#meanwhile darcy’s falling in love

[sandwichsapphic]

“an exceedingly pleasant and amiable young gentleman but… mentally he is negligible - quite negligible” is the Jeeves and Wooster equivalent of “she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me”

[heyimdove]

More on why Persuasion is the real Jane Austen parallel to Aziracrow, and why Pride and Prejudice is not, because I can’t stop dwelling.

There’s a lot here so I’ll try to structure this in a way that makes sense. Wish me luck.

I’ve seen so many people equate Aziraphale to Lizzie and Crowley to Darcy, but these comparisons don’t make sense. Character-wise, they are far more like Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth, respectively.

We’ll start with Elizabeth Bennet, who I love with all my heart and is one of those characters I feel like I know (I’m delusional, it’s fine). Elizabeth is wonderfully intelligent, but she isn’t “accomplished” and isn’t a perfect specimen of Regency womanhood. Instead she’s sharp and headstrong. She wants to live how she wants and with someone she loves for a partner. She rejects a match that is, on paper, perfect and would solve all her family’s problems, because she won’t settle for unhappiness. You know who that doesn’t sound like?

Aziraphale, were he a Regency Era woman, would be considered very accomplished for the time; well-read, polite, even a music tutor. But he’s more unlike Elizabeth because he desires to “do what’s best for the family”. In other words, if Elizabeth Bennet was more like Aziraphale, she’d be married to Mr. Collins. She would’ve considered it her duty to marry him because it would protect her loved ones (see Aziraphale accepting the Metatron). For Aziraphale, his duty to protect trumps his personal desire.

So does that make Crowley our Lizzie? No, that doesn’t fit either, and not only because Aziraphale makes a terrible Darcy. Sure, Aziraphale’s status as an angel might be considered comparable to Darcy’s elevated status as a rich person, but Crowley has never hated Aziraphale, never even considered it, and wouldn’t hate him even after the rejection. Lizzie’s hatred is what spurs Darcy to grow. Darcy needed to be completely despised by her to decide to put in the work to be worthy of her.

Okay, so then is Crowley Darcy? Perhaps we could shoehorn that in somewhere because Darcy doesn’t seem good but actually is, or is considered grouchy, but it’s such a loose connection, it barely works-

-Especially when you consider how much better the two fit as the protagonists of Persuasion.

(And yes, shut up, I liked the Dakota Johnson one and I will be using the gifs.)

Where Pride and Prejudice is about two different people gradually seeing the value in the other, Persuasion is the story of two different people seeing the value in the other right from the start, but who then repeatedly make mistakes that keep them separate and in agony.

Aziraphale is *so* much like Anne. First, Anne is the only reasonable (read: likable) member of her high-born family, who believe people in other societal castes to not only be inferior, but disgusting.

Anne sees this is not true, and falls madly in love with the low-born Wentworth- only to be persuaded by outside input not to marry him. Station and familial duty play a part in this decision, and she regrets it for years. She is completely unable to move on.

Like Aziraphale, Anne is certainly more accomplished, for one thing, and she plays by the rules of women of her time and status. BUT her sense of mortality breaks often from that of her family. When she tries to impart her good morals upon them, they are dismissive and insulting, reacting as if Anne is the one who “doesn’t get it”.

She spends eight years with a family she barely belongs to, wondering why she ever thought the company of people like this was worth the loss of Wentworth.

For all of Anne’s kindness, she is a pushover. She’s rarely confident in herself. When she needs to speak up, or just have a direct conversation with Wentworth, she doesn’t. She can’t. She repeatedly makes Wentworth come to her.

Wentworth, meanwhile, is a far better match for Crowley than Darcy is. Wentworth will never be an aristocrat like the Elliots, but he carves out a life he considers valuable using new rules. Sound familiar?

Are Wentworth’s and Crowley’s morals obviously a bit different? Yes, of course. Crowley is a DEMON, after all. But Crowley conducts himself in such a way that he’s literally cast out of Heaven and removed from Hell- in other words, he’s twice been given “the rules” for how to act and has twice decided, nah, that’s not for me. Wentworth was given the rules for what he could have as a low-born man and became a wealthy, high-ranking naval officer. And Wentworth didn’t do that for love, either. He found the consideration of one’s wealth in determining whether they should be loved abhorrent. Wentworth did it for himself initially (bitterly too, maybe), just like Crowley saves the goats and the kids for himself.

And, of course, Crowley’s confession parallels Wentworth’s position in relation to Anne far more than Darcy’s position to Lizzie. Crowley says “if they (two apparent opposites) can do it, so can we,” because he knows he and Aziraphale love each other. At the start of Persuasion, Wentworth asks Anne to be his wife despite their differing societal rank because he knows they love each other. At the end of Persuasion, he asks again because he knows they have both been in agony, that they both love each other as much as they ever did.

Darcy, meanwhile, does not know if Lizzie loves him, but arrogantly believes she will accept on the basis that what he can offer her monetarily is better than what anyone else can, not knowing what she actually values. She demolishes him.

On that note, that’s really the only parallel between Aziracrow and Darcy/Lizzie, only Aziraphale is Darcy. Aziraphale believed Crowley would accept his offer because he believed Crowley would want to be an angel again. Crowley believed Aziraphale would accept his offer because he knew they loved each other.

These are all very different characters, but ultimately, I think we were gunning for Pride and Prejudice and wound up with Persuasion; the slowest, most agonizing burn with the most beautiful reunion. So we didn’t get “you have bewitched me, body and soul,” in S2. We got the events leading up to Persuasion, and will have S3 to watch them play out. Neil knows that Aziraphale and Crowley’s relationship is the most compelling part of the story, so I doubt they’ll be separated for long. But everything is so messy, isn’t it? So it makes sense to keep them, like Anne and Wentworth, in close proximity, in mutual, bitter, unspoken pining, but still not together. It will be absolutely delicious to watch. Isn’t that what we loved the most from S1?

Because we know they love each other. And whatever catalyzing event forces them to say it out loud will be all the better if every moment they don’t say it hurts. I don’t want a “you have bewitched me” moment, I want “I’m half agony, half hope.”

[oodlesofoddnoodles]

why i believe mlm-centric media is more popular then any wlw-centric media

(DISCLAIMER!!! I am not in ANYWAY discrediting any of the media i use as an example, i personally enjoy almost all of the shows mentioned and am merely trying to prove a point, i am glad we are at a point in society with ANY LGBTQ+ representation and I hope we only further it from this point on)

okay, so i’ve been thinking about this for the past couple of days, some examples of what i mean are as follows

Media that features mlm relationships (Heartstopper, Young Royals, Red, White & Royal Blue), is almost always in a “realistic” scenario. (i’m not saying that YR and RWRB are realistic, however it is not set in a fantasy setting)

Media that features wlw relationships (First Kill, I Am Not Okay With This), are almost always in “fantasy” type settings.

Why do I believe there is a correlation? I think it’s because of the fetishization of LGBTQ relationships.

For example, Heartstopper.

While yes, it does have a lesbian couple as well, Tara and Darcy aren’t the main characters. I think the reason Heartstopper was such a success is because it is realistic, and straight cis women think its cute. i am in no way saying that straight-cis people can’t enjoy gay media, but it becomes alarming when their whole personality revolves around the fact they like gay couples. If you think “Oh, there aren’t people like that!” Yes there are.

Meanwhile, on the opposite end, straight cis men don’t want to watch wlw couples be cute and fall in love because “ew thats weird and gross.” so there isn’t as big of a fanbase, straight cis men aren’t the ones who make the fan-works, and even if the LGBTQ+ community does like a show, they need the most possible appeal and they won’t find that with cis straight men.

Plus, straight people don’t want to see their own gender being with each-other. The ratio of straight cis women obsessed with wlw relationships to SCW obsessed with mlm relationships is like one to ten, and we’ve already established that SCM aren’t involved in fandom as much as SCW.

another disclaimer because i can already feel people attacking me for this, this is not a call-out post, merely me stating things i’ve noticed, i don’t care what you do lol.

If you have any other points you’d like to add, let me know :)

[dragonfly0808]

Covens and Foils

So a little smth that yet again, I didn’t have quite enough time to include in s3 but that in the latest chapter might’ve shined through a bit is that I really wanted Shirley’s coven to be a bit of a foil and/or parallel to the Trix

The plan was to have it be Icy-Juliette, Stormy-Yena and of course, the most obvious perhaps Darcy-Shirley

Starting with Darcy-Shirley, they are both mind witches and literally grew up together, with Darcy helping Riven do what it took to keep them all alive. They are both mind witches and it was what Darcy became that pushed Shirley to want to do something different with her powers

Darcy manipulates and uses her power to trick and decieve people. Shirley goes the opposite route, learning how to help people. Darcy focuses on nightmares and nausea and bringing out the fear and the worst in people. Shirley focuses on dreams and real memories, on comforting and explores the boundries of her power

Now, Stormy and Yena. This is the weakest since Yena was meant to have more screentime in s3 that never happened. But they’re both elemental witches. Stormy has a focus on air and lightning, Yena focuses on water.

Stormy has a deep-rooted wish for chaos, she’s impulsive and violent and just wants to rule the world. Yena is a Healer, she has a maternal streak and, while being very capable of fighting, she prefers to take a seat back and focus on the simpler things in life. Yena would totally vibe to Shuffle of Love, Stormy is more Perfect Revenge ya know what i’m saying?

Finally, Icy and Juliette. The witches touched by dark magic and the eldest of their respective covens.

Icy’s family has a history with dark magic, for Juliette, she nearly becomes a proxy for Darkar, and some of that magic remains in her very veins, infecting every part of her.

Icy doesn’t learn from the past and her family’s tragic history, she goes after the Flame and is the main instigator of the Trix’s first crimes. Meanwhile, Juliette had no choice in being kidnapped and nearly becoming a proxy, however, she chooses to use the dark magic that remains in her to become an expert curse-breaker and understand blood magic, which may have a negative reputation, but that Juliette manages to use for some good.

They’re both determined to protect their respective covens, feeling responsible as the eldest. The difference is that Icy fails and Juliette succeeds.

Icy sets in motion the events that eventually lead to her coven falling apart by becoming obsessed with the idea of the Dragon Flame. Juliette refusing to see herself as ‘tainted’ by dark magic and choosing to use if for good as much as she can sets the precident of how her coven views magic, with Juliette becoming an expert in blood magic and hexes and Shirley using mind magic to help people

Anyways, I’ll stop ranting. This was just some of the brainrot in my head while writing s3 that didn’t quite make it to the final cut

[visorforavisor]

warning: Good Omens series / season 2 spoilers

you have been warned

final warning okay thank you

(also Pride and Prejudice spoilers I guess if anyone still cares about that 210 years on)

·—·

they’re Pride and Prejudice, people! I’m telling you!

Aziraphale still holds onto his anti-Hell, pro-Heaven, anti-demon, pro-angel bias, his prejudice telling him that there is no “institutional problem”, that Crowley fell because he asked questions rather than because Heaven didn’t want questions asked.

Crowley refuses to let go of his pride in his identity (whether that be as one of the fallen, or as part of a side that is neither Heaven nor Hell), and go back to the Heaven that betrayed him, which he doesn’t trust not to ruin everything.

Aziraphale is Lizzy, Crowley is Darcy.

and, come on, we all know what happens in Chapter 34.

Darcy proposes to her. he talks about having tried to pretend the love is not real (“in vain I have struggled”), and asks Lizzy to marry him despite the fact that they come from two different factions who traditionally wouldn’t marry, and despite the fact that he knows she does not possess the same identity he is proud of in himself.

and Lizzy turns him down, because she’s prejudiced against Darcy’s type and this has influenced how and what she thinks about him specifically.

Darcy leaves this proposal feeling hurt, betrayed, and upset, while Lizzy is too confident that she is right in the core beliefs that influenced her decision. and they go away needing to work on themselves.

(is all of this sounding familiar?)

and then they meet again and fall in love and there’s a successful proposal etc etc.

Crowley’s pride in what he is won’t let him take Aziraphale at half quality, still part of Heaven; Aziraphale must be so exceptional as to transcend that restrictive category. an angel who would buy into that nonsense is not what Crowley stands for. he cares about people in his own, very small category: their side, which he thought included Aziraphale. those outside Crowley’s side are not to be ruining Crowley’s “precious, peaceful, fragile existence”.

meanwhile, Aziraphale’s prejudice presents him two options. either Crowley remains a demon which means he is bad, or Crowley becomes an angel again, which means he can be properly good. in the second case, Aziraphale can have him. Aziraphale can’t have Crowley if he’s bad, which he must be if he’s a demon.

there’s a subtle difference between the two.

Crowley’s tactic is more about self-preservation for his group (which would have included Aziraphale if Aziraphale’d agreed to dump Heaven for their side, just as Darcy’s remaining pride extends to protecting Lizzy when they are married (“Darcy could never receive him [Wickham] at Pemberley”)).

Aziraphale is being self-righteous for the good in the world (which he would have done for Crowley too if Crowley’d agreed to be an angel, just as Lizzy loses her shit at Darcy for not helping Wickham and all of his myriad other moral failings and then turns around and defends him once she’s convinced he’s good (“that [her dislike of him] is all to be forgot”)).

of course, this all might be an accident on the part of the writers, but then again….

Crowley and Aziraphale’s ideas to get Nina and Maggie together were sheltering from the rain, one fabulous kiss, and Pride and Prejudice.

Crowley and Aziraphale have already had their sheltering from the rain — twice, actually (at the end of the creation scene, and the end of the Eden scene). they have also had their kiss — no explanation needed.

this is their Pride and Prejudice, right down to Crowley (Darcy) protesting when a dance with Aziraphale (Lizzy) is suggested.

I could go into how Pride and Prejudice is in and of itself a Much Ado About Nothing retelling, but honestly that’s not particularly relevant, just cool. (do watch the David Tennant and Catherine Tate Much Ado, though.)

so, my hypothesis for the conclusion of a potential series 3 is as follows.

it will involve Crowley’s equivalent of “one word from you will silence me forever”: Aziraphale’s last chance to answer in the affirmative and be with him. Aziraphale will learn that Crowley is not bad simply for being a demon (I hope), and Crowley will realise Aziraphale should be let into his heart even if he wasn’t always on Crowley’s side (I hope).

Darcy / Crowley stops refusing to interact positively with anybody not in the little clique, and Lizzy / Aziraphale stops believing an entire group to be awful.

I don’t know if I have anything else coherent to say on this. something about how they have to accept the things they cannot change about the other and change the things the other cannot accept about them?

(also Gabriel could arguably be Wickham, given that Crowley tries to convince Aziraphale that Gabriel did a nasty thing and should be kept away from those he wants to keep safe but Aziraphale won’t believe Gabriel is a bad person because Gabriel isn’t one of the group he considers to be bad… I mean, it’s just their pride and their prejudice again isn’t it. whether we’re talking about Darcy, Lizzy, and Wickham, or Crowley, Aziraphale, and Gabriel.

I’m not going to follow that extension of the comparison too far, though, because I don’t think I can reasonably claim that Beelzebub is Lydia.)

concluision: I don’t care whether it’s Benedick and Beatrice, or Darcy and Lizzy, or Crowley and Aziraphale. I love all of their dynamics.

and we have amazing things to look forward to if we can convince the company to make series 3.

[themculibrary]

Christmas Presents Masterlist

A Christmas For You And Me (ao3) - idiotwithdreams steve/tony, bucky/clint, bruce/natasha, jane/thor G, 5k

Summary: Forced into playing Secret Santa with the rest of the Avengers, Tony Stark falls into a state of panic as he struggles to find the perfect gift for the super soldier that he is not in love with, no matter what Pepper says, it’s just a crush. Really.

Meanwhile, Steve Rogers has decided that Christmas is the time for love and confessions, and has the perfect present in mind for his favorite genius. Little does he know that said genius possesses the ability to misinterpret perfect gifts so differently.

Christmas fluff with idiot boys in love. Ft. Pepper and Natasha being tired of all the angsty pining while Bucky loves enjoying Steve’s misery!

all I want for Christmas (is you) (ao3) - grydo2life clint/phil T, 5k

Summary: Or, 5 presents Clint gave Phil, and 1 that Phil gave back.

Christmas Day (ao3) - melles1276 bucky/sarah G, 4k

Summary: Missing scenes from "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" series ...

Post Episode 6: It's Christmas Day! Things are handled different this time (sort of)

Fill My Lungs with Sweetness (ao3) - starclipped steve/bucky T, 13k

Summary: In which there are coupons, presents, friendships, feelings, and a list.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (ao3) - Last_Chance_Anna steve/tony T, 10k

Summary: A sort of non-Christmas Christmas story. Steve and Tony supporting each other through a very difficult time of year.

I Didn't Forget About You (ao3) - Marv_with_a_v matt/foggy G, 2k

Summary: A last minute present hunt drives Foggy to desperation before he realises the perfect present isn't something you buy, it's something you are: there for each other, present in a very tangible way, in a way that matters, on Christmas and on every other day.

I Like the Way You Kiss Me (ao3) - BubbaForest peter/wade M, 11k

Summary: Wade Wilson is very much in love with Spiderman, but thinks he only wants to be friends with benefits. He doesn't want to get attached, so he does everything possible not to get hurt. Peter Parker loves Wade and he doesn't understand why they aren't official yet, but he's okay keeping it causal because that's what Wade wants.

What happens when neither of them can keep up the charade of not being in love anymore?

(Happy ending featuring Christmas and Aunt May)

Merry Christmas, kid (ao3) - PandoraLestrange pepper/tony G, 1k

Summary: The first Christmas since Tony adopted Peter Parker. What a great dad can’t relate lol I hate my father

Merry Christmas Punk (ao3) - cleo4u2 steve/bucky E, 7k

Summary: The Howling Commandos plan a Christmas present for their Captain. It’s not at all what Steve expected, but it’s everything he ever wanted.

Mission - Steve and Bucky’s Best Christmas Ever (ao3) - LightningStriking steve/bucky G, 10k

Summary: Bucky has a plan. A carefully constructed, and meticulously plotted plan. Of how to give his best friend Steve the most wonderful, festive, and happy Christmas season ever. Culminating in a declaration of love, which hopefully will be returned. Can Bucky pull it off, and receive the best Christmas present of all - Steve as his boyfriend??

MistleTony (ao3) - catemonsterq darcy/tony E, 39k

Summary: It’s Secret Santa time at Avengers Tower and Darcy finds herself with a conundrum- of course, she would wind up pulling Tony Stark’s name from the hat. What exactly does one get a genius, billionaire, playboy….especially when that person also happens to be your crush? Darcy has a month to find the perfect present without kissing him senseless. Hint: she doesn’t make it.

Secret Santa (ao3) - within_a_rustic_cafe steve/tony E, 6k

Summary: It’s Christmastime and the Avengers decide to participate in Secret Santa! When Steve gets Tony for his Secret Santa, the super solider knows just the perfect thing to get his genius boyfriend.

Six Days of Christmas (ao3) - scifigrl47 steve/tony M, 60k

Summary: Sometimes being home for the holidays is less about where you are, and more about who's with you.

Merry Christmas!

Steve and Peggy’s Christmas List (ao3) - AgentPeggyRogers peggy/steve T, 5k

Summary: Christmas 1949. It’s Steve and Peggy’s first holiday together since he returned to her in Endgame. They both have their own plans for how to make Christmas special. Christmas, wintery fluff. | Steggy Secret Santa 2023

you’re exactly where you ought to be (ao3) - soniclipstick (veriscence) bucky/steve/tony M, 6k

Summary: “Do you have any idea how often Tony looks at your butt?”

Steve snorts. “That means next to nothing. Everyone looks at my butt.” “Well, it is a great butt,” Bucky says, his lips curling into a smirk.

In which there are presents, snow angels, and caffeinated maple syrup. And much kissing.

[anghraine]

Just curious but how many times have you read pride and prejudice? What is your favorite adaptation of it?

Oh, I have no idea how many times I've read P&P (especially if you count times I went looking in the first half for a quote and then got caught up and re-read the whole thing, lol). I read it for the first time when I was eleven and pretty regularly after that, and I'm in my 30s.

As for my favorite adaptation, my favorite cinematic-type adaptation is the 1980 P&P with Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul! I talked about it here in... wow, 2015, but my opinion is basically the same as then. I also have various comments and material under my #pride and prejudice 1980 tag.

My favorite parts of an adaptation, meanwhile, are probably from something I've never actually seen. I love some of the songs and performances from Austen's Pride, which tells the story of P&P within a story of Austen writing/revising it. It's not uniformly perfect or anything, but I really love the parts I do like.

Some links to a few songs under the cut:

"When I Fall In Love" features Austen & Elizabeth; it relies on a take on Elizabeth I don't especially care for, but I do love the song and Laura Osnes's Elizabeth.

We must share a similar mind His character strong and refined And his reputation, Whatever his station, Is generous, truthful, and kind.

"Had I Been In Love" features Elizabeth & Austen again.

Vanity has been my folly, Vanity, not love, And I never knew myself Until this moment.

"The Portrait Song" features Elizabeth, Darcy, and Austen. Here's the full version with some dialogue from the book.

Now I'm face to face with you The man in the portrait In your case, I can see The way you used to smile At me

[sofyachy]

Good Omens 3 Thinky-Thoughts

Now that I've had some time to watch Good Omens Season 2 and go through all the stages of grief (including rewatching repeatedly and dreaming up various fanfiction plots), I'm ready to start jotting down some reflections on S2 and where I think S3 should go. So, spoilers! You know what to do...

Pride & Prejudice

First, the Jane Austen / Pride & Prejudice references in the script are no accident. Alright, I absolutely loved the joke about Austen being a jewel thief and brandy smuggler, and Aziraphale trying to make people fall in love at a ball is a very Aziraphale thing to do. But the references go much deeper.

We can see parallels between the way Aziraphale and Crowley relate to each other with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. After being snubbed at a ball, Elizabeth becomes prejudiced against Darcy in subsequent interactions, and "willfully misunderstands" his behavior and motivations even when doing so would go against her otherwise sensible observation skills. Similarly, despite Aziraphale and Crowley's ongoing arrangement / partnership / friendship / oblivious marriage / etc., Aziraphale repeatedly demonstrates his prejudice against Crowley for being a demon. For example: "You're a demon, I'm sure you've fired lots of guns." "You're a demon, you're one of the bad guys." Throughout both seasons, we see examples of Crowley committing good deeds, but Aziraphale continues to see him as the enemy.

Crowley, meanwhile, shares Darcy's difficulty with communication and recognizing that his desires aren't lining up with Aziraphale's / Elizabeth's. Both of them appear to realize their own feelings before their partner's. We see examples of Darcy singling out Elizabeth in social situations long before he proposes to her. Crowley, meanwhile, appears to have something of a silent epiphany in S2 when Nina mentions that other people's love lives are easier to understand than one's own.

After Nina and Maggie tell him that he needs to open up and tell Aziraphale how he feels, Crowley proceeds to do so at the worst possible time -- making his own version of a proposal similar to Darcy's. Neither one of them could "read the room" and only really considered their own needs instead of the other's. Crowley wants Aziraphale to turn down a new job offer that he's obviously ecstatic about because he himself doesn't want to go back to heaven and be Aziraphale's sidekick. He has too much pride for that, and Aziraphale can't see that Crowley's burned his bridges with heaven anyway.

The results of these failures are as devastating in that final bookshop scene as they are in the drawing room in Hunsford. However, Austen's novel doesn't end there, and so I think Season 3 could follow some parallels with the rest of it. We may see both Aziraphale and Crowley self-reflecting and reconfiguring their understanding of who the other actually is. Maybe they bump into each other accidentally after these reflections and see each other in a new light. Maybe the Second Coming of Christ pulls a Lydia and runs off with a demon, and Crowley has to stop them. (I'm laughing as I write this last sentence.)

The Crow Road

Another book that S2 references is The Crow Road by Iain Banks. I haven't read it (though I'm adding it to my reading list) -- though there is a decent analysis of its use in the story here. I think it may have some clues about possible directions for S3 as well.

Talking to God

Season 2 showed us God talking to Job and Crowley's jealousy with him for being able to have that conversation. God asks Job if he can do certain things that we've already seen Crowley do (manipulate lightning, make constellations, etc.). Maybe this is a hint that Crowley already has the qualifications that Job doesn't and will get that conversation somehow. Crowley still carries a lot of baggage about falling from heaven (and Aziraphale repeatedly rubbing salt in that wound can't be helpful). I think it would help him if he could have a chat with God and maybe find some peace with that part of his identity.

Deception

Aziraphale is terrible at deception except when Crowley's at stake. He can see that Muriel is terrible at it when she arrives as a "human police officer," but in the same episode he pretends to be a journalist with no more success than Muriel had. Likewise, he is terrible at sleight of hand magic tricks except when Furfur has evidence that could get Crowley in trouble. At first, I thought there was a pattern with angels in general being inherently terrible at deception, and this would retcon the examples in S1. In S1, Aziraphale first poses as a gardener so he can influence the Antichrist. But maybe this isn't meant to be effective, as he can fool a child but his appearance isn't presented as convincing to the audience. Similarly, we've seen that he can lie to save Job's children from the wrath of God. He only needs to fool the other angels for this, however, and their inherent belief in the goodness of one of their own means that they believe him. At the end of S1, Aziraphale is able to convince Hell that he's Crowley. How could he possibly be convincing about this when he is otherwise so bad at playing pretend? The only explanation that makes sense is that his willpower to keep Crowley safe overrides his angelic need to be true to himself.

Stronger Together

We've also seen that Crowley and Aziraphale are much stronger when they work together than when they're on their own. When they combine their powers to keep Gabriel safe without being noticed by Heaven or Hell, instead of the infinitesimal miracle they intend, they get something exponentially more powerful. It's questionable whether they actually tried to go for the tiny dose of power they said they would give -- I don't think they fully trusted each other to do enough to keep them all safe and could easily have "juiced it" to make up for the other's deficiencies. But the reactions from Heaven and Hell indicate that what they accomplished was worrisomely powerful. It's possible that the reason the Metatron chose Aziraphale to replace Gabriel was to separate the two of them and keep that power in check. In S3, maybe we would see them team up again to wield that power for an even greater purpose.

The Gun

Now, without a better transition, we're probably going to see the Nazi zombies again. We see that they're still around London at the end of the S2 scene in 1941. We also discover that 1941 Aziraphale keeps a Derringer pistol in a hollowed-out book in the bookshop. Following Chekhov's law, that gun is bound to make another appearance. The 1941 scene in S2 ends with A and C (I'm getting tired of typing out their names) hanging out in the bookshop. The zombies know where to find them. Guns can stop zombies. A is the type of angel who would probably bless his bullets and bestow them with special miracle powers. I could easily see the zombies storming the bookshop and A shooting them -- maybe saving C, or maybe accidentally shooting him, too, for the show to really milk some drama. Or maybe we get a callback to the magic show and C catches the bullet in his teeth. In any case, I think we're going to see some gun-on-zombie action.

Other more fanfiction-y thoughts:

Nina and Maggie Summon A and C into a therapist's office for couples counseling. Or maybe Muriel reads a self-help book and tries to do it herself. Crowley tries to take over another patient's session via demonic possession "because it's an emergency" and he absolutely has to rant to someone about what Aziraphale is doing. Please, someone, I absolutely need to read this fic.

[yukkoislost]

Teen Darcy x Octavia

Scenarios for you to see part 1

( when I refer to Darcy I mean teen Darcy in this scenario dump

Darcy in her alternate form having two sets of jagged wings claws , sharp teeth , and claws

Darcy crying : you must be freaked out or think I’m a monster right

Octavia blushing and staring in awe of Darcy’s form : your beautiful

Darcy blushes

Octavia : you know as a demon I never thought I would never know what heaven is like and then I met you

Darcy : why don’t I kiss you and make you truly feel it

Exploring an abandoned lab with md crew and Octavia

Octavia : I don’t think I can walk anymore it’s so tiring

Darcy picks Octavia up in a bridal carry : is that better

Octavia blushing heavily : Darcy there’s people here

Darcy : want me to put you down

Octavia : no I didn’t mean that

Octavia : wow my girlfriend is so cool

Meanwhile Darcy falls down a flight of stairs cause she got excited to see Octavia and tripped cause wasn’t watching where she was going

Magic school au

Darcy blushing : umm uhhh octavia you busy during prom night

Octavia : ummm no ….

Darcy : would you want to be my date

Octavia : yes ! I would love that

Octavia : what’s that burning smell

Darcy : oh just my burning love for you

Octavia : Darcy look the stove is on fire

Darcy : oh no ! The romantic pasta dinner I made for us

Assassins trying to kill Octavia : your father can’t save you now

Octavia : my girlfriend won’t be happy about this

Assassin : what she’s going to do

Darcy in alternate form : who dares lay hands on my girlfriend

Litterally starts attacking Octavia’s attackers she doesn’t kill them but some of the attackers are missing some limbs

Darcy has a spear pointed to one of them : if you ever hurt her or lay hands on her again you are dead do I make myself clear

The attackers nod

HEKP ME THATS SO CUTE

[pridepages]

eARC Review: Who We Are in Real Life

Photo Credit: Victoria Koops A HUGE thank you to Netgalley and House of Anansi Press for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:  IRL, Darcy has just moved to the small prairie town of Unity Creek with her two moms. It feels like she left everything good behind in the city. She misses her tabletop gaming friends and her boyfriend ― and is horrified by the homophobia her family faces in their new home. Then she meets kind, quiet Art, who invites her to join his Dungeons & Dragons game. Art is mostly happy fading into the background at school and only really coming alive during his friends’ weekly D&D game ― until meeting Darcy pulls his life off-course in wonderful and alarming ways. Suddenly he has something worth fighting for. But what if that something puts him in conflict with his father, an influential and conservative figure in their town? Can Art stand up against his father’s efforts to prevent Darcy and her friends from starting a queer-straight alliance at school? Meanwhile, in game, Darcy’s and Art’s D&D characters join forces to fight corruption as they grow closer in the homebrew world of Durgeon’s Keep ― as fantasy and reality collide.

RELEASE DATE: 2/6/2024

See my full review under the cut!

Victoria Koops's new YA novel is a fresh take on the hellish experience of being a teenager who'd take sword and sorcery over the trials and trauma of school dances. It's part role-playing fantasy epic and part coming-of-age story.

The stronger half--fascinatingly, the more original half--is the real-world arc.

As someone who grew up in a world full of LGBT YA books that centered almost exclusively on white cis gay boys (sorry, Simon Spier), I find the complexity and nuance of the gay themes in Who We Are in Real Life refreshing. For once, this is not a coming-out arc. While those stories will always have a place in our culture, we need to see more. There is a whole generation growing up being shown not only that being gay is okay, but also that there are a whole lot of identities out there besides homosexual.

Darcy is the bisexual daughter of lesbian mothers. It's not a secret. Her family is out-and-proud, trying to keep their heads held high even as they are met with suspicion and hostility. Art quickly falls for Darcy. He loves his younger sister, who is also LGBTQIA+. As he gets drawn into the friend group forming around them, Art is forced to confront his limitations. Raised by a blatantly homophobic father, Art may not see himself as homophobic. But he is frequently checked throughout the book until he learns how to identify the implicit--or complicit--ways he contributes to homophobia. In a powerful scene, Art draws the battle lines and insists that his father take steps to support both his children, or else he may end up without either. It's a powerful model of allyship!

Unfortunately, the novel is most burdened by the parts that are supposed to be the most fun. The scenes that take place 'in-game' are distracting and throw off the pacing. I figured out far too late that the story of Art's character is supposed to parallel what's happening in his life--that he's using the game to work out the kind of person he wants to be outside the confines of imagination. (Pro tip: if it takes more than a scene or two to work that out, then the conceit isn't effective.)

Another struggle for this novel was hitting the right tone. There are some serious topics covered (including on-page scenes of domestic violence). But the style of the text, the 'voice,' reads closer to a middle-grade than young adult. As I was reading, sometimes I would think: 'This book could be a useful tool to show younger readers what queerness can look like.' Then I would remember the maturity of the scenes and hesitate. Like its teen protagonists, this novel suffers from an identity crisis!

Adult readers seeking queer fantasy representation should give this book a miss. There are other books--even YA and middle grade titles--that you will get more out of. Frankly, what pushed my rating up from a 3-3.5 stars was looking at this book from the perspective of its intended audience. As a story that could broaden horizons for younger readers, the book deserves to be recognized for its contributions and promoted for its potential to do good in real life.

[hannaday81]

Inuyasha Fanfic Recs

Inuyaha/Sango = InuSan

Ayrith

Mine Enemy *Complete

Her father taught her that youkai with human faces were dangerous. He should have warned her about hanyous.

Thine Enemy *Ongoing

Human, youkai, hanyou. When the scariest of monsters can pass for man, who are the real demons? Sequel to Mine Enemy.

EmEx

A stroke of time *Complete

Kagome finds out something devastating that takes away her wishes to return to the Sengoku Jidai. Meanwhile, her mysterious decision brings unsuspected opportunities for Sango and Inuyasha.

Halfsan

Training *Oneshot

Inuyasha and Sango head off to catch up on their training, and nothing more...maybe!

HardlyFatal

Drops of Gold *Complete

Inuyasha is annoying. Really, really annoying. He’s also pretty wonderful. One day, Sango realizes this.

 Ikuko-chan

Autumn *Oneshot

‘Was she happy?’ the hanyou had once asked. ‘She was’ she had responded. Happier than when she was with the monk? She did not know. But it no longer mattered. It was the hanyou that she was with now, the hanyou that she loved.

 James P. Darcy

We Shouldn't *Complete

Inuyasha carries Sango after a brutal battle with Naraku, and finds himself feeling a protectiveness for the slayer that goes beyond just 'friends'.

larmes des anges

The End Result *Complete

Two hurting souls, one common need. In the neverceasing search for love, people will inadvertently get hurt along the way. Cheating, lying, questioning... Do the ends justify the means, or is it only the end result that counts?

Opus the Penguin

Closer *Ongoing

A grievously wounded Inuyasha may not survive until dawn, ane even dawn may bring nothing but madness and death. As Sango wrestles with the possibility that Inuyasha might die in her arms, Kagome struggles to make a fateful decision of her own.

Priestess Skye

Revelations *Complete

Sango becomes connected to Inuyasha in the strangest of ways after receiving a small gift.

SilverCrystal029

Only You *Oneshot

When Miroku died before Naraku can be defeated he urges Sango to marry Lord Kuranosuke Takeda. With nothing left after Naraku's defeat, she obliges. She achieves a comfortable life but isn't happy. Can Inuyasha show her that she belongs at his side?

silver_cyn

It's Not the Same *Oneshot

When Inuyasha tries to comfort Sango in Kagome's absence, things take an interesting turn.

Starzki

About an Inch *Oneshot

After the birth of her first son, Sango begins training with Inuyasha. He gives her advice on how to bounce back from pregnancy. She gives him advice on his new relationship with Kagome. Friendshipfic. Post-manga. Rated for bawdy but non-explicit humor.

Suki

Home *Oneshot

Home is more than where you sleep. It's where you wake up.

RavensFirefly

How to Live *Ongoing

The battle is finished, and now the survivor's must learn how to continue on without their friends. A story told in a series of drabbles.

Once the Dust Settles *Complete

Naraku's finally dead. Kagome returns to her time, and the Shikon no Tama is in Inuyasha's hands. The end of one journey, turns out to be the beginning of another.

The Last First Night *Oneshot

Episode 135. Just what did happen once everyone returned to the temple?

yumi michiyo

Harsh Reality *Ongoing

Inuyasha shares unwanted insights with Sango. Unexpected consequences ensue.

Happy Endings *Ongoing

Sometimes the fairytale ending isn't the right one and you have to make your own happy ending.

Kohaku/Rin

GeoFount

Calamity's Breach *Complete

Several years after the Shikon no Tama is complete and Naraku put to rest, Rin is faced with the turmoil of her passage into womanhood. The trouble only worsens for her and her guardian when she finds herself falling for the man whom

[ireadyabooks]

Celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month with I Read YA!

We are dedicated to promoting, celebrating, and supporting our Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander creators, readers, and community. Below, check out some incredible books by our AANHPI creators to read all year round!

What A Desi Girl Wants by Sabina Khan (On-sale 7/18)

Mehar hasn't been back to India since she and her mother moved away when she was only four. But when her father announces his engagement to socialite Naz, Mehar reluctantly agrees to return for the wedding. While her father still doesn't make the time for her, Mehar barely cares once she meets Sufiya, her grandmother's assistant, and one of the most grounded, thoughtful, kind people she's ever met! Meanwhile, Mehar's dislike for Naz and her social media influencer daughter, Aleena, deepens. Mehar's starting to think that putting a stop to this wedding might be the best thing for everyone involved.But what happens when telling her father the truth about Naz and Aleena means putting her relationship with Sufiya at risk . . . Start reading WHAT A DESI GIRL WANTS! 

I Kick and I Fly by Ruchira Gupta

A propulsive social justice adventure by renowned activist and award-winning documentarian Ruchira Gupta, I Kick and I Fly is an inspiring, hopeful story of triumph about a girl in Bihar, India, who escapes being sold into the sex trade when a local hostel owner helps her to understand the value of her body through kung fu.

Rosewood by Sayantani DasGupta

Eila Das is used to following her head, rather than her heart. When she meets Rahul at Rosewood, a summer camp where campers are being scouted for the hit Bridgerton-like TV show, she experiences…feelings. Between the drama of the show and the drama of the camp, Eila will have to keep her wits about her to make it through the summer. But when she has to choose between her head and her heart, what will she do? Start Reading! 

Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta

In this Pride & Prejudice retelling, Leela is ALWAYS #1 in speech and debate competitions. But when she meets Firoze Darcy, more than just her winning streak is at stake…her heart is, too. Start reading DEBATING DARCY! 

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

When Anna’s not looking after her brother and sister or helping out at her father’s restaurant, she’s taking care of her mother, whose debilitating mental illness keeps her in bed most days. When her mother finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse. And as her mother’s condition worsens, Anna and her family question everything they understand about themselves and each other. Start Reading!

Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan

Mira must decide whether to re-connect with the woman who placed her for adoption…but isn’t sure she’s ready for what she might learn. Told in dual perspectives, this novel follows Mira and her mother eighteen years apart. Start Reading! 

Caster & Spell Starter by Elsie Chapman

Aza Wu knows that real magic is dangerous and illegal. After all, casting killed her sister. But to save the legacy of their family teahouse, she enters an underground casting tournament and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Start reading CASTER & SPELL STARTER! 

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

Rukhsana is finding it impossible to live up to her conservative Muslim parents’ expectations. Luckily, it’s only a few more months until her new life at Caltech. But when her parents catch her kissing her girlfriend, all of Rukhsana’s plans fall apart. Start Reading! 

K-Pop Revolution and K-Pop Confidential by Stephan Lee

In this romantic coming-of-age duology, a Korean American girl travels to Seoul in hopes of debuting in a girl group at the same K-pop company behind the most popular boy band on the planet. Start reading K-POP CONFIDENTIAL & REVOLUTION! 

[sichore]

73, 75, 76 for PickleJam

73. Who knows the other better? Why is this?

Even before they know of each other's history, because of Jimi's higher emotional capacity/intelligence, she can read Pickles pretty easily. It doesn't take her long to realize that he uses drugs so heavily because he's masking anxiety, pain, and anger. That he's actually much more anxious than he lets on about several things, namely job security/making sure the band is on point, his appearance, and what people think of him.

It's why once they reach a truce and that initial animosity fades for her, she's rather gentle with him, even when she has to be stern. She's not looking to hurt him even more, even though that also means she keeps up a wall for a long time to avoid getting in deep enough to hurt him.

75. Which - if any - other famous ship's vibes do they emulate?

Man this is so corny and I'm not really familiar with a lot of famous ships, but the first that comes to mind is: Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Namely in the stubborn spitcracker vs. seemingly pompous rich asshole. Jimi is very hostile and defensive initially due to the circumstances of her recruitment, meanwhile Pickles falls hard when he does and is just seriously heart-eyes over her. And once they come to accept one another and Jimi realizes her misgivings about both of them, they're extremely tender and loving.

Another ship would probably be Sophie and Howl, but I don't remember much about them from the Ghibli movie and never read the book.

76. Are they soulmates? Do they believe in that?

For the mythology I've built for paint the sky and related stories - yes, they are. Both of them really only know of soulmates in the romantic sense, and while Pickles fully believes in it, Jimi is more skeptical. Pickles is truly a romantic at heart, while Jimi tends to think of love as a penultimate form of duty. It doesn't really occur to her that soulmates can just mean two people who just fit, no matter how and when they meet, even if they're not lovers.

OC Relationships Asks

[rockislandadultreads]

Women’s History Month: Classic Female Authors

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Orphaned as a child, Jane has felt an outcast her whole young life. Her courage is tested once again when she arrives at Thornfield Hall, where she has been hired by the brooding, proud Edward Rochester to care for his ward Adèle. Jane finds herself drawn to his troubled yet kind spirit. She falls in love. Hard.

But there is a terrifying secret inside the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall. Is Rochester hiding from Jane? Will Jane be left heartbroken and exiled once again?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work "her own darling child" and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print." The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 

'Now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart...'

Obsessed with creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life with electricity. But his botched creature, rejected by Frankenstein and denied human companionship, sets out to destroy his maker and all that he holds dear. Mary Shelley's chilling Gothic tale was conceived when she was only eighteen, living with her lover Percy Shelley near Byron's villa on Lake Geneva. It would become the world's most famous work of horror fiction, and remains a devastating exploration of the limits of human creativity.

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Sethe was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. She has borne the unthinkable and not gone mad, yet she is still held captive by memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. Meanwhile Sethe’s house has long been troubled by the angry, destructive ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved.

Sethe works at beating back the past, but it makes itself heard and felt incessantly in her memory and in the lives of those around her. When a mysterious teenage girl arrives, calling herself Beloved, Sethe’s terrible secret explodes into the present.

This is the first volume of the “Beloved Trilogy.”

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, the lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers - and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

[themculibrary]

Enemies to Lovers Masterlist 3

part one, part two

15 Things to Do in NYC If You've Been Stuck in an Ice Berg for 70 Years (ao3) - gogglor steve/tony T, 39k

Summary: Tony and Steve can't stand each other, but they agree for the sake of the team and the people that rely on them that they have to figure out a way to get along. So they come up with a plan to spend time together, in the form of a Buzzfeed listicle of things to do in New York City.

Because if you go to enough museums with the guy you can't stand, you should eventually stop hating him, right?

Come for the slow burn, stay for everyone's opinions on Cats the musical and a story about teenage Tony stealing an ice cream truck in an attempt to get laid.

A Treasured Guest (ao3) - 27dragons bucky/tony T, 18k

Summary: Despite all of Tony’s genius, the warband known as the Avengers has conquered Tony’s hometown. When the town’s stores fall short of the tithe the Avengers demand, Tony volunteers to become part of the tribute, enslaving himself to the Avengers’ warlord to save the townspeople from starvation. He braces for the worst, but neither the Winter Soldier nor the Avengers are what he’s always been told they would be.

Checkmate (ao3) - starbunny steve/bucky T, 33k

Summary: Bucky Barnes was a SHIELD agent who had to be put on leave after an unfortunate incident during a mission left him temporarily Gift-less.

Steve Rogers was a cold, bitter man who had a history and a strong penchant for hating SHIELD agents.

Both were just minding their own business when they suddenly bumped into each other on the street. Needless to say, things did not go well.

(Also the meet-ugly AU with a sprinkle of magic and a whole bucket of angst)

Gone Before Light (ao3) - Laily loki/stephen G, 2k

Summary: Kisses stolen and given in secret may be bitter but Stephen will keep on stealing, and Loki will keep on giving…as long as Stephen does not ask him to stay.

Healing Heart (ao3) - scottxlogan bucky/tony T, 13k

Summary: After facing a dangerous threat to his future Tony reflects on the five times Bucky rescued him through their time spent together as they evolve from enemies to lovers along the way. Meanwhile Bucky reflects on the one time that Tony rescued him and turned his world around.

heed the path that led me to that place (ao3) - Fluffypanda steve/tony T, 6k

Summary: When SHIELD hires Tony for a mysterious project, he ends up embroiled in a secret conflict that intertwines with his past in more ways than one. However with no one at SHIELD is happy to have him there, especially the former Captain America, Tony has to prove he has what it takes to fight this battle.

Hold Me Like a Grudge (ao3) - Gryffindancer darcy/loki E, 12k

Summary: Darcy and Loki hated each other. Like visceral, deep, serious hate. Turns out, that type of energy has a way of building until it explodes.

Enemies to… well, “lovers” is a bit of a strong word.

it’s all my fault that i'm still the one you want (ao3) - cyanica sam/bucky G, 1k

Summary: Sam spoke first, lips rosy and slick, just close enough to Bucky’s own for him to feel the warm air brush against his cheek. "Damn,” he breathed, “you’re a lot more concussed than I thought."

Or there’s a different kind of hate in hating Sam Wilson, Bucky thinks as Sam washes his hair, that maybe isn’t really hate at all.

lane lines (ao3) - sparkagrace steve/bucky M, 132k

Summary: Steve Rogers has spent his entire life swimming and now is poised to take the Wakanda 2024 Olympics by storm. The only thing he’s missing is a friendly rival to help get him there. Enter Bucky Barnes, who doesn’t seem to take the sport quite as seriously despite his raw and enviable talent.

Steve hates him. Bucky doesn’t care. That makes Steve hate him more.

- aka: the Olympics swimming AU that nobody but me asked for

Love is a Dagger (ao3) - TallGlass sam/bucky, wanda/vision, tony/pepper E, 6k

Summary: It started in Europe. Sam found Bucky, they fought, they fucked, they never talked about it.

Mine (ao3) - LupusDragon loki/tony M, 2k

Summary: Another day, another fight between Loki and the Avengers. Only, this one is different, and Tony thinks he knows why.

Modern Warfare (ao3) - Kayah371 loki/steve T, 12k

Summary: Due to an unlucky series of events Steve and Loki end up stranded together across the galaxy, captured by the Collector.

While trying to escape together Loki learns that he may not be the only one good at tricks and Steve realizes that the shield is not his best weapon.

Payment Plan (ao3) - Nny bucky/clint T, 6k

Summary: "What did I do to you?" he asks rhetorically, batting the knife away with the frying pan, the screech of metal scraping against metal squawking feedback through his aids. He doesn't think he's met the guy before, but it's not unheard of that he'd piss of someone he's never met. It's the kind of thing he'd do.

playing nice (ao3) - ghoultown wanda/vision E, 214k

Summary: “What’s your name?” she asks.

He opens the door wider in reply.

Wanda doesn’t move.

The man bends to root through a cupboard instead.

“I don’t have anything in,” he reaches into the shelves, half of him disappearing inside, “Not much to offer you in the way of hospitality.”

“Yeah,” she studies him, rubbing her fingers together. “Ghosts don’t drink, do they.”

A bottle of cheap liquor. He tosses it a bit in his hand, turning it, inspecting it, grinning at the label.

“Think I’m a ghost, do you?”

-

Following a sudden appearance of a strange red power, Wanda begins killing men to take the edge off. Her first kill in London doesn't go as she'd hoped.

Still Holding On (ao3) - kittyhazelnut loki/tony T, 129k

Summary: "I have built dozens of holes in this plan," Loki hisses. "Find them."

When Loki tries to sabotage his own plan, the only reasonable explanation Tony can think of is that he wants to go back to Asgard, and that alone is more than enough reason to keep him on Earth. Tony reluctantly agrees to keep Loki in Stark Tower just long enough for Thor to talk to his father about how to proceed.

His visit ends up lasting much longer.

then again, maybe not (ao3) - gutsforgarters steve/bucky M, 4k

Summary: Steve shifts his weight. “Alright. What do you want?”

The Soldier sticks out his chin, defiant. “A kiss.”

This, Steve thinks, may not be the weirdest day he's ever had, but it is definitely, definitely, a very heavy contender.

The Safer Course (ao3) - seapigeon steve/bucky M, 7k

Summary: When Steve moves to the suburbs in 2033, he intends to retire from superhero life.

He does not intend to fall in love with his pain-in-the-ass neighbor.

The Sweet Escape (ao3) - AndySkull loki/sylvie E, 50k

Summary: Sylvie's attempt to bring down the Assassin's Syndicate is frustrated by their latest addition, Loki, who instead of finishing the job, takes the opportunity to run away from the Syndicate and tag along with Sylvie, the rogue assassin he was sent to kill.

They'll need to work together for survival, and to bring down the Syndicate while discovering new found feelings for each other.

Wednesday (ao3) - Mermaid_in_space tony/stephen M, 25k

Summary: Tony fights Strange and his weird wizards on a regular basis. So when he is woken up by Jarvis and being told Strange is sitting in his kitchen, waiting to talk to him, Tony just knows that something is not right. What he does not know yet is that it will be a string of very long days.

We're in this Together (ao3) - zenkitty555 stephen/karl T, 50k

Summary: Stephen Strange comes back to a very different Earth than the one he left. Now he has to pick up the pieces, but finds himself coming face to face with a friend turned foe. As they both try to figure out where they fit in one another’s lives, they find themselves on a path they must walk together.

[anghraine]

For the shipping ask game: Faramir and Eowyn

I don't mono-ship it like Elizabeth/Darcy, but I do ship it a lot!

1- What made you ship it?

It is about 70% the beautiful writing of their romance in the book to 30% my love for them individually and being delighted at the concept of putting them together and letting them find happiness that way after lives of such grinding hopelessness.

2- What are your favorite things about this ship?

I really like that, as contracted as their romantic narrative is (and I do wish there was more of it, pacing be damned), Tolkien takes care to establish that they're friends. They like each other as people!

I don't think Éowyn really saw Aragorn as her friend in that way—he was too glamorous in her eyes for that. She didn't truly know him. But though the overall course of her relationship with Faramir is so fast, I think she does know and care about him for his own sake and not only for what he brings to her.

Even when she thinks she doesn't return his feelings, she's quite gentle about it in a way that's pretty unusual for her. And though Faramir always has a strain of gentleness in his character, I think a lot of his sternness (though not strength) falls away with her as they become close.

I also think there's something very adorable and characteristic about their physical impressions of each other, lol. Faramir is like ... wow, she's prettier than flowers, and the women of my own people, and I'm sorry she's sad like me. Maybe we could spend some time together. And Éowyn is like, damn, he is tall, and could kick the ass of almost everyone I know. He's nice about it, but what if I seem silly and immature to him?

<3

3- Is there an unpopular opinion you have on this ship?

I think they're happy, but it's complicated by political necessity—not in the sense of them being at odds politically, but of them being in separate places for substantial lengths of time. I think this would especially be the case in the earlier years, when Aragorn is often at war; Tolkien described one of Faramir's responsibilities as hereditary Steward as "representative of the king during his absence abroad" and another as "chief counsellor" of Aragorn's council.

Ithilien, meanwhile, is in a vulnerable position with a lot of work needed to keep it safe and functional, and my headcanon is that while they do work together, there are plenty of times when it's Éowyn doing a lot of the day-to-day work of holding things together in Ithilien while Faramir is first and foremost the Steward of Gondor. Arguably, she's more Prince of Ithilien than he is.

And much later, of course, they're separated for a pretty long while by her death. :( I don't think she gets Éomer's lifespan and Faramir would still outlive her considerably if she did.

Oh, also, I like their arcs overall, but I do agree with some of the critiques of Éowyn's part in the treatment of war. It's not that she should have stayed a warrior because she's a badass blahblah (this makes zero sense in the context of LOTR), but that the totality of her rejection of her previous way of life is not fully prepared for structurally, and Tolkien's ideology of peace > war etc seems far more integral to her character's resolution than any human man's, including Faramir's.

Théoden and Éomer are glorified as warriors, and Faramir's prowess is emphasized even though he doesn't like it (and Tolkien seems to have imagined he'd continue to act as a military leader and be the one clearing out Ithilien). But abandonment of fighting is built into Éowyn's arc beyond any character's but Frodo's (and he was never a warrior anyway). Her interest in the specific future she chooses with Faramir is not much prepared for in terms of writing. And this whole part of her arc is compressed into one small part of one chapter. So, yeah, the defenses of how this aspect of their romance is executed do ring a bit hollow to me.