#not that folklore isn’t mature

[fogsupwindshieldglass]

The Tortured Poets Department is giving folklore but sexy and mature and also directly autobiographical….

[grandtheoristpeach]

TTPD Drop Night

me: curious about the album, playing stardew valley while I wait for it to release

me: I’ll keep playing while I listen!

me: hears the opening verse of fortnight * closes laptop in disbelief *

me: you have my full attention Taylor

[pintsizemama]

Krampus

Day 22

Summary: Cassian tells the kids about Krampus.

Pairings: Rhys, Cassian, & Azriel x You (Reader)

Fandom: ACOTAR (AU)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: language, talk of Krampus eating kids, poly relationship

Word Count: 494

A/N: This is a modern AU. You are in a poly relationship with Cassian, Rhysand, and Azriel. This is my first time writing these characters, but I’m open to more if you guys want to see them again.

Day 21 Day 23 Christmas Masterlist Main Masterlist AO3 Join my taglist

You walked in the front door happy to feel the warmth after a day out in the cold. Rhys and Azriel followed in behind you. You all took your coats off and ran upstairs to hide the Christmas presents you had bought before the kids could see them. Once they were hidden away you began to look for Cassian and the kids.

“Cass?” You called out. The three of you ended up back downstairs and made your way to the family room once you heard his voice.

“I thought you got coal in your stocking if you were bad?” Your oldest son asked Cassian in his sweet little voice.

“According to this legend, the bad children are eaten by Krampus,” Cassian told him. Your younger son and daughter gasped.

“He no eat us, Papa,” your daughter said fearfully.

“Of course he won’t eat you, princess,” Cassian assured her. “You’ve been an angel all year. Santa is bringing you all the presents.”

“But sometimes I don’t listen to mommy,” your oldest son whispered. All three kids looked terrified.

“Cassian!” You half shouted. “What the hell are you telling them?” Cass startled when he heard your voice.

“Hey, sweetheart!” He grinned. “Successful shopping trip?”

“Don’t change the subject,” you scolded him. “What nonsense are you filling their heads with?”

“We were just reading a book about Christmas traditions and folklore,” he said innocently.

“And you didn’t think to skip over the Krampus eats children part?” Azriel said drolly.

“It’s not real,” Cassian argued, “so I didn’t think it would be a big deal.”

“Krampus isn’t real?” Your son asked.

“No, sweetie,” you answered. He looked puzzled for a moment before asking, “Is Santa not real then too?” You all looked at each other with wide eyes. Rhys sighed heavily.

“Do you believe Santa is real?” Rhys asked the children. They all nodded enthusiastically. “Well, there you have it. Santa is real, Krampus is not.”

“Sure Daddy?” Your daughter asked hopefully.

“Yes, darling,” Rhys replied. Her shoulders sagged in relief. The kids scampered off to play and you turned to Cassian.

“I can’t believe you told them that story!” You said. “They’re going to have nightmares tonight.”

“I find it interesting that you tell them a scary story on my night to have our wife alone,” Azriel said with a scowl. Cassian smiled sheepishly.

“I promise it’s just a coincidence,” he said earnestly.

“Hmm.” Azriel looked as if he didn’t believe him. “Change of plans. Cass, you get our wife tonight. I get tomorrow.”

“What?” Cass groaned. “But the kids are gonna come in and bother us!”

“And who’s fault is that?” You asked. Cassian blew out a breath.

“How about I handle the nightmares tonight, and you two enjoy yourselves?” Cass offered.

“Sounds good to me,” Azriel agreed immediately.

“Now that that’s sorted, someone keep the kids busy so I can wrap all the gifts we just bought,” you told them. “And no more scary stories!”

Day 23

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Taglist:

@alexxavicry @amneris21 @awhitewyvern @dreedhudson @harriedandharassed @lizette50 @loompyinaway @mishasminion360 @xocalliexo

[sharonccrter]

As an ex swiftie that has reconciled with the fact she’s not a good person and now all her music just leaves a bad taste, it’s very easy to see Taylor measures her value on romantic relationships. She seeks validation out of men. She cannot be alone. And one thing I keep getting proven is that she bases her personality on the man she’s dating. In 2019 I genuinely thought the backlash plus the thing with her masters made her be more genuine and grounded and I was happy she seemed to be making steps to use her platform but all of that was just Joe’s influence on her. It wasn’t real for her but was just a reflection of Joe. Folklore and Evermore being her most mature and complex albums isn’t even funny when you know Joe was in it during the whole creative process. Folklore being an album where I felt this was her most authentic self. All of that has been erased the moment she broke up with him. She went problematic again just like Matty and now she’s playing NFL wife and promoting that disgusting association. She finally found a man arrogant enough to match her own narcissism.

Here's the thing: I think we are all influenced by our partners, and they can either make us worse or better people. However, I just find it weird that Swifties say we shouldn't define her by the men she dates when she's literally defining herself that way. Regardless of the fact that TTPS was, on the whole, more about Matty, it's obvious she knew most people would think it was about Joe, especially because of the WhatsApp group, and she marketed it as such. It's a big part of her brand. Same with All Too Well, the 10-minute version, she cast someone who looks a hell of a lot like Jake on purpose. She clearly defines herself by the men she dates.

I agree. I think Folklore was the way that it was because she was influenced by the music Joe liked. That doesn't mean I'm taking away from her achievement with this album. Folklore and Evermore have some of my favourite music from her. However, I think the tone and the maturity of that album leds me to believe Joe heavily influenced it. TTPS is a major step back in terms of those things. There are about six or seven songs I adore. However, if you look at the TC songs, they are immature; they are so high school (sorry, I couldn't resist). The thing is, during the Folklore, Evermore, and even Lover era (and I might even extend that to Midnights...) she had self-awareness - she was saying neither of them are perfect people. TTPS is a return to her "it's all your fault" era. It's a regression IMO.

[chibishortdeath]

Labeling this one mature cause it’s artistic nudity, which isn’t something I usually draw but yippie! Scar and anatomy reference! :3

I have explanations of where most of these scars come from, so I’ll go through them :)

The massive one covering his whole upper back is the one Dracula gave him and the one that bares the curse. I tried to make it kinda gnarly looking, but still distinctly claw marks. There’s a couple other scratches near it from other creatures.

The ones on his arms come from a couple things. I imagine he uses his arm bracers a lot to block things and sometimes hits are still enough to leave a mark under them. The scars also come from an effect of the curse: rotting. Rot usually starts at extremities and would leave some nastiness there, probably exacerbated by moving a lot. The first three images have the legs not visible but I usually put something similar there too.

Speaking of, the very large ones on his lower legs in the fourth image are burn scars from the scene of X68000 and Chronicles where the rooms before Dracula set on fire! I guess some of it might also be from walking in the cursed swamp too.

Most of the random smaller ones are just generally from fighting monsters. Tbh I’d be more surprised if he didn’t have any scars from having axes and bones and fire and fleamen thrown at him all the time lol.

In the third image there’s a couple bite marks and yeah those are from Drac too. I’ve seen some folklore about vampires being able to drain people long distance or while not being entirely corporal and yeah that sounds like something he’d do through the curse just to make Simon’s life worse. Idk, I have the novel Dracula and I should be reading it for other ideas for stuff tbh. This one might change entirely eh who knows. Either way, I think the curse’s ultimate goal was to make him suffer and then turn him after he dies from it so I wanted to add some more implications that he’d become a vampire if he failed to break the curse.

There’s some other things of note that aren’t scars. I try to make him look a little frailer and thinner in Simon’s Quest cause well yeah the curse. I don’t think it’s noticeable here since the fourth image isn’t the Simon’s Quest design and he doesn’t look much wider whoops. I’ll have to try to keep how ripped he is more consistent in later drawings 💀. Uhh I also try to make his eyes look significantly more tired, way larger eye creases and a bit of dark. If this was a colored drawing there’d be a little red under his eyes and he’d be paler than the last image. Just details to make him look sick ig.

Yeah, these are mostly doodles just for me to look back at and make sure I’m drawing him consistently d(^^ ).

[aphfrukweek]

Prompts

From 18th June to 24th of June

Day 1: London-Paris / War and Peace

Day 2: Omg they were roommates / There was only one bed

Day 3 : Spy / Royal

Day 4: Pets / Growing old

Day 5: Mistake are made / letters

Day 6: Folklore/ pinning

Day 7: Free Day

Rules

Tag your post the blog with @aphfrukweek. Feel free to add #frukweek2023 or #frukweek in your tags

You can use one of the theme or all of them if you like.

Late submissions are accepted and you are under no obligation to post for all the days.

Don’t post your submission before the time. (according to your timezone)

NSFW, gore, other triggering subjects are allowed as long as it is tagged properly (for NSFW posts, use the mature / sexual community label) and isn’t directly shown on the post. Use read more line or external link to your art / fic / creation

 No ship hate, discrimination, racism, homophobia or any other kind of hate.

@nsfhetalia @hetaliahappenings

[heyftinally]

Isn’t it funny that Taylor’s best work and probably her most mature release (Folklore) was co-written by the boyfriend she left because he was too depressed? It’s just kinda ironic. I mean, at least one good thing Joe Alwyn can take from this terrible relationship is the song writing credits.

Literally. Genuinely, I wish Joe all the best. I'm glad he's not still getting belittled by Taylor, at least not outright. As nasty as her songs and shit are, I cringe to imagine what she said to that poor man behind closed doors. I hope he takes those well-earned writing credits and puts them to good use.

[mlbigbang]

2022 General Fic Rec List

It's the end of the year which means it's finally time for the ML Big Bang's yearly fic rec lists! We're really excited to bring you our contributors' favourite fics started this year to supply you with plenty of reading material while you're waiting for the Big Bang fics' publication in January.

deliverin' by @fragileizy 5,750 words, General, 2/2 chapters

“Is everything okay?” “Yeah. Yes, of course it is, I just”—she swallows ash and ice—“it was just the Book I was reading. It, uh… their family separates after a bit, and it’s all a misunderstanding, and—” she can’t finish. She’s not allowed to. “Do you need a hug, Jules?” I need you to stay, she wants to cry. You’re my only brother. And I’ll miss you so terribly when you’re gone. Every day, I’ll be alone without you, because Mom will try to visit as often as you always visit me, but she’ll keep feeling guilty for the rest of our time together because she knows how upset I am. And she’ll be upset, too. I’ll never be able to watch her cry, but I’ll hear her. And I don’t think I’m strong enough to deal with that. “I do,” she says instead, wings closing up around her like a ball. “Please. Just for a little while.”

"Cute!!!"

Telling the bees by @feather-dancer 5,768 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Chloé and Zoé have a routine where at least once a week they meet up somewhere for a chat which is an excuse to get away from their shared mother and to vent as much as anything. Folklore says it is very important to keep the bees up to date with the coming and goings of their keepers, these two are no different. Part of Haven of Strays.

"Canon has denied us any real Zoe&Chloe sisterly content. It's up to the fanfic community ot make up the difference. This author does all that and more in a weighty interaction between two sisters who are not friends, but are sisters."

Chaotic Company by ADeadmansBliss 5,450 words, Mature, 1/1 chapter

It's been nearly a week since Adrien's acquisition of a new pet and unfortunately traumatic injury is not something that can be recovered from quickly. Bored with only an unconscious former hero for company he decides to sneak out to find some entertainment which goes fine until Hawkmoth decides to ruins it.

"It's unlike anything I've read before and it's so super fantastic!!!"

Stranger Acquaintance by @bugchat 1,885 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Marinette just wants to live her Special Agent life as quietly as possible. Put bad guys behind bars, maybe make friends with three people at work, and eat pizza once they close a case. What makes its way into her life is a mop of blond hair with a stunning smile and too much of a back-talking mouth to be healthy for her.

"It's an good AU concept with fun dynamics, and it's a short, easy read! Detective Marinette and her team of four being Alya, Nino and Kagami. There's so much room for sequels if the author chooses to!"

maybe shake a tambourine by noirshitsuji 1,703 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Written for a Miraculous Writer's Guild blog request: Start a story with "I need a place to stay." Felix looks at his cousin, sometimes. Looks and wonders. The silver ring he’d taken to wearing a couple of years ago is gone. But the Adrien he’s known since childhood isn’t there either, and, much as Felix would like to attribute the tapping he’s noticed his fingers do every time Adrien doesn’t answer one of his questions to annoyance, he knows it’s truly because he feels unnerved by it all.

"It's a lovely exploration in Felix's character and his feelings toward Adrien while absolutely teasing a glorious plot about Adrien, Marinette, and Gabriel"

(may we write it all down) in cursive light by @sunfoxfic 3,503 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Since retiring as a journalist, Alya hasn't been involved in an interview in several years. But now that her identity is out, that's about to change.

"An amazingly written future!fic that beautifully explores a time long after Hawkmoth's defeat and "our" heroes' retirement."

Off the Mark by @buggachat 4,632 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Ever since Nino's (frankly embarrassing) akumatization into Rocketear, Chat Noir's behavior had taken a strange and sudden turn in the presence of Carapace, and Nino could only think of one possible explanation: Chat Noir hated him. Somehow, Adrien didn't seem to agree.

"Any fic that focuses on Nino and Adrien being bffs is important. After Rocketear, Nino may have rambled a bit to Adrien about how weird it's been being around Chat Noir. Adrien is weirdly invested in this problem. A lot of misunderstanding leads to heightened emotions and eventual revelations. Just a really good examination of the difficulties of secret identities and being best friends."

Infestations and Maladies by @sunfoxfic 100 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Bunnix called Chat Noir to go to a mysterious version of the timeline and fix… something.

"A well-written drabble exploring a reverse Chat Blanc. A very clever concept written in a very clever way!"

In Memory Of by @graaythekwami 3,012 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Gabriel Agreste was never good with kids, but his granddaughter needed him.

"A very interesting story with a dark backstory, but it's very sweet and well-written."

I Am Your Ghost by @emmalylis 1,559 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Adrien attends one of Gabriel’s galas in his mother’s old dress.

"Adrien in a dress. Need I say more?"

goodbye, goodbye, goodbye (you were bigger than the whole sky) by @hanaasbananas 865 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Distantly, he hears the music still blaring behind him, the song mocking in its cheerfulness, imprinting itself into his memory as the soundtrack to his devastation. For a moment–the longest of his life–everything stands still, the universe holding its breath and then Sabine shrieks and it shatters like glass beneath his feet.

"This is short but its just so damn sad😭 hit me right in the feels"

Moon mission by @ultrakart 2,789 words, General, 1/1 chapter

For Fei, escaping her past is as difficult as trying to escape the Earth’s orbit.

"Kart is the king of the Shanghai special and this is such a sweet short fic that showcases just how great his writing over it is."

[bananaofswifts]

4/ STARS by Annabel Nugent

The Swiftie fatigue should’ve set in by now. The pop star, 33, is everywhere: she is re-recording old albums and releasing them periodically while also on a very sold-out, very publicised world tour, clips of which circulate hourly on social media. And yet, still fans awaited Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) with the same heady anticipation as if it were a release from an elusive artist who seldom puts out music, not pop’s hardest-working star.

It’s the third of six albums that Swift is re-recording in order to take legal control of her back catalogue. Originally released in 2010, Speak Now arrived sandwiched between 2008’s Fearless and 2012’s Red (the two records, in fact, that Swift has already remade). To listen to Speak Now, written entirely by a then 20-year-old Swift, is to hear an artist in transition – both in her music (Swift cleaves closer to pop here than she had ever done previously) and her profile, which was rising rapidly and dizzyingly.

As with previous Taylor’s Versions, the most obvious change is Swift’s voice, which is expectedly richer and more mature than it was a decade ago. It is also notably less country. That nasal twang that once plucked against the lovestruck chorus of “Mine” is no more. Its absence slightly blunts the fun factor in singing along, but not by much. (Notably too, the fiddle appears to sit lower in the mix of the rootsy, bluegrass-influenced kiss off “Mean”).

But really, the record’s appeal exists in how true it stays to the source material. This isn’t an opportunity for reinvention, but rediscovery. The shimmery haze of “Enchanted” is as enticing as ever, as is the bruised, bluesy ballad “Dear John” that takes aim at an unkind ex-lover. John Mayer, though – whom Swift briefly dated and whom the song is heavily rumoured to be about – is perhaps part of the minority who was not eagerly awaiting another round of Speak Now. Last night, he shared a photo of the night sky at his Colorado concert lit up with the words “please be kind” possibly in anticipation of the vitriol likely reinvigorated and heading his way (again).

Lyrically, too, these new versions do not stray far, if at all. The only exception is “Better than Revenge”, which has undergone one significant tinkering. The Paramore-indebted number, a pop-punk savaging of a girl who stole her boyfriend, originally included the line: “She’s better known for the things that she does/ On the mattress, whoa.” To the dismay of some fans, Swift has traded in the barbed taunt for a vaguer sentiment, something about a moth and a flame.

Sprung from the vault are six new tracks. Co-produced with her frequent collaborators, Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, these include features from Fall Out Boy (“Electric Touch”) and Hayley Williams (“Castles Crumbling”). The most talked-about track is “When Emma Falls in Love”, a lilting piano-led number that is the spiritual predecessor to “Betty” (2020’s Folklore) and “Dorothea” (2020’s Evermore). The best, though, is the very danceable “I Can See You” – a track that conjures an indie-rock mood not unlike those found on Swift’s most recent records. The past typically isn’t the most comfortable place to inhabit, but Swift embodies her younger self fully, imbuing these tracks with the same immediacy and emotional heft as she did all those years ago. Country twang or not.

[wickedsrest-rp]

Name: Mabel Chen Species: Werewolf Occupation: Server at Driftwood Diner Age: 23 Years Old Played By: Lucky Face Claim: Havana Liu Rose

"I just wish people stopped acting like there’s a gold medal at the end of the race when you act like you care."

TW: Parental death, infidelity

There isn’t much to say about Mabel’s early days. She was born to a Russian mother and a Chinese father who immigrated to the States as a couple in their early twenties and found normalcy in odd jobs until they felt stable enough to start a family. Although their dreams of having a big one became stunted when they figured starting over with a second baby was too much work they weren’t eager to sign up for. So they focused their attention on Mabel, and tried their best to give her a plentiful life.

Mabel’s mother was known for having no backbone, and Mabel’s father was known for being a little too particular about everything. Mabel could count in the fingers of one hand the amount of times she heard her mother’s opinion about a subject, be it grand or mundane. She reduced herself to the labors his father was not equipped to do or, in Mabel’s now mature opinion, just decided not to. This was the case for as long as she could remember, and it ended abruptly when she was fourteen.

Recollections of that day seem blurry now. The house was as quiet as it always was when she returned from school, but that day there was an unusual emptiness to it that she picked up as soon as she walked through the door. Going through the rooms yelling out for her parents turned useless when they weren’t there to answer, and when an unexpected knock came to the door she couldn’t help but jump to the inevitable conclusion that something wasn’t right. Behind it was her nextdoor neighbor, her face captured by an anguished look.

Mabel’s father had suffered a fatal heart attack, and her mother fell into an endless denial. Her ineptness had become Mabel’s responsibility, turning the escape from her household into a routine. She found solace in wandering the streets, exploring the city, and discovering new places to temporarily forget the weight of her new reality.

It was during one of these escapades that she encountered an enigmatic older man. Their relationship started innocently enough, filled with illusion and daydreams. Little did Mabel know, however, that beneath this man’s charming exterior lurked a tangled web of lies. One evening, Mabel accidentally stumbled upon the truth about his double life. He was married, a family man with a house full of children too bored to bother about the consequences of seeking entertainment outside of his TV set and the sports channel. The revelation fueled a heated argument that shattered the illusion of happiness she thought they had built.

Furious and betrayed, Mabel stormed out, determined not to accept a ride from the man who had deceived her. Alone and with no money, she began the long walk home, each step fueled by a mix of anger, confusion, and heartbreak.

It was during this fateful journey that she encountered a creature lurking in the shadows.

Without warning, it pounced, sinking its teeth into her flesh. In the chaos that ensued, she fought back, bewildered and terrified. Eventually breaking free, she stumbled her way home, her body pulsating with an otherworldly energy.

You would think fate would be accommodating, but the next new moon was only a few nights away. Mabel didn’t know she would be experiencing pain and insatiable hunger like she never had before.

Searching for answers, she turned to the internet, where a mix of folklore and reality pointed to a shocking conclusion – she had turned into a werewolf.

However, what initially felt like a course soon became the best thing that could happen to her. The full moon brought her a sense of liberation like nothing she had felt before. She began to relish the transformations, savoring the moments when she felt less human, less responsible for her mother’s sanity, less vulnerable to the heartbreak that had come to her not soon before. Every full moon became a dance with the unknown, a symphony of possibilities that resonated deep within her. She felt driven by a new sense of urgency to escape the constraints of her life, so she decided to make an altering life decision.

Fueled by a mix of anger, disappointment, maybe a bit of rebellion, as well as the primal instincts awakening within her, Mabel decided to leave hometown under the cover of darkness to embrace the unknown that laid ahead in Wicked’s Rest.

Once settled, Mabel embarked on a journey of adaptation, to which she began to see no end. Without a doubt, maintaining control of her new nature was not as easy a task as she had initially believed, and the torment did not hide from leaving evidence in her mood.

Character Facts:

Personality: Resilient, impulsive, courageous, stubborn, adaptable, secretive

Although not fluent, she speaks Russian and Mandarin Chinese.

Mabel’s father was a farmer, which meant he used all the help he could get. Mabel learned some things in her childhood while helping him with the upkeep of the land and animals, and although it’s not something she has ever expressed before, she would like to acquire a piece of land in the near future to do the same.

The day she arrived at Wicked’s Rest, she went to an animal shelter in hopes to find a pet. That’s how she found Chimney, the long and orange haired cat. He has black spots of hair all over his body that give him a dirty look, as if he had just gone down a chimney, hence his name.

The wired earbuds in Mabel’s ears at all times are playing everything but music. She often distracts herself with audio books she doesn’t have the attention span to read as there is nothing else she would dread more than to have a moment with her own thoughts.

She is renting a small shed in the back of an old lady’s home in Harborside. She often joins in for Sunday’s dinner with her family when they come to visit from Seven Peaks.

[septembersghost]

i wrote some of this in a message to someone, but i feel like actually posting it publicly.

earlier today, i watched a video analysis/response to midnights from a french lit professor (i've seen a couple of the ones he's done before, he started with lover and is very admiring of her talent, and his analysis is engaging even when we have different opinions), who called this her best album, but what was interesting to me is that even though he loved it and praised its artistry/lyricism/sonic qualities, he also doesn't (by his own admission) really "get" it insofar as relating to her not only as the artist, but as the human being she is. he kept mentioning he's not a swiftie, ie: he knows very little of her personal life, he doesn't know if she's with the "same guy" that was mentioned on lover (someone please tell him about joe and the william bowery of it all because he was so moved by sweet nothing!), doesn't know much of anything about her, he's just responding to the music. which is lovely and usually totally fine! there's no other album where i'd say, "well, actually, you really do need to know!" (maybe rep, but not to this degree), because every other album could, in a sense, be depersonalized for the casual listener and still appreciated and enjoyed. i think knowing about her elevates them all, and is valuable to understand the meaning of her writing, and taking that away altogether can be dehumanizing and diminishing of her, but still, the music is enjoyable independently of that.

but on midnights? you need to fundamentally know her stories, and something of the journey of her life, to be able to comprehend what she's talking about, why it affected her, why she's revisiting it, why certain things haunt her, why certain things sustain her, where she is in her life and love now. why some of it is so reflective and raw and visceral. why "i'm the problem, it's me" isn't some admission to hold against her, or only a wry joke, but also profoundly self-loathing and wounded, what the "everybody agrees" signifies in her head, or the admissions and hurt and then resilient tonal shift in "you're on your own, kid." midnights is all her. it's from her entire life and soul, laid out unflinchingly. and i just keep thinking about how brave and almost audacious that is of her, when she knows she's been so scrutinized and so speculated about, when she knows that those of us who care about her as a person AND as an artist follow her individual stories and path, for better or worse, and when she knows that critics praised her for pivoting into "fiction" (even though folklore and evermore have so much of her and her reality in them), as if it was superior and easier to take her seriously only if she wasn't explicitly talking about herself.

this, to me, is hugely taking her power back, as much as the process of re-recording is. taking ownership of how her life and her art is hers. there are her stories, and this time she's asking us to step into her world and her perspective, to accept that as her daily existence and her history, in order for this album to be fully effective, to have its intended resonance. she's asking us to remember and recognize what she's written about before, as she explores it with a more mature and raw and intimate sense.

@cowboylikedean and i were talking about how this is taylor at her most honest, and how moving it is that the response to this album has been so massive. she is being embraced in her truth, as her whole, authentic self. she doesn't have to be polished or perfect, she only has to be taylor. i said, "the real, true taylor is so special and brilliant and beautiful, and that's her best self," and zoë said, "she was always enough, just as she is." it's an extraordinary thing to witness. i feel so blessed that i got to be here to see it happen. i love her and am in awe of her, and that's nothing new, but it's so profound here. it just, well, hits different on this record.

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

Meet Me Behind the Mall

by writteninthewolfstar

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley/Chrissy Cunningham, Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson Character: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Chrissy Cunningham, Tommy Hagan, Jason Carver, Gareth (Stranger Things) Additional Tags: Bisexual Steve Harrington, Gay Eddie Munson, Inspired by Teenage Love Triangle (folklore - Taylor Swift), Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Summer Romance, Summer Love, Fluff, Light Angst, Childhood Friends, Abusive Parents, Song: august (Taylor Swift), Song: betty (Taylor Swift), Song: cardigan (Taylor Swift), Period-Typical Homophobia, but it's not too heavy, Drug Use, Underage Drinking, Making Out, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Anal Sex, Happy Ending, POV Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Steve Harrington's Scoops Ahoy Uniform, Friends to Lovers, First Time Words: 105,722 Chapters: 16/16

Summary

Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler are Hawkins High's "it couple". There's just one problem- Nancy isn't in love with Steve. When she goes away to New York for the summer, Steve is expecting to spend his own summer missing her. He isn't expecting Eddie Munson to show up. And he certainly isn't expecting their new friendship to turn into something more... -OR- The folklore love triangle, but make it Stranger Things (Steddie happy ending guaranteed)

[nat-seal-well]

Title: Ouroboros (Devour Me)

Pairing: Nat Sewell/Detective (OC)

Chapter: 3/?

Rating: Mature

Warnings: this is horror! Mind the tags, please

It’s a well-known symbol, she knows. There are few people who are as learned in folklore and mythology as she is, after devoting much of her life to her research, though it is by no means obscure. But even for all its popularity, it isn’t used by much outside of novels and films and niche subcultures. To see it twice in one day, twice in the same place—in this place, specifically… it has to mean something, doesn’t it? Nat can’t see any way that it wouldn’t.

The serpent with its tail in its mouth represents infinity. Unity, binding together all things, both seen and unseen. The unending cycle of death and rebirth.

She does not like that it’s here. She doesn’t like it at all.

[plovton]

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠   𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬   𝐨𝐟   ┊  𝑇ℎ𝑒  𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡  𝑜𝑓  𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠,  𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ  𝑎𝑛𝑑  𝑟𝑒𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ,  𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑙𝑦  𝑙𝑖𝑡  𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑚𝑠,  ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑦  𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑  𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠,  𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠  𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡  𝑔𝑜  𝑏𝑢𝑚𝑝  𝑖𝑛  𝑡ℎ𝑒  𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡,  𝑡ℎ𝑒  𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒  𝑜𝑓  𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠,  𝑎  𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟  𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔  𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑝  𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ  𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑝𝑒𝑟  𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠  &  𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑙𝑦  𝑘𝑒𝑝𝑡  𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑠.

★ | #𝙋𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙏𝙊𝙉  | selective      &      mutually      exclusive      HADES      from      GREEK      MYTH      inspired      by      various      media      and      literature      interpretations      which      are      reimagined      to      fit      into      a      more      modern      world.  This      blog      is      loosely      inspired      by      dark      fantasy,  gothic      horror,    retellings of   mythology      &     folklores.

PROMO ✦ CARRD ✦ AES

⸺ MINORS DNI. This blog is not suitable for all ages. I only write with 21+ writers. Initiated and honed circa winter 2024. ➥ Worshipped by Nox .

Carrd isn't quite ready, I am in the position of getting it ready for this account. For now, I have listed rules for your accessibility.

OOC : Lets cover this first, this is a SAFE PLACE, so HOMOPHOBIA , TRANSPHOBIA & RACISM of any kind will NOT be tolerated under ANY CIRCUSTANCES. You will be BLOCKED. MUN goes by Nox, is 29 years old apart of the LGBTQIA+ community and uses HE/HIM PRONOUNS. THIS IS A MATURE BLOG MINORS DNI! PREFERS TO WRITE/ INTERACT WITH 21+ MUNS.

SELECTIVITY / FOLLOWING : I’m SELECTIVE & PRIVATE. I roleplay for fun and it will never be an obligation, so if I would like to stop writing with you or if I’m no longer feeling it please don’t take it personally. NOT only that but due to the nature of this portrayal, I might not always follow you back. Give me time firstly, I usually will look through your blog before deciding on whether it's "safe." I'm open to roleplaying with just about anyone but being that this is a PRIVATE BLOG, I do only follow those I want to write with or see myself writing with.

SHIPPING : I ship with chemistry, NSFW content or SMUT isn’t necessary. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SENDING RP ASKS THAT ARE OF THAT NATURE. They will likely be ignored or responded to in a non-romantic platonic way. I do not accept those sorts of ASKS UNLESS A CONNECTION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. I am currently not looking for any kind of ships, but am highly affiliated with @thewhitemaiden and my storylines are interwoven with hers.

DISCORD : Discord is for mutuals only and will be given ( if asked) after we have begun writing, discussing or at least interacting somewhat. I don't feel comfortable giving my discord out to someone I don't know, as I use my discord for other purposes other than writing.

TRIGGER WARNINGS : My muse can be triggering for many, I will do my best to tag any and all content I find to be possible TRIGGERING CONTENT. I HAVE MENTIONED THIS THROUGH MY BLOG. MATURE THEMES are to be EXPECTED, Due to the nature of my muse. I will only write with AGE CONSENTED ADULTS. THEMES to mention through blog as whole : *Drug and Alcohol use, Substance Abuse, Violence, Explicit Language, Death, Killing, Blood - Gore.

STYLE : I'm a MULTI-PARA writer, I use GIF / ICON, small text, italic and BOLD lettering when writing but I don’t expect others to do the same. I'm lazy and sometimes you might find my post not having anything, I pick and chose when to colorize. PLEASE do not feel as if you have to style your writing or even use icons. I don't care I'm just super OCD and have a preference for my writing.

ACTIVITY : My time online is low to med activity, Sometimes my responses are SLOW I work a FULL TIME JOB and don't always have the time MENTAL ENERGY to be online. My muse can be very fickle. I work throughout the week with having weekends off, so most times you will catch me online readily available, if my energy and muse cooperates. During the week (due to other responsibilities and obligations),  those days I have little capacity to get anything done when it comes to WRITING / PRODUCTIVITY.

DASH THINGS : I like my dash to clear of SPAM, you can post what you want but it's my decision whether or not I want to see it. Another thing, I will likely unfollow if you post EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS NUDE OR PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES/GIFS. I'm all for nsfw content to a degree, but content like that I really don't care for it on a writing platform. I write to WRITE, if it's concealed in links that's fine, but out in the open, I have to pass. This doesn't mean I have an issue with some, but if I'm seeing this all the time, and that's all I'm seeing from you, I will soft block.

DISCUSSIONS : I will be honest while I need discussions to write they can intimidate me, sometimes I question my creativity. Interactions ooc give me anxiety, quite a double edge sword. So if we are unable to plot I do love memes, so please send one if any catches your eye!

INTOLERANCES : Roleplay is my escape from reality, SO PETTINESS, DRAMA OR HATE. WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. I really don't want to see it.. I won't engage in any CALLOUT POSTS, and honestly I don't care for them, If you tend to post a lot of that INSTEAD OF WRITING, I will likely soft block ,it's nothing personal. I just want to enjoy my time and not be BOMBARDED with negativity. This should be a SAFE PLACE FOR ALL, meaning if I'm uncomfortable with the DRAMA you post, it's my choice to REMOVE YOU so I don't have to feel anxiety over your CONTENT.

[stuckybingo]

Stucky Bingo Round-Up #34 (May 24th - May 28th)

Don’t forget to fill out the submission form to be a part of the round-ups and to get your bingo badges! Round 4 ends May 31st and all works must be submitted before then!

At Breakfast by andrea1717 Square filled: I5 - AU: TV show/ Movie /Book Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternative Universe, Inspired by Call me by your name, Sexual Tension Summary: Moodboard & a snippet from one of my upcoming AU stories. Format: Art

A Surprise by Andrea1717 Square filled: G1 - Art Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternative Universe, inspired by Titanic, Moodboard Summary: A moodboard and a snippet from one of my upcoming Stucky AU's. Format: Art

Making All Things New - Chapter 3 by PolliZ Square filled: B1 - Mutual Pining Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply, barbed penis/pain during sex Major tags: A/B/O, Omegaverse, Sex Worker!Bucky, Cap!Steve/Modern!Bucky, Alpha!Steve, omega!Bucky, anal sex, knotting, Summary: Awash in endorphins, Bucky blurts out more than he intended, and Steve takes it in stride. They get cleaned up, but Steve isn’t quite finished. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

Beyond the Beast - Chapter One by PoliZ Square filled: O4 - AU: Supernatural Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply, offscreen death of animal/dealing with aftermath Major tags: Supernatural AU, Fantasy AU, Spells & Enchantments, Mentions of Myth and Folklore Summary: When an unknown beast begins prowling around the village of Brookline, its resident spell-caster goes on the alert. Little does Steve know that he has a powerful connection to the creature. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

The Morning After by Andrea1717 Square filled: N4 - AU: Detectives Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternative Universe, inspired by My Policeman, Forbidden Love Summary: A moodboard and a snippet from one of my upcoming Stucky AU's inspired by My Policeman. Format: Art

Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow Chapter 4: Tomorrowland: Carousel of Progress & Tomorrowland Speedway by Jimothy Square filled: I5 - Electricity Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: I am choosing not to use archive warnings (eg because you don't want to spoil the ending) Major tags: Fluff, Disney World AU, Summary: While Bucky and Tony get their fill of Space Mountain, Steve and Peggy decide to kick their feet up and go through the Carousel of Progress. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

Smutconnoisseur’s Fic Recs Vol 1 - AU: Babysitter Edition by Smutconnoisseur Square filled: O3 - AU : Babysitter Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Minor character death mentioned Major tags: Rec List, Explicit works, Mind the tags, Babysitter /Nanny AU Summary: Smutconnoisseur’s Rec List - Babysitter AU Edition Format: Reclist

The Games by Andrea1717 Square filled: B5 - Clones Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, Blood and Violence, blood and injury, Major tags: Alternative Universe, inspired by The Hunger Games,Hurt and Comfort,Love,Hopeful ending Summary: Bucky and Steve must participate in the games were they have to find and kill their clones to survive. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

The Darkness Within by smutconnoisseur Square filled: Adopted square - KINK: WET DREAMS Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: I am choosing not to use archive warnings (eg because you don't want to spoil the ending), Explicit Content, Consensual Non-Consensual, Somnophilia, Rough Sex Major tags: Explicit sexual content, Alternate Universe - Modern, cock warming, Dirty talk, Somnophilia, Barebacking Summary: When Bucky finds Steve asleep in his bed, his desires become overwhelming, and he can't resist the opportunity to indulge in his long-held fantasies involving his best friend. It turns out that dreams do come true; you just have to make them wet first. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

[max-imumbooks]

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

Gilded is a fantasy retelling of the Rumplestiltskin fairytale, focusing on a storyteller named Serilda, who has a knack for telling fantastical tales that exasperate the adults of her rural village but entrances the children.

One story that everyone knows is that of the Erlking, and that every full moon he and his demons ride the countryside, hunting quarry both mundane and arcane, and drawing unwary humans to join their chase– many of whom are never seen again.

One night, a pair of mystical beings seek refuge from the hunt on Serilda’s doorstep, setting off a chain of events that lands Serilda in the dark king’s dungeon with a pile of straw he expects her to spin into gold. 

Serilda knows she’s in trouble– will her stories be enough to get her out of it?

My first introduction to Mariss Meyer was her Lunar Chronicles (Cinder) series, which I enjoyed for its imaginative retelling of familiar fairytales, and Gilded is no different. But where Cinder was aimed at a younger audience, Gilded appears geared towards a slightly more mature audience-- the themes are darker, even a tad gruesome in the telling of German folklore. Gilded’s ensemble of characters is also smaller than Cinder’s allowing a closer focus of a single narrator and their characterization, which is clear and distinct from the rest of the cast.

My biggest surprise of the novel is the romance it features– which I actually enjoyed. I’ve found many heterosexual relationships to be rather cookie-cutter across the young/new adult category, and while the ship here doesn’t necessarily deviate from the usual formula, its presentation is fresh and enjoyable. The requisite initial combativeness lacks any real malice, and soon becomes a teasing banter on both sides even before it becomes romantic– they’re allowed the room to breathe, becoming friends before love is even mentioned.

For those interested, the novel does contain a budding queer relationship between two minor characters. Their relationship doesn’t influence the plot in any way, almost an afterthought inclusion, but it’s refreshing in the fact that there isn’t any stigma surrounding their relationship– uncommon in today’s fiction. Not a distraction, not a champion, just there– existing like any other peripheral relationship.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys strong female characters, romantic relationships built on a foundation of mutual trust, and folklore of any kind. The plot moves quickly, never lingering overlong in any particular scene, but not so quickly that you miss the scenery going by. The prose is descriptive and engaging, and each character has a strong identity. While there are of course mysteries as the story plays out, the novel doesn’t rely on twists, turns, or shock value to keep the reader engaged. It simply remains enjoyable through and through, the journey interesting enough to see the characters to their destination.

Rating: 5 stars