#i’m juggling the main story and the scenarios for all my readers

[childrenofcain-if]

i am writing the main story. just so you know that i need time to finish chapters that are more than 100k words when i’m a full time uni student.

if you have so little faith in me when i’ve put so much thought, time and effort into this story, you should do us both a favour and leave. you’re saving yourself the non-existent ‘disappointment’ and i’m saving myself the headache of reading through more of these stupid asks.

i have no obligation to write for you. i’ll do it when i feel like it. stop acting like you’re paying me to write. the audacity you have would make people think like you’re providing me paychecks every month tf? i’m not your servant, goofy.

you don’t like the scenarios? fine, great. but many of my readers do so i suggest you just move along now and boss around some other IF author.

[ruvatia]

Sorry if this is a bit much with everything going on, but could I request a scenario where the Paladins + Matt & Lotor have a black s/o and they’re scared abt everything that’s happening in their country and are sad that racial injustice is happening? I’ve been rlly worried the past few days, but if this is smth too uncomfy I understand ;w; Thank you 💖💖💖

This got really long, I apologize but I turned it into half-headcanons with just the main paladins-- i apologize for not doing all the characters you’ve mentioned, but I don’t think they would fit all in a single post anyways www

On another note I hope you and every other reader take good care of their mental health; it’s important to be aware of what’s going on but it’s also important to be in the right mindspace to be able to tackle everything that’s being shared. It’s pain that’s been boiling for a very long time and there is absolutely no shame in taking some downtime to recover before heading back into current issues.

SHIRO:

If you were saddened, Shiro would suggest that maybe you switch to something else; if there was something that he knows will distract you and temporarily have you be a little more at ease, he’d do that!

But also maybe add a little twist-- extra soft blankets (fresh out of the oven! Screw the bills you’re worth it), extra cheese on your favorite dish, whatever it is that can make your smile a little wider, bigger or brighter just let him know!

Would give you hugs if you asked, but usually Shiro pets your head and brushes your cheek for comfort

He also does this when he wants to ask something of you, but thats another story

Why the TV was still on was a mystery to you, you’d stopped listening a long time ago. Your partner besides you noticed, and you felt the hand around your shoulder tighten his grip a little, bringing you out of your thoughts.

“Hey, maybe we should watch something else?” he asked softly, brushing your cheek with his hand. “I can’t really listen to this anymore.”

“Yeah… Sure.” you replied, though it felt like an automated response more than your actual opinion.

“Okay, I’ll switch to that weird show Pidge recorded the other day, we agreed to watch it, right?” he replied, quickly grabbing the remote to change the program.

The first episode started playing, but the moment that it did, you felt cold as Shiro left your side.

“Where are you going?” you asked, your interlaced fingers the only thing keeping him close.

“Ah, I thought I’d make us something. We both kinda skipped dinner….”

He’d thought about putting something together that you’d like, maybe order dessert to surprise you but seeing the look on your face, leaving your side was the hardest thing to do right now.

So he gave in, and your both fell asleep until the doorbell rang with your delivery.

KEITH:

I have this headcanon that Keith isn’t very good with physical touch but after the end of voltron and after enough time of humanitarian relief, he learns how important it is for someone that’s in a specific state of mind

So the best he has to offer when his words fail is physical touch

Over your time together he’s learned what you need depending on your mood, and it helped him out lots when you were more vocal about it-- if anything he liked it when you asked for things that he could easily deliver, he’d do anything to see you smile

A hand came over your phone screen, Keith’s fingers lacing into yours and making you drop the device onto the crevices of the sofa.

“Why did you--”

“You’ve been staring at that thing for the past hour, biting at your nails.” he said in a worried tone. “That’s enough. We’re going to bed.”

“But it’s just--”

“We’re going to bed.” he repeated in a harsher tone, lifting you off your seat.

Keith sat down onto the bed first, pulling you into him. You both fell onto the bed, Keith quickly pulling the covers over your shoulders before his arms came around you.

“My alarm is my phone.”

“That’s nice, but we both know we have nothing to do tomorrow.” he replied right away, making you chuckle.

“Keith…” you called, your hands sneaking up to his face.

You brushed away some of his hair from his face as he gave you a complicated expression, unable to reflect the small smile you wore. He knew things were shit outside, that being apart from your family and other loved ones was a toll on both you and that lately negative thoughts have plagued you more often than not but Keith, despite his good intention was still somewhat of an awkward man.

“Thank you.”

He kissed you in reply and you both left it at that, glad that he had someone like you to meet him halfway.

LANCE:

Lots of hugs the moment he feels something is off with you

Will be a brat™ for the sole purpose of distracting you, bET

I feel like post-series Lance tries his best to be as observant as Allura and tries to understand others better-- but it didn't take a genius or incredible empath to know why your eyes looked like they were about to overflow at the sight of the news.

I’d like to think that Lance, with a big connected family is one of the paladins that very easily gets what you’re going through, wouldn’t be surprised he’s been called one or two things in his past either

That being said it doesn’t mean that he completely understands your personalized struggles with racial injustices that you encounter everyday; as another minority himself + coming from a culture and upbringing that might be different than yours, its a very different experience.

Memories flooded as the news anchor spoke about “lootings” and as you scrolled down your feed to see feeble attempts at sympathy from local peacekeepers. You sigh and retweet another thread, only to find something equally as shocking right after. You stopped commenting in quote retweets a while ago, you felt like you were constantly repeating that none of this was okay and that a reform was desperately needed. Rather than typing out your thoughts you typed out your name, address and email over and over again, signing one petition after the other.

Hearing sigh after sigh, Lance eventually put an arm around your shoulder. He startled you, but his soft voice made both your shoulders and your guard lower.

“Hey, do you want to make a midnight snack with me? I’m getting kinda hungry.”

“What about that new rule we were talking about? Not eating 4 hours before we went to bed?”

“Every diet has one or two cheat days, don’t they?” he replied, kissing one of your eyelids. “Come on, I’m sure your neck is sore from being like that for so long.”

In the end you both made some soul-food until a food-coma knocked you out until tomorrow. In the morning, you realized that Lance must’ve woken up in the middle of the night because you remember cuddling on the couch, and yet you’re waking up on the bed. Of course, still in his arms.

HUNK:

Having a sensible heart, I feel like both you and hunk would struggle a little about maintaining a healthy distance with current events.

Though overtime he would understand that keeping in touch with everything that’s going on is important, but not at the sake of burning out

His best bet, to him, to pull you out of a such a dark space is with comfort food

“Ok ppl feel like they want to eat a horse but they actually cant when they’re in that mind space Hunk, let’s make something sweet and small; something direct and straight to the point! Let’s add smiley faces on it!”

Your turned down the volume from the news, let your head fall backwards and brought up your forearm over your closed eyes. It felt warm and made it you realize that you had probably been staring very intensely at the screen as a wave of comfort hit your eyes the moment they were drowned in darkness. Letting out a deep breath, you stilled and let yourself bask in your thoughts until a familiar voice brought you back.

“Maybe a little bit more sugar? No, then it would be disbalanced. The base is already so sweet-- Ah, I have to take the cupcakes out or else they might get burned!”

You felt a smile grow on your lips, making you ignore the horrid news being broadcasted to turn to your partner that as usual, seemed to juggle ten thousand things to create a whole meal.

“What’s going on over here?” you asked, leaning over the counter to note that one of your favorite dishes was made and machines that were mostly used for baking had been brought out.

“Oh you know, just a little pick me up for my most favorite person ever.” he shrugged, but a smile soon came to his face. His hands were full but he leaned over, his lips meeting your cheek. “Things outside are a little dark, so I thought we could both use a little something nice.”

He turned on the machine after dropping a drop of dye to make it your favorite color and within a few minutes the icing was finished. Hunk scooped up a small amount on his finger and brought it to his lips and nod.

“Wanna taste?” he asked you, his finger dipping into the icing.

A mischievous grin spread on your features as you took his wrist and let his finger fall on your tongue, the sweetness quickly spreading through your mouth. The yellow paladin shivered as you let his digit hang in your mouth for longer than necessary, letting out a satisfied hum when you returned it to him.

“Tastes perfect.”

PIDGE:

She knew what could be fixed, she knew how to fix it but this meant she was also aware of how long such a transition would take

I think Pidge would be similar to Shiro: whatever she remembers that helps you be at ease, she would defect to that in hopes to maybe distract you for a while.

I don’t think Pidge is a very touchy person either, so if she reaches out to you _physically_ in worry, it’s a very clear sign she’s serious/anxious

I feel like she would reach out in other ways and then if she knew you were in a specific state of mind where touch was not useful, or if she just also wanted to try things out lol

As you watched the twisted information that was being shared on screen, another message caught your attention. Rather than a small red icon in the corner, a small window appeared in the middle of your computer screen.

<I found a way to modify notifications sent to another device.>

The video had stopped, every horrible gif about police brutality was paused and there was nothing else but the small window pidge had thrown onto your screen. You chuckled, and felt a pressure behind your working chair.

Another message popped up.

<You’ve been catching up with twitter for the past two hours. Surely you’re done now?>

A soft laugh came from you, making Pidge release a breath she didn’t know she was holding. You typed out an answer:

<Is it possible to be completely caught up with twitter? I follow like 500 accounts.>

<Okay, but half of them are just cat videos and the other half are just retweets of said videos.>

<Oh here I was thinking that this was an intervention to brighten my mood. We’re dragging each other’s follows now?>

<Oh please like you don’t want to be dragged, with that kind of follow list.>

<I can’t believe you’ve done this.>

You both laughed, before Pidge turned around and tapped your shoulder. She let her hand float in the air, yours coming to join it as a soon as your turned her way.

“Wanna take a nap?” she asked, letting her head fall onto your shoulder. “I had Chip make some hot chocolate, Hunk style.”

You squeezed her hand, putting your computer on sleep mode.

“Yeah, that sounds nice.”

[kyndaris]

The Beginning of the End

When I first finished the prologue, I cockily thought that the game would not be too terribly long. After all, it was only four chapters. Surely, it wouldn’t take that many hours to complete. Three weeks maximum, I told myself. 

Little did I know that Trails of Cold Steel 3 would take me a month and a bit to finish. Granted, there were numerous distractions along the way and a family trip to boot. But one thing I had forgotten about the series was how dense the lore and world-building could be. I had even forgot that with Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) that even narratives with a simple premise could still span countless hours. And that’s not counting the artificial inflation of simply chatting with every non-playable character (NPC) in order to not miss out on collectibles or on hidden sidequests.

I think on it now and simply see it as fair recompense for how long I’ve kept the game sitting on my shelf. Far too often, I’ve gone for the next shiny new game instead of completing those that I’ve bought a year and a half ago - waiting for a lull in game releases (that have caught my eye) before tackling the next lengthy JRPG in a series that has spanned multiple entries.

Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3 starts in the middle of a battle. There’s not much explanation and the player is thrust into the roles of the new characters that featured in trailers and the box art. True, one of them is Altina - once an enemy to Class VII, but this time the homunculus was on our side. 

(And honestly, it was written better than my attempt in Divided We Fall. A narrative that begins mid-way through and with a battle is supposed to entice the player or reader or viewer - bringing out their natural curiosity. My attempt, however, might have been a bit too confusing. Live and learn, I suppose.) 

After holding out against the Stahlritter, several scenes flash by and the game takes us to Leeves. It is the start of a new school year and our favourite black-haired hero has returned to Thors Military Academy. Except, of course, it’s the BRANCH CAMPUS! And why is the Ashen Chevalier, Hero of Erebonia, now an instructor? Of all things?

To be perfectly frank, I feel as if Rean’s choice was to maintain the school setting. While I appreciate the downtime and the ability to run around chatting with members of the old and new Class VII, it felt a little forced when there were plots within plots being spun by all the secret societies out in the world.

In a way, though, I can see the genius behind it. Thors Military Academy was always a hub for the characters to return to and regroup after each harrowing encounter. I will say that it does take quite a bit of coincidence for each place that the Branch Campus goes to on their ‘field missions’ to always be somehow linked to whatever machinations Ouroboros might have in the works. Oft times, the scenarios felt a little contrived - ensuring that Rean and his team of allies were at the right place at the right time to do battle with the ne’er-do-wells that have been a thorn to main characters since the beginning of time itself.

One of the major things I dreaded coming into Trails of Cold Steel 3 was the prospect of meeting new characters and having to juggle an already impressive roster of playable characters. Yet it wasn’t too long before the likes of Juna Crawford and Kurt Vander had wormed their way into my heart. I didn’t even mind Musse and Ash (though I did find Musse’s flirtations - with her instructor, no less! - a little excessive).

While each of them fell neatly into anime stereotypes, I was also appreciative of how the game took the time to flesh out their backstories and still have it somewhat linked to the overall narrative of the world at large. Particularly Musse and her connections to Duke Cayenne.

Where I felt the story falter a little was how the last chapter was more focused on Calvardian spies in the capital city of Heimdallr. Whereas the three previous areas had focused on suspicious activity that was almost always about Ouroboros and their experiments with new technology, the battle with the Dark Dragon felt much more separate and standalone. 

Of course, the writers managed to exposition it all away, but it was the one part that I felt was not quite as synced with the others. In fact, it felt a lot like plate spinning (and give players a challenging boss battle) until events transpired that would thrust the main plot forward.

The combat still remains fairly similar to previous entries. Quartz management still proved paramount in creating the best team - whether that was equipping those with excellent stat boosters or a mixture of powerful arts. But while arts, particularly for healing, were important, I found myself leaning more on crafts and the occasional brave orders. Newly introduced to the series, brave orders were another piece of the puzzle to make combat more interesting. Almost all of them are buffs. Some increase the strength of all characters in combat, whereas others minimise damage. Still others gave the player characters unlimited turns to utterly decimate the competition. It was always fun to try them out and find the perfect combo to tackle many of the late-game bosses.

Another introduction to Cold Steel 3 was High-Speed Mode. Honestly, I should have played the entire game on High-Speed Mode. By speeding up all aspects of gameplay, it was probably the reason why I was able to finish the game within 110 hours rather than 130 hours. And yet, even with a guide to help me, I still decided to talk to almost every NPC after each major event to see how their lives had evolved. It might not give it a completely ‘lived-in’ feel of the world, but their vignettes were still amusing.

How else would I be able to enjoy Lord Quinn’s teasing of his young daughter? Or watch the burgeoning romance between Bennet and her fellow baker?

Despite how long the game took me, Trails of Cold Steel 3 was another solid entry. Though a lot of it felt like filler, the last few hours had me on the edge of my seat as disparate threads came together and many questions were answered. Of course, as the credits came to an end, I found myself with more questions that the game thought would entice me to play the sequel (which I will, because it, too, is sitting on my shelf ready to be played). 

Though it will be the end of a lengthy saga, I’m eager to see how it will all play out. What’s happened to Rean? Why did the developers leave us all with a cliffhanger? How many times will they attempt to echo the first Trails of Cold Steel in their third entry? Why is Alisa the supposed canon choice instead of Emma or Laura or Fie? The list goes on...

[blizzardfluffykpop]

writing blog recommendations?💓

I have lots in my head, but like I’ll just write whoever comes to my head

@choco-seventeen I’mma just spill my love for them, omg wow. I’ve been in love with their writing for a very long time, wow. Like they have this fan-fiction called Dream Catcher for Joshua I wish I could forget it continuously to read it over and over again, it’s series that’s finished and wow man... Like I love all these it’s a mixture and I love that :) This is one of the many stories you need to read. She’s made me cry and that’s a good thing but yeah. 
@pinktokens   cdhshuovsdaohhouohuvdsaho sorry that was emotions for her series and it just came out... I read Hidden Rooms like when I first read it DK’s part wasn’t out yet but man... Like the ending was fantastic wow, I still have yet to read an au quite like it so go read that you won’t regret I promise on my life.


@not-all-that-chic so I’m still reading their works, once Land of Wonder is finished I was going to compliment them but here we are :) I really love your writing! Anyway, they are mostly a smut writer but y’know man I am in love land of wonder I can’t wait for Dormouse part to come out (my ult bias y’know). 


@kpop-wonder212 I don’t know how many times they have made me cry, but it’s enough, try My Daughter it’s still not finished but wow if that story hasn’t made me cry I don’t know what has. Truly a phenomenal writer, thanks for making me cry. She writes as much angst as I need for my teenage soul. 

(Most of these writers will have made me cry because I’m the biggest crybaby I know; but I’m good with that)

@ripperoonii Okay so Cady is absolutely amazing writer I think you should check out her Like Cashmere and Velvet it’s Jeonghan and wow I loved that story to pieces, this one didn’t make me cry if I’m correct but I still loved it. (also if you need a fic recs like she has a blog for it :) @sippin-on-lemonade ) 


@astarlightmonbebe As far as I’m sure she stopped requests wanting to pursue her own writing that’s my Leah!!! :) But she is much more of a member x member writer rather than an x reader writer (which is mostly what I read and what I write) But if I ever got time I’d read it, but she wrote me a birthday scenario with Mark X Reader and wow talent let me tell you. 


@got7imaginations All of your got7 needs are right here! (I realized how many works I need to read today oof) But anyways the fan-fiction I read from them is Shy Like Me I’d personally recommend but like it’s up to you.

@tokyoseo Wow I’m pretty sure this is one of my last series that I read in a night or over the course of two (I usually can’t sleep until I finish a fanfic).
 I personally would recommend the series Paradise it’s complete and wow the whole story was wahhh omg. I have no words. 


@floraltenwritings So I’m pretty positive I’ve read everything on her poly scenarios personally check that whole masterlist out, if that’s something you’d be interested in, I loved it personally. 


@strawberryjmilk Wow another amazing writer where I didn’t read all their works told myself I’d get to it but I didn’t, but the work I did read was When the Ticking Stops and wow I loved that so much, 10/10 would read again. 


@changbeanie okay really need to start reading more but I’ve read alot of  tattoo artists aus and it’s one of my many favorites but like you need to check out Stawrberries it’s Minho fanfic wow omg I actually think getting a strawberry tattoo would be neat, but like I fell like I wouldn’t get it colored it, it was just be on ribs-but anyways-back to the main point of this really check them out okay?


@lordofassgard Have you ever met a writer you just want to hit but that’s rude so you won’t, well this is one. If you want to end up bawling your eyes out well this is the writer for you. I’m sorry actually I really love her Play Pretend and I’m actually so excited for part 3 like I just can’t wait to see what happens next. Like she makes me feel all of my emotions in stories I just wow ( I really love tattoo artist aus tbh if you can’t tell) 


@yeolology Okay this is a wow factor but like I Like Stars is one of the works I just loved reading and like all of the other fanfictions on here I wish I could catch amnesia to read this one and the others again.


@detaective Well let me mention I need to read more yet again, but I did read Soulmate!Felix and what an amazing au it was so cute wow! I’ll probably be reading their soulmate aus some more later y’know. 


@yehet-me-up okay one of my favorite series is Exodus Mall AU and I’ve seen one like it but I can’t remember who wrote it, but wowwwww I don’t even truly stan EXO (I have so many to juggle and I’m about to topple over) but man did this series make me want to stan to death tbh. 


@kpopfanfictrash Their requests are closed right now oof, but anyways I read Romanticizing the Tome is an amazing fic honestly. and I didn’t even know they wrote about GOT7 till today, (I have lot of things to read tonight) because I’ve always read their BTS stuff but like def a writer to check out tbh 


@byunmania I never got around to it because when I started reading Ador it wasn’t finshed yet but I loved it so much and man I loved the way the writing was, like I’m speechless tbh.

@kissingkpop okay so I find their blog so cool because they are one of the firsts that have tumblr (at least as far as I know) videos like fanfiction videos there are moodboards and fanfic from what I’m sure of, but I just find the video aspect so cool tbh

@miss-noo-na I think I’m just going to recommend everything they write it is quality like brand new converse (sorry first thing that came into my head) one thing got to do is request when the requests are open of course, because wow. They write a lot more smut then fluff but like either way whatever they write is so good tbh. (Although I’ll recommend Mark’s Frostbite)

@seventeen-teen-teen-trash I spent a lot of time reading all of the college aus from them and it was 10/10 it really got a lot of plot for most of it being written in texts messages! 


Talent is all I stan, and it’s not only kpop idols but the fanfic writers, top-notch quality I love them all, and I probably missed quite a few. I’ll probably be screaming later be like why didn’t you include this writer!!! But I’m satisfied with it now.

(I tried my best to write this, I tried to get this done over the course of 3 days. Because I wanted all the descriptions to be to my taste. But literally they aren’t I could probs tell you more about each author but like my mind is drawing constant blanks at this moment. But seriously there is a thing for everyone I think? But I hope you like these writers!!)

[maychorian]

Weekly Voltron Fic Recs #30

Officially no longer a youngster. Get a job and get out of your parents’ basement, “weekly” rec list, for pete’s sake. Get it together.

Rules: You can find past weekly rec lists here, and non-list recs in my general fic rec tag. This is stuff I like, and I have a huge bias toward Lance, hurt/comfort, and general fluff, in that order. Gen unless otherwise noted. Please comment on the fics if you read and enjoy them!

A Lonely Mind by Bandity Words:  11,292 (WIP 1/2) Author’s Summary:  Lance struggles with depression, choosing to hide his problems, he starts down a dangerous road alone. My Comments: I think I kinda freaked the author by leaving a RIDICULOUSLY long comment on this one. Go read that for my expanded thoughts. But yeah, fave of the list. You remember that post going around not long ago about how healing pods are scary? This fic takes that concept in a FABULOUS direction, and I love it to death.

Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul by Agapostemon Words: 1,595 Author's Summary: “So you want me to spy for you,” Keith observes blandly. “Exactly!” Hunk nods, “Oh, and keep an eye out for food stashes. I wanna know where all my ingredients are going. ”Keith sighs, “Fine, whatever. I’ll spy for you. But only because he’s my brother and I care about him.” My Comments: Really sweet and heart-achey exploration of Keith and Shiro’s relationship, through the scenario of Shiro hoarding food in his room.

Pizza, Pasta and some comfort by SerenePhenix Words: 4,405 Author's Summary: I love taylor_tut’s sickfics to death but the one that really stuck with me was the one about the college AU where Lance appeared on the gang’s doorstep and they all were like “let’s take care of this sick stranger”.I really couldn’t help myself… ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Getting Lance to stop before he can collapse Shiro wonders what can be done to help the poor guy. Besides making sure that his temperature doesn't go through the roof... My Comments: Not long ago, I recced “The Pizza One” as my favorite taylor_tut fic, and here’s a nice long sequel! I love it almost as much as everyone in the fic loves Lance.

Food for Thought by WildWolf25 Words: 9,094 Author's Summary: After a very uncomfortable breakfast his first morning in the Castle of Lions, Ulaz learns that Galra and Earthlings (and Alteans) have some very prominent cultural differences, specifically relating to food. Once they get some misunderstandings cleared up, though, Lance gets a certain idea... My Comments: Crack alert! This is delightful. Gen, but technically NSFW for...reasons. Just read it, if you’re of age.

Stretch the Day by Stratagem Words: 886 Author's Summary: Lance and Hunk hang out with their siblings at a lake and have a nice day where nothing bad happens. Really! My Comments: I’m actually reccing every fic in this series, Voltron Space Family, this one just happened to come up first in my AO3 history because I read it the most recently. But yeah, you should consume everything. This author is SUPER good at child mannerisms, as well character interaction and feels. There’s a story where Shiro is rescued after the end of Season 2 by a misfit band of space pirates including one Matt Holt, and another where the Galra kidnap Lance and Hunk’s siblings, which is heart-rending. Very, very good stuff. I’ll be following this author with eager anticipation.

Distance by nawsies Words: 1,381 Author's Summary: Pidge misses her Mum so much and most of the time she refuses to think about it, Lance is in the right place at the right time and wants to help his friend (he helps). My Comments: Sweet, achey, homesick Lance and Pidge. Beautiful little fic.

Mermaid Rescue and Rehab Inc. by isabeau25 Words: 1,064 Author's Summary: Sadly, this isn’t the strangest phone call Pidge has ever gotten from Lance. The mermaid is new though. My Comments: MERBABY SHIRO RESCUED BY THE GARRISON TRIO. If that doesn’t make you want to read it I don’t know what will. Just go. It’s great.

Voltron Hug Collection by hufflepirate Words: 12,761 Author's Summary: 15 microfics, minifics, or oneshots featuring Voltron hugs. These were written based on tumblr prompts (plus 2) and to get me through finals week. Every chapter involves at least one hug, all hugs are platonic, and chapter titles will tell you the people involved and some idea of the plot or prompt, so keep an eye out for those. My Comments: I’ve been reblogging these fics in their tumblr post form, because they are all amazing, but if you missed any, here they are all handily collected for your convenience! I intend to comment on every single chapter, just haven’t gotten to it yet.

Lionhearted by Pidgeon_Online Words: 9,539 Author's Summary: It's a struggle for everyone. They're struggling to stay afloat in the sea of stress and anxiety.And Pidge accidentally tipped the boat.or Pidge gets sick and everyone helps while trying to juggle their own problems. My Comments: Sick Pidge with bonus angsty Lance and supportive everyone else. A pleasure to read. One Day at a Time by dem_hips Words: 2,818 Author's Summary: Being away from home at school is a little different from being away from home defending the universe, as it turns out. My Comments: Kind, supportive Garrison Trio. They’re all so very far away from home. Another fic where Pidge and Lance level up their friendship. I love it.

Caught in the Rain by WildWolf25 Words: 3,611 Author's Summary: “Hi, um, do you need help with your… robot car?”Pidge looked up to find a man looking down in bemusement at them. His black hair was cropped close to his head, shorter at the undercut and only slightly longer on top, save for a white-dyed tuft that fell over his forehead. “It’s a rendition of the Mars Rover, but ‘robot car’ works too.” Pidge said. “And I’m okay, I just need to dry it off. My teammates are delayed, so I just need somewhere out of the rain to wait for them. Sorry about using your awning.” (While waiting for their robotics club members, Pidge gets caught in the rain and takes refuge in the lobby of an onsen, where they meet Shiro) My Comments: This is such a warm, gentle, relaxing fic, much like I imagine an onsen visit to be. Love this modern version of Pidge and Shiro, with Lance being a disaster and Hunk being a suspicious mechanic, as it should be.

Heathens by TheCookieMonster77 Words: 8,785 Author's Summary: "You…"Keith looked completely bewildered and lost at Lance's outburst and Lance thought that that was probably the worst part of all of this. The heathen didn't even realize his error.Keith's face looked startlingly close to a kicked puppy. "What did I do?""I- You-" Lance let out a muffled shriek shout of irritation. "You," he growled, jaw clenched and teeth grinding, "just asked for pineapple. On pizza."What. An. Out. Rage.Keith blinked. "...Yes?"Hunk is an amazing angel (like always) who figured out how to make space pizza. Lance was ready to sing his praises to the universe, but then his teammates have to go ruin everything by insisting on pineapple pizza.Heathens. My Comments: Very fun and funny fic! I loved everyone’s different reactions.

A (Space) Mother's Work is Never Done by BajillionKittens Words: 2,851 (WIP 3/?) Author's Summary: A Mother's Day celebration for the team mom. Six times Coran took care of his kids and one time they returned the favor. My Comments: SO CUTE. I love the way Coran takes care of all of these children he’s suddenly stuck with. The different scenarios are all very good and fitting, and I’m looking forward to more.

Little Drops of Poison by Saereneth for BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Words: 2,607 Author's Summary: Shiro had been trying to catch up to them, clawing his way through years of separation just to feel like he was part of them once more, but sometimes it was just too much, and he had to excuse himself for a while so he could come to grips with everything he’d missed. My Comments: @bosstoaster‘s Ten Years On AU bothers me on a very visceral level that I have trouble articulating, but this little exploration in the sandbox is lovely. I love Pidge unable to stick with her original concept and expanding into thing she finds interesting or just pretty, and the way Lance notices Shiro spiraling and subtly grounds him without being flashy is really lovely characterization. Very believable development of both of them, and Shiro is heartbreaking as always, but everyone’s going to take care of him.

Be Water, My Friend by xLoLix Words: 8,531 Author's Summary: So there are the quieter moments between missions, between exciting events, between the moments that matter. (The real secret are that those are the moments that matter the most.)Here are some moments between the paladins, starring Lance.Or; I air out some of my general grievances and de-stress from school by writing a fic about my favourite character. My Comments: Really lovely exploration of Lance and his relationships. I enjoyed it.

Finding Family by squirenonny Words: 17,214 Author's Summary: A collection of drabbles that don't fit neatly into the main Duality plotline. Most can be read independently of the main story, though each entry contains a note on where it fits in the timeline.Written based on prompts from readers. My Comments: Some mild Klance and Shatt. Every single of one of these is delightful. You should just read everything this author writes. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

Previously Recced Fics That Updated:

As Color Fades Away by IcyPanther Truce by kyanve The Times They Remembered Pidge Was a Girl by MagmaWrites The Color Of Our Planet From Far Far Away by LonelyGirlInSpace Someplace Like Home by squirenonny  (THE GANG IS BACK TOGETHER) Secret of the Blood by exclamation (now complete) Garrison Days by castlestormed Towards The Sun by Eastofthemoon The Machinations of Perception by HapaxLegomenon Must Surely Be Learning by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) (now complete) The Garden of Heaven by Genesister (papirini)  (now complete) Love and Other Questions by squirenonny The Size Of Our Actions by buttered_onions Scattered by avidbeader A Dream Away by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Stardust, Silk and Steel by CalicoTomcat Shifting Sands by Cardigan_Quincy

[chantellehere]

Books I’ve read since I arrived Paris

Originally this was going to be an end of year post about books I’ve read up until that point. Alas no, I never got around to typing this blog post up and left it until now, on a supposedly snowy day in January (currently looking out of the window for the snow that has yet to fall). So here are all the books I have read from when I arrived in September, until now.

1) The Moth: All These Wonders

Back in the Summer, I did a book exchange with a friend back home. I sent her The Time Travellers’ Wife and in return, she gave me two books, both of which turned out to be amazing collections of short stories, not something that I would normally go for. This is perhaps my favourite out of the two. The Moth is originally a podcast for storytellers to share their stories, real stories. This is a collection of 49 new true stories from people who have experienced all kinds of things in life, from the loss of a loved one to growing up in multiple foster homes. The most poignant story was the very last one, called Forgiveness, by Hector Black, who relays the journey of how he came to forgive the rapist and murderer of his daughter. I was so shocked at how big his heart was and how he found it in him to forgive someone who has done such unforgivable wrong to him. It also made me feel ashamed for holding grudges against others, who thankfully has not done anything nearly as bad to me as what Hector has experienced. The fact that each story is true and lived makes the book even more interesting than it already is. It’s a wonderful, eye-opening book that makes you see things and consider the world from a fresh renewed perspective.

2) Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

This is the third book from the writer that I have read. Blink talks about how we make snap judgments and why sometimes, these instantaneous feelings can be more right than heavily researched opinions. Malcolm Gladwell is no doubt an excellent author, and he makes all these scientific and fact heavy topics accessible, constantly making comparisons to real life scenarios and linking examples and case studies back to each other, reinforcing his findings, allowing the information to stick better. If you’re new to non-fiction, his are a great start because his writing is so accessible and not patronising in the slightest!

3) How to Be Parisian Wherever You are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits

Here’s a blog post dedicated to this book. All in all, it is an easy read, brilliantly funny and true

4) How to be both - Ali Smith

I am not a fussy reader but this book has left me so confused. It was highly recommended by other people on the internet and seems to always be on the chart and so I picked it up months ago, excited to finally read it. The story, its structure and its narrative - nothing makes sense to me and I have never looked forward to finishing a book more quickly just to get it over and done with (I don’t like starting and not finishing a book). Not on my list of recommendation, yet don’t let me stop you from giving it a go.

5) You Are a  Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life - Jen Sincero

A cult self-help book, which started off cringely optimistic but ended up being quite good. I wouldn’t say it stands out that much from other self-help books, in the sense that they all seem to be talking about similar things, giving similar advice and also reiterating things that you should know but do not have the self-discipline to already have done it. The tone is motivating, but at first, it can come off as cringy and very American. I like the fact that it recaps the main point after each chapter, which is quite helpful if you were to put everything she says in action. What I took home was the most repeated advise at the end of each chapter: Love yourself.

6) Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng

The fact that this is written by an American-Chinese author made me love the story even better. This story follows an American-Chinese family after the death of their daughter. It talks about the racism that Asians faces and the difficulties that mix-raced children experience growing up, as well as problems arising between the parents because of the different upbringing, social and cultural background. I find part of the stories relatable (like the pressure and expectations from parents, family dynamic etc), which makes it all the more interesting and intriguing, the fact that someone else (the author) understands! Celeste Ng writes so well I can’t wait to read more of her books.

7) Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race - Reni Eddo-Lodge

As pointed out by the author, racism (especially in relation to Black people) is usually discussed in the context of American history. Reni has done many research and interviews to shed light on why race in Britain deserves just as much discussion and awareness, touching on black history, and the link between racism and feminism. She also suggests practical approaches to acknowledge and counter racism in our world today. This is such an informative and educational read, one that is desperately needed in our society today, given the political events that have happened over the recent years.

8) A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara

Before I was even halfway through the book, it has already become one of my all-time favourites. This book follows the life of four friends, four American male characters and their lives over the decades. This book covers everything you wish for in a book: love, jealousy, friendship, guilt, trauma... It’s not often that you’d come across a book this thick and whisk through it so quickly that 720 pages do not seem long enough. The writing flows so well and even though I was juggling between two books at the start (because I needed a lighter book to take with me on the metro), I had no problem getting back into this one every time I picked it up again and very soon, I couldn’t put it down and was extremely sad to finish it (both because of the story and also knowing that I will have a hard time searching for something as good as this book)

9) The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris

I finished this in a day - a true and touching love story between Lale and Gita, written in the form of a diary. Lale retold and entrusted his experience in the Camp to Heather Morris, who effectively replicated it in a convincing and persuasive piece. Although not as heavy as Anne Frank’s Diary, since it is historical fiction, rather than an autobiography, you’d be shocked at how much the couple has gone through, individually and separately and how miraculous their love story was. Reading Heather recounting her meetings with Lale and his son, you can believe she has done so much to stick to the truth while adding certain elements in the book to recreate the suspense and drama. If you enjoy The Book Thief and All the Lights We Cannot See, you’ll enjoy it.

10) Why Social Media Is Ruining Your Life - Katherine Ormerod

I heard about this book on this episode of the Ctl, Alt Delete podcast hosted by Emma Gannon. Her interview with Katherine Ormerod opened my eyes (ears) to see (hear) the truth behind these glamours Instagram accounts, which I already know, but not to this extent. The book elaborates on it, sure it tells you things that you should already know, but more than that, it’s packed with interviews and quotes from real life bloggers talking about the prices they pay to ‘live’ the life they have, plus, Katherine has lived and is still living that life herself, and so this book is full of first hand experiences. It’s also divided into sections, linking social media to motherhood, politics and work etc. It’s an informative read for sure and even more so in this age where social media is so dominating.

11) The Paris Wife - Paula McLain

I got this book from Shakespeare and Company, for the stamp and also, since I am in Paris, I thought I should read something that is set here. This book was one of the ones that caught my eye, from the many lists of ‘Books set in Paris’ that I googled and consulted. Written from Hemingway’s first wife, Hedley’s, point of view, I find it difficult to separate myself from the book. I find myself constantly bringing my anger towards the male characters and sympathy for the narrator to life, through the conversations I have with my boyfriend, projecting and magnifying my despise for the male characters onto others in real life (for that, I apologise.) But this just goes on to show how great the writing is and how easy it is to sympathise and get lost in the book. I have become obsessed with Ernest Hemingway’s life, in particular, his relationships with women and I reminded myself to re-read another book on the infamous writer and his wives, Mrs Hemingway by Naomi Wood.