#in between saving the world and solving crimes

[mishiami]

the silly kind of crush you develop on the only other person your age with the nice smile and the soft voice

[englishotomegames]

PQube has announced they will be releasing BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 in English for Steam and Nintendo Switch in 2025!

"Everyone wants answers.

Who is to blame, and what went wrong? And what is to be punished? In order to keep the shape of this world, things are divided into black and white. Those who look between the black and white will only continue to suffer. Everyone should know it in their hearts. Things are two in one. White and black. Front and back. Light and shadow. Good news, bad news.

And, if it will change or if it will end.

BUSTAFELLOWS returns!

The hit series BUSTAFELLOWS continues with an all-new season! Featuring the crime-solving gang you know and love, that trouble can’t help but follow. Uncover their story in this movie-like experience, as you meet new characters, make important choices and help solve the dark, unspeakable crimes that plague New Sieg."

A Puzzle to Piece Together: five different playable “movies”, different routes corresponding to each male lead, each portraying a different story which you play an integral part in.

New Flowchart System: review your progress through the story with a helpful flowchart that allows you to select and replay different parts of the story, leaving no stone unturned.

The Romance Builds: continue your relationship from the last game, growing together through struggles, and learning new sides to Teuta, Limbo, Shu, Helvetica, Mozu and Scarecrow.

The Power of Visuals: skilfully crafted characters brought to life with beautiful artistry. Experience the characters in new outfits, hairstyles and scenarios! An Unforgettable Voice Cast: featuring a cast of famed voices such as Yui Kondo, KENN, Yoshimasa Hosoya, and many more!

Extra Episodes: collect memorabilia and extra episodes through certain conditions, and even unlock a special episode when playing with an existing save data from the first game!

You can find it and wishlist it on Steam here!

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: angels

Want some cool fictional angels? Good news! Whether you prefer traditional winged angels, scary eldritch angels, possibly-human-angels, incredibly creative in-name-only-angels, angels separated from or exploring concepts of faith and religion, romance, horror, fantasy, or sci-fi; this list is sure to offer something to chew on!

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Historical fantasy angels

When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb*

The angel Uriel and the demon Little Ash have been friends for centuries, living and studying together in a small jewish community in Europe. But times are changing, and many of the community have left for a new life across the sea. When one of these emigrants go missing, Uriel and Little Ash decide to leave their peaceful life and go find and, if needed, save her.

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèli Clark

Set in an alternate 1910’s steampunk Cairo, where djinn and other creatures (among other things, creepy steampunk angels) live alongside humans. We get to follow an investigator as she races to catch a criminal using a powerful object to control djinn and stir unrest. Fantastically creative and fresh, and also features a buddy cop dynamic between two female leads as well as a sapphic romance.

The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison*

Sherlock Holmes retelling. After having been injured fighting a war against fallen angels, Doyle returns to London to survive on only a veteran's pension. To afford a place to live in the city, Doyle finds a housemate in Crow, and eccentric angel with a great curiosity for humans and a knack for solving crime. And London needs its protector - supernatural beings walk the streets, and a someone going by the name Jack the Ripper terrifies the citizens at night.

Modern day fantasy angels

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

Novella, young adult. Bitter is an art student in Lucille, a city on the brink. Injustice plagues the citizens and protests shake the streets, and Bitter doesn't know where her place his - whether to fight or stay safe. When her art calls upon a creature of bloody justice, she must ask herself just how far she’s prepared to go and what price she’s ready to pay for justice.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Young adult portal fantasy. Young Karou is a student in Prague, but she’s also a mystery. She fills sketchbooks with drawings of monsters, trades in wishes, speaks languages that aren't all human, and has hair that grows out blue. When strange signs start appearing around the world - handprints scorched into doorways by winged strangers - will Karou finally find out who she really is?

Angelfall by Susan Ee*

Young adult post apocalypse. Six months ago, the angels descended on the Earth - and brought the apocalypse with them. Between ruling street gangs and vicious angels, Penryn is just trying to keep her family alive. When angels fly away with her little sister, Penryn does the unthinkable: strikes a deal with an injured and outcast angel to rescue her.

A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin*

Urban fantasy. Two years ago, sorcerer Matthew Swift was killed. Today, he woke back up. And he isn't alone in his body, but rather in the company of the blue electric angels, who lived in the telephone lines and are now experiencing the world for the first time through him. Now, he seeks vengeance not only against the one who killed him, but also against the one who brought him back.

The Fall that Saved Us by Tamara Jerée*

Cassiel is of angelic heritage, raised to fight and kill demons alongside her family. But Cassiel has left the hunt and her family behind, wanting a normal life. For three years she's built a life for herself, cut off from her family, but now a demon has found her, sent to collect her soul. Except, the demon isn't any more interested in following the orders of her family than Cassiel is. Can they work together to free themselves from the expectations placed on them? Sapphic romance.

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron*

Young adult, sapphic main character. When angels started falling from the sky, the world went mad. So far not a single angel has survived the fall, but that doesn't stop teenage Jaya's father from growing an obsession with catching one, going as far as uprooting the entire family to Edinburgh in hopes of finding one. Jaya, busy mourning the recent loss of her mother, finds his obsession pointless - until an angel crashes right at her feet. What’s more, it's alive...

Full on fantasy angels

Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse

Novella. During Heaven's War, the rebel Abaddon died and fell. Now, long after, what remains of his body is a valuable element called divinity, which is mined by Fallen, descendants of those who fell and the only ones capable of perceiving divinity. Celeste, a Fallen raised among the privileged Elect, is deeply protective of her little sister Mariel. When Mariel is accused of having murdered an Elect, it’s up to Celeste to find out what really happened and save her sister.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Middle grade. In Lyra's world, every person has a daemon: an animal companion who follows them throughout life. When children begins being stolen off the street, among them Lyra's friend, she must embark on a great journey to save him, taking her to the furthest north - and beyond. A note: the angels do not appear until the second book, however this trilogy is very much worth a read from the start.

Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Akhtar

Dark fantasy inspired by the crusades. Seeking revenge, Micah the Metal leads an army of men baptized i angel's blood against the kingdom that stole his daughter. It’s up to Kevah, legendary fighter, to stop him and save his people. But ever since losing his wife a decade ago, Kevah has lost his fighting spirit. To defeat Micah, he must find it within himself a will to live again. While featuring (scary eldritch) angels, they serve more as a driving background/world-building force than as actual characters.

Horror angels

The Unnoticeables by Robert Brockway

Angels watch over humans, but not to protect us but to solve us, seeking to make the universe more efficient and clean away the undesirable. Carey, a 70s punk, doesn't like the idea of being solved. Watching fellow punks disappear off the streets, he becomes embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy. Decades later, stunt woman Kaitlyn has her own encounter with the angels and their creations - as well an older punk who might have the answers she needs.

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

Young adult post apocalypse. The world has ended, and sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that caused armageddon. Infected with the bioweapon they released to bring about the end, Benji is slowly transforming into something not quite human and desperate to find someplace safe. When coming across a group of surviving teens, Benji finds something new to fight for. No traditional angels, but it does play with the concept.

Angel Radio by A.M. Blaushild

Young adult post apocalypse. A week after strange and terrifying angels appeared, humanity is dead. Sole survivor of her town, teenage Erika is left wandering on her own. That is, until she catches an odd broadcast on the radio which lures her into the newly emptied world. There she encounters dangerous creatures, but also fellow survivor Midori, who has a cryptic connection to the angels.

Sci-fi angels

Archangel Protocol (LINK Angel series) by Lyda Morehouse

Cyberpunk. In a future where religion has become the law of the land and people spend as much time in cyberspace as in reality, ex-cop Deirdre has lost everything after having been accused of a crime she didn't commit. When approached by a man calling himself Michael and asked to solve the mystery behind the so called link angels - supposed angels who show themselves in cyberspace - Deirdre is given a chance at redemption and answers.

Archangel by Sharon Shinn

For twenty years, archangel Raphael has ruled over the lands, leading to corruption among both angels and mortals. Now the time has come for the angel Gabriel to become archangel, but first he must find his Angelica, a mortal woman chosen by Jehovah to be by his side. But his chosen partner, Rachel, has lived under oppression and fear, and she has her own ideas of what she wants - ideas that don't include Gabriel.

Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds

On a dying earth, society is separated by zones in which the laws of reality shift, allowing for different levels of technology and life. At the top of Spearpoint, the only surviving city, lies the Celestial zone, in which only angels can survive. Quillon, former angel who's had his wings removed and body changed so he can survive and infiltrate the lower zones, has been in hiding for years when he receives a warning that his former people are hunting him. Forced on the run, Quillon must leave Spearpoint for the dangerous wastes beyond, where he will discover ancient secrets of his world.

Space angels

Dust by Elizabeth Bear

In a dying spaceship, orbiting an equally dying sun, noblewoman Perceval waits for her own gruesome death. Having been captured by an opposing house, her wings severed and life forfeit, Perceval’s execution is imminent - until a young servant charged with her care proves to be Perceval’s long lost sister. To stop a war between houses likely to doom them all, the two flee together across a crumbling, dangerous spaceship. At its core waits Jacob Dust, god and angel, all that remains of what the ship once was. And he wants Perceval. Sapphic and asexual characters, however be prepared for kinda fucked up relationships.

The Outside by Ada Hoffman*

AKA the book the put me in an existential crisis. Souls are real, and they are used to feed AI gods in this lovecraftian inspired sci-fi where reality is warped and artificial gods stand against real, unfathomable ones. Autistic scientist Yasira is accused of heresy and, to save her eternal soul, is recruited by cybernetic ‘angels’ to help hunt down her own former mentor, who is threatening to tear reality itself apart. Sapphic main character.

The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang

Space opera inspired by Joan of Arc. Misery Nomaki possesses rare stone-working abilities usually found among only saints and the voidmad. Not believing herself the be former and desperately not wanting to become the latter, Misery is trying to keep a low profile. Her attempt fails when the voice of an angel - or a very convincing delusion - leads her to become the centerpiece of a dangerous battle between two warring factions hoping to use her. Very unique and cool conceptually, but a little all over the place in how it handles its plot.

Bonus AKA I haven’t read these yet but they seem really cool

Dusk in Kalevia by Emily Compton

Toivo Valonen is a secret agent in more ways than one. An angel masquerading as human, he's acted as a source of hope for humanity in wartime throughout history. In 1960, he embarks on an undercover mission to Kalevia, allied with a rebellion against the government. In his way is fellow angel and rival agent Demyan Chernyshev, who’s working for the KGB.

The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard

Having just barely survived the Great Houses War, much of Paris lies in ruins. Morningstar, founder of the House Silverspires, has gone missing, and something is stalking the people within the House's walls. Three people, a Fallen, an alchemist, and a man wielding spells from the far east, may be prove to be Silverspire's salvation.

The Worst Perfect Moment by Shivaun Plozza

Young adult. Sixteen-year-old Tegan is dead and i heaven. There, she's supposed to be reliving her happiest memory. Except the moment Tegan has been placed in isn't very happy at all. Guided by an angel, Tegan is brought through her past to understand what most matters to her. If she fails to see the happiness in her assigned memory, the consequences would be dire for both her and the angel.

Honorary mentions AKA these didn't really work for me but maybe you guys will like them: The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

[probablyreadinsmut]

This idea was inspired by the lovely @joelmillerisapunk thank you so much for tagging my two Joel fics on your post 💜

I only just started my tumblr at the end of November, with the intention of just being a silent reposter but I started getting ideas and I wanted to put them down into words, now I feel like I've found my community here and I get to interact with some truly talented and amazing people. Thank you to every single one of you and my followers 💜

This is a mix of prompts, mini fics, drabbles, one shots and ongoing series'.

Most of them are smut (Quelle surprise the clue is in the username) but all of them are absolutely incredible reads and some of my favourite fics this month.

Joel Miller

Never made it as a wise man - @almostempty

Joel Miller X Reader

Summary: Joel solves your car troubles for free, and you try to return the favor with a homecooked meal. When you accidentally interrupt his jerkoff session, you take a chance and help him out.

So much to lose - @auteurdelabre  

Joel Miller X Reader

Summary: Newly settled into Jackson city and forced to go on patrols with the miserable Joel Miller sets off a chain of events and encounters that have you questioning everything, including your own heart.note: Featuring Dark!Joel 

Dirty old man - @mssalo

Joel Miller X F!reader 

Summary: You were assigned as Joel Miller’s caretaker, but he’s a perverted old man who just can’t keep his hands off you. And the truth is, you don’t mind one bit—in fact, you want more.

PTOLEMAEA - @lovely-vamp-princess

Cryptid!Joel Miller/F!Reader

Summary: Trails of blood have been appearing around Jackson that lead to gruesome crime scenes. The bodies only seem to appear in the middle of the night after Joel mysteriously disappears for hours at a time.  You aren’t the only one with growing suspicions about the surly older man.

Bad Santa - @baronessvonglitter

sleazy mall Santa!Joel Miller x fem!Reader

Summary: Frantically seeking relief during the Christmas rush, the Santa at your local mall is the last person you'd expect to help.. and the only one who can.

The last piece of us - @absurdthirst

Joel Miller X F!reader

Summary: When the world ends that night, Joel has to make a choice between you and his daughter. You encouraged him to save Sarah and twenty years later, he finds out that you survived that night when he sees you in Jackson.  

Smooth Operator - @penascigarette

Joel Miller x f!phone sex worker

summary: you accidentally send a picture of yourself to joel which results in a video call

It feels like hope - @itwasntimethatdidit40

Summary:Hot Priest!Joel Miller x f!reader, no outbreak

How quickly can you take your clothes off, pop quiz - @joelmillerisapunk

Joel Miller x reader 

Summary: The enemies to lovers/one bed/forced close proximity/light grumpy x sunshine/patrol partner fic no one asked for.

Somewhere only we know - @josephquinnswhore

Joel Miller X Female Reader

summary: joel has been the only constant in your life since you’ve been at Jackson. But you don’t know if you deserve him despite his persistent efforts. 

Javier Peña

Neighbors - @gothcsz

Javier peña x f!reader

Summary: what it's like living next door to javier peña. Explicit. Minors DNI. 

Unscripted desire - @gothcsz

Javier peña x f!reader

summary: you’re a camerawoman that shoots pornos. javier peña is the pornstar you can’t stand. why is it that you’re always so affected by him? Explicit. Minors DNI.

Office hours - @itwasntimethatdidit40  

modern!Javier Peña x f!reader 

Summary: You should concentrate on work. But you can't do that with the charming bastard you share the office with in front of you. Why not find a more fun way to spend your office hours?

Like a fever - @pedgito

Javier Pena x reader

summary: this is my own entry for the summer lovin' challenge, somehow torturing myself further by writing a fic amongst all my other wips and helping organize this challenge. there's sweaty javi p and office sex, that's all you need to know.

Nobody wants to be alone on Christmas- @morallyinept  

Javier Peña X F!reader

Summary: You discover your boss Javi will be spending the night alone, working on the cartel case on Christmas Eve, so you extend a kind offer for him to join you for some Christmas dinner. 

Christmas in the city - @punkshort

Javier Peña x f!reader 

Summary: As if your holiday season couldn't get any worse, you get lost on your way to the first day of your new job. Lucky for you, a handsome and flirty stranger finds you on the verge of tears and walks you to your office building, turning your day around instantly.

Everybody Knows That I'm a Good Girl, Officer - @javierpena-inatacvest

Husband!Javier Peña x Wife!reader

Summary: After Javi brings home a pair of handcuffs from work, your plans for the night start to look very different. 

Lunch break - @joelmillerisapunk  

Javier Peña x coworker f!reader  

Summary: Javi edges you at work   

Din Djarin

Vices - @baronessvonglitter  

Din Djarin x OFC x bi! f!Reader x OMC 

Summary: You're not one to be shy of your vices, but a night with a mysterious woman has you and your work partner Din chasing new highs.

I'll Be Yours If You'll Be Mine - @dindjarindiaries

Din Djarin X Reader 

Shadows - @burntheedges

Din Djarin x F!reader

summary: you were pretty sure the ship was haunted.

Ezra:

The Pit - @morallyinept

Ezra X F!Reader

Summary: Ezra and you stumble into an ominous pit on a prospecting mission for coveted azure diamonds on the Narillan moon, and find more than you bargain for.

Frankie

All the things we never said - @javierpena-inatacvest

Frankie Morales x f!reader

Summary: You and Frankie Morales have been best friends since the 6th grade. You swore to each other that there would never come a day where life would be better without the other one in it. But as you grow up, you've learned the hard way that sometimes, just friendship isn't enough.

Marcus Pike:

The gift - @morallyinept

Husband!MarcusPike x Wife!Reader

Summary: Marcus buys you a naughty Christmas gift that you wear to his parents' Christmas lunch, and you both find it hard to stay composed at the dinner table.

Dieter Bravo

Sleezy Santa - @morallyinept  

Sleazy!Dieter Bravo x Menace F!Reader 

Summary: Have you been naughty or nice? Sleazy Santa Dieter will find out... Come sit on his knee, baby, and tell Santa what you really want for Christmas. If you've been good, he might just give it to you. T'is the season to be sleazy...

Bright lights - @moonlitbirdie (only on AO3, you'll need an account)

Dieter Bravo x NDAfab!Reader

Marcus Acacius

III - @gothcsz

Marcus Acacius x Fem!Reader x Lucius Verus Aurelius

Summary: Lucius Aurelius, the stepson of wealthy and renowned architect Marcus Acacius, falls in love with you, Marcus's personal assistant. However, you're already in the midst of a tangled affair with his stepfather. 

Mutli fandom: 

I gave you my heart - @mysterious-moonstruck-musings

Dieter Bravo x f!Reader x Lucien de Leon

Summary: You and Dieter attend his parents annual Christmas party where you unexpectedly run into your ex, Lucien de Leon. As events (and drama) unfold, you're soon wondering if you are making the right choice about your future. 

Paris, Texas - @almostempty  

joel miller x javier peña x f!reader

Summary: 2 Texans, 1 Lady 🎀 The joel x javi x reader threesome

[akechi-stole-my-heart]

i wish we as a fandom explored more of the detective side of akechi's character. what it must to do his psyche to get famous by solving cases he caused. i imagine, at first, before the detective prince, that there was a distance between himself and his victims. he watched the consequences of driving shadows mad from afar, through the news or whathaveyou, but it's not personal. the chaos has nothing to do with him. he doesn't have to think about it beyond that point.

but then, having your entire job be centered around the direct consequences of your actions. actively pointing the finger away from yourself and at others. going to the actual crime scenes and witnessing the fallout yourself. it's suddenly so very real and visceral and this is your fault.

it isn't, of course. no, these people were corrupt. all you did is make them express their inner darkness to the world. in fact, it's a good thing, because now their crimes have been exposed to the world. you're bringing justice. the proof of it is in every case you solve.

but the victims are still there. every day, you face people that were hurt. because of you.

society deserves it, of course. they all deserve it. they're all corrupt, all just as evil as you, at the end of the day. so who cares.

you go to work. you are assigned yet another case. a murder, this time. someone is dead, because a man lost control and snapped. because you pushed his shadow over the brink. he'll be behind bars within days. and that person will still be dead.

you solve the case. you already know who did it, and why. that shadow was rather talkative about his hatred for his boss, who did seem rather maniacal from the things that shadow said. he probably deserved it. don't they all deserve it? it's so simple, so easy, to build a career on lies. all fake. a façade. you're a hero. a genius. they all praise you for putting an evil man behind bars, while you walk free, dragging invisible chains behind you with each step. weighed down by all the people they all say you saved.

[callmearcturus]

Paradise Killer is 6 dollars on Steam until May 16 and I am here to hard sell you all on it because it's one of the best games I've ever played.

I'm gonna go beyond giving you a bunch of punchy keywords and telling you it's queer as hell and making meme-y jokes, and I'm going to actually tell you what this game is.

So top-level, WHAT IS PARADISE KILLER?

Mechanically, Paradise Killer is an open-world murder mystery. There is zero combat but a lot of exploration of a very unique location. The majority of your time is going to be walking about Paradise 24, looking for people to discuss the case with and for clues that are scattered around the world.

One of the most interesting concepts in Paradise Killer that is both mechanical and narrative is deciding What Is Your Truth? What Is A Truth And What Is A Fact? From the moment you start the game proper, you can turn 180 degrees and begin the trial and decide who the killer is, before talking to anyone about the case.

For example, getting into the actual crime scene takes a lot of puzzle solving to unlock the sealed room where the victims were killed. But maybe instead of examining the crime scene, you talk to everyone on the island and think you have a good idea of what happened.

Meaning: It is perfectly valid to decide you have the answer to the mystery and just go complete the trial whenever you personally are ready. YOU decide when this ends.

Which frankly I think is a cool-as-fuck concept. Also, I fully believe if three different people find EVERY CLUE and talk to EVERY SUSPECT and hear EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE.... they might decide on three different truths entirely. And THAT to me is ingenious mechanical design I have not seen anywhere else in a video game.

Okay let's stop burying the lede and talk about the world of Paradise Killer.

The non-batshit version:

Paradise Killer takes place on a big, beautiful island, the 24th Paradise. The architecture is a delightful mix of black obsidian obelisks, brutalist monuments, opal crystals to slumbering alien gods, garden paths, luxury yachts, and a whole lot of gold and neon.

Neo-occultist urban residential vaporwave-core. If you are like me, you will be taking a lot of screenshots. My wallpaper on my computer is Paradise Killer.

Your interactions with the cast are done in visual novel-style, though I feel I have to shout out this isn't your stock Ren'py UI experience. Every single aspect of the way the game looks compounds the vibes even further.

And the characters are infuckingcredible.

(Notice the different font? This game has A FUCKTON OF ACCESSIBILITY OPTIONS, including dyslexic font options.)

Sammy Day Break, born under the sign of Shadow Zero, is the local distillery and bartender for the Syndicate. Talk to him about what's unique about the whiskey he's made on Paradise 24, or about the good old days of the Syndicate.

Is Doctor Doom Jazz, born under the sign of Cosmic Deceit, really that carefree about what happened? Is his willingness to rekindle his fling with Lady Love Dies just a diversion to hide something? Well, he's one of the most cooperative witnesses on the Island.

Crimson Acid has been through a helluva lot since the last time she saw Love Dies. Blessed by the gods with her stunning rack (of horns! OF HORNS!), she's become quite the idol now. So why is she also an information broker? And can you figure out what her true feelings for Love Dies are?

Between all of these conversations, you can explore the island and collect RELICS and BLOOD CRYSTALS (the local currency) and CITY POP SONGS.

Okay so the Slightly Batshit Version:

Shinji: The Syndicate worships alien gods who want to drown the world in war and blood. Lady Love Dies: I don't see how that makes us the bad guys.

You are LADY LOVE DIES, born under the sign KISS ME TO THE MOON, the INVESTIGATION FREAK. She was exiled to the Idle Lands several cycles ago for falling prey to the seduction of the god Damned Harmony and endangering the entire Syndicate. Only now, with the death of the Council on the eve of Paradise 25, is Love Dies summoned back to solve the murder.

The Syndicate are a group of functionally immortal humans from all across history who are trying to create the perfect bubble of reality, their utopic Paradise where they can safely revive their dead gods. They were granted many powers and boons by their first god, Silent Goat, and hope through rescuing more gods they will grow in power.

How do you create a bubble of reality to do all this totally ethical shit? Easy! You abduct a bunch of normie humans to live on your island to use as a mass sacrifice to generate energy to fuel the creation of each Paradise. If only the outsiders would stop getting in the way!

Paradise Killer's world is delightfully out of its goddamn mind and half of the fun of the game is just picking up little nuggets of information about each member of the Syndicate, the gods, why each Paradise failed (there was an outbreak of vampirism that took out like three of the Paradises???), and just the way this universe works.

Okay this post is already too long but I'm begging you all to give Paradise Killer a chance. It's gorgeous, it's funny, it's mechanically really interesting, it's chill as hell, it has an incredible soundtrack,

and you should try it.

I'LL SEE YOU IN A PERFECT 25 . . .

[fixyourwritinghabits]

So I want to write a novel, and I outline my story and write out everything that happens in the outline and I get to the end and it's... Between 20,000 and 40,000 words, usually. Like I can tell a complete story but I have a hard time getting it to the length of a publishable novel, and it keeps happening with different stories I write. Do you have any advice for making a story longer without making it feel like I'm just adding stuff to make it longer?

While I think you have a workable length for a first draft, I can see where your problems lay. Let's tackle what your intended goal is first.

Industry standard (set by traditional publishing) for novels is the following:

Adult novels - 80,000 to 100,000 word count. Many will fall between that range. Sci-Fi and Fantasy novels tend to run higher, but you'll notice Romance, Mystery, and Crime tend to run tighter, closer to 80k. Literary novels (Contemporary and Historical Fiction) can swing up and down that word length. Door-stopper books of 200k can be found, of course, but that's the opposite of what we're dealing with.

YA Novels - Contemporary tends to stick to a tight 80k, but publishing tends to seek longer fantasy novels, sticking to the adult standard of 10k.

Middle Grade (8-11ish year old readers) - 30,000 to 60,000. Most publishers want something in the middle, as MG readers are constantly stretching their reading capabilities.

These are generalizations that are subject to change, of course, but they're good guides to follow when editing. Let's say you want to aim for an adult novel, which means you want to at least double your 40k length. While looking over your work, consider the following:

Does your main character have enough problems?

If your story can be resolved within the 40k mark, you may need to add more complications to their journey. Does their external problem (the outside issues they're dealing with, like losing a job or battling a sentient typhoon) adequately line up with resolving their internal problem (dealing with unresolved guilt, confronting a fatal flaw about themselves, apologizing to that sentient typhoon for leaving them at the altar, etc).

Save The Cat also talks about the Shard of Glass or Unresolved Wound, a deeply internal problem the protagonist has to confront about themselves in order to solve the main problem of the novel. Deepening your character's issues can buff up the need for more words to resolve them. (Not every story has the character 'fix' this issue - many novels are about characters failing to do just that, that unresolved flaw finally dooming them in the end.)

Subplots, Sidequests, and McGuffins

Subplots are their to enrich your novel with elements that contribute to the overall journey. Besides the main problem your protagonist is facing, what else is going on in their life? Do they need to confess a crush to a friend? Is their struggle to control their magical powers tied to a traumatic childhood? Does learning the truth about their family history force them to reflect on their own behavior? A subplot should weave back into strengthening the main story while adding more elements to make it more interesting. It's not as hard as it sounds - the more you think about your character's internal problem, the more you realize they'll need to confess their feelings, confront their mother, or more to resolve that final issue.

By sidequests, I'm leaning into the fantasy element of storytelling, but you'll find this pops up in a lot of stories. A chance encounter in a mystery can provide an essential clue, or stopping to aid someone could lead to a character-revealing moment. Remember, this isn't filler - you're expanding the overall plot by leaning into your world-building to establish essential knowledge about your world, introducing minor characters that can act as aids or obstacles to a problem, or starting an action scene that changes the trajectory of the novel.

A MacGiffin is an object, device, or event necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but typically unimportant or irrelevant in itself. Usually, the MacGuffin is revealed early on, and becomes less important once the storyline is set in motion. You'll see a lot of despairing comments about them, because they often can be used poorly. But MacGiffins are often essential parts of storytelling, a quest that leads your characters astray from what they should actually be doing (and in turn learning about themselves and the problem they need to face instead).

Your character spends half the novel trying to find the missing crown, only to discover it's been fake the whole time. That whole first half of the novel was a waste of time... or was it? By having your characters fixate on the wrong solution, you're exploring what Save the Cat calls "Doing Things The Wrong Way" where the real answer is in digging deep down, confronting that internal problem, and setting down the right path at last. This is where the mid-novel twist of the king being the villain all along, the dragon they're meant to slay for killing the villagers turns out to be a card-carrying vegan. The easy answer isn't the solution, and it's taking the hard path that gets things done.

For Example...

In Jedediah Berry's genre-bending mystery novel The Manual of Detection, the main character is pulled into finding the missing detective he used to write the case files for. As with any good mystery, there's a lot of good side quests - going to a bar only to run into villains that need confronting later, a one-sided rivalry with another detective ends up solving a problem later, etc. A subplot starting the novel where the protagonist goes out of his way to encounter someone at a coffee shop turns out to be an essential character connection later, and the MacGiffin - the Manual of Detection itself - turns out to be more important because of what it lacks.

In Jeff Smith's graphic novel series Bone, in the beginning, the main characters remain blissfully unaware of the true danger hunting them or the secrets of those around them. But the villains too are unknowingly pursuing a MacGuffin, leading to a series of events that will bring about a massive clash - and a confrontation of truths that will lead to the final solution.

And Finally, Maybe It's Not a Novel

I do want to say this might all not be what you need, because your true calling could be to write novellas - a length that varies between 20k to 40k. A shorter story is just as good as a lengthier one. There's a steady market for novellas of multiple genres, so it could be a good thing to look into if this feels like where your writing should be.

[hello-there]

Communities are a new way to connect with the people on Tumblr who care about the things you care about! Browse Communities to find the perfect one for your interests or create a new one and invite your friends and mutuals!

[duckprintspress]

So What’s Scrap Metal Angel About?

Secret Gates have protected mankind from the unknown chaos beyond the edges of reality for millennia, and now, all that stands between everything humanity knows and the horrors outside it are a depressed trans man, his exhausted partner, and a creature ill-suited to the world after being pulled from his own horrific reality. This is Scrap Metal Angel by Nicola Kapron, an urban fantasy where only fragile Gates protect all we know from eldritch, incomprehensible magic. This is the world that Adrian Somer is determined to save.

In this dark but hopeful urban fantasy novella, masterful storyteller Nicola Kapron introduces us to a world that, on the surface, appears similar to our own, but underneath has complex magic, secret rituals, hidden organizations, and the constant shadow of danger from the mysteries that dwell beyond the six closed Gates. What lies outside the portals locked to protect humanity? Join Adrian Somer, Kade Mauzy, and the other characters in Scrap Metal Angel to find out…

Tags!

Genre: Fantasy with Technology Rating: Mature Trigger Warnings: body horror (graphic descriptions), death of a parent (past), death of a sibling (past), death of a spouse (past), gore (graphic descriptions), misgendering, minor character death, violence (graphic descriptions) Relationships: friends, siblings, twins Character Features: bipoc, magic use, murderer, non-human character, secret identity, sentient construct, tattoos, trans man Other Tags: angst, be gay solve crimes, dimension jumping, magical mishaps, murder, past tense, resurrection, second chances, third person limited (multiple) point of view Length: 146 pages/42,878 words

Our crowdfunding campaign launched on duckprintspress.com yesterday (Oct 10th!) and we’re currently 37% funded. The campaign ends October 25th.

Love books with queer characters that aren’t about queerness? Love gritty modern-world-esque urban fantasy? Love books that raise questions about the nature of reality, life, and death? Then check out Scrap Metal Angel, and become a backer to help us bring the awesome novella to print!

[bumblebeehug]

How do you feel about Hiro M. continuing the story after 100YQ?

Murdery horribly and terribly.

No, that’s a lie, because it isn’t all that bad, but it’s my initial reaction.

Like in my opinion it’s a sign that he doesn’t like, or knows the public won’t like how the hyq is going or how it will end. Which worries me, yk?

When the hyq was the only thing that was left of the Fairy Tail franchise, I could lay my trust in Mashima making nalu canon: it’s the only missing cornerstone for a great story. But now? For all we know Mashima might scrap that.

I’m not saying that there’s only bad things to come out of a situation like this: I LOVE fairy tail, and continuing the story makes the fandom stay alive as well. But my problem is how Mashima’s gonna treat nalu again. Because, though I’m aware of the amazing writing we could be subjected for, I’m also painfully aware that Mashima won’t write it.

I love the hyq, but it’s kinda mid. Mashima doesn’t realise that he focuses too much on developing new characters and complicated plot elements for no reason — the characters he already has are plenty to work from (I’m talking about how he could write stuff for the FT guild, not just team Natsu, for sabertooth, for oracion seis, crime sorcerière, literally you name it). And I’m saying this out of love, because the original series shows us how great he can write — his character developments CAN be out of this world!!

Look at Erza when she goes from scary-evil-cruel-strict-boring to a loving, emotional, quirky friend who spreads more love than fear. Or look at Gray (and here I gotta give cred to Mashima for his writing in the hyq) bc he goes from angry, emo, snarky, nonchalant, rejects all signs of happiness to someone who can finally stand beside his friends and allow them to love him.

I could go on about character developments (like Laxus, Jellal, there’s so many) but this post is getting so long already so I’ll keep my point clear:

Mashima could focus on characters and write the best spin-off ever. But he won’t. And that’s the problem.

Mashima can’t write characters in a relationship to save his own life: look at how gajevy and elfever is treated (though these are kinda mild examples imo — a better example would be Shiki and Rebecca, how their relationship both developed and ended up: Shiki gave us like one (1) moment where he showed the readers his feelings, while Rebecca had to take the many many many other hints of them being a thing… not unlike how Lucy’s the one who has to set the status on her and Natsu’s relationship, and never Natsu.)

So since there’s a 0.001% chance that Mashima can write nalu in an active relationship (in EZ he solves that conundrum by killing the pair/avoid writing scenes with the pair/end the whole story, same with FT: keeping the love interest away most of the time to avoid having to write emotional scenes — jellal, juvia. Oh and he kills Mavis and Zeref. And he keeps away from writing elfever, well, ever, and he only writes what he deems absolutely necessary for gajevy. Even the whole Edolas thing was easy for him, bc he only had to write silly aftermath instead of actual emotional connection between two characters.)

This became SO long I’m so sorry. But my main worry really lies with the fact that nalu might be even further postponed, and I’m not really sure I can take another 20 years of this, yk?

[marronje]

I'm rewatching Hannibal and an AU came to me… unexpectedly.

(Togachako) Hero x Serial killer!AU (feat. pro hero!Deku and Dynamight) ~☆

tw: bad English, lots of rambling, toxic relationship, we're not romanticizing tgck so proceed with caution (and after reading the disclaimer, please), any tw you can associate with Himiko Toga is here (nothing graphic though), overanalysing stuff, amateur psychology and all, dark content in general

Ochako has been unsure what she wants to do after finally starting her hero career, so she basically tries anything she can reach.

Working in the sea with Tsu, galas and interviews with Yaomomo, traveling with Deku (I feel he'd want to spend the rest of his power to see the world and his lots and lots of friends overseas). This time she finds herself getting into the world of quirk-related investigations under the tutelage of Katsuki whose solved criminal case count rapidly approaches the one of Endeavor (his character arc calls to me to be continued after Endeavor's path, please don't pay attention haha).

And with all that, she still tries to save face, knowing that she could've stopped this particular deranged story with just a word.

Why? Well, maybe she knows that no person in the world can leave DNA of people long dead and flaunt bloody confessions on the walls at the same time. No person who's not Himiko Toga.

The traps are set, the cycle starts its turn…

The very start:

° Himiko has genuine fun taunting Ochako with killing civilians while wearing her face

° She thinks she'll give Ochako the "freedom of expressing love" in a way she assumes Ochako wants but can't afford

° Himiko doesn't hide the fact she kills for Ochako and with Ochako's name on her lips

° Himiko torments her victims being transformed into whoever strikes her fancy, but the final strike is always performed so the last thing the poor prey sees is soulful, most gorgeous brown eyes in the world

° Himiko steals blood from the organization Ochako donors for (it's her way of coping with the trauma left by the Final Battle)

° Knowing the traces of her DNA are left at the crime scene even if she certainly didn't leave them there slowly corrodes Ochako's mental defenses

° She starts dreaming and hallucinating about killing those people herself until she can't tell reality from these images

° At one point she sees herself killing people wearing Himiko's face

° Himiko certainly uses it to her advantage. Who'd know when she gets into Ochako's apartment to whisper about all the ways she torments people from the shadowed corners?

° Guilt-tripping Ochako into justifying her actions too

As the madness progresses:

° Ochako can't draw the line between herself and Himiko anymore

° They complete each other in no way that is socially acceptable, but it feels right

° Ochako still tries to convince herself she's a good person and now this applies to Himiko as well because Himiko is "her" now too

° It's like they're drowning and melting into each other, minds a mingled mess of issues and fears, clinging, warping, breaking...

° Ochako's hands are bloody and Himiko hugs her from behind, cooing sweet nothings into her ear as they stare down at the newest "masterpiece" together

° Clay, warm hands and shaking fingers

° Ochako feels phantom touches on her skin all the time

° Himiko is being all giddy and "affectionate" with her victims, calling them "cute little presents" which she leaves for Ochako

The final stages:

° Ochako has a dream of killing Izuku. She fantasizes about it a lot later. There are tons of guilt and self-loathing, but she feels it would be the right thing to do. Become a way to "thank" Himiko by showing her effort isn't one-sided. She somehow knows it'd end the vicious cycle, but she just can't

° The Devil and Stockholm Syndrome (it's kinda questionable, I know, so we're taking it with a grain of salt)

° Dissociation

° Devil's advocate

° Cases named after astronomical phenomena

° Christmas, and Ochaco finds a bunch of vials filled with blood, all wrapped in a pretty thick red ribbon with a pompous bow on top. It's the legacy they've created together

Note:

I don't see the two as a healthy romantic relationship (I don't say you can't, it's just my opinion), so this scenario is relatively close to what I'd call realistic. Ochako who sees herself as a good person in any case (even if she's just too selfish to confront herself deep inside) and Himiko who takes the role of the bad part where Ochako can't.

Psychobabble (I'm no professional, it's more about how I feel than anything):

I based this whole AU on the traits I found in original manga and just extrapolated/exaggerated them into whatever this is now

Ochako loses feeling of what differs saving others and saving oneself and chooses to save "herself" (aka Himiko) in the end

Ochako is outright childish. She can't let the mask of a "hero" slip only because it's her shield against the world. She's torn apart by the ideas society put in her head, she can't imagine the concepts of "protect the weak" and "everyone is valid" existing together

In the end, she just resorts to the Friend or Foe (mine/anyone else) worldview so it's easier to process. Of course, what is "hers" is always considered as right and justified

Her empathy for Himiko has gotten to the point where it starts to consume her. She projects herself, her fears and motivations on Himiko, and it only makes things worse

Although, her empathy is quite selective. She can't empathize with the families of those who are killed by Toga. She thinks she can, but it comes from the guilt brewing inside her (it's still focused on self), not actual ability to put herself in others' place

Ochako feels she can be "like Deku", that she can save and forgive "bad people" like him. She finds comfort in such thoughts and hides behind them so she doesn't need to acknowledge the drastic differences in the situations

About the character archetypes:

For Ochako I can't figure out just one, but if I name the type it'd be "Not Bad But Confused" probably. Issues come from the fact her personality is too adaptive, and her worldview has shifted severely and continues to do so. In this situation, her way of coping happened to be finding an anchor in the wrong person, it happens to people all the time in real life too after all

Himiko shows as a symbolic "Devil", her presence is more phantom/ephemeral. Yes, she poisons Ochako's thoughts greatly, but the most work is done by Ochako and her own insecurities

Deku is similar to her, more of a symbol than a character. He's needed more as a deity-like/almost religious presence. Kinda ironic that his original character is heavily under the Hero Myth's (not sure how it's called in English, sorry) influence which is connected to the Bible in some ways

Katsuki stands out a bit as he's clearly the "workaholic cop" (workaholic hero in our case), no more than that as per his role. He's here so Ochako can value herself as "above his way of thinking". Side by side she clearly comes out as more "understanding" and sympathetic (NOT EMPATHETIC, don't confuse the terms!). Well, he's the person to bring her back to earth. A stoic one without a prominent character arc (it's often considered bad, but a flat arc can also be fine when handled properly)

Dividers are created by me.

If you're willing to take this AU under your wing or do something inspired by it, please credit me (you can tag me too)

my lovelies @dailytogachako @bigclownshoes @luxkycharmz you asked me to tag you, I hope I didn't forget anyone...

[river-fisher]

Okay, so I was thinking of coming up with a "Fulbright is alive" AU of my own, and I ended up rambling about my ideas to a friend, so y'all get an edited down/tidied up version

Allow me to introduce to you.... the Investigator Fulbright AU! Yes, it is inspired by the lies of the phantom! As much as I love the Fulbright we meet in game before the reveal, I wanted to try out something different. I'm honestly surprised this isn't a thing yet (as far as I've seen) >>

Ramble under cut!

So, let me explain the timeline

During the ~dark age of the law~, Fulbright became disillusioned from the justice system. Justice is his main motivation - he wants to make the world become a better place, to help people. When the system shifted to actively work against that, with all the false arrests, evidence, convictions? I don't think Fulbright could take the injustice. He, as an enforcer of the system, would actively be complacent to all those things. So he resigned.

For a while, he shifts between jobs, none fulfilling his need for justice and field work. I think one day, he gets roped into a private investigation, which, when solved gives him the same rush he felt when he was a detective. He opens his own obscure investigation business. He didn't expect it to do as well as it did - the ~dark age of the law~ made common folk distrustful of the system, so if a person went missing or if someone needed closure from a case that was handled poorly in the courts, they came to him. He even got lucky enough to be able to pick his clients carefully, to weigh the morality of what he's doing - he'd rather skip a case and eat cheap food for a while than contribute to the already awful system.

Actually, being an investigator was almost better, in some cases, for Fulbright. The lack of regulation and restrictions allowed him to come to conclusions not solely based on evidence, but on other things as well, things that wouldn't be admissable in court (such as emotions, subtle nervous tics, etc). He spends a couple years like this, his business being decently successful.

One day, however, he gets this recurring client. Always anonymous, very careful about any information they share. Fulbright is cautious, of course. The client needed information on various people's schedules, habits, etc. It seemed decently innocuous though - none of the people he tailed faced any harm.

Yes, you guessed it! The client is the phantom. I mean, I can't make an AU and not include him, y'know? So yeah, the phantom is careful to pay in Fulbright's regular rates to avoid alarming the investigator. He hires Fulbright for a couple different reasons: having a different perspective on the people he's going to impersonate is very useful, it saves him a lot of time and effort, and it gives him more information on Fulbright - The person that is essential for his plan to get his psych profile back.

We know that the phantom was being taunted by Blackquill, and like... I don't think the phantom takes on long impersonation missions often. It's kinda a waste of resources imo, especially if he's doing it unemployed. So unless we reason that he was finding information from the police while impersonating Fulbright, I think it's more fun if we force him to collaborate with Fulbright! And that's precisely what I intend for this AU.

The phantom comes up with a plan to have Fulbright collaborate with him. I enjoy the headcanon that Fulbright doesn't have family around or like. super close friends, so hostages don't work. He isnt the type to give into money either. So, whats left? I might think of something different later, but for now, I'm thinking that the phantom could simply impersonate Fulbright while committing a crime. Get some evidence of it, and boom, blackmail!

Anyway, Fulbright is forced to join the force again. As an Investigator, he learned to manage his emotions better, but in the force, he tries to portray himself as though he hasn't changed much. He's a bit clumsy on cases now too, having become rusty with all the protocols and evidence based arrests.

He isn't entirely upset about the arrangement, despite the fact that its completely unjust. its nice being on the force again, being a detective again. He did miss it at times, since being a private investigator wasn't exactly lawful at times.

Moving along, when it's announced that Blackquill is going to be a prosecutor again and needs a trusted detective handler, Fulbright jumps at the opportunity. Of course, it's mostly because he has to, but having had some time to research Blackquill, the old UR-1 incident felt off. From the time as an investigator, he knew to trust his gut, even if he didn't have the evidence to prove anything.

He gets the job because 1) most people are scared of ~the twisted samurai~ and 2) because Fulbright has experience as a private investigator, aka, people trust him enough to come to him. Being trustworthy and dependable are very important qualities when handling a criminal, no?

Anyway, from here it could branch off in a couple different ways depending on your preferences (Blackquill and Fulbright's relationship wise.), so I'm not gonna ramble about that here.

Going timeline wise and ignoring all that for now, i think fulbright tries to find out more about the phantom. I mean, although he's being blackmailed, he's still aiding a criminal. No way would Fulbright take kindly to that.

I do think that most of what Fulbright is forced to do isn't a crime though. I think the phantom would be clever enough to not push him to his breaking point. Also, the phantom is a paranoid fuck and would not leave any important tasks to someone else. He'd rather just impersonate Fulbright for the few times he needs to.

Anyway, in the final cases, I think that the phantom would take over for the investigation parts, but wouldn't be the one to testify in turnabout for tomorrow, simply because he wouldn't risk his life like that. Everything turns out pretty similar with the phantom being revealed, the truth coming out about UR-1.

I think it'd be fun if Fulbright got shot anyway though, because the phantom got shot at the chance of him yapping about the organisations he works for. Well, Fulbright has evidence of the phantom existing, which is pretty threatening too.

But I also just want him to get shot so so bad HAHA

Anyway, yeah! That's what I have regarding the outline of this AU. I have some daydreams etc in my brain as well, but nothing concrete enough to express for now. I hope my silly little ramble was fun to read :)

[trixierosewrites]

writeblr intro :3

Hi, everyone, I'm Trixie! I'm a young (but adult) writer and classicist, currently in the middle of publishing my novella, Memento Vivere. I also write short stories and am working on a couple novels! I go by shey/heir neopronouns but if that's too complicated she/they is tolerable too.

My favourite genre is the mystery-murder mystery-crime-thriller-horror area, but I dabble in a lot, including historical and fantasy! I love to write dialogue and I am a compulsive world builder for fantasy, including seven partially made conlangs.

Writing commissions are currently closed, but editing commissions are open.

I'd love to connect with more writers :3

my novella: memento vivere

horror/thriller

will be available as paperback, ebook, and deluxe edition

every single character is a horrible person

high stakes, little time, and a lot of character death >:3

Aidan Whitney, four times ex-prime minister, wakes up chained to a bed in a room with ten other people. The only way to escape? Making accusations that kill the accused, and, if incorrect, kill the accuser.

my short stories and novels below the cut!

my short stories

One Hundred Times, or a retelling of orpheus and eurydice in which orpheus looks back a hundred times for a hundred different reasons with a hundred different reactions

The Wasp, or three polyamorous women trying to make it work in between crime and betrayal

untitled fairy wip, or a first person POV of a somewhat stuck up researcher into the fair folk

"you can't protect her forever" AKA woman offers herself up to be tortured to protect her girlfriend

a crime solving gang of polyamorous women head undercover into a den of crime, magic, sex, drugs, and lies, and come out of it a little less unattached

a failing demon falls in love with a beautiful angel, only to find that things are not as they appear

Blood Dice, or where in a realm not quite real, millie learns to play for her life

For Want of a Ticket (complete), or a western girl runs elaborate scams on strangers, complete with an undertone of sadness (and loneliness)

my novels

my beautiful time travel catastrophe, featuring an obscenely large cast of characters all from different time periods that come together against their will to save the timeline

Trinity, AKA what attempts to be a neutral retelling of hades and persephone, told from three perspectives: hades, persephone, and demeter. the goal of this one is to write what is clearly the same narrative with different perspectives, and ultimately tries to not hold anyone at fault

"the lillian ainsworth murder" AKA a late victorian setting for a murder mystery, featuring repressed gays, mysterious marriages, financial debt, family feuds, and an unsettling promise for revenge

a very rough plan for what is essentially out of timeline parasites that overtake someone's body with the aim of assassinating targets

untitled bacchae-inspired wip, or where an unsuspecting oxford student gets a sinister boyfriend that likes drinks and all-female orgies, and then the murders begin

backwards murder mystery, where a seasoned detective is vindicated when the unsettling up-and-comer officer reveals himself as a serial killer - but why? what does he hope to gain?

untitled heist wip, where magic is rare and highly sought after, used for volatile healing and the most dangerous of weapons, except in england, where it makes the trains run on time. low fantasy featuring found family, crime, family secrets, and mutations that won't stay hidden - this one is in collaboration with my good friend @elizabeth-writes!

[sitp-recs]

Can you do "Harry takes care of Draco" too? 👀 (and if I may rec a rec, pls include Let's Pretend the War Is Over by pir8fancier)

I’m sorry for the late reply, anon! Oh love me some pir8fancier, a great (and imo underrated) author. Here are some other recs for this trope, some of my all-time favorites here:

Let's Pretend the War Is Over by pir8fancier (M, 8k)

The war is over and Draco is alone, fighting demons of a different nature. This is obviously an AU by now. Written after "The Half-Blood Prince" came out.

Between Myth and Man by @slytherco (E, 16k)

Draco, lost and a little broken, navigates post-war reality convinced that people like him should not be allowed to make their own choices. To solve the problem of his self-sabotaging tendencies, he starts taking a few drops of Veritaserum every morning.

Savage by marguerite_26 (E, 18k)

In a post-war world that lives in fear and ignorance of werewolves, Draco Malfoy has taken every step to keep his condition hidden. When the delicate balance of his life shatters in a single moment, it is Harry Potter alone standing in his defence.

Strange Bedfellows by ravenclawsquill (E, 30k)

When Harry encounters a frail and fidgety Draco Malfoy at the Ministry, he just knows something is wrong and he’s determined to get to the bottom of it.

Inside Your Mind by @lazywonderlvnd (E, 36k)

Goyle's taken it upon himself to act as Malfoy's personal, one-man guard and Harry can't help but feel like it's only making the bullying worse.

The Sinner’s Redemption by oldenuf2nb (E, 55k)

When Headmaster, Harry Potter, loses his Potions Professor - is he willing to fight the system to employ the one person he knows will excel in the position?

Super Rich Kids by @thusspoketrish (E, 81k)

Draco Malfoy has become disillusioned by the glitz and glamour of the scandalous lives of the Post-Second Wizarding War Pureblood Elite. Enter: one existential crisis, one group of thieving cynical friends, and several terrible, terrible decisions.

Nor All That Glisters by @sweet-s0rr0w (E, 110k)

Lonely and frustrated on house arrest, with no prospects for the future, Draco begins brewing Felix Felicis in an attempt to improve his lot. Just in the short term, of course. He isn’t a total idiot.

There Is Always the Moon by @firethesound (T, 159k)

Draco's life after the war is everything he wanted it to be: it's simple, and quiet, and predictable, and safe. But when a mysterious curse shatters the peace he'd worked so hard to build, there's only one person he can trust to help him. After all, Harry Potter has saved his life before. Now Draco has to believe that Potter will be able to do it one more time.

Number Seven by sara_holmes (M, 253k)

Harry already has small children, an ex-wife, annoying colleagues and an international crime ring to deal with. So when Draco Malfoy reappears after eight years AWOL in France, of course Harry is going to leave him well alone...Right?

[couldpolyamorysavethem]

ANRI SONOHARA, MASAOMI KIDA, SAKI MIKAJIMA, and MIKADO RYUUGAMINE from DURARARA!!

Justification:

"(Spoilers for the entire series sorry not sorry) About half of the Raira trio's character arcs are them warrings between their loyalties amongst each other. Saki is just like, 'can i get a waffle. can I pLEASE--' as her boyfriend starts another gang war.

Mikado says straight up 'everything I've done, I did for Anri and Masaomi.' Which he DID. He repeatedly uses his power and influence in Ikebukuro to protect Anri and Masaomi, and tears himself to bits when those plans backfire. At his core, however dubious and morally grey he is, Mikado tries to work for a greater good for those who matter to him.

Masaomi is exactly the same. He hates being involved in violence and gangs, he regrets ever starting the yellow scarves. He's bitter and resentful that he can't protect Saki, that he got her hurt, *and* that now Mikado's getting dragged into the deep end with him. From the first time we see Masaomi, our very first inner monologue from him is him confessing to us, the audience, that he's trying to shield Mikado from the darkness in Ikebukuro.

Enter ANRI. Everyone and their mother knows both Mikado and Masaomi are in love with her, it's literally a running gag. But Masaomi won't make a move because he feels loyalty to Saki & he won't leave her because he loves her, and Mikado won't make a move because his top priority in life is Masaomi & the Dollars. She made a promise to herself to never ever use Saika and yet when the Slasher became a genuine threat to her boys she grabbed her sword and she went to track down whatever Saika offspring was causing such a mess. She openly tells Erika she's in love with both of them, but won't make any moves because of her codependent nature (and also Saika--), AND when Saki comes to visit her in search of Masaomi, she tells her something similar, but telling Saki she's 'doesn't love Masaomi' (girl. Anyone with eyes knows you're in love with him you are NOT fooling us)

Mikado first starts to use his power in the Dollars to protect Anri (and Mika but he also did that *for Anri*), he became class rep for Anri, his every thought in the first arc ties back to his appreciation and connection to her. When Masaomi fucks off to who knows where after the first season, Anri and Mikado become practically inseparable to the point every one assumes they've gotten together and they *both* feel such a loyalty to Masaomi that they're like 'no, no, no, there's nothing!' Girl what are you talking about.

Not to mention when Aoab enters the frey & Mikado takes up leading the Blue Squares, he does so for Masaomi!! He spends all of Shou and Ten like 'I'm going to make ikebukuro a safe city so Masaomi will come home!! I need him home!! I need Masaomi!!" and when Bacura enters the chatroom, he's FRANTIC all "MASAOMI??? MASAOMI THAT YOU??" And it's so genuienly sweet. Say what you will about mikado's morally grey nature, the homie does everything he does for his trio.

And Masaomi... Homeboy really said "I'm so obsessed with Anri and Mikado that if I don't leave this city I'll betray Saki, and I just got her back. So I'm running away with my girl!!" and he comes back to the city after swearing off crime, sees thirty minutes of shenans, thinks Anri and Mikado are in danger, and IMMEDIATELY brings back the Yellow Scarves???

Literally the entire second Blue Squares v. Yellow Scarves war would be solved if Masaomi & Mikado kissed and realized they all have two hands. It's that easy, boys. I promise.

(realizing after writing all of this how much of a fucking essay this is. I'm. So sorry. But also I'm not deleting because the world needs to know.)" - Anonymous

[misssharrington]

— ✧ ˚ · bad luck !!

. . . ࿐ྂ ❝ zero | prologue ❞

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The beginning of his life is hazy for Leon. The most he can remember of his mother is that she was more than often unconscious. He can remember scavenging their apartment for food, and being scared of the needles he'd find scattered about. He can remember the strange men that would come in and out of their home. He can remember that at age eight he was old enough to understand he was not safe in his own home, and that he had to protect his sister and leave.

He was envious of Lina, he had to admit. She was four years younger than him, too young to have any recollection of what they had to endure by themselves. Starving when they had no food. Freezing when they had no shelter. And no one ever came for them. In a world full of superheroes, they had to save themselves. 

It was a few years into their homelessness when they were found. The city of Gotham was a divided one. It was the birthplace of crime and corruption. There were no more heroes or villains, but groups of people who opposed each other, and would do anything to destroy each side. With hearts full of pity, they were taken in. They gave them food, shelter, and taught them how to fight. More and more lost children came, and soon enough, there were so many children, they became a society of their own. An underground generation, being raised to bring a revolution among the people of Gotham that had ignored them. 

Leon soon realised that Lina and himself were not like the others. Heightened senses and reflexes could've given it away, if it wasn't for the claws and fangs the siblings had both grown into. They discovered that they were metahumans, people born with genetic mutations that gave them certain controversial abilities. The two became an infamous pair among their peers, the Beasts of Gotham.

But as they grew, Leon could sense a difference between himself and his sister. She seemed to be more - fascinated - with violent methods, while Leon had always thought that violence was never an answer. You can't solve violence with violence, he would tell her. Then nothing's different. Nothing's changed. Everything stays how it was, and no one knows any better. And when she replied, in her sweet, innocent voice, No one listens unless you make them listen. You know that. He knew that the cycle of violence was real, and he feared that he was losing her to it.

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[froot-batty]

Part 1 <- Part 2 <- Part 3

Ed's time attending college was a short one. College had a lot more freedom than the schools back at home, which he did enjoy, but between accidentally biting off far more than he could chew class-wise and having trouble adjusting to being in such a populated environment, he decided to drop out after a year (with plans to return once he settled in Gotham - which never ended up happening).

Instead, he took a job at a relatively small electronics store, which might've been a good transition point from small town to big city if he hadn't utterly hated his job. Not only did he have to deal with customer service (loathsome), but it was dealing with idiots who didn't even know the simplest thing about their own electronics! Though he put in the effort to attempt to be cordial, his short temper and inability to not be sarcastic oftentimes got him in full-blown arguments with customers.

This as well as their age and general obvious neurodivergency didn't make them a popular employee in their boss' eyes. Their boss not only thought Ed was too useless for most tasks, but would occasionally berate them or send them off to do menial tasks alone for hours at a time. Their coworkers (all but two) tended to avoid them, too, as to not be pestered with riddles or other fun facts. But Eddie needed the money, so they bit their tongue and tried not to get fired.

Until he thought of a way to start getting back at at least one part of his terrible job. When doing big repair jobs on things such as laptops or phones, he'd often be left alone with the device until it was all fixed. This meant he got a loooot of time to do whatever he wanted to it without anyone knowing. So whenever he'd get a particularly rude customer, he started messing with their devices. Just little inconvenient things in the beginning, but eventually progressing into downloading malware or making it so that they had to answer a riddle every time they wanted to log into their device.

And, eventually, they'd figure out a way to short devices remotely. They wouldn't do this too often in the fear of being caught, but they saved it especially for their boss, who's computer they'd messed with without his knowledge. The resulting fire from the short would end up seriously injuring Ed's boss, so much so that he needed to be hospitalized. Getting away with that crime would only fuel Ed's desire to see what else they could do.

They would start hacking into places. Changing the digital billboards around Gotham, or getting people's personal information to get themselves some extra cash; just general mischief that would eventually attract the attention of Batman, due the fact Ed would start leaving clues or riddles behind after they were done.

A little bit after that is when he would perform his first crime to really get the attention of Bats. For a while now he had been messing around with making puzzle boxes and other traps, and he decided to put them together to make an escape-room sort of activity that he could drop someone into and force them to solve. The first victim of this was someone Ed nabbed because it was convenient, and the beginner nature of the escape room meant that Bats discovered it and rescued the victim relatively quickly. But when Eddie discovered how much he loved the attention from Bats, he'd begin fine-tuning his escapes, personalizing them for the victim and making them more challenging for Batman. All the while, Ed stayed completely anonymous behind the moniker of "The Riddler".

It was this insatiable desire to keep the Batman's (and the public's) attention on him that would eventually lead to the event which would reveal who he was to the world and land him in Arkham for the first time.

[hello-there]

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