#most of all the books I read have romance in them

[bumpyfrog]

I mean like, “enemies to lovers” does tell you about the plot in a concrete way and is not generally a spoiler. It’s also just a romance novel trope. Quite honestly a lot of “fanfic tropes” originate in romance novels (although romance books certainly mirror fic trends). Or just from fiction in general because tropes have existed since apes began telling each other stories.

I also find the trope marketing extremely annoying because I find all advertising annoying. But it does make sense.

The trope list is just a way to get eyes on books. It’s a quick and easy way to say Book Contains Scenarios that you may or may not find compelling. Only One Bed. “Who did this to you???” Found family. If you tend to like these things in a story you can click on the ad to find out more. It’s like the inverse of fanfic. It’s not “I like these characters and want to see them in various situations”, it’s “I like these situations and want to see them with various characters”.

Why should I care if it’s in a coffee shop? The setting is some of the most basic information points about the plot of a book. The back of the book and the advertising are just marketing, they aren’t the place for in depth character analysis.

Writers have built their works around marketable tropes since commercial fiction has existed. Any used bookstore you can go to is saturated with mass market paperbacks: romances, westerns, mysteries. Sci fi, fantasy. Etc. Most of these are probably not very good. Cheap, disposable fiction is nothing new. Again, especially when it comes to genre fiction. For every Genre Defining Masterpiece you have 25 moderately talented but unremarkable writers churning out pulp. This years A Court of This and That spicy enemies to lovers fae romance is the bodice ripper of yore.

It’s nothing new, it’s not ruining literature and as always you’re gonna have to read a bunch of kinda mid books to find the ones that truly appeal to you.

Sorry it’s early but you really can’t use fanfiction terms in a non fanfiction context like if someone is trying to sell me a book to read and they tell me there’s an enemy to lovers I would be annoyed because why are you spoiling the story lol

[oldsoul007]

kiss me

grumpy!joel miller x reader

summary: Joel despises the superficiality of Valentine’s Day, and you, a hopeless romantic who adores love in all its forms, find your friendship tested when you spend Valentine’s week together as single friends, only to discover unexpected feelings that blur the line between friendship and love.

a/n: a little valentine story for yall 💞

joel miller masterlist

Valentine’s week was my favorite time of year. Everything felt lighter, softer—like the world was wrapped in a warm, pink haze. Even if most people thought it was cheesy, I loved it. Love letters, heart-shaped candies, couples holding hands—it made me believe that love, real love, was still out there.

Joel Miller didn’t share that belief.

“Don’t even start,” Joel grumbled the moment he picked up my call, his deep, tired voice crackling through the phone.

I grinned, curling up on my couch with a cup of coffee. “Start what?” I teased, already picturing the irritated look on his face. “I was just calling to check on my favorite Valentine’s Grinch.”

He let out a long sigh, and I bit back a laugh.

“What do you want, y/n?”

“Well,” I drew out the word, knowing exactly how much he’d hate what I was about to say. “We’re both single this year. Why don’t we spend Valentine’s week together?”

There was a beat of silence. I imagined him blinking in disbelief.

“You’re joking.”

“C’mon, it’ll be fun!” I insisted. “Movies, takeout, no pressure. And who knows? Maybe I’ll even convince you that love isn’t as terrible as you think it is.”

“Not happening,” he muttered, but I heard the faintest smile in his voice.

“Is that a yes?” I pressed, holding my breath.

Another long sigh, then—“Fine. But don’t expect me to wear anything pink.”

I laughed, my heart fluttering. “Deal.”

The next few days felt like walking a tightrope.

We spent almost every moment together, but never crossed the line. We did all the things couples do—late-night drives with music humming softly in the background, sharing breakfasts at the little diner on Main Street, walking through the park while I pointed out every couple holding hands just to watch Joel roll his eyes.

But neither of us said it. Neither of us dared to admit what was simmering beneath the surface.

“This is exhausting,” Joel muttered as we sat on a park bench, sipping coffee.

“What is?” I asked, smiling into my cup.

“All of this. People pretending for a week that they’re in love.”

I nudged his shoulder playfully. “Not everyone’s pretending, you know.”

He scoffed. “Name one couple that ain’t puttin’ on a show.”

I didn’t even have to think. “My grandparents.”

Joel raised an eyebrow.

“They’ve been together for 53 years,” I said softly, my smile turning wistful. “They met in college. My grandpa still brings her flowers every Friday. And she still laughs at all his bad jokes.”

Joel let out a low hum, like he wasn’t sure if he believed me.

“I’m not saying it’s common,” I added, reading his mind. “But just because it’s rare doesn’t mean it’s not real.”

He glanced at me then, his gaze lingering a little too long, a little too soft. My breath caught, but I looked away before my feelings betrayed me.

One afternoon, we ended up in the bookstore downtown, wandering through the aisles. Joel found himself in the history section, while I was drawn to the romance novels, of course.

“You’re really gonna read one of those?” he asked, leaning against the shelf with a teasing smirk.

“Yes, Joel,” I shot back, holding up a book with a dramatic cover. “It’s called escapism. You should try it sometime.”

“I’ll stick to the real world, thanks.”

“Where love doesn’t exist?” I teased.

“Exactly.”

I sighed dramatically, shaking my head. “You’re hopeless.”

As we walked out, I couldn’t help myself. I nodded toward an older couple sitting on a bench, their hands intertwined, lost in their own little world.

“Look at them,” I whispered. “Don’t tell me that’s not real.”

Joel followed my gaze, but said nothing. I wished I knew what he was thinking.

It started with a simple plan—cook dinner, keep things light, pretend my heart wasn’t on the verge of bursting every time Joel Miller looked at me.

I wasn’t exactly a gourmet chef, but I knew my way around a kitchen well enough to whip up something decent. Joel sat at the counter, watching me with an amused expression, a beer in hand.

“You sure you’re not gonna burn the place down?” he teased.

I shot him a playful glare. “I’m perfectly capable, thank you very much.”

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair like he didn’t have a care in the world. I, on the other hand, was trying not to melt under the weight of his gaze.

I turned on some music to fill the silence, letting the soft strum of a guitar filter through the room. And then it happened—one of my favorite love songs started playing. A soft, sweet melody that made my chest ache.

“Uh-oh,” Joel muttered, already sensing what was coming.

I grinned, turning to face him. “Dance with me.”

“Y/n…” he warned, shaking his head.

“Please?” I stretched out the word, giving him my best pleading eyes. “For me?”

He let out a long sigh, but when I reached out my hand, he took it without a fight.

His hand was warm as he pulled me close, his touch gentle despite the roughness of his calloused fingers. We swayed in my tiny kitchen, the smell of dinner forgotten, the music weaving around us like a secret only we knew.

“This is ridiculous,” he whispered, but there was a softness in his voice, in the way his hand rested on my waist.

“Maybe,” I whispered back, resting my head lightly on his shoulder. “But it’s nice, isn’t it?”

He didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to. I could feel it—the way his grip tightened ever so slightly, the way his breath hitched when I leaned in closer.

For a moment, it felt like we weren’t pretending anymore. Like the feelings we never spoke about were real, tangible.

When the song ended, Joel pulled back slowly, his eyes lingering on mine. The air between us crackled with something unspoken.

“Dinner’s gonna burn,” he muttered, clearing his throat as he stepped away.

I laughed softly, but my heart still ached.

Because even when we danced around our feelings, I knew the truth.

Valentine’s Day arrived quietly, the way it always did.

I felt like I was losing my grip. Every smile, every lingering glance, every time Joel’s hand brushed against mine felt like it was unraveling me.

When I opened my apartment door that morning to find Joel standing there—grumpy expression firmly in place—holding a small bouquet of wildflowers, I froze.

“Uh… these are for you,” he mumbled, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

I stared at the flowers, then at him, trying to process the fact that Joel Miller—the man who swore up and down that Valentine’s Day was nothing but a commercial scam—was holding flowers for me.

“Is this a joke?” I teased, even though my heart was racing.

“Do you want ‘em or not?” he grumbled, shoving them toward me.

I laughed softly, taking the bouquet from his hands. “They’re beautiful, Joel. Thank you.”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s just… you like this kinda thing. Figured you deserved somethin’ nice.”

My chest tightened at his words. Joel Miller, who claimed not to believe in love, had just done something more thoughtful than any grand gesture ever could be.

That night, we ended up back at my apartment, a bottle of wine between us, laughing over old memories.

“I don’t get it,” Joel said, leaning back on the couch, his voice quieter now. “You got your heart broken—bad—and you still believe in all this love stuff.”

I swallowed hard, the memory of my past relationship still a dull ache. “Because I know what it feels like to be loved, Joel. Even if it wasn’t forever. And I know what it feels like to be alone, too.”

He looked at me then, something unreadable in his eyes. “You’re not alone,” he whispered.

And for a moment, I let myself believe him.

The night felt endless, every moment stretching out between us like a question neither of us wanted to answer.

I could feel Joel beside me, the weight of his presence grounding me, but also unraveling me. The flowers he’d given me sat on the table, delicate and unexpected, just like him.

“Joel,” I whispered, barely able to hear my own voice over the pounding of my heart.

He turned to me, eyes darker than usual, something unreadable flickering in them.

I opened my mouth to say something—anything—but before I could, Joel was already moving.

His hand cupped my face, rough fingertips trailing along my jaw, and then his lips were on mine.

This wasn’t a tentative kiss. This wasn’t careful. This was Joel Miller finally giving in, finally letting go of every wall he had built around his heart.

His mouth pressed urgently against mine, and I melted into him, my hands gripping his shirt as if holding on for dear life. His other hand slid around my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.

I felt everything in that kiss—every unspoken word, every moment we’d danced around our feelings, every piece of him he’d kept hidden from the world.

When we broke apart, breathless, Joel rested his forehead against mine, his voice rough and low.

“I can’t fight it anymore,” he whispered. “I don’t want to.”

I swallowed hard, my heart aching in the best way. “Then don’t.”

He kissed me again, softer this time, but with the same intensity, the same longing that had always been there—waiting for us to finally stop pretending.

In that moment, I knew. Joel Miller didn’t just care for me.

He loved me.

[siilent-wanderer]

Valentines with aespa

Where would the aespa members take you out on a date?

Jimin

Late-Night Drive & Stargazing

Picks you up in her car with a playlist full of R&B and dreamy pop songs

Takes you to a secluded hilltop or a beachside parking lot with the best view of the night sky

"I swear, this spot has the best view. Just wait till your eyes adjust."

Brings a cozy blanket, some hot chocolate, and snacks she prepared (probably cutely packed bento-style)

Talks about everything and nothing, her fingers intertwined with yours as she leans in close

As you admire the stars, she murmurs, "You know, I could stare at something just as breathtaking right next to me."

"Always so cheesy, babe"

Sings softly along to the music while looking at you, her eyes full of admiration

"This song reminds me of you"

Steals kisses under the stars when she thinks you're too distracted by the view

When you shiver slightly, she shifts closer, draping her arm around you. "Cold? Here, come here."

Aeri

Underground Live Music Bar & Arcade Night

Finds a cozy, dimly lit bar with live indie bands where you can sit close, sharing drinks and vibing to the music

Loves how you lean into her when the music gets louder, her arm draped over the back of your chair

She nudges your shoulder as you sip your drink, "Hey, if I wrote you a song, would you come to my concert?"

"You know I would, baby"

"Serious?"

"I've always been your number one fan, Aeri, that's not gonna change"

Challenges you to a round of arcade games afterward, acting smug when she wins but giving you prizes anyway

The moment she picks up a toy from the claw machine, she turns to you

"For you, my queen. Only took me five tries."

Gets competitive in air hockey but lets you win “because you’re cute when you gloat”

Holds your hand the entire time, her thumb rubbing circles on your skin absentmindedly

Ends the night by walking you home, casually throwing her jacket over your shoulders if you get cold

Minjeong

Cozy Bookstore Date & Café Hopping

Brings you to an aesthetic, indie bookstore where you both browse through poetry and fantasy novels

Playfully picks out books she thinks you'd like (or ones with the most dramatic romance plots)

Insists on reading a passage out loud just to see you react

She absentmindedly taps the spine of her book, then mumbles, "You look really pretty when you’re focused, you know that?"

Drags you to her favorite hole-in-the-wall café, where she’s a regular and knows exactly what to order for you

"You know me so well"

Ends up feeding you bites of her dessert while laughing at her own jokes

As you sip your coffee, she watches you and grins

"You have a little foam on your lip"

"Hmm?"

"Wait, let me…"

She wipes it off with her thumb, eyes flickering to your lips

Holds your hand across the table, squeezing it every time she finds you extra cute

Yizhuo

Amusement Park & Street Food Date

Takes you to a theme park and insists on going on all the fast rides first

Holds your hand tightly on roller coasters but teases you if you scream too much

As the roller coaster drops, she screams "I LOVE YOU—" before bursting into laughter

"Wait, I didn’t mean to confess like that!"

Wins you the biggest plushie at a carnival game just to show off

She grins as she holds up a huge stuffed animal

"I won this for you. Say I’m the best, and I might win you another one. Come on."

Dares you to try weird street food combinations with her — probably something spicy and chaotic

Laughs until she can’t breathe when you make a funny face after eating something too sour

Walks beside you with her arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you close every time you giggle at her antics

She links arms with you while strolling through the park

"Let’s take cute pictures so you can look at them when you miss me."

At the end of the night, she tugs you close

"One more ride? Or do you just want to hold my hand and pretend we’re in a kdrama?"

"You never run out of things to say, do you?"

"Never. You gotta get used to it"

[ladyloveandjustice]

I mean, Legend of Lattes did have a conflict, her coffee place straight up burned down? It wasn't a major focus for most of the book but it happened.

I've only read a few cozy fantasy things, and didn't find a few of them super memorable myself, but the definition of cozy fantasy is pretty broad from what I've seen. Emily Wilde is categorized as that and it is FULL of conflict and action and has some great and memorable characters.

But people have always liked stuff that's low tension/stakes/fluffy. See coffee shop aus in fanfic, or fanfic tagged fluff. See slice of life anime where characters are just hanging out. It's not a new thing. People have always wanted to watch or read things that just give cozy vibes and allow them to hang out with characters. The book industry realizing there was a market for that was inevitable. If it's not for you, it's not for you, but it's obviously for someone or it wouldn't be doing well.

I also think this is a good example of how condescending we can get when talking about a genre we don't like. Rather than say "it's not for me, I don't find the characters memorable and want better stakes, maybe there should be more variety" (which was more where OP was at) it has to be somehow bad for people to read it and write it. like...

And so sometimes it feels impossibly challenging to write any book except one where nothing bad happens and nothing is in danger and nobody is really bothered or worried about anything and everything is mostly fine and there aren't any major setbacks…..

That is a hell of a condescending assumption to make about those writers. Jesus. I'm a professional author too, but I would not want to make these assumptions about my fellow writers.You don't know if they're doing it because it's easy, or if they're doing it because they felt there was a need for it, or it was just an idea they liked writing. You don't like it, great. That doesn't mean those writers are slacking off or doing something wrong somehow. You don't know that they don't also write books with tension and conflict. I feel like most of them probably have, actually. Assuming they sat down and thought "omg this will be easy I'm so lazy" is just...do you make the same assumption about romance writers? It can get pretty formulaic, but that doesn't mean it's easy to write. Have you tried to write a cozy fantasy and sell it and make it do well? If not, I don't think you should talk about how easy it is.

But that leaves readers cold.

I mean not all readers obviously, since it wouldn't be doing well or selling well?

And frankly, I don't feel like it does much of anything to nourish either our souls or theirs.

It feels like eating a bag of potato chips for dinner instead of going to the effort of even just heating up a frozen dinner that has a vegetable in it.

Why does reading HAVE to "nourish your soul", whatever that means? What's wrong with eating a bag of potato chips? You teach college, so I wonder if you've ever run into a colleague who thinks this way about regular fantasy and sci-fi. Where they think that genre fiction is inherently more disposable and less challenging than literary fiction. I've sure as hell run into those professors, that look down on readers and writers of "commercial fiction", and I've seen the bad impact they have on their students. Do you agree with them? Because you're sounding a lot like them right now. This is the exactly the kind of argument they'd make.

You don't know whether these people don't also read books with more stakes or a variety of genres as well. Low effort reading has it's place, it just maybe shouldn't be the only thing you read if you want to actually experience the breadth of literature.

And I see this a lot in the book community, but dissing the stuff people are into and saying they need to challenge themselves more or they won't be smart like you (I see this with YA a lot too) is not going to convince them. It frames reading as a chore, and people often don't like doing chores in a life full of them, and reading is a hobby for a lot of people. Rather that say "you need to read this to better your mind" say what can be interesting or intriguing about these books that are more challenging, what kind of cool things you can get from them. Sometimes it seems to me like the point of these arguments is to feel superior, rather than actually convince people.

Nothing's wrong with reading low effort books or watch low effort shows--it's when say, a YA reader says books are inherently flawed if they don't spell things out like YA sometimes does or has more challenging themes. Or a cozy fantasy reader acting like all books should be cozy fantasy and books with tension are bad. Those are the people that ruin the discourse. But, doing the inverse isn't any better.

idk, man. I've taught university classes about this shit, but what do I know.

I teach grad school classes on writing, (I don't like to pull that card, since it's not like teachers can't have flawed ideas about their subject but since we're here) and have taught similar lessons. Yet, here's what I think I do know: telling students the genre they write is wrong is not something a teacher should do. Those literary fiction professors love doing that, and I'm not them.

As a teacher with a variety of students in a variety of genres, I have to read genres I don't like all the time--god I hate most 'dark romance' and man do I not get or like omegaverse, but I sure as hell had to read both. But just because I don't like them doesn't mean they're worthless, or there isn't a market for them, or it's wrong to write them. So I put those feelings aside, think about what kind of help the student needs to be successful in their chosen genre, and what the audience would want, because that will help them improve. (though I do try to hint if something seems like, incredibly sexist, that maybe we should reconsider that, or look at it from all angles and decide if it's something the story needs). And at the same time, I do teach them basic lessons on how to structure a story, and what's good about conflict, stakes, etc.

But I wouldn't tell any of them they're wrong for writing cozy fantasy even if it's not always my cup of tea, because there is a market for it, and I want them to do well at it and do what they love. What pays the bills pays them, and if you actually like what you do, that's also important. Writers do need to challenge themselves, which is why I encourage students to be open minded about all genres, try out writing them, try writing different POVs, different stuff even if they don't publish it, because that can only help them get better at what they do. But if what they publish is cozy fantasy, hey, it gets them good money and they like doing it, that's more than I can say for most jobs.

Cozy Fantasy and Why It Doesn't Work

I think I am among many who feel like they should love cozy fantasy and have found it an incredibly lacking genre.

This newly branded "cozy fantasy" genre that has taken readers by storm since 2020 and while it is new that books are now marketed as cozy, the genre itself isn't new. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is a great example of the genre before it was labeled and also how to make it work.

Cozy fantasy is defined by many as fantasy with low stakes. Fantasy aesthetic but less sword fights. On paper, it sounds great. But the execution has been less than stellar for readers like me. The lack of physical stakes has also impacted the emotional stakes of these books, creating forgettable characters with boring problems. As a romance reader, I find this frustrating. Romance is known for being a predictable and formulaic genre, the now defunct Romance Writers of America defined romances as needing happy endings, a term romances have continued to follow. Yet these romance texts manage to have low physical stakes (how to date your neighbor, how to confront your toxic friends, etc) while still maintaining high personal stakes that keep readers invested and begging for more. So I was initially confused why cozy fantasy authors struggle to write texts that connect to readers like me.

I think I have found the answer which is the genre is just here for vibes. It is all about aesthetic, not even worldbuilding that fantasy is known for as most cozy fantasy I read have so many problems as soon as you ask one question. It is hard to acknowledge that a genre that is pitched to work for readers like me doesn't work for many of us. Especially because occasionally there is one that works beautifully to my taste.

I often say my favorite cozy fantasies that are more contemporary are short and visual, which I plays into the idea of the genre being an aesthetic. The Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Kurtz is a good example because it is a simple story that is given the perfect amount of pages and gorgeous visuals without dragging on when the message is very clear and easy to understand. Books like The Phoenix Keeper and Legends and Lattes have absolutely nothing for me, their very clear message hitting the reader over and over so the readers don't miss it and focusing on the aesthetic of worldbuilding rather than the reality of the fantastic elements within the world.

I guess my point is. . . I realize this genre isn't for me since I have realized it is more of an aesthetic than anything. .. .but I want it to be. Should I let it go and put my efforts elsewhere? Or should I keep exploring this new trend and find the hidden gems?

[futuremrscameron]

how the !readers celebrate valentine’s day

bahamian!reader

bahamian!reader is neutral about the holiday but rafe is excited and going all out. their first valentines was the most laid back and it was a first class trip to the bahamas

every valentine's day is a friendly competition to see who can outdo the other's romantic gesture. before the kids they would either spend the day in bed, hit the beach, or go to a club in new york. post-kids the spontaneous traveling has died down but the romance and adventure is still very much there

after dropping the kids off at school the couple have the house to themselves and sleep in til lunch. they have lunch at the country club, ordering every valentine's special available. rafe is intrigued but disgusted at the idea of to-go boxes but that does Not stop bahamian!reader from asking for them

"i guess i just don't get it." rafe watches her effortlessly position the uneaten dessert into a box.

she shrugs, "what's not to get? couldn't finish the food, don't wanna waste it, still want it, i'm takin' it home."

he frowns, "right..."

"it's not that strange rafe. no different from leftovers and i know you know what leftovers are rich boy."

he blushes, "i know what leftovers are."

"well then there you go! this isn't all for me you know? not that grabalishous." she closes the final box and licks the cream cheese from the cinnamon roll of her finger. she taps the table, "fuck that's good. i'll give you folks that, you make good treats."

rafe blushes at the casual act made vulgar by his own mind. he looks down at his watch, "we have an hour before school let's out."

"i miss our chirren too but bringing them up on a date is what you rich folks would call a faux pas no?"

he sighs, "no i mean.- we have the house to ourselves..." he tilts his head and squints.

a grin slowly stretches across her face, "ooh you're nasty." she chuckles, grabs the bag full of takeout boxes and stands up. she points at the table, "pay then meet me in the car."

he watches her strut out the lounge, "yes ma'am."

they share their sweet treats with their kids and listen to them talk about their mini valentine's day celebrations at school (and yes they do take some of their candy)

after putting the kids to bed they take a dip in their pool, reminiscing on the times they would get drunk and skinny dip and reslize how dangerousbtaht was

they end the night sleeping soundly on the couch, cuddled up together after a valentine's day different from the ones of the past but still a success in their book (who gets the point for this valentine's will become discussed the next day)

academic rival!pogue

academic rival!pogue always imagined library dates as the extent of pope's romance before she realized she had feelings for him. the reality is a welcomed surprise.

she spends the night at pope's the day before after getting permission from both their parents.

pope stares at the ceiling in his room, "is it a good or bad thing that our parents think we're virgin loaers?"

she stops kissing his neck to meet his eyes, her glare tells him that was the wrong thing to say.

"i wouldn't describe myself like that." she removes herself from his lap and plops down next to him.

he shakes his head and sits up, trying to meet her eyes. "no of course not. i just mean- you know- i'm happy you're here and i have so much planned tomorrow and-"

"pope." she glances at him.

"yeah?"

she pushes him back down and throws her legs on both sides of his legs. "stop talking."

he nods, "okay."

pope wakes her up with coffee just how she likes it and gives her an itinerary list of their day. she hates that this has made him 1000 times hotter in her eyes.

10:00-11:00 breakfast/get ready for bookstore

11:30-1:00 bookstore shopping

1:15-2:00 reading at the park + lunch at the wreck

2:30-5:00 movie

they get ice cream after the movie and head down to the pier which leads them to the beach and collecting as many unique shells as they can find. academic rival!pogue comes up with the idea of putting shells on each other and taking pictures of their work

next valentine's day they both give the pictures they took with decorative frames

kitty!reader

wake and bake. arts and crafts (card making) in their shared pajama set while they eat breakfast

"okay that's cheating." she stops kissing her envelope and turns her attention to him.

"what?"

"kisses? on your envelope? that's like ten sexy points. "

"you literally have color pencils and markers, 10 points for creativity, we're evenly matched and if it's that much if a big deal you can borrow my lipstick?"

"that's not the point."

"okay so you're just talking to talk. take your L like a man."

after swpaping cards and calling the competition a tie they go to the park. they smoke on the swings and talk about the morality of child free spaces until one of the kook parents call the cops on them. kitty's kookness saves them from getting arrested but they have to leave the park

grocery shopping for pizza recipes goes better than expected, they get everything they on their list and almost no one can tell they're high as a kite

watching courage the cowardly dog reruns while they try to make a heart pizza. kitty is running that kitchen like the navy, it's the most intense pj's ever seen her and he into it

they eat their heart pizzas while playing dress to impress. kitty makes comments on how accurate it is to the fashion and modeling world

puppy!reader

the first half of the day is a half date half treasure hunt. puppy gives him a bunch of kisses (paper) with her favorite things about written on them and he gives her two tickets to the fair

they go to the beach bright and early because john b is meeting someone ther but puppy is none the wiser. he doesn't rush them to the next destination immediately but it's less out of the kindness of his heart and more because he doesn't need to be there til much later

on the way back from the beach puppy spots a trail and says they should see where it leads. john b worries that this impromptu hike will mess up his schedule but he doesn't wanna look sketchy so he agrees

puppy brings her picnic basket in hopes that they'll find a good spot for a picnic. they do.

"isn't this amazing?" she takes in the beautiful meadow they found once out for the woods.

john b holds his knees to his chest and anxiously taps his foot against the picnic blanket. "yeah it's great."

she sits down by his side and tucks a strand hair behind his ear, it calms his nerves somewhat. "don't worry baby, we'll make it in time."

he feels his heart drop, "how did you-"

"i know you, remember? and i know what someone keeping secrets looks like?" she looks down at her lap, "can you tell me next time?"

he kisses her forehead, "of course lady."

john b spends 30 minutes at the fair before he heads off. he refuses doesn't bring puppy to the mysterious location out of fear of her getting hurt but it doesn't make it any easier for either of them. he promises to make it up to her and tells her that jj will pick her up before zooming out of the parking lot leaving a heartbroken puppy

she's woken up by a hand over her mouth and screams before recognizing the familiar hand, john b. she screams some more at his horrifying entrance and curses ever giving him a key

"what the hell are you doing here?" she turns on the lamp on her nightstand to get a better look at him.

"i told you i'd make it up to you." he takes three steps forward and caresses her face before leaning in for a kiss.

hislips on hers almost melts all the questions out her mind. she softlt psuhes at his chest, "john b. where did you go? what did you find?"

he softly smiles, "don't worry about that right now." he kisses his way down her face, to her neck. she pulls him down on top of her, trying to keep up with his kisses and wiggle back onto the bed.

he slowly lifts up her shirt, placing kisses around her stomach before stopping at her boxers that look very familiar. "you missed me that much."

she looks down at the boxers, "i wanted to be close to you."

he smiles, "i missed you too" he roughly pulls the boxers down. she whimpers in anticipation and at his manhandling.

"shh it's okay." he kisses her cheeks as he pushes his pants down.

"you ready?" she nods. he slowly pushes in, making her grip his shoulders. his breathing grows heavier from the overwhelming feeling of her warmth squeezing around him.

he lokks down. she's having a similarly hard time. "you forgive me yet?"

"mm-hm." her eyes are squeezed shut.

"huh?" he thrusts, "hey. open your eyes baby."

she grips his curls, "y-yes! yes!"

"yeah?" he picks up his thrusts.

"yes!"

he gives her a soft but passionate kiss. "i love you."

"i love you johnny." she wipes her tears.

he slows down his thrusts to lean down and whisper in her ear, "don't cry. i'm sorry."

"it's okay."

"i won't leave you alone again." he wraps an arm around her waist lifting her onto his lap.

she drops her head in his shoulder, "johnathan."

"i got you baby."

'warm' is the only word that comes to their minds when they collapse side by side.

"promise you'll tell me what you found tomorrow?"

"promise."

bestie!kook

they've spent every valentine's together since high school but finally being official stresses them both out. rafe shows up at her house with flowers and balloons and she makes them heart pancakes. it's awkward for a couple minutes before they fall back into their usual routine

rafe gives bestie!kook a letter detailing how he feels since "he's not the best ar words". first time he realized he was in love, apologizing for using her, wanting her to move on with him, they're all in the letter. she cries of course

jewelry shopping after breakfast. bestie!kook picks out a pink heart diamond ring which rafe immediately puts on her finger. makes them think of marriage which leads to them crashing a wedding

talking about the future and hopes and dreams like they used to do on the roof at family parties. they leave early and go to a hotel

a rose petal bath to unwind and two glasses of wine to celebrate a successful valentine's day

weird girl!kook

weird girl!kook drives to tanneyhill to wake jj up, knowing he crashes there 9 times out of 10. she gives him a wet willy which makes him wake up screaming and cursing until he realizes it's her. irritated that she went through the trouble of getying a box, a gift, and gift wrap for this spoiled brat she calls her boyfriend

"beautiful girl what did i do to deserve this?" his voice us muffled as he whines into her side.

"you were supposed to pick me up at 12." she pulls his hair causing him to wince and remove his face from her side.

"i know. forgive me?" he pouts. she drops her hold on his hair and stands up causing his face to hit the bed.

"gross." she tosses his gift box on the bed, "here's your gift."

he rips it off within seconds and gasps when he sees the contents. "babe! a lighter? and it's got my name on it?" he pulls her into a hug, she pats his head.

"i love you."

"i know."

can't stay mad at him for long espeically when he gets her the paint/brushes she's been talking about for months and shares his weed with her

they go back to weird girl!kook's so she can check on her babies (ferrets) before they head out

jj surprises her with dinner reservations to her favorite outdoor restaurant. he's on his best behavior which freaks her out so bad. she drags him to the photo booth and kisses him stupid

she only comes up for air after feeling his hand on her butt. she grips his face; "stop whatever you're doing?"

"wha do you mean?" it comes out slurred so she let's go.

"this well adjusted normal guy act. it's freaking me out "

he laughs. it makes her eye twitch. "you're the one that told me to be on my best behavior."

"yeah, your best behavior not your best serial killer impersonation."

he pinches her side, she pinches him back. "you're a really complicated woman you know that?"

she huffs.

he shakes his head and sighs, "i hope no one took our photo. though someone perming off to picture of us making out is kind of flattering, no?"

she shakes her head, "freak." her smile tells him it's a compliment.

going to the abandoned exhibit to paint the walls using the new brushes and paint jj got her. jj's supposed to be lookout but he's too enamored by her painting to notice the sirens, nearly getting them caught

biker!pogue

biker!pogue doesn't think the holiday is that big of a deal while rafe sees it as the ultimate indicator of whether or not a couple is meant to last

he gets her flowers and a motorcycle charm for her keychain. she's genuinely surprised at his thoughtfuless and can't help but wonder if he's only doing this out of his misguided belief that valentine's day is some fortune teller or out of actual love for her

it's proven to be the latter when he takes her to an arcade. not just any arcade, but the arcade that helped her hone her motorcycle riding skills. he talks about his intense attitude the whole day and gives the closest thing to an apology he knows

racing on the beach until the sun starts to set. rafe loses back to back to back but insists 4th time's the charm. it's not, he loses again. takes his loss semi gracefully.

they stop at a grocery store in figyre eight and the heywards' in the cut to get everything she needs for the dinner she's got planned. she makes rose-shaped pizza rolls and heart-shaped garlic bread

angel!reader

originally, angel was supposed to go to a church event but rafe somehow convinced her to take a trip with him, mostly as an apology for everything

shocked by how much fun she's having at the getaway, angel starts to think of her future and what she wants in life. making heart shaped cookies and the trial run life with rafe is nice but it reminds her too much of her old life

rafe thinks the resort will cheer her up because he's having a ball but angel doesn't care for it. choosing to go on the tour of the nearby forest instead. it's there she has her spiritual reawakening

she meets rafe back at their cabin and is surprised to find him eating the cookies she made. she apologizes for ruining his planned day but he's not bothered at all

they eat sweets for dinner and feel that pain on the drive back to the outer banks

bunny!reader

rafe actually loves valentine’s day-- not the holiday itself but that he gets to prove his worth, take care of his bunny and show her off, so he goes all out. a weekend stay at a resort leading up to the big day.

the first gift of the weekend, a trip to the salon and a new purse filled with 100-dollar bills, because what kind of man would he be letting her pay for her own nails

after the salon they relax by the pool, bunny working on her tan and rafe glaring at anyone that stares too long at her

the second day has bunny lounges by the pool, new nails shining under the sun as she works on her tan. rafe tries to take it easy on the drinking so he's sober at dinner later

candlelit dinner at a classy restaurant rafe bought out just for them. bunny has been dying to go there and is estatic when rafe tells her their dinner plan. squeals and jumps into his arms, covering him in glossy kisses.

"oh thank you thank you thank you!"

"yeah yeah, look save it for later 'kay? i paid good money for this shit, don't want us to be late."

bunny makes him coordinate with her (not those godawful pastels). she gives him a color palette and expects him to stick to it which he does, not wanting to hear her rant about the "color palette for valentine's day" again

rafe goes all out, renting out a limousine for the day driver takes them to dinner

ending the day over the moon and completely lovestruck

foxy!reader

they're still not officially together so they don't celebrate together, they just happen to be in the same places at the same time. foxy is still getting used to not hating rafe and rafe is getting used to her not hating him and getting over the betrayal he felt after she helped the pogues. things are rough.

they're both invited to a work event but don't bring a plus one just in case the other is there. they are and they do.

foxy feels rafe's eyes follow her every move and it is just as irritating as she remembers but when she moves to confront him he's chatting with not just any lawyer, but a lawyer at a rival firm who hates her.

she's up for an award but loses to said rival. she goes outside for a smoke and rafe follows suit

"that's a nasty habit you got there."

her bloods runs cold at the sound of his voice, "yeah well considering the circumstances, i think i've earned it."

he leans against the railing, "the circumstances being?"

"should i listen them alphabetically or chronologically?"

he hums and lets them sit in silence for a few seconds. "you deserved that award."

"i know." she exhales, "i think this is karma for all those years i worked for you guys."

he scoffs, "you know i don't believe in that shit."

she puts out her cigarette and turns to him, "what do you believe in cameron?"

he gives her a half smile.

spend the rest of the evening talking shit about the attendees. it's the most fun they've both had in a while.

[selfidentifiednerdyprude]

Thinking hardcore about making a 21+ averse/repulsed aroace-centric aspec discord again (because I dislike most of the aspec servers I've joined) and wondering what kind of things people would be interested in. Some ideas:

romance free book club, mostly focused on adult sf/f (adult sf/f without romance exists guys you just have to look for it)

nonfiction book club focused on queer theory, especially asexual and aromantic theory (come read Refusing Compulsory Sexuality with me and talk about it)

movie nights??? though someone else would have to run them as I do not have a pc

open mics/karaoke (same as above)

art/writing challenges (I already do this some in my star trek server)

structured peer support groups (stretch goal, will need someone who is capable of running these and teaching others how to do the same)

Is there anything else people might be interested in if I were to make this server? Keep in mind that I'm not aiming to please everyone here — though all 21+ aros and aces would be able to join, this is primarily going to be a server that centers the needs of sex and romance averse/repulsed aroaces over the age of 21, because there are very few adult spaces for us.

[spookythesillyfella]

hey guys . heres my fair share of doodles from the magma i drew on with my big bro @chamom1le-t3a

[powder-ask]

// You got me crying and sobbing on thr floor. And honestly i have headcanons like that too, i think it's disgusting that people just think poor people dont know shit. I come from a middle class background (more on the lower hand of middle class, but still) and i know how to read. Sing. Dance. Write. All that shit. I hate it when people assume that you just cant read. Those type of people are the same who keeps saying that Africa is super duper under developed.

// Some of my own headcanon because i can :

- Jinx loves romance book. She usually hides it but Silco brought her a few books when she said she learned to read and some of them were romance books and she ATE those up. She would stay up to finish reading a chapter until she would pass out sometimes.

- Vi write songs and poem when she's bored, she likes to base them on tales and mythology her mom used to tell her. Btw Felicia was a big mythology fan, she loved the story of Janna and she's the one who kept repeating it to Vander when they were younger.

- Ekko has a beautiful singing voice, most of the firefly kids just pester him all damn day to hear him sing. He just doesnt do it often because, well, leader priorities <33

Combatting the "illiterate/dumb/insert classist assumption here" headcanons being circulated about Zaunites (particularly Vi) with my own headcanons.

Headcanon that Zaunites are actually super into literature and poetry. Like, culturally. Headcanon that music and poems were there for them when they had nothing else. The bridge song is the only song we hear being canonically sung by a character in the show and it's literally baby Powder (and Vi hums at the end of s2). The only other songs being played in-world are all by Zaunites. Art is a form of expression that they took refuge in as a community.

Headcanon that they generally love storytelling. Regardless of if they do or don't have access to books that are in good and preservable conditions, storytelling (via reading or memorization/orally) is a super important part of their culture. No one population has a 100% literacy rate even IRL, and not being able to read doesn't make anyone stupid anyway. But Zaun has a decently high literacy rate, especially considering their circumstances. They prioritize it because of how fundamentally important art/storytelling is to their culture.

Headcanon that Ekko and his Firelights tell stories to the kids at the base every night before bed. That a lot of these tales are from people he loved, like Benzo or his birth parents, or even Vi, Jinx, Mylo, and Claggor.

Headcanon that Vi in particular loves reading. She's a total bookworm. The few moments where she gets to do things for herself, she chooses to read and collect poetry and literary works. She's only ever kept one classic for herself (sold the others), but the things she keeps, she treasures. Young Vi likes to spin tales for baby Powder. Some are based off of stories she's read/was told by the adults in her life. Others are entirely made up on the spot, for Powder's own enjoyment.

Headcanon that Vi would've maybe wanted to be an author if she wasn't more preoccupied with protecting her family. That she considered pursuing those interests a pipe dream, something for a different version of herself.

Headcanon that Sevika remembers more about her dad's stories than about her dad himself. Headcanon that Renni the chembaron read books with her son whenever they both had a day off from work.

Headcanon that a lot of Zaunites know how to sing. Headcanon that Vi can sing. And that she used to sing lullabies for Powder until Mylo called her a baby for still needing them. And even after Vi punched him for it, Powder insisted she was too big for lullabies- so she and Vi settled on bedtime stories.

Headcanon that Jinx still remembers those stories. That she tells them over and over to herself whenever she can't sleep.

Headcanon that Silco told her stories when she became comfortable enough to tell him about her insomnia as a kid.

Headcanon that he would tell her anything from true stories of his past to things he's read or heard to things improvised on the spot. And they were different from Vi's stories because these usually had some moral/message to them, even the ones that he made up- but she loved them just as much as the aimless, endless tales of wonder and adventure Vi would spin for her.

Headcanon that now, she replays both Vi's and Silco's stories in her head at night. That when Isha came into her care, she shared some of those stories with her, too.

[fictionadventurer]

Potential December Reads

Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Volume 8 by Beth Brower

Prudence and the Romantic Poet by Nina Clare

A Christmas-related book

The Cricket on the Hearth and/or The Haunted Man by Charles Dickens

The Christmas Blossoms by Priscilla Smith McCaffrey

One of the American Girl books

A religious book

Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine by Pope Benedict XVI

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

St. Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton

Arriving at Amen: Seven Catholic Prayers Even I Can Pray by Leah Libresco

A middle-grade book

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

The Happy Prince and Other Stories Oscar Wilde

The Wanderer by Sharon Creech

Mandy by Julie Andrews

[guinevereslancelot]

starting to kind of date someone right before christmas is so stressful fr. do i get him a gift or what we've been on two dates but i'm seeing him tonight n it's christmas eve.....but what if he didn't get me anything then it will be weird.....

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

The Gilded Crown

slow building fantasy, start of a duology

a young woman from a small village who can talk to animals & nature spirits, and can go into death and resurrect people

when the princess and sole heir to the throne is assassinated, she’s made to resurrect her - and forced to move to the city and remain by her side in case it happens again

she makes a deal with Death to bring him magical items instead of losing a piece of herself each time, and must search the city for them while navigating the rising civil and political unrest, and her attraction to the princess despite the power she has over her

[not-poignant]

very, very late question to an old work and I will perfectly understand if you don't want to reply to this and prefer not to bring the discussion toward your old works.

out of curiosity, how much did the hunger games, divergent, maze runner or other dystopian YA works of the time influence TGATNW?

the curiosity stemmed from the fact that while my initial perspective on your works were that they were a complete divergence from mainstream media due to its rawer, kinkier nature, a thought popped up that your works might have (purposefully?) satisfied the trends of the times they were created. the golden age (and fae tales soon after) was an appropriate dystopian rebellion story in the midst of the YA fever in 2014-2015 containing similar tropes.

On the other hand, falling falling stars and other efnisien centric works which address mental health and recovery more heavily than other works were published in the present day while shows on mental health discourse (for instance sex education and euphoria) are increasingly more popular. there are definitely exceptions, but those mentioned are some of your most prominent works.now that I think about it, my question might actually be: if at all, how do current trends influence your narratives? I think I remember a mention of these works' influences being old tales, so it would be interesting to hear how contemporary works have inspired you as well if it all.

thanks Pia! even if you don't reply, thanks for all the time and effort you've put into these works. they mean a lot and so much more to a many people.

This one is easy to answer:

my question might actually be: if at all, how do current trends influence your narratives?

So the TL;DR upfront -> I don't read, and often don't know about current trends. I have zero interest in writing to market. I hadn't read any of those books you mentioned when I wrote The Golden Age that Never Was with the exception of The Hunger Games, which came out over half a decade beforehand (except for the last installment in the trilogy, which was my least favourite lol).

In more detail:

I was inspired to write The Golden Age that Never Was - I can't believe I'm saying this - based on a dream I had in August, 2015.

I read Divergent for the first time in 2016 (er, so after I'd started TGATNW). I read book 1, gave it 2 stars, and don't remember anything about it. I haven't read Maze Runner and I know nothing about it.

Going back through my Goodreads account in 2013 and 2014, I read what looks like almost no books actually published in those years. I read books on cod (literally, the nonfiction book Cod, it's really very good), I read Manna Francis (defo not YA), I read nonfiction books on trauma, I read a bunch of Tricia Owens (M/M not YA), I read Eleanor & Park (YA but contemporary), I read a bunch of M/M, Hagio Moto's Zankoku na Kami ga Shihaisuru manga took over my life for a few months, and then I read a bunch more BL manga (none of it recently published that year) for consecutive months and checked out of anything written in the western world for almost half a year.

I got back into M/M at the end of / beginning of 2015 and it looks like that was all I was reading through all of 2015 with very few exceptions (one more Rainbow Rowell book, Station Eleven by Mandel, and nonfiction). I read no dystopian YA in the 2 year lead up to writing The Golden Age that Never Was. Not a single title. Out of like 200 titles. I didn't even read historical dystopian YA. I think we can safely say that was in no way a direct influence and I can bet you around $500 I had no idea it was a trend lmao.

I do not know exactly how to convey how little I give a shit about reading or responding to publishing trends. I don't care and have never cared. No, wait, I think I attempted to care for about 2 months after seeing a Facebook post about it and then was like 'wait, this is extremely demotivating' and stopped. There are some - few - absolute favourite authors who if they release a book, I will read it that year. (Like the latest Murderbot by Martha Wells). Otherwise I prefer generally not knowing what the trends are, and I don't read author blogs etc. that keep me updated on this. New genres rise and fall and by the time I hear of them, they've either already vanished, or new names have been invented for them.

I feel the same way about music and a lot of television as well. I started watching True Detective for the first time this year. A lot of the music I've listened to and discovered didn't release that music this year. And while I have watched and listened to things that did release this year, it was less because it was 'trendy' and more because they are musicians I've always listened to (Manchester Orchestra) or TV shows I would have wanted to watch anyway.

Also The Golden Age that Never Was isn't dystopian YA. But I wasn't reading much by the way of any dystopian romantic science fiction anyway (and certainly nothing released in those years), and no space operas or anything like that. If TGATNW synced up with any trends at all, it was a happy coincidence. But given I don't think it's YA, if people who only wanted to read dystopian YA found it, they were going to be really disappointed! Lmao.

Around 2013 I also just stopped reading anything heterosexual because I had a choice in the moment and exercised that choice. And I tell you - it's low key hilarious how much you get locked out of almost all the trends (certainly almost 10 years ago) anyway, if you exclusively read same sex.

I also just have general disdain for the idea of purposefully satisfying any kind of fiction trends in fanfiction. Like, no, that's not for me. I think that's a waste of my time, and it's not why I write fanfiction. I write fanfic for fun, and to me, looking at trends and writing to trends is one of the least fun things I can actually think of doing.

(Re: Your Sex Education / Euphoria example, I had to laugh. I haven't seen the latter, and the former I only watched for the first time late last year, when I'd already finished Falling Falling Stars.)

No trend has ever inspired anything I've ever written. And no book / show has ever directly inspired anything I've ever written too. I definitely have inspirations - everyone does - but like, yeah no, one of the reasons I let other people rec works similar to mine is because I can never think of any, because I write because of a perceived vacuum providing what I want to read. If what I want to read is already present and there's a lot of it, I won't write anything, because I don't need to. I am the opposite of an 'adding my book into the pile of a trend' author, like literally, that's a reason to not write for me.

I write what I don't see in the world, and it's pretty much that simple.

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[fingertipsmp3]

Ughhhhhhh I hate writing and I hate not writing and I hate myself

[marklikely]

the results of that "is fanfic a book" poll have shown me one thing and its that this site never graduated past that absolutely insufferable phase in 2013 where everyone acted like every book is the single most sacred thing on earth

[oidheadh-con-culainn]

i guess the reason so many books featuring trans characters have them able to go stealth and make it so other characters don't know they're trans unless they say something is because that's an escapist fantasy for many trans authors who don't get that and want to imagine what it's like to live in a world where you don't get misgendered on sight every single day, and because they don't want to write about the latter (very fair)

but also when these are YA books it depends on the characters being able to medically transition at like 14 and i have literally never in my life met a single person who was able to do that (partly because I live in the UK where you can't and also I am old enough that for people my age, coming out as a preteen would've been way harder and rarer than it would be for current teen-aged protagonists)

so idk. i would like to read a book with trans characters who feel like real people living in the real world occasionally. it's hard to walk a path when you never get to see other people do it first and never get to witness it safely in fiction before you experience it IRL, and only ever seeing people walk roads that don't even exist in your reality doesn't really help at all tbh