#nightrunner international

[canislucrum]

hellu hellu gloss here ( s/h, 21+ ) n happy opening day 2 us all!!! can't wait 2 get plottin n interactin w all ur cool muses ♡ im gna be writing for mr venture capitalist, wolf of ansan street, jin hansol!! he's lived in astra nearly all his life and only recently got his ass booted 2 ansan bc his rich n influential daddi-o pulled some strings to get his ass kicked out so ... awkward ... but yes!! you can find more nonsense info on hansol under the cut, but as alw, pls hit that LIKE button n ill come runnin into ur dms!!! also if u have d*scord pls pls lmk bc i cannot for the life of me keep up w tumblr ims orz edit 10/07: so i've decided hansol is gna take on a fake identity as some not-from-ansan dude named kim wonshik bc the anti-astra sentiment in nightrunners ( aka the place he's tryna infiltrate n gentrify ) is p strong and his family is too much of a household name rn!! he's gna be known as jin hansol in business and clinical settings but other times he's gna be known as wonshik but yep!! so muses from ansan prob only ever know of him as wonshik unless we plot otherwise <3

if ur an astrology h0 like me then ♡ he's a leo sun / scorpio moon / aries rising which explains a lot of his fuckassery behaviours 👅

lil backstory: his family owns cynet cybernetics, a v longstanding company and one of the major providers of androids ( aka ai robots / humanoids that run around doin ur house chores 4 u... yep... )!! they were one of the first in astra 50y ago which means hansol was born in astra!! he's Never been to ansan and honestly kinda looks down on it ( pun not intended ) so we know where this is goin 🥶

anw he's born middle child between big bro n lil sis n was unsurprisingly neglected : )) he was alm exclusively raised by cynet androids yikers so altho his physical needs were tended 2 as a kid ( 2 the point of overindulgence honestly ), his emotional needs is that year 1 science textbook sittin in the deep corner beggin 2 b read

a lot of his experience shaped who he was as a teen!! he was a bit of a black sheep n would alw get into tons of trouble like tw underage drinking and drug use n it was all rlly j his own way of trying to get his father's attention!! it seemed like those were the only times his dad ever acknowledged his existence even tho it was usually j 2 express his disappointment

meanwhile his obnoxiously overachieving older bro is taken under daddi-o's wing when he comes of age, even starts 2 intern @ cynet n this pushes hansol to clean up his act!! ofc given his track record his dad is Not goin 2 award him the same internship @ cynet so he ends up trying to prove himself in other ways aka scoring deals, funding startups w his sizeable pocket money, buying out said startups when it shows promise!! he's also a bit of a gambler n even got the rights to revel mayb ab 1y ago in a moderately high-stakes poker games so uh... revel peeps say hi 2 ur absentee owner ♡ also has a ton of body mods to help him cheat in these poker games aka cyberaudio 2 b able to pick up change in tone aka if the person is lying n cyberoptics which helps him read hidden cards!! i'll update his body mods page someday rip

ofc despite all his efforts, none of these r big enough to impress his dad so he goes higher!!! word spreads ab his 'talent' @ the game n this leads to his invitation to play a v v high-stakes poker game w the big boys aka dad's competitors friends!! it's to the point that they don't dabble in cash anymore so this is rlly The Game that would get him his father's attn if he won so he rlly goes all in!! all of the jin family members get a small share of cynet to ensure that the company stays in the family and ultimately overpowers non-relative shareholders in big decisions, n bc hansol is positive he's gna win ( bc he's cheating lol ) he bets his share of cynet eek

ends up LOSING bc it turns out they were cheating too but !! he only knows they're cheating bc he's cheating so can u imagine how that argument is goin 2 go down : )) so yeah cynet is so super impt 2 his family n his dad was absolutely livid to find out that hansol gambled his share away n chalked it up 2 his 'delinquent activities' being so bad 2 the point where it's not only detrimental 2 himself but 2 his family!!! anw 2 regain that cynet share that hansol lost, his dad reports him to the authorities for cheating ( dad obv found out ab his mods bc whose credit card do u think he's usin to install em ) n pulls some strings to get him kicked tf out of astra

so yeah now he's here!! it's been 3 months since n he's still trying to prove himself, this time 2 prove 2 his dad that he's a better businessman than his dad will ever be n the first step is 2 get himself back on astra!! of interest one of his current ventures is to gentrify the betting ring @ the nightrunners races n j make it more organised / official but understandably the nightrunners want their own representative runnin these bets so yeah this means hansol is tryna officially become a nightrunner

personality wise i'd say he's v cunning, likes to think he's more like his dad than his brother is bc he can be p cutthroat and he knows a good deal when he sees one ( n honestly it's true it's prob why his dad loathes him extra ) n he takes a lot of pride in it!! ( yeah he's got a capital D for daddy issues )

also has a bit of a one-track mind so it's like if it's related 2 wtv business venture he's focused on then he'll care 2 the point of obsession n micromanaging but if it's not a priority then he will literally pretend it doesn't exist!! what this means espc socially is if ur someone who's eg a nightrunner he'll be v present 2 u but if ur eg working @ revel he literally could not give less of a shit u prob won't even recognise him that's how absent he is

he can be really charming when he wants to be but honestly it's j part of the game, v wolf of wall street villain coded, has a predatory instinct @ pursuing wealth n will stop at nothing rlly

this is also bad but in line w bein raised by androids n just not respecting ansan at all it can sometimes feel like he's treating ansan as sorta his playground n by extension he doesn't rlly treat a lot of ppl from ansan like real humans n this may sometimes be sorta alluded to in j how he talks or the things he does......... but yeah this sorta goes back 2 his stuff w the nightrunners, like j not respecting their races n stuff n j seeing it as a business opportunity but idk!! mayb w more time in ansan he'll have a good character arc n learn 2 care for things

err as alw i've rambled on waaay too much so if uve made it this far i wanna personally thank u ♡ also below r some plots 2 get us started w the brainstormin!!

since he's p hyperfocused on the nightrunners rn i feel like @ nightrunners there'd b plenty of opportunities 4 positive n negative interactions!! mayb he's tricked u w his charm n u think he genuinely loves racing n shit teehee or ur sus ab his motivations n ur sleepin w one eye open when he's around idk!! i'd also love a nightrunner who's a friend of his ( who he probably approached when he heard ab the existence of these races ) who queued him in that nightrunners only want their own people runnin these bets, which gives him the bright idea 2 become a nightrunner!!

did i mention he loves a good gamble <333 anyone who's a gambling fiend urself pls step right up!!! he also prob places bets on fighters @ the underground so if ur muse is a fighter mayb he places a bet on u!! or against u!! hansol is also not above cheatin so imagine he approaches u n tells u to lose on purpose or smth n he'll give u money in return....

alternatively anyone working @ revel say hello 2 ur boss 😩 i imagine the prev boss was a little more hands on bc they actually cared a lil more for revel and since the ownership's passed to him it's rlly j been goin downhill... also fun thread where he dines @ revel for the first time n mayb he doesn't pay n they confront him n he's like i own this place n they're like o so ur also delusional

he honestly gets a cybermod for literally anyth ( could also b purely for aesthetic purposes honestly ) so anyone workin @ the circle installation centre and apollo medical see u for the monday am appt

he's currently staying at la mariposa ( yeah he was cut off from his fam but this is j proof of privilege 🤡 aka bein his father's son has helped him start off w a large capital to get his hands into a lot of diff businesses which are all now paying off n funding his time @ ansan )

i can also imagine hansol may not be So forthcoming ab him being from astra espc when he finds out ab some of the anti-astra sentiment so idk it would b cool if he kinda lied ab his identity to u n u bought into it n he's literally not at all the person u became friends w ( or even started dating 👀 )

alternatively if ur a diehard fan of astra he will use his birthright as an advantage : )) or if uve been to / are from astra mayb!!! yall could've known each other somehow!!

someone he's pissed off or wronged n mayb now it's comin back 2 bite him in the ass!!!

catch him at orbital sometimes bc old habits die hard

even someone workin at or used to work at cynet?? like the ansan branch or smth!! i feel like ur muse would know him bc he's part of the jin family n ngl once he finds out he's immediately gna start treatin ur muse as like an assistant or smth......... .. .. .... .... orrr mayb he will ask u for info on how daddi-o's doin idk lots of room 4 brainstormin!!

a bunch of his body mods r to make him a good poker player which is rlly handy in business bc he can usually tell when someone's lying!! maybe ur muse is tryna lie to him ab smth n hes like 🧐

[tsukuyomi-r]

for the streets

[rapturous-syndicate]

out for a night run

[thatsastepladder]

The funny thing about Maribat (and the general reality that DC fandom peeps are largely ignorant of DC canon) is that, ignoring all of the ML salt origins of the crossover, there are actually multiple DC heroes based out of Paris. And they never show up in ML/DC crossovers.

There’s Nightrunner, the parkour-performing member of the Batman of All Nations.

There’s Crimson Fox, the pair of perfume-heiress sisters sharing a costumed identity.

There’s Mademoiselle Marie, a secret agent/freedom fighter who‘s the tenth woman to bear the name in a legacy stretching back hundreds of years.

And the best one, given all of the “The Justice League stays out of Paris” tropes in ML/DC crossovers? The League was headquartered there for a time.

The Justice League International.

They had an embassy.

In Paris.

Now that’s a crossover I would like to see.

[lifeexperience]

Maribat March 2021 - Half time

In my AO3 account I am also updating the 'A playboy billionaire, an ambassador and the secret love-child' title, and sometimes I add(ed) commentary why I write something the way I do.

Masterlist

From the last fifty days here is all the plus note:

First day

In Red Robin (2009-2011) comics Vicki Vale was a little bit too noisy for her own good, that's why I used her personal annoyance against Bruce Wayne in this story.

Third day

Vanessa Rios was an assistant district attorney in Gotham in the Robin (1993-2009) run. Here I am using her as the Wayne's legal team head. Tamara Fox, Lucius Fox's daughter, is friends with Tim Drake in Red Robin (2009-2011) comics and here too. Also she is an intern with the HR department who knows about the BatFam alteregos.

Fifth day

In the comics, Alfred always followed Bruce to his 'trips' (in 'Batman and Son' to London, 'Batman & Robin Annual' to an scavenger hunt, in 'Batman Inc.' to every country where they found representatives...) However because of Damian's unpredictable behaviour he stayed at the manor with the children in this story.

Sixth day

So Young Justice thing is a little complicated to me if I dare to say something about it. There was the 'Young Justice: The Secret' and its sequels. Then there were 'The New52' and 'DC Rebirth' era, plus the animation show. And they all are kind of okay..ish, furthermore I wanted to keep the principles like the main members (Tim Drake, Connor Kent, Bart Allen and Cassie Sandsmark), however I never liked their too childish behavior in some of the works (and the mixing with 'The Titans). So in this story, here, they are more adult..ish, but more relaxed and cheerful than 'The Titans' ever was (like in comics, not in the shows).

Eighth day

In the 'Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir' show they showed Lila as a manipulator without any remorse, which got me to think she has antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). I am not a doctor but I had some basic lesson in psychology, and I have a natural curiosity about things so I always research everything. With diagnosed ASPD the person has to be older then 18, however I read its symptoms can show up in childhood, and it can lead to an earlier diagnosis like 14-15 years old early.

In the case of Lila she deceives people and uses them (✓). Don't makes long term plans or thinking through about her behavior (✓), however has a set on some goal she wants to achieve (✓). She has a sense of superiority above of her classmates and adults in her environment (✓), nevertheless does't have any remorse or guilt to mistreat them (✓). Uses charisma and her fake charming persona to get something or someone (✓), however didn't value them more than tools or prizes (✓).

I didn't see any real aggressive behavior from Lila beside akumatizations (✓), but on its own I think it's enough evidence, that she has this disorder (and not the many that she claimed). In normal aggressive way Lila didn't show herself (like physical violence, loud angry outbursts, big fits in front of everyone) yet, rather she uses Akumatization to hide that kind of behavior (when Adrien tried to stand up she became willingly Chameleon, or the Heroe's Day, or Oni-Chan). So her Akumatised forms and helping to Hawkmoth are the evidences that she has aggressive behavior, however they are not the classic forms (but we also can remember the threatening in the bathroom, but I think that was more intimidation and showing her superiority then pure aggressiveness).

And I wanted that recreate and strengthen this 'fact' a little bit so it would be more obvious than in the show.

Ninth day

In the comics there are so many take on Bruce Wayne it's kind of hard to count it. We could list the Batman persona, when he kind of let his children do what they want within his no-kill-rule (like living alone at fourteen with bunch of other teenager - 'Teen Titans' or 'Young Justice' or as it looks like to go rough - Robin, Red Hood). And there is the obvious martyr-parent take, when he has to know everything about his children, but he is always silent about the important things ('Death of the family' - 'Batman and Robin: Born to kill' - 'The Hunt for Robin'). And one of my favorites the worried-tired father take, when he is kind of showing his emotions and trying to love his kids ('Super Sons' - 'Robin Rises' - 'Prelude to the Wedding: Nightwing vs. Hush' ...).

And I decided to use the last with a more active take from the first (like he lets everyone do their thing but he is monitoring them within reasons). In the comics there are many accusations about being someones father (with Julie Madison or Mariah Shelley), and here in my take he is trying to be responsible (for the sake of his children, mainly for Damian and Jason) and checks every claim out personally (so they also can do DNS test).

Tenth day

Alya Césaire is a complicated someone in the show. At first she is portrayed as a fierce helper for the protagonist, Marinette. She is stubborn and reckless, but royal to her best friends.

Then came Lila and the makers sharpened her stubborn tunnel vision. This I saw it first at the 'Lady Wifi' episode, when she clearly didn't remember about the first day, when Ladybug saved Chloé (or ignored it). After that she always fixated on 'Adrienette' (or everything else if it's interesting - Dark Cupid) when the girl, herself had other things to do (Princess Fragrance, Puppeteer 2, Reflektdoll 2, Timebreaker). So it was not that big surprise when her tunnel vision turned to Lila, and she (and everybody in her class) forgot about that they all met Jagged Stone and with his crocodile already.

Yeah, it's all true, however unlike Lila, Alya didn't show any other big social flaw. And she is 14 years old and middle child, which is kind of important in someone personality. She has to be a mature figure and a little child at the same time in her sibling's eyes. She has to compete attention in their parents eyes and be smart about it.

Moreover if we look at the Collège Françoise Dupont's students, they are all spoiled, not just Chloé or Lila or Adrien. Yes, they are not that bad like the three, but they are all sheltered to a certain degree. Their family don't have financial problems (famous chef, designers, mayor, famous bakery, curator in the most famous museum, police officer, famous pantomime, ...), plus they are all in a prestigious school where they can't meet people with everyday problems (and rich spoiled kid is not an everyday occurrence in my country). And beside some vision problems (Max, Sabrina) they are all healthy and the first time to meet a disability is when Lila arrived. So it's natural if they don't really know how to interact right with her (putting aside that whole lie thing).

And I think they, especial Alya, need first a little life experience, before they could be called responsible about their acts. And here I am trying to write it this kind of way, where they are all flawed, but they can learn from it.

Human being can be shallow and not perfect. These children only heard one perspective from Lila, and another from Marinette. In the show the makers not exactly specified about how well the classmates know Marinette and how depth Marinette and Alya friendship is, so there is already some trust issue.

Like yeah all of they are going to concerts, cinema, each others, however they didn't show so far any serious conservation between them (maybe the only exception is Adrien-Marinette combo). Until this year when Adrien and Alya got transferred in the class, the classmates don't even help Marinette with Chloé bullying. And one year friendship - how beautiful is it tho - is not that depth and stable, especially with that many secrets they have. And Lila 'charming' personality came into this still fragile relationship at the right time to prove this.

I am not saying that the makers is doing good to simplifies the relationships. Because rather they missed so many ziccers for the sake of promote new hero designs and the overwritten romantic scene, it's physical hurting me. But they are right that we are talking sheltered-traumatized-too naive kids, who sometimes had unearned magic powers (looking at Chloé, Alya, Kim).

And I didn't ever going the length of mentioning the adult characters. It's an other kind of wormhole.

Marinette was the only one who openly disobeyed Lila's wants. She stands up against her lies in the public so she is a real obstacle for Lila. While Adrien is only trying in the background without any witness (I don't say it's bad, because with some case it's better, but not here), and the boy is too valuable to Lila.

Lila already showed in the series she didn't stop with the lies and she is brave enough to ruin someone carrier with them (Marinette - 'Ladybug', Nathalie and Gorilla - 'Oni-Chan', Alya - 'Volpina'). And Adrien watched all of it in the front seat, and he kind of knows that Lila's main target here to discredit and broke Marinette/Ladybug (and Adrien, himself also, but it's his perspective and he is very sheltered and naive about it).

And this story she got another one to ruin. Bruce Wayne, himself. And as her fake charming side melts away in her anger as she is focusing more and more on her targets.

Eleventh day

Speed Force is one of the Seven Forces of the Universe. It grants the power of the speedsters. And some of them merged with it (for example Barry Allen). Speed Force has a direct connection to the time flow and with the Multiverse (or now Omniverse). The biggest event of it is the Flashpoint (2011) which started the New52 era. And Batman doesn't want to mix this kind of force with a really mysterious ancient magic.

Nightrunner's first appearance was in 2011 in Detective Comics Annual #12. Within the Batman Incorporated line Bruce recruited Bilal Asselah, French-Algerian citizen to represent Batman in Paris. Here he is a mentor/background assistant to the Team Miraculous and a representative of Batman Inc.

Fourteenth day

Wang Fu is not the most mature character in the show and I think it says it all. Being an 186 years old is the Great Guardian after he accidentally destroyed the temple, he is kind of shameful and amateur. And if we contrasted him with Batman... yeah. Batman is NOT happy and takes the control from the old master.

Fifteenth day

I know Cyborg, alias Victor Stone is currently shown as a founding member of the Justice League (since 2011), however I am prefer him more in the Titans. And it's not just because of the animation show form 2003, but also in the comics he is more himself with the first Titans then with the -all mighty- Justice League. And I also wanted him to have a little cameo in this story because in the Super Sons (2017-) he was kind of like a babysitter for the boys. And to me it's kind of funny how many times the bats short circuited him (Robin Rises, Super Sons: Parent Trap, ...).

Sixteenth day

Damian Wayne is a complicated character. For ten years he was teached to kill. He only learnt about his mother at eight. He only learnt about his father at ten. Thalia used him for anything from power play to plotting someone death. Bruce loves him, but he is so moronic about his own emotions it's kind of painful to read sometimes. And there is the thing where Damian is never enough, his mother cloned him (Heretic), his father has other wards (mainly Red Robin). Dick Grayson went incognito spying when the boy had finally a healthier relationship (Grayson: The Superspy). His best friend, Jon Kent was suddenly older then him (2018 Superman #16). Alfred was killed in front of him (2016 Batman #77). Yeah, Damian is a jerk, but he has every right to be a jerk in my opinion. And I wanted that recreate here as Lila is a liar and threatening his 'only' position as a blood son. His only weapon to prevent it to have a fit and doing what was teached to him.

Fulltime

[lonestarfangirl2014]

FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY MARIBAT/ml×DC) HERES A EDUCATIONAL POST ABOUT PARIS/FRENCH AND EUROPEAN DC HEROES AND STUFF TO HELP YOU AVOID SOME BLUNDERS SO MANY OTHERS HAVE MADE!

Honestly I get annoyed when maribat/mlxDC fans who apparent only exposure to dc is the maribat AU think there was no villains or heroes in Paris before hawkmoth, ladybug and chat noir..... and thus also think that the Akuma attacks wouldn't be noticed by the worldwide superhero community....yeah no buddy that would never fly in any world where the dc heroes existed. The only way they would never have intervened was if princess Diana who is the daughter of a previous ladybug miraculous user sent out a notice to all justice league affiliated teams/ any other superhero organizations detailing and warning about what was happening and also warning all none European heroes to stay away because seriously imagined a akumazied flash or superman and for them to keep a tight reign on their emotions if for any reasons they had to go to Paris.

Let me educate yall as one lifelong dc comics fangirl fan to all you miraculous fans who might not fully know or fully understand the things that would change if you include miraculous ladybug into the dcverse.

For one like I mentioned there are European hero teams like the JLE of which wonder woman/princess diana was part of at one point as well as the global guardians who headquarters are in Paris. Soooo the members of said team would so help ladybug and chat noir out!

Note not all the members are pictured here.

this will give you a list of all known justice league Europe members. Some of whom do live in paris( i will talk about those members in a bit)...and no thats the first kid flash wally west not barry allen.....and the blond in white with a red cape is a ALT!Kara zor-L(not el but L in her native universe.....she stranded long story multiverse hijinks)

Not all members are pictured obviously the link provides more info.....seriously i highkey suggest yall check out any links I provide because if I include every little detail this post would get way to long!

This woman is Catherine cobert!

She's French. She is also the Justice League's public affairs officer in the young justice cartoon universe. In the comics she was originally the United Nations liaison with Justice League Europe, and she helped manage the team and protect them from legal trouble wherever she could. At one point in her life, she was also a highly renowned fashion model.

Now I bet you wanna know who the dc French superheroes are!

This is the crimson fox. To be precise she is the third crimson fox no name was ever given but she claims to be a relative of the two original crimson foxes who were twins who served on both the JLE and the global guardians . The twin sisters Constance and Vivian D'Aramis operated as Crimson Fox. With their similar attire and pheromone powers, they were hard to tell apart and the general populace of  France was largely unaware that the Crimson Fox was in fact two separate people. 

Their both dead but you can just easily ignore that and say one or both went into semi retirement.

This guy right here is Nightrunner actual name is Bilal Asselah a sunni Muslim.

He lives in Paris. He is affiliated with batman incorporated.

Bilal is a 22 year old student from the Paris commune of Clichy-Sous-Bois, a neighborhood rife with conflict due to racial tensions. Bilal refused to take sides in the conflict, until one day he and his best friend Aarif were caught in the crossfire. Later that day, Aarif, obsessed with taking the law into his own hands, set fire to a police station, dying in the process. To honor the memory of his friend, Bilal began his training in Parkour and became the vigilante known as Nightrunner to prevent chaos and civil war in his city.

Nightrunner involvement in Batman Inc.

Bilal soon discovered there was a group in his city inciting civil disorder. While chasing them, Bilal encountered Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, both in the guise of Batman. Working together, they soon defeated the cult. Returning to the city, Batman recruited Bilal as Batman in Paris. Before departing Paris, Batman provided Bilal with living quarters as well as a training center for honing his martial arts. Dick Grayson remained in Paris to train Bilal. After completing his training, Nightrunner debuted as a member of Batman Incorporated. However, his new appearance led people to believe he was working with the police, and they began to avoid him. In light of this, Bilal asked Batman whether he had chosen the right man for the job. Batman reaffirmed his choice, stating that as a symbol he is becoming something greater, and it takes time for the people to learn that. Later, while on patrol, Bilal saw two boys fighting over a piece of cloth. After a moment, he realized they were arguing over who got to wear their homemade mask, imitating their hero Nightrunner. With a renewed sense of confidence, Bilal fully accepted his new role as the protector of Paris.

More information can be found at the link provided.

There's also a enemy turned ally of Damians whose of French descent named Maya ducard aka nobody II

She is the daughter of Morgan ducard the first nobody.

He is the son a world renowned assassin and a spy who was originally sent to kill said assassin yeah they fell in love and had morgan who killed his mom after her old bosses found her and stuff. His father is

HENRI DUCARD

I linked both his bios from both new earth and prime earth continuities!.....

NO IN THE COMICS HENRI DUCARD AND RAS AL GHUL ARE NOT THE SAME(to those who seen certain bat movies)

Now henri was one of Bruce Waynes teachers when he went on his initial training trip preparing to be batman. Morgan and Bruce together trained underneath him for a time. Bruce was his greatest student he worked for interpol before retiring.

Now for a certain villain that yall would totally be interested in.

THE MAN WHO LAUGHS AKA THE FRENCH JOKER!

History

Norman's mother died at his birth. His father, a mad artist, took the baby and made him into an "artwork" by cutting his lips away and making him "smile" forever. As an adult, Norman took revenge on his father by cutting him into pieces and putting them in glass boxes, all while keeping him alive and letting him watch a video. Meanwhile, Batman, Robin and Nightrunner were trying to find Rotrig. To force the three heroes look for him, he freed four of Paris' craziest villains from prison, taking a gas bomb in front of his head that makes him look like "The son of the man".

Now I've reached my ten picture limit. In closing I highkey suggest you do your research and don't be afraid to ask for help from your fellow maribat fans as well as regular DC fans(I promise not all of us bite)

JUST PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU DON'T CLOG UP THE DC TAGS(Others have asked that to but its still happening so please stick to the usual maribat tags such as ship names and stuff 😊 )

HAPPY BIO!DAD BRUCE WAYNE MONTH 2020! Go give @biodad-bruce-month a visit if you wanna join in on the fun!

And remember you guys can always message/inbox me if your having issues figuring out some stuff like which continuities had which hero uniforms....seriously though the dc superhero uniforms tend to change with every new continuity(live action tv show, all the different cartoons, comics, movies both live action and animated etc) so it gets highkey confusing i know BUT THATS NO EXCUSE TO HAVE THIS ROBIN UNIFORM

BE MENTIONED IF YOU ARE WRITING A ML/YOUNG JUSTICE CROSSOVER OR A ML/CARTOON!TEEN TITANS OR LIVE ACTION TITANS CROSSOVER. THE ROBIN UNIFORMS ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT IN SAID SHOWS COMPARED TO THE COMICS......ALSO THE NEW 52 DID AWAY WITH THAT UNIFORM! I'll make a post aimed at yall in regards to said uniforms soon I promise!

[maotranslates]

Chapter 2

Novel: Life Going Wild With Plug-ins 带挂装逼, 最为致命 by Shi Zi Qing 十字卿

PREVIOUS / TABLE OF CONTENTS / NEXT

I motioned to the shopkeeper to help me pack him up and leave, and when looking back, I found that person staring at me with open eyes, clear and full of contrast.

So it turns out he wasn’t sleeping.

Nightrunner had a set of registration procedures, which were rather annoying, and had to be confirmed with me numerous times. After handling this process, I waved at that person:

"Let's go."

The expressions of everyone around me seemed rather shocked, and someone muttered: “He is injured so heavily, and has been lying down for so many days, how can he just go when told to go? He’s really met a master just as heartless as the previous one……” 

That person staggered to the wall and got up, shifting his steps closer to me, having an even harder time walking than I was. As he took a break every two steps, I waited very patiently while holding my sleeves.

It took one incense stick’s time to get out of the inn.

It took another one cup of tea’s time to walk past the Shaxian snack shop.

And it took yet another quarter of an hour to walk to the city entrance.

Even my very slow-tempered self felt slightly bothered.

Me: "Can't you walk faster?"

The Shadow Guard's body shook, and he trembled as he knelt down: "This servant ...... is incompetent …… Master, please punish me as you wish."

His voice was hoarse, and every word seemed to be difficult to say.

Could it be?! An idea suddenly flashed through my brain and I felt very smart as I asked, "Are you in pain?"

"I don’t dare." The shadow guard took a deep breath.

"Then let's go." I guess I was wrong......I embarrassedly rubbed my nose, then watched him take a long, long time to get up and continue walking.

After moving two more steps like a snail, I stopped.

I actually had no idea where I should go and what way is good.

The letter only wrote about the task of buying a Shadow Guard, and since I already bought one, I felt that my life goals had already been accomplished, and that I had no concerns.

While meditating on this, I also rubbed my stomach, and the wave of pain made me frown.

"Master ……are you feeling unwell?" The Shadow Guard keenly perceived that something was wrong.

"I've been conspired against, and I don’t have long left to live." I sighed in frustration.

The Shadow Guard was shocked, and said in a low voice, "This servant has committed an offense." Thus, he took up my hand.

Hey, why is a grown man feeling my hand?

The Shadow Guard held my wrist and blanked out for a while, then bowed his head and said, "This servant is incompetent ……I cannot detect Master’s sickness."

I don't blame you, this place is really too sinister.

I gave the Shadow Guard a look full of expectation, waiting for him to guide the direction of my life. The Shadow Guard was baffled by my stare and did not speak for a long time.

Sigh, what are you useful for?

"What am I supposed to do now?" I asked complacently.

The Shadow Guard was suddenly a little nervous, considered it for quite a while, then very cautiously said, "I can only rely on Master’s command."

I only asked you because I have no idea uh…… 

I thought about it, and put it another way: "Ordinary people, what would they do around this time?"

The Shadow Guard went through another internal struggle: "The common people, they would have supper at this time."

Oh right right right, exactly this. I recalled that the physical body indeed needs a daily meal, and feeling reassured, I said, "I’ll leave it to you."

"Yes." The Shadow Guard answered, but didn’t do anything.

The Shadow Guard waited for a while, then raised his head and looked at me.

I also looked at him.

He looked back at me.

The Shadow Guard’s complexion became a bit complicated, and he hesitantly started to speak: "This servant……this servant has just come out of Nightrunner, and with me???? I don’t……have any......"

"I know." Didn't we come out together? Do I look like I have amnesia?

"......" The Shadow Guard looked at me complicatedly for a while, and then said, "Yes. This servant understands."

Then he slowly moved away.

Was it an illusion, or why did he walk slower than even the ordinary people? He should also have taken physical body operation lessons.

I crouched by the river, silently waiting for the sun to go down behind the mountains, and gradually felt that the very poisonous attacks in my body were becoming worse… So painful, oh my god, ​​I’m gonna die, gonna die gonna die gonna die gonna die gonna die.

"Master." Finally hearing the call, I turned my head and saw a staggering figure, walking towards me with a cloth bag. Getting near, he slowly spread the bag on the floor.

I looked at him in the afterglow of the setting sun. Hey, why was there so much water on his face, and also so much mysterious red liquid emerging through his clothes?

I reached out my finger and poked the small fountain.

The Shadow Guard took a breath of air, his face twisted, looking extremely in pain.

I didn't understand what he was in pain for.

"It hurts?" I looked at him with a good-natured smile.

The Shadow Guard clenched his teeth and said, "No."

Alas, I guessed wrong again, I’ve lost.

This loss was very momentary, because I was immediately distracted by the aroma in the bag, and the smell seemed magical, making me feel tickly.

I smelled this flavor in the experience class!!

This, it couldn’t be, the legendary, food!!!

"I'm very… sorry... I only got a pheasant and a few wild fruits, and roughly cooked it, you..."

In our civilization, it is said that food will be addictive. It is similar to drugs, very dangerous, and once you start you cannot stop. This is because you can only eat with a physical body, and maintaining the physical body is a very luxurious activity, let alone controlling the body to eat.

Yet my hands, not even being controlled, reached out as if bewitched.

The Shadow Guard who just turned back with two newly broken branches looked in amazement at the sight of me eating, whispering, "Master, chopsticks..."

Chopsticks, hehe, don't play with me, how would I know such a difficult operation?

Like a strong wind scattering the last clouds, I cleared the roasted pheasant and wild fruits and shed tears out of excitement.

Ancestors are awesome! The physical body is awesome! Wuwuwu.*

*wuwuwu = “cute” crying noises

After finishing everything, I saw the Shadow Guard mutely staring at me, and coughed in embarrassment. Oh no, I forgot to leave some for him, he is also a human, and also needs to eat...

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

The Shadow Guard painfully shook his head.

Oh, not hungry... why do I keep guessing wrong, so depressing.

So it turns out the Shadow Guard doesn’t need to eat, so impressive, really very awesome.

At this time I just realized that the on and off pain in my abdomen had disappeared, and was replaced with a kind of comfortable satisfaction. It dawned on me that the Shadow Guard must have secretly put medicine in the food.

I looked at him sincerely.

The Shadow Guard fell on his knees, "Master, forgive me! This servant could only find this...!"

Sigh... am I that scary ...

I helped him up, then returned to a situation where I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I could only question, "Let me ask you, what do ordinary people do at this time?"

"Master, forgive me!" He fell on his knees again, "It is time for Master to sleep, this servant should die."

Why does me sleeping mean you have to die? I didn’t understand and frowned. "Where to sleep?"

"This servant is ignorant, I didn’t know Master..." He hesitated for a while, "I don't know which family’s residence the Master is from and how to go back."

I thought about it and said, "I'm not from any family and don’t have anywhere to go back."

"...Sorry, this servant has overstepped his boundaries." The Shadow Guard’s complexion looked blue, bewilderedly asking, "Then tonight... rest at the inn?"

"Then let's go."

The Shadow Guard wore a complicated expression and walked with difficulty ahead, and I leisurely followed while humming a little tune.

It was just that oil kept dripping from the side of my mouth, and feeling a little helpless, I reached out my sleeve and wiped it. It was still sticky, not very comfortable, but much better than before.

The Shadow Guard’s expression while looking at me became even more strange for some reason.

There were groups of two or three people eating in the hall of the inn. I looked at them, then thought about the other people I met today, and looked at the Shadow Guard again.

Hm... I keep thinking... The Shadow Guard is not quite the same as everyone else.

Other people's clothes are pieces by pieces of cloth, even if the style is simple, they are neat.

Why are the Shadow Guard’s clothes full of streaks with ragged edges, and blackened and dirtied?

I remember that in my previous fashion history classes, in some eras people would specially make cuts in their jeans to make them look old, which was a trend of the time.

The Shadow Guard is probably keeping up with the fashion trend of this era.

No wonder people keep looking at him and pointing him out.

Although I don't like this tattered postmodern style of clothing, it is clearly a difference between other people and me, I have no right to interfere with other people’s preferences. This creator god is really very democratic.

The owner of the inn came up, looked up and down at my clothes, his gaze stopping at the jade pendant on my waist several times. He smiled until his eyes became narrow, and when he saw my face, the corners of his mouth seemed to twitch.

"Uh, honored guest, are you staying at the inn? What room do you want, how many?"

I felt a little complicated, not knowing how to answer. I could only look at the Shadow Guard.

"One room.” The Shadow Guard’s tone was a bit hesitant, “......how about …...a principal room.” 

Wait a minute, it couldn’t be that he had never stayed at an inn before either?

"Okay~" The boss agreed and looked at the Shadow Guard, full of smiles.

The Shadow Guard looked at me.

Hm? Why are you looking at me?

After waiting for a while, the boss quietly reminded: "Honored guest, first pay a deposit...?"

  ……Oh! I understand! Asking for money! But that’s fucking useless, I don’t have money.

After the Shadow Guard regarded me with a complicated expression, he took a deep breath, as if making a determination, then turned back and said, "Boss, bring a pen and paper."

Hearing this, the boss arranged it for him. When the Shadow Guard finished writing, the boss looked and his whole body shook, his expression becoming extremely respectful.

"So it is that lord's... Waiter! Quickly send these two noble guests upstairs!"

Eh! Writing can be spent as money! My Shadow Guard is so great!

I glanced at the Shadow Guard with admiration, intending to wait until we arrived in the room to praise him, but his complexion suddenly became very unsightly.

The boss finished arranging the room and looked at the Shadow Guard while whispering, "Young master, your follower’s wounds are not light, should I call a doctor?"

I frowned and looked at the Shadow Guard: "Who told you he was hurt?"

Unexpectedly, when I just finished speaking, the boss knelt down in fear. "My humble self has spoken too much! I should die! Young master, please spare my life!"

…..why are each and every one of you like this? Why are you all forcibly acting like I’m a serial killer...

I went into the room depressed, and saw the bed I had once seen in a museum. In our civilization, the source files of consciousness are stored in network containers while we rest, so the idea that such a simple wooden board in front of me could restore physical strength is seriously amazing.

Do I just lie down on it...

"I deeply apologize for my incompetence, with this unwise decision, you can only stay for two or three days ...Master, please punish me."

I frowned: "You did pretty well, I was even going to praise you."

The Shadow Guard’s face was deathly pale.

I sat on the bed and shook it a few times, finding that the bedding was actually soft, when I saw the Shadow Guard conscientiously crouching in the corner. "What are you doing over there?"

"...I apologize for my incompetence, this servant is a Shadow Guard, who should be guarding the Master in an unseen place, not obstructing the owner's eyes. But... my lowly body is very unsuitable, without the strength to jump on the roof beams..."

Oh, was my Shadow Guard born with a disability?

Being disabled and still engaging in a high risk occupation as a bodyguard, this really must be a strong will in a disabled body.

I smiled at him approvingly. The Shadow Guard fell in fear.

"Won’t you come up?" I patted the quilt.

"...I won’t." The corners of the Shadow Guard’s mouth twitched.

It seems that he likes crouching in the corner and doesn’t like sleeping in bed. I never force anyone to do anything, so I let him be, pulling the covers over me and lying down.

The jewelry I wore jingled together, wearing both gold and jade... it was really pressing quite uncomfortably and unbearable.

I recalled today's unfavorable situation and did not feel very great. I am the creator god of this world, coming here with a plug-in, thinking I would be a big plug-in user who could cover the sky with one hand. Instead, unable to find the golden finger switch, I am just a little defeated thing that is not even as good as the common people.

I don't know what can support me to survive in this sinister Jianghu.* I don’t have a friend in the world, not even two sticks to rub together, what’s left is only... my... good looks… sigh.

*Jianghu = land of rivers and lakes, the martial world

After reaching this place, I couldn't help but feel depressed.

PREVIOUS / TABLE OF CONTENTS / NEXT

[hoarderofwords]

Day #2: My WIP

NOVEL PREP TAG

Thank you for the tag, @thewalkingnerdx​! I’m doing this for Day #2 of @owl-writes​ Writeblr Life Week, but since I’m still in the process of outlining The Hollow Prince, some of the questions may or may not be answerable. We’ll see how it goes!

FIRST LOOK

1. Describe your novel in 1-2 sentences (elevator pitch).

A young conman with a terrible secret is forced to confront his past when his victims start turning up dead.

2. How long do you plan for your novel to be? (Is it a novella, single book, book series, etc?)

I’m not sure yet. I’ve been toying with the idea of making it part of a trilogy, but it depends on how the story pans out.

3. What is your novel’s aesthetic?

Paris during the Reign of Terror, gilded aristocracy gone slightly to seed, crumbling statues, vacant ballrooms, sepia ink on faded parchment, gilt chairs and broken cornices, long skirts and glittering masks, a red ribbon around the throat, library bookshelves full of dusty books that whisper with secret magic. 

4. What other stories inspired your novel?

Captive Prince series by C. S. Pacat. Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières

5. Share 3+ images that give a feel for your novel.

MAIN CHARACTER(S)

6. Who is your protagonist?

He prefers to be known as Gill, but that’s not his real name.

7. Who is their closest ally?

Lynette. She’s like an elder sister to him, and she keeps him out of trouble. Well, she tries. Well, at least she makes sure he doesn’t die when he inevitably gets into trouble, usually by charging right on in after him.

8. Who is their enemy?

The person who keeps killing the people Gill has conned. 

9. What do they want more than anything?

Gill will tell you that what he wants is to be left alone to do as he pleases, but what he really wants is to make his parents proud by being the person they always told him he would be.

10. Why can’t they have it?

His parents are dead. Plus, he doesn’t believe he’s capable of being that person anymore. 

11. What do they wrongly believe about themselves?

He is convinced that he is not the sort of person that his parents would approve of, because he’s a liar and a cheat and has had to do ugly things in order to survive. For this reason, he avoids responsibility and refuses to take things seriously, and tends to be very cynical and dismissive of “heroism” as a general rule.  

PLOT POINTS

12. Draw your protagonist! (or share a description)

In lieu of either of these, since that would take time I don’t currently have, pls accept this gif of Louis XIV (George Blagden) instead. 

13. What is the internal conflict?

For Gill, it’s the struggle between self-interest and the greater good, between cynicism and hope, and between the image of himself as he is and the person he could be, if he stopped trying to force himself to be something he’s not.

For Lynette, it’s about remaking herself, learning to redefine what is important to her outside of the ideas of duty and obligation. In a way, her journey is a mirror of Gill’s: where he has to learn to take responsibility, she has to learn to give some of it up.

For Cassian (Gill’s love interest, still not entirely sold on the name), the conflict is between what he has been taught and what he has learned through experience, the struggle to listen to and trust his own instincts and his own path even when it runs contrary to what he’s “supposed” to do. 

14. What is the external conflict?

Someone keeps killing people Gill has conned, and Gill’s the only one who can stop them. 

15. What is the worst thing that could happen to your protagonist?

Failure. As in, he fails to stop the killer, the people he loves die, and it’s all his fault. 

16. What secrets will be revealed that will change the course of the story?

I can’t tell you that, because spoilers! 

17. Do you know how it ends?

Not yet. 

18. What is the theme?

Self-determination. Basically, it’s a “coming-of-age” novel for New Adults, about dealing with the transition into Adulthood proper and the disillusionment that can come with it, and having to adjust your view of yourself and your purpose when the world turns out to be different than you expected. 

19. What is a recurring symbol?

Haven’t got that far in my planning yet!

20. Where is the story set? (share a description!)

Again, still working on this part of my world-building.  

21. Do you have any images or scenes in your mind already?

Yep! I already know that books, words, and libraries are going to be important, and I have written some scenes from the characters’ backstories to flesh out their motivations and personalities. 

22. Tell us about your usual writing method!

Well, I don’t really have one “usual” method, but right now I’m trying out the Story Genius approach by Lisa Cron. I tend to be a bit of a landscape gardener when it comes to outlining; I need to have enough worked out that I know what I’m doing, but if I get overly detailed in my planning, I get bored with an idea and wander off. I’m really excited about this approach because it’s the first outlining method I’ve found that fits with how I usually work, so it’s given me a bit more structure to follow while also allowing me to keep much of my own style. It’s also very character-focused, which I like, because that’s where my stories tend to come from. 

23. What excited you about this story?

Originally, it was an idea I picked up on the NaNo forums and wrote as a joke, but I really like the idea of turning it into a serious story exploring the ramifications of certain fantasy cliches (and also I just really wanted to write a cool LGBT+ fantasy novel, you know? *g*). 

Since I don’t really know enough people to tag for this, consider yourself tagged if it looks like something you’d like to try! And please tag me when you’re done so I can have a read of your answers :)

[witsserviceablesubstitute]

Someone pointed out the age thing in The Nightrunner Series and I’d agree if their relationship didn’t have such a firm basis in friendship, respect, and hadn’t developed naturally over the course of seven novels (even when they’re together it continues to grow and evolve). Or if the beginning of their romantic dynamic hadn’t basically played out like: 

Seregil: “You have a whole life to experience without folding up my disordered baggage and slinging it heavily onto your shoulders.”

Alec: “Bold of you to assume I’m not utterly in love with you already.”

Seregil: ::breathless but valiantly pretending to have not heard:: “You are free to explore other options. It’s fine, I’m fine [he’s not fine], we have long lives, and we can always come back to each other if I’m still something you want later...”

Alec: ::internal frustrated screaming::

[rockin-robinz]

Superhero Club III

National Superhero Day: Batman Incorporated (New Earth)

Today is National Superhero Day (28 April) and to commemorate this day I will be following the evolution of the Batmen of All Nations members in four posts, from their humble beginnings as Batmen of All Nations to the global spanning Batman Incorporated. This is the third of four posts: After being brought back from time, Bruce Wayne and his company, Wayne Enterprises, publically funded and incorporated the Batman trade name and made it an international organization with Batman at its head. Batman traveled around the world personally recruiting operatives to act as his global representatives – starting with his own Gotham teammates and his old friends from the International Club of Heroes. Related Links:

Superhero Club

Superhero Club II

Team Roster:

Batman (Dick Grayson): With the apparent death of his mentor, Bruce Wayne, Grayson eventually took up the mantle of Batman. When Wayne returned from being lost in time, Grayson remained as Batman of Gotham City. (Batman and Robin (Vol. 1) #20 Cover by Patrick Gleason and Mark Irwin (Upper Left))

Robin (Damian Wayne): Biological son to Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, Damian was appointed the fifth Robin when Grayson took the mantle of Batman.

Dark Ranger (Johnny Riely): After the death of his mentor, he managed to retrieve his uniform. With the help of Batman (Bruce Wayne) and the Squire (Beryl Hutchinson), Riley managed to move on to become the next Dark Ranger and a member of Batman Incorporated. (Batman (Vol. 1) #681 by Tony S. Daniel (Lower Left))

Gaucho (Santiago Vargas): Formal spy, Vargas was inspired by reports of the Batman and became a hero. (Batman (Vol. 1) #681 by Tony S. Daniel (Middle Right))

Knight (Cyril Sheldrake): After the death of his father, Perceval Sheldrake, Cyril former Squire, took on the mantle of the Knight. (Knight and Squire #1 Cover by Yanick Paquette and Michel Lacombe (Lower Right))

Squire (Beryl Hutchinson): She helped out Cyril Sheldrake after the death of his father, rehabilitating him out of his depression and his drug and alcohol addictions. After being completely healed, Cyril gave Hutchinson the mantle of Squire.

Legionary: This position was left vacant.

Man-of-Bats (William Great Eagle): A Native American doctor and veteran, he was inspired to become a costumed defender by Batman. (Batman, Inc. (Vol. 1) #7 by Chris Burnham (Middle Left))

Raven Red (Charles Great Eagle): He too was inspired by the Dynamic Duo, particularly Robin and joined his father, Man-of-Bats, as his sidekick, Little Raven. Like Dick Grayson, Charles outgrew his Little Raven persona and reinvented himself as Raven Red.

Nightrunner (Bilal Asselah): A student from the Paris commune of Clichy-Sous-Bois, a neighborhood rife with conflict due to racial tensions, Asselah refused to take sides in the conflict, until his friend was caught in the crossfire. To honor his memory, Asselah began training in Parkour and became the vigilante known as Nightrunner. On insisting on staying retired, the Musketeer, recommended Nightrunner as his replacement. ("All the Rage," Batman Annual (Vol. 1) #28 by Agustin Padilla (Upper Right))

Wingman: This position was left vacant.

[youhitlikeamilkfedcatamite]

I started the Nightrunner series. I’ve braced myself for potential tedium but I’m 22% into book 1 and Seregil has disguised himself as a woman twice already so I’m internally screaming of course. In related news, he reminds me of Lymond a bit.

[drchristineputnam]

M/M romance recs

Here’s a list of my favourites! Organised by genre, with very broad summaries. All of them have HEA, all the m/m romances are the central ones. 

Names in bold have POC protagonists, names in cursive have disabled protagonists (be it physical disability, mental illness or chronic illness). In series with multiple couples, it’s usually one or more.

Feel free to ask me about triggers for any of them!

Historical:

Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian

Disabled regency war vet aristocrat decides to hang around a self-proclaimed ex-criminal helping those who need help. Said ex-criminal tries not to be charmed, ends up catching feelings instead

The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian

Confidence artist grows a conscience and angers dangerous people, so he needs to pose as a secretary to a scientifically minded, but eccentric Lord. Really beautiful portrayal of people on autistic spectrum and anxiety.

The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian

Posh and straight-laced gentleman has to help a famous scoundrel aristocrat to restore his image after a raunchy novel supposedly based on his exploits gets published. Contains ridiculous amounts of adorable kittens, tasty pastries and also wonderful portrayal of chronic illnesses

Sins of the Cities by KJ Charles

Trilogy set in victorian London, during the horrible London Fog of 1873. Three wonderful and diverse couples (one is half-indian with dyspraxia, one is non-binary, one was born with partial arm, one is near-sighted), murder mystery, fake mediums, lost earls, intrigue! It’s so good 

Wanted, a Gentleman by KJ Charles

A delightful and frankly hilarious regency romp through British countryside. An unlikely couple of men need to travel to Gretna Green to save a young girl from potentially dangerous marriage. One of the protagonists is a black ex-slave merchant and the book touches upon his experiences (very respectfully!)

Society of Gentlemen by KJ Charles

A Society of gentlemen who like other gentlemen, centered around Lord Richard Vane and his friends and acquitances. Set during the radical uprising during the Regency, it has everything- friendships and families, sedition, intrigue, bookstores and good wine, valets being the mightiest strategists and amazing lovable radicals. This trilogy is honestly my favourite thing EVER.

Think of England by KJ Charles

Wounded during the Boer war, seemingly because of treason and betrayal, Archie Curtis sets off to a countryside mansion to get to the bottom of the matter. Completely unprepared for the task, he teams up with Daniel da Silva, the elegant jewish poet, who is much more capable than he seems. Absolutely delightful <333

HISTORICAL PARANORMAL

Whyborne and Griffin series by Jordan L. Hawk

The adventures of a shy sorcerer linguistic nerd, his detective husband, the most badass lady archeologist (the actual love of my life) and more, as they save the world from otherworldly beings bent on destroying it. Will make you cry about found families, strong and wonderful friendships and broken people finding strength in each other. Has magic, archeology, monsters, reluctant travels, lesbian warrior fishes and the best ginger cat in the world.

Hexworld series by Jordan L. Hawk

Turn of the century New York witch detectives and their familiars must fight to uncover a conspiracy plan to change the world. Really amazing worldbuilding, the magic system is very cool and it will make you furious about the treatment of familiars. The familiars are, generally speaking, fucking hilarious.

A Charm of Magpies by KJ Charles

Filthy-mouthed dominant earl falls in love with a stubborn and heroic wizard, together they create magic. A lot of people want that magic though, and it gets ugly. First KJ book I’ve ever read and I fell in love instantly. Has two more books set in the same universe with different protagonists and those are also amazing. (Rag and Bone is the one with black protagonist)

A Death by Silver by Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold

University-era friends need to figure out their confused emotions, while investigating a murder that brings out bad memories. Very good and soft, with even a better sequel

Downtime by Tamara Allen

When in London for a case, FBI agent gets sent back in time to Victorian London. While there, he finds out magic is real. Decides that since he’s there anyway, might as well investigate who Jack the Ripper was. Very sweet and soft

Restless Spirits by Jordan L. Hawk

A medium and a scientist bent on proving said medium to be a fraud get chosen to be in a contest to prove which side is better. They end up having to team up to save lives of people around.

The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles

Journalist and writer Robert Caldwell has been a close friend and lover of ghost hunter Simon Feximal for years and has been chronicling their adventures. Now, he finally writes the true story of their life together. Warning: this book will absolutely ruin you for years to come. You will be a mess whenever you think of the book and you will enjoy every second of it.

Green Men by KJ Charles

Set in the world of The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal. Only few years after WW1, Britain is still recovering from the war. Having lost an entire generation of youth and most of the sorcerers the country had, those left are completely unprepared for what’s to come. Wonderful characters, the softest romance I’ve read possibly ever and beautifully melancholic. Best KJ book, in my opinion.

CONTEMPORARY

Shadow of the Templar by M. Chandler

FBI agent and his team are tasked with catching a famous international art thief, they end up kinda sorta accidentally adopting him instead. One of the funniest series I’ve ever read, honestly.

Cut&Run by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban

The incredible adventures on an unlikely pair of FBI agents go from enemies to lovers. Includes serial killers, undercover luxury yacht trips, tiger trafficking, drugs, marine buddies and one of the genuinely best character developments I’ve read. Warning, the first book is a bit shit. The rest is absolutely incredible though.

The General and the Horse-lord by Sarah Black

Retired ex-military lovers need to figure out what to do with their relationship, now that they’re civillians. A soft look at older gay people still figuring out their sexuality.

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic

Neil Josten is on the run from his mafia murderous father and gets signed up for a professional college sports team, while people are still after him. It’s a really powerful emotional journey, but contains a large amount of a very triggering content, so be safe please.

 CONTEMPORARY PARANORMAL

THIRDS series by Charlie Cochet

FBI like team consisting of shifters and their partners must investigate conspiracy and threats against the new shifter population. Ridiculously hilarious at times, absolutely heartbreaking at other.

Deep Magic by Gillian St. Kevern

A story steeped in welsh folklore, with beautiful mermaid princes and knights who will save them. Shows the power stories have to change our lives. Plus it’s free so what are you waiting for?

Psycop series by Jordan Castillo Price

A medium detective and his partner investigate a series of supernatural crimes. People are horrible, corporations are horrible, ghosts are horrible and lbr, everything is kinda horrible, but it gets better.

Wriggle and Sparkle by Megan Derr

The adventures of Lynn the Kraken shifter and Anderson the unicorn shifters, their detective careers, and their life together. Honestly adorable. And when I say adorable, I mean sparkles-on-rainbow-filled-cupcake kind of adorable. Also, Lynn’s gender-presentation is fluid and it’s absolutely wonderful.

FANTASY

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Prince gets betrayed and sent as a slave to his sworn enemy, they end up working together to save their countries and fall in love. The best enemies to lovers example. Has amazing and complex politics, unreliable narrator and great worldbuilding. You’ve probably already heard of this book, but if you’re worried about triggers, please ask someone who actually read it, because there’s a lot of misinformation flying around.

Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling

The fantasy series of your dreams. There is ancient evil being revived, war is coming, everyone is bisexual and the kingdom is ruled by an ancient line of warrior queens. Everyone is wonderful and charming, characters are complex and the story will make you laugh and cry.

The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek

Western-style world, where gods are reborn as humans, and one of them tried to control the whole world. It doesn’t go exactly as he planned.

Lord of the White Hell by Ginn Hale

Teenage genius inventor gets accepted to a prestigious boarding school in enemy territory. His room-mate might be demon-possesed and there’s some evil magic lurking around.

Champion of the Scarlet Wolf by Ginn Hale

Somewhat sequel to Lord of the White Hell. Disgraced noble travels to a faraway country, where he saves an injured dog. Turns out the dog isn’t just a dog, magic is everywhere around them and there’s a witch war coming.

Fairytales Slashed vol. 1 by Megan Derr

A collection of gay fairy tales. All kinds of stories with all kinds of characters (my favourite one is the one with the jester <333)

Dance with the Devil by Megan Derr

Adventures of half-ghost detective, his demon husband, imp partner, witch colleague and a vampire. Really cute and intriguing, with mysteries and conspiracies.

Dance in the Dark by Megan Derr

Set in the same universe as Dance with the Devil (there’s an entire series). Human son of a dracula becomes a detective, moves out to the city to help others, and gains a lover who only visits him in the dark.

The Rapier Brothers by Megan Derr

A collection of short stories centered around swordsmen. Three different couples, three really cute stories. Love it.

[tsukuyomi-r]

Wash before the storm as always 🥶

[rapturous-syndicate]

Power Duo

[thatsastepladder]

A thought: Miraculous Ladybug, but properly set in the DCU. Not just "Miraculous but they interact with some DC characters" but a version of the show where it's properly grounded in the setting.

A few ideas/headcanons for this AU:

The Miraculous come from Nanda Parbat. Fu and the other Guardians were monks under Rama Kushna.

At some point, multiple Miraculous fell into the hands of the Chinese government, and there were Miraculous holders as members of the Great Ten.

There were a French Ladybug and Chat Noir during World War II who worked alongside the All-Star Squadron. However, Hitler's possession of the Spear of Destiny made them largely ineffective, as using their powers in Axis-occupied territory would cause them to be magically compelled to turn on their people.

Alya's fandom of Majestia is replaced by a similar admiration for Wonder Woman, and one of her most prized possessions is a signed copy of her book, Reflections.

Hawkmoth's activity in Paris attracts the attention of the French government, who deploy their highest-ranking operative, Josephine Tautin, alias Mademoiselle Marie, to investigate. Tautin runs afoul of Ladybug and Chat Noir on multiple occasions - think Argent from Carmen Sandiego.

Aside from making Akumas, Hawkmoth also takes to hiring costumed criminals to steal the Miraculous for him. This goes about as well as you'd expect...

...Especially because his more brazen attempts to get the Miraculous (Syren, in particular) attract the attention of the Justice League.

However, it's the Teen Titans - Tim Drake's team - who are the first American heroes to visit Paris and befriend Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"Rena Rouge" is French for "red fox" and there just happened to be a French DC heroine (well, heroines - they were twins sharing one costumed identity) called the Crimson Fox. In this AU, I doubt Alya would pass up the chance to homage one of Paris's very own heroines with her own costumed identity.

Speaking of which, the Justice League International had an embassy in Paris until it was destroyed by a middle-aged British man dressed in a beefeater outfit. Given the sliding timescale, the idea of superheroes in Paris wouldn't have been too far back in people's memories.

And that's not to mention other French heroes like Fleur-De-Lis of the Global Guardians or Nightrunner of Batman, Inc.

Chloe calling herself Queen Bee would definitely attract the attention of Zazzala, the alien conqueror who also goes by Queen Bee, who'd probably try to kill her out of sheer pettiness.

[davidmann95]

Of the various post-Club of Heroes international batmen (i.e., Nightrunner, Zavimbe, etc) which is the best, and which do you think could best support a new solo?

I think Incorporated made a compelling case for Man-of-Bats on both fronts.