framed by the news report of her disappearance. it's chilling and the song was banned for a time because it was so convincing and they thought the man had ACTUALLY kidnapped a girl. king

leave out all the rest by linkin park :)

life on mars? by david bowie. somehow this makes me cry when the lighting outside is just right

love grows (where my rosemary goes) by edison lighthouse. it's just a very sweet vibey song and it reminds me of my parents :) (read: dad and stepmom lmao)

my demons by starset. it's just a bop!

one day too late by skillet. I had a religious experience to this song in the forest in like 2015

paper wings by rise against. oh my FUCKING god

rock me amadeus by falco. mostly german again but it's still a bop

slow burn by david bowie. very specific vibes

somewhere I belong by linkin park. this was the anthem of my teenage angst in like 2015

space oddity by david bowie. just because I think Everyone Should Listen To This Actually

still breathing by green day. hfgdhjdjdjdjk

surrender by billy talent!!!! oh my god!!!

sympathy for the devil by the rolling stones. I'm sorry this song is objectively a masterpiece

the dead can't testify by billy talent. this song has a chokehold on me

the diary of jane by breaking benjamin. the acoustic version slaps too!

the ghost of you by mcr if you haven't already

the light behind your eyes by mcr. sad but comforting

the mercy seat by johnny cash. this song puts me in a trance every time I listen to it, I stop breathing and then I usually cry. yeah

the world is ugly by mcr. HELLO???

titanic by falco. the theatrics of this,,,, unattainable for a mortal

touch-tone telephone by lemon demon. this just slaps lmao

tragedy + time by rise against. help me :)

unchain my heart by joe cocker. joe only had bops tbh

under the sun by the dreams! I have very fond memories of past blorbos to this :)

whatsername by green day. I don't know how to explain this but you feel it in your soul

welcome to the black parade by mcr. I can't NOT add this okay

white sparrows by billy talent. literally sobbing thinking about this. great song for tragic blorbos

wish my life away by kan gao m. I can't think about this song I can't talk about this song I Will Cry

alright that's IT, I went off a lil bit sry lmao <3

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts: A Night on the Town!

Wizards Hearts Game/Fest ran for a full four months, and is now officially over, though we are ever appreciative towards our readers for spreading love to Drarry fics old and new, short and long. 900 comments were left as a result of the game.

Players are sorted and assigned at random to four different teams. All team activities and discussions are completely optional but can yield extra points to help win the game! There are weekly team activities and longer, creative team activities where players can imagine new, fun headcanons in the Harry Potter universe and perhaps a few stories of their own!

Team Activity 5: Celebrity Visitations and Incidents

As was previously reported on, Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter made visitations at multiple casinos. Those casinos have been kind enough to share their footage surveillance and first person accounts of what exactly happened during these visits. Some went much better than others, of course.

Teams were asked to 1) Write a fic about the incident at their casino (as written by their rival casinos) and tell it from the perspective of A) Harry or Draco or B) a 3rd Person Narrator for a minimum for 500 words. 2) Create an image to accompany their fics.

View the first Team Activity post here

View the second Team Activity post here

View the third Team Activity post here

View the fourth Team Activity post here

View the final Team Activity post under the cut!

Team 1: Loch Lomond’s Treasure

Before Draco was inside the casino, he thought the whole thing to be rather silly. A masquerade ball he would have been right at home in. But the way Harry had described it, this was almost closer to a costume party, and he wasn’t entirely a fan of their chosen costumes. He understood why Harry had chosen them, of course, but that didn’t mean he had to like them.

But when he stepped inside the Loch Lomond’s Treasure casino, all of his worries were dashed away, and he was taken aback. He had known about the Gillyweed Ball, but goodness Merlin… It was exquisite. The way the lights danced around the water seemed to make everything sparkle, and everyone was laughing and having a grand old time. Near immediately, the two of them were approached. Even behind the shoddy glamour, Draco was able to recognize Mr. Richens. Elder gentleman, halfblood, and owner of an up-and-coming potions shop down in Diagon. “Ah, Mr. Potter!”

And just like Harry said, it worked. Everyone thought that he was Harry, and that Harry was him! He watched the way Richens seemed to fall all over himself to speak with him, all while snubbing Harry. Unable to help himself, Draco threw a smirk to Harry for what he knew would come at the end of the night when everyone cast off their costumes. Harry chuckled at his side, and it seemed to throw Richens off a bit, but Draco gave the man credit where credit was due. He plowed on as though nothing were amiss.

And that was what went on for the rest of the night as well. Business owners, politicians, and anyone looking to get anything to sell to the papers all came flocking towards him as though he truly were Harry Potter. He supposed that was what they believed to be true, at least. “Mr. Potter, everyone is just dying to know who made your costumes,” one of the women tittered. Draco barely kept from rolling his eyes.

“Blaise Zabini, of course,” he answered, and no one noticed the smoother, more cultured tones of his voice, as opposed to the rough and tumble way Harry spilled out his words. “He’s a new designer, and one to certainly be on the lookout for. He was anxious to make these for us, and I think we can agree that he did a fabulous job on them.”

When he and Harry were separated, Draco saw out of the corner of his eye, multiple people that Harry bumped into or tried to play nice with all give him cold glares, and seem to spit venom at him. Harry, of course, took none of it seriously and answered it all with one of those sunshine smiles of his.

Later in the evening, Harry called him over, “Harry,” he said, and Draco heard that teasing tone in his voice clear as day. “Come on over here, they’re announcing the winners of the costume contest.”

Draco chuckled to himself. “Alright, alright. You won’t let me go until I do.” So Draco walked over to stand beside him.

He wasn’t much surprised when he and Harry were announced as the Kings of the costume contest. Everyone pleaded with them to remove their costumes, and Draco glanced to Harry. When Harry nodded, Draco smirked and waved his wand silently to send their costumes away. The shock, awe, and fear on the faces of many in attendance did so warm Draco’s heart.

At his side, Harry’s fingertips brushed against his arm. “You enjoy some more of the buffet. I’ve got a few… business partners to talk to.”

Draco near purred, “Sounds lovely. Would you like me to save you a few crab canapés? They’re absolutely divine.”

“I think you’d be happier to have them all to yourself,” Harry chuckled, and Draco did so love the sound, as the shivers running through his spine attested to. “Just save me a seat?”

“For you? Always.”

Team 2: Golden Scales

It was All Hallows Eve, a day that Harry tried to forget. Harry usually spent this day locked up in his room at Grimmauld Place. Ron and Hermione would visit him to make sure he ate and give him company. This year, the duo was busy with their newborn child, Rose, and hence, Harry was going to spend the day alone. 

Draco and Harry had struck up a new friendship after Ginny and Pansy’s wedding. Draco knew from the girls that this day was always hard on Harry, and so he took it upon himself to do something fun this year. 

That’s how they ended up at the entrance of the Golden Scales Casino. The Casino was organising a Masquerade and Bonfire Night to welcome the season. Bring your best mask and your whimsy and prepare for a magical evening, the pamphlet had read. It was just what they needed to take Harry’s mind off of gloom and doom.

Draco had worn a beautiful silver mask with green feathers and rhinestones. Harry looked equally handsome in a red and black mask that accentuated his emerald green eyes. They met in the front lobby of the casino near the dragon statue. Before walking in, Draco rubbed the golden ace card held by the dragon, which was rumoured to bring patrons good luck. Their masks were a blessing, and not many heads turned.

The boys tried their hand at the casino’s patent game ‘Bluffing the Dragon’, and Draco even won a round and graciously treated Harry to a shot of Dragon Bite. They were sitting by the bonfire, enjoying the warmth and spectacular light show performed by the casino’s miniature dragons when a flame from one of the dragons skimmed Harry's face, causing him to panic and jerk away, spilling Draco’s drink in the process.

“Watch it, Potter, this suit is Italian and very expensive,” Draco said irritably.

Harry, however, had started hyperventilating. 

“Calm down, Potter. You’re drawing attention to us,” he said.

“Shut. Up. Malfoy.” Harry bit out, and soon they had reverted to their schoolboy ways of hurling insults at each other. 

The commotion had alerted the authorities, and two burly bouncers approached their table. Seeing this, Draco put an arm on Harry’s shoulder to calm him down, but Harry pushed him away, ripping his mask off and pointing his wand at Draco’s throat. A collective gasp was heard, and then the room went silent.

Draco looked at Harry, eyes wide and full of hurt. Harry, realising his overreaction, dropped his wand. Draco turned on his heel and started leaving when Harry came back to his senses and ran after him, but Draco pushed him and apparated away.

Harry had bumped into another patron who had consumed the Queen of the Night cocktail, causing a coughing cum fire breathing fit. The ensuing commotion was too much, and when the bouncers escorted him to the golden elevator, he went willingly.

The previous night’s debacle was all over the papers the next day. Everyone had a take on what must have transpired. Some called it a lover’s tiff, others a spat between friends, and some even speculated that Harry had been led to the Casino by devious means. Of course, none of it was true, and the only person who deserved to know the truth was Draco. Harry had to set things right—the look on Draco’s face had haunted him all night.

He wasn’t sure if Draco would want to see him, so he wrote him a letter explaining how he’d been lost in his own head. The flames had taken him by surprise, plunging him back to the night in the Room of Requirement when he and Draco had almost perished in the Fiendfyre. He didn't expect Draco to forgive him, but he had to apologise.

An hour later, Harry’s floo chimed and Draco stepped out of it, wrapping Harry in a tight hug.

Team 3: Vanaheim

It was stiflingly hot inside the infamous Vanaheim Casino, and the glamour Romilda wore didn’t help matters much since it clogged every pore of her face, making her feeling more uncomfortable. But she didn’t dare take off her glamour and risk being detected. Ever since she’d been caught bribing Mundungus Fletcher to steal things from the more noteworthy guests, she’d been banned from the premises under threat of public humiliation. 

Tonight had been dreadfully dull though. She’d had high hopes for this event, with both Harry Potter and his more than questionable choice of boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, as guests. But everything was going smoothly. Too smoothly. Not even a row over winnings or counting cards or anything, just a slow hum of voices and the occasional outcry whenever someone won at that weird dice game they insisted on playing here that she could never understand or remember the rules for.

She sighed, glancing at her wristwatch, when something caught her eye. How on earth could she have missed this? She was sure she had kept her eyes firmly on Potter the entire night, but somehow she hadn’t noticed him walking up to… to none other than the literal god and eligible bachelor Thor Odinsson. Oh, this was good. This was almost too good to be true. But where was Malfoy?

It was difficult trying to scan the room for Malfoy while simultaneously keeping track of what Potter was doing with Odinsson, but when Potter leaned into the other man, placing a hand on his big bicep and whispering in his ear, Romilda felt like she had found the thirteenth use of dragon’s blood. Surely she would get promoted after writing a story about this?

Unbelievably, it got even better when she heard a cry of rage to her right, and saw Malfoy elbow his way through the crowd towards the two men. Romilda was whispering furiously to her Quick Quotes Quill while Malfoy started having a shouting match with Potter, and even went so far as to push Potter away from Odinsson. But in her haste to get everything written down, she had forgotten to keep her glamour, and she felt it slip enough that the bouncer by the door noticed her. He’d always had a keen eye, that one, and wasn’t easily distracted by gossip-worthy fights, not even a big one like this. Luckily for her, Malfoy yanked Potter away towards the loos by grabbing his collar. She took the opportunity to slink away in the general commotion that caused, grieving that she hadn’t become an unregistered Animagus like her predecessor Rita Skeeter so she could follow the two men and see the rest of the row. By the look of Malfoy’s face, it promised to get juicy.

* * * * *

Draco pushed Potter unceremoniously into the loo and slammed the door behind them. After a quick check to make sure they were alone, he cast Colloportus and pushed Potter up against the sink.

“I saw you,” Draco growled.

Potter’s eyes widened but he didn’t move. 

“In front of everyone. They were all watching their Saviour. They think I don’t deserve you.” Draco took a step closer until they were inches apart. “I saw you. Whispering in his ear, touching him, and he looked like he wanted to devour you. Make you his.” 

Potter exhaled, his eyes dark. “How did that make you feel?”

Draco slid his thigh between Potter’s and crowded into his space. “Incredibly turned on. He wanted you, thought he could have you.”

“The look on your face,” Potter murmured in Draco’s ear. “I was watching you the whole time. I love it when your cheeks and neck get flushed. You’re gorgeous when you’re jealous.”

“Fuck, Potter.” Draco leaned in and brushed his lips against Harry’s jaw, kissed down his neck and Harry tilted his head to the side in encouragement. “But you’re mine, aren’t you?”

Harry’s breath hitched as Draco nipped at the sensitive spot by his ear. “All yours. You’re the only one I want.”

Draco sucked a bruise into Harry’s neck to mark what was his, then came up and claimed his lips in a searing kiss. When they broke apart, Draco had only one coherent thought on his mind. “Apparate us home. Right now.”

With a loud crack, the room was once again empty.

Team 4: Arc en Ciel

Read here on AO3

[ad1thi]

okay so i won’t set my next goal on kofi until i put out the new part for the greek gods au (i’ve written almost 500 words btw) but these are the wips in consideration. 

all wips are part of a series i’m calling: bollywood but make it gay, which is essentially be rewriting bollywood films with marvel films. crucially, none of these ideas are originally mine- im just repurposing them with characters i think fit. im obviously editing the stories slightly but they aren’t originally my ideas

some of these wips will feature desi!tony

let me know which one you guys wanna see first, and thats the one i’ll work on first and set the goal for!:

//

1. Dostana

ship: ironhusbands, side peppermay

Summary: Rhodey and Tony desperately need a new apartment, and there’s a brilliant one that’s close to where they both work. There’s only catch though, the landlord, Pepper (who is stunning) only accepts applications from couples. After a night drowning their sorrows in the local bar, they come up with the brilliant idea to pose as a gay couple for the apartment. They move in, and come up with increasingly stupid ways to impress their new landlord without exposing that their marriage is a sham

Neither bestfriend likes to lose, and both of them have their eyes set on one person: Pepper

(or do they?) 

-this fic is currently being written and almost 3k of the fic already exists

//

2. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi 

ship: buckytony

On Tuesday, Tony was preparing to marry the love of his life. On Wednesday, he was burying his mother. On Thursday, he was married to James- a man he barely knew; and liked even less.

On Tuesday, Bucky was attending Ms. Carter’s son’s wedding. On Wednesday, he buried Peggy. On Thursday; he was Tony’s husband.

This is their love story

-about 300 words of this fic exist currently

-this fic will include desi! everyone

//

3.catching him isn’t hard (its impossible)

ship: stevetony, with fem!steve

Summary: Steph Rogers knew her brother was mixed up in some shady shit. But she still didn’t expect him to be killed; murdered in his own house like he meant nothing. The police may have no leads; but Stephanie knows the man who killed her brother is Tony Stark - and she’ll stop at nothing to put him behind bars.

Tanishq is a simple man just trying to raise Peter, the boy he found abandoned on the side of the road. When Detective Stane offers him the chance of a lifetime- he can’t turn it down. He agrees to masquerade as international smuggler Tony Stark, but soon gets sucked into a world of lies and espionage that, if they catch up to him, will kill him

-the premise of this fic is almost entirely done; but it should be noted that this is based on one of my all time favourite films and so i probably will be slower to write this as i’ll want to write this fic to perfection

-this fic will include both desi!tony and italian!tony

-it should be noted that this ISN’T my carbonell family au but another mob boss!tony stark au

//

4. raazi

ship: currently ironmonger, but unlike other wips; this ship is subject to change. it can be tony x anyone of your choosing; fem!toni

Summary: General Stark and Brigadier Stevens are childhood friends, and Stark wants to cement their life-long acquaintance by joining their children in marriage. During the turmoil of the Indo-Pakistan War of 1981, the two families celebrate the wedding of Antonia Stark to Erik Stevens. Antonia leaves her home in Delhi to start a new life in Lahore, but she’s there for a more patriotic purpose; to smuggle information back to the indian army

a story of love, espionage, and a 20 year old woman who risked everything for her country

-nothing of this fic exists yet; but it will be written

-desi!tony will exist in this fic

-crucially, this fic is based on real world events and a true story; so it will be treated with the sensitivity both those issues curtail

--

anyway! those are the wips up for production; and since i expect all of these wips to be at least 10k+ (which is a task for me since i generally write 1k but i wanna do justice to these stories) the goal will be much higher.

Let me know which ones you guys wanna see first (they will all eventually be put up) and i’ll work on them accordingly!!

//

tagging some mutuals so this gains traction: @imposter-human, @theavengays, @wintersoldierland, @kimannhart, @firebrands, @lovelyirony, @starkrogerrs, @riotwritesthings, @omg-just-peachy, @s-horne, @spideyjlaw, @spiderrpcrker, @littlemissstark, @starksnack, @icarustarks, @sleepyoldchild, @wecollectnightmares, 

[cielrouge]

2018 YA Reads by Authors of Color

#PrettyBoy Must Die by Kimberly Reid - A CIA prodigy's cover is blown when he accidentally becomes an internet sensation, inspired by the #Alexfromtarget story.

500 Words or Less by Juleah del Rosario - To redefine her reputation senior year, Nic Chen begins writing their college admissions essays. But the more essays Nic writes for other people, the less sure she becomes of herself, and whether her moral compass even points north anymore.

After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribar - A powerful novel about friendship, basketball, and one teen's mission to create a better life for his family in the tradition of Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers.   

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena - When half-Hindu, half-Parsi school troublemaker Zarin Wadia dies in a car crash with a boy named Porus, no one in her South Asian community in Jeddah is surprised—what else would you expect from a girl like that?

A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi -  After their home in Syria is bombed, Tareq and family seek refuge, first with extended family in Raqqa, a stronghold for the militant group, Daesh, and then abroad.

A Reaper At the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes #3) by Sabaa Tahir - Within the Empire, the threat of war looms, putting Laia, Helene, and Elias at risk. 

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh & Elsie Chapman - 15 bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. 

All of This is True by Lygia Day Penaflor - Four privileged Long Island teens befriend their favorite YA author with disastrous results.

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages edited by Saundra Mitchell - A historical-fiction anthology shines the spotlight on queer teens, from as far back as the 1300s to the 21st century.

All That I Can Fix by Crystal Chan - Ronney kept believing his dad would snap out of it and shape up—until his hope turned into anger.

All the Stars Denied by Guadalupe Garcia McCall - In this companion novel to SHAME THE STARS, McCall covers the hidden history of the United States and its first mass deportation event that swept up hundreds of thousands of Mexican American citizens during the Great Depression.

Along the Indigo by Elsie Chapman - Love, mystery, and tragedy unfold for Marsden and Jude in a small town with a haunted past.

American Panda by Gloria Chao - An incisive, laugh-out-loud contemporary debut about a Taiwanese-American teen, Mei whose parents want her to be a doctor and marry a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer despite her squeamishness with germs and crush on a Japanese classmate.

American Road Trip by Patrick Flores-Scott - After Teodoro’s older brother, Manny, left for Iraq, the Avilas begin to fall apart. But in a desperate effort to save Manny from himself and pull their family back together, T's fiery sister Xochitl hoodwinks her brothers into a road trip with many stops along the road to visit loved ones from their past. 

Americanized: Rebel Without a Greencard by Sara Saedi - Saedi recounts her teen years growing up and coming of age in 1990s California while fearing deportation for herself and her undocumented family.

Analee in Real Life by Janelle Milanes - A genuinely fresh spin on Pygmalion in high school, starring Cuban-American Analee Echevarria. 

Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro - Rooted in the working-class neighborhoods of Oakland, California, this is a tale of black teenager Moss Jeffries, diverse in sexuality and gender, organizing to challenge state-sanctioned violence.

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan - Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird .Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. 

The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Music brought Autumn, Shay, and Logan together. But when tragedy strikes each of them, somehow music is no longer enough. Now Logan can’t stop watching vlogs of his dead ex-boyfriend. Shay is a music blogger struggling to keep it together. And Autumn sends messages that she knows can never be answered. Despite the odds, one band's music will reunite them and prove that after grief, beauty thrives in the people left behind. 

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton - In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty. Camellia Beauregard wants to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But she soon finds that behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets. When the Queen of Orléans asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia faces an impossible decision.

Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria - In the city of Eldra, people are ruled by ancient prophecies. For centuries, the high council has stayed in power by virtue of the prophecies of the elder seers. In the present day, Cassa, the orphaned daughter of rebels, is determined to fight back against the high council. But by the time Cassa and her friends uncover the mystery of the final infallible prophecy, it may be too late to save the city — or themselves.

Between the Lines by Nikki Grimes - A new group of students join Mr. Ward’s poetry class in the companion novel to Bronx Masquerade

A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney - The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before.

Blanca & Roja by Anne-Marie McLemore - The del Cisne girls, Blanca & Roja, have never just been sisters; they’re also rivals. Because of a generations-old spell, their family is bound to a bevy of swans deep in the woods. But when two local boys become drawn into the game, the swans’ spell intertwines with the strange and unpredictable magic lacing the woods, and all four of their fates depend on facing truths that could either save or destroy them. 

Blood of a Thousand Stars (Empress of a Thousand Skies #2) by Rhoda Belleza - Separated, unaware of the others, Rhee, Aly, and Kara try to wrest control of the galaxy from an evil celebrity. 

The Boyfriend Bracket by Kate Evangelista - Stella has had a hopeless crush on Will, her older brother's best friend FOREVER, but now that Cam and Will have graduated and are going off to college, this year is her chance to really strike out on her own. With the help of her best friend Franklin, she comes up with the perfect plan to have a boyfriend by Christmas: The Boyfriend Bracket. Or it seems like the perfect plan...right up until Will starts showing up again.

Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia - Cuban-American Peyton Rios is a rising soccer star to discovers her boyfriend’s dark secret, and confronts him—and finds herself falling down a flight of stairs. Peyton’s knee—and maybe her dream of going pro—is shattered. With her future on the line, Peyton goes to stay with her uncle in a small Tennessee town to focus on her recovery. Dating is the last thing on her mind—until she meets sweet, sexy Owen Law. 

Bruja Born (Brooklyn Brujas #2) by Zoraida Cordova - Teenage bruja Lula Mortiz tries to save her boyfriend, Maks, by cheating Death; however, Lady de la Muerte is not so easily bested.

Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani - The unnamed young Nigerian narrator of this novel, with a loving family and academic aspirations, is kidnapped by Boko Haram along with many other girls and women from her village.

Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina - Nothing's been the same for Beth Teller since she died. Her dad, a detective, is the only one who can see and hear her - and he's drowning in grief. But now they have a mystery to solve together. Who is Isobel Catching, and what's her connection to the fire that killed a man? 

Chainbreaker (Timekeeper #2) by Tara Sim - In 1876, someone is destroying the clock towers that control India’s time. Teenage mechanics Danny Hart and half-white, half-Indian Daphne Richards as they travel to Agra to investigate a series of clock tower bombings. 

Check Please! Book 1: Hockey by Nogzi Ukazu - A collection of the first half of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi - 17-year-old Zélie and companions journey to a mythic island seeking a chance to bring back magic to the land of Orïsha, in a fantasy world infused with the textures of West Africa.

Crown of Thunder (Beasts Made of Night #2) by Tochi Onyebuchi - Taj has escaped Kos, but Queen Karima will go to any means necessary—including using the most deadly magic—to track him down.

Damselfly by Chandra Prasad- In the wake of crash-landing on a deserted tropical island, Samantha Mishra and her other private school classmates must rely on their wits and one another to survive. 

Dear Heartbreak edited by Heather Denetrios - This is a book about the dark side of love: the way it kicks your ass, tears out your heart, and then forces you to eat it, bite by bloody bite. If you’ve felt this way, you’re not alone. 

The Devil’s Thief (The Last Magician #2) by Lisa Maxwell - Esta and Harte set off on a cross-country chase through time to steal back the elemental stones they need to save the future of magic.

The Demon Race by Alexandria Warwick - When 17-year-old Namali learns of her arranged marriage, she flees home and enters the Demon Race for the chance to change her fate. But to compete, she must cross the Saraj on a daeva, a shadow demon that desires its own reward: to infect her soul with darkness. In this race of men and demons, only one can win. But the price of winning might be more than Namali is willing to pay.

Djinn by Sang Kromah - Bijou Fitzroy is strange. With the unwanted gift of being an empath, she has spent her entire life as a sheltered recluse. When Bijou and her grandmother move to Sykesville and she starts to attend the local high school, Bijou’s world begins to crumble. Town locals begin to disappear and the creatures from her nightmares begin to take shape in her reality. She finds herself at the center of a war she never knew was being fought all around her.

The Disturbed Girls’ Dictionary by NoNieqa Ramos - Officially classified as “disturbed,” Puerto Rican Macy vents her rage, frustrations, and fears in a dictionary-style journal.

Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi While his parents travel to Iran to visit his ailing grandfather, 16-year-old Iranian-American Scott Ferdowsi quits his boring summer lab internship in Philadelphia and secretly travels to D.C., seeking answers about his (in)ability to succeed.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland - The Civil War is over, but mostly because the dead rose at Gettysburg—and then started rising everywhere else. Fighting the undead is a breeze for Jane McKenne, an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. But the fight for freedom? That’s a different story.

Dream Country by Shannon Gibney - The heartbreaking story of five generations of young people from a single African-and-American family pursuing an elusive dream of freedom. 

Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine - Two teenage girls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, rebel against a patriarchal culture while struggling to navigate their complex family lives.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi - A secret relationship conducted almost exclusively via text buoys Korean-American college freshman Penny Lee, slouching awkwardly toward adulthood and a 21-year-old cafe manager who is trying to clean up the mess his life has become.

Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean - Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace’s enchanted seasonal rooms. Marry the prince. Torn between duty and love, loyalty and betrayal, vengeance and forgiveness, the choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku. 

The Fall of Innocence by Jenny Torres Sanchez - When she was 8 years old, half-Mexican, half-El Salvadoran Emilia DeJesus was brutally assaulted. But when a startling discovery about her attacker's identity comes to light, and the memories of that day break through the mental box in which she'd shut them away, Emilia is forced to confront her new reality and make sense of shifting truths about her past, her family, and herself. 

Final Draft by Riley Redgate - 18-year-old high school senior Laila Piedra is determined to write the best sci-fi story ever. Dr. Nazarenko has led Laila to believe that she must choose between perfection and sanity—but rejecting her all-powerful mentor may be the only way for Laila to thrive.

The Final Six by Alexandra Monir -  Italian-American Leo Danieli and Iranian-American Naomi Ardalan must become astronauts in record time for an inaugural space mission.

Finding Yvonne by Brandy Colbert - Yvonne's longtime plans to play violin professionally seem to be falling apart as she nears graduation. Feeling unmoored, she begins seeing a street performer while also pondering her longtime relationship with her father's sous chef. Ultimately her unexpected pregnancy forces some hard talks and hard choices.

Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst - In Sky Hawkins's family, leading your first heist is a major milestone. Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family's wealth and rank in their community.

For A Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - 16-year-old shadow puppeteer Jetta Chantray performs with her family’s traveling troupe, the Ros Nai. Her skill and fame are her family’s way to earn a spot aboard the royal ship to Aquitan, where rumor has it the Mad King has a spring that cures his ills. But as rebellion seethes and as Jetta meets a young smuggler, she will face truths and decisions that she never imagined—and safety will never seem so far away.

Fresh Ink edited by Lamar Giles - 13 leading YA voices from diverse backgrounds lend their talents to this anthology of 12 fictional short stories.

From Twinkie, With Love by Sandhya Menon - Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Thrust into the beauty and horror of the Hidden Palace, will Paper Girl Lei survive?

Girls on the Line by Jennie Liu - A teen pregnancy puts two orphan girls in contemporary China on a collision course with factory bosses, family planning regulators, and a bride trafficker.

Give Me Some Truth by Eric Gansworth - In the 1980s, Carson Mastick’s Native American coming-of-age story grapples with the day-to-day details of teenagers’ lives on and off the reservation.

The Healer by Donna Freitas - Marlena Oliveira has—mysteriously, miraculously—been given the power to heal all kinds of ailments. But her power comes at a price: she can’t go to school, she can’t have friends her own age, and she certainly can’t date.Then she meets Finn, a boy who makes her want to fall in love. For the first time, she begins to doubt whether her gift is worth all that she must give up to keep it.

The Heartforger (Bone Witch #2) by Rin Chupeco - With a thirst for vengeance, a band of terrifying daeva at her command, and her resurrected lover Kalen by her side, dark asha Tea is ready to face her adversaries.

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith - A thoughtful story of Native American Louise Wolfe navigating the complicated, confusing waters of high school — and first love.

Hide With Me by Sorboni Banerjee - A powerful story about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the headiness of first love, and the courage to fight for a brighter future against all odds.

Home and Away by Candice Montgomery - Tasia Quirk is young, Black, and fabulous. But when she catches her mamma trying to stuff a mysterious box in the closet, her identity is suddenly called into question. Now Tasia’s determined to unravel the lies that have overtaken her life. 

Hope is Our Only Wing by Rutendo Tavengerwei - In Zimbabwe, 15-year-old Shamiso, struggles with grief and bewilderment following her father's death. For Tanyaradzwa, whose life has been turned upside down by a cancer diagnosis, hope is the only reason to keep fighting. As the two of them form an unlikely friendship, Shamiso begins to confront her terrible fear of loss. 

I Am Thunder by Muhammad Khan 15-year-old Muzna Saleem, who dreams of being a writer, struggles with controlling parents who only care about her studying to be a doctor. Forced to move to a new school in South London, Muzna realizes that the bullies will follow her wherever she goes. As her new freedom starts to disappear, Muzna is forced to question everything around her and make a terrible choice - keep quiet and betray herself, or speak out and betray her heart?

Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan - Criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot, Ia Cocha has spent her life terrorizing the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home. When she’s captured, Ia is trapped at the Commonwealth’s military academy, desperately plotting her escape. But new acquaintances—including Brinn and their charming Flight Master, Knives—cause Ia to question her own alliances. Can she find a way to escape the Commonwealth’s clutches before these bonds deepen?

Imagine Us Happy by Jennifer Yu - Stella lives with depression. But when she meets Kevin, she feels less lonely, listened to—and hopeful for the first time since ever…But to keep that feeling, Stella lets her grades go and her friendships slide. With her life spinning out of control, she’s got to figure out what she truly needs, what’s worth saving—and what to let go.

Inferno (Talon #5) by Julie Kagawa - Ember Hill has learned a shocking truth about herself: she is the blood of the Elder Wyrm, the ancient dragon who leads Talon and who is on the verge of world domination. With the stakes rising and the Elder Wyrm declaring war, time is running out for the rogues and any dragon not allied with Talon. The final battle approaches. And if Talon is victorious, the world will burn.

Into the Black (Beyond the Red #2) by Ava Jae - The revelation of Eros’ parentage leads to political intrigues and a change in his relationship with Kora.

Isan by Mary Ting - After meteors devastate the Earth, 17-year-old Ava struggles to survive and ends up in juvenile detention, until she is selected for a new life—with a catch. She must be injected with an experimental serum. To receive the serum Ava agrees to join a program controlled by ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network.While on a mission, she is abducted by a rebel group led by Rhett and told that not only does she have a history with him, but her entire past is a lie perpetuated by ISAN to ensure her compliance. Unsure of who to trust, Ava must decide if her strangely familiar and handsome captor is her enemy or her savior—and time is running out. 

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier - Mysterious maps from opposite ends of the sea cast doubt on the whereabouts of two princes, presumed dead.

Jazz Owls by Margarita Engle -  Against the backdrop of World War II, a patriotic Mexican-American family proudly contributes to the war effort despite pervasive racism.

Jinxed by Amy McCulloch - Lacey Chu has big dreams of becoming a companioneer for MONCHA, the largest tech firm in North America and the company behind the  "baku" - a customisable smart pet that functions as a phone but makes the perfect companion too. One night, Lacey comes across the remains of an advanced, but broken baku. Days of work later when the baku opens its eyes, Lacey calls him Jinx. Slowly but surely, Jinx becomes more than just a baku to Lacey. But what is Jinx, really? He seems to be more than just a robotic pet. He seems...real.

Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix (Rise of the Empress #2) by Julie C. Dao - Princess Jade has grown up in exile, hidden away in a monastery while her stepmother, the ruthless Xifeng, rules as empress of Feng Lu. Ready to reclaim her place as rightful heir, Jade embarks on a quest to raise the Dragon Lords and defeat Xifeng and the Serpent God once and for all. 

Learning to Breathe by Janice Lynn Mather - Sent away to live with relatives in Nassau, Bahamas, to escape her mother’s wild lifestyle, Indira’s new home is anything but a sanctuary.

Legacy of Light (The Effgies #3) by Sarah Raughley - After Saul’s strike on Oslo—one seemingly led by Maia herself—the Effigies’ reputation is in shambles. Belle has gone rogue, Chae Rin and Lake have disappeared, and the Sect is being dismantled and replaced by a terrifying new world order helmed by Blackwell. If the Effigies can’t put the pieces together soon, there may not be much left of the world they’ve fought so desperately to save.

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann - Alice has her blissful summer take an unexpected turn when she meets Takumi and can’t stop thinking about him. As they get closer, Alice, who is asexual, has to decide if she’s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated—or understood.

Live in Infamy by Caroline Tung Richmond - In an alternate world in which the Axis Powers won WWII, 16-year-old Chinese-American Ren Cabot grapples with the cost of revolution.

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed - High school senior Maya Aziz works up the courage to tell her parents that she’s gotten into the film school of her dreams in New York City, but their expectations combined with anti-Muslim backlash from a terror attack threaten to derail her dream.

Love & War (Alex & Eliza #2) by Melissa de la Cruz - As the war for American Independence carries on, two newlyweds are settling into their new adventure: marriage. But the honeymoon's over, and Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler are learning firsthand just how tricky wedded life can be, tested by lingering jealousies and family drama.

Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Justina Chen - Biracial Viola Li has her future as a globe-trotting journalist all planned out, but everything comes into question when her body suddenly betrays her, after she develops an extreme case of photosensitivity, an inexplicable allergy to sunlight. 

The Lost Kids (Never Ever #2) by Sara Saedi - Just a few weeks ago, Wylie Dalton was living on a magical island where nobody ages past 17. Now, her home is a creaky old boat where she's joined a ragtag group of cast-offs from the island. But when the Lost Kids invade Minor Island, they're shocked to find it totally deserted, except for one survivor who reveals the shocking news: adults have discovered the island.

Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim - Three Pakistani-American teens, Mariam, Ghazala, and Umar, go on a cathartic summer road trip through the Deep South.

Meet-Cute edited by Jennifer L. Armetrout - Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere, an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of "how they first met" from some of today’s most popular YA authors. 

Mem by Bethany C. Morrow - In alternate reality Montreal (1925), a young woman’s personality is the result of a startling experimental procedure, leaving her to struggle with the question of who she really is.

Mirage by Somaiya Daud - In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, 18-year-old Amani is a dreamer. But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and become the body double of the cruel Princess Maram. As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection. 

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson - Washington, D.C., eighth-graders Claudia Coleman and her best (and only) friend, Monday Charles, were inseparable, often mistaken for twins—until the day Monday disappeared.

Monk! by Youssef Daoudi - This vividly illustrated biography of jazz legend Thelonious Monk brings to life his relationship with the headstrong baroness who would become a life long friend and patron.

Monsters (The Reckoner #2) by David A. Robertson - Cole Harper is struggling to settle into life in Wounded Sky First Nation. He may have stopped a serial killer but the trouble is far from over. A creature lurks in the shadows of Blackwood Forest, the health clinic is on lockdown by a mysterious organization, and long-held secrets threaten to bubble to the surface. Can Cole learn the truth about his father's death? 

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma - A fresh, madcap rom-com in which a Princeton, New Jersey, high school senior, aspiring film school student, and Bollywood junkie Vaneeta “Winnie” Mehta navigates the dramas of real life.

Not the Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi - Iraqi-American Leila “Lulu” Saad is about to graduate from high school with her three best friends by her side, but things get messy and senior year becomes a little more complicated than expected.

Odd One Out by Nic Stone - Courtney Cooper is in love with his longtime female best friend, Jupiter Charity-Sanchez, who is an out-and-proud lesbian. But the arrival of a new friend, Rae Evelyn Chin, who is questioning her sexuality, complicates their relationship and inspires new questions and possibilities between the trio. 

Out of Left Field by Kris Hui Lee - Marnie’s love of baseball—and the stalwart friends with whom she plays the game with such passion—has been the centerpiece of her life; but now she’s 17 and things are changing after she replaces Cody, the school’s star pitcher. With her own team against her, Marnie begins questioning her abilities. And when fate throws her a curveball, can she play without losing the game, Cody, and her belief in herself?

The Outcast (Summoner #4) by Taran Matharu - Arcturus is just an orphaned stable boy when he discovers he has the ability to summon demons from another world and sent to Vocans Academy. As the first commoner gifted with this ability, his discovery challenges the nobility and the powers that be and Arcturus soon makes enemies. With no one but his demon Sacharissa by his side, Arcturus must prove himself as a worthy Summoner...

Period: 12 Voices Tell the Bloody Truth edited by Kate Farrell - In this collection, writers of various ages and across racial, cultural, and gender identities share stories about the period. Each of twelve authors brings an individual perspective and sensibility. Told with warmth and humor, these essays celebrate all kinds of period experiences.

Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert - Chinese-American Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father's closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Silicon Valley family, he realizes there's much more to his family's past than he ever imagined.

Pitch Dark by Courtney Alameda - Set against a future of marauding space scavengers and deadly aliens who kill with sound, Tuck and Laura must survive abroad the USS John Muir. 

The Place Between Breaths by An Na  - Walking away from those we love most may seem like the kindest thing we can do, but it’s a choice that will forever haunt those we leave behind: this holds true for 16-year-old Grace. 

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevdeo - In Harlem, NY, Dominican-American Xiomara Batista who dubs herself The Poet X, clashes with her strict, Catholic mother and runs up against her own self-doubt as she explores her doubts about religion, her fears of dating, and her budding talent for slam poetry. 

Pride by Ibi Zoboi - 17-year-old Haitian-Domitian-American Zuri Benitez deals with gentrification in her Brooklyn Bushwick neighborhood and her own bias against Darius Darcy and his rich family in this Pride and Prejudice remix.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang - Prince Sebastian has a secret: at night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia. Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend?

Reflection: A Twisted Fable by Elizabeth Lim - What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld? When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it's too late? Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will she lose him--and be lost in the Underworld--forever?

The Resolutions by Mia Garcia - From hiking trips, to four-person birthday parties, to never-ending group texts, Jess, Lee, Ryan, and Nora have always been inseparable—and unstoppable. But now, with senior year on the horizon, they’ve been splintering off and growing apart. And so, Jess makes a plan and adds a new twist: instead of making their own resolutions, the four friends assign them for each other—dares like kiss someone you know is wrong for you, show your paintings, learn Spanish, say yes to everything.

Restore Me (Shatter Me #4) by Tahereh Mafi - Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch. When tragedy hits, who will she become?

Run, Riot by Nikesh Shukla - When teenagers Hari and Jamal film an unarmed youth from their estate being beaten by police, they find themselves hunted. But as they go on the run with Hari's twin sister, Taran, and Jamal's girlfriend, Anna, the four friends discover that the truth behind the shooting goes deeper. 

Running with Lions by Julian Winters - A multiethnic group of Midwestern teenage boys contend with soccer and sexual identity. 

The Season of Rebels and Roses by Virginia Sanchez-Korrol - Ranging from Puerto Rico to Cuba and the United States, this engaging novel set in the late 1880s, follows historical figures that were instrumental in the fight for self-determination in Puerto Rico.

Secrets of the Casa Rosada by Alex Temblador - 16-year-old Mexican-American Martha has to adjust to a new life with her maternal grandmother, a respected curanderaor healer in Laredo, Texas, after her reliably unreliable mother dumps her at the pink house filled with tokens of her mom's childhood that might, maybe, explain why she abandoned Martha, leaving her with a family she never knew existed.

The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil - A quirky high school romance unfolds in the alternating voices of math whiz Sophia and aspiring magician Joshua. In life and love, timing is everything. 

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa - Demons have burned the temple Yumeko was raised in to the ground, killing everyone within, including the master who trained her to both use and hide her kitsune shapeshifting powers. Yumeko escapes with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll. Fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan. Yumeko knows he seeks what she has...and is under orders to kill anything and anyone who stands between him and the scroll. 

Shadowsong (Wintersong #2) by S. Jae-Jones - Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. But when troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be.

Smoke in the Sun (A Flame in the Mist #2) by Renee Ahdieh - After Okami is captured in the Jukai forest, Mariko has no choice—to rescue him, she tricks her brother, Kenshin, and betrothed, Raiden, into thinking she was being held by the Black Clan against her will. But each secret Mariko unfurls gives way to the next, ensnaring her and Okami in a political scheme that threatens their honor, their love and very the safety of the empire.

Snow in Love: Four Stories by Aimee Friedman, Melissa de la Cruz, Nic Stone & Kasie West - Curl up in front of a crackling fire. Grab a mug of hot cocoa. And delve into this deliciously cozy and compelling YA collection of wintry love stories. 

Someone to Love by Melissa de la Cruz - High school junior Olivia Blakely struggles with disordered eating and a life in the spotlight as her father’s political career starts to rise. 

Sorry Not Sorry by Jamie Reed - Janelle and Alyssa used to be BFFs -- but not anymore. But, suddenly, Alyssa's diabetes becomes the talk of the school. It's turned life-threatening; without a kidney transplant, her chances are not good. Despite reservations, Janelle gets tested and finds that she's a rare, perfect match with Alyssa for a transplant. But organ donations aren't very common in her community, and she starts to feel pushback. When feuds and accusations push the girls further apart, Janelle doesn't know what to do. Will the match bring the girls back together, or drive them apart for good?

A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna - In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back. Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali. 

Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Choski - Three lush and adventurous stories in the Star-Touched world.

Star-Crossed by Pintip Dunn - Princess Vela is tasked with choosing a boy fit to die for the king, which is impossible enough. But then Carr, the boy she's loved all her life, emerges as the best candidate in the Bittersweet Trials. Refusing to accept losing the boy she loves, Vela bends the rules and cheats. But when someone begins to sabotage the Trials, Vela must reevaluate her own integrity—and learn the true sacrifice of becoming a ruler.

The Storyteller (Sea of Ink and Gold #3) by Traci Chee - Sefia is determined to keep Archer out of the Guard's clutches and their plans for war between the Five Kingdoms. As Sefia and Archer watch Kelanna start to crumble to the Guard's will, they will have to choose between their love and joining a war that just might tear them apart.

This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender - Nathan Bird doesn’t believe in happy endings. But his friend Florence, is set on making sure Nate finds someone else. And in a rom-com-worthy twist, someone does come along: Oliver James Hernández, his childhood best friend. After a painful mix-up when they were little, Nate finally has the chance to tell Ollie the truth about his feelings. But can Nate find the courage to pursue his own happily ever after?

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Music helps a Washington state teenager Rumi Seto overcome guilt and grief after the death of her beloved younger sister, Lea. 

This is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow - It used to be the three of them, Dia, Jules, and Hanna, messing around and making music and planning for the future. But like the lyrics of a song you used to play on repeat, there’s no forgetting a best friend. And for Dia, Jules, and Hanna, this impossible challenge — to ignore the past, in order to jumpstart the future — will only become possible if they finally make peace with the girls they once were, and the girls they are finally letting themselves be.

Thunderhead (Scythe #2) by Neal Shusterman - Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds. 

Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now by Dana L. Davis - At 16-years-old, African-American Tiffany Sly suddenly lands on a different planet: Simi Valley, California to live with the biological dad she’s never known. But Tiffany has a secret. Another man claims he’s Tiffany’s real dad—and she only has seven days before he shows up to demand a paternity test and the truth comes out. 

Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft edited by Jessica Spotwood & Tess Sharpe - A short story collection that illustrates the multitudes of girlhood, womanhood, and magic.

Toxic by Lydia Kang - Hana, a secretly created teen girl, abandoned aboard the sentient biological spaceship Cyclo, which is dying, encounters a mercenary boy doomed, Fennec "Fenn" Actias, to perish on the ship for his last job.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse - After the Big Water, Maggie Hoskie’s monster-slaying clan powers have woken up. She’s going to need them on a journey culminating in the kind of battle fantasy readers will relish.

Two Dark Reigns (Three Dark Crowns #3) by Kendare Blake - A victorious Katharine sits on the throne, Mirabella and Arsinoe are in hiding, and an unexpected renegade is about to wage a war of her own. The crown has been won, but these queens are far from done.

Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles - When Marvin's twin brother, Tyler, is found dead by police violence, Marvin falls deep into grief. But with the help of friends and family he finds the strength to confront what happened and fight the forces that took his brother's life.

Umbertouched (Rosemarked #2) by Livia Blackburne - As Shidadi and Dara alike prepare for war, Zivah and Dineas grapple with the toll of their time in the capital. Time is running out for all of them, but especially Zivah whose plague symptoms surface once again. Now, she must decide how she’ll define the life she has left.

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson - When Fairmount Academy is rocked by three apparent suicides in the span of a week, it is up to Mexican-American Wiccan Mila Flores to conjure up the truth.

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens edited by Marieke Nijkamp - A YA Anthology of short stories featuring disabled teens, written by #OwnVoices disabled authors. 

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi - It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a 16-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped. But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down.

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo - Korean-American Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. But maybe Rose isn't so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet Wong crushing on her is pretty cute. Still, what if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind? 

Welcome Home edited by Eric Smith - A collection of adoption-themed fictional short stories, and brings them together in one anthology from a diverse range of celebrated YA authors. 

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera - Ben and Arthur meet cute but lose touch, then have a series of near misses and first date re-dos before finally settling into a relationship. But Arthur's impending departure for the summer and both guys' own insecurities threaten to end something new that's only just begun.

Wildcard (Warcross #2) by Marie Lu - Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, but her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down Hideo? 

Wrong in All the Right Ways by Tiffany Brownlee - Everything in Emma's life has always gone according to her very careful plans. But things take a turn toward the unexpected when she falls in love for the first time with the one person in the world who’s off-limits–her new foster brother, the gorgeous and tormented Dylan McAndrews. 

[providencestrashcastle]

Nsfw character meme thing

This is done for my larp characters for Vampire the Masquerade, Werewolf the Apocalypse and Changeling the Dreaming

(Ill reblog the unedited ver)

Instant Meme, just add character traits! Fill in with your muse’s answers!

Preference for top or bottom?

Karrek: Bottom

Valmeris: Bottom/Power Bottom occasionally

Alexander: subby bottom bitch all the way

Joseph: Shy bottom

Favorite type, looks and personality wise?

Karrek: Scary and powerful, handsome and could kick his ass with ease

Valmeris: intelligent above all else but also compassionate.

Alexander: caring and understandingl but firm when needed

Joseph: he doesn't really romance much so he doesnt have a type

Get up and shower after or bask in the afterglow all sticky and wet?

Karrek: vampires have forever. Bask in the afterglow all night

Valmeris: a few moments then get up to get clean before laying back down

Alexander: if he can move he'd go clean up but his usual partner leaves him too blissed to go clean for a bit

Joseph: clean immediately.

Monogamous? Open relationship? Polyamorous?

Karrek: Blood Bound willingly to his partner and loyal till final death

Valmeris: monogamous. His current lover is the only one hes found who understands him.

Alexander: poly/open but hoooh boy its complicated

Joseph: monogamous. Romance is new enough to him one is enough

Deep and slow? Hard and fast? What’s your character’s preference?

Karrek: any way his boyfriend wants him but hard and dirty is a favourite

Valmeris: deep and slow so he can bask in every second he has with his partner

Alexander: shifter sex lends itself to hard and fast especially when the dominant party is fox born and breeds.

Joseph: Slow until he gets used to it then he'd want more

Favorite sex position?

Karrek: anything works for him

Valmeris: either missionary or cowgirl depending on how in charge he feels like pretending to be

Alexander: face down ass up bred like a bitch

Joseph: Missionary

What’s your character’s favorite kink?

Karrek: being owned entirely

Valmeris: having his partner use magic to mess with what sex he is

Alexander: breeding and mating kinks

Joseph: doesn't have one

How active in bed is your character? Do they like to lie there and take it or do they like to get the most bang for their buck?

Karrek: eager to please whether that means laying back and taking it or being the one doing all the work or somewhere in between

Valmeris: likes to lie there and take it and let his partner do as he pleases

Alexander: active as he can be when getting bred on his hands and knees

Joseph: middle ground. Shy and less active at first but eventually warming up to it and being more active

Kissing during sex, yes or no?

Karrek: Yes.

Valmeris: Yes

Alexander: yes

Joseph: yes

Clothes off or on during sex?

Karrek: doesnt matter

Valmeris: off. No dirting his fancy clothes

Alexander: doesn't matter

Joseph: guilty pleasure of having them on and how much dirtier it would make thing in his eyes

Lingerie? Yes or no?

Karrek: Yes. No doubt

Valmeris: with some encouragement maybe

Alexander: no

Joseph: maybe

Would your character join a threesome if given a chance?

Karrek: no. His boyfriend would kill anyone who tried to touch whats his.

Valmeris: no. He only trusts his current partner

Alexander: yes but only with certain people

Joseph: no. One is enough

Your character’s Penis size?

Never considered for any of them

Preference for penis size?

Karrek: However big is boyfriends is

Valmeris: no preference

Alexander: big and knotted. Perks of being part animal

Joseph: no preference

Does your character like to roleplay? If so, what?

Karrek: dom/sub master/servant stuff

Valmeris: secretly would roleplay being the commoner and his partner the noble instead of the reverse like in reality

Alexander: is furry stuff really roleplay if you are both part animal?

Joseph: he doesnt know

Does your character prefer condoms or bareback?

Karrek: Bareback. The full sensation after multiple rounds he adores

Valmeris: condom because easier cleanup but not fussy

Alexander: bareback. Easier and less wait

Joseph: Condom because easy cleanup

Your character’s most private sexual fantasy?

Karrek: Hes living it. Willinging submitting to someone who owns him entirely regardless of what sects or clans they may both be beholden to

Valmeris: his partner being the noble ordering him around and flaunting authority and being totally in charge

Alexander: not his most desired but most secret, his supposed mentor actually wanting to sleep with him and being caring and kind

Joseph: sex in general. He's chaste so any sexual stuff is very private

How sexually active is your character?

Karrek: He's a Settite. A lot.

Valmeris: fairly active when he and his partner are together

Alexander: live as a shifter is busy so somewhat

Joseph: not.

When did your character lose their virginity?

Karrek: he doesnt remember hes over 500 years old

Valmeris: before his chrysallis with some random guy figuring out his sexuality. Never saw the man again but it was ok sex.

Alexander: college.

Joseph: a spur of the moment tryst with another member of the sabbat hes unsure how he feels about

Kinks your character would participate in?

Karrek: Most

Valmeris: light power dynamic changes, light bondage

Alexander: prey/pred, dom/sub, breeding

Joseph: unsure

Kinks your character would not participate in?

Karrek: few

Valmeris: anything not listed above

Alexander: anything not listed above

Joseph: Nearly all as far as he knows

A character that yours fantasizes about coupling with?

Karrek: his boyfriend and no one else.

Valmeris: he has the only person he would and has fantasized about as a partner

Alexander: the shadowlord supposed to be his mentor, both male kitsune in the sept

Joseph: guilty thoughts about the Pander that took his virginity

[trashexplorer]

BLCD Review: Customer Masquerade!

Title: Customer Masquerade! (カスタマスカレード)

Release Date: 2018/10/28

Author/Artist: Seto Umiko

Cast: Shingaki Tarusuke x Uchida Yuuma

Synopsis: The ace of the Customer Service department, Etou, is approached by his new manager, Kishimoto, who declares that he’s come to get him!

Review Proper

Yo my expectations for this was so low.

What the hell?

That was amazing.

I mean, have you seen the cover??? No offense, but that certainly doesn't look like something with a great budget unlike Oni. 😂 This work is basically the very definition of "don't judge a BLCD by it's cover". I think that this is the first of it's kind. Okay, like I know I have a bad memory and it's not like I remember each and every cover of the BLCDs I have there's about 500 now what have I been doing with my life these years honestly, but to my knowledge it is what it is.

I can’t believe how no one’s scanlated this! The characters are dorks! And I just love the dialogue. I didn’t know Seto Umiko before this, but boy, did they make a name for herself with this! I’m definitely going to buy some of her works on my Japan trip this year. They don’t have a single scanlated work!  😭😭😭 Just look at their dialogues!

STOP IT. I’M CRYING. 

I swear, I’m not making this shit up. 😂

Yo, I love how they both went out to buy BL (separately) and liked it. Also, Kishimoto is definitely in the get you a man category - partly. The only thing that made this work fall short of perfect was because Kishimoto also had a secret. It’s not really that big nor surprising, but idk. It just gave me the creeps. 😂 Maybe that’s just on Shingaki Tarusuke. Also, I haven’t read the raws so who knows? 

Speaking of voice actors, it’s been a minute since I’ve heard this kind of Uchida Yuuma (I’ll listen to two more of his CDs later). I’ve forgotten just how high his voice could go. He was at a lower pitch when he voiced Ash in Banana Fish, but his Azusa in Caste Haven was also a bit lower than his Etou so I was a bit out of sorts with this one. 😂 Murase Ayumu better be keeping that throne in check, because this man’s going to give him a run for his money.

I had originally planned to just listen to Principle and Shuuchuu for this log, but I figured that I needed me a Shingaki Tarusuke starter so I got this first. (Shingaki Tarusuke’s the seme for Principle). I was really surprised how this turned out. The plot isn’t something that I haven’t come across before. It reminds me a lot of Yes ka No ka Hanbun ka, actually. Etou and Kunieda both work in voice-related industries (Kunieda is an announcer), but Etou’s other side is milder than the hot-headed Kunieda. Kishimoto and Tsuzuki are both pushy, but Tsuzuki comes off more brash than the sweet Kishimoto. But just the execution, pacing, plot, character personalities, casting, was unbelievable. I really needed something like this after Oni. 😂 This is what I meant as a work worthy of an adaptation! As a standalone CD, it was great. I’ll come and update this after I read the raws and see if it follows the manga to a T or not.

EDIT: I just came back from reading the raws and now I get why no one has scanlated this - IT’S SO HARD TO CLEAN! 😩 Also, the manga has seven chapters while the CD only has six tracks. The main story actually ends at track five in the CD and chapter five in the manga. The sixth track in the CD is the cast talk so none of the extras made it on the CD. If you wanted to hear more of them then, it might be good to let y’all know that the manga actually has a sequel and there might be a possibility of it being adapted too if its received well. 👏 As for the truthfulness to the original content, I did notice that there were a lot of adlibs in the CD, but there’s nothing really major that was added. I say that it is possible to listen to it while reading the raws. 👍

I highly, highly, recommend this. It’s just so relatable (they even use a lot of pop-culture references) and it’s also easy to understand. It’s just a shame that no one has scanlated this because it’s so good. I’m begging the yaoi gods, please make someone scanlate this!  Don’t look at me, I’m on a hiatus. 😭🙏

[thefanficfaerie]

Backstreet’s Back Alright!!

My Backstreet Boys! My beloved Backstreet Boys are celebrating 25 years of music with the release of their newest album on January 25, DNA. I can not wait!!! This is the only band that I have been loyal too both as a band and as solo artists. I have been listening to them for about as long as they have been together. I own every one of their American released albums and one european albums. So this is will be a Backstreet Boys Songfic Challenge. THIS IS OPEN TO EVERYONE!!! Details below the cut.

Challenge: To write a fic based one of these Backstreet Boys Songs. 

Characters/Pairings: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Jim Kirk, Leonard McCoy, McKirk, Stucky/Reader (no Stucky by themselves), Rafael Barba, Eomer, Tony DiNozzo, McKirk/Reader, Stony, Stony/Reader, Robb Stark, Chris Evans, Steve Trevor

Rules: You can only use the characters I have listed. No Peter Parker. No Bucky Barnes. If your story is more than 500 words please you a read more. I will not reblog any story that does not have a read more. It seems to be working again on mobile so please use it. Some of these songs have music videos so if you can add the link to the video that would be awesome. Please use reader-insert if possible. I will make concessions for OFC but check with me first. 

Sign up due date: January 25. I may extend this. 

Story Due Date: April 4th

Tag: BackstreetsBackChallenge, backstreetsbackchallenge, fanficfaeriechallenge

Songs

Backstreet Boys 1997 Quit Playing Games With My Heart @captain-rogers-beard Tony Stark All I Have to Give As Long as You Love Me @madpanda75 Rafael Barba Anywhere for You  I’ll Never Break Your Heart

Millenium 1999 The Perfect Fan I Want It That Way @thejemersoninferno Chris Evans I Need You Tonight The One @tilltheendwilliwrite Steve Rogers Don’t Want You Back

Black and Blue 2000  The Call @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan Steve Rogers More Than That @kaitymccoy123 Leonard McCoy Shape of My Heart What Makes You Different I Promise You

Never Gone 2005 Poster Girl I Still... Safest Place to Hide My Beautiful Woman Incomplete

Unbreakable 2007 Unsuspecting Helpless When She Smiles @themcuhasruinedme Tony Stark In Pieces Treat Me Right Something I Already Know

This Is Us 2009 Straight Through My Heart Masquerade @the-stories-in-my-head-95 with Tony Stark PDA Bigger This Is Us

In A World Like This 2013 In A World Like This @outside-the-government with McKirk Permanent Stain One Phone Call Soldier Feels Like Home

DNA 2019 Chances @hellomissmabel  Steve Rogers Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Nick Carter I Will Wait

I’m Taking Off Just One Kiss

Now Or Never Heart Without a Home I Got You Who Needs the World

AJ McLean Have It All Sincerely Yours London I Hate it When Your Gone

Brian Littrell Welcome Home Grace of My LIfe

Misc Songs God, Your Mama and Me

tags: @lancsnerd @just-trying-to-survive-marvel @thejemersoninferno @isaxhorror @bookcaseninja @auduna-druitt @yallneedtrek @supermoonpanda @locke-writes @captainsbabysitter-blog @pinkamour1588 @promarvelfangirl @captain-rogers-beard @medicatemedrmccoy @imoutofmyvulcanmind @ruckystarnes @randomlittleimp @lt-sammi-matthews @creativeheartgemini @tacosarelife17 @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked @ivvitm1109 @outside-the-government @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan @tilltheendwilliwrite @barnesrogersvstheworld @pegasusdragontiger @prettyyoungtragedy @becaamm @bkwrm523 @starshiphufflebadger @star-trekkin-across-theuniverse  @angryschnauzer @avengerofyourheart @after-avenging-hours @dolamrothianlady @avengerscompound @nasafic @not-close-to-straight @reioka @radi0gaga @redgillan @mrsrafaelbarba @madpanda75 @writefasttalkevenfaster @girl-next-door-writes @ghostofachancewithyou @goingknowherewastaken @musikat18 @the-stories-in-my-head-95 @thatgirlwhosalwayssinging @hellomissmabel @haveyouseenmymind @annathewitch @imamotherfuckingstar-lord @janeykath318 @kittenofdoomage @kaunis-sielu @lovelynemesis @meganlpie @ohbelieveyoume @vintagemichelle91 @rauliskafan @svu-stories @vancamps @xemopeachx

[melodylnoelle]

Comic Con

For @captain-rogers-beard ‘s  Flex Your Writing Muscles Challenge

Fandom:Marvel Cinematic Universe Characters: Reader, Loki Odinson Challenge Day Number: 11 (6/11/20)     Inspiration:pointed ears, a substance that generates ideas/a spy/1 minute Warnings/Notes: Alcohol Summary: Reader takes Loki to Comic Con for a day, just to see his reaction Word Count: 854 Author’s Notes: For these challenges, I am going to try to keep them all between 400-500 words... Mostly. Any feedback is greatly appreciated, and I hope you enjoy :) Masterlist Tags- @brightsunanddarkmidnight2-0​

            “I do not understand the purpose of this.”

            Loki looked to the crowd with confused interest, scanning over the huddled groups at the merchant tables. The tables were decorated to look like merchant stalls, covered so you could not see their wares until you were within the crowd. He eyed one particular person dressed in a rendition of a medieval vampire admiring a dagger at the first stall.

            You gestured out to the crowd. “It’s fun! All these people get together to talk about the shows, books, movies that they care about, meet the actors from them. It’s exciting. Think about it like talking to me about the books we read together, just on a much bigger scale. And with the people who wrote them.”

            He thought about that and nodded. “I can understand that. What I still do not understand, though, is why I have to wear this ridiculous outfit.”

            You looked to him, laughing at his reaction to the pointed ears, the elven clothing. He looked like he just stepped out of Lord of the Rings.

            And boy did he wear it well.

            “It’s just part of the fun!” You said, adjusting your own tunic. “It makes people feel closer to the characters, let’s them really get into it. It’s cool to see how people put together their cosplays.”

            He raised an eyebrow at that. “So this is not the first time you have done this?”

            “Hell no!” You shook your head. “Every year. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

            “Hm.” He looked out to the crowd again. “Then I suppose I will be coming every year from now on as well.”

            You smiled, warmed that he would do that for some Midgardian event he clearly found so silly.

            From behind them, acting just like a spy himself, came someone dressed in the most well-put-together Fury cosplay you had ever seen. It very well could have been Fury himself, masquerading as a member of the crowd.

            “Excuse me,” the man said in a voice that told you he was absolutely not Nick Fury. “Would you mind taking a picture with me? Huge Lord of the Rings fan.”

            “Sure, why not?” You answered, as Loki clearly didn’t know what to say. “You want me to take it for you?”

            “Thanks, I’d appreciate it. Though I want one with you after.”

            “Deal.”   You took his camera from him, and pointed for Loki to join him against the wall. “Smile! Or don’t whatever. Either way, three, two, one.” Flash. You handed the camera to Loki, switching places as you repeated the photo with Fury yourself.

            “Thanks! You got an Instagram? I’ll send them your way.” You exchanged usernames and thanked him for the photos as he departed.

            “He was nice.” You said as you and Loki walked to one of the merchant tables.

            “He was not the Nick Fury I remember.”

            ‘Yea, the attitude could use some work,” you teased, “but you can’t deny, he has the look down.” Your put the shirt back down and turned, your eye catching to a stall across the aisle way.

             The man behind the desk was dressed in nineteenth-century clothing, and decorated the interior of the stall with the same. Spread across the table were various types of stationary – journals, notepads, pens, feather quills, and the like. He was writing with a quill himself on yellowed paper, but looked up when you approached.

            “Are you interested in the art of writing?” He held the slightest of English to his accent.

            “{Y/N} has exemplary works of writing,” Loki said from somewhere behind you.

            “Is that so?” The man eyed you curiously.

            “I’m no Edgar Allen Poe or anything but I’m alright.”

            He chuckled. “Well, I am.” He extended a hand. “Poe, that is. It’s nice to meet you, {Y/N}.”

            You shook his hand. “Likewise.”

            “Feel free to have a look at anything you like.  A good writer knows good tools of the trade.”

            You nodded, knowing that you were going to be spending too long at this station already… and probably too much money. Sifting through the beautiful notebooks, you stopped to admire an equally beautiful glass bottle holding an amber liquid.

            “What’s that?” You pointed as he looked up.

            He smiled. “That, my friend,” - he picked up the bottle and poured some into a short glass – “is a substance that generates ideas.” He put a finger to his lips, removing it to take the entire drink in at once.

            You felt yourself smile, too. Unlike Fury from earlier, he definitely had his character down.

            You said your goodbyes to Poe, though only after purchasing some supplies for yourself, and for Loki as a gift for later, of course.

            It was then that you saw the clock.

            “Oh no!” You grabbed Loki’s arm, ripping him from the stall he was looking at.

            “Hey!” He kept pace while looking around, searching for the danger. “What is it?”

            “We only have 1 minute to get to the panel and it’s across the hall. We gotta move!”

            Loki chuckled. “Alright, alright,” he patted your arm. “I promise you will not miss it.”

[ritaleestevens]

23

Tyler Shields

Born in Jacksonville, Florida and now recognized as “Hollywood’s favorite photographer”, L.A. based contemporary artist and filmmaker Tyler Shields’ evolution from the “bad boy of photography” with his controversial blood-stained photographic series featuring Lindsay Lohan to the more subtle color-explosive poesy of his Chromatic series, and his work featuring Francesca Eastwood (Clint’s daughter) to the fire-starting bag-sawing antics of a $100,00 Hermes Birkin Bag, to the stoic magic surrealism of Suspense, a project shot in the New Mexico desert featuring Franseca Eastwood, Emma Roberts and Lydia Hearst, Mr. Shield’s art captures the emergence of an artist and his medium into a more mature overture and output. Tyler Shields is an American image-maker.

Born in 1982, Shields’ work derives from a unique history directing music videos and working with the legendary skateboarding icon Tony Hawk. Mr. Shields has produced images that play with notions of the gaze, power structures, hyper-realism, iconoclastic-tendencies and cinematographic practice. He has worked with a roster of ranking members of Hollywood including Mischa Barton, Emma Roberts, Aaron Paul, Demi Lovato, Juno Temple, Shiloh Fernandez and more. Tyler’s output involves various mediums from book publishing “The Dirty Side of Glamour in 2011, to a novel entitled “Smartest Man”, and a cluster of solo shows: Mouthful, Los Angeles (2012), Miller Gallery Cincinnati, Ohio (2012), Phothub Manomtr, Moscow, Russia (2012) and more.

Shield’s technical brilliance as a photographer has much more to do with the shift in focus from the fragility of the “celebrity photographer” to the output of the contemporary art medium. Most of the talented people who work with him include actors who are serious about their profession, but are not celebrities. People will go to him to make art rather than celebrity photography.

As an artist, Shields’ work and output has much more to do with the long-standing and perhaps transcendental clarity behind controlled subconscious image-making in the vein of Caravaggio’s near photographic paintings in the 16th century, where rules and guidelines of the century were abandoned and / or re-incorporated to challenge the sensibilities of the time. In this regard, the artist’s work is as equally controversial with other image-makers who have utilized the tools of sex, death, flesh, obsession, nightmares and fantasy to explore the peculiarity of the human condition rendered into a coherent aesthetic clarity and style.

Shields’ work is a type of ‘dark romance’ that scales the bandwidth of image development in the age of Google Image searches, the Internet, and a near infinite source and access to moving-image making material and iconography. The challenge is finding the right nodes toward a product or project that captures the body from its most emaciated status of apathy to the near classical ideal forms that captivate and engage attention and interests of our collective gaze.

‘To expose yourself to the world, you and your work, naked to the global theater of billions of views, clicks, hits, image-searches, etc, is a remarkable statement within itself – to say – this is me and who I am, is powerful.’

This theater of exposure is explored through the layer of celebrity and the mechanisms of industrial image-making capacity that is now augmented in every outlet by technology, new tools and software. Within the deluge of images, our eyes remain fixated on the living body and it’s potential to be virtually perfect. The masquerade of celebrity is the photographer’s playground and a flash of rapture.

Tyler Shields, as an artist, attempts to move through the complexes and layers of the ��celebrity” sphere, into an inherently tangible vision of the portrait, and its meaning and context in a rather shifting landscape of identities that accumulate into what we call the 21st-century. What does it mean to be alive in the 21st century? How does it look? How will it look 500 years from now in the future, in five years? What does it take for an image to capture attention throughout the deep-gaze of time and the ever more increasing scrutiny of the platform of the contemporary space of art, now, then and a thousand tomorrows from today, or a thousand ‘likes’ from now?

‘People will go to him to make art rather than celebrity photography.’

Mr. Shields’ work isn’t about celebrity – it’s about working with colleagues and friends in his social sphere who want to make art. They share an obsession to create, to make, to own, to expose, to play. His work is as much a collection of documentations of his sphere of influence and inspire his work. They are active participants rather that spectators. Eroticism, torture, decadence are all mere mediums that seem to remain eternally the same and only enhanced by the participant’s own injected identity and experience. It is the glossy mortality of the space of the human condition that is the only true crystal lens that the world inside and out, can be seen in the creation of a new type of fiction. Tyler Shields captures a new type of American life while exploring the fictional nature of the historical and the classic.

http://www.tylershields.com/about/