#i’m such a sucker for unconditional love tropes

[messiahzzz]

few extra tentacles? doesn't matter. gale is just excited to learn more about his squid spouse

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is:  Pricklywhicket/@messessentialist ! Prickleywhicket has four fics published to AO3 -- All in the Steddie tag!

Our anonymous nominator recommends the following works by pricklywhicket:

so let's sneak in from the cheap seats, honey

it's supposed to be fun (turning twenty-one)

start by pulling him out of the fire

"Sadie is so super talented in the way she describes literally everything. She is so good at writing and it's a shame that she's flown under the radar because she's not the quickest at putting things out there." -- Anonymous

Below the cut, Pricklywhicket answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

Why do any of us write anything? Because we want the story to exist in the world, and it doesn’t yet, so we gotta hike up our pants and do it ourselves!

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

Hurt/Comfort. I’m always a sucker for the blorbos taking care of one another, in whatever form that takes. This has always been true, across a truly astronomical number of fandoms I’ve found myself dabbling in over the years.

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

…actually, probably hurt/comfort! I just need to get those little dudes some validation and unconditional positive regard, okay?

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

I’m sure I won’t be the first one to say this, but: I HAVE TO PICK ONE????? Okay, alright. I can do this. I’m gonna say…Sanctuary by SpicedSage.

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

I’ve only written canon or canon-adjacent fic so far, so I’m eager to work on something that’s completely AU. I think there’s a unique challenge to keeping characters recognizable as themselves in a world that might not have all the same contexts that made them into that person.

What is your writing process like?

I would love to say it’s super organized and well-planned, but the truth is it’s mostly about routine and responsibility. I set aside time to do it every day, even if I can only tap out a few sentences. I’m not very strict about writing in a straight line - I can stop a scene if it’s giving me trouble, write a note about what I think happens in some [brackets], and move on to something that I have more fully fleshed-out ideas for. Sometimes writing the next scene helps you know more about what needs to happen in the current one. 

Do you have any writing quirks?

I'm sure my betas would say yes 🙃 I tend to write a lot of dialogue - a lot of my revision process is going back through and realizing I have two pages of a conversation with no indication of what’s physically happening in the world around the speakers.

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

Definitely when I’m finished. Prior to my ‘23 bang fic, I had never written anything chaptered. I knew going in that I could NOT start posting if it wasn’t finished, because I’ve been burned too many times by abandoned works. I didn’t want to do that to people reading my fic, and the best way to avoid it is to finish before you post.

Which fic are you most proud of?

Easily start by pulling him out of the fire. The biggest, most ambitious thing I’ve ever attempted - I still kind of can’t believe I wrote 85k.

How did you get the idea for start by pulling him out of the fire?

Like most terrible ideas, it was spawned in a fandom discord chat. We were discussing the tendency of Steddie fics to centralize the party at Steve’s house, because his parents are never there anyway. And then someone mentioned what if the parents came home and found their house occupied, and someone else mentioned Wayne being there, and it just sort of…spiraled out from there.

When writing start by pulling him out of the fire, what was something you didn’t expect?

I had no idea, going in, that I was going to write a comprehensive history of the Wayne and Eddie Munson relationship. I started writing it where I did to give some background on Wayne’s existing distaste for the elder Harrington, and then I just…kept writing. Over the course of a month or two I wrote 20k of WayneAndEddie that I had no idea was in me - it just kept coming.

What inspired it's supposed to be fun (turning twenty-one)?

@wynnyfryd. It was a gift for her birthday. We were talking about our mutual love of Letterkenny, and she mentioned that the episode was her favorite and wouldn’t it be funny if someone wrote… and the rest is history.

What was your favorite part to write from it's supposed to be fun (turning twenty-one)?

I had an unreasonable amount of fun with that one in general. But I think my favorite part was Eddie polling the party about what Steve means to them all. It was fun to sort of put myself in each character’s shoes and think about how they would answer. Plus y’know, any excuse to unironically love on Steve Harrington.

How do/did you feel writing so let's sneak in from the cheap seats, honey?

I believe my exact words upon deciding to write it were “jingles miserably to a blank google doc.” This was a classic case of saying “god I wish there was a fic where—” and having friends tell me that it was now my responsibility to write it. I’m glad I did, though. I love that story, and it proved to me that I could write sex and publish it and not burst into flames. I also just really, really love summer storms. And Wayne’s use of the singular ‘herpe.’

What was the most difficult part of writing so let's sneak in from the cheap seats honey?

Getting over the fear of publishing something E-rated. It was just something I hadn’t done, and I had a lot of anxiety that people were not going to respond well to it. I made three people individually review the sex scenes before I even asked anyone to beta the full fic. Of course I was worried for nothing, the reception for that fic was super lovely and gave me the confidence boost I needed to attempt start by pulling him out of the fire!

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

This is like asking me to pick a favorite child. I’ll say this: most of my favorite lines in start by pulling him out of the fire were taken directly from conversations @wormdebut and I had about the fic. She’s my number one cheerleader and sounding board, and sometimes she’s so goddamn funny that I just have to include it. You have her to thank, for instance, for Steve quite literally dropping his croissant when he first sees Eddie in glasses.

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

I have a couple of irons in the fire, but nothing I’m ready to share just yet! I’ve been taking a breather from writing (blame baldur’s gate 3, okay) but my WIPs are still very much IP. Stay tuned!

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

Not that I can think of!

Thank you to our author, Pricklywhicket, and our anonymous nominator! See more of pricklywhicket's works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

[kaistarus]

My Fic Recs

South Park

Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (gremlinteeth)–(Creek-complete(137k)–this is quite literally the greatest fic in existence. ‘but South Park is cring–’ shut your mouth, get over it, and read this masterpiece. The character/relationship development, worldbuilding, symbolism, characterization?? I still get emotional listening to “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” by The Beach Boys.... Like what?!? I cannot wait for the day that I have forgotten enough of this fic that I can reread it again properly. IDC what fandom you’re from read this fic.

Me, You, And Time(HelplessRomantic_2)--(Creek-complete(13k))--There are a lot of fics on Craig and Tweek’s development using canon moments in the show and I think this one does it best. Characterization, realism, character/relationship development, friend group dynamics. It’s just a great fic overall. Love it

Family Is What You Make Of It(Mareepysheepy)--Creek-complete(17k))--This fic is unbelievable. It’s an absolute masterpiece of a take on the Tucker family dynamic and how Tweek has fit into their lives. The unconditional love they have for each other and Tweek’s support for Craig. It’s one of my favorite Tucker family fics and the writing itself is phenomenal

Life In Color (BlameCanada)-@blame-canada-Creek-Complete(2k)--This is so artistically written and underappreciated. It’s a shorter one-shot, but their ability to take Craig’s monotonous descriptions to show how his worldview and outlook literally change with Tweek around is beautiful. Gives me that chest achy lovey feel and cannot get enough

Your Eyes, My Nose (PinkFan_Gurl)-@pinkfan-gurl-Creek-Incomplete(75k)-I admit, I was a little hesitant at first because babies, but I gave it a chance and OH my god I’m so glad. The writing style is fantastic, the characterization is phenomenal, there are unique relationship dynamics, and most importantly we get dopey Craig who is so in love with Tweek it’s embarrassing. I flip out when I see there's an update in my inbox. Not complete, but still updates 🙂

A Beautiful Sight, We’re Happy Tonight (@tlinrookie)-Creek-Complete(13k)--I am so obsessed with this fic, it's just so fucking good and one of my favs. Post-high school hook-up into insecure/awkward flirting? It’s so well done and realistic as a concept that if someone told me this actually happened to them in college I’d believe it. I love that in my fics. And once again, awkward blushy Craig <3

press pause (pink2d)--Creek-complete(13k)--Just Craig overwhelmed with his newly developing feelings through fantastic writing and emotional description. He just wants to kiss his boyfriend but can’t stop overthinking literally everything. I LOVE the author’s use of little details and actions to show love and build up on Craig’s end, gives you a chest achy emotion

Anyone Else But You(@fruitloopzed)-Creek-Complete(3k)--One of my fav meet cutes. I’m always a sucker for love at first sight, but Craig seeing a cute boy at five-years-old and his first instinct being to rizz them up with red racer? What a concept. Genius. It’s so cute and actually writes them in character for their age which is well done

Nervous young inhumans(tweakers)-Creek-Incomplete(136k)@tweakerist--Have you ever wanted Craig to be hopelessly in love, but literally everyone and their grandma knows except him? Well, I have the fic for you! lmao seriously tho Craig is an idiot. but his and Tweek’s relationship dynamic/development is so good. I will reread some interactions like ten times cause they’re so cute and funny. So if you also like dialogue/interactions sign yourself up. It’s incomplete, but author updates regularly!

Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun

More Trouble Than You’re Worth(@voidjelli)–Amanene-Complete(183k)- Have you ever wanted as many fanfic tropes as possible shoved into one beautifully written fic? Well I've got the story for you! lol I’m personally obsessed with ‘he’s so in love with her it’s pathetic’ so this fic kills me. The writing is phenomenal and the characterization/relationship buildings are amazing. I’m a sucker for good friendships and fun group dynamics which this fic is filled with AND there’s  a prequel Last Call(7k)

Undertow(Kawffee)-@kawff33-Amanene-Complete(96k)--The amount of effort and research that must have gone into this fic astounds me. Like a mystery/romance with a small-town island setting, Nene doing Orca research? I learned so much. The writing is astounding, the concept is fantastic, it was so fun to read, and I’m amazed it exists as just a fanfic tbh

[loosesodamarble]

Hello senpai it’s 🖤  anon for the ask game can you answer 2, 4, 11, 12, 19 and 25. I hope it's not too many.

🖤 anon! It's always a delight to have you in my inbox! Thank you for all the questions!

And don’t worry, it’s not too many! 💖🥰 I’m more than happy to answer!

2) a character whose POV you’re currently exploring

A small WIP (that I really should address soon) is centered on Gauche's character and I've only written for him once before and years ago. I find him fascinating because of how exclusive he is with his care (initially, he branches out his love in canon). He's not self-centered the way, say the Dark Triad are. But he's not sociable and giving the way someone like Asta is.

I guess most people are like that, they have their circle of who they care for deeply. But Gauche is a lot more intense about it. And that's what makes him fun.

I really hope I can get him right with the WIP.

4) a story idea you haven’t written yet

So I answered this question earlier but I can answer it again all fresh because AAAAAHHHHH! I have a lot of story ideas that I have yet to write out.

An idea that has been plaguing me recently is the thought of writing different endings for certain dating sim routes. The "Normal Endings" from Radiant Tale have a bit of range to them.

In Zafora's Normal Ending, mc Tifalia and him don't end up in a romantic relationship (which is kinda the goal of a dating sim) but he usurps his corrupt uncle's position of power and Tifalia is his secretary. That sounds normal enough. Meanwhile in Ion's Normal Ending, Tifalia ends up in an indefinite coma due to injuries while Ion has his heart frozen to keep him from being used as a living puppet. So both of them are essentially dead to the world. The ending had me going "the heck just happened in my sweet yet adventurous circus otome?!?!?!" And then Paschalia's Normal Ending just... Fucking slaps Ion in the face with how ideal it is in comparison.

I would like to write alternate endings for RadiTale's routes that fall more in line with the tone of Ion's Normal Ending because, man, I cannot have him suffer alone!

11) a WIP you’d like to finish someday

AAAAAHHHHH! I have a WIP for a second chapter of a fanfiction I wrote for the Cinderella Phenomenon games.

It's such a cute idea! Lucette wants to give Klaude a special gift but ends up adding a bit more to the gift so it suits Klaude a little more while still keeping the original idea in tact! KHDIGUAETHIAETH! But I'm hung up on a transition point so maybe I'll skip the transition scene and get onto the real meat of what I want to write and maybe then I'll finish the WIP!

12) a trope you’re really into right now

Aside from the possessive lover trope I mentioned earlier, I will always and forever be a sucker for "I will love/forgive you no matter what" dynamics (one of the core ideas to Nacsele so no surprise there).

Unconditional care is my jam! I do get that some relationships work better with the dynamic one apologizing and the other finding it in themselves to accept and forgive (Silvas siblings, the beloveds). But I will forever prefer relationships where someone has done wrong (and acknowledges/shows remorse for it) and feels like they can't be loved/forgiven, but the other person just brushes it aside in favor of showing love (Finral and Langris, Yami and Nacht, Yves x Ceres [Virche Evermore], Ignis x Kotone [Cafe Enchante], Nacsele).

Love me characters who embrace the one who hurt them because their love is stronger than their pain.

19) the most interesting topic you’ve researched for a fic

🤔 Most interesting topic I’ve researched?

Maybe it was whether or not lye used for soap making was available during a specific era in Japanese history.

I guess recently I did a quick search on terminology used in city planning. Not all that interesting or in-depth though.

I honestly don’t do that much research when writing fanfiction. I know I’m not expected to be an expert in every possible topic that comes up in a fic and readers probably come in knowing my breadth of knowledge isn’t that great. So I end up not putting that much thought into researching and any inaccuracies on certain topics are likely forgivable.

25) besides writing, what are your other hobbies?

Another question I answered before but I can still give fresh answers to.

So I'm not sure how much of a hobby this is but I collect soap bars and then make my way through them. I go to a particular soap shop because I love how big and colorful they make their soap. I sometimes get tempted to bite into the soap because the colors are so, like, candy-esque.

[flokali]

I know this isn’t a request or anything, but do you have anything you want to see written?? Like more frequently of?? (certain tropes, maybe?)

I’m always partial to the “Yandere” trope, so I’m always looking for more content >_<)) Especially for softer, more “lovey-dovey” type. I’m really into the whole “I am as much yours as you’re mine”-thing, like, “eternal devotion that is unconditional and borderline delusional”.

In general terms, I love me a good “friends to lovers” or “mortal enemies to reluctant friends to devoted lovers” - that second one, bro… the potential for angst to comfort to fluff? Devastating.

Hmm, what else… I love spy AU’s, especially rival spies turned reluctant allies. I’m also a sucker for reunited childhood friends, it’s so sweet especially when they remember certain things like character A’s favorite food or that on special interest character B had ((T^T)).

I could talk about AU’s and tropes I love forever, actually.

[clambuoyance]

do you have any favorite hyper-specific tropes you enjoy? like a certain line of dialogue or character type or something

OKAY LETS SEE

1) Since it’s on the mind bc of toh—i’m an absolute sucker for found siblings. Of course, i enjoy the found family trope in general and most variations (middleaged character adopting a random ass kid, etc etc) , but when its focus is on siblings? I eat that shit upppp. I mean relationships like luz and hunter, any of the dc families tbh, the rgb siblings (nya lloyd kai), or my ocs keiko and rolin—they scratch a special part of my brain.

Maybe its because i’m eldest sibling myself, and my brother is only two years younger making us pretty close in age, but i just really like sibling relationships and they hit more than parent/child ones for me😭🙏 We don’t always get along, but i’d say we have a pretty strong relationship now

Something about going through the same motions, esp if ur both still trying to find ur place in the world, and knowing you have someone to rely on is just so special to me. Even with blood siblings, it doesn’t really feel like unconditional love at first. Like, you have to choose to be someone who will care and be there for them. Urgh idk it just feels different even though with parents it’s also a choice to care about someone. Like with a parent or guardian, it’s like you want to expect them to have all the answers, but with someone closer to ur age who chooses to treat you like family, it’s like—well we both don’t know what we’re doing but we have each other to lean on.

And the “found” part isn’t necessary but just a nice treat bc i feel like it highlights that Active choosing to care for someone like family. waaah. Like Kai in s1 of ninjago having a whole arc that leads to him leaving behind his own desires to save tiny lloyd, and then literally promising to always look after lloyd after , or luz promising to keep hunter safe bc he’s family now, and then my story with my ocs rolin n keiko is all about them becoming siblings to each other😭 it just makes me feel sooo emotional

also sibling banter 💥💥💥 i feel like u can say more uncalled for shit w siblings

So yeah if you look at my list of faves don’t be surprised if u see a lot of characters who have a significant sibling relationship in their story 🙏

2) Now i dont know if this counts as a trope, but as for fave character type theres usually this One scene that makes me go Oh i love them. and that scene or line tends to go like this: Character up to this point has shown a fun, perhaps confident or carefree personality, but as soon as they’re alone, it’s revealed to the audience they’re capable of feeling so much more. Idk i guess im thinking kon at the campfire, or wukong in lmk specifically always being chill then being serious when he’s alone

3) Also in category of things that make me love a character: slapstick comedy to highlight dorkiness. or honestly just any type of comedy that undercuts a character’s supposed Cool/Importance Factor. 💀 like the amount of slapstick a character goes through has to be proportional to how unaware the character is of their own dorkiness. Im thinking Kai bumping his head while threatening garmadon or bragging about his skills only to get slammed by a tree (or a rock. or a wall. the list goes on.). Or Kon saying he’s fine cuz he can fly only to wham his head when the ship turns and then subsequently get flung around while the ship flies, or slamming his face straight into the ground cuz he’s an idiot.

Or like, Karkat’s whole thing. he’s a walking clown circus. sollux going “do NOT run that computer virus” and karkat ignoring him only for the computer to explode in his face. idk that shit makes me laugh

4) When characters start talking about how they don’t wanna be left behind—it depends on the writing but that usually Hits for me 😭

um i could probably think of more but thats all i got for now

[zarnzarn]

Stolitz fic rec!!

||

I'm going to just drop my favorite stolitz fics here.

They run at night by @wearemisfortune

Blitzo is always moving because when his body stops, his mind races. This almost always leads to a terrible fucking idea.

Tonight is no different—but the result will be.

-lovely angst, lovely climax, and it captures Blitz's line of thinking in a serious tone but in a way still feels authentic to the character. And I'm ALWAYS a sucker for the sheer unconditional trust trope.

Junctures by @sluttycrimehat

To everything, there is a season.

-I still am in complete awe of how the author managed to fit so much in such little time. The bit at the end always fucking gets me, I love it so MUCH.

The last general by @curtailed

It's in a month after, with Stolas spent and lying on his side, that Blitzo finally musters up the courage to tell him.

-Hello??? BEAUTIFUL post-harvest moon fic, wonderful vibes, love how well they know each other in this one, the trust is amazing. Love it.

You got everything that I want by @bipridemoth

Stolas can’t recall a time where “love” wasn’t synonymous with “pain” for him.

With Blitzo, it’s not love. So, there’s no pain. Stolas doesn’t let there be pain, at least not emotionally, the physical pain is something he quite enjoys. When Blitzo leaves after their monthly night together, he doesn’t allow himself to feel pain, only anticipation of the next time. He likes that there’s always a next time, even though that’s because of his active incentive more than anything else. But that’s alright, he doesn’t want Blitzo to come see him without an incentive. He deserves favors in turn for what he’s giving Stolas.

-Stolas angst!!!! The angst really is delicious in this one, with just as nice of a happy ending. Blitz is confident about the relationship, which is Wonderful to read and the "I know where this is going" segment had me in TEARS.

Between fairy tales and realities by @coloringthegreyscale

Blitzo's a complicated imp and Striker and Stolas accept that. But what happens when the two worlds he's made for himself collide together for one night? Well...

-Okay, so yes, this is striker/blitz/stolas, but it's so good. All three of them have a lovely dynamic, managing to work out somehow, with powerful Stolas, wonderful Blitz and a HILARIOUS Striker. Go read the series, it's a lot of fun and has many cute interactions that made me smile.

The look by @seireileafy

Blitz has been noticing a change in Stolas.

-It's such a CUTE drabble, I adore when one person can tell the other is pining for them, and the LAST LINE FUCKING GETS ME EVERY TIME-

Instead I made my bed with apathy by @thebooklord15

Just like every night before this one, Blitzo glared at the form next to him, already lulled into the bliss of slumber. He had never meant for things to turn out this way-he’d gotten the grimoire already, he didn’t need this man and from the way Stolas treated him it was clear he did not need the imp either.

And yet.

-Jcjdkafj this one is so GOOD I love blitz being pissed off yet too deep in to stop, and like I've said for others already THAT LAST LINE, PLEASE-

Call and response by anon

It was a love story, maybe.

-short but deliciously angsty, with some beautiful imagery, really nice dialogue, and time-doesn't-exist-in-this-motel-room vibes. Love it.

Shovel proof by @kereea

Octavia tries to give Blitzo the shovel talk. He decides to help with that.

-FUCKING cute, love the Octavia/Blitz dynamic, and it has snappy fun dialogue!! Really sweet.

Reaching out, touching me, touching you by @allmightshipserasermic

Stolas hasn’t been able to preen sufficiently in quite awhile, since Stella refuses to do it for him anymore. Blitzo offers to help.

-PREENING FIC is there anything more I have to say?

The skin you could have by @coloringthegreyscale

Stolas catches Blitzo staring and it leads to some talk, some magic, and a little bit of fun.

-Again, BEAUTIFUL dynamic between the two, lots of angsty tenderness, and lovely body imagery.

Different shapes by @sirdust

“Before the exorcist, he taketh the image and shape of a man.”

Blitz catches a glimpse of Stolas’ human form.

-okay, practically a direct opposite of the previous fic, but SO GOOD, I can't describe it. Love the imagery and their comfortable relationship.

A helluva mess by @stratumgermanitivum

It’s not like Stolas isn’t a hot piece of ass, because he is.

And it’s not like Blitzo’s blind or anything, because he isn’t.

It’s just that there’s pleasure, and then there’s business, and never the twain shall meet. (Unless he finally gets Moxx on board with that threeway, in which case, Blitzo fully intends to christen every damn surface of the office except his precious Loony’s desk.)

-AMAZING, love the pining and denial on both sides it's so great especially since you can tell both sides know that they've messed up. Again, LAST LINE!!

Eat the whole cake (it's what you deserve) by @okoyik

"His Highness is on the phone for you, sir," Moxxie says.

Blitzo makes a face. "Who?"

"Stolas," Moxxie supplies, as if that's supposed to help Blitzo understand. His expression is surely one of complete confusion as he stares at the other imp.

"Who the fuck is Stolas?" Blitzo asks slowly, racking his brain for a face to put to the name.

-

Blitzo's memory starts to slip, and all he knows is he needs that owl that seems to haunt his nightmares to stay away.

-HELLO it's only on one out of four chapters for now but it's already SO GOOD I can't WAIT for the rest!!!

Stand tall, but your hands are shaking by @remymorton

It’s been a month since the Harvest Moon festival. Another full moon night arrived, and after that... Blitz ... He's not well.

-wordless cute comfort, truly very sweet, I love it.

Palaces and souvenirs by @cloudysonder

So Stolas is objectively. Objectively. Attractive. Kinda soft-looking, sometimes. Pretty. Whatever. Fuckin’ whatever. That’s always been a thing. Blitzo knew that, Stolas definitely knew that-- whatever.

"This is not," Blitzo thinks, sounding a little bit desperate even to himself, "some sort of revelation."

His flicks of the lighter get a little more unstable, a little more frustrated.

A clawed hand reaches over and takes hold of the lighter, lighting Blitzo’s cigarette with practiced ease, as if he’d done the same thing a thousand times before (He has, Blitzo realizes).

“Silly Blitzy,” he giggles quietly, giving Blitzo a soft pat on the head before curling up beside him, stretching one last time before closing his eyes to sleep.

Blitzo feels warm.

"This," Blitzo tells himself, and it sounds like a command, "will not be a problem."

-I saw the start of this fic on Twitter and have been following it religiously ever since. It's really a gorgeous fic, three chapters up, with the promise of a Great slow burn, fun dialogue and Octavia & Blitz bonding. The level of denial Blitz is in even as he moves comfortably around every aspect of Stolas' life cracks me tf up.

Can't by @hazbincalifornia

Blitzo realizes he feels something something that he doesn't want to feel. This was supposed to be simple.

-feelings realization fic, wonderful, amazing, lovely, also the exact same way I realized I was gay, funnily enough (girl fell asleep in my lap and I was like oh. Oh fuck.)

Too late to stop by @malkaviancake

Stolas spends some time with his thoughts, realizing that his feelings for Blitzo aren't as one sided as he presumed.

-GORGEOUS vocab, I'm truly very obsessed with it. Like most of these stories, LAST LINE!!!!

Itchy with want, thin on sleep by me

It happens in parts- both falling in love and having his eyes opened.

-I will,, finish this one day, but for now here's a few in between moments before they have The Conversation.

Heaven in hiding by me

Their nights together are good, they always are, both of their tastes lining up to be shockingly compatible, but on the days where they end early and they get to spend some extra time cleaning up in comfortable silence or playful banter- and Blitz would rather take a bullet than admit this out loud- but those nights are pretty great too.

-AFTERCARE FIC, I had to write an aftercare fic ft. Good dom Blitz, Stolas taking care of him in return and a comfortable relationship that they both know is going to cause Problems in the future :)

Love in the bones and sinews of this curse by me

Five times Stolas and Blitz needed the grimoire to break a curse + one time they didn't.

-self explanatory. I tried to make it as funny as possible, everyone bickers a lot and Blitz brings Stolas flowers and gifts, what more could you need?

Life is a curse (love makes it worse) by me

"Alright!" Blitz says, clapping his hands together, "Weapons out, and-"

Half pull out some gun or the other, but half just look at him blankly. Blitz wishes for death.

"Save me from this family," He mutters under his breath, "Okay. Take these then." He passes out the few weapons he'd brought along with him and doesn't ask if they know how to use them because if he hears a no, he's giving up and going back home. "Stick close and talk loudly so the others can hear us. Let's go."

They move out, Blitz taking the lead and the rest forming a circle close behind him, starting up a loud conversation about the neighbour's garden. It gives him enough time to wonder exactly what the fuck he's doing here, in a nightmare world with a bunch of pretentious snobs, searching for his stupid Ars Goetia boyfriend, instead of sleeping in his nice lumpy bed back at home.

-a sequel to the previous fic!!! I had to write some Octavia and Blitz bonding, and accidentally added in a bunch of teenage imps who work for Stolas who imprint on Blitz immediately. And there's Eldritch Stolas, protective boyfriends and found family!!! The whole shebang!!!

This ended up being Much longer than I'd expected, but genuinely every fic up there is really good, go check em out!!!!

[wolfstarlibrarian]

Thank you so much to Mel for giving us an amazing interview and some bonus art! Now check out her recs for both fics and art!

Fic Recs by @mlim8

So cheating a bit here, but I’m first gonna list a few of the fics that brought me back to drawing - I ended up drawing fanfic comics for a scene from each of these fics since they were all so darn good.

Solnste by @lumosinlove

I’ve gushed about this fic a lot. The whole thing is a roller coaster of emotions, misunderstandings, revelations and love. Haz’s work is addictive as usual and a joy to read from beginning to end. Chapter 6’s reveal destroyed me so much I needed to draw it.

Now I Wanna be your Dog by @prettyremus

It’s so fun to read the Marauders just being kids and enjoying their time with their friends, seeing them freak out about crushes and worrying about exams and getting jealous, while also being in a Magic setting. One of the first fics that I came across that gave me all of that was this fic. I adored it so much - from them wandering around town, trying to figure out the sleeping arrangements, playing music, stealing glances at one another - there’s just so much going on, I was in love. The second chapter with the Marauders just walking around town, gathering records and watching Sirius just fall more and more in love with Remus with the smallest actions he does? Needed to draw it.

Sweet Nuthin’ by @kattlupin

As I mentioned before, I’m a sucker for childhood friend tropes. I love watching them look at each other as kids and feel something there but not being able to name it. There’s so much childhood innocence, unconditional love and friendship that was so well portrayed in this fic and it was PURE FLUFF AND HAPPINESS. The creativity with the book of music was so much fun and a smart way for them to keep in touch… It was so lovely that I drew that scene lol

These fics caught my eye after I was in the fandom for a few more months and because of how wonderful they were, I knew I wanted to draw something from them some day.

Signs of Affection by @kittycargo

I’ve never read a fic that’s been so visual in my head the way Signs of Affection is. The image of Remus spelling his name out, letter for letter, while Sirius just gets more and more smitten was so beautifully written and it was such a fun journey to go on with Sirius and Remus! It was a fun peek into what learning ASL is like and the plethora of people you meet along the way.

The Crooked Age by @aryastark-valarmorghulis

Oh boy. When it comes to Arya’s fics, I can always count on them transporting me to a world of mystery, longing and humility. You see these boys live their lives, not as main characters of dramatic, heroic stories, but just everyday life. Fully fleshed out people who are getting by, day by day, and yes, fall in love with each other, too. The Crooked Age was just super intriguing and the CONFESSION/REVEAL SCENE?? *chef’s kiss*

Art Recs by @mlim8

Cheating (a lot) again and going to list 6 pieces of art and 5 comics - there’s just a lot of talented artists in the fandom with such different styles that I really love and am in awe of for their ideas and creativity ;w; This is barely scraping the surface of the bottomless pit that is the fandom’s artistic talent!!

Pieces:

In the Park by @yumenouveau

This is one of the first art pieces I came across on tumblr when I fell back into the fandom and I was completely in love. The beautiful watercolour style, their expressions, the tender touches. ALSO YUME’S JUST REALLY FRIGGING TALENTED WHEN IT COMES TO DRAWING HANDS, IT’S AMAZING.

Goodnight by @kitminti

It’s so sweet, gentle and dreamlike. It’s that innocence from their youths and vulnerability from being half asleep all tied up together with the fluffy pillow clouds. I’m in love.

the 1 by @whipbogard

Whippy’s art always kills me - this one, with the inspiration being SUCH A SAD TAYLOR SWIFT SONG, WHIPPY, WHAT THE HELL, is no exception. What a loving and happy time before the War.

But they have each other, and this is enough. by @rrremusly

I always love when the stars and moon come into effect with Wolfstar art. There’s something just so aesthetic about two characters facing each other in this way, AND WITH THEIR ANIMAL FORMS OVER THEIR FACES?? The visual is so powerful.

The stars and the moon by @thematicallycoherent

A sucker for the stars and moon, I told you. And mix in the colours??? The clouds, their faces, the night skies, it’s all a perfect combination for the two of them.

Kisses by @xxxcasey

This is so passionate and beautiful. Casey’s work always has strong lines and beautiful use of lighting - I’m amazing at the myriad of perfect poses you have these two in and how loving each post is.

Comics:

Love like you by @lyuvanoo

Vano’s art is so soft and beautiful. Their way of drawing Remus actually was what inspired me to go forth and draw fluffier hair on my Remus lmao - This song is beautiful and a perfect one for the two of them, I love how much effort and love went into this comic. The end with the fireflies? Kill me now.

After that night by @alessiajontrunfio

Alessia’s work needs no introduction. Her comics are so vibrant and full of character and emotion. The colour, the close-ups, the angles and layout of each comic are detailed to perfection and inspirational.

Marauders: Family by @ana-godis

The amount of detail that goes into each of Ana’s comic pages is insane. There’s so much background detail and it’s all coloured with shading, I’m always so impressed. Also I always love seeing how expressive characters’ faces are!

I got you, Moony by @lunorichi

I adore Luno’s art so much. Each character is so bright and beautiful with the most hopeful eyes and expressions. Luno’s use of light and colour always make me smile but also she’s really good at drawing crying faces lmao

Wingman Cat by @flaggermousseart

Flaggermousse’s comics are always going to take you on a journey. Sometimes, it’s a cute, happy comic like the one I linked above. Sometimes, it’s following canon and going to be heart-breaking and rip you apart with emotion and pain and loss. Also, having the characters’ blush being the only colour in entire pages sometimes is so cute, I love it :) I love blush!

Favourite Art by @mlim8

Sleeping Moony (+ficlet by @weird-fangirling-persona)

This one is just really pretty. I wanted to draw Remus sleeping, I wanted to draw fluffy hair and just some rough shading. Then, it just seemed right to have him open his eye and peek through his bangs and so… this was born. :3c Misa asked for a Sirius’ reaction followup in exchange for a ficlet and it was very worth it :D

The Wolf and Dog wander the streets (TW: blood and gun)

This artwork was just a LOT of fun. It’s so different from my usual chibi, happy style and I really wanted to portray this dark, sexy side that I think Wolfstar can exude. I followed a tutorial for how to draw blood and was really happy with the results! I also like suits and enjoy drawing male fashion with Remus as my guinea pig so -

Marauders Fanzine SFW Submission

I really love how this one came out!! It’s so bright and happy and I really hope I could convey how in love they are with one another and with who they themselves are. The flag around them was the most fun to colour :) It’s a symbol of comfort and pride for them and it’s all I could ever want for these two boys. Also, the fanzine was for a great cause, I’m happy to have been able to contribute to it!

Hugs for your Favourites

This one is an old one, but a goodie…!! I love seeing the Marauders doing ridiculous things together. THIS IS WHAT I WANT WHEN THEY SAY ‘BOYS WILL BE BOYS’ - clinging to each other like sloths while working their core muscles to ridiculous levels and tackling each other to the carpet just to laugh.

Dino!Wolfstar

Dino!Wolfstar is just… really, really fun. It’s bright and colourful and just stupidly adorable. :) I love how funny it is and even if not the BEST thing I’ve ever drawn, anatomically, it sure was fun to draw in the first place uwu

If you want even more interviews and recs, make sure to check out everyone featured in the Beyond the Shelves series and thank you for supporting all of these creators. ❤️

[godsprettiestprincess]

Oh, can I ask what your favorite part of Samifer is? For me, I never understood the appeal of the soulmate trope until I watched s5 of SPN and saw how much Lucifer just had this endless patience & unconditional support/respect for Sam. That not only changed my life trajectory into samifer being one of my top ships but made me see why people like soulmate AUs. The bone-deep understanding of each other, that Lucifer had to wait so long and still was happy to have finally met Sam... It's so 🥰🥰🥰

Oh gosh I’m not even sure — I admit my initially being draw to it was mostly just because it was the most popular ship for Lucifer haha — but I actually really enjoy it (in canon) as a deconstruction of the soulmate trope!! So much of both their problems™ come from lack of autonomy I really enjoy them sort of growing into each other, w/ Sam learning to choose what he wants and embrace the darker & more taboo bits of himself and Lucifer discovering someone wanting him because they choose to, rather than needing something he can give them or not having any choice.

Like I said there’s really so much but I’m a sucker for a human au as well & I find that those bits are what I enjoy/tend to hold over in (the good ones of) those as well! Also their banter and general dynamic in the snippets when Sam isn’t terrified in canon* is just SO fun, they’re so bitchy and so in love I love them sm

(*Bonus fic rec for the fic I think does this bit of their relationship best :33)

[xmaruu11]

I want to tell you that you are amazing and I love your art, I feed on your art. Thank you for your art. A question for you is what is a trope or cliché that you love and have always noticed?

I’m glad u like my art :”]

I’m a sucker for Friends to Lovers trope w/ the unconditional love

I’m a sucker for fluff

[teacup-tai]

Tai Recs: Drarry meets Church ~ a Religious/Belief/Faith list.

Some of you probably heard me talking on the Drarry Discord about my absolute LOVE for Priest / Father Harry, religious/faith themes and churches. So I decided to do a rec list on the topic! This one will be focused on Christianity (mainly Catholic) --I was raised in a Christian house of mixed faiths/religions, so they tend to catch my breath exactly because I feel like I can relate. This is NOT a master list, this is just a list of my favourite Christian Drarry fics that moved and comforted me. I hope you enjoy it :) 🌿

1) A Multitude of Sins by cryptonym (E, 40k+) HurtFest 2014

Peter 4:8 - Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. tw: attempted suicide

I think anyone who grew up in a Catholic church, surrounded by Priests and Deans and the parishioner life will relate to this fic. Father Harry is a devoted and caring priest, dealing with his own shadows, and always helping the church community. The way this fic was written and the whole plot of how they get entangled in a mix of feelings and sins is a work of art. This is my favourite church fic since I read it back in 2016. This fic keeps me company and brings me closer to so many old feelings. The life of being part of the Church is beautifully described and the questioning of religion and faith is a always there touch in Draco’s character. And the fall, my darlings, into love and rendition is the most beautiful gift cryptonym could have given our sinful souls. Also, It was written very respectfully and tastefully. A must read! 💜

2) By which we must be saved by @hogwartsfirebolt (G, 3k, 2020)

What happened was this: the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord was born as the seventh month died. Or: the one where Harry Potter knew his whole life that he was meant to be a savior, and Draco Malfoy joined him along the way.

Welcome to Messiah vibes. Honestly, I’m a true sucker for Messiahs, for the unconditional love and respect for human beings, for the power of forgiveness and faith. This fic made me miss my own faith and made me want to kneel and pray, for love, for goodness, for everything and everyone, because we are all loved and sacred. I probably enjoyed it so much because this is in what I actually believe: in compassion and true goodness of the heart. This is the vibe of this fic, and this Harry Potter is my forever Lord and Saviour. Such a blessing this fic 😭🙏

3) Series: Tidings of Comfort by @blamebrampton (G, 9.9k, 2002)

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. Luckily for Draco Malfoy, London has places where the tired can rest and recover.  

Comfort galore! If you want a Christmas vibe with churches, you are in the right place. Watching Draco find comfort in the hymns and ceremonies of the church made me feel cosy and comforted. Blamebrampton did a really wonderful job in transmitting the vibe of church and parishioner. Made me miss my old church days, the faces that start being familiar and the sounds and smells that transport us to feeling at home. Lovely! 🥰

4) No Absolutes  by @shealwaysreads (M, 402, 2019)

Draco understood worship. He understood unquestioning belief. He had grown within the walls of veneration and glorification of the past, of the few, of the pure. 

What I talk about when I talk about poetry. This fic was breathtakingly written. Bella has always this beautiful ways with words and here it makes faith and belief and Draco’s character study even more careful and deep; using Religious symbolism and imagery to work through Draco’s feelings in the post-war. It’s a gift with a very meaningful depth!  🙌✨

5) No sweeter Innocence by drarryandharry (G, 1.7k, 2019)

For Harry, church was the first place he truly felt at home. What happens when he realises it isn’t his home anymore? - Harry is gay and Christian, and then he has a breakdown.

Which of us, queer and Christian, didn’t have a breakdown or two? This fic was such a sweet way of describing a Christian Harry going through life and growing up and questioning himself. This fic took me back to my sixteens, when my parents didn’t approve my bisexuality, when incredulously I found myself feeling safer inside a Catholic church than at my own home. It took me back to when I decided God was, to me, above all, love and hope and acceptance and compassion. 🌈🙏

Bonus fic: Modern Love by @tackytigerfic (E, 61k+, 2020)

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is.

Hear me out, Modern Love is NOT a religious fic. But there’s church, and Draco being involved in the parishioner community, and there’s this sexy gay Vicar, Rev. Andrew. And its one of my all times favourite fic. The bits and pieces about the church and charity life made me miss my teenage years in the church community. And the way Tacky portrayed the church members and the Reverend and Draco singing hymns just made my heart grow fond and warm and everyone should read this fic. That’s why it’s a bonus fic and a MUST READ! 🤓❤

I hope you all enjoyed this humble rec list. I’ve never done a rec list before, but as I’m a sucker for the trope, Drarry meets Church, I thought it was a nice thing to do. We were talking about having a fest maybe someday on spiritual/religious/faith themes and a nice way to spur the topic is reading the lovely fics we already have from our incredible drarry squad. I made sure to add not only my favourites and comforting ones, but the ones that are very respectful towards the beliefs of Christian faith. If you would like to read more religious fics, I bookmark them here. Always check the tags!

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. Love, Tai. 🙏

[drowningbydegrees]

Fanfic Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @lokibus! <3 <3 <3

How many works do you have on Ao3?

54. I've written quite a bit more, but I just can't be bothered to carry over most of the fics from my LJ days. Also, once upon a time I had a super insecure streak and I went on an orphaning spree, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

What’s your total Ao3 word count?

Apparently 457,241! Kinda same as above.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Though I Try Not To (The Witcher)

I'm so weirdly pleased about this. I fell into Witcher fandom totally by accident. I don't usually do fixit fics, but I couldn't help myself. This is, I think, the only fic to date where I've started posting as a WIP and actually followed through and finished.

Where All Roads Lead (MCU)

If there is one plot device I'm just eternally a sucker for, it's time travel shenanigans. This was one of the two time travely fics I wrote for Stucky fandom.

For The Space of a Heartbeat (The Witcher)

I'm honestly really surprised by this? This was totally just a self indulgent spur of the moment kinda thing, and it's only a couple thousand words.

Even in the Dark I Know You (The Witcher)

Okay, I lied. There were two WIPs I actually followed through and finished. This started as a random oneshot for a whump week thing, and then the prompt for the next day fit so well with a follow up chapter that this just turned into a whole story. I really enjoy subverting tropes and with witcher biology I see a lot of sensory overload kinds of fics, so I decided to play with the idea in reverse.

Even if it Hurts (Even if it Makes Me Bleed) (The Witcher)

So, most of the time when I settle into a fandom, there's one fic idea that I feel like I cannot leave without writing. For Witcher fandom, this was that fic. I have a lot of complicated thoughts about soulmates as a romantic concept, even more so when you're involving characters like Geralt, for whom fate is so often a double edged sword. This story was very much an excuse to dig into what soulmates mean for personal agency under the guise of a narrative. XD

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Admittedly, I do this with embarrassing inconsistency. Basically, what happens is: * Something gets a good response. * I respond to a few comments and then find myself overwhelmed (mentally, not as in there are a truly overwhelming number of comments). * I step away for a bit. * A month later I realize I still haven't replied. Cue paralyzing indecision about whether it's too late to reply. * Rinse and repeat.

I do want to! And I'm working on it. I've gotten a little better about it, but my apologies to anyone who I haven't responded to. Please know I'm not intentionally ignoring you. ;_;

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Oh hmm. I had a reputation for a really long time as primarily an angst writer, but pretty much all my stories have a happy ending for some given quantity of happy. I guess it kind of depends on how one qualifies that.

Noonwraiths and Other Woodland Forest Creatures maybe. It's got a got a pretty fluffy ending.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

It's a tossup.

I, The Paradox, which is my other time travel fic from my Stucky fandom days, with a paradox (shocking) that lands Steve with two versions of Bucky. For plot purposes even! It's not a particularly smutty story. It ends sort of ambiguously. There's a sequel outlined that was meant to resolve said ambiguity, but alas, it's still sitting in my WIP folder.

Truth in the Periphery. It's a psychological horror story I wrote for an event. I think it's the only fanfic I've ever written that was really intended as a hurt/no comfort kind of story.

Do you write crossovers?

I haven't, but not because I specifically don't. I've just never had an idea that felt compelling enough to follow through on.

have you ever received hate on a fic?

Maaaaybe once or twice a long, long, long time ago, back when FFN was still the best option for posting outside of LiveJournal. I don't think it was even about the writing. I think it was someone was mad that my much younger self tried to sneak smut onto FFN.

Do you write smut? if so, what kind?

I have such a love/hate relationship with smut in my own work. I used to write it a lot because I felt like I had to. It was until I came to terms with being more or less ace irl that it occurred to me why I didn't enjoy writing it. Weirdly, I like reading it just fine.

The thing is, while I don't really care for the physical aspect of it, I like the emotional touchpoints of it, so I do still write smut sometimes. It just tends to be a little cursory in terms of action details and heavy on character dynamics.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. But I used to RP a lot, and it's always been a lot of fun, so I wouldn't be opposed to the idea!

What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Oh shoot. From a romantic standpoint that varies so much depending on what fandom I'm currently feeling enthusiastic about. It's pretty much always a specific character that draws me to a fandom, so I think the most consistent ship I have is favorite character/unconditional love and support. XD

What’s a wip that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

The sequel to I, The Paradox I mentioned earlier.

What are your writing strengths?

If there's one thing I feel like I have a consistently good handle on, it's emotional impact. I put a lot of thought into why people make the choices they do and how they relate to each other, and I would like to think I'm reasonably adept at leading readers to the emotional response I'm going for.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Descriptions. I'm just forever in awe of people who can just write settings/action naturally. It's a constant effort for me, and it's the thing I always feel like I fall short on. I can write navel gazing in my sleep, but an action scene? Pfftttt.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Very situational. Kind of like in movies and television. I don't have any kind of always x or y opinion on it though.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Inuyasha. It was back when I didn't have a computer of my own and would write at the library, so the only record of it was the site I used to draft and post to that is now defunct. No one is happier about this than I am. 😂

What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?

I think I'm genuinely pretty proud of everything I've written in the last couple of years, but if I had to pick right now, it'd be It Doesn't Break But it Bends. It's a time loop fic. Someone left "Recommended but you will sob." as their bookmark note for it and I think that might be my crowning achievement in fandom.

Tagging (if you want!): @mikkeneko @goodheavensgwen @writinglizards @plotdesigner And anyone else who wants to <3

[ins0mnia-an0nym0us-au]

let’s talk about TUA fandom

y’all are hypocritical - let’s just get it out there.

before you start typing out some angry comments or coming in my ask-box lemme explain my reasoning here.

LUTHER HARGREEVES

Luther is one of the most hated characters in this fandom for some unknown reason to me. He is just another victim in all of this and as much as all of you want to blame everything on his actions, he simply acted in what he thought were the best interests of everyone. Luther showed his trauma in the same way the rest did.

In my opinion, Luther is one of the most underrated characters in The Umbrella Academy because all of you are too busy with your thirsting after Diego or uWu-ing over Klaus to notice him.

So here is Luther’s trauma broken down for all of you. 

Luther was doomed from the moment he was chosen to be Number One, it’s that simple. From the very moment Reginald chose him, he had no chance, because he had the expectation of being the best put on his shoulders by a man who was never going to see any of them as anything less than worthless.

But Luther was determined to live up to his name, to be what his father wanted him to be – to be Number One.

Because for Luther he was sure everything that Reginald was doing was out of love. But I think Luther deep down knew that their father didn’t love them, but he needed to believe it was out of love, he couldn’t stand the thought of it being anything but love, because if it wasn’t love then it wasn’t worth it. He needed it to be worth it.

We got a glimpse of that in season one when he found all the packages he sent to Reginald. He never had any friends, he never left the house, he gave up his entire life for his father and the mission he believed in. Because he needed to believe it was worth it and when he found out it wasn’t – well, he had thrown his entire life away for what? It wasn’t because their father loved them or believed in them. So what was it?

Just to prove to all of you that Luther is more like his siblings than you all want to admit, here are some comparisons - 

LUTHER: needed the moon to have a reason behind it, so much so that his obsession put others in danger. He also couldn’t face it when it turned out his mission was for nothing - so he regressed to his old behavior of thinking his father was right.

DIEGO: needed to be the hero, even though I’m almost positive Diego isn’t a complete idiot and knows that dramatically changing history would be bad - aka saving JFK could make the timeline explode, he needed to save him. So much so he was willing to put all of his siblings in jeopardy.

LUTHER: was told from the beginning he was the leader and that being Number One meant that he had to be the best. Because of this he had an inflated sense of importance. It just meant he had a higher distance to fall when he finally realized that it all meant nothing. He also doesn’t take their opinions or plans seriously because he’s Number One and his plans are superior.

FIVE: is a cocky little shit, who is insistent he is the smartest person around and he might be. But he views everyone around him as lesser, that includes his siblings. He has spent his entire time in the apocalypse trying to get back to save his siblings but still treats them like garbage. He also never lets his siblings in on anything that’s happening, he never sits them down and explains anything, and when they try to contribute with a plan or a theory he looks at them like they are stupid. 

LUTHER: was sent to the moon, alone, with no one to talk to. Before that he had no friends his age, his only companions were Grace, his father, and Pogo. He’s been alone for a long time.

VANYA: has been alone for a lot longer than Luther - but trauma is not a competition and they both have dealt with it differently. I just wanted to point out these two similarities between the two characters.

LUTHER: is desperate for love and affection from his father. Everything he has done has been to get Reginalds approval and love but none of it has ever worked. He got small glimpses of things, like his dad’s favorite spot under a tree, so maybe he got a bit closer than the others but it was not real love.

ALLISON: is desperate for love and affection in general - hence her stardom. She needs attention, she feeds on it. It isn’t until she has Claire that I think she truly understands that everything until then has been fake. The unconditional love of a child made her realize that all of that fake love and affection is no match for real love.

LUTHER: has probably felt like a monster since before his transformation - having super-strength means having to be very careful with your own body. But after the transformation must’ve been so much worse. 

BEN: literally has a monster inside of him and has always felt like a monster. The difference is he has openly spoken about feeling like a monster.

LUTHER: has always been in control of himself. He is the exact opposite of Klaus in how he uses control to deal with trauma. Luther needs control in order to deal with trauma.

KLAUS: has no control and he does not want it. To deal with trauma Klaus loses control by using drugs and alcohol but he also uses it to control his powers.

So now that I’ve gotten through the siblings a bit, let’s talk about another topic that has a bit of hypocrisy behind it -

ALLISON X LUTHER

For some reason this ship is very despised in the fandom, I don’t know if it’s because of the fact that one part of it is Luther but a lot of the reasons I see are just - ‘ew, they’re siblings’. 

Yet, most of the ships in TUA fandom are of the siblings being paired together.

Five x Vanya [fics on ao3 - 372]

Diego x Klaus [fics on ao3 - 687]

Ben x Klaus [fics on ao3 - 311]

The only other ships that top these are -

Dave x Klaus [fics on ao3 - 1409]

Diego x Patch [fics on ao3 - 434]

And let’s be really honest for a second here - them being in any romantic relationship with each other, is not weird. None of them are biologically related to one another. They were just raised in the same household as one another and told to treat each other as siblings. If they had never been adopted by Reginald Hargreeves and met randomly on the side of the road, this discussion would be moot. 

I find the Five x Vanya ship much more disturbing if I’m being honest, simply because most of the fics ship a fully grown Vanya, in the body of a 31-ish year old, with Five - who while mentally is like in his 60s or whatever, is back in his 13 year old body. If Vanya did ever get with Five before his body turned 18, it would be statutory rape.

Let’s also just for a second list some other fandom pairings that are pretty popular that people ship that have the same ‘we grew up as siblings but we aren’t biologically related’ trope.

Thor x Loki [fics on ao3 - 10894]

Eren x Mikasa [fics on ao3 - 1221]

John Marston x Arthur Morgan [fics on ao3 - 651]

Max x Alec [fics on ao3 - 357]

Iris x Barry [fics on ao3 - 3689]

It’s incredibly strange to me how unpopular Allison x Luther is - especially since it’s actually canon in the comics. Granted, some things from the comics of course should change or be adapted, but the chemistry between Tom Hopper and Emmy Raver-Lampman is just spectacular, especially during the dance scene in The Day That Wasn't.

I absolutely loved that scene (still mad it’s nowhere on youtube). I felt like we got to see Luther both as how Allison sees him and for a moment he was out of his head with Allison, relaxed and just himself. 

If you just don’t ship it, just say you don’t ship it. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Alright. I think my duty as a member of the Luther-Protection squad is finished. If you can’t see your hypocrisy after this post, I really don’t know what to tell you. If you would like to have a calm discussion about why you think I’m wrong or right, I’m willing to talk about it. However, anyone who comes at me just spewing vitriol or that I’m so stupid will not be taken seriously, if you can’t have a calm discussion about things then I won’t take you seriously. 

I do want to say though - I understand having favorite characters, I’m a sucker for characters that are only held back from destroying the world by a hug (Vanya). But I’m also someone who loves to look at the entire picture and appreciate the depth of each character in a series, even the ones I hate. In fact - some of my favorite characters were ones I hated and the actors/actresses soon became my favorite because it takes a lot of talent to make people hate you.

So for a moment, really think if you hate Luther Hargreeves or if you dislike his actions and if it’s his actions, who you really should hate is Reginald Hargreeves because all Luther has ever done has been a reaction to trauma - exactly like the rest of his siblings.

[castielology]

Man, it gets really overdone, but I’m always a sucker for the “unconditional love defeating unstoppable evil” trope.

[doctor-roman]

Gimme story about why Jalter is your fave

Gameplay wise: highest-attack-stat-in-the-game Buster crit queen

Story wise: you know that trope where the bad guy who views themselves as irredeemable trash only to join the good guys and realize that, no, in fact, they are loved? That. That’s Jalter.

I could go on and on about this (but I have work tonight and have to turn in soon), but Summer 3 really showed me that Jalter isn’t just the hateful murder machine that she tries to portray herself as; I mean, she is that, but she’s also so much more even if she isn’t willing to admit that - yet.

I’m also a sucker for the ship dynamic of “feral hate beast who calms down for one unconditional loving idiot.”

And Ritsuka is that unconditional loving idiot.

[monysmediareview]

Mortal Instruments Series Review

My first review! Yay! 

We’re going to start with a series I recently got very into and then very out of: The Mortal Instruments series. I only read the first 3 books. I started the 4th and simply wasn’t interested, but we’ll get into that. 

This is honestly going to be a mixed review. There was a lot that I really loved about this series and was super happy to see so many well written or well thought out elements, but there’s also a lot that I wasn’t pleased with and could have done without. For the purpose of this review I will only be talking about the books and not the show or the movie, but again, we’ll get to that later. 

First thing’s first: the lovers to siblings back to lovers plot

What the actual fuck was that? I mean, I get it, the drama of it all was intense and emotional. I loved it for that but let’s take a moment to really consider what was wrong with this. I could have gotten on this band wagon, because it is dramatic as hell, which I love. But there are several moments throughout the first three books where, to Jace and Clary’s knowledge, they are full blood, 100% siblings, but they still make out. 

Outside the Wayland house in City of Glass they literally lay in a field, making out, taking clothes off. Not only is the world around them quite literally ending but at this moment they are under the impression that they are siblings. But they do it anyway. Which is disturbing to say the least. Sure, it makes it that much more of a relief when we find out they aren’t siblings and that Jonathan is a whole other person, but there were other ways to do that. This is a story read by a ton of young, impressionable, mostly female readers and that is just such a strange message to send. They’re already confused and worried about the world going on around them, why on earth would you throw that in, too? Thinking back to middle school, I can remember at least 2 cases of brothers and sisters being accused of hooking up and I now wonder if this series had anything to do with that. I shudder to think about it. 

Izzy deserved better

Right off the bat, we see Izzy through Clary’s pick me girl eyes and she does not like Izzy. She’s threatened by her and her connection with Jace. Again, why are we alluding to siblings hooking up with each other? It’s weird and uncomfy and Izzy deserved better than that. 

She’s a strong, independent, smart, well trained, self sufficient woman and I would have read so much more about her if it was there. Izzy is emotionally mature, resilient, and in my opinion would have been a much better main character for a series like this. There was no reason for Cassandra Clare to make Izzy so unlikable or have Clary put her down like that. This was actually an amazing opportunity to pass the Bechdel test but to have a strong female/female relationship and set a really good example for the younger readers. 

The Jace/Clary/Simon love triangle was weak 

I’m a sucker for a good love triangle. It’s an old, played out trope but I can’t help it. The drama of it all is intriguing and I like them. However, the love triangle with Clary and Simon and Jace just wasn’t juicy enough. Having Clary date Simon simply because she couldn’t be with Jace anymore was really weird, especially considering Simon had almost given up/gotten over Clary because he was interested in Izzy. Then, he drops Izzy, runs to Clary and then they just stop dating and decide to be friends. And then he goes back to Izzy from what I can tell from the beginning of City of Fallen Angels, which I think discredits her even more to go back to someone who left in her in dust like that. But I digress. 

If there was going to be a genuine love triangle, there needed to be a struggle of choice. Having her only choose Simon because he was what was left over was not a strong plot point and I felt that it took away from the story. It could have even been improved if Jace had shown outward jealousy or tried to convince her not to be with him but instead he ignored it. But that takes me to my next point. 

Jace was kind of an asshole 

I understand the idea of a “bad boy” love interest. It’s hot, it’s interesting, it’s everything every girl wants. But I’m also kind of over it. And in this case, it didn’t even stick. Jace very quickly goes from complete asshole to emotional loverboy and while I’d normally love that, it actually felt unintentional. I don’t have too much to say about this other than begging for writers and readers to have higher standards for male love interests in these types of stories. 

Jace’s unconditional love for Clary even though she’s boring

Category is: more tropes I’m kind of done with. 

The thing is, Clary isn’t anything special. It’s why I really don’t like her as a character. It enforces this trope of these “regular” but also “not like other girls” girls who get a bad boy to fall in love with them and suddenly be soft and gentle and kind just for them. It’s not realistic and it is so so damaging to the young girls who read things like this. Not that I think we should censor art or writing in any way to make it more morally upstanding or appealing to certain groups, but I do think that in wide spread media it is important to be conscious of the impact your work might make on certain groups of people. If a story like this needed to exist, then maybe it shouldn’t have been marketed to the audience it was. And let’s be real - there was no reason these characters couldn’t have been college aged instead of 16. 

Back to the topic at hand - Jace has completely unconditional love for Clary. I think that’s super cute but it is almost unhealthy the way he’s obsessed with her. Maybe it was just how I read it but I think there could have definitely been a better way to express that he’s in love with her without making it seem like he would die without her. 

Moral of the story, kids - let’s stop romanticizing unhealthy relationships. 

Simon being a Jewish vampire was a fantastic idea 

If you follow my main blog you probably know how much I love vampires. It’s kind of my thing. It’s why I picked up this series in the first place; because I was told that it had a really cool vampire subplot and it absolutely does. 

Vampires have always had a strong connection to catholicism, what with the crosses and the holy water and the churches and all that. It had never even occurred to me that a Jewish vampire might have to abide by different rules and it begs the question of how religion plays into vampirism in the first place. 

I don’t want to spend too much time on this because I could write pages and pages and pages on my take on vampires but I just wanted to praise this aspect of the series because it is badass. I hope we see more vampires of other religions popping up in media in the future. I think that would be dope as hell. 

Alec and Magnus are my OTP of this series

As far as love stories go I really don’t think it gets better than this couple. There wasn’t too much of them in the books I read but I became absolutely obsessed anyway. Magnus, who seems to be portrayed as some kind of bad boy in his own rite; you know, like an immortal whore, falling in love with Alec. Alec who is strong and kind and loves with his whole heart but hides who he really is. They help each other change for the better and seem to really complete each other. Even if this wasn’t entirely intentional, I’m here for it. I would die for them. If/when I review the TV show there will definitely be a ton about this. 

There are far too many parallels to Twilight for my liking

Okay, there aren’t that many. SMeyer does have a quote about how much she loves the series on the front of all the books that I have, though, and that’s too much already. Beside that there are a few things I noticed. 

Bella is obviously SMeyer’s self insert character and that makes me think that Clary is too. First of all the names are incredibly similar and let’s just take a look at Cassandra Clare.

Look familiar? 

Not to mention the story was stolen in the first place, but that’s for another review. I plan on reading that series as well to make my own observations. 

This series did not need to exceed 3 books

By the end of City of Glass, the story felt over to me. There were a few loose ends but nothing that ultimately made me want to keep reading and that’s why I think the 4th book fell flat. The entire thing could have been wrapped up nicely in three books or the end of the third book should have been more enticing and inviting to another installment. 

So, overall, I did enjoy the series. I think a lot of the characters were really well written, the dialogue was good, and the plot, while it has its flaws, was interesting at the very least. I’ll definitely be giving the rest of the books a shot at some point since the show opened my eyes to what plot lines may have been followed and I like that idea a lot. I know it seems like I really hate this series, but I don’t. It certainly has it’s issues but if you’re looking for something fun to read that you don’t plan on taking too seriously then I highly recommend. 

Until next time, friends!