#i am also always taking recs if anyone has games i should play

[stellar-secrecy]

Video Game Recs - 2024

I played several video games this year, and while it's still 2024 I'm here to tell you which ones I liked and which ones I didn't.

Top five recommendations:

Murders on the Yangtze River

Paranormasight

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

Ghost Trick

Paradise Killer

Below the cut are more details on these recs and all the other games I played this year, ordered chronologically.

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair and Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (I'd already played THH some years ago) - recommended, with caveats. I love the way DR mysteries are put together -- if you're clever enough, you can solve the entire mystery before ever entering the trial. The style and feel of the trial mechanics are thrilling. I know the endgame plot twists can be very polarizing, but I enjoyed them (yes, even the ending of v3, though I think if the devs weren't cowards the game would have ended about 10 minutes earlier than it did). However, the characters are all annoying teenagers with approximately 1.5 character traits each. I wound up really liking the protagonists of both games, but overall the cast is just… not that fun to spend 30+ hours with. And that's not even getting into the fact that this series just cannot resist counting "horny misogynist" as a character trait. The friend who got me into DR assured me the fanservice was always plot relevant, and sure, it is, but one wonders why they couldn't have just written the mysteries without that. It's hard to be a mystery VN fan without playing Danganronpa eventually, and again, the mysteries are great, but just know what you're in for.

Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane - recommended. Ace Attorney but with magic, and it's not at all trying to hide it. The mysteries were okay. The magic was interesting, but not utilized to its fullest potential. The game was a little glitchy when I played back in April (they might have patched some of it by now). But my god, the characters. The character writing is incredible. Gameplay takes about a third as long as any given Ace Attorney game, but I cared about the characters at least as much as any given AA character in that time. One of two games on this list that made me cry. Good solid game if you're an Ace Attorney fan.

Paradise Killer - recommended. Open-world vaporwave mystery game with utterly batshit lore. I love stories -- books, games, whatever -- that drop you into a bizarre world and let you pick up the worldbuilding as you go along, and my god does PK deliver. Pretty solid mystery, very memorable characters. It does get a bit tedious and grab-the-collectibles toward the end, but that's technically optional. Utterly useless map. If you like your mysteries with a side of running around a vibrant, atmospheric world grabbing weird shit, Paradise Killer is for you. (Invest in the footbaths early, I am not kidding.)

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami - it's cute! kinda on a different scale than other recommendations, but a fun use of a couple hours. The exact base mechanic of Case of the Golden Idol (fill-in-the-blank logic puzzling) but with a divorced alcoholic duck detective as the protagonist, and a colorful cast of other animals. If you liked Frog Detective you will not regret getting this game.

Murders on the Yangtze River - it's my life's mission to get people to play this game. An Ace Attorney-like game featuring a detective traveling across Qing Dynasty China and Victorian London to seek out the truth of his brother's death. The characters, the mysteries, the visuals, the themes, the way everything slots into everything else at the end. I wouldn't call it perfect -- the English translation is a little shaky in parts, and I have some minor quibbles about a case or two -- but I would eagerly recommend this to anyone who liked The Great Ace Attorney.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective - recommended. An excellent puzzle/mystery game whose mechanics are intricately intertwined with the narrative. I didn't personally find it lifechanging the way many, many people do, but I can think of nothing negative to say about it. If you like the best parts of Ace Attorney and can handle a bit of puzzle-solving along the way, play Ghost Trick.

Vampire Therapist - not recommended. The rare non-mystery game on my played list. Cute gimmick, some fun character concepts (I'm always a sucker for a Jekyll & Hyde narrative), undeniably talented voice actors. Unfortunately, very repetitive. After the first round or two of sessions, I'd met all the characters, and there wasn't enough depth to any of them to justify the amount of game left. I also didn't enjoy the (non-graphic) sexual stuff with side characters, though that may be primarily because there's one point near the beginning where the protag is expressing pretty clear lack of interest only for that to be ignored. I think it was meant to come across as a joke about American prudishness rather than actual non-consent, but it did not land well for me. The game seems to be well-liked by plenty of people, though. I haven't played the demo personally, but if you're interested maybe give that a try and imagine the same thing for ten hours after you've already learned all the characters' problems in the first two.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes: recommended. Brilliant, atmospheric puzzle game. A lonely escape room in black and white and red. Not a horror game but kept me up at night nevertheless. There is an underlying mystery, but the strength of the game is not its narrative. If Roman numerals and combination locks get you at all excited, play Lorelei and the Laser Eyes.

Heaven's Vault - not recommended. Cool in concept, pretty views, and the baseline mechanic of decoding an unknown language is a lot of fun. I also liked the sailing alright. But after the first hour or two, I found myself kind of aimlessly wandering the galaxy with no real impetus behind any of my actions. None of the characters were especially likeable (or even hateable) so I didn't find anything to really latch onto and engage me in the world. Also, I didn't mind this personally, but I think every other negative review would like me to mention that the movement sucks. If you're an archaeology or linguistics fan and don't need strong narratives in your gaming, it might be to your taste.

Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE+ - recommended, with caveats. A fantasy dystopia murder mystery game set in an eternally raining city under the control of a megacorporation, where you and a handful of other detectives search for the truth behind a series of murders. It's not another Danganronpa game, but… it's another Danganronpa game, and comes with most of the same strengths and flaws. The MDARC characters are a little less annoying by virtue of being adults (and there is some truly peak character design), but the trial Mystery Labyrinth gameplay is also less interesting than DR trials. Win some, lose some; but overall a solidly comparable experience to DR.

Arsene Lupin - Once a Thief - not recommended. The remarkable accuracy of the adaptation could not make up for the tedium of what is, mechanically, a mediocre point-and-click game. I had high hopes for this game, as I love both stealth games and detective games, but this lacked the excitement of either. The connection web looked cool (in fact, the visuals overall are very sleek) but often it and other puzzles were what my friends and I call "guess what the creator is thinking" puzzles. If you're a diehard Arsene Lupin fan, it might be worth it, but if you're just here for clever mysteries or puzzles, skip it.

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo - highly recommended. A heavily stylized horror-mystery game (with entirely diegetic mechanics) that sends you running around Honjo, Japan with a cast of deeply motivated characters and something always right behind you. The other game on this list that made me cry. As I've said elsewhere, I think this might be a perfect game. If you liked Zero Escape or AI: The Somnium Files but wanted a little more horror and a much tighter narrative, play Paranormasight. I wish I could play it again for the first time.

The Case of the Golden Idol - recommended. Logic-puzzle your way through a series of frozen-in-time moments in the deadly journey of the titular idol. I held off on playing this for years due to a dislike of the art style, but honestly it wasn't even that noticeable. The puzzle design is very elegantly done, and if all else fails there's always guess-and-check. If you like logic grids, Return of the Obra Dinn, or trying desperately to remember who the hell that one guy is seriously I just saw him what was his name, you'll enjoy Curse of the Golden Idol. I assume the recently released sequel is equally good, but haven't played it yet.

What Remains of Edith Finch - recommended, I guess? I played it across two plane rides so it wasn't the most focused of playthroughs -- I certainly didn't get the hard-hitting emotional experience most seem to. It's a classic, and deserves it for the innovative mechanics (and the subtitles alone). A good solid use of a couple hours, though go in with caution if child death might be triggering for you.

Call of the Sea - recommended. Picked this up after Paradise Killer and Lorelei with the desperate need to explore another gorgeous locale full of bizarre secrets, and it mostly holds up. Leans way more on the puzzle game than mystery side, though it's easy for a puzzle game. More linear than I like, and the puzzles and lore reveals are definitely contrived, but it's atmospheric and I enjoyed the company of the protagonist along the way. Genuinely emotional ending. If you're looking for a tropical escape room vibe with questions about identity, belonging, and weird black ooze, Call of the Sea is for you.

...and I still haven't managed to play more than an hour or two of Disco Elysium, so maybe I'll finally get around to that in 2025.

[morrigan-sims]

hello friend! for a while now i've seen some of ur DnD ocs and i was just curious, do you have any advice for beginners getting into DnD? i've always heard about it, but doing research is a bit overwhelming sometimes with all the different things there are to know?

Anon, you have come to the right place!!! I love talking about dnd! And I absolutely am willing to answer questions about it! And don't worry, I totally get it. There is a lot that goes into DnD. But the good thing is that you don't need to know all of it, at least not at first!

I've only been playing for a little over a year. My first real exposure to dnd was watching Critical Role, but I had wanted to play for a long time before that. That got me pretty familiar with the rules and how the game works in general. (I started with Campaign 2.)

Watching some kind of dnd show (there's a lot of them, so look for one that really captures your heart!) is a good intro because you get to watch other people play, and so you learn the rules and the game flow, but you don't have to worry about keeping track of it all yourself. (Just bear in mind that some of them may be using homebrew rules that are different from the regular ones. But even so, you can still get a feel for the game!) (Like I said, my go-to recommendation for people just starting out is Critical Role Campaign 2, but I've also heard amazing things about Dimension 20, and Not Another DnD Podcast, among others.) (If anyone has any DnD show recs, feel free to put them in the comments!)

Another tip is: If you are in high school or university, check out your local clubs! I can guarantee that any university of a decent size is going to have a tabletop club, and depending on the high school they might also have a tabletop club. They often have "beginner's night" or something similar where more experienced members run oneshots specifically meant to introduce people to the game! (This is also a great way to find people with shared interests and make friends on campus.)

If you aren't in school, check if your local library hosts any kind of tabletop event! I know some do. And if that doesn't work out, then looking for a group online is a good thing to do. The subreddit Looking For Game (r/lfg) is a good place to find groups to play with. (Either oneshots or full campaigns.) It can take a lot of trial and error to find a group and DM you feel comfortable with, but I found a pretty good group through there, and I know several other people who have, too! (There's also a "beginner friendly" flag that people use if their game is geared towards / accessible for people who are new to the game, so check that out!)

I'd say start with a (relatively low-level) oneshot before you dive into a full campaign. Test out how comfortable you are with the mechanics and everything. Also, make sure that you have a good DM for your first experience. Having a bad DM for your first experience will definitely sour it, and make you more reluctant to play again. But, if you do have a less-than-ideal first experience, don't write the game off immediately! Give it another shot. And if you decide DnD isn't your thing, that's totally fine! But try not to let one person ruin the whole thing for you.

But at the same time, if you're not having fun, don't force yourself! It's okay to leave a group because you don't enjoy it, no matter what the reason is! DnD should be fun and enjoyable, and you shouldn't ever feel uncomfortable.

Oh, and one more thing. DnD is far from the only ttrpg system out there! There's one for just about every theme or concept under the sun, if you look. (There's a Star Wars version of dnd, there's Vampire The Masquerade, there's Pathfinder, and those are just the big names! There's also tons and tons and tons of indie ttrpgs!) So if you find yourself not really vibing with DnD for one reason or another, maybe another ttrpg is more your speed!

Please let me know if you do end up getting into DnD! I would absolutely love to hear about your OCs and campaigns!! I really do mean it!! And if you feel comfortable coming off anon, I have a discord server for simmers who also play DnD. It's pretty small and cozy, and we aren't always super active, but everyone there is really sweet. And I've always intended to run a oneshot for some people in there. (I keep saying I'm gonna do it, but I never get around to it. My ADHD is kicking my ass lately. But it is an eventual goal!!)

Sorry for rambling so much. I do hope some of this is useful to you! And like I said, I'd love to hear an update in the future if/when you do end up finding a group!

[katatty]

Just finished catching up with the Fiero legacy. I really like your gameplay. Is there anyones else’s you’d recommend? Also, how did you come up with rules for how it’d go? I’m on mobile so if there’s a resource page or faq, SORRY hehehe

Aww, thank you, I am glad you enjoyed it!! I'm hoping to get a bit more up this summer, although will probably be taking a break before I get to gen 3 to focus on other neighbourhoods for a bit.

I am not really playing with any hard-and-fast rules besides the basic stuff like "no money cheats" and "obligatory heir polls". Sims can move house when they feel like it, I use mods that make the game feel more fun to me (like Story Progression!), and I'll move in love interests/babydaddies etc. just based on whether I think it will make for a more interesting story. Mostly I am just playing based on following Sims wants, and a little bit of my own interpretation of their personality!

I do roll randomly for stuff like aspirations and traits, but reserve to right to re-roll if I get anything I think is really ill-fitting for that sim. Oh, and since in this neighbourhood I am not playing with ACR/risky woohoo, I roll a dice whenever sims woohoo to determine whether they should try for baby or not. xD I can't really think of any other rules I'm using, though there's probably a few informal ones that are just part of my gameplay style

For other gameplay blogs I'd reccommend, there's so many?? Are you interested in legacies specifically, or gameplay in general?? Some of my personal all-time favourites that I really love reading (and who are currently active):

@lesyasun has the most beautiful gameplay that inspires me so much! Her legacy/neighbourhood Hazelwood is lighter on "story" but the vibes are immaculate

@yakumtsaki's Union Legacy is one of my favourite legacies on Tumblr, her style is more comedic but it's a real joy to follow

@moocha-muses' "Owl Creek" neighbourhood started out as a legacy, and it's one of my favourite long-term hoods ever. Her sims are all so lovable

@episims' Foxfire Forrest neighbourhood isn't a legacy at all, but I love her style of writing so much, she breathes so much life into her sims, her gameplay style is also quite similar to mine

@simhealing has a fantastic uberhood I love following! Again not a legacy, but it's been a big influence on my gameplay and storytelling style

I am typically more into larger neighbourhoods than legacies so I don't actually keep up with that many of them, haha. There are a few other legacies I have been wanting to read, but it's always a bit daunting to me getting caught up on everything, especially if they've been going for a while! If anyone wants to put out some other recs in the comments, please do :D

[itsevanffs]

Hihi!! I've been hyperfixating on tommary lately and I absolutely loved (In the dark!)! I wanted to see if u have any tommary/harrymort fics that u recommend.. preferably ones that feature a possessive Tom ^^ ty in advance

I guess this would be the right time to publicly declare my bookmarks as open? Everything on there is a hard rec, and I vigorously quality-check those... for my liking and my liking only. (Sorry, not sorry. They're there for me, after all.)

That being said, hmm. I've got a few you might like.

Below the cut: more (additionally to my bookmarks) Tomarrymort (Tomarry or Harrymort) recommendations with possessive/obsessive Tom in alphabetical order; NOT order of how much I enjoy them. I'd argue I enjoy them all equally, just in different ways.

Ps: thank you! I'm incredibly flattered you liked my work :D

and don't let the police know anything by littlecupkate https://archiveofourown.org/works/24920947

Ted Dirlod is dangerous, Harry Potter knows this for a fact, but the man was still his only hope at escaping a doomed fate. It is never wise to blackmail a crime lord. It is even more unwise(?) when said crime lord is obsessed with you. An expanded version of "praying to whatever's in heaven, please send me a felon"

Genuinely lovely? Ticks all my boxes, at least, and minimal angst, which is always a plus. That being said, you should probably read the work mentioned in the summary as well for context. But hey. Two cakes by one person ;) Can never go wrong, can it?

As Certain Dark Things Are to be Loved by Strange_Soulmates https://archiveofourown.org/works/6015619

Tom was Harry's best friend growing up and his first love. At eight, Harry gave Tom his first kiss before moving away. As a freshman in college, the name of the RA on the door across the hall is terribly familiar.

Also absolutely deliciously indulgent. Tom is a possessive terror and Harry loves him for it. Need I say more?

Harry Potter and the Search for Ancient Magic (series) by Snickerdoodlepop https://archiveofourown.org/series/1133141

Once Voldemort realizes that Harry Potter is his horcrux, his plans change drastically. So does Draco Malfoy's assignment for the school year. Harry's sixth year starts going very differently. Snape is on a mission. Harry needs to learn pureblood politics. Draco Malfoy is trying to convince Harry to forgive him. Voldemort finds himself visiting Harry Potter in his dreams. Everyone is realizing that no one is quite what they thought. And through it all, there's a mystery. What is Ancient Magic? Can Harry use it to save himself or will it pull him toward the dark side?

Honestly, genuinely, hands down the best fucking tomarrymort series I've ever read. Hard, hard rec from here. The first work is completed and the second is in progress, so it's a nice pile of words to chew through!

can't commit to anything but a crime by caelesti https://archiveofourown.org/works/27286483

Excitement is the word he does not dare utter, even in the privacy of his own mind. It’s wrong, he knows. These women are people, in their own right; people with fears and aspirations, with friends and families and dreams, and to have anything cut those lives short is nothing but tragic. To have anyone cut those lives short is nothing but condemnable. He doesn’t have James Potter’s laugh lines, but he does have his father’s innate flair for danger. He doesn’t have Lily Potter’s enthusiasm, but he does have her insatiable curiosity. (In every world, Harry will excel at finding the biggest spot of trouble available and sticking his nose in it.)

Hot serial killer serial killer hot. That's it, those are the thoughts. Please read.

Dripping Fingers by May_May_0_0 https://archiveofourown.org/works/25440826

When Harry finds Tom Riddle's diary he does not write 'Hello.' He does not write anything at all. He draws. Tom Riddle falls in love with the artwork. _________________ Sketch by sketch, drawing by drawing, the ink Harry pours into the diary manifests as creations in Tom's monochrome world.

Okay so if I'm the reincarnation of Shakespeare, May_May_0_0 is fucking... Ted Hughes. Which doesn't say much to your average viewer but that man wrote my favourite poem ever (the one I based my war fic off) and I hold him in very high regard. This story? It is poetry in its rawest form. Pure, condensed beauty. If you decide to read only one of the fics in this list, please choose this one.

Either must die at the hand of the other by Metalomagnetic https://archiveofourown.org/works/29356095

Voldemort survives the Battle of Hogwarts because Harry Potter had not been the one to kill him, as the prophecy demands.

When is Metalomagnetic not a master of words? When will I cease becoming breathless at every paragraph, at every cleverly twisted word that comes back and reveals itself so beautifully later?

Fine Line by galaxiesundone https://archiveofourown.org/works/26949952

Magic always leaves traces. The lingering darkness of Sectumsempra, combined with Harry’s nature as a horcrux, awakens the soul piece contained within Ravenclaw’s diadem. At twenty years old, Tom Riddle walks a fine line between man and monster, the devil and the light-bringer in one. His influence forces Harry to face an ancient enemy unlike anything he has faced before: temptation.

Long story short: Tom Riddle is Hot and Good At Being Hot and Harry truly doesn't stand a chance and I am here for it. Lord help me I love this fic to pieces.

Good Intentions by Strange_Soulmates https://archiveofourown.org/works/7035334

Five year old Harry Potter meets and befriends a seventeen year old Tom Riddle while hanging out at his dad’s station. James Potter decides to take Tom under his wing, using Tom’s connection with Harry to try and keep the teen grounded, even as he begins to investigate the Death Eaters, a dangerous organized crime group and their mysterious leader only known as Lord Voldemort.

The sheer potential of this fic. The horrible, terrible dread of future events that have yet to be revealed. I will cry.

Honey, Smoke, Shiver by machiavelli https://archiveofourown.org/works/16068062

Harry - Omega, only son of Lord Potter - is nothing more than a useful playing card in a political game of power and money, one that is bought by the famed Tom Riddle: powerful, dangerous, pureblood Alpha. Unsurprisingly, Harry loves being underestimated.

Machiavelli is always a rec from me. Sorry lads but that's the way it is. Never a moment where I won't recommend their stuff.

Sickly-Sweet Obsession by maquira https://archiveofourown.org/works/18259103

Quiet, studious Tom Riddle spends his first year thirsting after an older student—Gryffindor’s Quidditch Captain, Harry Potter. His crush is common knowledge, and even Harry finds it cute… at first. Possessiveness spawns monstrosities. Tom does all within his power to mess with Harry’s dating life. And one seemingly harmless crush spirals into something darker, begetting deadly consequences.

Again; the potential. Delicious. This will bloom into something beautifully twisted, I'm sure of it.

Stars, Hide Your Fires by Audair https://archiveofourown.org/works/27745546

Riddle’s undivided attention snapped to him with the swiftness of shattering glass. His turbulent magic receded from where it had besieged the shop. "You,” he breathed. Coiling in leisurely motions, the eager tendrils of his magic reached for Harry, swathing about his limbs and neck and chest with a liquid, flowing fascination. "I’ve been looking for you,” Riddle continued, tilting his head to the side and sweeping his gaze over Harry. It was an appraisal that felt simultaneously like the raking of iron nails and the tender drapery of silk. It was so familiar, and yet… so foreign. In the winding streets of Knockturn Alley, an intricate dance of mutual obsession unravels between twenty-three-year-old Tom Riddle and a time-travelling Harry Potter.

This work has recently been undergoing a rewrite, and I can tell you with certainty it's only gotten better for it. It's beautiful; the setting, the atmosphere, the vibes... Perfection. Captures Knockturn Alley's mood impeccably and does not disappoint a single moment.

the pleasure, the privilege by asterisms https://archiveofourown.org/works/21227528

It begins with Vernon Dursley's body, dead across the table. In which Voldemort is dosed with amortentia, and nothing is better for it.

Completed, terrifying... and gorgeous.

The Shrike (to your sharp and glorious thorn) by PaperWorlds https://archiveofourown.org/works/22380079

Shrike: A songbird with a sharply hooked bill, known for their habit of catching insects and small vertebrates and impaling their bodies on thorns, the spikes on barbed-wire fences, or any available sharp point. A young Harry Potter survives an attack by notorious serial killer Voldemort. Over a decade later, they meet again.

Lads I'm so desperate for an update from this fic that I might cry if I think about it for too long. I keep saying it and I'll say it again; this is one of those fics with amazing potential that are sure to never disappoint no matter what path they take. An incredibly hard rec.

To Raise a Servant by bluegrass https://archiveofourown.org/works/19780816

Tom had found the boy amidst pouring rain. He figured he'd always wanted a pet snake.

Surprisingly not quite as dark as the summary makes it seem? I certainly enjoyed it, though, and that's why it's on this list.

What He Grows To Be by Severus_divides_into_H https://archiveofourown.org/works/19042240

Tom Riddle is a frightening coil of darkness, cruelty, and greatness, and changing him is Harry’s only hope for saving people he loves. Going back in time, he takes Tom from the orphanage, but his optimism shatters with every year they spend together. Tom still longs for darkness. Tom stifles him in his possessiveness. Tom is fixated on him to the point of destroying the world just to keep him. But Harry loves him. And the future changes.

Beautiful. And absolutely terrifying. I've started crying mid-scene at least three times for this fic, and it honestly seems unfathomable if you haven't read it if you're on my profile, since I think this is one of the fics that have shaped my style and ambitions. It is what I aspire to be.

[hogwartsfirebolt]

Hello everyone! I’m back for my (omg time flies) third yearly drarry rec list, in which I share with you my 30 favorite drarry fics I read in the year, divided in three parts. What a year 2020 was. It was challenging, scary and confusing, and it was also an amazing reading year for me, I read so, so much more than I ever had before, and I’m really excited to share these masterpieces with you! The banner art is by @dragontamerdame who is one of my favorite artists and was kind enough to let me use this beautiful piece, which you can (and totally should) reblog right here. Now, with nothing else to add and in no particular order, here’s my

FAVORITE FICS I READ IN 2020 PART ONE

1. Who we are in the shadows - @quicksilvermaid - 100k - E - What happens when you’re forced to become the very thing you despise? Ex-Auror Harry Potter, tossed out of the Ministry for something he had no control over, has been looking for a way back to his former life. When he comes across Draco Malfoy in the criminal underbelly of Wizarding London and in need of protection, Harry figures bringing him in to face the Ministry's justice is his ticket back to everything he's lost. But nothing is exactly as it seems. Not even Harry himself. And as he gets drawn further and further into Malfoy's world of honour and deception he finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew—about his childhood nemesis, the Ministry job he misses so much, and most of all, about himself. What happens when you’re forced to see that you were wrong?

THIS FIC!!! It was the first one I read in 2020, and it immediately became my favorite fic of the entire year, and one of my favorites of all time. I have since read it two more times, the entire 100k of it. There are absolutely no words to describe how amazing it is, how much it floored me to read their characterizations, their jobs and the roads life took them on to end up where they end up, the connection between them in a time when they don’t even know how to relate to anyone, their sorrow and struggles which, despite being so rooted in the magical world, are painfully human, just... wow. It’s a masterpiece. It changed the way I view their characters, forever, and I suspect I will read it many, many more times in the years to come. It’s that kind of story. If for whatever reason you haven’t read it, this is your sign to take that chance and embark on this amazing journey. 

2. Every Kingdom - @thistle-verse - 7k - E - Every kingdom needs a prince. Every prince needs a good and useful knight. Draco and Harry play their parts and renegotiate some borders while they’re at it.

So, so lovely. Even though I don’t read them very often, alternate universes fascinate me so much, and I am in awe of the author for being able to pack so, so much story, so neatly into 7k words. This features a princely, lonesome Draco, a charming, golden Harry, and a blossoming love that could change everything. It’s beautiful, and I recommend it deeply.

3. The Bucket List - GallaPlacidia - 32k - Draco will die in six months if he can't get Harry Potter to fall in love with him. Since that's not going to happen, he might as well spend his last days working through his Bucket List. Tap-dancing lessons? Rock climbing? Poetry-writing? Threesomes? Cocaine? Getting to know his adorable cousin, Teddy Lupin? Draco will try them all! Feat. Cheerily pessimistic Draco, devoted bitch queen Pansy Parkinson, and a Harry who can't help but notice that something seems DIFFERENT about Draco, these days.

I’m positive that many, many of us got acquainted with GallaPlacidia’s writing this year, and I, too, fell in love with it. This story aches in the most beautiful of ways, the humor happens to be somehow light in such a difficult circumstance that it ends up hurting when you laugh, it hurts when everything is right because it’s also wrong, it aches when it’s supposed to be a happy moment and feels tender and sweet when it’s not. I can’t even imagine the challenge of writing this kind of story, and they pulled it off beautifully. It’s a lovely story, one you will take with you long after you finish it, and, personally, I think it’s a great introduction to the author’s writing. 

4. halcyon days - @the-starryknight - 1.3k - T - Sleepy mornings caught while the sun rises are reserved for silly word games and soft touches and feelings.

Oh my god, the amount of tenderness in such a low wordcount made me weak in the knees. I almost couldn’t take it. Being able to convey such a deep emotional connection in a short story seems like such a daunting task, and the author makes it seem almost effortless. I guarantee that this will make you bring your hands to your chest and sigh with how lovely it is. Reading it will be the best ten minutes of your day. 

5. Clouds That Veil the Midnight Moon - @drarrytrash - 37k - E - According to Harry’s personal narrative regarding the incident, he’d hooked up with Draco Malfoy for purely self-destructive reasons, or out of convenience, or by some unlucky accident. Looking at him, sprawled in the moonlight, Harry is devastated to recall that he’d hooked up with Draco Malfoy because he’s hot. Draco is a secret werewolf and Harry is doing his best and they've got criminals to catch, darn it.

Reading this, I found myself laughing out loud, nodding profusely with how freaking spot on the characterizations are. The dialogue is amazing, so hilarious and real and Harry’s inner monologue is so, so him. I love everything about this story. I have a soft spot for werewolf fic, and this one hit everything I love about it, the case is interesting and engaging, the incidental characters, the OCs, Ron and Hermione, everyone and everything is absolutely perfect and I had an absolute blast reading it. You HAVE to read this and see for yourself what I’m talking about. 

6. Sex Ed for Aurors - curiouslyfic - 8k - M - Some things, you need to learn on the job.

Oh my god this is so freaking good. The premise is, basically, that Harry is accidentally doused with a lust potion while in the vicinity of Draco, and suddenly wants him more than anything. I loved this take on that trope, we’re in Harry’s head, and it’s absolutely hilarious and endearing to experience the near childish glee he feels whenever Draco looks his way, when he smiles, when he feels he’s made him happy, meanwhile Draco and Ron are horrified and doing whatever they can to correct it. This is so funny and such a good time, I can’t recommend it enough! While you’re at it, you should definitely read megyal’s remix of this, which is also a blast. 

7. plasticine porters with looking-glass ties - @bonesliketambourines - 15K - E - Lately, Harry thinks things don’t seem the same between him and Draco. His head is in the clouds when he thinks about what their relationship is now, and where it might be headed—he’s happy with their friendship, but he wants something else. A potions accident over a lunchtime visit to Draco’s lab (what does he get up to in there, anyway?) changes things, though, and accelerates their relationship faster than either of them had ever expected. How are they going to get through this new development together?

Atmospheric, beautifully-written and delicious. Their relationship is tender, just on the edge of something more, when they’re forced to quarantine together and face the effects of a potion that makes them see and feel things differently, which makes for the most intense, visual, gorgeous sex scene I think I’ve ever read. It’s just absolutely phenomenal. 

8. i wake up falling - warmfoothills - 9k - M - Draco’s always leaving, one way or another. Harry’s usually 240 thousand miles too late.

In trying to come up with a way to summarize this story, I’m feeling the overwhelming urge to cry again, just like I did when I read it. It’s just so, so, beautiful, every single word of it aches in the best way, the longing feels deeply authentic and just, the setting and the jobs and everything is so unique and gorgeous. Every single work by this author is beyond beautiful, but especially this one is incredibly close to my heart and I think everyone should read it. It’s a gem. 

9. In Every Universe - @skeptiquewrites - 27k - M - They sent Professor Harry Potter to search for Unspeakable Draco Malfoy. Draco has stolen a Firebird, an experimental magical device from the Department of Mysteries that lets you enter parallel universes as yourself. As Harry traverses from universe to universe, he begins to think Draco might be the one searching for him. A story about whether knowing what's possible makes it possible.

Stories where the characters find themselves somehow hopping from one reality to another are always so, so fascinating to me, and this one is incredibly creative and well-written, so entertaining all around. The mystery of it kept me on my toes, and every single reality was a joy to read. 10/10

10. Life goes not backward - @shealwaysreads - 8k - T - Harry still isn’t used to gifts, but this one is different. A story of coming home, finding safe ground, and the wild courage of putting down roots. Leaving one life behind isn’t always a sacrifice, and sometimes the greatest good comes from embracing the people you love.

My god, there are not enough words to describe how much this story means to me, how beautiful it is, how every single time I’ve read it, I’ve cried. Bella has undoubtedly become one of my absolute favorite writers in fandom. She has such a way with words, there is not one of her stories that hasn’t touched me, that doesn’t feel like an actual, full-length novel no matter the word count. I read so many of them this year, so many of the masterpieces she’s gifted us, but this one especially is so tender, so dear, that I ended up choosing it as my favorite of hers this year. Harry’s charactertization, the unbelievable warmth of their relationship, absolutely everything about this is gorgeous. Go read it, right now, and then binge all her other works!! You won’t regret it.

---------------------------------

Each of these fics is incredibly close to my heart and I enjoyed them immensely. In the midst of everything changing, I really found comfort and solace in the amazing works of the people of this fandom. I hope they give you the same amount of warmth and comfort they gave me, and I’m ALWAYS here to gush about any of them ❤️ Happy New Year! 

[wolfstar-in-color]

July Colorful Column: Remus is a Crip, and We Can Write Him Better.

There is one thing that can get me to close a fic so voraciously I don’t even make sure I’m not closing other essential tabs in the process. It doesn’t matter how much I’m loving the fic, how well written I think it is, or how desperately I want to know how it ends. Once I read this sentence, I am done.

It’s written in a variety of different ways, but it always goes something like this: “You don’t want me,” Remus said, “I am too sick/broken/poor/old/[insert chosen self-demeaning adjective here].”

You’re familiar with the trope. The trope is canonical. And if you’ve been around the wolfstar fandom for longer than a few minutes, you’ve read the trope. Maybe you love the trope! Maybe you’ve written the trope! Maybe you’re about to stop reading this column, because the trope rings true to you and you feel a little attacked!

Now, let’s get one thing out of the way right now: I am not saying the trope is wrong. I am not saying it’s bad. I am not saying we should stop writing it. We all have things we don’t like to see in our chosen fics. Maybe you can’t stand Leather Jacket Motorbike Sirius? Maybe you think Elbow Patch Remus is overdone? Or maybe your pet peeves are based in something a little deeper - maybe you think Poor Latino Remus is an irresponsible depiction, or that PWPs are too reductive? Whatever it is, we all have our things.

Let me tell you about my thing. When I first became very ill several years ago, there were various low points in which I felt I had become inherently unlovable. This is, more or less, a normal reaction. When your body stops doing things it used to be able to do - or starts doing things you were quite alright without, thank you very much - it changes the way you relate to your body. You don’t want to hear my whole disability history, so yada yada yada, most people eventually come to accept their limitations. It’s a very painful existence, one in which you constantly tell yourself your disability has transformed you into a burdensome, unworthy member of society, and if nothing else, it’s not terribly sustainable. Being disabled takes grit! It takes power! It takes a truly absurd amount of medical self-advocacy! Hating yourself? Thinking yourself unworthy of love? No one has time for that. 

Of course, I’m being hyperbolic. Plenty of disabled people struggle with these feelings many years into their disabilities, and never really get over them. But here’s the thing. We experience those stories ALL THE TIME. Remember Rain Man? Or Million Dollar Baby? Or that one with the actress from Game of Thrones and that British actor who seemed like he was going to have a promising career but then didn't? Those are all stories about sad, bitter disabled people and their sad, bitter lives, two out of three of which end in the character completing suicide because they simply couldn’t imagine having to live as a disabled person. (I mean, come on media, I get that we're less likely to enjoy a leisurely Saturday hike, but our parking is SUBLIME.) When was the last time you engaged with media that depicted a happy disabled person? A complex disabled person? A disabled person who has sex? No really, these aren’t hypothetical questions, can you please drop a rec in the notes?? Because I am desperate.

There are lots of problems with this trope, and they’ve been discussed ad nauseam by people with PhDs. I’m not actually interested in talking about how this trope leads to a more prevalent societal idea that disabled people are unworthy of love, or contributes to the kind of political thought processes that keep disabled people purposefully disenfranchised. I’m just a bitch on Tumblr, and I have a bone to pick: the thing I really hate about the trope? It’s boring. I’m bored. You know how, like, halfway through Grey’s Anatomy you realized they were just recycling the same plot points over and over again and there was just no WAY anyone working at a hospital prone to THAT MANY disasters would stay on staff? It's like that. I love a recycled trope as much as the next person (There Was Only One Bed, anyone?). But I need. Something. Else.

Remus is disabled. BOLD claim. WILD speculation. Except, not really. You simply - no matter how you flip it, slice it, puree it, or deconstruct it - cannot tell me Remus Lupin is not disabled. Most of us, by this point, are probably familiar with the way that One Canonical Author intended One Dashing Werewolf to be “a metaphor for those illnesses that carry stigma, like HIV and AIDS” [I’m sorry to link you to an outside source quoting She Who Must Not Be Named, but we’re professionals here]. Which is... a thing. It’s been discussed. And, listen, there’s no denying that this parallel is a problematic interpretation of people who have HIV/AIDS and all such similar “those illnesses” (though I’ll admit that I, too, am perennially apt to turn into a raging beast liable to harm anything that crosses my path, but that’s more linked to the at-least-once-monthly recollection that One Day At A Time got cancelled). Critiques aside, Remus Lupin is a character who - due to a condition that affects him physically, mentally, emotionally, and intellectually - is repeatedly marginalized, oppressed, denied political and social power, and ostracized due to unfounded fear that he is infectious to others. Does that sound familiar?

We’re not going to argue about whether or not “Remus is canonically disabled as fuck” is a fair reading. And the reason we’re not going to argue about whether or not it’s a fair reading is because I haven’t read canon in 10-plus years and you will win the argument. Canon is only marginally relevant here. The icon of this blog is brown, curly haired Remus Lupin kissing his trans boyfriend, Sirius Black. We are obviously not too terribly invested in canon. The wolfstar fandom is now a community with over 25,000 AO3 fics, entire careers launched from drawing or writing or cosplaying this non-canonical pairing. We love to play around here with storylines and universes and races and genders and sexualities and all kinds of things, but most of the time? Remus is still disabled. He’s disabled as a werewolf in canon-compliant works, he’s disabled in the AUs where he was injured or abused or kidnapped or harmed as a child, he’s disabled in the stories that read him as chronically ill or bipolar or traumatized or blind or Deaf. I’d go so far as to say that he is one of very few characters in the Wide Wonderful World of media who is, in as close to his essence as one can be, always disabled. And that means? Don’t shoot the messenger... but we could stand to be a tiny bit more responsible with how we portray him. 

Disabled people are complicated. As much as I’d like to pretend we are always level-headed, confident, and ready to assert our inherent worth, we are still just humans. We have bad days. We doubt our worth. We sometimes go out with guys who complain about our steroid-induced weight gain (it was a long time ago, Tumblr, okay??). But, we also have joy and fun and good days and sex and happiness and families and so many other things. 

Remus is a disabled character, and as such, it’s only fair that he’d have those unworthy moments. But - I propose - Remus is also a crip. What is a crip? A crip - like a queer - is someone who eschews the limited boundaries placed on their bodies, who rejects a hierarchy of oppression in favor of an intersectional analysis of lived experience, who isn’t interested in being the tragic figure responsible for helping people with dominant identities realize how good they have it. Crips interpret their disabilities however they want, rethinking bodies and medicine and pleasure and pain and even time itself. Crips are political, community-minded, and in search of liberation. 

Remus is a character who struggles with his disability, sure. But he’s also a character who leverages his physical condition to attempt to shift communities towards his political leanings, advocates for the rights of those who share his physical condition, and has super hot sex with his wrongfully convicted boyfriend ultimately goes on to build community and family. Having a condition that quite literally cripples you, over which you have no control, and through which you are often read as a social pariah? That’s disability. But using said condition as a means through which to build advocacy and community? Now that’s some crip shit. 

Personally, I love disabled!Remus Lupin. But I love crip!Remus Lupin even more. I’d love to see more of a Remus who owns his disability, who covets what makes him unique, and who never ever again tells a potential romantic partner they are too good for him because of his disability. This trope - unlike There Was Only One Bed! - sometimes actually hurts to read. Where’s Remus who thinks a potential romantic partner isn’t good enough for him? Where’s Remus who insists his partners learn more about his condition in order to treat him properly? Where’s sexy wheelchair user Remus? Where’s Remus who uses his werewolf transformations as an excuse to travel the world? Where’s crip Remus??

We don’t have to put “you don’t want me” Remus entirely to bed. It is but one of many repeated tropes that are - in the words of The Hot Priest from Fleabag - morally a bit dubious. And let’s face it - we don’t always come to fandom for its moral superiority (as much as we sometimes like to think we do). 

This is not a condemnation - it is an invitation. Able-bodied folks are all but an injury, illness, or couple decades away from being disabled. And when you get here, I sincerely hope you don’t waste your time on “you don’t want me”ing back and forth with the people you love. I’m inviting you to come to the crip side now. We have snacks, and without all the “you don’t want me” talk, we get to the juicy parts much faster. 

Colorfully,

Mod Theo

[dukethomas]

🔥 + duke thomas :+D

dee my bestie ty for asking me abt duke!! <333333 now i'm not sure if these are necessarily UNPOPULAR opinions but my god duke is the first char i've read all the way through for so i am having some opinions

okay uhhh first: fanon duke is racist, full-stop, and that's when fanon stans bother to include him at all. he debuted several years ago!! he started being a core part of the batfam specifically in rebirth, five years ago!! he's part of the family, jfc, and no he's not the normie sane one, and no not knowing how to write/draw duke is not an excuse for his exclusion. the dc wiki exists. reading recs exist! duke's first solo, batman and the signal, is literally only 3 issues long! pirating comics is easy as fuck!

next: he was a robin!! we are robin was not made of conventional, batman-sanctioned robins. that's the point. those kids made robin their own, and even if they moved on (hoo boy i've also got thoughts abt we are robin in rebirth and onwards despite their minimal appearances) they were robin. they chose to be there for their city, they chose to stand up and fight, and imo if you consider the kids from the we are robin movement not really robins you're missing the whole damn point

also, i think duke should have had a much bigger role in the batfam in rebirth, like i know rebirth was going back to the roots, but also. i feel like he's kind of thematically set up as being part of the next generation of heroes, he's the future of the batfam, and i absolutely fucking adore that angle for him. literally it's so perfect??? he's "something new" but still rooted in the very same determination to fight and hope for a better future that bruce was (and still should be) motivated by from the very beginning. if rebirth was supposed to make it easier for new readers while still being recognizable for old fans? come on. it would have been so interesting to explore in a lot more depth how duke interacts w the batfam and gotham and what that means for their future (which isn't to say i don't like the appearances duke has in rebirth onwards. i do) (and also. bruce consistently treats duke well as compared to literally anyone else lmao and i do enjoy that dynamic and i would like to have seen more of bruce training and mentoring duke to be the future of the batfam)

that in mind, duke is not a good fit for the outsiders. i love his dynamics with cass, jeff, and tatsu, his appearance in future state outsiders was SO fun and so fitting i could cry, and i am hyped for what brandon thomas is going to do with duke in the upcoming outsiders series(?) because he is a FANTASTIC writer for duke who really lets him shine and clearly respects him and loves him, but. duke's whole thing is literally being a new hero in the day, someone visible in the light, and the outsiders are supposed to be on the fringe, literally outsiders, and a team not rlly meant to be in the public eye (from what i understand) so with the direction duke took in batman and the signal that is the opposite of what duke is meant to be. i def enjoy him on teams, but this ain't it. that said i do like that duke being on the outsiders means connections to the wider non-gotham dc universe and also consistent duke appearances is something i will always appreciate

last opinion bc this is getting long—i've got many thoughts on batman secret files the signal, one of them is that i think having a cure for joker toxin being right there is too cheap. like sure you can play the cat and mouse game with it but after a while? that'll get repetitive and boring. a few more options. duke gets his hands on the cure, but there's a catch. or duke never gets his hands on the cure, it disappears forever. or duke does get his hands on the cure, and it works. i think the first and last options would be the most interesting to explore going forward, but i'm also just. attached to the tragedy of his story, knowing his parents are alive but they may never get better but also hoping they will. and with how little that's been explored (not mentioned or referenced or seen, explored. which hasn't been done since all-star batman i think) and also with comics being an ongoing medium i do think bringing in the cure this early is a little cheap and also too soon too fast

actual last opinion duke is the best i love him so bad i will not be taking criticism <3

[jkbabiey]

𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 ⤇ 𝙹𝙹𝙺

Words: 2.9K 

Pairing: Jungkook x doctor!reader 

Genre: angst; fluff; established relationship au ; minor character death :((( 

Synopsis: “He would never make you feel any less for having a human side, a weak side. Instead, he would embrace it with everything he had. Always.” 

Song Rec: End of a day - Jonghyun ; Breathe - Lee Hi ; That's Okay - D.O. ; Not Alone - NCT 127 ; Try Again - Jaehyun, d.ear ; Inner Child - V ; Through the night - IU ; Be Your Enemy - Taemin, Wendy

The heavy rain fell like never before. The streets were completely drenched and, unfortunately for your completely timid and, currently, partially stoic nature, completely crammed. Your shift in the hospital had just ended. You were exhausted and, on days like this, you couldn’t find your job as a cardiothoracic surgeon more bitter. You loved your job, after the many hardships you’d had to endure to get to the position you are in today and so much effort you had to put into it, you couldn’t have any doubts about your love towards medicine and surgery. And you didn’t. 

But the truth is that doing what you do every single day - fighting death itself - wasn’t easy. It takes a colossal number of rocky roads to fully accept and understand that some lives are just too frail for you to save, and, sometimes death is just too stubborn and strong-willed to let you win.

You hadn’t travelled all those paths yet.

Today, you had lost 2 of your patients. Patients you had been following and helping for the last 2 years of your medical career. They held a soft spot in your heart, and they both had had surgical procedures today, with you as their surgeon, as always. But during their surgeries, there were several amounts of complications and your patients weren’t strong enough to handle all the fights they had yet to battle. Unfortunately.

You were still a 29-year-old girl. You were still a dewy-eyed silly over-emotional and easily-attached little girl. To lose 2 of your favourite patients in one day was still way too much for you. But, among your group of friends, you were the hardcore one and you hadn’t cried. Your weak and human side was the last thing you wanted to show to your colleagues. The competitiveness that ruled the medical industry wouldn’t allow you. You had worked hard to build up the reputation you held today among everyone in the hospital. The hardcore emotionless goddess of surgery.

And even though you were, indeed, a hardcore surgery goddess, you were far from emotionless. You cried watching sad movies and were one of the few doctors that actually spent some time of their day to get to know their patients. You were pretty sure, you were going to cry as soon as you got to your black G-class Mercedes Benz, closed all your windows and called your boyfriend. You were sure you would call him as soon as your ass landed on the driver’s seat, and you were sure you would start to cry as soon as you heard his soft boyish voice. Because, amongst all of the soft spots in your heart, he owned the softest of them all. And to talk to him was exactly what you needed.

So, when you got to your car and hopped into it, you looked for his name on your contact list on your phone, for the slightest seconds, because he was right on top of it, from how often you contacted him.

‘Dickhead <3’

Calling…

Call declined.

And that’s when you remembered the small petty argument you two had had the previous night.

The night before

You were still seating in the dinner table, a pout on your lips while you tried to count how many plates you’d have to wash. Your boyfriend had already abandoned you to play with his friend, Taehyung, leaving you and the uncountable plates you had to handwash because Jungkook had decided to ruin your dishwasher. You had had a long day and you really weren’t seeing any way you could handwash so many plates all by yourself. So you decided your boyfriend would be your best and most viable solution. So you stood up from the kitchen’s table stool and walked towards the living room’s sofa in tiny weary steps.

“Guk, can you please help me do the dishes tonight?” you asked after sitting next to him, using the cutest voice you could remember and the most adorable face expression you thought he would fall for.

“Nope, today’s your day,” he answered shortly, not tearing his eyes from the videogame one single moment.

“Babe, please, I had a long day.”

“Yeah, me too. Go do the dishes.”

“I helped you do the dishes last week and you never returned the favour,” you pouted.

“Are you seriously going to keep bothering me? I have one moment to relax by myself, and you have to come here and ruin it!”

Your eyes widened, not expecting him to snap at you so quickly, and for something so small.

“I had a hard day, and I haven’t had a moment for myself as well. Can’t you just help me this once?”

You knew you were being bratty and childish and, probably, a pain in his ass. You knew he probably had also had a very tiring day, after all, he’s Jeon Jungkook, Korea’s golden boy. But you were just so tired, and at least the presence of your boyfriend in the kitchen as you two did the dishes, would surely, make the task a lot more enjoyable.

“Is it so hard to do the fucking dishes? Are you that dim-witted?”

You knew he didn’t mean to call you dumb. If someone asked him, on any other day, about what made him fall for you, he would probably answer something about how intelligent you were, but this time you got affected by his comment. Probably because, that same day, your superior had said you weren’t good enough to be a surgeon due to you being late to his presentation – “A good surgeon is never late, maybe you should reconsider your options.”, those were his words.

“Fuck you Jungkook,” you finally said, turning your back on him, deciding to do the dishes by yourself.

“No, fuck you!” he shouted, throwing the controller to the couch after pausing his game.

He stood up, following you to the kitchen in quick heavy steps. He was looking for a fight. You weren’t in the mood to argue right now, so as soon as you got to the kitchen, you decided to forcefully close the door on his face.

He didn’t barge in as you expected - he could be quite explosive. When you finished cleaning the kitchen and went to your shared bedroom, he was already in bed, laying down only in his underwear and playing something on his phone. You took your clothes off - needless to say, he didn’t spare you a glance. Even the next morning, when you two woke up at 6 AM to go to work, you two never said a word and he didn’t kiss you goodbye like he always did.

Two could play that game.

But, truth is, you couldn’t play that game. 

You loved him too much. But he had just declined your call and you didn’t know how to deal with that. So you drove home as fast as you could, still not a single tear on your cheeks, and when you finally barged into your shared apartment, you saw Jungkook laying on the couch and watching a movie. He, once again, didn’t spare you a glace, and his face was completely disinterested in your sudden presence.

“Stop being a dick!” you yelled at him, your voice cracking, from how long you had been holding back your tears. His eyes were quickly directed to you, and his eyebrows furrowed when he noticed the shiny look in your eyes, sitting up on the couch, and staying there, unsure of what was happening. Until tears started running freely along your soft blushed cheeks and you took both your hands to wipe them away. That’s when he stood up, and rushed to you, standing in front of you and softly holding your wrists, so he could pull them away from your face.

“What happened?” he asked softly and your sobs only seemed to intensify. He picked you up, holding you tightly in his arms, your legs wrapped around his waist and your face hidden in the crook of his neck. Then he sat with you back in the couch and waited for you to calm down, not saying anything. Just rubbing your back and playing with the roots of your hair.

Then you finally calmed down and decided to pull your face away from his neck, to look him in the eye, for the first time in the whole day.

“What happened baby?” he repeated softly, nudging your still wet nose with his own and you looked down, playing with you fingers.

“My life sucks.”

“Why?”

“My week has been a nightmare so far and now you’re a dick and I really wanted to talk to you just now but you declined my call and I really can’t stand you,” you stated, your voice cracking numerous times, and Jungkook chuckled looking at how helpless you looked and you really wanted to slap him, but then he pecked your lips and grabbed the back of your head, bringing it back to his chest and laying down in the sofa, with you on top of him.

“C’mon, tell what got you all worked up…” he muttered playfully, lovingly looking down at you.

And that’s when tears started pouring out of your eyes once again. At some point, you were already uncontrollably sobbing in his chest, your fists grabbing his shirt and Jungkook’s grip on you tighter than before. The look on his face wasn’t playful anymore, and the furrowed brows and worried eyes were back, his full attention on you.

"I-i had the worst day Jungkook," you let out in a tremulous waver. Jungkook encouraged you to keep going, even though no else but him - that had met you for about 9 years now and knew you better than anyone else ever could - would understand a single word that came out of your mouth. "When I started working as a surgeon there were these 2 charts that were handed to me. An old grumpy man named Charles and a 16-year-old girl, Jessica, the typical teenager who thinks she knows it all. They had pretty severe heart diseases and even though Charles didn't even like me at first and Jessica called me an 'ugly bitch' the first day I met her, I took care of them. They went through a lot and they were so strong. I gave so much of myself to make them stay, you know? I worked so hard to keep them safe," you cried and even though Jungkook already knew what this was about, he prefered to let you let it all out, just humming from time to time. "They've been with me since day 1, they've watched me become a better surgeon and a better person overall. They were closer to me than my own friends” You stopped talking for a few minutes, while Jungkook kissed the crown of your head and your breathing calmed down 

"Jessica  was turning 18 next week. She was a total romantic. I used to talk to her about us." Jungkook smiled. "Most of the times me and you argued, she was the one to tell me what to do. I talked about you to Charles once. He didn’t really like you that much. But I think it was more of a protective instinct than anything else." you paused and Jungkook kissed your forehead, in a way of support. You closed your eyes and sighed. 

"They had surgeries today. I mean, I'm not dumb, I knew by their vitals that they weren't going to last as long as I wanted them to, but I just wasn't prepared," you voice started cracking and wavering once again and the tear stains that had already dried out were once again freshly wet. "Surgery was too much for them, I shouldn't have done it," you cried out. " I am so sorry, this was all my fau-"

"It wasn't... It wasn't your fault. You're a surgeon, it's your job and unfortunately, this is a part that comes with it. It's not your fault. You're an amazing surgeon, they knew it and they trusted you with their lives for 2 years. You never let them down, but no one lasts forever and they were no exception. As you said, they all had severe diseases and even though you're a great surgeon, which was proven with how you kept them here for 2 whole years, you can't always conceive miracles. It was not your fault.”

You two kept quiet after that, you knew he was right. Of course, he was, he was Jungkook. You weren't crying anymore and a great part of that was due to Jungkook's back rubs and constant forehead kisses.

“You know, Jessica never had her first kiss” you whispered. “I used to tell her kissing was disgusting anyways, so she wouldn’t feel left behind by other girls her age” you giggled softly and Jungkook stroked your curly hair, smiling. 

“Charles was pretty rude at first, we disliked each other for about 2 weeks and then he told me I reminded him of his daughter because she was also the feisty type. They didn’t get along very well. Haven’t talked to each other for two whole years and today I had to call her after the surgery and tell her that her amazing dad had just died on the table. What hurts the most is that she was so unbothered, I was probably way more devastated than her. He was almost like a father to me.”

"They sound amazing," he commented after you stopped talking.

"They were amazing," you muttered and smiled, sighing softly a bit after and looking up to your boyfriend, who was still massaging your back, his hand was underneath your shirt, directly placed on your skin. He knew his touch always calmed you down, even in the toughest of situations. He would always be the one to get to soothe your nerves. You had met him 9 years ago, but every single moment with him still felt like the first. He was the only one who got to see this side of you. He knew how it was behind the scenes. Behind the perfect and intelligent facade laid some painful experiences and he had lived every single one of them with you. He had experienced the sleepless nights before an exam. He had woken up in the middle of the night to find you seated on the living room’s couch with a cup of hot chocolate in your hands and tear-stained cheeks, all this coming from the constant doubt you would never be able to get rid of and that still haunted you today. ‘Am I good enough for this?’ And he would always stay up, reassuring you that ‘Yes, you’re good enough’ and he would repeat that as many times as you needed him to. Because he knew you were good enough. God, you were so much more than enough.

Jungkook loved you beyond question. You meant the world to him. And looking down at you, he couldn’t help but think about the topic that hadn’t left his mind for the whole week. And that had been the cause for the snappy temper you had been obligated to deal with these past days. He had been pestering his members with this same topic too, and they were already sick of telling him to ‘go for it’. He couldn’t stop thinking about it. 

What if it’s too soon? How could it be too soon? He had met you 9 years ago and started dating you 3 years after that. Of course it wasn’t too soon.

What if you didn’t want to be committed to him in that way? Jungkook knew you had quite a problem with commitment, you were terrified of getting committed to something for a lifetime. But... damn... You loved him. He could see it behind your eyes whenever you looked at him. Or in the way you’d lay awake in the middle of the night staring at his face, illuminated by the moon’s shine, and thinking he was asleep. Or in the way you were so comfortable with him, to the point of laying on top of him, eating chocolate cookies, wearing white cotton panties and a t-shirt of his that looked way too large on you, probably because you measured only 5′1′’. You both knew that he was your safe space and you were his. 

You would never break down like this in public, in front of your colleagues or your superiors. You couldn’t. But with him, you knew you could and you would anytime you needed to. Because with him you knew you were safe. There would never be any judging. He would never make you feel any less for having a human side, a weak side. Instead, he would embrace it with everything he had.

Always. 

“Will you marry me?”

[venteamocha]

Thanks so much for the IF recs! I'd absolutely take a second post of recommendations for Twine games too if you're willing to share! <3

Of course!!

I... actually like twine games better than cog based ones, in some ways, just because they tend to be fancier and prettier, and I am secretly a ferret in the body of a human and I love shinies. ADHD, baby!

I only actually know of like 12 twine games, so if there are any that anyone who sees this knows of that I didn’t list, feel free to let me know about them! There’s a chance I do know about them and just didn’t put them here, but I would rather hear one I already know of on the off chance that I’ll get a new one dropped in.

That said! Another list of games I really like that is again in no particular order!

They’re all on itch.io by the way! They tend to work better if you download them but most can be run in your browser and most are also mobile friendly so you can play them on your phone! I’ll note which ones are.

Scout: An Apocalypse Story: I love dystopia stories, I dearly wish we had more IF based in this kind of setting. Set in a wasteland that is trying to pull itself together with people trying to find out if other settlements are out there while also trying to, well, stay alive. I gotta say, I played only E’s route for a long, long time, but once I tried the other ones I haven’t really gone back. I still love E, you can pry the childhood friend trope out of my cold dead hands, but wow. Oliver. Wow. That dude has serious UST. And Sabine!! I’ve been forced out of my little “play it the same way every time” rut and I’m not sorry. I very much like that you can choose the intimacy level, as someone who’s ace. Sometimes I like reading the smut, sometimes I don’t. Options! (mobile friendly!)

Bad Ritual: I got it baaaaaaaaaad~ I do though, I love Siruud. I have terrible, terrible taste in men. I mentioned Dracula in the other list, and here there’s an actual demon. This is a game with *sass* and I always love a chance to be sassy. I think part of the reason I resonate so much with this one is because of how jaded retail has made me tbh but that’s another story.  Honestly, if you like dark settings, I recommend you play this one first of all my recommendations. It’s just such a good game and there are so many choices and even the pronoun choices are pretty varied.  It’s just good! (mobile friendly!)

Wayfarer: Another for the fantasy list! I love the worldbuilding in this one, and the character creator is just amazing. There are maps, there’s a codex, seriously if you love reading lore, this is definitely a game for you. This is like if Tolkien made an IF. It’s amazing. I’ve said that a few times but it’s true. In all honesty it might count as one that’s not so romance focused, since it does focus more on plot. If I could just sit down and make an IF, I’d want it to be like this tbh. With a beautiful framework, a well organized space of information for the players to just look at and see stuff about the world, a way to develop and build their own character in a clear cut way, and the game immediately tells you what stats are effected by what choices. I really enjoy it when games try to work in character creation in creative ways, but sometimes I just want to sit down and go, “Okay, my character has red hair, blue eyes, is short, and has a crippling phobia of lizards” and this game lets me do that. Well, except for the lizard part. (Not as mobile friendly as the others but I make it work!)

Love and Friendship: It’s a regency game and I love Pride and Prejudice. What can I say? Something about the massive amount of rules of society just gets me. Propriety! This is a game that has a set gender protagonist, female, and it actually is a bit different from the norm in that it has two female love interests and one male, when most of the time it’s the other way around. So that’s something. You can even have a platonic route with a fourth love interest, who is also male. There really aren’t enough platonic routes, but I understand why that is, since a lot of IF players are looking for romance. (mobile friendly!)

Exiled From Court: Also a bit of the same vibe simply because of how constrained everyone is by rules. Nobility, after all. There are a lot of love interests, and one is the MC’s sister’s husband, which is definitely gonna be scandalous. Will I do it? Will I? Eventually. I do like how you can act like an absolute hellion, well, as far as that goes considering. You can try to be a better person but that’s less fun, lol. (mobile friendly!)

A Tale of Crowns: This is literally one of the very first twine games I ever played. Really! It’s got a lot of wonderful intrigue and the setting is very fun. There aren’t a ton of fantasy middle eastern games, and this game is definitely one reason why we should have more. There’s a great deal of customization, and the love interests’ gender will changed based on your MC’s gender and sexuality combination. I like R & D best, and no that’s not a pun. I think. (mobile friendly!)

For the Crown: This is a different game, I swear, they just both happen to have crown in the title, lol. You get to play as an assassin, which is a great deal of fun. The lore in the game is very nice too. I tend to play with they/them pronouns though, and there were a few pronoun hiccups in the game. Seems to be an issue across all of the games made by this author, but I know how much of a pain variables can be so hopefully those will get squashed soon. There’s an explicit content choice in this one as well, and if you turn it on there is an “equipment” choice, so this is definitely gonna be spicy later on! (mobile friendly, but after each chapter the browser shifts as it auto saves. you just have to tap restore game to keep playing.)

-These games aren’t exactly twine games, but I’m putting them here because they’re visual novels that fit the IF format for the most part and are also on itch.io and I love them and for this post at least I will bend my own rules! They all have gender choice MCs and are nonbinary friendly.-

Perfumare: This game is actually being made into an IF, with the visual novel as a sort of preview of what we’re gonna get there. I literally cannot wait for that to happen, this game is so good as it is, and from what we’ve been told it’s only gonna get better. This game has an excellent world, the characters are all messy in the best ways, and ugh it has hurt me quite a bit, again in the best way.  It’s another one on the dark side of things. The powers in this game are just so fun, I dearly want a game set in this world where we can choose what powers we have! Maybe that will be in the IF, but I have a feeling the answer is no. We’ve been teased that there will be a second game with a different MC who will get to romance the characters we can’t in this one, and that alone is enough to get me to jump as soon as it drops. The love interests aren’t gender variable but there are two male ones and one female. I, a known mess, recommend Laurent for lots of repression and pain. (not mobile friendly, you gotta play on desktop/laptop)

Andromeda Six: I’ve recommended this one to pretty much everyone I know, it is such an excellent game. The cast is a mashup of misfits and makes me miss my Mass Effect crews. I specifically set my pronouns to she/her just so they’d all call me Princess. What can I say, I like it. There’s lots of pain, lots of drama, lots of world building, lots of interesting lore, and there is much breaking of cuties. Much. Can’t wait till we get to the next planet. The author has gone out of their way to say that each love interest is gonna get their own arc and will definitely get their own share of attention, so no matter who you pick you’ll have plenty of time to be with them and watch them shine. (not mobile friendly, gotta play on desktop/laptop)

When the Night Comes: Not only do you get to play a badass hunter but it has multiple poly routes! Multiple! It’s rare when you get one poly in a game, this one has three! You can also choose to romance any of them individually if you so choose. It’s dark fantasy gothic, and I really really like that. (not mobile friendly, gotta play on desktop/laptop)

Errant Kingdom: Made from the same dev as WTNC, this one is set in a more fantasy middle eastern setting. Very pretty, lots of intrigue. You can choose between three set protagonists, who can have three different storylines depending on your choices, which is very nice for replayability. It’s got two poly routes this time, and it works the same as their other game in that you can romance them individually if you’d rather be monogamous. (not mobile friendly, gotta play on desktop/laptop)

[blouisparadise]

Upon request, here is a rec list of bottom Louis fics that involve a love triangle. We tried to choose fics where Louis or Harry have feelings for more than one person or have to make a choice between two or more people by the end of the fic. For each fic, we specified who the people competing for Louis’ or Harry’s heart are. We hope you enjoy all these fics. If you do, be sure to give the writers love and reblog this post! Happy reading.

1) We Are Wide Away | Explicit | 9091 words | Sequel | Harry vs. Liam

Liam watches Louis, his closed eyes, the way his skin is shining with moisture, the flutter of his lashes against his cheeks; when he looks up Harry is staring at him, watching him in turn.

2) Doesn't Have To Be A Real Thing | Explicit | 12532 words | Harry vs. Nick Grimshaw

In which Harry helps Louis get over his ex and it kind of becomes a regular thing. It’s totally casual – they have an understanding. But what happens to Harry when Nick reappears in Louis’ life?

3) Maps Can Be Poems When You're On Your Way | Not Rated | 18974 words | Harry vs. Liam

Harry falls in love with the guy his best friend is fooling around with.

4) Bloom | Explicit | 24887 words | Harry vs. OMC

Note: This fic has been locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

When they first meet at Harry’s flower truck, Harry falls hard but Louis’ unavailable. Only before long, Harry reignites a spark that Louis thought long forgotten.

5) If This Is It, At Least We Can End It Right | Explicit | 26369 words | Sequel | Harry vs. Zayn

Note: The first fic isn’t endgame Larry, but the second one is.

Harry breaks Louis and Zayn's there to pick up the pieces.

6) Sweet Dreams Are Made of This | Mature | 29982 words | Harry vs. Zayn

Loosely based on The Wedding Date. Inspired by 27 Dresses. Basically, Fake Boyfriend AU with a twist. Louis' sister is unknowingly getting married to the ex who broke his heart. When faced with the prospect of turning up alone, Louis panics and hires a corporate escort named Harry. General chaos and epic jealousy ensues.

7) The Blood Is Rare And Sweet As Cherry Wine | Explicit | 33569 words | Harry vs. Henry Cavill

“Sex therapy?” Louis asks, cocking an eyebrow.

To his credit, the doctor doesn’t blush, “An extremely personal and efficient form of therapy, Mr. Tomlinson.”

“Oh?”

“Should you and your husband wish to, I would be eager to help you in any way I can offer.”

8) Maybe We're Perfect Strangers | Explicit | 39849 words | Harry vs. Niall

When an EDM festival in the Caribbean touts itself as a “life-changing and transformative experience,” Harry’s not too sure he buys into it. Regardless, Harry wants nothing more than to please his best friend, so he goes along for the ride. What he doesn’t expect is to fall head over heels for the festival’s organizer who Harry discovers is also the object of his best friend’s affections.

9) With Stars Of Brightest Gold | Explicit | 41109 words | Harry vs. Henry Cavill

Louis Tomlinson is the premier courtesan at the Moulin Rouge. In his dreams, he has always wanted to be a famous stage actor. Locked into his contract, he has little means of escape until a handsome duke promises him freedom with a romantic alliance. Due to a case of mistaken identity playwright Harry Styles is thrown into the mix, compelling Louis to choose between his head or his heart.

10) Some Things Take Root | Explicit | 50269 words | Harry vs. OMC

Note: This fic has been locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

AU. Louis’ ex doesn’t get jealous of anyone besides Harry. Harry helps Louis use that to his advantage. 

11) The Bachelor | Explicit | 53953 words | Louis vs. many men

Note: This fic has been locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

The one where Harry dates six other guys and still falls in love with Louis Tomlinson.

12) Amazing Sin | Explicit | 56034 words | Harry vs. Liam, Louis vs. Taylor

Gears started turning in Louis’ head$. Purely mischievous gears that had Louis formulating a revenge plan against Taylor. He’d had enough of sitting around and taking it. If she was going to call him a whore, then fine, he’ll act like one for real. “I’m going to say something, and as my friends you are obligated to love me anyway.”

 “This can’t be good,” Niall said, Zayn just groaned.

“So I know we have this strict ‘no lashing back at Taylor’ rule with me, but what if I can get press revenge a different way?” Louis asked. He wasn’t expecting an answer, because they knew by now to just go with it. “What if I stole her boyfriend?”

13) Every Story Has Its Scars, Ours Is A Brand New Start | Mature | 62859 words | Harry vs. OMC

Life as a devoted husband and an amazing father turned out to be a little different than Louis had expected. Everyone tells him it doesn't have to be that way; that he's worth more and that he's so much stronger than any one person trying to keep him down. It's all just words though until he meets the one person who makes him truly believe it.

14) Curly Bun Man | Not Rated | 68600 words | Louis VS. OFC

I just paid for these Doritos but they're stuck in the vending machine and I know you've been waiting but I am not going to let you buy something until you help me. AU

15) This Wicked Game | Explicit | 70010 words | Louis vs. many men

An AU in which The Bachelor is gay, Louis is a contestant, Harry is the bachelor, everyone drinks a lot of champagne, the entire world gets to watch them fall in love, and no one plays by the rules.

16) You Drive Me Crazy (But It Feels Alright) | Teen & Up | 102036 words | Harry vs. Nick Grimshaw, Louis vs. Luke Hemmings

Note: This fic has BH mentions.

Bridget Jones' Diary AU.

“Harry is not short for Harold,” he corrects, his voice as thick as molasses. He lowers his eyes to Louis’ sequined lapels, rubbing one between two fingers. “Is this small or extra small? It looks lovely.”

Louis breaks away from his grip with a petulant huff and pushes him back with two fingers.

“You’re mocking me. Again.”

Harry smiles and it's a real honest swoop of his lips this time. Louis’ stomach swoops with them.

17) Blue Ice | Mature | 102967 words | Harry vs. OMC

An AU where Louis finds himself in a marriage he didn't bargain for.

18) Fucking Animals | Explicit | 116687 words | Harry vs. OMC

Louis is the frontman of an equal rights-movement, author of a book about beta-omega marriage and the struggles of being born and boxed into a personality you don't necessarily feel you fit. The notion that an omega must want to be with an alpha or else he or she's just settling for less, is bullshit.

But, fucking hell.

19) Like Water Over Fire (Like Water On Fire) | Mature | 119264 words | Louis vs. many people

Prince Harry has 46 men and 13 weeks to find the husband of his dreams, Louis has a limited amount to time to live out a royal fantasy. They might just be exactly what the other needs.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[princess-of-the-worlds]

tldr: I’m back, babey, with a handful of Torchwood fic recs timed perfectly for Halloween! Now, I tried to collect newer as well as older fics, but honestly, the way it worked out, they all ended up mostly being newer. Still, the fics here are a mixed bag in terms of spooky versus creepiness, and you should definitely find several you like!

I cannot sleep warm by Beleriandings (@ultraviolet-eucatastrophe)

“And I love you too. Now... time to wake up.”

(janto | complete | teen | 11.2K)

Nik: Hi! Do you want to cry? Well, then, read this fic! Set in...well, a scenario I can’t entirely describe without spoilers but can say that it involves dreaming, this fic transcends reality - and also imagination - at times. The author - yes, I am proud to call her my friend - is very good at writing surreal stories, and there are just so many angsty layers to this fic. There’s this symmetric beauty to the first chapter that the second chapter just brings into focus. I immensely enjoyed this fic, but don’t go in expecting a happy ending!

The Picture of Javic Thane by thirteeninafez (@thirteeninafez)

The painting was an old Victorian portrait, showing a man sitting in an almost throne-like chair, posture perfect and facial expression stoic. Deep colours swirled from brilliant brush strokes, perfectly capturing the image it was displaying. It took Ianto a second to realise that the figure in the maroon, nearly purple suit (and matching bow-tie) was in fact the same man that was currently holding the painting in the Hub.

“That’s what came through the Rift?” Ianto asked incredulously, trying to ignore the smile that was tugging at the corner of his mouth.

(janto | complete | teen | 22.3K)

Nik: Full disclosure, I beta’d this fic, and holy shit, it’s good and perfectly fits the Halloween mood! This fic is essentially a The Picture of Dorian Grey AU, and the author’s descriptions as the painting changes...chef’s kiss! All team’s perspectives on Jack and how he changes is delightful and enough to make you shudder. If dark!Jack is something you’ve been missing in life, read this fic, but also know that it comes with requisite amounts of angst. (But I guess that that’s to be expected!)

Werewolf of Cardiff by Jackdaw816 (@shejustcalledmeafish)

Ianto's a wolf in the bedroom. Literally

(janto | complete | teen | 0.5K)

Nik: Again, full disclosure, I chattered about Werewolf Ianto to the author enough until she wrote this. So you can basically thank me for this fic! Short and sweet, this fic is essentially the quickest and best fluff you can ask to cheer you up or give you the warm fuzzies! Despite being a werewolf, Ianto’s full characterization still comes through, and the author does a delightful job with pouring on the extra love and warmth into the Jack-Ianto relationship.

Jack-O'-Lantern by AVAAntares (@avaantares)

An epistolary story in which Gwen carves, Ianto objects, Owen shirks, and Jack pays.

(Written for Torchwood Halloween Fest 2020. Prompt: Halloween traditions or celebrations)

(janto | complete | general | 0.7K)

Nik: Another quick fic! This one is entirely amusing with a great team dynamic! Brief emails follow the trajectory of the weeks before Halloween in the Hub, including a pumpkin that falls victim to Gwen and Jack as well as other moments of humor. You’ll certainly find yourself giggling along!

Imposters Among Us by gwendolyncooper (@gwendolyncooper)

The Torchwood team (+Rhys) are out for a night of fun when they end up on a spaceship with no power, no info, and no crew. Known only as THE SKELD, the team tries to fix the ship and figure out what happened to its previous occupants.

But something out there is killing them.

Something that may be someone they know.

(gwenrhys, janto | complete | mature | 9.1K)

Nik: This fic, as gut-punchy and well-written as the writing is, may not for the light-hearted, as you can likely see with the tags, but trust me, it’s worth it and ends up paying itself off! It’s essentially real-life Among Us, but playing it in reality is a lot more terrifying than playing it on your phone, and the team proves that! The plot is intriguing as it builds on the lore of the game, and the emotional beats certainly punch very hard, but the fic lands a bit more lightly on its feet at the end. Certainly a must-read if you love Among Us!

Toil, Trouble, and Trick-or-Treating by moonlightrhosyn (@moonlightrhosyn)

“I know what this is. She planned this. She thinks I don’t spend enough time with the kids. That’s why she’s doing this.” “Doing what, Ianto?” Gwen asked him. “What do your sister’s dinner plans have to do with you?” Ianto heaved a sigh. “She just asked me to take David and Mica trick-or-treating so she ‘can go to dinner’ - she just wants me to spend more time with them, and she’s come up with this.” “I can go too,” Jack offered as he joined them. He grinned. “I love kids!” In which Jack and Ianto take Halloween night off to look after Rhiannon's kids, while Gwen and Suzie coordinate Halloween Watch (and Gwen tries to get Suzie a date, after two years of strategizing).

(janto, gwenrhys, kathysuzie | complete | teen | 2.7K)

Nik: Here’s a canon divergence AU where everyone lives, including Suzie, which means we get some fun team times with Halloween! Ianto is tasked with taking David and Mica trick-or-treating, all accompanied by Jack. It’s sweet, light, and a perfect treat, with great little moments like Gwen trying to set Suzie up on a date with Kathy Swanson and David and Mica trying to conspire against Jack and Ianto for candy. There’s no monsters here! I beta’d this fic - you’re probably starting to see a trend here - and 200% recommend this for a fun read if you’re disappointed about not getting to go trick-or-treating this year!

Treat or Trick by NancyBrown

Five unusual trick or treaters show up at the tourist office.

(janto | complete | teen | 1K)

Nik: The author is an icon of this fandom, but this is one of their lesser-read fics, which is a damn shame. Ianto’s Halloween at the tourist office goes a bit awry when he meets the team, not only de-aged but also tossed back in time. It’s quick, witty, and humorous, everything a fic needs! A must-read!

Going Batty by blackkat

Ianto is a vampire. Cue Owen's obligitory Twilight jokes.

(janto | complete | general | 1.4K)

Nik: This fic is completely crack. Completely. If you’re looking for Dracula-esque vampire!Ianto, this is the perfect fic for you. Taking place from the perspective of Gwen, it explores the mystery of Torchwood’s most reclusive member. But again, it is also. 100% crack. But it’s very, very batty. (See what I did there?)

Erlkönig by engagemythrusters (@iianto-jones)

Something lurked in the darkness. It waited and watched, and it was coming for Ianto.

(janto | complete | teen | 5.6K)

Nik: Now, if you really want spooky, this is the right fic for you! The writing is excellent and dripping with tension and suspense, and the way Ianto spirals...now, this is some well-written horror that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you’re looking for answers in this fic, don’t expect any, but that only makes it better. A must-read that was - ironically - written in May. I have many, many questions about how this fic resolves; please tell us, author! (Or don’t, to keep the spooky alive!)

Echoing by Beleriandings (@ultraviolet-eucatastrophe)

Ianto wakes up at his desk in the archives, with no memory of how he got there or what happened before, and no way to contact Jack or Gwen. Turns out, all of that's the least of his problems.

(janto, lisaianto | complete | teen | 7.4K)

Nik: Yes, I know; this author has been on the list twice, but she’s on fire this month, with many, many excellent spooky fics. (Not that her fics aren’t always spooky!) This fic once again hits you like a gut-punch. Written in a very disorienting - in the good way - sense, we as readers follow Ianto wandering the Hub, looking for anyone else. He encounters company who aren’t so solid. By the time you’re nearing the end of this fic, you’ll likely have generated thousands of theories if you’re anything like me, but none of them will hurt as much as the actual truth. Expect some much angst from this. Again, another must-read!

[artcompilations]

hello friend!!!! i hope you are doing good and staying safe!!! if you have a moment, do you have anything on depression and/or carrying on despite it? thank u bunches!!

hi pal! i would have liked to give a more comprehensive response but i’m not sure i’m going to be in the right mindset for it later so i’m just going to link a couple of things for now and maybe you’ll find some that speak to you as well 

as ever with these, a wee nudge that this will be here for when u have the energy and mindset for it, so please do dip in and out as and when is best for you, take it easy!

with all that said, sending love from my corner of the world to yours, we’re here and we’re going to make it, we are!! take care lovely 💓 💓  

poems (**personal faves though obviously everything here is a personal selection) 

poetry recs. would highly second the rec for ‘wild geese’ by mary oliver!! it’s comforting in a very small gentle way and sometimes that’s what u need, a poem that feels kind & soothing... here’s another: susan coolidge’s ‘new every morning’ (mentions of religion) 

**‘a good day’ by kait rokowski, this poem is !!! (mentions of past suicide ideation and self harm but the core of the poem is focussed on the small goodness of the present)

**‘elegy for my sadness’ by chen chen (I wish I could peel / all my sadness in one long strip off my skin / & toss it in a bucket. No one would have to carry it. / It would just sit there & be punished. / It would just sit there & think about everything it’s done.) 

who can look in the mirror for three minutes / and say I love you, I love you, I love you / without bursting into tears over all the ways / we have not loved ourselves (jennifer saunder’s poem)

spoken poetry (youtube links): sabrina benaim’s “explaining my depression to my mother” (death mention) and reagan myers’ “depression is funny like that”

some articles: “I Lived. I Lived. I Lived.” article by Tori Burgamy (mentions of suicide and self harm / “I like to think that we all have two birthdays—the day we were born and the day we started fighting for our lives. That fateful day was my rebirth, although I didn’t know it at the time. It was the day I recognized depression for what it truly is: a liar and a thief.) and ask Polly - why should I keep going 

quotes

WHAT I AM NOT: My brother and I used to play a game. I’d point to a chair. “THIS IS NOT A CHAIR,” I’d say. Bird would point to the table. “THIS IS NOT A TABLE.” “THIS IS NOT A WALL,” I’d say. “THAT IS NOT A CEILING.” We’d go on like that. “IT IS NOT RAINING OUT.” “MY SHOE IS NOT UNTIED!” Bird would yell. I’d point to my elbow. “THIS IS NOT A SCRAPE.” Bird would lift his knee. “THIS IS ALSO NOT A SCRAPE!” “THAT IS NOT A KETTLE!” “NOT A CUP!” “NOT A SPOON!” “NOT DIRTY DISHES!” We denied whole rooms, years, weathers. Once, at the peak of our shouting, Bird took a deep breath. At the top of his lungs, he shrieked: “I! HAVE NOT! BEEN! UNHAPPY! MY WHOLE! LIFE!” “But you’re only seven,” I said.

— Nicole Krauss, The History Of Love

- inkipri 

I sit with my grief. I mother it. I hold its small, hot hand. I don’t say, shhh. I don’t say, it is okay. I wait until it is done having feelings. Then we stand and we go wash the dishes. We crack open bedroom doors, step over the creaks, and kiss the children. We are sore from this grief, like we’ve returned from a run, like we are training for a marathon. I’m with you all the way, says my grief, whispering, and then we splash our face with water and stretch, one big shadow and one small.

- Callista Buchen (not specific to depression but i think some of the sentiment is still? applicable? sometimes at least)

Depression is stupid and not a thing that makes me a better writer. One time I went a whole year without writing and I stayed in bed and drank. Fuck your Bukowskisms. I want sunlight and love and running down some street I’ve never been on where it’s warm and cool at the same time and I’m smiling. I want nothing to ever be bad again- and I don’t mean that I want a life free of conflict, I mean that I want a life free of meaningless conflict. Not being able to will oneself to take a shower or leave the house is meaningless. There is nothing to be gained, no lesson to be learned from that kind of life. My heart is stale, my prose is stale. Give me fire if you want to hurt me. Give me something I can taste. There’s nothing romantic or mysterious about where I am. There’s nothing here worth holding onto.

- Joshua Espinoza

Wherever you are it’s okay. You can come back from it. Whatever happened to you down there, whatever the world looks like now, that’s not how it always looks. That’s not how it’s always going to look. There’s more. There’s always more.

- Patrick Ness, More Than This (yeah out of context but! that’s not how it always looks! there’s always more!!) 

some more general compilations

resilience, to keep on living (mentions of death)

to forgive and value ourselves

choices and life

reminders / two

+ if anyone has anything to chip in, feel free to pop it in the comments or something for anon to check (edit: @/anon see the replies!) all the love ✨

[inevitably-johnlocked]

do you have any fics of john flirting with sherlock over text? maybe sherlock being utterly clueless? thank you & and much luv ❤️

Hi Nonny!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhh AGES ago, I did an Epistolary / Texting / Letters fic rec list, back before I had A System™, so it’s a bit messy but it is there :) I don’t have a lot of new ones to add to it, BUT I decided I would pull all the Texting fics from that list since I now have neater organization with tags and Chapters, and then just add my NEW fics onto that one, how about that? Would that be okay? It wouldn’t be specifically just flirting, but I think that the list is long overdue anyway!! Hope you like something on this one, and I’ll TRY to tag the flirting fics WITH flirting so that you can pick them out :) 

And as always, add your own fics, Lovelies!! <3

TEXTING AND SEXTING (JULY 2020)

See also:

Epistolary / Texting / Letters (My List, 2017)

First Meeting Via Internet / Phone / Letters (Mine)

Phone Sex & Texting (Alexx’s List)

Wrong Number Texting (Alexx’s List)

They Met Online or Texting (Alexx’s List)

Message Not Sent by Queerasil (K, 762 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, One-Sided Texting, Pining Sherlock) - Sherlock texts John after the fall and during the hiatus. The messages are sent, but never received. Sequel to WORDLOCKED, TSTM, and Wait, How Do You Play This Game Again?

Texts and Tea by JillianWatson1058 (K, 959 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Texting, Humour, Fluff, POV John, Cranky John) – A John who is woken up at 2:30 in the morning is not a happy John. Sherlock, frankly, doesn’t care. He just wants his tea.

Untouchable by greengrapegaze (T, 1,368 w., 1 Ch. || Pre-S3, UST/URT, Oblivious John, Lonely Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Emotional Sherlock, POV Sherlock, Pining Sherlock) – “He never would. Petty, childish, immature-bitter. Jealous. She had all that he wanted. All he could never have.” Part 1 of Steps to a Bittersweet Symphony

Yorkshire Gold by Tammany Tiger (K, 1,467 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Angst, Holmes Brothers, Open Ending, Grief, Implied Bondlock) – Mycroft may not mourn Sherlock's death-but even if he knows his brother lives, he's not without his own grief. It ain't easy being The British Government. But at least he's got good help. Set between the Fall and the Return.

Text Me When It's Over by immaculately-flawed  (K+, 1,937 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Humour, Post-TRF, Texting, Sort-Of Pining Sherlock) – After the fall Sherlock starts writing texts to John. Of course, he never sends them... Until he does by accident. Post Reichenbach fic but not angsty.

Denial Isn’t Just a River in Egypt by satanatemycat (T, 2,107 w., 1 Ch. || Humour, Friendship, Texting, Bored/Cranky Sherlock) – In which John makes a bet with a co-worker. If he wins, she shuts up about him and Sherlock being a couple. If he loses… well, that doesn’t matter, because he won’t lose. Because he and Sherlock ARE NOT a couple. Right?

The Art Of Communication by StillWaters1 (T, 2,679 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, H/C) – Lestrade was used to getting odd, non sequitur texts from Sherlock. But when "John went out for milk" was followed by a terse "two hours ago," Lestrade immediately understood three things: John was missing, Sherlock was quietly panicking, and this could all end very, very badly.

Unquantifiable by 221b_hound (M, 2,799 w. 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., Grumpy John, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Pet Names, Texting, Sweet Sherlock, Princess Bride References) – John remains a terrible and foul-tempered patient, but he does try to make up for it with pet names and text message silliness. In the meantime, Sally Donovan visits Baker Street for a hint about the Milverton case, and has to deal with a Sherlock Holmes who can't find words big enough to thank her for saving John's life at the warehouse. For afters, there's a viewing of The Princess Bride. Part 33 of the Unkissed series

The Sweetest Taste In The World by crossroads (G, 3,121 w., 1 Ch. || First Kiss, Jealous Sherlock, Fluff, Pining, Friends to Lovers) – The sweetest taste in the world is rarely ever the easiest to come by.

Entanglement by orphan_account (G, 3,218 w., 1 Ch. || Confessions, Physics, Metaphors, Texting, Pining, Christmas, Mind Palace, Sick Fic, Fluff, Humour, Praise Kink) - On Christmas Eve, snow covers London, John visits Harry, and Sherlock and Mrs. Hudson untangle some knots.

Come home. by hudders-and-hiddles (huddersandhiddles) (E, 3,763 w., 1 Ch. || Texting / Sexting, Lonely Sherlock, Nude Photos, Pining, Fluff & Smut) – When John leaves for a medical conference, Sherlock tries to entice him back home.

Happy anniversary by Salambo06 (E, 3,772 w., 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., Vulnerable Sherlock, Wedding Anniversary, Anal, Texting, Lingerie) – John inhaled deeply, feeling his cock pulse under the silk gown, and he let his eyes travel on the lean body in front of him. Sherlock was kneeling on the bed, their bed, and the picture had been taken so John could perfectly see his bare chest and pelvis. But what mattered most, what made John harden rather quickly, was the pair of panties Sherlock was wearing in the picture. Black, string over each hip and laces that outlined Sherlock’s erect cock barely hidden under the soft underwear.

Lingerie by Sexxica (E, 4,135 w., 1 Ch. || Valentine’s Day, Lingerie / Women’s Underwear, Mildly Public Masturbation, Picture Texting / Sexting, Bottomlock, Body Worship, Anal Sex / Fingering, Rimming, Orgasm Delay / Denial, Est. Rel.) – It's Valentines Day and Sherlock is taking John to Angelo's for dinner. Sherlock also happens to be wearing a garter belt, stockings and a rather small pair of women's underwear under his clothes. There's no dessert at Angelo's because John needs to get Sherlock home just as quickly as he can before they both lose their minds entirely.

If He Knows by shamelessmash (M, 4,513 w., 1 Ch. || TSo3 Fic, Pining Sherlock, Bed Sharing, Angst, First Person Sherlock POV, Texting, Internal Monologue, Blanket Forts) – I imagine mornings: John handing me a cup of tea, hair sticking out at odd angles. How he would bend down to kiss me, smiling fondly as he pulls away. The way his skin crinkles at the corner of his eyes, the way his skin looks in the morning light. The soft sigh as he sits in his chair with the morning paper, the way his toes curl in the carpet, the way he rolls his shoulders before sinking deeper into his seat. I watch him, how he is when he is content, as it should be. As he deserves. Happy. With me.

Tease You Till You Come by phoenix089 (E, 6,090 w., 1 Ch. || First Time, Clueless Sherlock, Sexting/Texting) – Initially, Sherlock was rather put out by John's lack of presence on the case. But then he starts to receive pictures, several of them, of an unexpected nature. The case is forgotten rather quickly after that.

What Did I Do Wrong? by Starlight05 (T, 7,880 w., 5 Ch. || Hurt Comfort, Angst, John Whump, Hospitalization, Worried Sherlock, Emotional Turmoil, Nightmares, Sherlock Being Dumb) - After John almost dies on a case, Sherlock disappears. So John is left to figure out what he can do to get his best friend back. Meanwhile Sherlock, guilt-ridden and willingly alone, is doing everything he can to stay away.

Bread and Wine and Curry Once a Week by cwb (E, 8,737 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Stroppy Sherlock, Love Letters, POV John) – Sherlock asks John for relationship advice. Little does he know that it’s him that Sherlock is in love with.

A Building of Bridges by Unique (K, 12,325 w., 3 Ch. || Drama, Alternate First Meeting, John’s PTSD / Flashbacks, Mute John, Dialogue-Heavy, Caring Sherlock, Friendship) – No one would ever send Sherlock in to diffuse a stand-off; but on one unlikely day, that's exactly what happened. "Congratulations, Lestrade," he called out sarcastically. "You're traumatizing a war veteran."

A Brand of Gold by aquabelacqua (M, 12,757 w., 1 Ch. || Mutual Pining, POV John, Phone Sex, Texting, Masturbation, Long Distance, Drunk Texting) – What am I doing? he wondered. The answer came back at once: Flirting. He let the vital, missing piece snap into place as surely and as cleanly as if it had always been there. He was flirting with Sherlock Holmes.

Traitor's Gate by roane (E, 17,714 w., 6 Ch. || Post-TRF, Case Fic, Mystery, Bets and Wagers, Undercover for a Case, BAMF John, Scientist Sherlock, Teasing, Established Relationship, Military Base, Sexting/Texting, Military/Uniform Kink, Frottage, Dirty Sex, Anal, Bottomlock) – John and Sherlock go undercover at a top secret government lab to find out who is selling research. John is back in uniform and Sherlock is back in a laboratory, but they have to pose as strangers. Sherlock thinks he'll have an easy time of it, but John has his doubts. It's up to them to find out who is responsible for putting a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands, and try to keep their hands off each other at the same time.

The Real Meaning of Idioms by feverishsea (T, 21,691 w., 13 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Texting, Humour, Post-TRF, Awkward Romance, Idiots in Love) - After two weeks away, John finally texts Sherlock. He doesn’t expect Sherlock to respond. He doesn’t expect Sherlock to keep texting him. And he really doesn’t expect things to spiral out of control so rapidly.

A Study In Auto-Signatures, Sniper Dolphins, and Sex Holidays by cwb (E, 32,689 w., 8 Ch. || Case Fic, Post S3, Evil Mary, Dev. Rel., Beach Holidays, Confused Sherlock, Friends to Lovers, Honeymoon, Epistolary, Bottomlock, First Kiss / Time, Fluff, Secret Agents, BAMF!John) – John and Mary go on their sex holiday, and Sherlock is grumpy and pining about it. Part 1 of HOT DOLPHIN SEX

A Week is Just Seven Days Isn't It? by scifigrl47 (T, 39,906 w., 4 Ch. || Humour, Friendship/Bromance, Stroppy/Bored Sherlock, Undercover/Army John, Texting, Pining-ish Sherlock, John Whump) – When John heads overseas for a week, Sherlock's forced to fend for himself. It goes about as well as anyone could have anticipated. Which is to say, very, very poorly. Don't worry, things'll be fine in just seven days.

Definitions by siennna (T, 101,528 w., 12 of ? Ch. || Dev. Rel., Pining, Fluff and Romance, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Fluff, Cuddles) – Sherlock’s journey in defining his flat mate and stumbling through the muddled world of emotion. {{This feels complete; the chapter count is listed as ? but I feel like it is done}}

[wearetakingthehobbitstogallifrey]

Kdrama recs Part 2

Hello @camsthisky and anyone else who cares! I do apologize for the delay on this post--it has only been 84 years since Part I of my kdrama recs, I know, and I thought about going for a full century but this is me finding a way to de-stress after watching the first episode of I-Land alkdjfadlksj I’m gonna die of heartbreak but whatever

Speaking of heartbreak, there is a lot to be found in Korea’s wonderful historical dramas, so like, be warned—or, if you are an angst-loving monster like me, settle down for hot guys and good cries

Let us begin! (or, if you want romantic modern dramas see Part 1)

1. Scarlet Heart Ryeo/Moonlovers: 

aha ahahahahahaha *weeps* You may have heard people talk about this show. You may have heard ME talk about this show. This thing was my first kdrama ever and it RUINED ME 

Disclaimer: I have seen this show once and rewatched it twice and on the rewatches I can never quite make myself watch the last 4 or 5 episodes because things get tragic and messy and I get mad. HOWEVER there is a lot of good in the first part of the show and because this thing was all the rage in everywhere but Korea itself, there’s like over 300 fanfic for it and several good fix-its, including one by my good friend @thelonelybrilliance

Ok so anyway this show which could also be called An Abundance of Princes starts with a young woman from modern times getting thrown back into ancient Goryeo during an eclipse and finds herself in the body of Hae Soo, the cousin of the wife of one of the princes, and thus she gets embroiled in royal affairs which are, quite frankly, a mess. See, the evil eyeliner prince (whom I love even when he’s the worst) is plotting with his mom to get the Crown Prince out of the way aka dead BUT who should return to the Palace but the 4th Prince, Wang So, who has spent at least half his life living as hostage to a powerful family. 

So has a scar that cuts across his eye and which in this society makes him a horror to look at or smthing idk he just looks extra hot to me but anyway he wears a mask and is known as the wolf dog (or as the MURDER ANGST CUPCAKE thanks @abadpoetwithdreams). He might seem a little rough around the edges at first because his life has been hell but he really just wants to love and be loved okay people need to be nice to him wtf

Other princes include: 

    1.  the Crown Prince, Wang Mu, a good egg, not particularly charismatic but he tried to protect his lil bro when no one else would

    2.  the 8th prince, Wang Wook, who reminds me of a fellow named Shane and I don’t mean the cowboy

    3.  the 10th prince, Wang Eun, a dumb adorable spoiled bby (played by Baekhyun from EXO)

    4.  the 13th prince, Baek Ah, a tol soft boi, an artist, a BAE, a BRO, a SHIPPER ON DECK

    5.  the 14th prince, Wang Jung this son will fight everyone he’ll fight himself he just loves to fight! Not always wise but he’s a good boy and I like him a lot 

    6.  just realized I skipped the 9th prince but nobody cares 

One quick note is that IU plays Hae Soo, and I enjoy her a lot in the first half of the show where she is still spunky and rebellious...sadly her character kind of falls apart/gets too weak for my liking as the episodes progress

The MAIN reason why I feel it my duty to recommend this show to everyone despite the fact I have never met anyone who wasn’t traumatized by it is LEE JOON GI

Yes, this man:

 I mentioned him in the previous rec post—he played Bong Sang Pil in Lawless Lawyer (AND IS NOW CURRENTLY STARRING IN FLOWER OF EVIL WHICH WILL BE ON ANOTHER POST AHDFOIASDHGALDSKJF FRIQ I AM IN LOVE WITH THAT MAN) 

BUT SERIOUSLY LOOK AT HIS PHOENIX EYES!!! HIS RAZOR SHARP FEATURES! HIS BIG ADORABLE EARS! HIS BEAUTIFUL EXCESSIVE BANGS! 4TH PRINCE WANG SO LOVE OF MY LIFE

SOMEONE PROTECT THIS BBY

2. Hwarang: Ok so right off the bat I am going to smack down a disclaimer that I can’t stand the female lead. TRULY CANNOT. Thus, I don’t like the romance, and only care about the love triangle as far as it just shows how sad and lonely one of the guys is. (Also there are scenes of dumb old men plotting and I don’t like them either). At the end of the show, I am happy that the one guy is NOT stuck with the female lead as his wife. Good for you sir

Sounds like a show to steer clear of then, right? WRONG. This is a show that you skip through because the scenes that are good? Are GREAT

Picture this: It is the Silla era of Korea, and the queen is ruling as regent in place of her son, who has been hiding all his life because everyone wants to kill him. Well, son is now grown and must soon come into the light and take the throne. Queen who both wants her son as king but also really likes being queen decides to do everyone a favor and form an elite fighting squad out of all the prettiest and most talented sons of nobles in the land, with the idea that they will be loyal only to the throne, and thereby keep their dads from plotting to destroy everything. 

Let me tell you something, these ARE the prettiest boys in the land. Good hair, good jawlines, beautiful smiles—the cast lineup includes Park Hyung Sik and his cute lil elf ear, Park Seo Joon, Taehyung (yes from BTS!), and Choi Minho from Shinee, plus two other actors who are lesser known but who are drop-dead gorgeous. Anyway. Sorry, but they really are all beautiful. 

The fun thing is they don’t all get along right away, a few of them are VERY much opposed to the other for various reasons, but they all have to bond and become brothers in arms. And what they don’t know is that the real king snuck in and is one of them. 10/10 I would die for the boys! (also Tae has an older half-brother who is a lower rank than him but whom he looks up to and that makes for cuteness and pain) Once you skip the boring or annoying parts of the show, the rest has so much delight, laughter, and oops pain, lots of pain. I want to go re-watch. 

Two other things I should mention about the show: a super soft side romance between secondary characters and a game of, as they call it in the show, HOT SOCCER 

^pretty boy 1 (with the cute elf ear sadly on the other side of his head)

^pretty boy 2 (sad cheekbone bby) and pretty boy 3 (happy cheekbone bby)

^pretty boy 4 (the prettiest of them all, and he knows it!)

^pretty boy 5 (aka Taehyung danced around the set of a historical drama and made everyone adopt him as their bby) 

3. Faith/The Great Doctor: This is a longer kdrama at 24 episodes and they didn’t have much of a budget so special effects aren’t the best or anything but I just got really attached to all the characters? This is another modern girl goes back in time but UNLIKE SHR it actually has a happy ending, so if you need a historical drama cleanse after that tearjerker/enrager, this could be it for you

Eun Soo has to navigate the ancient kingdom, keep people believing she is a heavenly doctor with special powers, and keep Choi Young alive so he can fulfill his promise of returning her to her own time. The problem with that is Choi Young does have kind of a death wish because of reasons—

Eun Soo is a plastic surgeon who would really like a rich handsome husband one day but them’s the breaks for you, aka she has had no luck in that department. Back in ancient Korea, Choi Young (played by Lee Minho in sadly the only role I really love him in) is a high-ranking beloved captain who can fall asleep anywhere. Oh he can also make electricity with his hands! :D

The story begins when the sleepy sad captain tries to escort the new king and queen to their palace. This was during the time period when ancient Korea was basically a puppet kingdom/tributary of ancient China (Yuan). The king (who is very smol and lacks confidence, but still has a good heart for his country) lived as a hostage in Yuan for many years, and his wise tol queen is a princess of that land, and someone needs to sit them down and make them talk because they actually love each other a lot. Anyway, when the queen gets injured by assassins, Choi Young goes searching for a legendary doctor, winds up in modern Korea, and steals both Eun Soo and a SWAT shield, because hey, it looked cool I guess

Lots of fun things in the show: Choi Young has a crew of soldiers who are BEYOND loyal to him, and while he doesn’t think much of the king at first because he’s been burned by kings before, they slowly become bros and shippers on deck for each other. Eun Soo does not lose her spunk or loyalty unlike other people I could mention *cough*HaeSoofromScarletHeartRyeo*, and it cracks me up when she curses people out. There are also a bunch of people (mostly bad guys) running around with special powers or gifts, including a flame lady and a flute boy, and the latter wears delightful anime wigs, keeps his sword in his flute, and plays his flute to kill—literally! I love flute boy very much 

sorry it’s black and white but DO YOU SEE THE SWAT SHIELD

4. My Country: A New Age:

ANGST ANGST ANGST PAAAAAIN BUT ALSO BEST INTRO BEST FAVES BEST ACTORS

Picture this: two young men, who both hail from childhoods of trauma, who grew up together and are best friends, and who are tragically forced apart and end up on opposite sides of a conflict that threatens to upend the current rule of the kingdom. This IS the star-crossed brotp you’ve been waiting for!

Seo Hwi is the son of a general who died a criminal, and all he wants is to live simply and earn enough rice take care of his younger sister, who has seizures and a sweet crush on Hwi’s bestie. Hwi is the best softest most loyal boy with a good and true heart, a great deal of courage, and a talent for wielding a sword, and just wait till you see the best one-shot fight scene ever of him in battle, it is INCREDIBLE! (He is played by Yang Se Jong, who I now want to see more of) Hwi has an abundance of charisma points in that he picks up a small band of loyal soldier friends and they become the best little found family, lots of brotp-ness in this crew—do not mess with any of them because they will all FIGHT you

Seon Ho meanwhile is the illegitimate despised son of a powerful nobleman, only tolerated because the legitimate son died. Seon Ho loves his friend and is very protective of his friend’s little sister who crushes on him but his dad is a high class grade A power-hungry jerk and that causes complications of course. Seon Ho also has a good heart, he’s a gentle soul really, but he always gets stuck in bad positions and unfortunately makes a couple of difficult/bad choices so he hardens himself as much as he can but the consequences always kill him and he just wants to save his friends and destroy his dad and the stupid hierarchy that treats bastards as lesser. WHY IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? 

Seon Ho he is played by Woo Do Hwan who has so much talent I die so many times over in this show just because of the way he portrays Seon Ho like that sad sad boy is one of my favorite characters evER! Is he problematic? At times maybe but I am HERE for him he just needs LOVE AND AFFECTION AND AN ABUNDANCE OF GOOD FRIENDS BUT INSTEAD (SOMETIMES THRU HIS OWN FAULT BUT HE ADMITS THAT) HE JUST SUFFERS AND SO I SUFFERRRR

*grabs a towel and dries up my tears*

Hwi also falls in love with a woman named Hui Jae (or was it Hee Jae i can’t remember) and they are very cute together, she’s pretty cool but the show’s one failing is arguably that they kind of underuse her in the plot as the story goes on? But I still like her and she still has a good role, and she is both brave and kind and not afraid to step in or tell people off, also keep a weather eye open for patching up scenes! 

Oh yeah, eVERYONE in this gets hurt/stabbed/shot/bloody, such a shame they have to take their shirts off to clean and bandage the wounds ;)

Last character I must mention is Bang Won, played by Jang Hyuk in his second interpretation of the historical figure. Bang Won is the fifth? son of the guy who becomes emperor/king, and he has his own plans for the country, so when Hwi catches his eye, he recruits him to his cause.  What you need to know about him is that he has issues with his dad, is slightly unhinged, and cannot and should not be parted from the fan that he constantly carries around with him. Gotta say, Jang Hyuk is FANTASTIC (heheheheheheh) in the role, able to convey all kinds of emotion in the rise and fall of his voice, in the tilt of his head, the tears of his eyes, the flick of his fan. Give this actor all the awards! 

To sum up: if you like to cry for days after watching a drama, if you like excellent heart-wrenching brotps, if you like conflicted characters, if you like amazing music and setting and plot, if you like guys with good hair and arm muscles (and 

abs, thank you shirtless scenes what) this show is a Must Watch 

DID I SAY STAR-CROSSED BROTP I MEANT SWORD-CROSSED BROTP ADKJFADLSKJFLKJDFALKDGKLJL </3

~

Ok I was going to leave the historical drama post at this for now but...I’m going to cheat a little and include the one historical C!drama I just finished.Yes folks I am talking about:

5. Nirvana in Fire:

Ok so maybe the switch from kdrama to cdrama makes you uncertain. Maybe the fact that this show has FIFTY-FOUR EPISODES makes you go hell no I don’t have enough time for that. Well if you overlook this show for those reasons, you are making, and I do not exaggerate, the greatest mistake of your show-watching life!

Look, first, this drama has one of the best, most intricate, most satisfying plots in history, with like 20 characters you would die for, and second, the episodes are only about 42 minutes each, which is shorter than most kdrama episodes, so you can deal.

Once upon a time there was a general/family who were just too good to exist in corrupt old China, so naturally they were framed for treason and there was a giant massacre and everybody died, including the eldest prince who was like um dad maybe this is all a horrible mistake and the king was like no u are the mistake. Sad times.

One of the many younger princes named Jing (A NOBLE HEART, if not always the cleverest) returns home from wherever he was, finds out that not only did his prince brother die, but so did his best friend/brother in the whole wide world, Lin Shu, son of the general. Because he insists on the innocence of said bros/family, Jing becomes an outcast prince and is shuffled off to fight in wars where he can’t cause any trouble. Meanwhile, Princess Nihuang, Lin Shu’s brave, awesome, amazing, wise, incredible girlfriend, refuses to marry anyone else, and because she is too cool to be messed with, nobody tries to banish her

Cut to I think eleven years later, when the two most powerful princes are vying to be the crown prince and heir to the throne. They both try to recruit the aid of a renowned clever and sassy strategist named Mei Changsu, to help them with plotting and PR and such.

Well little do they know that Mei Changsu is actually the not-dead Lin Shu, with a completely new face (for reasons), and that Mei Changsu is a chess master setting up a long con for the dual purpose of obtaining revenge/justice for the dead and of raising Prince Jing to the throne, since Prince Jing is the only man with a good enough heart and strong enough will to make China a better place for all the people. But just to make it hard on everybody, Mei Changsu is dead set on not telling anyone who he really is—again, for reasons. He is not always successful in keeping his secret.

I literally don’t know what else to say because there is so MUCH to say, so many characters to love, and I mean LOVE. How do you get a cast this good? How is everyone so different yet so important? How do you feel bad for the emperor even when he’s slimy? How do you have to stop yourself from rooting for the prince who would destroy some of your faves? I can’t praise the charisma and acting talent in this show enough! And the music! IS GORGEOUS!

1 strategist too sassy for his own good and too clever for everyone else’s good + 1 prince who loves his mom and his dead best friend and his dead older brother more than anything else in the world + 1 gentle wise mom + 1 eternally loyal princess who would defend her loved ones with the sword if necessary + 1 sassy Elrond healer man + 1 grumpy sulky baby who loves being a better fighter than almost everyone + 1 loyal to the death, brave badass general who is going to have a stress breakdown if the strategist doesn’t take better care of himself + not 1 but 2 good boys who deserve to be protected but who are willing to throw themselves into battle if necessary + 1 antagonist tiger prince who I love and am not ashamed to say it = THE BEST OF TIMES

^he hardly ever wears his hair down but when he does <33333333

*checks calendar* how soon is too soon rewatch something, asking for a friend

[rotzaprachim]

Ok but your soc au was and is absolutely everything I need!! I saw ur draft and was instantly brought back to like 2018 but like in a good way??!? You’re so talented it’s amazing!!

i’m SO GLAD TO HEAR and not sure if this is about the Hunger Games Au or the misfit au but EITHER WAY i am always so so SO glad when people enjoy my extremely niche soc (+ even nicher soc AU) stuff it’s been one of my most consistent interests for five years now. 

ALSO! There is MORE of the SOC misfits au and i actually have so many ideas and precise plot points i am going to have to take out a notepad and try to plan this bitch out? Which i NEVER do? But here’s a scene from the opening. Hope you enjoy!

  CONTENT WARNING that while one of the biggest divergences i plan to take is that the AU will be far, FAR less sexual than Misfits as a show, taking in mind the younger general target audience and character ages of Six of Crows and respect for the characters, there is a sexual joke in this that felt appropriatedly teenage. 

“We were given these powers for a reason. We have to do something useful with them. Use them to help people.” Inej insisted.

“Given these powers by who, then? God?” 

“God wouldn’t give them to us as a reward,” Matthias said, suddenly flexing his hands nervously, as if the possibility of his newfound ability to turn things into instant popsicles had in fact been conferred by a far more demonic entity. Looking at Kaz, he thought there was something to that particular theory. 

        “Everyone shut up with making the fucking community center into some kind of fucking seminary. God’s faker than the blonde hair of the poor girl who delivers off-brand milk to this dump on thursdays, and if there’s any supernatural reason for our powers, it’s that fate decided they’d dealt me a fucked enough hand and might as well give me something with a purpose.” 

“And that is?” 

“Making myself fabulously, disgustingly rich.” 

“Which you plan to do with your ability to inflict plain in what, the fucking community center? None of us have five fucking quid to rub together, except for Posh Boy Here.” 

“I don’t have five quid either,” Wylan said quietly, getting mostly drowned up in the arguing. 

“Yeah you do,” Jesper said quietly. Wylan almost flinched, unused to being heard in the chaos. “I know the pen you have. Some kind of an old school Lamy that needs fancy ink cartridges. It’s like, ninety at least.” 

“You know about Lamy pens? From where?” 

“I got a past even the devil would flinch from, merchling. I have seen things. Horrifying things, spine tingling things, th-” 

“I’ve seen you before. On Tv i think.” 

It was Jesper’s turn to be surprised. “I-” 

“There is no fucking way you are going to do that. I’ve been trying for fucking years and I barely make rent.” 

“Are you saying you have a sharper acumen for the world of business, Nina dearest?” 

“I’m saying I didn’t get fucking arrested for eating pick-n-mix, that’s for fucking sure. Anyway,” Nina said primly. “I agree with Inej. If we have powers we should use them for something.” 

“Like what? Fighting the oppressive overarching structures of society that hold us all down?” Kaz’s voice dripped with sarcasm. 

“Yes.” Inej said. 

“I was thinking more like. I dunno, small things. Loads of hopeless cases around here.” She shrugged. “Maybe we can make some a little less hopeless.” 

“That’s going to be really easy, what with the dead body of our probation worker lying around premises. Yes reporter officer sir, we did help that old lady cross the road with her sunday shopping, now come take our interview and take our photos for the Sunday Supplement and yeah, sir, don’t notice the full on bloody corpse lying in the rec room.” 

“We do it in secret. Have codenames to mask our identities, like real superheroes do.” Wylan said. 

“They organise a cute little meet-and-greet with a real fucking superhero as an extracurricular at Eton, did they now? Give you have so much experience with how real superheroes operate, then.” 

           Inej’s eyes flashed. It almost looked like a warning, and he filed a mental note that she looked like she might have a little more lightening inside than he’d first judged. Kaz glanced away from her and stared at the wall where they’d hastily moved a big sign for Mommy and Me Musical Magic Monday Maraccas Momzanza!!! (6 months to three years) over what remained of the blood, which, given the deteriorating likely asbestos-ridden condition of this rattrap, would be a goddamn bitch to fully get out of all the cracks and gouges in the wall. After they dealt with the body. 

The problem was, he liked the posh twit’s idea. Liked it a lot, far more than he was willing to let on. If there was anything he’d learned in his years in the Dregs, it was that names had power. Images had power, the idea that other people had of you. If they were properly terrified, they stayed the fuck away and did what you told them too. Make something greater than yourself, and have them fear it. That was the closest you came to power in this world. 

So Kaz gingerly nodded, levelling his enthusiasm in a slightly bored town. “Yeah, eh. Let’s do that. Codenames. So they don’t know what ours are.” 

“You go first, then, genius. What’r you gonna be going as? Cazzo Brekker? Dickhead of the nth degree?” 

Kaz thought for a moment. Tapped his gloved fingers against his knee. “Dirtyhands,” he said. 

A long, sudden pause. Kaz’s brain worked fast enough to realise the disaster he’d just set off, and he was suddenly, urgently, jealous of Jesper and his powers over town. 

The silence was broken by Nina shrieking with laughter, harpy lad and almost doubled over. 

“Dirtyhands? You might as well call yourself Filthy Fingers. Or better yet, Massive Fucking Wanker.” 

“You could abbreviate that to MFW,” Jesper added helpfully. “In case Massive Fucking Wanker was too long to fit on the superhero cape or something.”

Kaz glanced around. Inej had disappeared, although rather that was using her power or because she’d always been good at doing that even before the electrical storm made them all freaks from one of Wylan’s comics, and Matthias was doing something that looked like praying fervently, hands clasped and searching strips of the grey sky through the cracks in the skylights, looking very much like a man caught in one of the lower circles of hell and searching desperately for deliverance.

“Very funny. I have a suggestion for you lot, then. It’s called D-E-A-” 

He was well into launching himself at both Nina and Jesper, certain that if a fight broke out he at the very least wouldn’t be the looser, when he rammed into something small but very solid.  

“What the-” 

Some very sharp fingernails pinched his ears. Bold move, considering his aforementioned touch-me-and-feel-excruciating-pain powers. It hurt. 

“Where-?” 

Inej didn’t rematerialise. Jesper jumped up, though, as if someone had sharply stepped on his foot. “Oww, mate.” He reached out, swatted air. Nina tipped sideways suddenly, rubbing at her scalp. “Shit, did you have to yank at my hair that hard?” 

          She was fast. Tricky, tricky. Kaz mentally reassessed his current pecking order of bullshit-powers-by-order-of-danger 

“If we don’t stop fighting, we’re all end up in prison again. Police’ll be here soon, and we need to make alibis. They’ll cross examine us and we need to make sure the stories match, because there’s no way they’ll trust any young offenders on our own. And we have to do something with the body before putrefication really sets in and the smell comes.” 

Inej didn’t rematerialise. A veiled threat of another pinch, Kaz realised. He almost had to smile. Nina and Jesper both looked a little gobsmacked, and it dawned on Kaz that that was by far the longest string of words they’d heard Inej say at once. 

“Fine.” He thought he saw a dark ripple of her hair, but it was nothing more than a mirage- a tease, he would have said, if it were Nina-” and she was gone again. “We will have veiled identities, but we will refer to each other exclusively by our true, God-given birth names. Kaz, Jes, Nina, Inej, Posh Boy, and Barry.” 

“That’s not my name,” Matthias said. 

“It’s fine, man,” Jesper says. “You can go by your middle name instead. Kaz does, which is why he’s referred to by the diminutive form of Kazzmatazz, instead of his first name, Demon.” 

The clock on the wall hit five. Nina immediately started stripping off the required orange uniform jumpsuit, giving Matthias a good look at her cleavage.

“Don’t play with the poor boy,” Nina said. “He might almost believe we’ve all been possessed. Now has anyone seen where I left my bus ticket, lipgloss, and the half a hazelnut kitkat i saved from lunch?” 

The wind, the unknowing observer would think, blew the ticket, tube of gloss, and wrapper, emptied, right back in Nina’s face.

[kittypurritto]

Helllu! I see you've been watching lots of chinese/korean dramas. Can you rec your favs?

 Hello!! Of course I can n.n (sorry it took so long to answer, I kept making changes to this aha). I’ve decided to list my current top 3 favourites, because apparently I’ve watched a lot.

Okay guys, here goes.

Chinese dramas:

So lately the past year or so of my life has been consumed by cdrams (and recently kdramas by extension), but here are some of my faves that I’ve watched.

The Untamed

Anyone who follows my blog knows my crazy obsession with this amazing show. It’s based off of a novel called the Grandmaster of demonic cultivation (has an anime with the same name– s2 is slowly being released right now). The story takes place in a world ruled by the evil Wen Sect. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan cross paths and become good friends (hardcore bromance). Wei Ying tries to save innocent Wen from death, and in the end, he lost almost everything. After going missing for 16 years, the pair find each other again and try to find the real villain.

It’s full of action, mystery, adventure, heart ache, supernatural ghouls, longing, whumping, and an amazingly attractive cast that should honestly be illegal. If you’re looking for a show with lots of emotional pain that will swallow you whole, then you’re in the right place. 

P/s. the 2 mains sing their love song which makes it that much more beautiful/painful.

Ps/s. IT ALSO JUST GOT PUT ONTO NETFLIX GUYS. No excuses not to binge it, and when you do, dm me so we can fangirl together.

Guardian

Another drama based off of a novel, with gay bros, longing, and adventure. Shen Wei is an immortal (kind of), and currently a university professor that has been waiting centuries for his lover/friend (Yunlan) to repay him for what he gave Shen Wei and will do anything for him. Zhao Yunlan is the head of the SID, a department that solves mysteries and crimes with supernatural origins. Together they help save others, solve mysteries, and save the world from Shen Wei’s evil twin brother. 

 All I can say about this one is that if you haven’t seen it, you’re seriously missing out (but warning, the cgi is horrible lmao). It was also super amazing seeing Zhu Yilong in a main role like this. The king of micro-expression seriously doesn’t let us down. 

Legend of Fuyao

This show had consumed my soul for about a full month and a half until I finished it. When I finished watching, it left me sad that it was over. Got to be honest, the ending is still a bit confusing, but is still worth the watch. This is an epic love story about Fuyao, an orphan looking for adventure, but gets caught in a fight between kingdoms and destiny. Along the way, she meets the Crown Prince and they fall in love, but destiny has their fates already decided. They are on the opposite sides of good and evil and need to decide whether one lives and the other dies. It’s got amazing fight scenes and a really attractive male lead (his first lead in a show I believe). Super amazing acting, because let’s be real, any show with Yang Mi is an automatically good show. She’s just too amazing.

Other honourable mentions: Granting you a dreamlike life, Eternal Love, Untouchable Lovers, the Rise of Phoenixes, Detective L– were amazing shows I could rewatch until I die.

Side note: I am super excited for Xiao Zhan’s Jade Dynasty. So hopefully that movie will be available to us soon.

Korean Dramas:

All right guys. I’ve only recently started watching korean shows about half a year ago or so, so I haven’t seen too many, but the ones I have seen I’ve fallen into a deep love with that keeps me going lol.

My Country: The New Age (ongoing)

This show only has 8 episodes so far and I can’t tell you all how amazing this show is. Words can literally not even describe how much it’s consuming every waking second of my life right now. I think the main reason is Seon ho, who started off as someone you respect, but is constantly doing bad shit. He tries to salvage good things from the wrecks he keeps making, but who knows how long that will last. He is ambiguous and slowly turning into a villain. He is slowly turning into the things he wants to destroy and it’s heartbreaking. My heart aches for him and Hwi all the damn time. I just want them to be bff again and stop fighting, but of course this won’t happen. This show has political turmoil and a country at war with a royal family and council who just wants to watch the world burn. Of course, this means manipulating everyone to get what they want, but both Hwi and SH are trying to play their own game, accidentally putting themselves against each other constantly. Watch for heart break, friendship (sometimes), and very attractive male leads aha.

Also, the music is 1000000 thumbs up. All I can say is PLEASE WATCH IT AND FREAK OUT WITH ME.

It’s on netflix, so guys, no excuse lol (DM me to fangirl with me

Black

I don’t want to spoil too much about this show because it’s honestly an experience. It’s about a girl who can see when people are going to die because of the shadows that follow them. She meets a childhood friend, who has a secret, and he asks her to help him solve crimes and protect people from dying, but of course he has his own plans. Get ready for a funny and badass female lead guys.

It’s the first korean drama I watched and will always be one of my faves. It’s an incredible murder-mystery story with more layers than a damn onion. It’ll keep you on your toes and the ending makes me cri evry tiem.

Arthdal Chronicles

At first I thought this show was kind of weird, but an episode in and I was hooked. This show is difficult to explain, but it starts with a war between Arth and the Neanthal. 2 legendary babies get separated and live in opposite parts of the country. This show is hard to describe but it follows the 3 mains, Eunsom, Tanya, and Saya (and Tagon/ Taelha lol) and their fight through tragedy, and sometimes hell on Arth (lol – like hell on earth – am I funny yet). It’s all about a fight for power and revenge among the tribes. Every single character in this show has a different reason, but they all want power to get revenge, basically.

The fantasy aspect of this show and the different ‘species’ are incredible. It does get very political, but the fun of it is all the plotting, and how the characters fix their plans that don’t work out. Half way through I kept screaming at my TV for the mains (Tanya/Saya specifically) to just fkking talk to each other ughhh. Also, Saya will be my favourite unstable boy forever. 

It has 18 episodes on netflix so far, but just signed up for 2 more seasons (thank god because if they stopped at 18 eps I’d pull a Rosa Diaz and kill everyone and then myself -.-”). I can’t wait for it to come back. GIVE ME MORE CONTENT.

Other honourable mentions: Hwarang, Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (not finished it yet, which is why it’s not up in my top 3), Missing 9, W Two worlds, Warrior Baek Dong Soo.

Thanks for reading and requesting!

I am always looking for new shows to watch, so send me recs too. I find my favourite ones are the historical dramas. But let me knoww!