#crossed 1000 recs

[consistentsquash]

2023 lookback!

My HP fic reading in 2023 was oldschool Snarry fics because I didn't really read outside my comfort zone. Experienced a family loss in May. My HP reading after that was pretty much just comfort fics.

My favorite HP fandom thing in 2023 is the hprecfest. Super fun! Scarlet, love you forever for this idea <3 This is incredible and I love getting to read the recs others made.

I read tons of fic in other fandoms. Les Mis, The Witcher, ASoIaF are the big ones. Got to know some new folks from those fandoms and that's been great. Super confident some of them are going to be seriously amazing writers once they get experience. The talent is already there!! :D So hyped! Read a lot of books outside my comfort zone because of the new fandoms. Also met some fandom folks in real life and it was amazing fun. I got to go to NYC to meet them which was wow.

Crossed 1000 recs! :D

Biggest lesson for me was that I have a people pleasing problem. I mean I knew that before. But reccing also highlights that problem. Sometimes I felt pressured to rec fics directly by the author/indirectly by their friends. Obviously if I am good at setting boundaries that won't be a thing. Idk maybe it was in my head but anyway I feel like I am learning to set boundaries. My 2023 goal was to rec fics I am 100% in love with + don't feel pressured to rec. I feel like I succeeded on some level. My reccing velocity definitely went down but I don't feel stressed out? Like before I felt stressed a lot because I was feeling pressured about commenting/reccing and kind of felt used sometimes? Anyway maybe it was probably just in my head but it's like that sometimes!

Another lesson for me was to trust my taste/don't apologize for it. I feel sometimes I went with what other folks recommended esp if they were writers because I trusted their taste more? Obviously this is a me problem. I was working on that a lot in 2023. My taste is definitely not perfect or anything but taste is super subjective/personal. I am getting better about not apologizing for my taste because otherwise I was always saying stuff like "this fic is not for everybody/this fic is weird" which was more about me feeling insecure about my taste than about the fic itself.

Also I feel my rec style has improved. I was having real problems with reccing more complicated fics. Getting more experience is definitely helping.

Excited for 2024 fandom!

[absolutebl]

Love your blog! Do you have any recs for people (me!) who liked: Tale of 1000 Stars, Unknown, Moonlight Chicken, Secret Crush on You, My Beautiful Man, Be My Favorite, Sing My Crush, and We Are (Cute), please? I disliked My Stand In, Love Sea, and Only Friends. I tend to like character driven instead of plot driven stories, and please, no silly misunderstandings or misguided noble morons who break up because a parent suggests it!

Do I detect... a challenge? *rubs hands together* we are playing my favorite game.

Okay, likes:

Tale of 1000 Stars

Unknown

Moonlight Chicken

Secret Crush on You

My Beautiful Man

Be My Favorite

Sing My Crush

We Are

I crossed out the ones that don't fit the trend (outliers) and congratz your wheelhouse is:

moody, atmospheric, angsty, tiny bit cerebral, bit gritty, higher production value, soft focus, lower heat levels but yearning, bit of domesticity, acting chops

Dislikes: My Stand In, Love Sea, Only Friends

Okay not too far into angst, no nasty characters, no dubious tropes or anti-heros, no mame, no high heat, university or older. CHECK! Got it.

Ready?

Right in your damn wheelhouse:

The 8th Sense

(20 points to whoever knew that would be my pull out the gate)

One of the longest BLs Korea has given us (like Blueming) and it feels more atmospheric gay coming of age romance than strictly BL. It’s got a bit of an age gap, country boy/city boy, stellar acting, complex characters, and leads with great chemistry and tension. It’s a bit chewy and sticky and less perfect than most KBLs (do I detect a touch of Taiwan?) This one deployed BL tropes (messy eater, shoulder sleep, protective seme, there’s even some hyung-slinging) but front loaded them with painful backstory and then a ton of angst to drive the 2nd half. This isn’t in the KBL bubble, there’s sharp edges and lots of triggers. For a BL the darkness of the content left me feeling unsettled (which is the only reason it didn't get a perfect score) but it does have a glorious ending and that counts for a lot.

I think you'd really love this one.

Trigger warnings - suicide, loss of a family member.

Blueming

It’s a tiny bit dark and a tiny bit bittersweet, almost too honest to a university experience and first love (for BL), but if you want your mind ever-so-slightly messed with and your intimacy hellishly sweet, this BL will do it for you in a coldly distant manner, while bitch slapping you with self worth issues. I wasn’t into it at first, but the leads are solid and by ep 5 it got really good, becoming a narrative about self discovery meets understanding and accepting others people’s flaws without hurting them. Ultimately, we witnessed two characters maturing because of each other and their mutual affection, without that affection becoming the conflict point. Instead, tension was built around other aspects of identity, popularity, and self-worth. While production values were a touch lower than usual for Korea, Blueming included decent kisses and beyond plus a satisfying ending and come judicious and very elegant use of tropes. It is, in the end, simply a great BL.

Also Bleuming paved the road for 8th Sense and other gritty KBL to follow.

Love For Love's Sake

Isekai-based KBL is about a man who must win a game by convincing a reserved teen outcast to fall in love with him. Of course, that teen represents himself and his own unhappiness. Like many queer narratives, this show is actually about self worth, trust, and found family, and it is VERY on the nose. But I don’t expect subtlety from my BL and I enjoyed it's truly lovely redemption arc and earnest performances. I personally found the narrative a touch disjointed with overworked filming angles and poorer than average captions, but the consistency of tone, script, and immersion is beyond the norm for BL. You will drown in this show and like it that way. The leads have fantastic chemistry and it's ultimately highly rewatchable and utterly charming, which counts for a lot.

Trigger warning - suicide.

Unintentional Love Story

OMG the plot! Uke forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the PAIN in those gorgeous eyes. Gah. Okay, so: A boy loses his job due to trumped-up corruption charges accidentally discovers his ex-boss's favorite artist, now a recluse. Evil manager offers him his job back, if he can convince the artist to rejoin society. Instead, they fall in love. I found the artist a bit stiff and reserved but Gongchan (maknae of B1A4) is a fucking GIFT - he carried this show (which I do not expect from the idol element). He was luminous with extraordinarily expressive eyes, just drown in the emoting abyss. The external conflict, social tension and pressure is complex and beautifully executed, plus Korea gave us legit side dishes (NOT a love triangle, hally-fucking-luya).

My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho

You mentioned My Beautiful Man so if you're feel like that energy, grown up, watch this. It's a style of live action yaoi really only works from Japan. Basically: boys who fell in love in college end up living together but both are so repressed they actually don't realize they're in love. It's higher heat than we usually get from Japan's HEA stuff, and that part is also very well done, but it leaned into the "why don't they just talk for fuck's sake?" trope which is only exacerbated into undiluted frustration by the fact that they're already fucking. However, that's angst for Japan. And you like angst. Honestly? It's great, but watching requires more patience than usual, even for Japan.

My Ride

Thai BL grew up with this pulp (the first ever to make my end of year top 10). It’s a truly lovely and special little show featuring the extremely rare pairing of sunshine/sunshine (AKA a cinnamon roll couple) plus mature explorations of relationships using one of the softest, sweetest and most innocent friends to lovers vehicles. Kindly, overworked doctor meets broken-hearted motorcycle taxi driver in an “other side of the tracks” slow burn romance. The support cast is excellent, making for great friendship groups and family dynamics. With honest queer rep that adds to, but doesn’t impede, the story, and genuine conversation about the nature of class, wealth, and classism, not to mention communication, honesty, and respect for boundaries, you can’t go wrong with this show. In other news, I am a sucker for a single dimple.

It won't have the production values you're used to but it is a great show.

A Breeze of Love

Tsundere insomniac grump reunited with his sunshine jock ex (human sleeping pill) who now hates him. Basketball is also involved. While the simplicity of a reunion plot makes this more cohesive than most KBLs, it is a tad stiff and slow, never managing to lift itself out of "pretty, angsty, and pretty enjoyable." I liked it more than I thought I would, and think about it more too. 

Jazz for Two

This was basically what I wanted from Given and didn’t get. So I’m pleased. A solid enemies to lovers BL, where the sins of brothers' past haunts the present. Great optics, decent chemistry, and a tidy script even if tsundere characterization went a bit extreme in some cases.

Trigger warning - suicide.

Like In The Movies AKA Gaya Sa Pelikula

Karl, a student living alone, runs short of funds and ends up becoming housemates with Vald an out and proud chaos gay. This leads Karl into an identity crisis and journey of self discovery. This kind of forced proximity trope is really common in BL, but what Gaya does is handle it in a messy honestly queer way. It includes Vlad’s attitude in response to Karl’s shaken behavior and the frustration many out queers feel. For that alone it has to be applauded.

DNA Says Love You

DNA deserves extra marks for an upbeat approach to a queer story arc that other shows have systemically mishandled with sadness (in the guise of realism). There is a twist, which I found predictable, but knowing what would happen didn't spoil this show. The leads are luminous and engaging, and it’s full of queer found family representation and an unexpected amount of domesticity, plus it’s Taiwan, so the kisses are great. The first few eps are rough going but PLEASE have patience, it's worth it I promise! The second half is really special and life/love affirming - and the end is big-grin charming.

My Tooth Your Love

Earnest dentist hottie with sad eyes who worries too much is smitten by an adorable sunshine neurotic bar owner with serious anxiety issues. They fall madly in love while courting each other with food, plushies, and naps. Then, shocker, talk about their feelings and try to actually sort out their problems so they can have an adult relationship. Bonus crumbs = 18 year old poor little rich kid in mad crush with a much older man. I really enjoyed this show, it had a unique premise, killer dialogue, there was a solid lead pair with charming chemistry, soft flirtation, delightful smiling kisses, and stinkingly cute domesticity. All that said, I wasn’t wild about some of the darker themes it explored, even though it did a good job with them. And while the sides were adorable, they were underused. In the land of May/December, baby boy kabedon is my kryptonite! Why so little of it? (Kabedon is My Kryptonite = also the name of my indie band’s first single.)

Trigger warning - parental abuse.

The Eclipse

GMMTV does gay Blacklist with a good boy/bad boy pairing. This is a good show but the cast is excellent and the leads are absolutely flawless, which elevates it beyond just good. We got a nuanced and multifaceted burgeoning relationship: philosophical (and socio-political) conflict contrasted to moments of empathy; flirtation contrasted to moments of genuine affection, plus plenty of angst. This narrative is less about love than it is about courage and tenderness. However, near the end the pacing was off and the plot frustrating. Still, this is an enjoyable watch, with a finale that features verbal consent and a fun blooper reel.

Never Let Me Go

Bodyguard romance where poor boy must watch over rich boy for family obligation reasons. Simple premise well executed with a few bumps that made it feel like it was trying to tackle too much (when it wasn’t). Still, an enjoyable show that benefited from being handed to PondPhuwin who did a stellar job with their roles and chemistry. Of GMMTV handing out new series to established pairs in 2023 this is one of the most successful IMHO. It's typically Thai in that it's a bit bloated and has a confusing plot, but at least it HAD a plot and the central relationship is solid and loyal. The Our Skyy 2 follow up is great too. And very much adds to the cannon in a fun way rather than feeling superfluous - making this show ultimately 14 eps rather than 12.

Some real oddball and sophisticated suggestions

Addicted (original)

When Chinese BL was good it was very dirty good and when it was bad it was censored. This is the model for that statement: rich kid falls madly for the genius poor kid in his class, starts an aggressive pursuit, includes kidnapping for love, obsession, stepbrother trope, plus some cheating. I love this BL because of what I could have been. Just stop watching it after The Sex Scene. Okay?

It might not be right in your wheelhouse but what even fans forget about is how stunning the atmosphere is with this show. I mean we can feel the cold and the grunge. When they living poor it's REAL poor. It's a super immersive show. Unforgettable.

Began Beginning

Childhood best friends must come to terms with their own identities and true feelings for each other when a new boy comes to town, putting them into conflict with their families and ultimately, each other. For the first half of this show there’s a lot of sitting across from each other and talking about life choices over yummy food and then going to tourist spots (mildly boring and not particularly important to the plot). It changed tone about 2/3 in to be way more of a coming out family drama about forced marriages and homophobia. And then at the very end it changed again, becoming a full on soap opera with kidnapping, crazy characterization shifts, and rescue missions. All in all? It was a wild raw creature to consume as a binge. No kisses since this is Myanmar, but a very romantic end, so I think maybe actually worth your time? I'm certainly glad I watched it.

Stay Still

What to say about this offering from Hong Kong? It’s different, a mix of early CBL, Taiwanese shorts, and Pinoy visuals. It felt like the story was 2 independent shorts that had been lengthen and then stuck together, and I wish they'd been approached as separate and tighter entities. Nevertheless, this was a complex little piece, interesting in a sweaty grungy way, with a certain aura of queer authenticity that made it simultaneously tense, unpredictable, and refreshing. I’m not sure I would necessarily call it BL, but any county’s early foray into the genre usually starts out this way, so perhaps nascent BL? Worth watching, especially if you enjoy stuff from the Philippines and Taiwan.

On the lighter end but probably still in your wheelhouse

I Cannot Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai

Classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen. Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way. This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen.

To My Star

Hwang Da Seul directs this show about a neurotic actor (actual puppy) who takes refuge with a grumpy chef resulting in sparks, cooking lessons, and LOVE! It’s is a touch quirky to get into, but utterly charming once it hits its stride. This is the ultimate grumpy/sunshine pairing plus the most appealing light-filled kitchen of our dreams. I adore this show so much. Limited use of BL tropes makes this feel more of a sweet contemporary gay romance between an actor plagued by scandal and the grumpy chef who adopts him, but the gentleness will appeal to fans of the BL genre.

Old Fashion Cupcake

This show had me from the moment they broke the egg yolk with the chopsticks in the opening credits. It’s about a younger man with a long cherished crush on his boss (ten years older and going through a mid life crisis) who decides to save and seduce said boss with pancakes. It’s wholesome, comforting, sexy, and a very necessary narrative about still having hope, interests, and openness to affection at any age. It’s a stunningly filmed late-in-life comg of age/queerness story packaged in a subtle critique of expectations around masculinity, love, and loneliness... and it’s beautiful.

Cherry Magic (Thai remake) - this is my We Are & SCOY match pull

A soft charming warm hug of a show about crushes and mind reading and self worth that really worked for me. With no-fuss execution from a consummate team (at GMMTV) and an OG lead pair (proving why they remain eternal and deserve to grow up). Look, here’s the thing, Cherry Magic is a great Thai BL in its own right - not comparing it to any other iteration. But even when I do compare (and I've seen all the Cherries and read the manga) it stand strong. I, personally, like the Thai BL slightly better than the Japanese live action yaoi, but I think that’s because I just really enjoy Thai BL's style and I LOVE TayNew. Also all the kissing was both present and better in this version. As it should be from Thailand.

Make a Wish

A doctor who can see the dead strikes a bargain with a wish-granting irreverent tree angel - naturally they fall in love (from Sammon: Manner of Death & Triage). Stars Fluke Natouch opposite not Ohm, but who cares because Fluke has chemistry with everybody. Once again the Thai afterlife is incredibly bureaucratic but I enjoyed the premise and the unfolding of the story (it’s not predictable but still satisfying and with nice little twist). I like that the doctor is just gay AF - fag hag bestie and made of swagger. The cast is excellent but the comedic stylings are a bit overblown and tonally off. It has sad parts and did make me cry but is ultimately happy with a great sex scene, good smiley kisses, and all the agency.

I thought about it but I'm not sure

still you can put these on your "maybe" list

Until We Meet Again

I Feel You Linger in the Air

La Pluie

Restart After Come Back Home

His the movie

Life: Love on the Line

Perfect Propose

Tokyo in April is

Love is Better the Second Time Around

Ocean Likes Me

My Only 12%

After Sundown

I Told Sunset About You

These might be a bit too cerebral, dark, and/or plot-heavy for you. But are worth it if you feel in the mood for something very chewy.

Currently airing

It's set in high school but it scratches the Unknown itch:

The On1y One

Sirs not appearing on this list but if you follow my blog and ask me for tips it's kind of required watching:

Seven Days.

Because everyone should watch it no matter what your taste. So there.

(source)

[comment-bingo]

Murderbot Diaries Comment Bingo 🚀

About Page ☆ FAQ ☆ Announcements ☆ August 18 - September 18

Do you like reading fic or admiring fanart? Watched a fan video that shook you to your core? Perhaps you've been meaning to check some fanworks out but just haven't gotten around to it? MBD Comment Bingo 2024 might be RIGHT up your alley.

This is the "Murderbot Diaries 2.0" fan discord server's third annual Comment Bingo event. Everyone is welcome to participate! This event fosters community engagement and connection by sparking Murderbot fans to share their appreciation with our amazing creators!

Players grab a random bingo card which will prompt them to check out fanworks across a breadth of mediums, styles, and tropes, leaving behind comments as they go. From August 18th to September 18th, see how many of the squares you can fill out! Can you get bingo?

To find out how to play, click the read more!

How to Play

🎲 Selecting Your Bingo Sheet 🎲

There are 2 categories to pick from: General and Angst.

For general, use a random number generator to roll from 1-40

Go to the “General” bingo sheet folder, and select your sheet corresponding to the number you rolled.

If you want an angstier selection, roll numbers 1-14 and select from the “Angst” folder.

📝 Filling Out Your Bingo Sheet 📝

Each box on the bingo sheet is a prompt for either a type of work you should leave a comment on (i.e. "fic with <1000 words"), or a type of comment ("ask a question"). When you've completed the prompt, cross out the box.

One comment fulfills one box. So if you leave a comment asking a question on a “<1000 words” fic, this comment can count for either “ask a question” OR “<1000 words”, but not both.

A “comment” to fulfill a bingo box can be: A comment on AO3, a reblog or reply on tumblr, a comment on a YouTube video, etc.

🚂 Participating In The Hype Train 🚂

You are encouraged to make posts that share recs and fanworks as you work on your bingo sheet. If you get a “bingo” (5 boxes on the bingo sheet in a row) or “blackout” (all the boxes filled), you can make a post showing us! If you @ this blog on your post, we’ll reblog the evidence of your coolness. We’d also love to see the titles or links to the fics and fanworks you commented on!

Please feel free to comment on/share posts about this event, and help your friends hunt down or discover fanworks they might like. The event tag is #comment bingo, so go nuts!

🏆 Prizes 🏆

The real prize? THE HONOUR AND THE GLORY 💪

Nobody will be checking your comments for this game — you will self-report your win(s).

If you get a “bingo” (5 boxes on the bingo sheet in a row: either horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) before the end of the event on September 18th, you can claim a prize: send an ask to this blog announcing your bingo, or @ us on a tumblr post showing us your bingo sheet, and ask for the bingo prize. We will add your username to a “Hall of Fame” post at the end of this event, listed as a “bingo” winner.

If you get a blackout (all the boxes on the bingo sheet filled) before the end of the event on September 18th, send us an ask or @ us in a post asking for a blackout prize, and you will be listed as a “blackout” winner on the “Hall of Fame” post.

Go forth and bingo!

*If you're curious about the Murderbot Diaries 2.0 fan discord server check out our FAQ and scroll to the bottom to find info about the server and how to get an invite.

[stormblessed95]

Hello Storm,

where is the ending line between "good" shipping and "bad" shipping?

I'm talking about fictional characters AND real persons from various media and genres ,canon and non-canon.

As a BL fan and mostly a fanfic reader for almost 15+ years (!), four years ago Jikook became my first rps couple and I decided it will be definitely the LAST .

Some limits and boundaries around BTS' shipping community got crossed several times with poor taste and insane thoughts .

So now I started to questioning things ..for example, maybe it's better to go back to canon BL-media, leave the members alone and focusing - only musically speaking - to the group ?

Going cold turkey on Ao3 ? Avoiding shipping AND supporting spaces in general?

Too many questions and I admit I'm a overthinker, but after the Tkk french book maybe is really getting out of control for everyone.

Hello my love! As a very avid shipper since a very young age, who before Jikook, doesn't really engage in RPS spaces either, I 1000% get what you mean. So here is where I'm going to link you to a bunch of different posts I've made before that cover this topic. Will you come back and let me know if they helped or not? 💜

This post covers the question what is shipping culture in kpop

This post is about the question, what are ship wars?

This post is I think where I draw that line of what is good shipping (supporting Jikook as individuals and potentially queer ones at that) and bad shipping.

Dealing with rumors about RPS ships by shippers post here

Respecting Privacy Post here

And here is my post where I talk about fanfiction in real person ships. You'll notice the tkkr hate book is an example that falls directly under my "things not to do and cross lines and aren't okay" paragraph. Lol

In the end, do whatever you are most comfortable with. Outside of my blog and a few others, I do not engage with a ton of RPS fics. I read some that are sent to me from friends I trust to engage in that stuff nicely and correctly and that's basically it. I've gotten a few recs from here also and only read the ones that sounded like I would be comfortable with. In fandom spaces, you have to interact with them in whatever way works best for you personally. And if you can quit ao3 cold turkey, I would so shocked and impressed 😂 I could never. I have 10 ao3 tabs open right now lmfao

Hope those posts help 💜💜💜

[jedusaur]

Recs: the best Clint/Bucky fics with under 200 kudos

I just finished combing through the entire Clint Barton/Bucky Barnes tag on AO3 sorted by kudos, which got to be a bit of a slog toward the end, but there were some delightful underappreciated gems buried in the mud. so I decided to share some favorites!

D.I.Y. (Demons In You), by @redteamshark (38k) Clint and Bucky are renovating their new house, Clint is a YouTuber posting progress videos about the renovations, turns out the house is haunted. this one was the inspiration for this list, because based on the quality, length, and posting timeframe, I would expect this to have about 700-1000 kudos, and it has FIFTY-SIX. WHY. it's an engaging AU concept, the plot and relationship arcs are well-executed, it has fewer copyedit-level issues than some of the hugely popular fics, it hits good emotional beats, it's got fun minor character cameos, the HGTV-style home reno details are great. that kudos total is a cosmic error that requires rectification, pls assist

don't care what you did (as long as you love me), by veryrach/@mightymightygnomepriest (21k) a job goes wrong and Clint needs money fast, so he gets a job as "the blond one" for all the boybands in a '90s tribute act, supervised by a mysterious hot bodyguard. super fun but not actually crack-level ridiculous, it mostly plays the premise pretty straight, and at the end it does something interesting with the framing device that my will-they-or-won't-they dopamine response liked very much :D

A Muscle The Size Of Your Fist, by @there-must-be-a-lock (99k) in which Clint and Natasha are trailer park neighbors in 2008, Nat invites him to see her band play, and he meets Bucky in the pit by elbowing him in the face. lots of bandom nostalgia and ~emo kid~ feels in this one

Aw, Blood, No, by @reremouse (19k) Clint gets turned into a vampire and Bucky drags him out on a cross-country road trip to avoid the SHIELD agents trying to imprison him. featuring "blood-lover's pizza" and Tony's Malibu mansion with a private cove full of cars piled up underwater for the Aesthetics

Team Spirit, by @noxnthea (17k) rival ghost hunters, with peak The Sunshine One/The Grumpy One vibes. silly tropey fun :)

Safely Home, by @bluflamingo (5k) soft sweet post-CW fic about Bucky deciding to move in with Clint on his farm instead of going back to New York, over Steve's objections. especially loved this line about Bucky and Steve's dynamic: Bucky, if he was honest, thought their friendship could maybe stand to carry a little less of the weight of history.

love was just a glance away, by drunkonyou (30k) '70s Jersey Shore AU, in which Clint and Bucky meet when they're both contestants on The Dating Game and then spend the weekend on the shore together (warning for homophobic violence near the end)

been lonely too long, by veryrach/@mightymightygnomepriest (10k) a beautiful story about tattoos and pain kink and people being imperfect and messy and doing their best

[steddieficfind]

Steve's No Good, Terrible, Kinda Perfect Senior Year by merry_magpie

Steve pivoted back to his original demand. “You can’t tell anyone.” Munson scoffed. “I mean it. You cannot tell anyone about this.”

“What’s in it for me if I don’t?” Eddie said as he stood up to his full height and crossed his arms.

+++

In a last-ditch attempt to live and create a new leader for their hive mind, the vines in the tunnel released a (probably) toxic goop right into Steve’s face. Getting powers from the Upside Down was the cherry on the shit sundae Steve had been served since Halloween.

All he wanted to do was graduate in peace, left alone to lick his wounds and mourn the loss of his relationship with Nancy and the loss of his popularity in private. It turns out the Spring of ‘85 might be when he finally finds a family, real friends, and a very unexpected romance.

Recommended by @onemoore! Here’s what they had to say:

This fic has been living in my brain rent free since I read it. There are parts I can't get out of my head but I won't spoil them here. Definitely my favorite Steve has powers au. A little blackmail gets the whole thing going but things quickly escalate in unexpected ways. I could gush all day about this fic!

As always, remember to comment, bookmark, and leave kudos!

Participate in the 1000-follower rec event!

[aethon-recs]

HP Rec Fest, Day 28 ❄️

@hprecfest daily prompts running through Dec 31. Goal is to find lesser-known or underrated Tomarrymort works, even by well-known authors, to feature here.

*

Day 28: An Underrated Fic

your love is like rhinestones (falling from the sky) by @ilya-zzz (G, 1k, complete)

Summary: Sometimes pretending to love is an act of love in itself. Tom knows this. Why I rec it for this prompt: A fic that explores what happens in an established relationship once the spark starts to fade. Very angsty and heartbreaking, and at under 1000 views, definitely underrated for the quality of writing and emotional depth captured here!

*

Running list of recs:

Day 1: Favorite under 5k | Such a Noble Villain Day 2: Comfort Fic | In Somno Veritas | Ouroboros Day 3: Podfic | a taste so good (i'd die for it) Day 4: Fic with Art | A Soulmate Like You Day 5: A Non-AO3 Fic | The Anti-Midas Day 6: Unreliable Narrator Fic | Anabiosis Day 7: A Canon-Compliant Fic | In Your Soul is Sealed a Pleasure Day 8: A Canon-Divergence Fic | Thirst Day 9: A Rare Pair Fic | dust in your pocket | A Breed Apart Day 10: A Fest Fic | In Your Image Day 11: A Dark Fic | As Portioned from a Whole Day 12: A WIP Rec | Lover's Spit | Revolution of Configured Stars Day 13: A Fic >100k Words | One Year In Every Ten | if we were lovers Day 14: A Favorite Series | The Immortal Duties of Lord Voldemort Day 15: The Most Recent Bookmark | Creatures of the Dark we are Day 16: A Fic that Made You Laugh | Make a Wish | Do You Want Fries with That? Day 17: A Fic that Made You Cry | We Still Have Time Day 18: A Fairy Tale-Inspired Fic | Until Midnight Comes  Day 19: Fic with the Hottest Smut | Prison Blues Day 20: A Fic Rated 'G' | Fingers Crossed Day 21: A Thought-Provoking Fic | on the other side Day 22: An Unfinished Fic | In Death, Standby Day 23: A Soulmate Fic | the demiurge, the leontoeides Day 24: A Holiday Fic | A Sky Full of Stars Day 25: A Fic Rated 'T' | Accidents happen Day 26: A Fic with a Memorable Ending | i’ve missed you, my boy Day 27: A Muggle AU Fic | found Day 28: An Underrated Fic | your love is like rhinestones (falling from the sky)

[mothmanatemysister]

Doing the whole '31 horror films in 31 days' for October. Figured I'd double some of my posts here for the void/later on instead of clogging up my Letterboxd (mostly so I can rant about Rec and the whole Tristana Medeiros thing because IT DRIVES ME CRAZY, but that is for later).

Day 1 I rewatched the first [REC] and man this movie must have been so much better before Covid. It's still one of the best found footage films (after you get past the slow burn of the first 45 minutes), but those characters come across as such whiny assholes now. You've been in quarantine for less than 5 minutes and nothing has happened yet, quit complaining. Angela keeps talking about "We need to show people what happened here" when one guy just got bit in the neck and they don't even know about the infection. That's it by that point. 2 hours in and they act like it's been 12 years. I've sat in Six Flags lines longer than that.

Pablo y Manu are top tier horror characters. I'm always flip-flopping on Angela; some scenes she's fine, in others she's basically a screaming dinner bell and doing crazy nonsense that makes no sense unless you knew it was a horror film. The final scene elevates the whole film to absolute perfection and it is 1000% more horrifying if you know Tristana's backstory. I don't think there are any scans of the REC comic floating around (I read a copy someone had at ComicCon way back when I was a kid), but if I can find any I'll link them because it's almost mandatory reading for the series. I don't think they ever go into what really happened to her in any of the films themselves (though synopses mention it)

Day 2 was In a Violent Nature and apart from one very silly scene, it's way better than people said. I really liked the whole slasher POV setup; that first scene was horrifying when you think of how many real-life serial killers have spoken about doing that exact thing.

The toy car scene was worth the watch alone. I get the sense that the movie was made by people who wanted films like Friday the 13th and Texas Chainsaw to be deeper than they were (since anything for Jason like that is always just barely implied). I liked the little moments we get with Johnny, everything from the toy car to him getting surprised made him feel more real as one of these archetypes.

That yoga scene though...it went from 'I like this concept, choosing between a horrific murder or jumping to a possible death/injury is a great setup' to 'well that's just silly' way too fast. The subtle kills were way better, like that lake one. Makes me wish they kept in the original lake kill for the F13 remake.

Using a randomizer on Letterboxd to pick which films I watch each day, so fingers crossed that I get something good tomorrow.

[abyssal-ali]

Hii, so I just found the kdrama rec list that you made in like 2023, and I'm in ✨desperate✨ need of a calm, comforting rom com drama, like Hidden Love or Falling into your smile. (Especially the latter, I'm in love)

I've been really into the soft love stories lol and I'm busy watching Tale of the Nine Tailed, on the second last episode and I am definetly going to need something lighthearted after this. I've already watched Business Proposal and Love 020, so I think I'm still relatively new.

Please do ignore this if you don't have any new ones!! 😇

Hi! I'm so glad you've enjoyed my recs 😊

I have watched several more dramas since I made that list (okay like 40) I just haven't updated this since 😂 I actually made a side blog just for more in-depth recs that I can DM you if you'd like 🤗

Looking for soft, fluffy romcom recs? Look no further!

C | Exclusive Fairytale | Romance, Youth, Family | 2023 | This is a super cute, fluffy, lowstakes childhood friends to lovers story that progresses from high school days to college and beyond. Plus, it has Jun from Seventeen | 10/10

K | Welcome to Samdalri | Comedy, Drama, Life, Romance | 2023 | Similar to Hometown Cha Cha Cha, this is a slow, small town lowstakes drama where a girl comes from a big city and falls in love with a green flag boy (played by Ji Chang Wook, of course) The side stories are adorable as well as the main leads'. | 8/10

K | King the Land | Comedy, Romance, Workplace | 2023 | An absolutely lovely green flag couple and their chaotic, fun friend group who all work for a chaebol hospitality group (which the ML is heir to). Just recalling it makes me want to rewatch it, honestly. | 9/10

K | Doctor Slump | Life, Romance | 2024 | A supportive family, realistic depiction of depression, a cute, mature, green flag couple, and lowstakes but interesting plot make for a very comforting drama. | 9/10

C | Love Between Fairy and Devil | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Wuxia | 2022 | This drama is e v e r y t h i n g. E2L leads, all the tropes, great side characters, plot, set/wardrobe/etc, with a happy ending but makes you go through all the feels. 1000% planning on rewatching. here begins my obsession with Wang Hedi (CW: a lil darker, more plot-heavy and angstier than the previous recs on here but still hilarious and cute!)| 30/10

K | Lovely Runner | Comedy, Fantasy, Music, Romance | 2024 | This drama had a hilarious, adorable lead couple, a hooking plot, a long happy ending, and great acting; what more could you want? The drama accurately depicts fangirl life in a respectful way, has what I've heard from disabled fans is pretty good disability rep, and handles darker themes decently but still keeps the drama light overall. | 9.5/10

K | My Demon | Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance | 2023 | This is funny, fluffy, and a bit angsty (don't worry it's still HEA!) Forced proximity x supernatural x star-crossed lovers x arranged relationship x...well, it's got a ton of my favourite tropes + one of the best theme songs and opening credits scenes. | 10/10

Hope one of these tickles your fancy and you enjoy it♡

[dayseternal-blog]

I absolutely love your fic Friend of Mine, I love all your other fics too but this one is sooo relatable to me and so sweet and pure, I’m just floored and affected every time I read it. I was wondering if you could recommend similar fics or fics that inspired you to write this (if any). I’m looking for fics where they begin as friends, that’s simple and not too soap-y (if you get what I mean?) they don’t even have to be in the hs realm. I’m sure there’s a prev rec list for this too. Thank u!

it's been ages since you sent this, so you probably don't even remember sending me this. but :D I'm happy that you enjoyed "Friend of Mine"! The song inspired me, so I don't think I used any other fics for reference.

and I don't think I've made a list like this before!

Childhood Best Friends to Lovers AU NaruHina

"One Small Step" by Shawny Wong - Rated T, Canon-Divergent AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. What if Hinata had actually found the courage to approach Naruto at the Academy? How would befriending him change their lives? Drastic changes are the result of one small step. NaruHina. Written for the Thirty Kisses community on Live Journal.

"One Small Detour" by Shawny Wong - Rated G, Canon-Divergent AU, One-shot. Detour #1: Valentine's Day. After discovering that Hinata has a secret crush on some boy, Naruto decides that Valentine's Day is the perfect way to find out who it is...

“it was winter” by @eliphya - Rated G, Multi-chapter, Complete.  Hinata and Naruto’s friendship begins on a cold winter day in the bakery down the street, which becomes a special place of comfort and warmth, continuing to be so even years after they have separated.

“The Cinderella Makeover Naruto Style” by CharismaHarmony - Rated M, Modern AU, Multi-chapter, Complete. When Hinata’s best friend, Naruto said that she wasn’t the type of woman men fall in love with, she bet him 1000 she’d have a marriage proposal in 3 months.

“The Ramen Booth” by @chloelapomme - Rated E, College AU, Multi-chapter, Ongoing. Years have passed since her unanswered confession in intermediate school, since his humiliating hazing incident in high school, since blossoming popularity drew their attentions away from each other. Yet time has only sharpened friendship into painful longing, even as their time runs out with the approach of the university fundraiser. Can 7 Minutes in Heaven at a crazy flat party be enough time to clear the air between old best friends?

“August - Cultures/Around the World” from “Still Falling For You” by chloelapomme - Rated T, Modern AU, One-shot. "Diversity is not about how we differ. It is about embracing one another’s uniqueness" - Ola Joseph (One-shot)

“Kiss Me?” by allconspirer - Rated G, Wartime AU, One-shot. Naruto and Hinata have been friends for as long as they can remember but will Hinata regret not giving Naruto what he wants?

"101 Ways to Make Hinata Hyuuga Faint" by Keidra369 - Rated T, Canon-Divergent AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. Naruto finds out early on in the academy that he has an amazing talent. He can make Hinata faint! Now he is determined to find all the ways to make her faint. Starts in academy years and ends sometime in their married life.

"Misfired Attempts of an Uzumaki" by Transient Joy - Rated T, Canon-Divergent AU, One-shot. Happy Birthday Hinata! In an attempt to celebrate Hinata's birthday, Naruto causes havoc along the way. At age 5 he pushes her down a hill, at age 9 he almost poisons Hinata and gifts her weeds, and age 13 was a failure. Can Naruto make it right this time? Or will everything crash and burn in it's wake?

"Misstep in the Right Direction" by Solvdrage - Rated T, Canon-Divergent AU, Multi-chapter, Incomplete. It was just a simple good luck wish. This innocent moment created a connection between two lonely children years before destiny intended. This unintended new connection will change the course of history.

"cross your heart and hope to die (that we'll be together forever)" by @secrettastemakerland - Rated G, Canon-Divergent AU, One-shot. in which iruka solves an argument between best friends uchiha-uzumaki naruto and hyuuga hinata and then falls. Prompt: day 21 promise

hmm The Cinderella Makeover is a little soapy imo but I still really enjoyed it.

Happy Reading!

[thetideseternaltune]

Tagged by @rachaeljurassic to list 8 shows to get to know me!!! (These are in no particular order btw)

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: my current obsession, also the reason I realized I'm queer as fuck 🥰 Literally changed my life and I'm insanely happy and grateful for it. Mac/Rosie means more to me than any other pairing I've ever shipped and words cannot express how much I love them 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 I'm not crying you're crying

Wentworth: another current obsession. Came for Tammy, stayed for all the amazing characters (and Tammy. Obviously) A+ show for a newly-realized sapphic btw 😏 Fridget are forever my OTP, Kaz is my smol ball of fury, and I desperately wish we'd gotten to see her and Bea become friends 😭 You could make a drinking game for every actor who shows up who was also in MFMM except you'd probably die of alcohol poisoning 🤣

Supernatural: do I recommend anyone watch this show? Absolutely not. Did it have a profound impact on who I am that I am forever grateful for? 1000% 🥰 The show that got me through the worst of my depression, the show that got me writing more fanfic than I'd ever written before, and of course, Destiel, aka the other pairing that's meant the most to me 🥰

Schitt's Creek: god I fucking love this show 🥹 It's absolutely amazing, hilarious, inclusive, lovely, beautiful, everything I adore. David/Patrick are my OTP and dear god do I have a crush on Alexis. Definitely one of my comfort shows 🥰🥰🥰

Parks and Rec: one of my oldest obsessions. Yes I am young, don't judge 😅 Ben/Leslie was... if not my first OTP, it was very close to it, and I'm pretty sure this is the show that introduced me to fanfic 😈 I have seen s3 so many times that there are multiple episodes I know by heart (long story) and there are so many episodes that make me cry and/or super emotional. This is another comfort show and I'm so glad that ppl (finally!) started giving it the recognition and love it deserved once it was almost over 😒

M*A*S*H: I have watched many classic tv shows, and this is by far my favorite. It's honestly one of the best shows ever made, and it's funny and poignant and emotional and I love it so much 🥹 Hawkeye and BJ are friendship goals and I will never stop referencing the spam lamb 😁

Elementary: best Sherlock Holmes adaptation imo and it's absolutely amazing 😍 The cases are wild and some in particular are actually genius, Jonny Lee Miller is incredible, Lucy Liu is incredible, everyone is incredible, and agh I love it so much! Not to spoil anything, but the Moriarty arc was ✨PERFECTION✨ Some of the best tv writing. And this is also a comfort show for me. (Is that weird? Probably 😂)

The Society: I will be forever sad that COVID got this canceled 😭😭😭 I need to know what happened! I need Sam and Grizz to be together! I need Elle to escape Campbell! I need Allie and Will to be freed! I wanna know who Eden's dad is! And who the fuck is Pfeiffer and why is their world in a different place in the universe and WHY CAN THE DOG CROSS BETWEEN WORLDS??????????? I NEED ANSWERS DAMMIT!

Tagging: @pigstubborn @three-seperate-johns @scruggzi @galadriel1010 @eternally-conflicted @know-the-way @midnight-els @leliesblou and anyone else who wants to do it!

[haveyoureadthisdcfic]

art anon here: thank you for your answer! And thank you for your blog. I never read the unknown fics soon enough to actually use the "Yes, now that you've recced it to me" poll choice, but I do mark some for later and enjoy your recs <3 I might find it useful to have an idea of how long the fic is but you do you.

You're welcome, and thank you for trying out these fic I love!

-

I agree that it would be helpful to give an idea of how long fics are! I'd love to do that! Here's my problem.

I'm pretty sure we're approaching the tipping point into 'too much information'. If we cross that point, people are going to stop seeing what's already there.

And fic length can be measured in multiple ways, only some of which are meaningful to any one person, so it would be hard to do it concisely. (I find word count meaningless unless it's 1000 words or less so I prefer chapter counts, but chapter count will be meaningless to people who want to know how long the fic will take to read!)

Plus, there are still so many OTHER things I want to include! Major content warnings, accessibility info, whether it's part of a series ... what do I prioritize? (And if I think too much about it, I question whether media type WAS a priority, and in that way lies madness.)

-

Finally, my submission form is already longer than most of the other ones I've seen. I don't want to make it costly enough to submit that people stop. I also don't want to do that work myself.

For now, word count is something you need to click through to see. Most of the fic WILL tell you when you get there. But maybe someday that will change.

[chariiluvv]

about me! (an intro post)

hey chat i realize that this is one blog and i wear 1000 different masks so if you're ever following me but don't know why check this out cause i post about quite a few fandoms and it gets obsessive so. if u scroll through ten posts about a random ass anime fear not! tis i! anyways, my names em, y'all can call me chari, cherry, chariiluvv, or em works too!

i'm 18 (sagittarius who w me)

they/she

bi

a theater kid, unfortunately

entp 4w3

https://emloluv.straw.page (here's a link to my straw page!!)

below the cut are some info on general posting (my usual fandoms)

the usual

comics (mostly dc)

danganronpa

dead poets society

house md

saw

hockey (mostly caps)

musical theater fandoms (a lot of them but,, specifically let's go with hadestown and into the woods!)

ace attorney

glee

fairytail

other than that... I LIKE MUSIC!! and books!! hmu on spotify and goodreads (dm if you wanna exchange!) and if you ever want book, music, movie, basically any media recs, feel free to ask!!!

sometimes i have unpopular opinions and yes i will explain them if anyone asks. for example - the dead poets society book was BAD and icky and gross and i HATED it. thanks for coming to my ted talk but of course i will elaborate. anywho welcome to my blog!!! i don't have special tags so just cross your fingers and hope i spelled shit right.

[5ummit]

Post/729826521256181760 Omg I can't believe you have been Buggy-pilled hahaha. I will brace myself for incoming Buggy content. Have you read the manga? I didn't like Buggy at the beginning of the manga but later on did grudgingly come to like him quite a bit. May I ask for the link to that fic you read? 🤭 I'm Prepared. No worries if you'd rather not. Thanks!

Trust me, I can't believe it either. I am a clown. The clown is me. 🤡

I've never read the manga but I've seen bits and pieces of the anime. I could never get into it before because the art style is not my thing, it was too over-the-top goofy for me, and the series is soooo intimidatingly long. I'm sure original One Piece fans will hate me for my normie opinions but I much prefer the live action version so far. The OPLA characters feel more realistic and relatable, especially Buggy, and I liked how they took advantage of having 1000+ chapters to pull from to streamline the story and introduce certain elements earlier. There's nothing wrong with manga/anime!Buggy, of course, he's still a fun character, I just prefer OPLA!Buggy (I do enjoy what I've heard about the Cross Guild plotline though and already mourn the fact that it's so far out there's no way it's ever going to make it to live action 🥲).

You know me, I'm always happy to share recs! The fic is called Chew On That by Transformatron. I've actually already converted someone who's never watched a single episode of One Piece into a clown fucker with this fic, it's that good lol. Warnings for extremely dubious consent and extremely inappropriate use of devil fruit powers, among many other things (read the tags carefully). Here's a brief summary if you want to know more about what you're getting into before clicking the link, avoid if you don't want to be spoiled:

((Fic spoilers below))

Arlong and his crew fuck Buggy's disembodied head and headless body while they're holding him prisoner. The body fucking happens while his head is miles away in the possession of Luffy's crew where Buggy can feel everything that's happening to him but can't see what they're doing or tell his captors to stop or do anything about it (he's a slut though so he's kinda into it).

[royal-ruin]

spyxfamily fic recs (part 5)

other spyxfamily fic recs here personal favorites are starred, by the way. everything is complete unless stated otherwise. these fics may include spoilers for the manga, read at your own discretion.

The Daily Lives of Mr. and Mrs. Desmond by JaMills (~2k)

In which Anya Forger is Westalian spy Agent Starlight, Damian Desmond is the secret assassin shopkeeper from Garden and Loid is just an esper boy who works his hardest to get his tsundere parents together.

A Flower Without Scent that Attracts The Birds by Tare (~5k)

Loid disguised himself as a barista for a mission to monitor a target WISE had suspected may disrupt a peace treaty between the two countries. Once again he was amazed by Handler's instinct to predict a potential disruption to Operation Strix. He scowled. How could his target know his wife's preferences better than him? And how could a single scentless flower from that man make his wife smile all day long while a bouquet of flowers from him couldn't?

jealous loid is hilarious.

Chance Encounter by smallestsenpai (~7k)

Yor Briar was a model student.

She minded her business. She kept her head low.

Except today.

In which Eden Academy's Thorn Princess and Twilight cross paths and nothing more. (Or is it?)

that one where we look so in love by dancingpineapples (~1k)

the desmond-forger family, like any upper crust family, has to put out a marriage announcement in the newspaper. a picture really is worth a 1000 words, damian comes to find.

[vicioux]

DARKLINA FIC RECS // part two

annnnnnd i'm back again with another 🌔 alarkling / darklina fic rec list 🌒 after i made one last month before the show premiered with all my OG darklina favs. i just had to after the massive influx of quality content + shippers (passing 1000 fics on the AO3 tag today!!) after Shadow & Bone premiered on Netflix last month (BIG shoutouts to episode 5) which actually made this quite difficult because i wanted to put everyone's lovely work on here! maybe that's the universe telling me to i'll need to keep making these lol without further ado here is PART TWO of my favorite post-show darklina fanfics for y'all to enjoy! happy reading!! p.s you can find the rest of my fic rec lists here

multichapter (aka canon-divergence galore)

EQUALSVERSE series by della19 In which Aleksander is (mostly) what he pretended to be, and Alina learns about power. In this world, they get to be equals //note: y'all trust me this series is a must read!! parts 1, 3, 4, 5 are *chefs kiss*

SONG OF DYING STARS by andromedabennet His first dreams are of the darkness that frightens him and a little girl who can call to the light. He makes it his mission to find her, no matter what it might cost.

TEN SUNS IN THE SKY by presidenthades Alina has a happy childhood in a border town that never gets razed. Her father is a clever otkazat’sya blacksmith who labors over creations to rival any Fabrikator’s. Her mother is a Shu Inferni who teaches her daughter to embrace the sunlight in her hands and their heritage. When the family makes a fateful attempt to cross the Fold, the Darkling finds not a pawn but a queen.

TELL ME WHAT IT MEANS TO FIND GOD IN YOUR SOCK DRAWERS. TELL ME AGAIN (WHAT IF LOVE WERE ENOUGH FOR US) by lifeitself Two months before Mal and Alina are charted for their journey across the Fold, Alina enlists the help of the Darkling when the Fold begins to shrink. One Shadow Summoner -- and a Sun Summoner who has practiced her power every night since youth underneath thin duvets.

WHEN THE SUN RISES by ineedyoursway Alina is taken to the Little Palace after her Grisha test and given over to the Darkling to train. But there is one catch - when she comes of age, she is to marry Vasily Lantsov and continue the royal bloodline.

ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD by rist He returns to the war room shaken, and finds an Alina that cannot leave without at least having tried.

A LIGHT IN THE SHADOW by sleepydragon19 It was the fate of the Sun Summoner to be born, her fate to meet the Darkling, her fate to save Ravka. How this happens, however, is up to her and the choices people make. Alina is five years old when she first meets the Shadow Man. It changes everything.

LIKE A TEAR ON A CHEEK by arianakristine She escapes, late the night of the Fete. She knows she is a fool for what comes next, but can't forget the heart in his eyes all the same.

AN ORDINARY NAME by emmathescribe When Mal is killed on their first crossing of the Shadow Fold, a new power awakens within Alina. Traumatised and bereft, Alina finds herself thrust into the dazzling world of the Grisha, where she must try to grieve for Mal whilst navigating her growing relationship with the mysterious Darkling.

alternate universe

BLACK SMOKE WHITE FLAME by littleloststar The shadow made her an offer: stay in the castle with him, and the regiment would survive the harsh winter that had trapped them all in the ice-sheeted valley below. beauty&thebeast!AU

A SOUL WHOSE INTENTIONS ARE GOOD by secretsarenotforfree An authoritative voice, lightly accented and full of power even when kept low for secrets sake, his back to her. A briefcase so neatly made it had to be bespoke. The tall bob of the top of just criminally beautiful hair. Puzzle pieces. Alina’s favorite. Especially when she was given the chance to assemble them into a whole. suits!AU

ALL ALONG THERE WAS SOME INVISIBLE STRING, TYING YOU TO ME by fionakevin073 “The universe made you for me,” Aleksander says, black eyes glinting with delight. “No,” she corrects softly. “The universe made us for each other.” (Alina and the Darkling are soulmates, but she doesn't know that yet) soulmark!AU

THE WITHERING by blonddragon Unrequited love is a beautiful horror. A white narcissus that falls from his lips. That strangles him from within. The Darkling is dying. Will Alina return his love before it is too late? hanahaki!AU

AWAKENING by sol_moon “If there was a way to cure your cancer, would you take it?” He asked, his voice barely a whisper, silver eyes boring into her. She fought back a snort, despite the tense air. There was no cure, she knew that. But she might as well indulge him in his fantasies. “In a heartbeat.” modernvampire!AU

oneshots

I SHOULD LIVE IN SALT by larry_hystereks Alina returned back with the Darkling to Little Palace after he destroyed Novokribirsk. years pass. they grow together, build together, work together. And then she’s taken. (an exploration into their dream connection, a marriage, and finding their home)

ROYALS by larry_hystereks The married rulers of ravka celebrating their first anniversary together (au where they’re married and aleks surprises her for their anniversary with a puppy)

TALES FROM THE LIZARD BRAIN OF ALEKSANDER MOROZOVA by presidenthades The Darkling is a centuries-old mastermind with utter control over his basest instincts. His lizard brain does not always follow the agenda.

THE CALM BEFORE THE THUNDER by ceris_malfoy (Child, the Stag says. To the one that mattered, you were always enough.) When the Darkling asks, none of them seem to know why she isn’t waking, why her light feels like a slow drag in her veins to him instead of the rapids it usually is. On the 3rd day, he finally swallows, gathers his nerve, and mutters, “Her body is rejecting the amplifier.”

smut 🌶️🌶️🌶️

REFLECTIONS OF A SAINT by lightning_strikes_twice He tugs on the tie to her robe and she doesn't stop him. It's easy to shut her eyes, let herself drown in the feeling of assurance and right-ness when he touches her. It's not so bad, Alina thinks, to make mistakes in the dark.

SACCHARINE by valkyrhys Not many people surprise me, Miss Starkov, he had said all those months ago. Now, Aleksander sits back on his heels and looks down at his beloved Sun Summoner, his pretty little pet reduced to a mess of trembling limbs and gasping breath by his hand.

CONTROL by maleficar Aleksander impresses the importance of control on Alina. She is a quick study.

WE COULD HAVE HAD THIS by solnichka Alina cuts a deal with the Darkling in exchange for Mal's life, and the Darkling takes more than was bargained as they cross the fold.

AND MY BODY FOUND THE WIND by redbelles Alina rides a horse, and then something else entirely. (The Darkling. She rides the Darkling.)

LOVE AND WAR by starwarringavengers How the Winter Fete scene should have gone, if they weren't interrupted.

RAVENOUS by under_the_rose For obvious reasons, it's not widely known that the queen prefers the company of the General of the Second Army for her heats.

anything and everything by these authors

LARRY_HYSTEREKS PRESIDENTHADES DELLA19 INKY_PENS DESTINIES FIONAKEVIN073 ACEOFNOWHERE VUAS NYMJA