#fantastic job on creating this lovely book!!! <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[poppibranchlover]

Wow! So you created this book? I’m proud of what you did!!! 😍😍😍

I am excited to announce that my 5th Little Golden Book is out today! I got to illustrate “Trolls Band Together” to accompany the film releasing in November.

Illustrated by me

Words by David Lewman

[raymantogether]

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #3 - Clairiphi

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #3 - Clairiphi

Introduction:

Have you ever made your own Rayman comic book series? Growing up, I spent thousands of hours outside of playing the Rayman series creating comics and drawings, making my own adventures for Rayman and his friends. However, I never could create something as captivating and truly unique as the Rayman Nightmarish Series. Rayman Nightmarish stole my heart and is something that I have followed since 2020. Every few weeks to months, I eagerly anticipate the next chapter. There is something so personal about the art style and original characters, which I fell in love with. Every strip is full of personality and charm. I had the pleasure of meeting Clairiphi, AKA Chiara, during my visit to Ubisoft Milan. In person, Chiara is just as amazing as her series. So when I decided to make this Community Spotlight Series, I just had to make a segment on Chiara and her Rayman Nightmarish series.

1. Please introduce yourself.

"My name is Chiara; I go by Clairiphi on the web, and I'm a storyteller from Sardinia (Italy) who dabbles into drawing to accompany her stories. I hope one day, not too far from now, to become a professional comic writer if the comic industry in Europe gives me the chance. For now, I sadly remain an enthusiastic hobbyist."

2. What are you currently working on in the Rayman Community? 

"I’ve been publishing my fan comic Rayman Nightmarish for a few years with the frequent help of my partner Francesco (@thepinna on Instagram and Cara), who is a professional illustrator and studied as a comic artist as well. Without his teaching, I would be nowhere near where I am with my skill level. He taught me how to storyboard, how to efficiently use a drawing tablet, and helped me train my writing skills. He also offers his direct artistic input from time to time, when work hours permit him (for example, while I did the storyboards and pencil sketches for chapter 11, he did inks and colors)."

3. What is your inspiration behind Rayman Nightmarish?

"One December evening I was particularly bored and haven’t been writing since the beginning of high school, but that evening I was coming from a long period of frustration regarding the school path I chose, and coincidentally, I was also back on my Rayman obsession because I was playing Legends and Origins. I had this fairy character (Waaty) and a horrific, almost lovecraftian villain (The Lighteater) in mind for a while, and all of a sudden I said, “You know what? Let’s stop daydreaming and write an actual story!” I took a huge empty notebook from my desk drawer, and a bunch of years later, here we are!"

4. For any newcomers, what is the story of Rayman Nightmarish about?

"With Rayman Nightmarish, I aimed to narrate a classic Rayman adventure, with the humor, the combats, the voyage across fantastical places... And zombies! Yeah, I love horror, and of course there was going to be a twist. But no worries! This is still a story for all ages, like Rayman always was after all.  An ancient evil called The Lighteater is rising from the depths of the sea and is going to bring a dark plague that will soon turn The Glade of Dreams into The Glade of Nightmares. Of course it is Rayman's job to save the day once again, with the help of Globox and a few unexpected friends, like Waaty, the livid dead fairy with strange clairvoyant abilities...and many others along the way! Will he be able to do it this time? Very likely knowing his records, but this could actually be more challenging than he thought."

5. Is there anything new or unreleased you can share?

"I’ve actually been working on a new original fantasy series for a while. The story is already all planned, I'm in love with the characters and every process I came across during the planning of the plot. I hope with all my heart that I'll be able to bring it to life, not as a webcomic but as a fool-blown series for comic stores’ shelves."

6. What made you fall in love with the Rayman series?

"When I was a little girl, I didn’t have much social skills, and my first ever playmate, before my brother was born, was my dear cousin, who one day came to me with a copy of Rayman 3; his parents got him somewhere during a trip. That game changed my brain chemistry because as soon as I saw the fairy council level, I was hypnotized, and I wasn’t even the one playing! The music, the scenery, the jokes—I don’t know, but every time we played it, I came home wishing I was still in that world. Then a few years later, my cousin got a PS3 and gave me and my brother his PS2, Rayman Raving Rabbids, and Rayman 3. I was so happy! My first ever “comic” was a very cringy Rayman fanfiction I wrote in middle school, kind of an ancestor of Rayman Nightmarish in a way, haha! I thank my cousin every day for showing me that game that evening, and if he were still here today, I bet he would think Rayman Nightmarish looks pretty sick (especially in comparison to his middle school predecessor)."

7. What is your favorite Rayman game?

"I think it’s pretty clear by now that it’s Rayman 3 since it comes with so many dear memories, but I really liked playing both Origins and Legends in co-op with my brother when they came out. They were really fun to play with others! While I’ve always considered Rayman 3 like an intimate journey to take alone in a fantasy world, as silly as it sounds. Haha!"

8. Who is your favorite Rayman character?

"I’m going to be very unoriginal and say it’s Rayman because it’s true."

9. Tell us about your time at Ubisoft Milan.

"It was better than Disneyland! I felt like a kid again being able to hang out with a team of professionals behind a whole videogame. Not only was I happy, I felt seen, like, “Woah! These guys know I exist and even asked me to come here, hello???” Pretty surreal experience!"

10. Other than playing Rayman, what are your favorite things to do?

"I’m going to be completely honest; I haven’t been playing a Rayman game since the dawn of time. Haha! Back when I was a little girl, I wasn't much of a gamer and only played Rayman games because I didn’t care for the others. Now I love my switch, and I found many more games I love to spend time with. Rayman still has a special place in my heart, because it’s thanks to it that I found out I was actually meant for writing stories. Two of my other favorite things to do (besides writing and drawing, which are obvious) are reading books and watching movies, and in both cases, my favorite genre is horror. I also like to play fantasy TTRPG games like D&D or Pathfinder from time to time; they are very stimulating for the imagination."

11. Tell us something interesting or funny about yourself that we might not already know. 

"I’ve actually graduated (both bachelor’s and master’s degree) from a music conservatory in classical piano and never taken a single class in any art school. Sometimes I feel stupid about my past choices, and sometimes I’m glad because learning to play an instrument on a professional level has helped me build discipline and time management skills that helped me greatly in the writing process."

12. Do you have any hidden talents?

"I don’t know much about "talent,” but I do love to sing in my car, and I can memorize the entire script of a movie if I like it a lot. Haha! I remember when I was in elementary school, I used to recite Madagascar to myself when it was past bedtime, but I didn’t want to sleep."

13. What is one thing you can’t live without?

"Besides my air conditioner, I think I would go insane if something happened to any of my writing devices. I keep all my notes scattered between my computer, my iPad, and many physical journals. While clouds are essential, sometimes I just need an actual piece of paper and a pencil to figure out a scene or a plot point."

Want to discover more about the Rayman Nightmarish series? This is my link tree where new readers can find the best social media platforms to either catch up with the story or stay tuned for any exciting news:

[1979semifinalist]

Hi Kelly! Love all your stuff! I was reading Absolute Wonder Woman and thinking back to your run of Black Widow (which is fantastic btw) and I was just wondering, what made you want to write comics? How did you get started?

I have wanted to write since I was little -- some of my earliest memories are around trying to not only write and draw but create physical objects that people could read. And though I loved Archie Comics when I was little (they were my first exposure to comics) -- I didn’t really know or understand there was a whole big world of comics -- they were just these cool books I used to beg my mom for at the grocery store check out line. But when I was a teenager my younger brothers Scott and Dave and I (though Dave was more casual with it) discovered comics and became huge obsessed fans. And it was then that I realized that comics were maybe this perfect merging of the things I loved -- words and pictures. Initially I definitely wanted to write and draw, but I eventually gave up the draw part (not good enough, not willing to devote the time to get better, impatient, blah blah blah). But I was very sure “making comics” was the thing I wanted to do -- comics and making them became my #1 hobby.

When it came time to go away to college I picked a truly baffling choice (don’t ask) and was thinking I’d probably study English and/or Art. English fell apart right away in my first semester (a bland uninspiring teacher who was equally uninspired with me). Art in the second semester was more promising (but I still knew I did not have what it takes to be excellent in that field). In my sophmore year I had been considering a transfer to an art school (SCAD was at the top of my list since they were the only college at that time that had an actual Sequential Art Degree). And some interesting things happened in my second year at college that really showed me that I was on the wrong path and that I should at least give SCAD a try, because maybe THAT would be the right path. So I left school at the end of my sophomore year, moved home, took a year off to work and earn some money for school and a car, and to take some additional classes at the community college that I knew would transfer to SCAD. And then applied and got a (very small) scholarship. And that was it. I loved it there. Whereas I had ached to be home with my family most of the time that I was at my first college, I loved this so much I didn’t even come home over the summer anymore. It was the first time I felt like I was finding my place in the world and maybe would do something interesting.

But I do things slow.

So after I graduated I took a normal day job and just tried to work on my stuff on the side. I did that for years and eventually... like 10 years later (oof).. it started to become something.

I don’t know if you’re trying to break in, or thinking about trying to do something really hard, but in case you are, here are my advice bits:

1. Everyone hates this advice, but it’s the advice everyone gives it because it’s true: To get noticed and get paid to make comics, you first have to make some comics. You have to show people you can do this, that you have something to say, and the only way to do that is to make some comics.

2. And this: Don’t give up until you’ve succeeded. Trite, but also true.

3. And this one is tough but: Finish your project. An 80% finished project is nothing. A 100% finished project is everything. Getting to the finish line is the hardest part, but if you can manage that you’ll be ahead of almost everyone. Which is encouraging... in its way.

If you are indeed trying to do something, whatever it is... good luck, and don’t give up!

[agentnico]

The Count of Monte-Cristo (2024) review

Je suis Batman!!

Plot: Edmond Dantes becomes the target of a sinister plot and is arrested on his wedding day for a crime he did not commit. After 14 years in the island prison of Château d'If, he manages a daring escape. Now rich beyond his dreams, he assumes the identity of the Count of Monte-Cristo and exacts his revenge on the three men who betrayed him.

I’ve been really enjoying this recent wave of French blockbuster cinema creating these lavish big-budget adaptions of their nation’s classic literature, with the recent highly enjoyable duology romp of The Three Musketeers (D’Artagnan and Milady respectively) and now taking on The Count of Monte-Cristo. I was a major admirer of Alexander Dumas’ novels when I was a kid, and by admirer I mean my father used to force me to read those books which at the time I hated him for, as I much rather would have spent hours on end on my GameCube, but now am forever grateful that I have the knowledge of storytelling which I gained from reading those pieces of literature. So I’m eagerly hoping that now with these expensive modern movie takes we will also get some of Dumas’ other great works get the contemporary cinematic treatment, such as La Dame de Monsoreau and The Black Tulip (though the latter may be difficult as there is already an older film version starring Alain Delon, and would be hard to recast Delon, let’s not kid ourselves!). As for Monte-Cristo, I’m not even going to sugar-coat it - this is a fantastic modern adaptation of a classic!

The sets are great and really invoke the post-Napoleon era of France; the costumes are gorgeous; the music score is grandiose and epic, really engrossing you in this decade spanning saga of revenge; the classic story is reinterpreted so well with the themes and the emotion, and the acting across the board is superb. Oh and the cinematography is to die for - wonderful long shot landscape sequences, great use of lighting, gorgeous shots of interior palaces - you can tell this film has been given all the money in the world, only unlike Amazon’s Rings of Power TV series that looks expensive but lacks any narrative depth, this film is both great to look at but also has a great story with awesome performance. Look, I really really liked this movie, let me rave about it!! Of course if you’re not French, you have to deal with subtitles, however don’t let that sway you, as this move manages to tell so much using its visuals and powerful music score that at times you don’t even need to read the subtitles to understand the emotion the characters on screen are going through.

Pierre Niney is honestly superb as the titular Count. From how he showcases him in his younger years as the excited young sailor wanting to prove himself to years later being this highly intelligent and driven yet calm presence, as well as taking on the various alter-ego’s of the Count using his different masks (very reminiscent of Fantomas) such as the dastardly Lord Halifax - Niney does such a stellar job here. What I also loved is how this adaptation takes the “superhero origin” approach to Dumas’ classic, with the Count being showcased as this cool dark vigilante like Batman/Bruce Wayne or Zorro, and even his dark menacing suit (which is dapper as f*** by the way!!) emphasising that. All the props to Niney, he adds so many layers and nuance to his performance, that even when he is super reserved as the Count, you can tell in his eyes the disdain and pure hatred he has for the ones that wronged him, but at the same time being able to showcase his guard dropping slightly when he is in the presence of his beloved lost love Mercédès (played gracefully by Anaïs Demoustier).

As for negatives, as even though I absolutely adored this movie, the inner critic within me still can’t help himself. This is a 3-hour long movie, and granted that is a result of the weight of the original book, however you do feel the length of this thing, but at the same time certain parts feel a tad rushed (due to the writers attempting to cram so much story and character development into the 3-hour frame) that certain side-plots and narrative build ups aren’t given their proper space to breath. One does wonder if this would have worked better as a mini-series, however on the other hand they probably would not have had the budget to make this thing look as good as it does. Secondly, certain details/plot-holes frustrated me which I won’t spoil, but one example is when Edmond and Abbé Faria are digging the escape hole from their prison chambers all those years, where the hell did they keep getting all those candles from to light their workspace?? I highly doubt in mid-1800s France prisons had little kiosk shops to offer inmates various groceries and household items. Happy to be corrected here, but honestly seeing those candles reminded me of Deadpool proclaiming “that’s just lazy writing”. And final complaint (before we can get back to raving about how awesome this movie is) is the ageing, or lack of it more. The tale of Monte-Cristo spans from 1815 and ends in 1844, yet the movie makes zero effort in making the actors look older the further down the timeline we go. The Count does look aged but that is due to the mask he wears, so when that’s off he looks like his younger 20-something self again. One of the main baddies Prosecutor de Villefort (played in true dick-fashion by Laurent Lafitte) looks exactly the same at the beginning of the movie and then right to the end. You’re telling me the make-up artists and hairstylists couldn’t give him a single grey hair or a wrinkle?

Again though, that was me with my critical thinking hat on. With that off, I want to reiterate how I truly enjoyed this new version of a classic tale that has been done so many times before, however this one may be one of my favourites. Truly engaging and epic in scale, with a ridiculously cool Pierre Niney in the titular role. He is… the French Batman!

Overall score: 8/10

[burnedwriter]

Hiiii, I sae your last post and I was thinking... What about a s/o who talks a lot and is very loud and likes to make small talk whit everyone but as soon as they get in bed they are really shy and quiet :>

You can do the characters you want but I was thinking about al,ayato or cyno ☆ tyyyyyyyy

A/n:i decided to do all 3 of them bc i couldnt choose sooo,i hope you like it!

warning:mild spice but not too much,overall fluff,petnames,!gender-neutral reader

🌱al haitham

🌱he's the type of person to only talk when its necessery or to get the information that he needs for his research.Al haitham is very calm and collected unlike you who were all over the place and very extroverted person who has created friendship all across sumeru city.

🌱Al haitham was glad to have you though,your energy always brings a smile to his face,as you broke the boredom and akwardness that sometimes started to form when you two were sitting and collecting intel for research.

🌱After the two of you were finally in a relationship he came to realize that having a loud s/o had it's advantages from meeting new people and forming new friendship to making it easier to collect information since you already know the right people and everyone trusted you.

🌱but what really striked al haitham was how the sudden shyness you had when the both of you were left together,unlike how you were in the morning,it made him think that you were in reality only energetic and loud when you were aroud people.

🌱the first time you tried to cover yourself while you had a red blush run across your face.

''i'm sorry''said al haitham seeing that you pulled away and tried to cover yourself.

''i didnt mean to''he continued thinking he might have overstepped a boundary but after seeing you slowly uncover yourself with your hands,looking at him like a sheep ready to be devoured by the big bad wolf al haitham immediatly got it and came to realize why you became shy all of a sudden.Recollecting himself he spoke again.

''i want to hear what you want''his voice serious and commanding,he was going to have so much fun with you pushing your limits,to start making you talk or more specificly making you moan.

💧Ayato

💧Ayato loves your outgoing personality and ass the s/o of the yashiro commissioner,is a requirement to be a very talkative,he can always rely on you when it comes to taking to guests or other higher ups from other nations that came to visit since every possible person knows you in inazuma.

💧He was so happy to see you organise the festivals and do such a fantastic job that he dedicated that job to you.he also learns a lot from you during your small talks that happen after you come back from your little shopping sprees,he gets to know how things are going and if there are any things he has to take actions to or things that you like.

💧he really enjoys your company and how you keep the conversations constantly going as you jump from topic to topic,so you could imagine how shocked that you were in reality shy when it came to the bedroom,seeing your shyness unlike the person you were before,it made him smirk to himself.

''what happened dear~cat got your tongue~''he teased seeing your bushfull expression when his hand started to slowly glide up your inner thigh

''oh...oh i see~''he said as you were shaking like a leaf to his slightest touches and not responding to what he said,trying to focus your gaze somewhere else ayato realized what was going on.

dont expect the teasing to stop anytime soon,he wants to hear your pretty voices and he will do anything in the book to hear you beg for him.

⚖cyno

⚖Cyno is not a people person at all he prefers to stay alone or sit in silence most of the times as well as avoiding with people as much as possible,now a lot of people wondered how you two are together,both of you are the definition of night and day,unlike cyno are very loud and talkative person that loves constantly socializing and never seem to sit in one place.

⚖he enjoys passing your time with you when hes off duty and play games of tcg together ,he thinks that you make the game more entertaining,when he sees you get cocky as you are about to win just for you to loose.He also loves it when you let the most heart felt laugh when he tells you his cheesy jokes.

⚖So he was more than suprised that you were always loud like that and you changed to a more quiet person when it came to bedroom activities.Cyno was concerned the first time you did that seeing you all shy and quiet all of a sudden it made him think that he did something that you didnt like and accidentally made you uncomfortable with his touche.

''i didnt mean to''he said with reget in his voice,getting quickly off of you but he was quickly stopped by your hands as you pulled him back to his original position as you wrapped your legs around his waist

''please cyno i need you''you said your voice almost like a whisper,with red blush running across our cheeks upo realizing what you said.

''oh''suprise in his voice,collapsing any questions he had before about what he was doing,maybe thats how you were behind closed door and thats why it was so sudden,he will make sure to take good care of you and try to push you to see how flustered you can get as he loves seeing you like that,he could almost feel himself smug every time he turns you into a moaning mess and removing all that shyness you had before

[bloopitynoot]

9 "Older" Lan Zhan WangXian Fics

Another rec list created for @yiling-laozu-is-loml but everyone pls enjoy!

Note: all of these fics are tried and true; meaning I have vetted, read, and cherish all of them.

There were some specific requests for WangXian fics featuring "older" Lan Zhan (I also added a little extra allowance).

Request parameters:

Must feature WangXian ONLY

bottomXian only (If applicable)

Book canon only (if applicable)

Can include: age difference as little as a year up to lifetimes.

Can include: age difference for reals but also in spirit (ex: Accidental Sugar Daddy Lan Zhan, intentional Sugar Daddy Lan Zhan, gratuitous usage of gege, immortal Lan Zhan)

Can also include: (if there isn't much of an age difference) a power differences in which the power difference is in Lan Zhan's favour (ex: employer/employee or professor/student)

I have a little mix of all of the above in the fics below.

If you'd like a personalized rec list- feel free to DM me! I love putting these together.

1 We Were Never Strangers (36728 words) by NeverEnoughWangxian

Chapters: 3/3 Rating: Mature Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern Cultivators, POV Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, (mostly), College Student Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Rogue Cultivator Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Immortal Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Immortal Lan Yuan | Lan Sizhui, Dreams, Pining, Sharing a Bed, brief mentions of wwx's past death(s), WangXian.mp3, Getting Together, I guess getting back together technically, Happy Ending, No beta we die like wwx, added tags for last chapter:, Sexual Tension, Sexual Content, Hand Jobs, Biting Summary: The dream shifts. They’re back home now, tangled up in bed, buried under a mountain of blankets and, at least in Wei Ying’s case, sore in all the ways he doesn’t mind being sore in. His husband is radiating warmth, and Wei Ying burrows into his arms happily. He presses his still-freezing toes to his husband’s calves and muffles a snort of laughter against Lan Zhan’s chest when he feels the muscles tense momentarily from the shock. Lan Zhan nips at his ear in retaliation but continues to run his fingers soothingly through Wei Ying’s hair. He melts into the touch. The only thing keeping him from turning into a puddle is the strong familiar arms around him, holding him together, holding him close. When Wei Ying wakes up, he’s full-body shivering. His hand slides across the bed, reaching instinctively for the warmth of someone who was never there to begin with. Wei Ying is an art major by day, cultivator by night. After a seemingly routine night-hunt, he starts getting these strange, vivid dreams of a man in white he’s never met before yet somehow feels like he’s known his whole life…

NOTES: Starting this list off with a bang- soulmate AU, reincarnated WY, and an immortal Lan Zhan who is really just out here living to find his man. I love this one so much because it has such good descriptions of WY's past experiences with Lan Zhan. I love the art imagery and WY being an artist. This was just a fantastic fic with a solid ending.

2 Professor Lan, Babysitter Extraordinaire (4367 words) by Eleanor_Fenyx

Chapters: 1/1 Rating: General Audiences Additional Tags: Fluff, Single Parent Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, professor lan wangji, Mature Student Wei Wuxian, background 3zun, Really just wanted an excuse to write baby a-yuan and LWJ bonding, Modern AU Series: Part 3 of Wangxian One-Shots Summary: “He’s got snacks and his sketchbook and a couple of quiet toys in there, and he can go to the bathroom by himself if you take him to it, and he likes to ask questions in new places, and-“ “Wei Ying.” “Right! Okay! God this is so weird. A-Yuan this is Lan-laoshi, be good for him please, he’s very nice. I’ll come pick you up as soon as I’m done, okay?” “Okay Baba,” A-Yuan says and then - so quickly it’s a surprise that his passing doesn’t make an audible swishing noise like a cartoon - Wei Wuxian darts into the lecture hall, leaving Lan Wangji alone with the scruffy bag and the not-nearly-as-scruffy toddler. Lan Wangji looks down at the boy, who looks back up at him, and he’s still far too adorable for his own good. “Your father is perhaps too trusting,” Lan Wangji remarks. A-Yuan seems to consider this for a long moment before he nods resolutely in a way that tells Lan Wangji he has no idea what he means. “May I carry you?” A-Yuan is quick to let go of his leg to reach up instead, so Lan Wangji reaches down to pick him up under his arms and hoist him onto his hip where he settles heavily like a sentient sack of potatoes.

NOTES: This fic is tooth rot sweet. The speed in which Lan Zhan goes from "kids- indifference" to "I WILL adopt this child and his father" is staggering. It's very short, very cute, and mostly not WangXian but end game wangxian and an excellent cleanser of a fic.

3 running around, chasing each other on the rooftops of China (53898 words) by Verity

Chapters: 5/5 Rating: Explicit Additional Tags: Fox Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Immortal Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Mystery, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji and Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian Have a Breeding Kink, Female Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, But only for like a chapter and then he gets stuck as a fox, Uhhhhhh this was only supposed to be 15k, Help me i dont know why it keeps expanding Summary: Wei Wuxian, like every other person living in the dazzling era of technology and the modern age, knows that there's a hidden world tucked between society. It reeks of magic, wonder, horror, and everything in between, hidden in the shadows unless one dares to look. If one chooses not to see, they will never find a single hint that something different is amiss. As someone enamored with smartphones and laptops, Wei Wuxian never thought he would stumble upon the mystical. Until one day, his landlord couldn't see him. Or: Wei Wuxian dives headfirst into a shadowy world of magic, where he falls for a mythical figure and discovers a forgotten past.

NOTES: I honestly didn't expect to like this fic as much as I did- I was warry of the tag "Female Wei Ying" as it's not my speed usually BUT it ended up being a solid fic. I do love Foxxian fics and that paired with an eclectic hotel of magical beings ended up becoming sneakily endearing. This fic also has a solid "thawing ice prince/cunning fox" dynamic that is perfection.

4 Be around for the next day (10996 words) by Song_of_Storms

Chapters: 2/2 Rating: Explicit Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, New York City, Bisexual Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Top Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Bottom Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Mentions of WWX plus others, Slutty Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Trans Nie Huaisang, short king NHS, Hand Jobs, Anal Sex, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji Talks Dirty Summary: Wei Ying owns a lucky red leather jacket that’s gotten him laid countless times. When he wears it out, someone’s going home with him. He doesn’t care who. He’s not picky. What matters is the jacket works, every time. Then he meets Lan Zhan. [Or, the leather jacket AU.]

Notes: So full disclosure this fic doesn't really have an age difference? maybe it does? unclear -BUT the dynamic between the two gives off very much that. It is filthy but also cute. Intentional bachelor WY has something coming for his sworn oath of singledom named Lan Zhan. Also- this fic features leather jackets!

5 All Old Things are New Again (51656 words) by The Feels Whale

Chapters: 1/1 Rating: Mature Additional Tags: Reincarnation, Modern Setting, canon still happened, extreme post canon, Sugar Daddy, Kink Negotiation, gentle dom!LWJ, canonical levels of consent play, Modern Cultivators, cultivators can recognize important people from previous lives, vaguely, this started out as a cute sugar fantasy and got just incredibly horny very fast, blame LWJ Series: Part 1 of All Old Things Are New Again Summary: Full-time necromancer and part-time cam boy, Wei Wuxian, finds himself unexpectedly homeless. An enthusiastic patron comes to his rescue. Conversely: Immortal Cultivator Lan Wangji has been waiting a long time for his deceased husband to be reincarnated again. In retrospect, he should have anticipated that this is how it would go.

NOTES: What do you do when you, an immortal, finally find your reincarnated soulmate on a cam site. Obviously- become their secret sugar daddy. The premise of this is wild but it's a good vibe. I do love when Lan Zhan is READY to rescue his man.

6 A Sure Thing (40280 words) by ElDiablito_SF

Chapters: 7/7 Rating: Explicit Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Pretty Woman Fusion, Prostitution, Unsafe Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Attempted Sexual Assault, You'd think this would be wild and kinky, but actually they're soft and gross, past Zhancheng and they're still friends, Prostitute!WWX, rich asshole!LWJ, fashion bitch!LWJ, Shoe Porn, background attempted Xiyao, Drinking to Cope, physical assault, Villain JGY, Angst with a Happy Ending Series: Part 1 of Pretty Woman AU Summary: Lan Wangji's business trip isn't going very well. On top of it all, his fiancé dumps him, leaving him without a date to all the boring social functions he's expected to attend. Luckily the rentboy he accidentally picks up while stopping for directions seems to be the answer to at least his temporary problems. Yes, this is the Wangxian Pretty Woman AU.

NOTES: Okay I will state that this fic is very crackish but it was so good. The pretty Woman AU ft sex worker WY and sugar daddy divorcee and absolute BITCH Lan Zhan. Okay I believe there is mention of Lan Zhan's ex but it clearly is not a love match at all and so wildly ridiculous that it didn't phase me (it is NOT a pairing I ever read or seek out either), so I hope that doesn't ruin this fic for you @yiling-laozu-is-loml.

7 Players gonna play (68541 words) by Scrippio

Chapters: 6/6 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - After College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Theater AU, Kinda, Director Wei Ying, Faculty advisor Lan Zhan, grad student Jiang Cheng, Baker Yànlí, grad student Wen Qing, for all intents and purposes, wanxian are in a teaching au, chengqing is in a school au, and xuanli is in a bakery au, Fluff, First Meeting, Getting Together, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Depression, but like coming out of it, No beta we die like wwx Summary: In which the Gusu University theater club is looking for a new beginning, starting with a new faculty advisor (Lan Zhan) and a new director (Wei Ying).

NOTES: This is one of the fics in which there isnt an age difference really, but Lan Zhan is technically WY's boss so that dynamic comes to play here. This fic is so damn wholesome. It has the junior squad, a bit of college au, brilliant WY, and Lan Qiren wishing none of these things ever came to pass (affectionately). A very wholesome adorable fluffy fic.

8 Overboard (51434 words) by celerydragon

Chapters: 11/11 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Misunderstandings, Temporary Amnesia, Comedy, hopefully-freeform, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship Summary: Wei Ying, carpenter and single parent (he's doing FINE!) goes in for a repair job on a fancy yacht. After the rich-bitch owner of the yacht falls overboard and loses his memory, Wei Ying completely honourably, and with zero ill intentions, swoops in to save the day by lying about their relationship. There's no way this could go wrong.   (based on the 1987 movie)

NOTES: In which Wey Ying (idiot and carpenter) sort of kind of kid naps rich bitch lan zhan post a boating accident and convinces him (badly and not really) that they are in fact married. This is less age difference and more sugar daddy/gege energy BUT if you liked the film overboard, this is even better. Please watch while WY simultaneously sweats and falls in love with the man and hot mess he's created.

9 sunstruck (64376 words) by vesna

Chapters: 8/8 Rating: Explicit Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, what lan wangji did on his summer vacation, Background LXC/NMJ Summary: Lan Zhan nods as the boat nears the dock and the figure becomes clearer. It's a young man with dark hair down to his shoulders and a wide smile. He is also Asian, and as he turns his gaze to Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan finds himself robbed of breath for the second time that day. The young man is beautiful. He could, Lan Zhan thinks, be Lan Zhan's age, possibly a bit younger. He's tan, wearing a bright pink shirt with the restaurant logo on it, and cargo shorts. He has a small mole under his lower lip. "Hey, guys!" he greets with a wave. "Need a hand?" "Yes, please, if you don't mind," Lan Huan shouts back. He gets up and begins the preparations for docking, handing the young man several ropes. "Thank you, Wei Ying." Wei Ying. That's the boy's name.

NOTES: Lan Zhan has a summer he will never forget and falls for the Hot Boy working at the restaurant. There is a very slight age difference but mostly this is a status difference fic- Lan Zhan has big money money and is technically a customer so the dynamic is there. Anyways- solid fic, good ending :)

[zzzykiek]

Play it Sweet

2PAlastor x Diabetc human Fem!reader

This chapter dives into the NSFW zone at the end so Minors DNI you've been warned.

CW: toxic work environment, creepy boss, anxiety, p in v sex, cunnilingus (just a smidge). 

*Please give credit when reposting*

Thanks and enjoy!

2P Alastor credit - https://anic-mj.tumblr.com/post/627521842542936064/2palastorblueberry/amp 

Chapter 3 —-- In Control

His tears are pouring over your shoulder. “Al?” You gently rub his back. He reaches into his pocket and procures another yellow pill. (Are these anti anxiety meds?) He steps back and throws the pill down his throat. He takes a deep breath and you gently swipe a tissue over his cheeks. 

“Th-th-thank you. I k-k-kept up the act a bit longer than p-p-planned.” 

“Well you did a fantastic job!” Your turn to plant a kiss on him though you have to half-jump to reach. The smile it brings from him is so adorable you can actually feel your eyes dilate. “How can a demon be so adorable…” you definitely didn't mean to say that out loud but there it came, out with your breath. Before you could process anything from that blunder you’re in Al’s arms, legs wrapped around his waist, as his forehead sits against yours blue bangs tickling your temples.

“I’m a-d-d-dorable huh?” He laughs and twirls you around. (Holy cow, he is strong!) “We should head out, my sunshine.” His voice purrs that new nickname and you melt into an embrace as he lets you slide down his frame to be standing on the floor. You look at him and giggle, both of you have the goofiest looks on your faces. His smile grows suddenly “Oh! and don't think I missed you mentioning having a recording studio. This I must see!”

“Well then let's go. I seem to remember you mentioning some blueberry pancakes.” 

“Th-that I did!” 

You lead him out to your car and cringe at the state of it. Random books, games, and antiques you had planned to restore. “Sorry, I wasn't planning on hosting a guest… I promise my place is clean.” You hear the door and see Al plop into the passenger seat with bright eyes turning over an old radio in his hands. (He likes radios? His voice did sound like one at first.) You hop in and start up the car before acknowledging his interest. 

“I rescued that beauty from an old thrift store. Poor thing needs some TLC. Sadly when I got it Boss decided to add work hours with my promotion, so it got stuck in limbo…” 

“TLC?” 

“Oh, it stands for Tender, Love, and Care. I restore antique things I like. If you like that you are going to love the ones in my studio.”

“You’re perfect.” Now it was his turn to accidently slip a thought out with his breath. You both chuckle and the remainder of the car ride goes by in a wave of blushes, glances, giggles. You finally reach your little cottage and Al follows you inside, still clutching the radio. You do a little spin in the living room of your small abode. 

“Here we are! I gave up having a typical bedroom so I could bring my studio to life….” You say glancing at the haphazardly made futon around the corner. “...but this is what you wanted to see!” You throw a door open and let the back lights illuminate the perfect merriment of restored and new recording technology creating an impressive switchboard. Bookcases filled with restored radios, cameras, and phones. Al’s eyes are wide and with a flash of green light he returns to the blue deer figure you met hiding under a table. You lean against the switchboard and flick a switch bringing the tape reels and record player to life. 

“So did you know I liked radio, or is that also your thing? Judging from your reaction I'd say you have a thing for broadcasting too.”

“Y-y-yes my sunshine, I am known as The….” He summons a blue cane with a microphone atop it and twirls it with a flourish and finishes it with a bow. “The Radio Demon.”

“Well Mr. Radio Demon, can I assume you dance?” You flick a switch and the room fills with your favorite electro swing mix. 

Al tightens his grip on the microphone, then it disappears as he offers his hand to you. You accept and are immediately pulled into the best dance of your life. (Not that you had many other dances under your belt, and definitely the only one who could actually dance to your music.) All timid nature is gone as Al spins you around, leading you in perfect time to the music, and even lifts you above his head. 

You’re nose to nose as the song ends, both of you breathing heavily, and in the same heartbeat, his hand is behind your head and your fingers are gripping his collar while your lips explore his. (How do our lips fit so perfectly together…?) You sigh into the feeling and he mewls in response gently flicking his tongue against your lower lip. You allow access and he gently moans at the feeling of the deeper kiss. He is holding onto you so tight, like you would run away if he let go. You let your hands explore his hair, confirming your suspicions of his ears being sensitive as he melts onto his knees at the first light touch. He breaks away the kiss and looks slightly sad for a moment as he gently unzippers your dress. You laugh remembering that for some reason you chose blue undergarments that day. (I guess that was fate.) His eyes glow as he admires this little surprise. Quickly fumbling with the buttons on his coat, starting to shake again. 

“No-no-no, I need to be in control for this…. First t-t-time, I don't want to scare you off.”

He goes to grab another yellow pill and you catch his hand gently.

“What if I don't want you in control?” You look him in the eyes. 

“P-p-please, I want to b-b-be.” 

The look he gives you tells you how important it is to him so you let him down the pill and help undo his buttons while he takes a deep breath. You make it through all the buttons (Three layers is a lot of fucking buttons.), and pull his upper vestments off. As you touch his chest you're surprised to feel soft fur, as pale as his skin. You run your fingers through it letting out a deep contented sigh.  He closes his eyes and leans into your touch. Grabbing your wrist, he begins planting small kisses along your arm until he reaches your lips again where he dives back in. His kisses are desperate and sloppy, gently suckling your lip as he backs off just long enough for a breath. He begins rutting his hips and soft moans escape him each time he makes contact against you. His sounds alone send a surge of warm arousal straight to your core, only to be combated by the tingle of his clothed erection hitting your clit, making it your turn to moan. 

You gently push him up as you fuss with his belt and pants, letting them drop revealing more soft almost white fur and the slightly darker toned skin surrounding his cock. (Oh shit is that going to fit…?) 

“I p-p-promise to be gentle.” (Ok can he read my mind? I am starting to wonder now.) 

He kisses you again with a bright red flush on his pale cheeks. You feel him position himself and slide his tip up along your slit, moaning at how slick you are. (Holy shit, I've never been this turned on by anyone before.)

“Y-y-ou really want me?” He breathes the question in between kisses. All you can do is nod, so kiss drunk at this point that you knew he could get anything out of you he wanted. (I guess I gave him everything already though huh…?) You feel pressure at your entrance as he gently begins pushing in. You whimper at the sensation. (Fuck it's been way to long, and he is so big!) You hiss in a breath and his kisses become lighter as he coos reassurance between each one. Running a hand through your hair, he murmurs, “It’s okay,” and, “I got you,” followed by, “Hold on to me.”

When he says that, you let your hands fall to his arms and squeeze, digging your nails into biceps. He groans in pleasure as his pelvis presses flush against you. (Was that from my nails or him bottoming out?) His breath becomes deep and animalistic with tiny sounds of pleasure escaping as he gently pulls back.

“I'll mold you to me.” His voice is still soft, but there's a spice to it, and you feel static dance on your skin. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding and you loosen your grip on his arms to entangle your fingers in his hair as he carefully pushes all the way back inside. Your eyes go wide as he hits a spot you never experienced before. (Now I understand the whole seeing stars thing.) 

“Al,” his name tumbles from you as he picks up his pace.

A soft yet guttural moan escapes him with every thrust, contrasting your uncontrollable squeaks as he hits that spot over and over, never letting you get a full scream of pleasure out before he is hitting it again. Your eyes go wide as he places his forehead against yours. You’re so close and as he looks into your eyes you realize so is he. 

“Cum with me, my sunshine.” He purrs, locking your lips together again as your mind goes blank with pleasure. Every muscle in your body pulses almost in time with his. You can feel, as he slows his motions, the warmth left behind from his own orgasm, with no way to tell what of the mess now coating your thighs is from him and what was from you. 

Before you even recover, he dips his head down between your legs.  He begins licking up the mess running down your swollen pussy. This elicits a gasp from you and an animalistic moan from him as he greedily takes in all the juices he can get to, going so far as to use his finger to get more from inside your overly sensitive hole. 

Your brain and body come down from their high enough for you to form a few thoughts. (I just fucked a literal demon…. That's new…. I am totally fucked.) You can’t help but giggle at your own ideas. Your movement breaks Al from his dessert between your legs. He wipes his mouth quickly as he pulls you up into an embrace, both of you kneeling on the floor in the middle of your studio. “Are you o-o-k?” He asks then. “D-d-did I hurt you?”

You snuggle into the soft fur of his chest. “No Al, not at all.” You feel him relax and hold you closer to him. (Drowning in soft fur isn't a bad way to go right?) 

The rest of the evening goes by in a blur of kisses, cuddles, and conversation. His cute little stutter comes and goes as he talks. You spend hours talking to Al about radios, music, your broadcasts, books… you've never been able to speak this easily with someone. Eventually everyone gets bored or annoyed, but not Al; he is fully engaged and just as excited as you. The more excited he is, the less he stutters. He even shares some first-hand things about some of your restored items you could have never discovered on your own. Eventually (Way too late for a work night.), you fall asleep on his heavenly soft chest. 

[modernidolater]

Black Jack PAC!

Step right up, step right on up, you know the drill, pick a card and takes your chances! Three beeyootiful two card readings, one card face up for your convenience, one face down that you gotta choose.

Today's upcard is the Four of Swords, an exciting little beauty that invites you to reinvent yourself, and rejuvenate your life. How, you ask?

Pick a card and find out!

There we are, a lovely set of choices, not a bad one in the bunch. Scroll on down to find the reading for your chosen card!

1. Ace of Cups

Two growth cards gives a pretty powerful message on the need for something new or a change to be made. The Ace asks you to get out there and create connections with new people. Any new people you click with will do, and any relationship you have to them is totally fine!

You could also turn your attention to the material world and grab a new hobby, pick up a new show, read a good book, play a new game. Hell, go to a museum or restaurant you've been meaning to.

The Ace just asks that you try something new and revivify your life--even just a little--in the process.

Of course, if you can't immediately chase growth and start building up your life, you can always plan about that. Laying the groundwork for future growth is always an option, and a fantastic idea.

2. Queen of Wands

It's time to get back in touch with your creative side. Get excited about your creativity, try new things, new directions. Allow yourself to see that old familiar path with a sense of wonder, or forge a new path entirely. There's joy to be found there, and passion is rarely wrong. Even if others have denigrated and derided your choice of creative outlet, you have to let that go and be yourself.

Much is said about not having an ego, but a healthy ego--a sense of self-worth and self-esteem--is a good thing. Allowing that to develop through your creative process, as well as learning not to let others override that sense of self, is crucial to growing as a healthy, happy person.

3. Ten of Pentacles

You've made great strides toward financial and social stability, and that's nothing to sneeze at. Genuinely, good job!

But now that you're starting to nail things down, you're beginning to stagnate. You need to adopt a new perspective or try one or two different things. Achieving, or even approaching, stability is a laudable milestone or goal. Taking a break to focus on staying where you're at or appreciating what you have is valid and understandable. You just can't stop there forever.

Stability needs to be the jumping off point, the place of strength you move forward from. You don't have yo be shooting for the stars, but you do need to have goals and dreams and something to look forward to.

Work on identifying what you'd like to have, be, or do that would enhance your life. Even if it seems unrealistic, remember: you made it this far! Why deny possibilities out of pessimism?

Did this resonate with you? Feedback (and tips) always appreciated, and if you want a custom reading, just PM me on any of my socials!

[udretlnea]

The Divine City: Some Slices of Life

Part 1 \ Part 2 \ Part 3 \ Part 4 (here) \ Recap

“People without firmness of character love to make up a fate for themselves; that relieves them of the necessity of having their own will and of taking responsibility for themselves.”

Ivan Turgenev

The best time to wake up is when the sunlight is pouring through the window after having a pleasant dream about flying through the sky. It’s even better after falling asleep while reading the most fantastic book; the image of the protagonist sitting down with friends enjoying a pleasant meal after a hard day’s work leaves a sense of warmth in one’s chest.

It’s because of this fact that Lyla sleepily opened her eyes as she slowly awoke. She sits up to stretch her arms and then lets out a small yawn.

Mm, that was a good sleep. What time is it even? She thinks while glancing at the clock, only for her jaw to drop. “Oh SHOOT. How is it nearly noon already?!”

Indeed. It was 11:59 am. 

With that thought, the teen practically jumped out of bed and into a closet. In thirty seconds she changed out of her comfortable wear and into something suited for an outing. Lyla took a moment to comb her fingers through her blue hair until it was straightened out - ignoring any stray strands of course. 

Grabbing a Sunsettia from a fruit bowl she left on the table - fruit bowls were a nice thing to have - Lyla exited her dorm, taking extra care to lock it and making sure it was locked.

Then she headed out for a late start to her day.

People happily go about their business through the commerce district, the sounds of merchants selling their wares, and the muted excitement for Volksfest. Everything was lively.

Yet Lyla blocked it all out. To her, the extra stimuli would overwhelm her so she took care to set up her mental defenses lest she be overwhelmed. All of this just reminded her of how loud everything was at school. 

Lyla made a disgruntled noise as she passed by a particularly loud group of students. Maybe I should create an accident to make them quiet.

The bluenette rounded a corner and somewhat relaxed. In front of her some distance away was a building with the symbol of an open book attached to the front. Her destination was near.

Lyla paused just before the door. She exhaled a deep breath before putting a hand on the knob. Lyla turned it-

*Ding-ding*

-and entered. Her senses were assaulted by the suddenness of warmth and the scent of fresh paper. She allowed the door to close itself to stand there. Lyla shut her eyes to take it all in. 

At that moment, the noises from outside became muted. Her muscles relaxed themselves as she let herself be taken away to a happy place. Lyla could feel her lips curl into a smile. Soon enough she could feel a zen aura wrap around her. 

There, now we can begin. Lyla began making her way down the aisles of bookshelves. Allowing her senses to guide her, the bluenette looked left and right in search of any title that would catch her eye. Let me see, what am I in the mood for today? Guide me, gut instincts.

The student began taking her sweet time by reading the first chapter of any book that even vaguely interested her. She picked and read book after book, a few were tucked under her arm for purchase; time passed quickly as Lyla went through several aisles.

Lyla went through seven aisles when she had reached the end of the eighth. It was there that she noticed a book with a bright red material in the corner. The letters on the spine shone like gold. 

“Hmm, what’s this?” Lyla took the hard book and examined the cover. She read the title. “The Dark Soul of Tokoyo Still Stands by Taro Tanaka.” Sounds a bit odd for a light novel, but it does tickle my fancy.

She read the first chapter and was pleasantly surprised by what she read. The hook did its job well enough that she made it to the second and third chapter.  Pleased, the student tucked the book under her arm then turned to make her way to the counter.

A man with fair skin, short light brown hair and dark brown eyes sat at the checkout. He was in the middle of sipping a small cup of coffee when he noticed Lyla approaching. 

The bookstore owner - Gael no last name - was an interesting person. After asking him about his past one day, she learned that he’d moved from Mondstadt to the Divine City fifteen years ago. Having such a rich book collection, he decided to make a business selling all of them.

To give away all of this knowledge to the public for them to enjoy and learn instead of letting them rot away, I hope I’ll be as selfless as Mr. Gael one day, she thought as she put the books on the counter.

“Well well! The little bluebird hast returnst to mine humble bookstore,” he said with a smile.

Lyla raised a mocking eyebrow. “Are you speaking archaically Mr. Gael?”

He grinned. “Aye! I’m stuck behind the counter practically every day! I think I’m allowed to have some fun every now and then, hm? Spice things up and all that?”

“Sure if you’re having fun with it, then who am I to judge?” she smirked. 

Mr. Gael chuckled. It was bright and cheerful to her ears. He started going over the books she brought with her. His gaze then landed on the one with the red and gold covering. “Oh? You’re buying this one too? Interesting. I thought I’d never see the day.”

Lyla tilted her head bemusedly. “Why’s that? Is the cover not interesting enough?”

Gael shook his head as he put the book inside a bag with the others.  “That, along with how I got some comments saying the subject was odd. Like it couldn’t decide between gothic dark fantasy or medieval comedy.”

The bookstore owner shrugged and handed out the bag. Lyla thanked and paid for them, already going back into automatic mode. 

What a delightfully productive day. Though, I could’ve sworn it should still be day. Is the sun already setting? She looked up to see the sky already a mixture of orange and blue; she noticed a lone cloud floating lazily in the sky. Odd. That cloud shouldn’t be there. It should be…huh.

Her gut instinct roiled within her as if telling her something was off. Lyla squinted her eyes at it, trying to wrap the image around her head. Distantly, she heard a muffled voice grow louder. It sounded almost familiar. 

That’s weird. That cloud doesn’t look like it’s moving. 

“...a!”

But that hardly makes any sense. The wind should’ve blown it away.

“...yla!”

But then, how-

“Lyla!”

The bluenette student jumped at the loud noise and threw her hands in the air. Unfortunately that also meant her books were airborne; a second later gravity took hold and they started falling. Lyla held her arms out to swiftly catch two just in time. The third - the one with the red cover - slipped through the gap in her arms and was about to hit the ground.

Only for a hand to shoot out and grab it at the last second. Lyla’s eyes trailed up the arm until she was staring at a face she’d seen before. 

Cecilia straightened up and held out the book. “Here.”

“Thank-thank you, Cecila.” Lyla took the book gratefully. “It’s nice to see you again Cici, but I’m-I’m afraid I need to get back to my dorm soon!”

She was about to leave when Cecilia put a hand on her shoulder. 

“Wait.” Lyla turned around. “I…I want to cash in on that favor you owe me.”

Lyla’s eyebrows widened. She opened her mouth, but Cecilia wasn’t done. “Not right now though. I want you to meet up tomorrow morning at that cafe by Timeless Treasure. I promise to explain things there.”

“Uh…” Lyla pressed her mouth into a thin line. I don’t…ugh. Fine. “Sure thing.”

Cecilia gave a nod before turning around and walking out of sight. 

Lyla did the same, grumbling to herself about how eager she was to put the day’s events behind her.

And like that, night fell over the Divine City with promises that tomorrow will be exciting.

////////////////////////////////

A/N:

Taglist: @yuriisclumsy

(Reminder: This series was inspired by the Divine City by @yuriisclumsy)

Ta-da! Introducing Lyla aka that one student in class who’d rather escape into books than interact with reality! Ideally, it was best not to write her as a sole loner; as a teen, she does want to make friends, but it’s secondary to her. I hope I could portray her as - not nerdy what’s the word for it - introverted (Hm, I’d love to explore her hidden backbone though).

Also, surprise! Lyla has a friend/classmate in Cecilia. I plan to explore their relationship after this project once stuff hits the fan. And yes, this is the “who” Cici alluded to near the end of her chapter. A part of me thought the execution was weak, but personally I believe it’s more than sufficient. It definitely isn’t too soon to use that card, not with what I’ve planned.

Regarding the plot point of Lyla being a student therefore supposed to be in-class…I chose to go another route: namely, she doesn’t have classes on Friday and neither does Cecilia (in my notes they both go to Voxia Academy and ONLY that academy. They ain’t studying to be Upholders.) That would then leave her open on the weekends for Cecilia to execute her plan without trouble.

Mr. Gael. You definitely won’t be seeing him anymore. Nope, just a one-off character who has completed his purpose of introducing Lyla’s love for books. Yup.

BTW FYI in case it wasn’t clear, the four chapters take place on the same day: August 2nd. Sure, we see different perspectives throughout the times, but it’s still the same day.

Hmm, having to clarify this in the notes feels cumbersome. I should just write this into a recap chapter - WAIT OH MY GOSH THAT’S why recap episodes/chapters exist! For convenience! Mm! Practical. I should write that after this one. And then a break would be in order I think (I deserve one at this point, don’t I?).

I needed to make sure everything was figuratively wrapped in a nice bow. The set-up is now done, and all left is initiating the conflict. If you have any critiques, comments, or observations please don’t be afraid to leave any! Please!

[you-remind-me-of-the-babe]

Happy Sunday! I’m here with some recs today. Specifically, I’m sharing six Podfic recs, as a sneaky way to promo Caught on Tape: A Carry On Podfest. We are super excited to be running this fest for the first time, and in order to get you all jazzed for it, I’d like to highlight some amazing podfics that already exist in our fandom 🎉

Welcome to My Life, 55 min, Rated T, fic by @sillyunicorn and podficced by @captain-aralias

I was already obsessed with this fic when it was just a kernel of an idea based on this art by @letraspal where Baz has wings and Simon dresses in florals. The author took this Watford era role reversal to heart and really created a compelling story with a very angsty and Baz. Aralias did a fantastic job with Baz’s characterization and I found myself sucked into this story anew hearing it read aloud. (Aralias also has a number of great podfics. All are worth a listen)

15-Across, 43 min, Rated T, fic by @ninemagicks and podficced by @cottagepodfics

This Normal AU meet cute has Simonn wondering about the cute man he always sits next to on his morning train commute who does crosswords every morning. The utterly sweet vibe comes shining through in the reader’s performance, and has lost of fun touches with sound effects and voice modifications (to distinguish inner thoughts, text messages, etc) that just really make the experience such a fun listen.

I Meant it, You’ll See, 48 min, Rated T, fic by @otherworldsivelivedin and podficced by @petrodobreva

A kiss between friends in this Normal AU has Simon having sudden realizations that cause him to chase Baz down at a train station the next day. Great pining and excellent miscommunication that comes through in spades in the readers performance. Amazing music and sound effects add the perfect touch to really immerse you in this story.

Wasabi, 31 min, Rated E, written and read by xivz

The one where Simon is a cam boy and Baz has zero chill. Also, they were roommates. Man, this story is so hot and the way xivz reads this makes it infinitely hotter. They put on their sexy voice and gives us every delicious moan, groan and sigh. You’ll be fanning yourself and wiping your brow by the end!

A Case of Identity, 20-30 min, Rated T, fic by @ninemagicks and @sourcherrymagiks and podficced by @youarenevertooold

Simon finds an anonymous love letter written to him and hidden in a library book. So he responds, leading to a very funny and cute back and forth while he tries to figure out who it is. This reader has such lovely voices and characterizations for both Simon and Baz and just hits every joke perfectly. Seriously, you’ll be cackling and awwing the whole way through.

Everything’s Coming Up Roses, 65 min, Rated T, fic by @annabellelux and podficced by RattleandHum

An excellent Watford era Hanahaki fic, full of the angstiest love sick Baz. (The Hanahaki fics in this fandom are so good.) The reader does an excellent posh Baz and brings so much emotion to the table. And with 3 chapters you can listen in intervals easily without losing your place. I think this was my first Podfic in the fandom (and ever!) and I just remember being in awe that such a wonderful thing existed.

There are 47 podfics tagged in the CO fandom on AO3. Go give them a peek and get yourself excited about hearing more when the Podfest drops some new gems Oct 29-Nov 11th. Click on the link above to follow the blog for updates. 🎙️💕

[aqua-dan]

Fav artist for Garth?

I have been thinking about this ask for multiple hours, and I am unsure if I can pick a true favorite because there are so many wonderful artists who have drawn Garth over the years! However, I think I built a pretty solid list of my top 5 artists for Garth (oops!), so here goes:

#1: Phil Jimenez

I have so much love for the way he draws (and writes) Garth! Of every artist out there, I feel he has the most love for drawing Garth and I can feel that care and attention to detail in all his work. I am absolutely in love with the way he draws Garth's expressions too! He allows him to have exaggerated expressions and really allow us to feel the emotions of the story through the art. He's not afraid of showing him in painful and less than idealistic moments, and allows his face to reflect that. I think it's something that a lot of current comic book artists shy away from for fear of making characters look "ugly." But Jimenez goes all in on it and still makes Garth look stunning 24/7!

#2: Ramona Fradon

Ramona Fradon was one of the co-creators of Garth, and was, in my opinion, one of the most incredible people in the comic's art industry. She sadly passed away last month at age 97, and she only just announced her retirement from art a month prior to her passing. Her influence on the industry, especially for female artists, was monumental, and her art style stood out so uniquely amongst others. I've always loved how fantastical her art is. She creates fascinating underwater creatures and has an absolutely precious way of drawing Garth. I appreciate that she made the decision to draw him looking as young as he was at the time, especially since a lot of other teen sidekicks were drawn to look older. I feel very lucky that I was able to get a piece of art from her (the first pic in this section!) around the time of her passing. I will treasure it forever!

#3: Nick Cardy

There is something so charming about the way that Nick Cardy draws Garth! There's a simplicity and retro feeling to it that comes off as so fun! I don't know exactly what it is about his art, but it always makes me smile!

4: Mark Buckingham

Buckingham's style is like if "stretch and squash animation" was a static art style, and I LOVE it. It looks so funky and bouncy and expressive! It's one of those styles that I don't think everyone loves, but it really works for me and makes the comics extremely enjoyable to read for the art alone! It's not super polished and has some rough edge qualities, but that's precisely why I like it!

5: Lucas Meyer

Meyer is a newcomer in the scene of comics, but WOW! I am not immune to how gorgeous his art style is. I'm so happy that he's been named the ongoing artist for the current series! (Even if I can't get good writing, I'll at least take the nice art!) I think his style is so clean and pretty. I do wish that he went more "all-in" on expressions sometimes, as I do feel that his characters all look slightly generically pretty and don't emote particularly much. That said, the art is undeniably gorgeous, and he's already skyrocketed himself up onto my personal favorites list despite only starting with DC in 2022.

I do have a few honorable mentions as well, which include: Ivan Reis and George Perez.

There have been plenty of artists who did a great job, but these are my personal favorites! Thank you so much for the ask!

[readingtoinfinity]

Venom War (as a whole)

God I love Symbiotes. They're one of my favorite species in fiction, not just in Marvel. And Venom War has been a real treat for symbiote-enjoyers like myself. But as with any event, there are peaks, and there are valleys, and I'm going to go over the tie-ins and give you my brief thoughts on each in no particular order.

Venom War: Daredevil

It's fine. There's a continuation of the themes examined in the recent Daredevil run, and the desperation of the main characters against the zombiotes is palpable, but there's not much to write home about.

Venom War: Venomous

A fun little outing for three symbiotes teaming up. It expands and ends the themes Black Widow has been going through from recent Venom runs (tragically, alas) and it sets up the healing that Anti-Venom can do in the main run. I'm also a big fan of Misery so this was a sweet treat for me, a very enjoyable 6/10.

Venom War: Zombiotes

I didn't really care all that much in the end. I would hesitate to call it bad but I would hesitate more to call it good.

Venom War: Fantastic Four

This one's only tangentially-related to the main event, dealing with Doctor Doom and Kang fighting one another across timelines. They are both petty, vindictive and dramatic bitches, and the way they use the Fantastic Four as a pawn (only for the team to turn the tables in time!) was quite fun. Apparently this was supposed to have 3 issues, but I only encountered the one.

Venom War: Spider-Man

An event that started promising and went into the toilet. That's very dramatic of me but I don't like seeing Paul Rabin in any context.

Peter's at a low point in his life right now. Lost his job, girlfriend, apartment, trust, you name it. And him putting on the suit is an act of desperation in the middle of the Venom War, a moment to stop the two sides from playing hot potato and actually talking to one another. You could've done something interesting with the psychology of having that suit on once again.

But no, the plot focuses on some big symbiote baddy or whatever and Jackpot, Mary Jane's superhero alter ego, comes into focus. The themes from Zeb Well's Amazing Spider-Man run continue, and while that run isn't all bad (and I suspect the worst was foisted on Zeb by executives) the themes I hate are the ones present in this book. Make of that what you will.

Venom War: Deadpool

One of my favorites of the series, it brings Deadpool and his dog Princess (WOO-HOO FUCK YEAH IT'S PRINCESS MOTHERFUCKERS!!!) as they work their way through New York and onto stranger places.

It brings back a couple of wild picks for this event and decides to go strange places. It's perfect comic book schlock for this kind of event, and it even has a character arc for Deadpool that's interesting, reminding you he's an anti-hero more than a hero.

Venom War: Wolverine

There's a trick to writing Wolverine that I don't think this book pulls off. The story concerns itself with retributive violence and trying not to appear weak, and manages to create some really fucked-up creature design. It's just the usual Wolverine story, and I don't think I'll remember it.

Venom War: Lethal Protectors

This one has too many characters in it. Mostly focusing on Silver Sable, though other characters take the spotlight occasionally. It's nice to see the other children of Venom brought back but it's a little too much.

Venom War: It's Jeff!

It's cute. Jeff gets a symbiote and up to antics. He also causes a lot of mayhem and somehow Kate Bishop is the one in trouble. Bleh. Whatever. It's alright.

Venom War proper

It's an Al Ewing finale, a culmination of all the setup done in in his Venom run. The story is set in a wrestling ring over one night, which fits the tone perfectly.

I think it's just alright. You have to read the intermediate Venom issues to get an idea of where future!Dylan is getting the gold bullets from, but the ending feels like just a little more setup to the next Venom series than a finale to what's happened here. But the ending directly states the future is unwritten, and where they'll go from here... I don't know. The end happens so fast I kinda want to re-read it to gain all the necessary context, but there's no lasting feeling of triumph or ending like there was with something like Blood War.

I'm disappointed. I'm interested in where the story goes from here but I can't say I enjoyed the event all that much. It's a little too much, in a short time, all over the place.

[rabothekerabekian]

My top books I read in 2023:

1: Sirens of Titan (Kurt Vonnegut) - I love Vonnegut’s writing so much, and Sirens is such a great narrative on free will and loving whoever is around to be loved. (Plus chrono-synclastically-infundibulated is just fun to say)

2: Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison) - already a book about important social issues that are still incredibly relevant today, Ellison’s style portrays a lifelike picture of the politics of race in America.

3: Midnight’s Children (Salman Rushdie) - The language and style of this book make it a delight to read as Rushdie paints an incredible mural across a canvas of Indian historical events interwoven with the supernatural to create an amazing story.

4: Job, A Comedy of Justice (Robert Heinlen) - Excellent satire of fundamentalist religion, packed with jokes and reality shifts, a complex world that goes from Mexico to Kansas to heaven to hell has a lot to say about religion.

5: The Master and Margarita (Mikhail Bulgakov) - The Devil and his entourage cause chaos in Soviet Moscow, in addition to a narrative about Pontius Pilate. An excellent and absurd premise sets up a criticism of humanity but also a defense of it, both in Judea 2000 years ago and now.

6: Ficciones (Jorge Luis Borges) - While the writing can be dense, so much is packed into these short stories parsing the meaning is definitely worth it. Fantastical scenarios act as mirrors to reality and each story leaves just enough to the readers imagination to make it a compelling and thought provoking work about the labyrinthine ways of reality.

7: Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe) - I love novels you can get lost in, and such a rich portrayal of Igbo life easily lends itself to a complex world that many people failed to see about Africa. Important social issues are dealt with and both extreme ways of living are critiqued in a compelling narrative.

8: Bluebeard (Kurt Vonnegut) - A coming of age a going of age and the Armenian diaspora are explored through the life of Abstract Expressionist artists and what it has to say about culture, society, and gender roles. You have to keep reading to see what’s in the potato barn, and when all is revealed it makes a lot of sense for Vonnegut.

9: Kafka on the Shore (Haruki Murakami) - So much happens in the book you are riveted as the chapters bounce between characters. An excellent hook grabs you in and doesn’t let you go. Murakami’s imagination runs wild and this strange reinterpretation of oedipus makes you think.

10: Cat’s Cradle (Kurt Vonnegut) - Newt Hoenikker said it best - “no damn cat, and no damn cradle.”

[ltleflrt]

what’re your favourite fics you’ve written and why?

You asked me this forever ago, and I had every intention of answering and then I kept forgetting because I opened it and the notification went away lol... Anyway, here's my favorite children:

Feels Like Home - a Mass Effect mShenko fic about a mechanic with PTSD and an ex-cop with addiction issues. I love it so much that I also wrote a Destiel version called Man in the Wilderness to share it with a new fandom. It’s so soft. All the conflict is external, and The Boys (pick your flavor lol) are supportive and loving and fall into each other so easily <3

There are things I like better for each versin. For FLH, Shepard is an OC, which I'm normally bad at creating, and I did such a good job with him. I love how insecure he is about his scars, and how he has tattoos of yellow flowers to remind him of his mom. For MitW I love how it still works for Dean and Cas even though I had to tweak quite a few things, and it also showcases how much my writing improved between the first and second version. It makes me really proud to see the progress I've made.

Dreaming in Digital - a cyberpunk Destiel fic where Castiel is a sentient sex bot, and Dean’s a huge fucking nerd about it. I consider this the coolest story I’ve ever written; it took me like 6 years of world building before I came up with a plot lol

Hunter’s Caress - a Western AU Destiel fic based on one of my favorite books when I was growing up. This is also one of my earliest ideas, but I put it off for many years because it required me to get better at writing before I could pull it off. Which seems like a weird thing to say about a story that I wrote while I had the original book open on the desk next to my keyboard, but seriously it took a lot of work to adapt! It just turned out so good though, and it gives me the ability to re-read a gay version of one of my favorite childhood stories, which is really fuckin' neat.

Satin and Sawdust - Destiel + panty kink, I mean…. what else could you ask for? Skilled men who love cats, that’s what. This is the first fic I wrote where I knew going in that it would be over 100k…the others were all surprises lol… but I took a bunch of prompts from those prompt posts that used to float around Tumblr all the time and smashed them together, and it turned out FANTASTIC. I just reread it last week, and I'm still so impressed with how it pulled together.

No Such Thing As Ghosts - a kid!Destiel fic with MCD. The idea made me cry, and I had to inflict it on everyone else. It makes my readers cry. Their tears taste like butterscotch.

[nerdalmighty]

Make me choose between two things:

Ok if you insist. 😈

Only one of these can exist, which do you choose? Good Omens season 2 or Baldur's Gate 3?

-anntickwittee

What an absolutely vile question (affectionate).

To be honest? I know I'm currently obsessed with BG3 so I'm probably biased, but I think I'd rather keep BG3 over GO2. AND I HATE SAYING THAT!!!

My reason being: We were all super content with GO S1. It followed the book pretty closely and added elements that I think made it even more enjoyable than the book (In my opinion! I know it's beloved in its book form and I love it too, I just love how the show expanded on things). I truly didn't know what to expect from S2 because S1 was so well self contained and that's all fans thought we were ever going to get. I am THRILLED we got an S2. It's gorgeous and perfect and I'm beyond excited for S3 (which starts filming in January!!!!)

With BG3, it's really gotten me out of my comfort zone in terms of gaming and storytelling. In the past, I steered clear of big open world games because I was way too overwhelmed and prefer straightforward paths in games like Pokemon and Deltarune (I know there are multiple endings and ways to play, but for the most part there's an order in which to do things). With BG3, there are truly so many options that each gaming experience can feel brand new and pan out incredibly differently from a previous game. I love that there's replayability and that I'll be able to keep replaying it for years to come.

It's also helped push me in terms of playing and understanding dnd. I've been playing for a little over a year now and watching actual plays for longer, but I understand even more now having played this game. There's always a little feeling of excitement when the DM or people I'm watching play mention something that I learned because I've played BG3.

Additionally, something I've been struggling with recently is feeling motivated to be creative. I love my job and the people I work with, but there can be a monotony that creeps in since I work from home and have a fairly regimented schedule (animation production is NO JOKE! And it RULES!). Baldur's Gate has consistently inspired me to create (mainly write, which is what I've always wanted to do) and I'm so grateful for that after feeling lost for a long time.

Granted, I'm still feeling lost and unsure of my abilities, but getting to practice storytelling with characters I love and settings and elements I find interesting is really amazing. Yes, Good Omens 2 could have inspired something like this in me, but for whatever reason, it was BG3 that did. I read (and continue to read) a good amount of GO fics, but I was never inspired enough to create my own (though it DID inspire me to make some fun gifsets which I loved making). With BG3, not only have other fics inspired me, but there are moments between cutscenes and story beats that I've wanted to write and expand on since the game is so huge and the writers and developers could only expand on so much themselves. Ultimately, I want to be able to create those fantastical worlds and lovable characters and I'm really thankful BG3 reminded me of that.

Do I have any big ideas currently? No. But the intent is there and that's huge! So I'll keep persisting :)

POINT IS: I love both pieces of media and they're both deeply special to me, but since BG3 has helped reawaken a part of myself that's been snoozing for a long time, I'll pick that FOR NOW.

[reanimationstation]

Saw your reblog about misogynism & people not liking female characters and I'm agreed w Adrienne saving the day with Bendy female characters

Rose and Constance are great protagonist

Dot is AWESOME deuteragonist and even with being created as Buddy's supporting character she's *equal*. She's not "plain girl for male protagonist" type of deal

Abby Lambert is so good. People barely talk about her bc she's more interesting in TIOL and it's Joey book but i ADORE her even with little time in books that she has

In vanilla Bendy games i really love Twisted Alice/Susie Campbell but i should note that she deserved more focus (only in my opinion)

+possibly less "woman hates another woman for being fired" (it looks to me like they lowkey dropped it but. It was kinda here in ch3)

I'm all for women who are far too gone but can still have sympathetic angle. I do feel like devs suffer with reflecting it in writing tho

Audrey is good enough (would appreciate better writing at places but yk). I'm biased because i have hyperfix on her lol. Idk i love her little character moments and Erin did great job at changing tones when it was needed. If Adrienne got her even as side character in some book, she'd greatly benefit from it.

Allison Angel is more enjoyable in DR (to me) but she's more developed in fanon

Allison Pendle on the other hand. . . Erm. I wish she was more than Alice's second VA if you get me

Anyway I love women in Bendy👍 Bendy's funny deal is that a lot of characters suffer from lack of development and they're not only female. *Stares at certain male characters*

YES YES YES TO ALL OF THIS.

all the girls in the books are fantastic and are genuinely such charming characters. they're well written CHARACTERS and i feel like sometimes people forget that writing a women is writing a PERSON but Kress never really does that and i appreciate her so much for it.

i need to appreciate Abby more i love her dearly i just don't think about her much. she's so good, i wish we got more of her but i get that it's Joey's book.

MALICE/SUSIE HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND SHE DESERVES BETTER WRITING. i love her so much but gosh her writing could be better. especially in batdr like queen im so glad you're here but what ARE you doing here. can we get more of your character struggles, a little insight into how thats going maybe?? and yeah the hating another woman cause she was fired is a bit touch and go but i feel like with the right writers they could make it work. they unfortunately do not seem like theyre trying to do that

i do love Audrey i just have problems with some of the batdr writing. like how she kinda just goes along with whatever opinion she needs to have to move the plot along and at times i was like WHY ARE YOU SIDING WITH HIM/DOING THIS but thats not her fault. she has her good character moments and yeah Erin did a fantastic job voicing her. and she would REALLY benefit from being written by Kress, you're right. a lot of the characters would (cough susie cough)

ill be so real i barely remember any Allison Angel moments in either game IM SORRY THEY JUST DONT STAND OUT IN MY BRAIN </3 i do agree that shes better in batdr tho

ALLISON PENDLE THO. she needs more screentime in the books outside of being Very Pretty and Kind.

‼️SLIGHT FADE TO BLACK SPOILER‼️

in FTB though i really REALLY liked her characterization, with how she was tired of being expected to be the entertainment when she's a guest. it felt realistic, and makes sense with what little else we know about her. I need more private moments with her, ones where she isnt putting up a mask to perform, because only then we'll see what she's really like. and shes SO sweet with Rose, i really adore thar scene in general.

SPOILERS OVER

BUT YEAH WOMEN IN BENDY MY BELOVED. I think a lot of it is that most of them come from the books, and Adrienne is REALLY GOOD AT WRITING COMPELLING CHARACTERS. everyone she got to write for got an improvement in their characterization, not just the women. some of the male characters desperately needed it. anyways put more well written ladies in the games challenge