#i m not sure if the characterisation makes sense

[walls-actual-ly]

“Anyway, you’re just here to check on me again?”

Ez smiled, and Yone nodded slowly, responding:

“Yeah, but I also wondered if there is something else I can do for you. The others have their reward, but you did amazing too, and deserve something nice. So I was thinking if you might… want me to take care of you in one way or the other?”

He could feel his hands starting to sweat a little, and consciously focused on not clenching them, instead watching the blush creeping up his friend's neck.

“You mean, like, sex?”

Ez’s voice actually cracked at the end of the question, and Yone had to stop himself from thinking too much about how adorable the boy was, how pretty and cute and just… worthy of so many good things. 

“Well, I can also just massage your scalp or neck, it depends what you want. I’m offering, you’re the one that is making the call. After all, I want to do something for you, as a treat.”

[tojirights]

Honestly think you're one of the best writers for Alastor in this fandom! Your stuff is always brilliant and the characterisation is perfect!

Had the idea last night: Alastor and reader going multiple rounds, and reader still wanting more and being full of energy but Alastor being absolutely out of it and completely shattered, so he uses his tentacles instead, because what kind of gentleman keeps his lady wanting?

Just an excuse to request tentacle sex with everyone's favourite "deer".

a/n: im gonna be so real with you, im not really sure if the tentacles are like, real apendages or if they're part of his shadow soooo i wrote them as the latter. hope it makes sense!! thank you love :') y'all are too nice 🩷

if there was one thing you weren’t expecting to still have in hell, it was your damn hormonal cycle. you didn’t necessarily have a period, but by god, you swore you still ovulated. it felt even worse than before, the primal need threatened to burn a hole through you. you always felt like a bother to alastor during this week of the month, begging and pleading for him to fuck you for hours. but, alastor never turned you away.

today though, you were especially needy. alastor had already made you cum a handful of times and had cum twice himself. he was exhausted. yet, there you were at the edge of his bed, eyes still filled with lust. “my goodess…” alastor chuckles, shaking his head. “i’m not sure i have much left in the tank, darling.” he cups your cheek, watching tears well up in your eyes. “i-i’m sorry-” he shushes you before you can continue. “did i say anything about stopping? i’d never dream of leaving my lady hanging when she needs me.”

“but…” you frown, watching alastor’s smile turn to smirk. “i have a few tricks up my sleeve, my dear. lay back.” your eyes widen as there’s a flash of green light, followed by five tentacle-like appendages sprout from alastor’s back. “w-what?” adrenaline surges through you as well as a mix of excitement and nerves. “you’re gonna… use those?” you gulp, watching the tentacles slither towards you. “why of course!” alastor snickers, seeing your apprehension. “don’t you worry that pretty little head of yours." he coos, watching with hungry yet tired eyes.

the shadow apendages wrap around your thighs, cold to the touch but not unpleasant. as they slowly spread your legs, another slides between them. it's almost embarrassing the way your legs shake with anticipation, the cool tip of the tentacles swiping up your slit. "o-oh, that's..." you sigh in relief when you're suddenly being filled. "how's that darling?" alastor hums, watching as you open wider around him. "that's... oh god alastor..." you pant, every slow thrust of his tentacle-like shadow making your head dizzy.

the foreign feeling of being stretched so wide has you already teetering on the edge. without warning, alastor curls the apendage while picking up pace, making your eyes roll into the back of your head. "gonna-" you mewl, hips arching off the bed with every thrust. "k-keep going please. 'm gonna cum." every whine makes alastor almost wish his cock was back inside of you, knowing just how hard you're clamping down on his shadow.

but the sight of you writhing, gripping the sheets like you're life depended on it was something he's grateful to be seeing from afar. the buildup to your orgasm comes strong, the coil in your stomach snapping from the tension and- "oooh, you really liked that, hm?" alastor's voice is heavy with arousal, pulling you back to reality after cumming. your vision slowly returns, heavy breathing filling your ears. you barely register the soaking mess you've made on the bed. "oh my god. did i..?" your face goes red, embarrasmemt setting in once again. "yes, my sweet. you did, and made quite the mess for us to clean up."

[tteokdoroki]

hi my beloved angel could i pls request shinsou + ❛ you keep your hands where they are or i'll tie them up. ❜ :33

☆༉ — HITOSHI SHINSOU: 0-800-HOT GUY-HOTLINE.

line. ❛ you keep your hands where they are or i'll tie them up. ❜

extension. edging kink + fem!reader + nsfw.

things to note. for you my baby!! i hope u like heeem n that i characterised him well!!

it’s not your fault, really. 

usually you’re so obedient and good when it comes to hitoshi — he takes care of your needs as long as you behave and listen to him. with him, you cum as many times as you want, cry as loud as you want and your boyfriend will always make sure that you’re satisfied by the end. you’re spoiled in a sense. but today, shinsou seems keen on undoing that narrative. 

you’ve lost count of how many hours he’s been going at this, fucking just the tip of his girth into you at a painstakingly slow rate — you’ve tried everything, throwing it back on him, your usual whining, even grovelling, but the hero won’t budge. each time, he runs a hand down your spine affectionately and cherishes the way that your whole body shivers at the contact — only whispering a short.

“be patient, angel,” he says in that low, commanding voice of his. “don’t you wanna be good for me?” 

and of course you do, you love hitoshi so much and he treats you so well. it’d only be right for you to trust him, let him abuse your runny little hole with the the fat, achingly hot tip of his dick until he’s the one that’s satisfied. he pushes his hips forward, only just, breaching your gushing walls with hardly any resistance because you’re so wet from being teased but being spoiled all the time breeds bad habits and keeping you on the very edge of cumming like this. 

secretively, you slip one of your hands between your salt-slicked body and the bed sheets hitoshi has you bent over, brushing over your rock hard nipples and the sensitive spots along your pelvis before you’re able to reach your puffy pussy. it’s hard to keep quiet when you’re finally able to graze your the poor, unattended nub tucked between your slick folds — drawing lazy shapes over it just like hitoshi would do for you. you attempt to choke down a delicate whimper, stuffing your teary face into the cotton to muffle the louder sounds that start to escape you. 

“you sound so needy,” hitoshi breathes, placing a large hand on the small of your back to deepen your arch from behind. he rewards you, for sounding so pretty, he really can’t help it either — giving into his habit as he fucks you halfway down to his twitching length, his arousal bleeding rip nestled just inches shy from your gummy g-spot. “being so good ‘n patient, angel. love it when you’re like this. all pliant and desperate for some cock.” 

you wail in reply, writhing and wriggling for more — only to be forced into pleasuring yourself, pinching and rubbing at your clit in tune with shinsou’s shallow thrusts past your rippling entrance. he soothes you, rubbing circles into your hip dips as he whispers little praises like “just a little longer. “you’re doing so well for me sweetheart.” “i can’t wait until i get to fill you up.” 

that is until he feels your sly little hand brush against this muscular inner thigh, while you attempt to get yourself off. one moment, you’re on the verge of finally hitting release, the next, all of that mounting and heavenly pleasure is ripped away from you by hitoshi’s discovery.

“toshi!” you snivel desperately, trying to appeal to his gentler side when he pulls out of you completely — exposing your hot cunt to cool air as you pulse around nothing. “p-please, please ‘m sorry!” 

he sucks his teeth, three fingers coming down harsh on your sopping mound which causes you to jolt forward on the bed in suprise. “oh, I don’t think you are.”  he seethes cruelly, throwing his weight over your trembling body while he licks a wet trail up and behind your ear. “if you were, you wouldn’t be trying to fuck yourself while i’m spoiling you with my cock.” 

okay, so maybe it is your fault. 

shaking your head, you try to wriggle away — your hips running from the sudden and relentless pressure shinsou applies to your greedy clit from behind. “i p-promise! i am, ‘m so sorry. hnngh, ‘toshi ‘m gonna cum! t-too fast!” 

“don’t care.” the purple haired hero grunts, only speeding up. “you wanted to cum so bad? instead of being a good girl and waiting for me?” nipping at your earlobe, shinsou chuckles coyly and smacks a hand down on your pussy again. “now you’re complaining about it being too fast? well too fucking bad. you get what you give, angel.” 

shinsou’s threat should scare you, but it only serves to turn you on even more — clear streams of your arousal painting his thick fingers against your heat like a sugar glaze. 

“d-do it, i dare you.” you manage to bleat out, challenging him. 

the laugh your boyfriend lets out is both cold and amused, overlapped by the squelch of your princess cunt as he replaces what used to be his heavy cock with his fingers inside of you. curling them straight away. 

“challenge accepted, sweetheart.” shinsou grins, pumping in and out of you so fast you hardly realise that you’ve hit your first orgasm until it’s too late — squirting about the place and soaking the sheets. “but this time, you keep your hands where they are or i'll tie them up.”

꒰ end. — all rights reserved © tteokdoroki 2023. do not copy, repost, translate & recommend elsewhere.

[theonceandfuturequeenoftarts]

Thank you for the tag, @mosiva! ♡♡♡

"Self-rec time! What are your favorite five fics that you've written and why? After replying to this ask, feel free to pass on to five other writers to spread the love. 💗"

Four of these were easy choices and one was trickier, but in no particular order...

thrown into the nest (T, 10,565 words, WIP)

This fic possessed me. The first chapter took over my entire life for ten hours during which I came up with and wrote the whole thing -- I couldn't stop until it was done and posted. Two or three days later, the same thing happened with the second chapter. It's like I was exorcising demons into a doc file. It's also notable because maybe a week or two before I wrote it, I told a friend I would never write ABO fic. More fool me.

I love this fic because it drew together so many ace people -- I've never felt a greater sense of community than I did in the hours after this fic was posted, seeing the comments of people who saw themselves in Harry and Tom's experiences. It blew me away, and I felt so happy to have done justice to some small part of the ace experience. It was a different type of joy, and a bit more cathartic, to write compared to other fics of mine.

VII (M, 2,609 words)

I think I've said it before, but I honestly thought this would be one of those weird little fics that I wrote for myself and maybe five other people would like. It's grown beyond what I originally meant it to be, and while I really, really love the sequel too, this one holds my heart. It's disjointed and dark (for me), and it's one of the few that I've written that actually has Harry and Voldemort start out hating each other and move through it. (What can I say, I mainly write crack and fluff.) They're both feral and damaged and violent and cling to each other all the tighter for it by the end. I also like making the Unspeakables ethically (and morally) dubious and research-obsessed, and this was my first foray into that.

naïve melody (G, 2,904 words)

The Ferris wheel fic; another fic that I thought maybe five other people would enjoy. I'm still proud of the wistful tone it has, and some of the turns of phrase, despite the crack-tastic premise. It's sweet and silly and it makes me feel warm to re-read it. It might also be my favourite Voldemort characterisation of all the fics I've written.

engrave the silhouette of you (M, 10,480 words, WIP)

Look... I just like hurting them, okay? I used the "angst with a happy ending" tag because I need everyone (myself included) to know it's gonna be alright in the end. I have made myself a crying mess multiple times in the course of writing or plotting out this fic. This is very much a "how would the characters react in this situation if X happened?" fic that has grown legs. It's fun (and painful) to put myself in Harry and Voldemort's headspaces and then put us all through the emotional meat-grinder. But it's going to be fine. Eventually.

Capsized (M, 948 words)

Fun, not-previously-shared fact: this fic started out as a way for me to process my maladaptive daydreams and suicidal ideations through Harry. All of the things he imagines or considers are things that I have, as well. (This makes the one comment that says "MAKE HIM SUFFER YASSSS" really, really funny to me.) I wasn't sure if I would ever post it -- it took me five months to decide to do it, because it's extremely personal. But it felt good to put it all into words and make it... "pretty," I guess? It's probably as raw as I can make it while also trying to fit it into the HP world and have it be enjoyable to read.

(Honourable mention goes to Prompt-ober 2023, because it almost killed me to do it, but it was so much fun to write everyday for a month and have the same folks comment each day and chat with them throughout the month (I love you all ♡♡♡). However, that's like twenty-five different fics in one, so it doesn't count.)

Tagging @liquidluckandstuff, @i-dream-of-libraries, @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger, @aglassroseneverfades, and @hikarimeroperiddle

No pressure, do it if it will be a fun distraction! ♡♡♡

(Note: I recently locked my account to registered users only because of an AI scraper targetting Ao3. If you don't have an account and would like to read any of the above, just send me a message and I'll provide a file ♡)

[vivantesopales]

so i made a tomarry rec list to convert my mutuals🍷

or: 10 fics i adore and the potion ingredients they taste of

What He Grows To Be | M, 260k | @k-s-morgan

A story of trust, remorse and the darker aspects of love. It is premised on one of the most beloved tomarry tropes – 'Harry time travels back to raise Tom' – and so Tom is given the chance to unlearn his frankly disastrous sense of entitlement and ultimately, to be reshaped by empathy and forgiveness. WHGTB is the perfect fic to get into tomarry if you're not quite sure what to expect from this ship, still wondering what their dynamic might look like, etc.

love is touching souls (surely you touched mine) | M, 34k | @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger

An accident takes Harry back to the winter of 1945, where he immediately captures the interest of a fresh-out-of-Hogwarts, not-yet-beyond-saving Tom. Their dynamic is deliciously intense from the start, with Harry being his usual sassy, dorky self that leaves Tom equally infuriated and intrigued. And Tom's arc, likewise, is beautifully crafted. Conversations about redemption, about remorse, are layered, thoughtful. Expect hurt/comfort, domestic softness, a devastating cliffhanger and an ending that will gently put you back together like a forehead kiss.

As Is The Father, So Is The Son | E, 4.5k | @this-is-your-heichou-speaking

An a/b/o royalty AU in which Tom (the Prince) is practically obsessed with Harry, who happens to be an omega boy from his father’s harem. This is undoubtedly one of the hottest smuts I’ve ever read, featuring lush prose, unapologetic, dub-con/non-con elements and an interesting take on “dark slutty Harry”. tl;dr: mind the tags; stay hydrated 💦🍆

breaking in through open doors | T, 1.4k | Brooding_Aunt

A unique, haunting read that is perfect for spooky seasons. Horror masterpiece. Goosebumps guaranteed. I won’t spoiler much but I urge you to give emo girl Harry a go (it makes a terrifying lot of sense in the context of the storytelling, I swear), and let her narrative haunt you.

Thirst | E, 27k | @obsidianpen

(Sexy) mind games with Horcrux!Tom …. Will he be motivated enough to let Harry out of the Lestrange Vault before Voldemort arrives? Another dark, chilling fic in which both Harry and Tom have their own weaknesses that the other seeks to explore, and hopefully to take advantage of, as they grapple for survival.

Memento Mori | E, 49k | @purplewitch156

Every time Harry dies, instead of boarding the train that will take him to the Afterlife, to his family, he chooses to return to the living world with Tom, who is unable go on. Four Lives, two idiots, one love story. There’s humour, there’s action, heartwarming moments and heartbreaking ones … basically, be prepared for all the feels that will take forever to recover from.

Wake From a Dream | T, 2.6k | @duplicitywrites

Cats and domestic tomarry (I am so ridiculously weak for this). Duplicity’s writing is gorgeous in that, within a smallish word count, we are given a glimpse of something profound, something vulnerable, subtly tucked into the lovely little interactions and the intimacy Harry and Tom share.

Hmm | G, 6.4k | Wolven_Spirits

‘Harry is a hummingbird animagus. Tom opens a flower shop just to attract his attention.’ That’s the fic summary – need I say more🥺?? There’s something so gentle and evocative (but also undeniably Slytherin) about Tom’s decision to devote himself to his flowers, to creating a safe space for Harry. Florist!Tom supremacy, is what I’m saying.

Man Down | T, 5k | @classlesstulip

It’s tagged as Mafia AU, but in all honesty this fic is, I must say, ‘Ghibli in gangster’s suit’ (affectionate). It’s hilarious (I genuinely laughed out loud quite a few times throughout the story), super adorable, and everything that makes a lovely pick-me-up fic.

What Happens In Vegas | E, 14k | @dividawrites

Sexy, decadent and intrinsically tomarry, this fic became an instant fave a few paragraphs in. Tom is super chaotic and his characterisation is perhaps one of the best I’ve ever read. Featuring a delicious age difference, thirsty brat Harry, DADA Professor Riddle (yes please) and size kink hello🥵 – all that executed through Divida’s sharp, witty writer’s voice! Really, Vegas is the ultimate dream.

[foolishlovers]

🐜

(Need a good laugh💖🤭)

Lots of love for you!

*rubs hands together* anything for you 💜 🐜 Recommend a fic that makes you laugh! A crack fic, or something that's just really funny!

i read Lit by fellshish (T, 12k) today and i'm still processing it tbh. it was so very hilarious and i felt so weirdly seen in the whole literature class setting. crowley's characterisation is so on point and so very heartwarming. every sentence, every chapter honestly just made me smile more and more, i don't think there's any other author who makes me laugh more actually! here's the summary

Crowley takes a university course on literature and surprise! The book they’re discussing is Good Omens. Uh oh.

here are some more funny fics:

Date by ddagent (T, 2k) Every year, Aziraphale is spoiled on his birthday. This year, he decides to do the same for Crowley. There's only one problem - he's not actually sure when Crowley's birthday is.

The Angel Line by FancyTrinkets (E, 2k) The one in which Aziraphale purchases and listens to a pornographic audiobook that just so happens to be narrated by Crowley. Aziraphale cringed and covered his face. This was going to be awful, and also thrilling, and he wasn't sure what he ought to be feeling about it, but there was a definite sense of vicarious shame.

The Invention of Salacious Selfies by Blue_Sparkle (M, 5k) Crowley invented the selfie. And right before doing that he invented the Dick Pic. Secure in his knowledge that Aziraphale does not in fact own a mobile phone capable of displaying such images Crowley ends up sending dozens of saucy images. It's not like the angel can receive and look at them after all, or access the backlog should he ever get a phone. Right?

Fire In Your Heart (And Your Kitchen) by WaitingToBeBroken (T, 7k) The most beautiful man that Crowley has ever seen is also the firefighter that keeps having to put out the fires in his kitchen. It just so happens that Crowley is awful at cooking.

got a pretty face, pretty boyfriend too by KissMyAsthma, leukozyna (T, 9k) Aziraphale and Crowley are next-door neighbours. They’ve been attracted to each other since they met. The only thing keeping them apart is a thin wall between their bedrooms and Atticus and Freddie, Aziraphale’s and Crowley’s respective life partners… or are they? A human AU glued together by misunderstandings and wet food.

send me an emoji for a good omens fic rec

[thelordofgifs]

Sending an ask rather than using the tags, due to length!

High-Kingship really hasn’t let Fingon shine—he’s a champion! Point him at a monster, he’ll slay it; show him someone in distress, he’ll save them; tell him about hidden treasure, he’ll even make a good effort at retrieving it. But he can’t go about as freely as he had as Crown Prince, he’s got too many responsibilities! And he can’t be everywhere at once, so he has to run around putting out fires, setting aside tomorrow’s problems for the more immediate ones of today.

Then M&M: Shall we ever save each other?

You previously posted about not being sure what the themes of TFS are, and I think I have identified one: inevitability, the sense that even knowing things is not enough, like how Namo had already revealed the Doom of the Noldor to them even on the eve of their exile, and even with such foreknowledge they could not defy their fate, and in some ways how their reactions to it only turned it into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Curufin can recognize that he’s making terrible decisions, but he can’t stop. Maglor knows the metanarrative of him and Maedhros, and he tries and tries but still can’t succeed. And on the flip side, you have also shown that it makes a difference how you face inevitability, from Celegorm’s redemption to Maglor’s desperate hope to Curufin’s ends justifying the means/sunk cost fallacy behaviour. And maybe also Maedhros’s future deliberate consideration of death, from the sneak peak into your future writing?

And to tell the truth, I actually feel as if Calaquendi developing execution as a final solution to problems actually makes sense? Like a sort of you’re beyond our ability to reintegrate into society, off to Mandos with you, let Namo sort you out?

I think that Thingol might see Fingon’s offer as a trap though, a sort of guilt by association thing, and if the Eöl incident comes out, then it’ll really look like a trap by tricking him into acknowledging the validity of the death penalty.

Firstly this made my day, thank you so much for this incredible detailed ask!!

Fingon’s characterisation was something that stumped me for a while, and even now my view on him is evolving as I write. When I introduced him into tfs it was more for what he symbolised than for how he might move the plot forward as a character in his own right: “hope beyond hope, music in the world’s endless discord, warmth unlooked-for in its frozen wastes”, which is a line as much about Maedhros’ feelings for Fingon as it is about Fingon himself. (Still one of my favourite lines in the fic, I’m very proud of it.) But the fact that Leithian takes place during Fingon’s brief reign is so fascinating to me: how did he react to it all? What was Fingon like, as a High King?

The early Quenta Silmarillion says:

"Of all the children of Finwë he is justly most renowned: for his valour was as a fire and yet as steadfast as the hills of stone; wise he was and skilled in voice and hand; truth and justice he loved and bore good will to all, both Elves and Men, hating Morgoth only; he sought not his own, neither power nor glory, and death was his reward."

Which, valid. (Also ouch.) Fingon’s great! Everyone loves Fingon! But is there scope, within this effusive praise of him, to give Fingon a slightly darker streak? I go back and forth on this – I am not trying to rewrite the silm as a modern grimdark fantasy, and the point here is not to give unambiguously heroic characters Moral Greyness. But, yknow. Fingon’s a Kinslayer. He isn’t as morally upstanding as his father. And you can’t really write honestly about him without acknowledging that.

Anyway, I tagged a post yesterday as “make Fingon fucked up 2023” and I think I was actually so right for that? By the time he’s become the High King, Fingon is amazingly lonely. All his immediate family is gone: Turgon and Aredhel vanished to Gondolin (and Aredhel is dead, though he doesn’t know that), Argon dead for centuries, and of course his father dead after suicidally challenging Morgoth to a duel.

In tfs I write Fingon as very angry about this. Why did his father leave him, after everyone else had already done the same? Why did he despair and throw his life away for nothing like that? (Fingon is always the antithesis of despair; his own death is not a futile one, he dies trying to do the right thing – and it’s only after his death that hope leaves Beleriand.) So then comes the idea that Kingship doesn’t come that naturally to Fingon – he’s a hero, a warrior prince, not a High King.

(I absolutely cannot take credit for this idea; there are many, many excellent fics that also take this tack with Fingon. I should probably make a separate post about the fics that inspired various parts of tfs at some point.)

Which isn’t to say that Fingon is a bad High King! He’s mostly sorted out Curufin’s mess quite effectively, after all. But he doesn’t enjoy any of it – he wants to be a fearless adventurer, a rescuer, a dragon-slayer, not a politician. And he has been trying, very hard, to put his duty above his personal desires: but the decision to execute Curufin is ultimately a failure to do that. (Does Curufin deserve it? Maybe. Would Fingon have made that decision if not for his anger on Maedhros’ behalf? Unlikely. Fingon is more willing than he should be to do terrible things for Maedhros’ sake. I drew the parallel with Eöl’s execution explicitly, because although I absolutely loathe and detest Eöl, I think Turgon’s decision to execute him was personal, motivated by the fact that Eöl had murdered Turgon’s sister and not some random citizen of Gondolin. Given the canonical taboo around Kinslaying, I don’t think elven realms executed people as a matter of course. Although that’s an intriguing point about how the Calaquendi might see it!)

This is already ridiculously long: putting the rest under a cut now.

M&M! My favourite tragic darling boys!! I’m so normal about them. Your points on inevitability are absolutely INCREDIBLE, you have somehow understood my fic better than I do myself so thank you so much! Although I will add that there are two vitally important characters you missed in your musings on doom: Fingon, who walked up to Angband with a bow and a song and a prayer and won back his beloved, who tells Melian that he is good at hope and tells Maglor that he is going to change the genre of story he is in (Fingon who canonically fails tragically at this and is beaten into the mire of his blood agdhsjdj); and Lúthien, who asks Maglor whether people have the power to rewrite their own dooms and asks Finrod how tight the strings of fate are after all, who rescues Beren from Sauron’s clutches and then wins the right to give up her immortality for him, whose story is titled Release from Bondage.

Anyway, I’m very glad you picked up on the line Shall we ever save each other? because what happened was I was staring at the screen going “say something cool and meaningful Maglor” and then he absolutely delivered. Maglor in tfs – well, my interpretation of Maglor generally, but I really lean into this in tfs – is absolutely defined by his failure to rescue Maedhros from Angband. It informs every single decision he makes. And so he knows that he is not good at saving Maedhros, that there is no particular reason why he should be able to pull Maedhros out of his delusion, but he tries anyway. And expends every single drop of strength he has left on it, and succeeds.

(A detail I’m proud of: the scene between them in part 15 is a deliberate mirror of the last time they met, back in part 3. There are a lot of small repeated phrases: fingers “idly combing” through hair, musings on that one particular line from the Doom of Mandos, the final significant decision to give the Silmaril away.)

But there is still so much mutual trauma in their relationship: the fact that Maglor didn’t rescue Maedhros and the fact that Maedhros went to the parley in the first place (“I dreamed you left me, or else I you”), that Maglor was injured trying to save Maedhros from Carcharoth and then Maedhros left him in Menegroth, that Maedhros has just spent several days thinking Maglor was dead and that he did actually stab him. They love each other a lot, but that isn’t necessarily enough. (It might be! Maglor successfully resisted the Oath for Maedhros’ sake, after all. But also: Maedhros couldn’t take Thingol up on his “the Silmaril or Maglor” offer.)

ok I’ve spent well over an hour on this jumbled mess of thoughts I’ll stop here. Thank you so much for this amazing thought-provoking ask! And I am always more than delighted to get tfs asks, so feel free to send more in! ❤️

[maeselc]

I'm very interested to know what after the brick is 👀 for the wip ask game

(WIP ask game)

Thanks so much for the ask ☺️

Haha so this one definitely has the most opaque title. It was originally a sequel to this pwp, and the working title for that was ‘Brick’, which no longer makes sense because I rewrote the bit that metaphorically referred to a brick wall (in favour of the more Star Trek-y ‘hit him like a disruptor blast’ lol)

In honesty, I started this a long time ago, and I think the way I wrote the characterisation in these fics is different to how I tend to write them now, and I think that’s made it harder to wrap up. I still keep intending to finish it, but I usually end up just rereading it and then closing the file lol. But someday I think I will finish it!

And uh. Just to be clear, it’s a sequel to that fic…so. yeah this one is just smut lol. The opening (which I would say is maybe more of an M rating) is below the cut.

It had taken some time to get here. When Garak had broached the subject, Julian had, in fact, worked it out before he let on (although whether his view of when Garak had first brought it up was in any way accurate was another question). When Garak had resorted to much more overt overtures – downright Human in his directness, Julian had teased – Julian had still put him off at first. This had led to some bickering, not all of it flirtatious. A particularly unwise comment from Garak regarding station gossip about the fantasy-conjuring aliens’ double of Lieutenant Dax had put paid to the whole topic for a while, though Julian had to concede that Garak was right about his predilections. Some of them, anyway.

It wasn’t that Julian didn’t like the idea of dominating Garak. Dear God, it certainly wasn’t that.

He didn’t think that trying to discuss it more openly would get him very far, but what concerned Julian was how difficult Garak seemed to find it to actually cede control. When they first began to test these waters, it troubled Julian further to see how much orchestration and choreography Garak put into being at his mercy. For all Garak was saying, Julian wasn’t sure he would actually enjoy letting him take more control. And their gentle forays into this territory over the past few weeks hadn’t gone as far to assuage his concerns as Garak seemed to think they should have. His tendency toward the extremely specific in his suggestions and the extremely derisive in his responses to any divergence from script was…well, it didn’t fill Julian with confidence. But as they’d gradually ramped things up, Julian had to concede that Garak seemed to be relaxing into it somewhat. And Garak was increasingly compelling in his beseechment. This had culminated in an encrypted text communication Julian received in the middle of a shift in the infirmary that was – in the context of Garak – eye-wateringly explicit, which had sent Julian straight to Garak’s quarters after his shift only to find Garak haughtily unwilling to let him in until their already-arranged dinner the following evening. This, another way that Garak was not actually allowing Julian to take control, gave Julian further pause. It also had the effect—likely as Garak intended—of making him absurdly horny. And anyway, as he had resolved after he’d gone to his own quarters for a swift and minimally satisfying wank, for Christ’s sake, he’s a grown man, he can make his own choices.

It was now clear that he needn’t have worried about that. Garak’s ridges had darkened noticeably as Julian had stripped him; he had let out a delighted little hum as his hands were pulled behind him and tied; he had actually grinned when Julian had produced the ball gag, before relaxing his jaw to accept it; and when Julian had gently guided him down to his knees, the look in his eyes was unmistakably adoring.

[moinsbienquekaworu]

Salut my beloved!

Une petite question pour toi: as-tu une liste de recommandations de snarry fic en français?

(Et aussi: comment dit-on "my beloved" en français? J'aimerais les bons mots utiliser, et je ne pense pas google translate est 100% correct lol)

(Et aussi aussi: oui j'ai pris un cours de français, mais that was several years ago, alors pendant je t'écris le message me tout seul, j'utilise beaucoup google translate!) (If that counts!) (Et seulement je appris le vouvoiement alors j'écris V Formal lol merci de me trouver mignon 🥺)

MON AMOUR MON BIEN-AIMÉ!!! I went and found the fics I used to like back in Ye Olden Days of me reading fic in french <3 sorted by order of which one I remembered first, except my forever faves are at the top of the list because I love favouritism. Most of the links are to FFnet unfortunately, if I found the fic on AO3 I linked to that but french Snarry mostly seemed/seems to be on FFnet.

I'll say it juust in case but some of those I still consider masterpieces and some of those I think weren't very well written in retrospect. That means possible grammar/spelling mistakes and dubious plot/characterisation choices, but it doesn't mean I don't think the fics aren't worth reading ever at all. Sure most of them I cringe at if I reread them but they were important to me. There might be obscure slang or incomprehensible language mistakes though, sorry for that Tomas.

@zeawesomebirdie it posted before I finished the list so here's a tag to make sure you see it haha

• Le Sang des Innocents by Tabourette (280k, 48 chapters)

Le sang, ce liquide carmin qui maintient en vie mais qui peut aussi causer la mort. Une chose si banale mais pourtant chargée de pouvoir. Il nous relit les uns aux autres, nous enchaîne, fait basculer des vies, bouleverse des destins.

-> The summary is incredibly obscure and I love it. It's half a vampire!Severus/blood source!Harry (in french fanfic they're usually called chalices but I don't think there's an equivalent in english) and half a Remus/Draco, which you really get used to actually. It's the one I've been meaning to translate for years. It's absolutely incredible. If you don't like vampires at least give this one a few chapters. The first half is relationship establishing and halfway through the 'real' plot comes bursting in and it's great. Unforgettable, all time fave. AND this one I know doesn't have typos or mistakes.

• Puppy by Mandy Mandala7338 (174k, 15 chapters)

Après la guerre, le Survivant se sent de plus en plus seul et incompris. Sa vie lui échappe, il ne contrôle plus rien, surtout pas ses sentiments. Pourtant, des gens s'inquiètent pour lui et un homme va décider de l'aider. Il fera découvrir à Harry des facettes inconnues de sa vie, ce qui, à sa surprise, va lui plaire plus que prévu. Slash M/M. BDSM

-> Blueprint for who I am as a person and I'm not joking. This fic did 14yo me's BDSM education (I know shhh I know) it helped me with my adolescent feelings and it never left my heart. When I saw the summary for Pacify I went 'hey that sounds like Puppy I should give it a shot!' because yeah the premise is similar, though it isn't executed the same at all. If you are also fascinated by stories about kink written by people who know what they're talking about this is probably the best you'll find in terms of french Snarry. Good grammar as well!

• SAS, Son Altesse Sérénissime by Nanola Meylhann (195k, 28 chapters)

Depuis plusieurs siècles, la famille Rogue règne sur Poudlard, une principauté prospère. Pour le prince, tout va être chamboulé lors de sa montée sur le trône et un secret millénaire va être déterré, mettant en péril les croyances du régent, ses choix et ses décisions.

-> The worldbuilding is kind of insane honestly. Does it make a lot of sense no did I love it yeah. Here Severus is the prince of an imaginary principality and Harry is his ancestral curse-mandated soulmate who had a shit life and starts the fic as a prostitute. The writing is good but Harry doesn't speak very formal french in it so it might be hard to understand in parts.

• La guerre des contrats by Rose_British (70k, 20/?)

Albus a abusé de son pouvoir pour fiancer Harry à Ginny. Il n'avait juste pas prévu l'existence d'un autre contrat…

-> This isn't a "learnt to love your forced spouse" arranged marriage fic, it's a "kick Dumbledore's ass as a power couple" fic. Lots of contracts and legal stuff and grey!powerful!Harry and going to Gringotts, you know how it is. This used to fascinate me. On hiatus but I really hope the author comes back to it if they can!

• Une Histoire de la soumission by Mayunaise (95k, 13 chapters)

"C'est grâce à ce livre que j'ai enfin compris ta relation avec Snape. Tu devrais rester à l'écart de lui. Il est dangereux", dit Hermione. "Mais Snape est mort !", cria Harry. "Justement." Comment Harry, à cause d'un mystérieux grimoire intitulé Une Histoire de la Soumission, développe une obsession folle et désespérée pour feu Severus Snape. 8e année - HPSS - COMPLETE

-> This is a gem this is an anomaly I read it once years ago haven't touched it since and have only vague memories of it but I KNOW I'm right. Its vibes are intense and unforgettable. There's some kind of weird stuff in the flashbacks Harry lives through when he's into the book, fair warning.

• Cloîtré and Les âges sombres by sioban parker (36k & 12 chapters, 38k & 10 chapters)

COMPLETE. En 5e année, Harry réalise avec stupeur que, dans une vie antérieure, il était novice dans une abbaye. Et que Snape était près de lui… UA médiéval et monacal. HPSS !

Suite de Cloîtré. Pour l'inquisition, le maintien de l'ordre social et religieux est l'objectif premier. Malheur à ceux qui s'écartent du rang. HPSS médiéval. COMPLETE

-> I won't lie my memories of those two are extremely vague but the summary sounds dope haha. Also I dowloaded them and I do believe I thought highly of them so yeah? For sure medieval Snarry in an abbey is a choice but I love authors who try weird stuff and Severus does have medieval monk vibes in a way.

• Mardi Gras and Le Carnaval by Archimede (14k, 61k & 4 chapters)

OS. Durant toute la journée, Severus avait dû supporter ses incapables d'élèves ainsi qu'une rébellion de Gryffondor. Aussi, quand Neville l'avait invité à dîner chez lui le soir, il n'aurait jamais cru que la soirée soit aussi mouvementée… ou pas.

Suite de "Mardi Gras". Depuis la soirée de la chandeleur, Severus est sur le qui-vive. Draco et Neville veulent se marier et Harry lui en fait voir de toutes les couleurs. Mais ce n'est pas tout ! Il doit aussi se rendre au carnaval du petit Teddy et subir un repas avec les Weasley… Mais qui a dit que Severus Snape, Serpentard de son état, se laisserait faire ?

-> Vague memories of these but they're fun memories! I love when they do things with other people <3

• La vie d'un calice by kelokelo (235k, 42 chapters)

Harry calice d'un Rogue vampire ? Vous n'y croyez pas ? Et pourtant…

-> Okay this one I had to include because it meant a lot to me and I was obsessed with it but also it's um. Well. It's not very well written. It has grammar mistakes and weird characterisation and some truly deranged turns of phrase and bad plotlines. But it was part of my french Snarry experience and leaving it behind because it's kind of bad would feel mean to me. Probably not good if you're not sure of your grasp of french though. Also you can see the use of the term "calice", chalice again, which, well, I had a vampire phase, what do you want.

• Héritage by emeraldcryst (188k, 23/?)

Un héritage ça plait toujours non? Quand on ne s'appelle pas Harry Potter peut être…

-> I was really into vampires but I also loved creature inheritance fics lol. Another one that's not up to my current standard but that I remember fondly, if very vaguely. It's up to you if you want to read kinda bad Veela Harry :')

• Extermination by Crapounette (105k, 10 chapters)

Dolorès Ombrage a lancé une campagne d'extermination des nuisibles nocturnes. Premières victimes : Remus et Tonks ainsi que le vampire Severus Rogue. Ayant tenté de venger Remus, Harry Potter est jeté à Azkaban où il retrouve le vampire. HP/SS Vamp/calice.

-> ALSO a fic that is kind of not very good in retrospect but that I still love. It aged extremely badly with the way JKR has been behaving because it's a story where Umbridge tries to genocide all the impure creatures like werewolves and vampires and puts them into camps before Harry and Severus save the day. Yeah. Listen when I was 14 this rocked my world! If you're allergic to exaggerated stuff (like Umbridge suddenly having enough power to put people into camps in like 2 months) and uke/seme-like dynamics you probably won't like this one but it's close to my heart. If you want to read the sex scenes (they're not that good but why not) the site she was posting the full versions on went down so eh. There's screencaps saved to the web archive but I don't have the URL. What I do have is homemade epubs with the full text, so you can hit me up if you want those I guess? (anyone btw. You're the only person possibly interested but if someone else wanted to I'd send them the epub as well)

• Joyeux Noël, Professeur !, Bonne Année, Professeur ! and Joyeuses Pâques, Professeur ! also by Crapounette

-> the series is about celebrating holidays but I'm just giving you those because they're also a little not good but at least they're short, I figure that's good if you want to start somewhere.

• Dégrisment by Agathe Laplante (27k, 7 chapters)

Harry Potter se réveille dans une cellule de dégrisement sans aucun souvenir de sa fin de soirée de la veille. Et il aurait, de loin, préféré ne jamais retrouver la mémoire.

-> The plot goes by a little fast but 1) perfumer Severus and 2) I love when people address the consequences of Harry's childhood & adolescence, even if they rush it a little.

• Les Jolis Pitits Dessins by Lychee (18k, 5 chapters)

SLASH SSHP Qui n'a jamais griffoné de dessins cochons sur ses brouillons de devoirs, mmh? Harry n'échappe pas à la règle. Sauf qu'il s'agit d'un devoir de Potions et qu'il rend le brouillon sans s'en rendre compte… Terminé

-> One of my first Snarrys I think! The "pitits" in the title is just a cutesy way of saying petits.

Then I have a few translations that could interest you, since if you have a doubt the english original text is right there. The english texts are all on my reclist that i've been planning for a good year so I don't want to be too detailed in my opinions since that would just be repetition when I finally post it, but I'll still talk about them because I cannot be brief about fanfic I like.

• French translation by Nyfna of Cambiare Podentes: Invocare by JordanGrant (212k, 33/50)

Une nouvelle prophétie fait son apparition, elle promet la mort pour Harry Potter et l'esclavage du monde sorcier, à moins qu'Harry lui-même ne consente à devenir l'esclave sexuel - de façon irrévocable et pour la vie - de Severus Rogue.

(A new prophecy comes to light, one that promises death for Harry Potter and enslavement for the wizarding world, unless Harry himself consents to being sexually enslaved--irrevocably and for life--to Severus Snape.)

-> I think it would be funny if on your path to learning french you used the same fic as me but the languages were swapped. Also the fic is great obviously. Changed my life and such

• French translation by Hesymi of Emancipation by BadGirlgoesworse (151k, 43 chapters)

Qu'est-ce que les gens dépendants sont censés faire lorsque ceux en qui ils avaient mis toute leur confiance les trahissent ? C'est simple, il suffit de trouver un moyen de devenir maître de leur destin.

(What are dependents left to do when betrayed by those they trusted most, but to find a way to become masters in their own right. Set after Department of Mysteries fiasco in Order of the Phoenix.)

-> very uh. Powerful!grey!Harry? Also mostly bottom Severus, if that interests you. The characterisation is Something and there's some bashing but y'know how it is, read it when I was young and I'm fond of it, etc etc. I also find it funny how the french translation has like 20k more words, truly we talk too much.

• Courtiser Harry Potter, french translation by Devil Pops LRDM of The Courtship of Harry Potter by Diana Williams

HPSS Selon une tradition millénaire, un sorcier peut demander la protection d'un mentor plus âgé. Le nouveau professeur de DCFM cherche à séduire Harry Potter, forçant ainsi Severus à entrer en compétition pour conquérir le cœur du jeune homme. /COMPLETE

(Another teacher's interest in Harry Potter forces a reluctant Snape to compete for the young man affections.)

-> Snarry classic, won't get into details, etc etc, it's great honestly. If you like mentor/apprentice vibes this is not exactly that though (because Severus is well-adjusted enough to realise that's a bit weird to have that power over a 17yo. Thank you Severus for having morals)

• Sans Voix & L'ombre de l'autre par Bliblou, translations of Speechless by thesewarmstars and The Shadow of the Other by atypicalsnowman (29k & 9 chapters, 34k & 6 chapters in french)

-> Bliblou seems to have deleted their account at some point, but I have epubs if you're interested? The original fics are dope, if you decide you want to try and read them in french as well hit me up.

And as a bonus for you, here is one singular Tomarrymort I found in the pile, and a Drarry recommendation, juuust in case, because I used to be into Drarry before Snarry swept me off my feet.

• La loi de l'Amour by Rose_British (128k, 33 chapters)

Pour garder son contrôle sur Harry, Dumbledore prévoit de le marier de force et fait instaurer une loi de mariage pour camoufler ses traces. Sauf que tout ne se passe pas comme prévu…

-> Like La guerre des contrats, it's Dumbledore bashing, but this time Harry is with Tom. It's not arranged marriage either because he's already dating Voldemort and then he's arranged-married to Tom Riddle, which is pretty funny. What turned me off the first time is the Severus/Ginny, but I think I might give it another shot honestly.

• Nothing else matters by Rose Malefoy (346k, 39 chapters)

Deux hommes, deux continents. Une vie faite de relations éphémères, sans contrainte et sans engagement, dans laquelle ils n'étaient pas censés se retrouver. Et surtout, ils n'étaient pas censés s'aimer. Si proches peu importe la distance, ça ne pourrait être plus près du cœur, croyons éternellement en ce que nous sommes. Et rien d'autre n'a d'importance . HPDM/DMHP - EXPLICITE.

-> Now I know I know, that's a huge ass novel to present you with when you didn't even ask for Drarry. No offense if you don't want to touch it, that would be fair, but this fic also is really cool. I'm giving you this one because it's the most memorable of the author's works for me, but she's also written a few OS that aren't as big, so if you want 'shorter' quality works and you're fine with the ship I recommend looking at her profile.

AND THIS CONCLUDES IT! Thanks for asking, this was a blast from the past. I mean look at all these summaries that say don't like don't read.... incredible. The Snarry reclist will hopefully be coming this summer but it's going to be a MONSTER. Absolutely huge. So. Hope there's something readable for you in there, otherwise there should be some good short stuff on FFnet or AO3 (or I can rec you actual books that aren't thousands of words long lol)

[idontcarejustletmelive]

Bad Movie Decisions

Old (2021l

Okay, let's watch this bitch. May contain spoilers for the 2021 M. Night Shyamalan film, Old.

04:13 These kids had better get old fast. That's the whole premise, right? If Big was a horror film and actually engaged with the fact it unwittingly made a pedophile of the female lead?

05:59 They're on a beach. Maybe the Beach That Makes People Old. Which, as I understand from the trailer, is what this film is actually about. (I was joking about the Big thing, although it is horrific if you stop and think about it).

06:38 Patented Shyalaman approach to characterisation there - have two kids go and ask everyone their name and occupation.

10:07 Why is this dude wearing sunglasses at night?

10:19 Abbey Lee 😍

11:38 The sunken-eyed resort manager wants a troubled family to get in a van to a secret beach that he describes as "an anomaly". I'm sure this is fine.

14:38 M. Night is the van driver. Abort! ABORT!!!

18:35 The rapper's eyes are gonna have rotted out of his head when he takes the sunglasses off. Calling it.

21:30 Hmm, she's dead, but she's not... Old 🤔

21:43 The rapper still has eyes. Very disappointed. He does have a nosebleed, but very tame compared to my headcannon.

22:51 Grandma's surely gonna cark it next, even though it'd make more sense for it to be Gustave the Yorkshire Terrier.

31:29 Rufus Sewell plays this same arsehole in everything and I'm okay with that.

32:54 The "stay in pairs in case anyone blacks out" plan is going really well.

39:51 Looks like we're going to be treated to some impromptu beach surgery. My favourite.

42.39 The plot points this guy will use to avoid an R rating. Incredible.

45:10 If everything is undone when they finally find a way back through the timey wimey cave, I'm gonna throw shit.

46:56 The rapper has already been here hours longer than the others, surely? Was he a fucking child when he arrived? This film makes no sense!

51:24 This cast is too good for this.

1:08:03 I hope I look as good at 70 as half these people apparently do.

1:13:57 Why hadn't anyone just clubbed Charles over the fucking head by this point? Why is he still being given free rein to stab everyone up?!

1:14:51 Why is everyone behaving like Charles is some unkillable Jason Vorhees maniac when he's just a confused, rapidly-ageing surgeon with a teeny tiny knife?!

1:17:41 "SUBTEXT IS FOR COWARDS!" screams Shyalaman, taking off his shirt to reveal a tattoo of Robert McKee's face.

1:21:23 Make-up department: "All right, so did you want Gael to be bald or go grey or what?"

Shyalaman: What? EWWW! No, gross. Just a few cute wrinkles and that's it. We don't want him to look DISGUSTING!

Make-up: But grey hair is a natural part of-

Shyalaman: *covering ears and screaming*

1:24:08 Genuinely, what does the resort get out of this? I get that there's some vague hand-wavy stuff towards it being a scientific study but to what end?

1:25:42 He definitely thinks this sand castle scene is profound.

1:31:22 My question still stands. This is not how you science. This would not stand up as viable fast-tracking ANYWHERE.

1:40:18 HOW IS THIS STILL NOT OVER?!

1:41:23 Finally.

[tired-beholding-bitch]

hold my hand (bring me comfort)

i am super sick because of the covid booster shot and i decided the best way to make myself feel better was writing a corny sickfic set in a world where The Magnus Archives is an office romance and the office romance features Jon having 0 idea how to deal with a fledging crush and deciding soup is the best way to do so. to spice it up it’s not even him who’s sick for once what could you ask more.

“but, tired, wouldn’t it have made more sense for you to go the fuck to sleep?” yes next question

is it particularly accurate, realistic and/or the height of my characterisation for either of them? no. did it make me feel better? yes on a spiritual level. we all need soup sometimes. i should have also probably slept but going to do that now.

please enjoy, this is a rambling mess but i am lovingly holding it in my hands and offering it to you ❤️

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

«I made you... soup.»

Martin can see that. It doesn't make the image of Jonathan Sims, his boss who maybe-sort-of doesn't really like him, standing on his doorstep in jeans and a hoodie and holding a container of - as he helpfully explained - soup, any less jarring.

He abruptly realises he's still holding a crumpled tissue way too tightly in his fist. There's snot on it.

It's disgusting.

He tries to surreptitiously hide it in his pocket. Jon doesn't seem to notice.

Probably because he's still shifting his weight uneasily from foot to foot, holding his pretty heavy-looking tupperware with both hands so as to not drop it, waiting for Martin to... do something. He nervously looks up from the plastic lid, then, starting up again, taking a sudden interest in the patch of darkened hallway that must be visible over Martin's shoulder.

«It's- you didn't. Sound well over the phone. I brought soup. Would you- can I come in?»

Oh.

«Oh. Oh! O-Of course, sure, come in.» he says, and he almost trips in his haste to move back, freeing a space for Jon to slip inside and closing the door behind him after.

That is when, finally, the reality of the situation dawns on him through the fuzzy, cotton-like haze clouding his head like thick fog.

Everything is suddenly in very sharp focus – the sluggish, slow response of his limbs when he tries to move them, and the ache suffusing his whole body in unpleasant waves (and prickling the base of his neck and the length of his spine and only, somehow, his right temple with especially bothersome stabbing pain), and, of course, how could he forget, the fact that Jonathan Sims is now standing awkwardly inside his flat instead of on his doorstep. Still holding a container of soup that, now that Martin takes a closer look, could probably feed a medium sized army no problem. Entirely too much soup.

Is the soup for him? It’s. The soup is probably for him, or Jon wouldn’t have made the trip all the way from his flat to bring it to him.

There are several baffling implications hidden like Russian dolls in this bigger thought.

Number one – Jon had thought about him. Jon had worried about him. Martin had called him that morning to confirm that, yes, from feeling slightly under the weather the day before he had graduated during the night to a fully fledged fever-and-nausea-and-cold flu situation and no, he wasn’t about to go into work. And Jon had listened to his – admittedly kind of pitiful – explanation on the phone, and apparently Jon had gone home – which in and of itself would have been impressive in any case – and was concerned enough to make him food and bring it to him.

Number two – Jon had, also, made him soup. Not bought it, not scavenged it from the recesses of the tin aisle in the supermarket. He said I made you soup. Which means that apparently Jon can cook and usually just chooses not to, except he had gone out of his way to cook for Martin on a Thursday evening, because he was sick.

Number three – Martin will have to update the status of his lingering his-hair-is-luscious-and-when-he-smiles-the-world-stops-to-look crush because after this he might somehow, possibly, definitely be in love. Not to be dramatic or anything.

He isn’t dramatic. He is not.

It’s the way Jon had looked standing there, oversized purple hoodie with a faded print on the front, hair clearly braided in a rush, with frizzy grey strands escaping the loose plait to curl around his neck in ringlets, for god’s sake.

It’s how his eyes had been darting nervously between Martin and the stairs, like he’d been terrified he’d tell him to get lost, like he hasn’t spent the past six months (or, let’s be real, closer to a year now) sighing after his retreating back like the lovesick main character of a Victorian romance novel.

It’s, really, the tiny, self-conscious, real smile Jon is gracing him with now, holding the soup towards him, eyebrows rising in confusion.

«W-where can I put this? I- I mean, only if you want of course, I-I could heat up. Some of it? For d-dinner?» he stammers through the offer, and by the end Martin is almost sure he can see a blush blooming on his cheeks, even if it’s hard to tell between the dim light in his entryway and Jon’s dark complexion.

Martin is also blushing but that isn’t the point and also, it’s really impossible to figure how much of it is because of the fever he can already feel getting higher again and how much is because of Jon offering to set up dinner for him. For them? Oh god.

He’s a mess. He’s a mess and Jon probably wants to sit down at the table – with Martin in his sweaty pjyamas he didn’t change out of for the whole day and his curls sticking to his temples and his heart rabbiting too fast in his chest with sickness – and eat dinner. Together. Eat the soup he made specifically for Martin, with him.

If the flu doesn’t take him out, Jon will probably manage where it failed. Martin doesn’t say any of that.

«Oh– oh, yeah, sure. The kitchen is- this way, yes.» he says, instead, and leads the way to his cramped but very yellow kitchenette.

Martin’s flat isn’t… the biggest. Or the best. Or not even especially fireproof, as the scorch marks on the wall right behind the stove can be a testament to. But it’s his.

He likes it, and it’s pretty cosy if he says so himself.

There are a lot of throw pillows. He went to Ikea and found a nice photo frame, of the kind that can hold more than one picture, and put on a selection of highland cow photographs on the wall to cheer himself up on bad days and it works. It works and he will not hear anything about it and he’s bracing himself for Jon’s inevitable comment and he’s already opening his mouth to defend himself except–

Jon is smiling again. At the cows on Martin’s kitchen wall.

It’s not even a small smile this time. It’s unjust how stupidly endearing he can look like this – casually hesitating in the doorframe, taking in the unfamiliar environment with careful eyes, and smiling like five pictures of cows doing various adorable cow things are the best thing he’s seen all day.

To be fair, they might be. They are very good cows.

This doesn’t help Martin’s sudden, fervent wish this wasn’t an unfamiliar environment and that Jon was comfortable, here, actually fitting into the nooks and crannies of his life like he belonged there, not like a guest. Now that he has gotten a glimpse of what that would look like he feels greedy, want settling in his sternum like yet another ache, although much sweeter than the feverish pain in his muscles.

«Sit down, Martin.» he says, and the way he rounds the r into nothing is so familiar and yet so much softer than usual, a quiet, exasperated tone to it that almost gives him whiplash and oh, it’s cute. Mahtin, he says. He, in fact, does sit down. «You’re– you’re sick, let me do it. Just– please tell me where the bowls are?» he goes on, and he’s facing away from him, setting his tupperware down on the counter and lifting the lid with a small pop, so Martin can’t be sure.

But he also can’t completely dismiss the possibility that he is blushing again, with the way he seems hellbent on keeping his eyes on the swirling surface of the soup until Martin points him to the lower cabinets where he keeps his dishes, and then very resolutely keeps not looking over at him as he turns on the stove and scoops the newly hot soup into two green bowls with generous ladles.

Martin is not staring. Except he maybe kind of is – he isn’t sure if he’s doing it more than usual, but he feels like, yes, probably. Jon moves with comforting, assured certainty, and he seems to relax even further as he goes through well-practiced motions.

When he sets the plate down in front of him, along with a spoon and a napkin, he isn’t smiling but his expression hasn’t quite settled into his usual frown, either. It’s just… calm. Pleasant.

Martin smiles, absurdly pleased even though he did absolutely nothing. Then, he tastes the soup and finds yet another reason to fall in love with Jonathan Sims.

It’s the best damn soup he’s ever had. Not recently, not even in the last year – in his whole life, hands down.

Martin is not going to cry into this bowl of soup.

Not even if his whole body is hurting like a bad bruise when you press down on it, and he’s sitting down on a comfortable chair, listening to the man he has an incredibly embarassing crush on going on and on about how he made the best chicken soup he has ever eaten, pointedly not mentioning the fact he made it specifically for him.

He doesn’t cry.

He’s very proud of himself.

He does, however, sway dangerously to the side when he goes to stand up after eating, having to catch himself against the table not to fall.

Jon is by his side in an instant, and when Martin risks a glance his way he’s standing just a little too close, hand hovering over his elbow, forehead pinched with worry in an expression that has no right to be as adorable as it is.

If he wasn’t feeling quite so unstable already, he might feign being faint again just to see if Jon would catch him.

As it is, actually, oh, he might not have to fake it. He flops back down on the chair, heavily, groaning in pain when the movement pulls harshly on the tightness in his back.

Jon hovers for a second more, before apparently making a decision, determination settling across his features – his lips press together sharply, his scowl getting deeper.

«Alright. Yes, you- you should rest, I- yes. Let’s- let’s get you to bed.» he says, and Martin feels weak and… precarious enough that he goes willingly. Almost. Not before trying to make some point about doing the dishes (I’ll take care of that, Mahtin, you can barely stand), and protesting because Jon is a guest (not withstanding the fact he was never invited in the first place and did this all of his own volition) and just, generally trying to wrestle down the urge to resist being taken care of.

It’s… rather hard, in fact, to let Jon usher him down the hall to his bedroom, muttering even more apologies because the room is in complete disarray, and there’s tissues everywhere, and his blankets are a sad pile on top of his bed because he didn’t bother straightening them before dragging himself to open the door earlier.

Jon doesn’t seem to mind, leaving him to settle under the covers to… do something. At this point, the fuzziness is back, muffling quite effectively everything that happens outside his direct field of vision, his head and eyelids both too heavy to deal with. The fever reducers must be wearing off.

He closes his eyes for just a second. Probably. When he opens them again, Jon is very close. Sitting on the bed right next to him, that concerned look back in his eyes.

God, his eyes are so pretty.

They’re the same rich brown of good hot chocolate, and when they get like this, all warm and softened from their normal brand of disapproval. They’re lovely.

Not the point. The point is that Jon is offering him a glass of water, along with something else – medicine, he registers distantly as he tries to swallow the pill without choking, and he’s so close.

Martin feels his legs shift against his side as he goes to stand again, seemingly satisfied once he drinks almost all of the water and takes the paracetamol without protest.

He really doesn’t want Jon to leave, all of a sudden.

This has been… nice. Apart from the fact that he’s really sick. And that everything hurts. And that he isn’t quite sure why Jon would appear on his doorstep to take care of him when he’s sick out of the blue, so maybe it’s to make it easier on his conscience for when he’ll fire him, on Monday, for missing work. Or for making it way too obvious he is absolutely, undoubtedly head-over-heels infatuated with his boss.

In his fever-addled mind, who clearly has no idea what they’re doing, Martin panics at that. His hand shoots out from under the blanket, gripping Jon’s delicate, fragile wrist – he doesn’t squeeze, afraid to hurt him. Just… kind of holds him, keeping him from getting away.

Jon’s eyes are darting frantically between that tiny point of contact and Martin’s face, and he kind of looks like he is panicking, but that makes no sense, does it.

«I’m- I’m sorry. I know. I know you don’t like me.» it’s out of his mouth before he can stop it. He isn’t sure he would have wanted to stop it, anyway – it is true.

Jon has never made a mystery of the fact he doesn’t like him, which only makes it weirder he’s here, sitting next to him, after giving him soup to help with his flu.

And yet. Here they are.

He looks incredibly conflicted – he’s biting his lip hard enough Martin is kind of afraid he’ll draw blood, but then he does that thing again, where he squares his shoulders as he comes down to a definitive choice on some matter he has discussed entirely in his own head, solely with himself.

When he speaks, it’s with a soft, subdued voice, still kind. Intent, somehow.

«Oh, Martin. No- I just- I’m.» he starts, then stops, frustrated, and he looks away for a second, trying to collect his thoughts. Then he starts over with a sigh, words rushing out of him, «I’m really. Really sorry about– behaving like that. I will apologise properly when you’re feeling better, but– but. I do like you.» he finishes. He’s definitely blushing, this time.

Or maybe the room is dark. Or maybe Martin is already half-asleep.

That must be it, because there is no universe apart for his imagination in which Jon would actually turn his hand in Martin’s own, interlacing their fingers for a second, holding it so gently, so carefully, like it might break.

He exhales, shakily, and his hand is so warm. So small, but firm. Steady. This is also pretty lovely.

«Too much, I’m afraid.» he says, then, and it comes out of him like a secret, like something precious, held reverently in a whisper.

Martin doesn’t hear him. He’s already asleep.

(He wakes up, hours later, groggy but mostly fever-free.

Jon is nowhere to be found.

The soup is in the freezer and there’s more medicine on the living room table, says the note he finds taped at eye-level on the fridge.

He’s grateful no one is there to witness the completely besotted smile he feels overtaking his face.)

[averybritishblog]

Thoughts on M in No Time To Die - Spoilers beneath the cut.

I love No Time To Die, but after the last time I watched it something's been nagging me about one of the major plot points revolving around M. Have put some thoughts below. Warning: the below contains spoilers.

1. Before we start, just to say I love the Heracles idea.

It's such a good classic Bond plot. Heracles is a super secret weapon of mass destruction that plays on our contemporary fears. Goldeneye did something similar with the Goldeneye device and electro-magnetic pulses. The fact that it's a bioweapon gives it that added, darker dimension which fits the Craig!Bond era.

2. And again, another disclaimer: I like the idea of M being morally fallible.

This isn't a case of me not liking the plot because my favourite character done fucked up. In fact I love the added depth it gives him. Given what we know about him - that he's a decorated soldier, that he's honourable, that he puts his country above all else - I really like the fact that his fuck up puts innocent lives in danger and it shows hints of him coming to terms with that moral reckoning.

(Ralph Fiennes - Making moral reckoning look good since 1995 or whenever he started acting)

3. But my problem is, it just doesn't make any sense with his previous characterisation.

In the scene with C in Spectre, we get an entire almost monologue from M on the importance of the 00 section. Part of that importance is the need for human judgement. To use his quote: "To pull that trigger, you have to be sure. Yes, you investigate, analyse, assess, target, and then you have to look him in the eye, and you make the call. And all the drones, bugs, cameras, transcripts, all the surveillance in the world, can't tell you what to do next."

So if I recall correctly, the Heracles project began about 10 years before the events of NTTD. That means it was being developed during when Spectre was set. So that means M would have been giving his spiel about the importance of having someone behind the trigger whilst at the same time knowing about Heracles which would take the agent entirely out of the equation. It doesn't seem to be consistent.

4. My pet theory is that the project isn't actually his idea, but he just never shuts it down.

So if the timeline puts the beginning of Heracles about a decade or so before NTTD, that means the project started around the same time as Skyfall is set, where Mallory isn't yet M. (Side note, NTTD was meant to come out in 2020, so 10 years before that would be 2010 which is a full year before the events of Skyfall meaning Mallory would definitely not have been responsible for Heracles being set up.) There's also maybe a hint of it in the language Bond chooses to use. When Moneypenny asks him what the project is, Bond says something like: "Something M should have shut down years ago." Notice how Bond says Mallory should have shut it down, not never start it, not why the ever living fuck did he think this is a good idea. It also suggests that Bond knew about it as well but assumed it had never progressed. I think it actually started under his predecessor, and Mallory carried it on.

5. Mallory has to try real hard to convince himself it's a good idea.

Nothing in what we know about Mallory suggests that he would be down for this sort of clownery. I'm not going to trust mass surveillance but sure bio warfare sounds swell! - No.

Deep down, I think he always had intense moral difficulty with the project. He gets real defensive real quick in the office scene with Bond and we can see that he sure drinks a lot when the topic comes up. ("God you're thirsty." - Whoever dreamt up this line, thank u.) He also keeps repeating the line that it was never meant to be used for anything else but a targeted weapon, but he doesn't sound convinced of it at all. Then there's the scene where he's sat and looking at the painting of M(ansfield). Now, in my view (and it is purely subjective) he looks pissed as hell, like why the fuck have you got me into this mess. To me this suggests that he's always thought it was a horrible idea, but kept it going despite his better judgement. This is possibly because of pressure higher up or intelligence that suggests that drastic measures were needed. Either way, he hates the project but keeps it going and then has to suffer the consequences.

Again, just my take on it! This is not a dig at the writers at all. Like I say, I love Heracles as a plot device and I really love the idea that the give one of the 'good guys' a real moral quandary. I'm just trying to make sense of how it all goes together.

(Please feel free to say I am reaching here.)

Post-script:

6. He goes through the entire bloody movie without wearing braces.

Nearly three hours of film and we get none of this:

Frankly, that's just rude if you ask me.

[thefairyletters]

NaruSaku Fanfics

I wouldn't say much – I love NaruSaku and I hate to see great works shadowed behind the piles of popular NS stories that I never have liked as much except for a few, which also I'll drop below in the list.

I'll update this list whenever I come across a story that I particularly enjoy or finds worth spreading word across. So be sure to like and reblog this post so you can revisit it to add new story in your reading pile later.

Also, genres vary and are not mentioned, but does it make any difference as long as the story is good?

Warning: super long post featuring beautiful, beautiful stories that you wouldn't regret reading. I swear. I'm positive. Contains SNS and other side pairings.

Without further ado;

How I fell in love with my best friend: Krapo || ff.net || M || complete

How the little blond boy Sakura had always known had changed, changing as well her feelings. The unfolding of their life, while Naruto worked to become the best Hokage and she faced her own emotions. Growing Love.

(I have nothing but upmost reverence for this story. This author writes one of the nest NS and I have loved all. NS is beautiful and Sakura is badass. Everything we already know is here and more.)

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Dangerous infiltration mission: Krapo || ff.net || M || complete

Naruto and Sakura are send by the Hokage for a difficult infiltration mission. They will have to face more than just the danger itself as they will have to keep their cover to be fake husband and wife credible. how it will impact the relationship between the two ninja. Growing Love. Misunderstanding.

(If you loved the aforementioned story, you'll love this one too. Mutual pining.)

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All over again: Krapo || ff.net || M || post-war || complete

Sasuke come back, Team seven is reunited. But Sakura has lost Naruto. How will she make him fall in love with her again? What other difficulties lies ahead of them?

(Naruto loses memory. SasuSaku angst but not in romantic sense and I loved it all. Misunderstanding and more mutual pining. And I'm in love with this story too.)

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Hit the floor running: Sakurablossom009 || A03 || M (but unnecessary) || Modern Hitman/Robbers AU || complete

Life was going great, Sakura thought. She was penniless, stranded in Europe without a way home, her fiancee had just dumped her for another woman AND her new companion was quite possibly a thief. How could things get any worse? Wait...was that guy pointing a gun at her?

(Now, personally, I don't prefer modern AU, but this story really had interesting characterisation and more character depth. NaruSaku is pretty spot on. It also features SasuHina and bamf!Hinata)

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The greatest pretenders: snowyseas || ff.net || M || Borutoverse || ongoing

Fifteen years is a long time to not talk to someone you consider your best friend, and is made even more difficult when they (and you) are married. The things Sakura should have confronted Naruto about never came to fruition, but as an old saying goes, "the truth will always be revealed".

(Your typical I-made-a-wrong-choice-but-now-can-be-done story but unlike many other stories in this they don't admit their love for each chapter at the first chapter itself. In fact, it feels so canon and you can almost superimpose it upon the canon. Sakura is mentally strong and knows what's right. )

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He was the sun: SavageTrickster || ff.net || T || Canonverse || ongoing

He had come a long way - from a lonely orphan ostracized by everyone to a loved hero. He deserved all these. His Hokage dream to come true. All the ramen he could eat. - Her eyes fell on a certain Hyuuga seated close enough for accidental touches. Her heart sank a little at a harsh whisper of reminder - And a deserving girl...who could give him all her love.

(So far so good. It's ongoing, and is at chapter 3. Sakura leaves Konoha much like how Naruto did, to explore the world aka seeing my headcanon in writing.)

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Wilderness: Kanji no Sakka || M || canondivergent || ongoing

As the war screeches to a temporary halt, Naruto leaves the battlefield on a unique mission only he can complete. Sakura is ordered to go with him. In the days that follow their bond is changed forever.

(Although I hate any explicit stories that involve characters below age 17, I give this a pass because of the uniqueness of plot and characterisation. It has fine lemons that comes with a good plot.)

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How It Should Have Been: OfPaintAndOil || ff.net || T || canon divergent || oneshot

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Sasuke was supposed to be the dark one, the unredeemable one. Naruto was the bright one, the good one. It wasn't supposed to be like this, with blood on his hands and glowing red eyes and a grin. Naruto was supposed to make everything better, and maybe he did, in the end, but Sakura had never expected the end to look quite like this.

(Featuring Yandere!Naruto. It leaves you wanting for more and is a fascinating read. It's dark themed so proceed with caution as your favorite character might or might not be dead.)

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The Best Dates are the Cheap Ones: Shivakashi || ff.net || T || post!Timeskip || Oneshot

The whole point was to get the best date; that meant the richest and classiest guy, right? Sakura realizes what she has taken for granted and Ino learns a lesson in value.

(Sakura learns her lesson and snatches her boy. InoNaru is worth noting. Not the best characterisation of Sakura but bear with her jealousy for that is the reason why NS fluff exists. Story itself is very light and entertaining.)

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mangoes and strawberries: ohthelinsanity || ff.net || T || postwar || oneshot

Sakura Haruno was elbow deep in Naruto Uzumaki's guts when he asked her to marry him. It was so not the right time. But she still said yes.

(This story just screams NS upon every single line. Diabetes warning. Too cute for this world. One of the best NS fluff I've read thus far. It kinda sticks to you forever!)

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18 minutes, 23 seconds: ohthelinsanity || ff.net || T || postwar || oneshot

in which Naruto asks Sakura about that time she literally reached into his chest and grabbed his heart with her bare hand.

(Heartwarming. We all know how Sakura held Naruto's heart on her palms and how we love that moment. This is memory of that moment reminisced by our cutie pies.)

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One Big Uzumaki Family: John Smith || ff.net || T || postwar || Complete

A set of drabbles revolving around Naruto, Sakura, and their children. It turns out that, when the war ends, these two get busy. Real busy.

(IF YOU DON'T READ THIS MASTERPIECE HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF NS FAN?!!! READ!!! This story should be on the top of your reading list.

UNDERRATED AF!

R e a d t h i s s t o r y and cry with me for this should have been canon. 100%)

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My Life Would Suck Without You: peanutbutter126 || ff.net || T || oneshot collection

Sometimes it's the smallest things that matter the most.

(Read this and then One big Uzumaki family. You'll feel super satisfied. I promise.)

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Colors and Carousels: Folle Sakura || ff.net || T || oneshot

She couldn't count the number of times she'd been mistaken for Naruto's girlfriend. Not that she minded. But Naruto acted like it was so… so… offensive.

(No words for this one. Just read and enjoy the confusion.)

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Let's Get Married: luvtoshi || ff.net || M || postwar || complete

It was supposed to be a simple solution to their immediate problems. But maybe they took more than they can chew?

(This is one of my few favorites that is also popular. Spot on characterization and beautiful relationship growth. This is one of the few stories that always stuck to me.)

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Chasing Smoke with Bare Hands: soulaire || ff.net || T || oneshot

"I could have loved her," Sasuke says flatly. "If she'd just given me the chance—" "Sakura gave you all the chances in the world," Kakashi cuts in, stern. "You underestimated her. And you underestimated her ability to walk away from you. At the core of it all, that's where things went wrong."

(This story is for those who loves both SS and NS but thinks Sakura deserves happier life than what she got in canon. Features NS and slight SS.)

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Touch: ohthelinsanity || ff.net || T || oneshot

Kakashi watches as his student grow to be more physically comfortable with one another. He finds it kinda ridiculous.

(Fluff. Feelings. Kakashi's fed up and might have diabetes from all the observation.)

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Moonlight shadows: luvtoshi || ff.net || T || oneshot

Sometimes, the moon brings out hidden feelings to the surface.

(Beautiful literature. NS feels. You can almost mistake it for canon with the way characters are written.)

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Seriously Serious: Damsel in Shining Armor || ff.net || T || modern AU || oneshot

He confessed to her when they first met. He confessed to her years after. He confessed to her almost everyday. Her response was almost always positive... So why the heck was he still single? "I love you." "Love you too. So is Sasuke-kun taken or not?"

(The only reason why I even picked this story is that it is a oneshot. I have very little interest in modern AU. But this one makes another exception. Pining. Love at first sight.)

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It was always you: luvtoshi || ff.net || M || postwar || complete

The war is long over. They have both grown. Now it's time to conclude their story. Naruto and Sakura.

(You know what, all stories from this author are just, Chef's kiss. )

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A Safe Pair of Hands: Kanji no Sakka || ff.net || T || oneshot

Sakura heeds a stern warning to make it clear how she feels about Naruto.

(Feels. You'll love this if you like first person pov. This story told from Sakura's pov.)

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Other Dreams: tricksie || ff.net || M || oneshot

"Naruto, you shouldn't endanger yourself—" "Stop it," he snapped. Dropping his arm to hook under her seat, Naruto pulled her firmly onto his hip, locking her to him. Sakura gasped, suddenly aware of just how very close they were.

(Sexual tension. Romance. Leaves you wanting. Also, high on feels and lust on equal measure.)

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Heaven Unexpected: Folle || ff.net || M || oneshot

Because nothing can happen; it's Naruto. He always comes back. He's practically indestructible.

(Heavy on feels. There are chances that it might rain. Actually there are high chances. But oh well, it's beautiful and one of my favourites so here it goes.)

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Shade of the Leaf: Ravyn || ff.net || T || canon divergent || complete

Sasuke is back. Naruto has joined ANBU. Sakura is spending more time in the hospital than in the field. Team 7 struggles to redefine itself, because sometimes you don't know what you really want after all.

(Featuring Mature but still in-character!Naruto, Badass!Sakura, (Bit)Supportive!Sasuke along with Team 7 friendship. Mutual pining. Ending but with a lot loose ends.)

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Breaking Up Isn't that Hard to Do: Narf-for-the-Garthoc || ff.net || T || oneshot

This is not an epic tale of action, suspense and true love. Yeah, I'm disappointed, too.

(This is pure comedy. With a dash of romance. And insanity.)

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Steamy Encounters: Narf-for-the-Garthoc || ff.net || T || oneshot

A flurry of coincidences and fateful machinations bring Naruto and Sakura together at the local baths. Can they rein in their animal passions? And do you really think that's the kind of story I write?

(Just r e a d. Please.)

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Garden of Sanctuary: Nes Mikel || ff.net || T || Canon divergent || oneshot

An alternate ending to Naruto. The Heavens describe the Garden a peaceful paradise. The Hells describe the Garden a baneful prison. In here... which is it?

(This is part of a series which you can follow from the author's profile. This is the second part, but can be read exclusively. As far as the AU goes, this story and settings is brilliant and heartbreaking. This is told from Naruto's pov. To look at things from Sakura's, read the first part. It is multi-chaptered.)

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Complications: Geno Calamari || ff.net || T || canon divergent || oneshot

While capturing the Kyuubi, Uchiha Itachi finds true adversaries in the form of Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto.

(Wanna see NaruSaku teamwork? This is it! You wouldn't find it anywhere better. Strong!Naruto, Strong!Sakura versus Itachi Uchiha)

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Life is a waving feather: jusrecht || AO3 || T || AU || oneshot

Everyone thought they were inevitable.

(There's beauty in subtlety and this is that. Also, mentions of character death.)

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Home: kirabook || AO3 || T || AU || complete

Shinachiku finds himself in a strange place with little to no explanation. Everyone he knows is there, but why are they acting so strangely? Why do they seem so different? And where is his home? 

(Cute and heartwrenching at the same time. Cameo Stalker. Read this for NS family feels pre-marriage.)

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Things we never say: thekatthatbarks || AO3 || T || oneshot

She wished she knew how to hold things lightly. There were some things she was terrified of breaking. Whether it be from an honest misstep or simply because she could.

(Reminds you why we love NS so much.)

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Open seasons: sazzafraz || AO3 || T || SNS || postwar || oneshot

The way Sasuke comes home is less myth and more devastatingly embarrassing happenstance.

(Featuring badass!Sakura, obedient!Naruto and normal!Sasuke, as well as Sakura's commentary on her life)

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Five things Sakura will never tell Naruto: sowell || AO3 || T || AU || oneshot

Kunoichi know how to keep their secrets.

(NS relationship analysis story.)

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Artistic purposes: StormyInk || AO3 || M || AU || Oneshot

Sai finds his favorite drawing subjects a bit lacking of late, and he sets a plan into motion to draw his team mates together. Simply for the sake of his art, of course.

(Aka Sai is fed up from seeing his teammates dancing around each other and decides to help them get laid–the story. You gotta admit Sai is the best wingman.)

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I collect my tears (so I can drown you in them): amako || AO3 || T || AU || complete

The hardest thing is letting go. Or Sakura sees Naruto falling in love with Shikamaru a little more every day, and she does the only thing she can think of. Then it's only a matter of learning how to stop loving Naruto.

(Sakura and Angst that has nothing to do with Sasuke. Featuring Sakura-sensei. And Shikamaru. It's a great story if you know when to let go of canon)

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Stranger than the wild: kiddattwell || AO3 || M || SNS || postwar || Ongoing

The war is over and Sasuke is home for good, but Sakura can't choose between the boys she loves. Sasuke still has his demons and Naruto still fights them and Sakura still follows them both, but this time down a path that none of them expected.

(This is canon. It is the best SNS story I've ever read. Story told in SNS POV in rotation. Slow burn, pining and relationship complication. YOU GOTTA READ THIS, I INSIST!!!! Also features SaiIno and InoShika.)

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Bringing Back Sasuke: Blue Jeans || ff.net || T || post war || oneshot

Naruto brings Sasuke back to Sakura. Many, many times over. Sasuke does not appreciate; not the blood and definitely not the angst.

(I've read this story multiple times and it gets funnier and makes your heart hurt and swell simultaneously each time. NaruSaku wouldn't be blissfully happy together without Sasuke thrown somewhere in the mix, that's exactly why I love SNS. This story perfectly represents the dynamic of team 7.)

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Yurei: Kanji no Sakka || ff.net || T || AU || oneshot

The past should stay dead and buried, but it won't if Naruto can't let go.

(Not exactly my favourite story, but I liked the concept. We all know how stubborn Naruto is once decides on something. If he wants to become Hokage, he will become Hokage. If he believes in Sasuke, he will believe in him forever. If he loves Sakura, he will marry her – uh, or should have, very OCC of him that he didn't.)

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Tag NS fan you know so they don't miss any of this!

[bucky-at-bedtime]

Stucky Fic Recs

So basically I went through all of my ao3 bookmarks and collated a list of some of my favourites (I couldn't fit all of them on this list, so if anyone shows interest there might be a part two).

Please read tags and descriptions of the works before reading, some of them are pretty dark or extremely horny so just make sure you check that the fic is for you!!

Please please please send me your favourite fics in return! I am always happy to hear fic recs, headcanons and any other ideas/comments you all have!

Without any further ado, here are a few of my favourite Stucky fics:

‘Not Easily Conquered’ series by dropdeaddream, WhatAreFear

Rating: M, Words: 117,692

https://archiveofourown.org/series/115516

“I told you, you heard me: I told you never to follow me into Hell. Now I’m not vain enough to think that’s why you’re out here now — if there’s any person in what’s left of this God forsaken planet who’s part of a bigger picture, it’d be you. But I’ll keep saying it until it sticks. You got nothing to prove. I’m not worth much, I damn well know that, but I’ll ask you anyway: Stay for me. If you leave me alone in this world I’ll turn into something terrible. I’ll turn into the nasty creature that’s growing inside me. This war, it’ll swallow me whole”

[To me, this fic is like the classic Stucky 101 fanfic – if you're a Stucky fan and you haven't read this, I highly recommend it. The authors explore the Steve/Bucky relationship in such an interesting, tragic, emotive way and I cry every time I read it. I couldn't praise this work enough.]

‘Ain’t No Grave’ series by spitandvinegar

Rating: M-E, Words: 131,789

https://archiveofourown.org/series/426577

"Yeah, he never calls me by my name," Steve says. "It's always champ, ace, hotshot, that kinda thing."

"Man, that is flirting," Sam says. "That nicknames thing, he is flirting with you. He's just working his way up to calling you baby or something."

Steve goes redder than a damn coke can. Sam pumps his fist. "Yes, I am so right, I am wise as hell. He did, didn't he?"

"He called me sweetheart," Steve says grimly, "because he's a drug addict with brain damage."

"Or because he looooooves you," Sam says. Captain America throws a cookie at his head. Sam eats it, because he deserves a treat for being so damn wise.”

[I'm currently re-reading this fic and absolutely loving it. The way spitandvinegar writes Bucky's road towards recovery and Steve's entire characterisation – it's all just so good. It's another one that covers some pretty dark themes, so make sure you're checkin those tags!]

'Einherjar' by thecommodore_squid

Rating: M, Words: 71297

https://archiveofourown.org/works/7157024/chapters/16249814

But Steve was fine.

Sure, he hadn’t seen Bucky in months, and sometimes he was at the punching bag so long that his skin started to peel off to expose the bones of his fingers, and sometimes he couldn’t find the energy to drag himself out of bed, and sometimes he went weeks without sleeping, and sometimes he thought about throwing himself head-first off the nearest tall structure, but he was fine.

He was absolutely, perfectly, one-hundred percent, fucking fine.

AKA In which Steve learns how to deal with his shit, and Bucky learns how to stop leaving.

[basically the definition of a recovery fic, I absolutely adore it. This is tragic and amazing and makes me cry and smile. It’s got a bunch of fantastic cameos and It really just ticks so many of my boxes.]

‘Like real People do’ by 2bestfriends

Rating: E, Words: 67,775

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19887376/chapters/47103217

“"Ask me what?" demands Bucky. "I didn't hear a question."

Steve licks his lips. "Will you stay with me? Will you come back home, Buck?"

"Home," repeats Bucky in a small voice, and then he's crying for real.”

[Basically soft lumberjack!steve and lonely twink!bucky being horny and in love. This is a comfort fic for that’s really just about my favourite boys falling in love.]

‘This City Bleeds it’s Aching Heart’ by anonymous

Rating: E, Words: 34,537

https://archiveofourown.org/works/835829/chapters/1591736

“The one where Steve and Bucky pose as a happily married couple while on a mission for SHIELD, to catch an international arms dealer hiding in a suburban neighbourhood.”

[The plot in this one is just a good time and i think it’s just a really fun take on the fake relationship trope. Also some really great characterisation.]

‘Home is Wherever I’m With You’ by cydonic

Rating: E, Words: 88,570

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18868081/chapters/44783077

“Bucky kisses Steve and Emma goodbye before they leave for school, which is why – partway down the road – Amelia turns to him and asks, “why are you and Daddy kissing?”

Which is definitely a conversation Bucky’s been expecting since Steve just did it, but it still takes him by surprise. Again, he thinks he should wait for Steve, but Amelia’s not the sort of kid to let anything rest. Plus, Bucky’s taking her to school where she will undoubtedly share the story with anyone who’ll listen.

He also stops to think that Steve’s asked him to stay, which means Bucky must be trusted with their happiness and well-being, at least in some small capacity.

Bucky clears his throat and searches for some explanation that will help Amelia make sense of this sudden turn of events. “Because we love each other,” is all he comes up with.”

[Bear with me, this is a House Flipper!Bucky Au. And dad!Steve. I just love a found family trope I’m not gonna lie to you. Another comfort fic that warms my lil heart.]

‘Lucky Seven’ by BetteNoire (WeAreWolves)

Rating: E, Words: 94,364

https://archiveofourown.org/works/7033105/chapters/16002481

“Back from where--?” James says, the sentence ending in a distinctly undignified squawk as Steve sweeps him up in his arms, bridal-style, and starts carrying him upstairs.

James tenses momentarily then relaxes into Steve's arms and throws back his head and starts laughing. The laughter peals out of him, his body shaking, his amusement occasionally broken by little gasps of pain.

“What's so funny?” Steve frowns.

“You are,” James says, still giggling. “You're ridiculous, Steve Rogers.”

“Behave. Or I will drop you,” Steve growls.

[The shrunkyclunks modern AU of my dreams featuring Mechanic!Bucky and cap!Steve and some really beautiful writing.]

'Dishonor On Your Cow' by mandarou

Rating: E, Words: 111695

https://archiveofourown.org/works/10659162/chapters/23589582

“Sergeant Barnes?”

“Oh, hell no, don’t call him that, man,” Sam warned.

“Captain Fuck Off!” Barnes shouted over him. “Fight me!”

Steve didn’t know whether to laugh or just slink away. He managed to combine the two by pacing two steps and snorting instead. Like a bull.

“I’m gonna need you to calm your ass, Barnes,” Sam said as he went limp again, obstructing Barnes’s struggling under him. “This is so undignified. That is Captain goddamn America.”

“Captain goddamn America!” Barnes repeated, louder. And angrier.

Steve cleared his throat again. “I’ve been looking for you,” he told Barnes.

“I hope you brought lube this time!” Barnes shouted.

[I’m not gonna lie it took me a minute to get into this one but by the end I was crying with them, laughing with them, and just really in my feels. Some very insane things happen so here’s a few of my favourite tags: ‘Seargent Barnes is done with your Shit Steve’, ‘blatant disrespect of a man’s motorcycle’, ‘Steve you ding dong’ and ‘PR nightmares in the form of Supersoldiers’.]

Propietary Information by Notlucy

Rating: E, Words: 85141

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11964402/chapters/27054777

“Okay, so Bucky Barnes has a crush on Steve Rogers. The guy's gorgeous, talented and, oh yeah, the Chief Design Officer of the biggest tech company in the world. In other words: he's so far out of Bucky's league that he might as well be in a different stratosphere.”

[We were never gonna get through this list without a Sugar Daddy!AU (I have a weakness). This one is… saucy and sexy and sweet and uh pretty kinky so read the tags and all. I’ve read it a few times, and I love the way the author has written Steve in this one, he just makes my heart go '!!!']

‘Roots Have Grown’ by AustinB

Rating: M, Words: 17280

https://archiveofourown.org/works/6912451/chapters/15767941

“Bucky is a mildly agoraphobic veteran with funds to spare, who becomes enamored with the cute blonde guy in his building.

So when Steve mentions needing a roommate to cut down on rent costs, Bucky decides it would be a good idea to volunteer.”

[Another weakness of mine is Roommate AUs, and this one is phenomenal. I tend to go for post serum!Steve stories more often, but this is a pre-serum Steve that I just adore.]

‘The Cold Never Bothered me Anyway’ by icoulddothisallday

Rating: E, Words:75562

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11728869/chapters/26425530

“Bucky Barnes has spent his whole life in a state of mild hypothermia. Steve Rogers has spent the last 70 years in the ice. The two things aren’t related until, suddenly, they are. Shrunkyclunks soulmate AU (AKA the awkward bb au).”

[I think this is the only soulmate AU in my bookmarks? I would totally be down to read more though! This one is really fun and really enjoy Bucky’s characterisation here!]

'War, Children' by Nonymos

Rating: E, Words: 106615

https://archiveofourown.org/works/5373050/chapters/12409394

“After Bucky was released from the hospital, it only took him a couple of weeks to give up on himself. Difficult to believe in any kind of future when the simple act of staying alive was almost too big an effort.

Out the frosted window, across the street, there was a tiny homeless guy burrowing under an awning.”

[An interesting exploration of Bucky’s PTSD with a trans!Steve which was a cool take on his character too!]

'The Company You Keep' by orbingarrow

Rating: G, Words: 51191

https://archiveofourown.org/works/3468605/chapters/7613072

“Hurt, hungry, and on the run, the Winter Soldier doesn’t have a lot of safe options to go to for help. Figuring that any friend of Captain Steve Rogers is unlikely to be HYDRA, Bucky takes a chance and reaches out to the first Avenger he can find.

It works out better than anyone could have expected. Eventually.”

[hurt/comfort, recovering Bucky, protective Steve, found family and domestic avengers, need I say more? I absolutely loved this one]

[nagirambles]

Rambling about Fairies - Manga Chapter 104

I have very critical feelings about this whole chapter, mainly due to personal biases in that I despise cringe comedy, which is this entire chapter’s thing. I didn’t think it was funny that Lucy kept getting blatantly ignored until she was upset enough to desperately put on a rabbit girl costume, all while none of her guild mates even cared enough to realise Jason was being rude as crap. I know, I’m taking it too seriously, so that’s where I’ll end that part of the ramble. 

My main problem with this chapter was that it was technically supposed to be Gajeel’s step one of redemption. Before he let Jet and Droy punch it out, he was genuinely going to put in some effort to express how he wanted the guild to at least tolerate him, because Juvia was prompting him to.

And it’s fine that it was framed as comedic and awkward, in that he’s a terrible singer and terrible at being genuine, it was a very cute quirk for him to be an overachieving dumbass. It isn’t working to get him closer to the guild, but it sure is inching him closer toward the likeable territory in terms of characterisation. 

My problem comes with this. 

The chapter starts off with a full page of a dramatic ‘misleading setup’, of which its main purpose in the narrative has objectively little to do with framing a misunderstanding and has everything to do with putting Mirajane in a suggestive position for fan service. 

Heck, I'd even say it's demeaning and in very bad taste that the crucifixion moment is being parodied as a joke right now.

Mashima was trying to edge Gajeel toward a redemption in this reprieve chapter, but he kept changing his mind halfway for ‘humour’, and this chapter just ends up being a cringe fest instead. 

This chapter had a good idea in it! It was a great segue to change Erza’s armour, to timestamp her development past TOH:

And it was also a great way to give us a bit of insight into what the Sorcerer Magazine does as a gossip mag. It gives us a sight of Lyon, shows us a bit of the obnoxious flashiness that is Blue Pegasus’ vibes with the magazine itself, and at the end, Lucy’s father finds her happy in the magazine and that leads to his next step of redemption as well. All these are future insights and setups for Oracion Seis arc, and that's great!

It had a good idea, but a very messy execution. 

First of all, it doesn’t make sense that Lucy is being ignored. Sure, it’s funny, sure, it’s a lesson in humility-- but that’s the thing. Lucy, for these first arcs, has always been set up as the girl with lots of inflated rumours! Erza heard of her before she even met her! She’s rumoured to have defeated the entire Eisenwald guild on her own, even though she didn’t! Mashima set her up as the ‘normal girl with a crazy reputation, so she’s troubled by expectations’, thus it makes zero sense that Jason, the gossip magazine writer, is not interested in her. She’s in the strongest team despite being new! You’re not telling me no one’s inflated more rumours to make it seem like she’s S-class level? 

So the crux joke of this chapter doesn’t make sense. I’m unable to suspend my disbelief long enough to enjoy this chapter because it contradicts most of what the story has told me of Lucy’s reputation thus far. 

It’s not something I managed to watch fully the first time (I was cringing too hard), and I’ve only managed to get through it this time because I”m looking at it objectively. I won’t be back for a reread. 

[thedeviljudges]

Re. Soohyun - if her death does turn out to be connected to her investigation, then imo I'm okay with that because (within the show's narrative) it would be a result of her own actions/choices, in line with her characterisation, e.g. charging in on her own, not thinking of her own safety, risking it all for justice, etc., and unrelated to her relationship to the male character, rather than just someone hurting her to hurt him. She still retains agency, just with tragic consequences. (1/2)

And yes there are legit criticisms to be made re. the writing of SH's character, but in the rush to do so some ppl seem to be overlooking the rest of the female characters - Elijah, JJ, Sun-ah and Cha Kyung-hee (love em or hate em!), who imo are all well-written, fascinating and strong in different ways. Yes CKH died, but she went out on her own terms in a way fitting to her character and even in death made more of an impact than any of her weaselly male counterparts! (2/2)

I agree with this; although the one small part I will play devil’s advocate with is the fact that the only reason Soohyun continued her and Gaon’s investigation into Yohan is because she doesn’t trust Yohan who has Gaon under his thumb. So, I suppose indirectly, it’s still about Gaon because she’s trying to persuade her friend not to trust Yohan and whatever she found could’ve been the key.

The thing is, Gaon tells her before they leave his house that they can continue looking for evidence about Yohan after they deal with the rising violent situation. But she doesn’t listen, so that truly does align with her character in terms of pride and self-righteousness.

Then again, even if it is indirectly about keeping Gaon safe, the entire thing is still a mystery and she did have agency to go out and try to discover it on her own without being tied to Gaon in that way, so I’ll give it that for sure. She, at the very least, had one thing for herself this episode outside of Gaon. And to your point, which I think is so true: someone hurt her specifically for her nosiness rather than in relation to Gaon. As fucked up as it is to say it, I do hope that’s the reason she was taken out, and the more I think about it, I think the more plausible it is, especially given how charged the preview for episode 14 is.

To your second part: I think it’s easy for people get so hung up on one female character dying because of how the film industry/writers treat them in general. Which is a totally understandable response to have. Women die off for male characters as a narrative device, for them to learn, grow and continue carrying out the plot, and it’s a nasty trope.

The thing is, we can’t avoid women’s death in film because then that’s just too unrealistic. I wish we were given more with Soohyun, that she could’ve been fleshed out and not just a plot device, that she could’ve been way more well-rounded like all the other women/men on the show, but sadly that’s just not the case. I don’t know if the writers just got ahead of themselves with the plot and were like ‘oh shit, gotta do something with her’ or what.

But with that said, you do have a point that there are other women on this show. It’s all about subversion of tropes. We see it with Gaon (he is a female character through and through); we see it with the minister, with Sunah, etc. I know it’s easy to also blame the writers for killing off Kunghee as a female character, but also tell me how many women we’ve seen on screen make a choice about their own death??? To me, her death was profound because she made the decision - she ultimately represented what it means to be pushed to the limit, and that can happen with anyone. She did so not because of a man but because she knew she was backed up against a wall by literally everyone; that makes sense to me.

And Elijah. I’m truly so happy with her, especially because she hasn’t fallen victim to normal teenage tropes and shit. She’s smart and witty. She’s still a teenager that back talks. Given she is confined to the house for safety reasons, she’s still so fleshed out, which tells you a lot in comparison to Soohyun.

And even further, I don’t think any show can every truly be perfect, and faulting it for having some errors is just going to be normal no matter what. Humans make human mistakes, even in the content we create. I recognize that completely. It’s easy to write lines and lines about how Soohyun was failed as a female character, and I think that’s normal to write about, just as it is for any other character, but after that, it’s important to sit back and breathe and just remind yourself that no perfection exists regardless of what should or could have been done.

Unfortunately, it is what it is, and that’s how the show will forever be cemented. And this is why I haven’t made too many posts about Soohyun because there’s nothing I can do outside of it aside from trying to dissect what little information we have about her character in relation to the themes and tropes of the plot.

All of this to say, I do hope we’re right in that even in death it can mean something. I think the friendship component was such a mishandled thing and it had so much potential. Everyone cries about how gays make shit things unnecessarily gay, but we never ask why hets do the same thing. Why does every m/w have to be romantic? Where are the friendships??

For what we do have, flaws and all, I'm happy with their exploration of tropes, how they've mixed it up, especially for genders. They've done a phenomenal job despite a few hiccups - how many shows can say the same??

But yes, I totally agree with all of your points!!! They’re very valid.