#not to mention the ending in general *chef kiss*

[aleksikesa]

▸Games Played in 2023

Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (2023) dev. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

[globalrebrand]

A Day in the Life of Professor Crewel & Spouse

Warnings: None! Fluff. Just a little something for Crewel. Vague mentions of future children/pregnancy but no pronouns used. One gendered act of chivalry mentioned .

Together your purchase a large family home on Sage’s Isle. Crewel could Never justify the purchase of such a massive house independently, but now that he has you he’s able to acquire the large coastal home he’s always dreamed of for you and your family. 

Crewel wakes up on week days at dawn usually around 6 and goes for a run with his two dogs. You (and your dog) are welcome to run with him if you’d like, he aims to do a 5k in about 30 minutes usually, but you’ll add in a little time on the front and back for stretching. If you come with on the weekends there’s a good chance he can be convinced to stop in one of the bakeries in town, stop for 15 minutes or so to drink/eat a light pastry before running home.  

However you only do this if the weather is permitting, in the winter, Divus heads to a gym in town to swim laps or uses your home gym with you. He’s a big believer that the couples that exercises together, stays together.

After some morning fitness, it generally tea time. Usually you take turns cooking breakfast on Divus’ turns he cooks something light, but well spiced, nutrient rich and complimentary to a cup of tea of course. He’s generally not a fan of sweet breakfast or heavy foods, but has become partial of the occasional waffle if you’re making them. You either together usually at your kitchen island or in the breakfast room.

By then it’s about 7 and you both get ready for school. Crewel likes to pick out coordinating outfits. Not matching but complimentary. He won’t insist that you wear something but if you aren’t feeling up to picking an outfit, he’ll give you options.

Then you drive to campus, after dropping the dogs off at daycare. Crewel always drives and don’t even think about getting out of your side of the car before he comes to get you. He’ll open your door and help you out. 

Then you ascend the front steps of the school hand in hand. When you reach the front doors Crewel gives the back of your hand a kiss before releasing your hand. Once you enter the door you’re no longer spouses but colleagues.

You drop hands but Crewel still walks you to your  classroom in the morning. Most students aren’t in until homeroom starts at 8:30. 

Usually you don’t eat lunch together, you both agree it’s best to spend time chatting with your colleagues, you’ll see each other at the end of the day anyway. But you both take care to ask the chefs to reserve dishes for each other depending on who gets there first. 

Crewel isn’t afraid to steal a kiss or two, or three when no one is looking. If he’s feeling really bold, he’ll pin your hips to your desk so you have no choice but to cling to him as he kisses you senselessly. When he’s finished he’ll chastely kiss your forehead and mutter good pet, before switching the subject to something much more mundane like dinner plans. 

You eat out rather often, maybe 2-3 nights a week. You and Crewel have a collection of favorite restaurants in town. His favorites are the ones on the coast with a good wine selection. 

After dinner you pick up the dogs from daycare and go for a night walk if it isn't too cold. Usually no longer than an hour.

Crewel often has to take papers home to grade and such, so please bring him some tea and rub his shoulders before attending to whatever it is that you need to do.

After he leaves his study, you may watch an episode of a show or chat and listen to music to decompress, but more often than not you both retired to your shared room for *ahem* intimate activities. After which you and Crewel let the dogs in and complete your night care routines before snuggling up and calling it a day!

Crewel can't say he misses the bachelor life when he gets to go to bed and wake up next to you everyday. You and his pups are the highlight of his life. Well until you and he can have some pups of your own.

[sweetandsavageautistic]

(CW: Cringe, Autism Parents stuff, drunk mention, infantilization)

So I don't have a degree in Graphic Design, but I do have a sense of general aesthetic. I figured that it's April. Let's rate, and potentially verbally tear apart and drag through the mud, some autism shirts and graphic designs, and I'll probably do a part 2, these scores are only semi-arbitrary: First up is this:

Already off the top, I am confusion because it seems to read "I wear puzzle cousin autism awareness". Sounds like whoever made this was drunk.

Puzzle pieces, ew.

The red, yellow, green, and blue look like the shades you'd see in elementary school, so that seems pretty infantilizing.

Autism Awareness, I am very much aware of my existence.

Final Score: 0 out of 10. Designer, go home; you're drunk.

Next we have this:

This one already has a slight advantage over the first because it's at least coherent in terms of the message.

Elementary school colors, but make it extra tacky.

Puzzle pieces; don't try to bullshit me by putting the autism awareness banner over it, I can see the other indents that make them puzzle pieces.

Once again, I am well aware of my own existence.

At least it's a smaller design.

Final Score: 0.5 out of 10, and that's being generous.

Next one's not a shirt, but it still counts:

No blue so thank God for that.

This is up to personal preference, but to me, the person-first language is giving "I need to be reminded that someone is a person."

Puzzle pieces. Ew. Don't BS me, I can see them.

Walk down Autism Lane. (it's right below the word LOVE) Sorry, but we don't allow ableists on Autism Lane; you need to be a premium member and to be a premium member, you need to not be a dick.

The pumpkin disturbs me for some reason, and not in the Halloween way; I mean, it just straight-up disturbs me.

Final Score: 0.5 out of 10. Bury it in a shallow grave.

Just found this one:

It's easy on the eyes at least.

No tacky elementary school colors.

No puzzle pieces.

The bunny's cute, but this also seems very infantilizing.

Person first language is a no for me.

Why are all of the is lowercase, but the others are uppercase?

Final Score: 5 out of 10. Not great, but not terrible.

Here we have simple:

Elementary school colors, but credit where credit's due; it's not terrible on the eyes.

Why is blessed on there three times?

One big-ass puzzle piece.

"Autism blesses" Yes, because being bullied by my peers, being indirectly told who I am is wrong, having the worst time making friends, always feeling like I'm never truly part of a friend group, being confused when some adults got mad at me, not having anyone to play with at 4 years old is an absolute fucking blessing. /s And that's the tip of the iceberg.

"Fun", "Sweet", "Cute".....it's the infantilization for me.

Final Score: 3 out of 10. No further elaboration.

Then there's this monstrosity:

I call this color Patronizing Paraprofessional Blue, aka the tackiest shade of blue ever.

It looks like something one of those older white suburban millennial moms would wear. Like something a Karen would wear to one of those autism walks or one of those social skills teachers who talk in that slowed-down patronizing kindergarten teacher tone with that fake-ass smile, no matter how old you are. You know the one I'm talking about, right? Yeah, they'd wear this.

Puzzle piece. Light It Up Blue. Ew.

We all know what organization this supports.

Final Score: -10 out of 10. Burn it.

Let's get in a good one to counter that abomination of a shirt and end part one on a higher note:

Nice simple design with a black background.

No tacky elementary school colors.

Identity-first language.

Really counters the....what the fuck would it be called? The UwU autism parent thing? ("I am his voice, he is my heart," "See the able, not the label," etc,.) It counters that.

The light sparkle around "a bitch" is chef's kiss.

Final Score: 11 out of 10. Perfection.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - THERE IS SO MUCH ON RIGHT NOW, it's crazy-making!

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

July 2024 Week 1

Ongoing Series - Thai

Wandee Goodday (Sat YT) ep 10 of 12 - I am with Dee, noodles do solve everything. The brothers were SO GOOD together. I’m getting to really love a back drop in BL, it’s like the mic drop of gay boys smooching. This is such a good show. I had a big grin on my face while also crying a bit. Everything I want from a BL is happening right here, in front of my eyes.

Did they gloss over the trauma a bit? Yes. Do I care? No. I don't like dwelling in trauma in general, mine, friends, online, or in my BL.

The Rebound (Weds Gaga) ep 2 of 12 - All Thai mafia is gay… again. Yes, it’s still great. No, I have no idea why they’re dropping so many eps at once. That’s not normal for a Thai drama. But I’m not gonna complain except there’s a lot on right now. I like the side couple too. I also like Frank’s poor little rich kid side dish action. I mean, Meen is an ult for me, but Frank is giving excellent second lead syndrome. Suspiciously aggressive and a touch stalker, but I don’t mind a boy that sus if he that cute. And of course, with the mafia involved there is kidnapping.

Look, is this the best show currently airing? No. Which is why it slid a little in the standings. But that's only because Wandee hit it out of the park this week. Frankly, this may not be the best BL airing right now, but it’s the best BL for me.

Sunset X Vibes (Sat iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 - That oppa bit was fucking genius. (You get it right? If you don't, I can explain.) And I immediately adore the secretary character as a result (I typed that as "reslut" and that works too.) Pleased to have such a "rich man and his spoiled boy" dynamic it going already. A dynamic I am personally IRL familiar with from the 90s. Also, kiddies stop filming adults at play! Sheesh.

I pretty much love all the couples in this show. It’s lots of fun. SamYo’s cat and mouse thing is delightful. Meanwhile, the mains are so sweetly hesitant about kisses and everything (hilarious coming from this pair). I love them and their awkward first time, or whatever is going on.

Do you know what? After that "oppa" comment this lead pair makes me feel a little bit like I’m watching a gay K-drama, similar style of personalities and everything, even the random martial arts ability. And the outing. I'm getting Business Proposal vibes. Nothing wrong with that, I was weaned on K-dramas.

All in all, great episode.

My Stand-In (Fri iQIYI) ep 11 of 12 - Yet again I spent the entire episode saying "poor Joe" over and over again. This time I didn’t cry though.

The pat way to end this is to have Joe walk through that door and then wake up back when he was about to get into the motorcycle accident. So that none of it ever happened. I suppose we’ll see what they do next week but I hope it isn’t that.

We Are Cute (Weds iQIYI) ep 14 of 16 - Do you know what this friendship group reminds me of the most? The old Love Sick music club boys. This is just the college version... 10 years later. (Love Sick was one of the few shows where I mostly didn’t yell “no singing” at the screen (also Ingredients). In my defense, I didn’t know any better back then.)

As boyfriends, PhumPeem are even more puppy/cat paring. And I am even more delighted by it. And them. In fact, this show is ALL puppy/cat pairings. I’m not mad about it.

"I’m hugging you so you won’t feel hungry" is the weirdest pick up ever. But Phum is weird. 

This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans (Fri iQIYI) ep 1 of 8 - The PittBabe team behind a new restaurant set BL full of hidden agendas and starring my new favorites SailubPon. I’m reminded so much right off the bat of PokeTongue’s side dish couple in What’s Zabb Man. Interesting, considering that came from Pon’s former studio. Love the call out of obnoxious content creators (not to mention corporate property developers). I like the chef character, he’s nicely complex. In fact, so far I like most of the characters, it’s a good range of different personality types. The plot is a little contrived and complicated but I don’t mind because the characters are such fun.

The Trainee (Sun YouTube) ep 1 of 12 - Reported on this last week already but here's what I said:

Gun still looks like he’s just out of high school. Madness.

The set for the print shop reminds me of Mork’s dad’s place in ‘Cause He’s My Boy? I swear GMMTV has only 3 sets.

I wasn't looking forward to this show at all. Maybe I just needed more of a break from OffGun? Cooking Crush happened yesterday.

Whatever, because I was absolutely riveted by this first episode.

I’m enjoying The Trainee a lot. Like, a lot a lot. It's not higher up just because there is so much good content from Thailand airing right now.

My Love Mix-Up Th (Fri YT) ep 5 of 12 - Still a chaos muffin no matter which country. So earnest. So cute. Talking stage commence!!!

Love Sea (Sun iQIYI) ep 4 of 10 - I got so bored I started looking up ways to organize my sunglasses. Trash watch here.

Knock Knock Boys (Thurs Gaga) ep 6-7 of 12 - The exes are odd. I like that Latte finally got some backstory.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

I Hear the Sunspot AKA Hidamari ga Kikoeru (Japan Weds Gaga) Ep 2 of 10 - I’m still enjoying this quite a bit. It’s paralleling the manga quite closely, which is nice. But it’s not gonna be a particularly exciting drama if this continues. The manga is rather quiet (pun intended to amuse not insult).

Takara's Treasure AKA Takara No Vidro (Japan Mon Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - Look, if some kid followed me to college and changed the whole course of his life because I was nice about his dead bird? I'd be skeeved as fuck too. It's odd and uncomfortable, in that way Japan loves. Visuals are on point but can't say I'm enjoying it as yet. Still, it is JBL, and so I am intrigued and open to all possibilities.

It's airing but...

The Last Time (Thai Fri YT?) - Convoluted story of loss and possible reincarnation or something. Can't find it.

OMG Vampire (Thai Sun ???) 10 eps - I've put the search on hold for and y'all can let me know if it's worth tracking down once it ends?

In case you missed it

Blue Boys finished it run. I like it quite a bit. This felt a lot like a Strongberry short series. It’s very curtailed and could’ve used some legs but I've been trained into ignoring that for Korean BL. Short has always been their thing. Essentially, two boys who were acquaintances in high school are reunited and it turns out always had crushes on each other. It’s definitely an extrovert meets introvert scenario, and this being Korea, they can’t resist a tiny love triangle in the eleventh hour. But it all came out fine in the end. It has great kisses and higher heat than is normal from Korea. All in all, a surprisingly charming offering. Recommended with some reservations around the brevity of plot and character development. 8/10 

The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer released to Korean theaters 5/25. HoTae & DongHee, side couple from Unintentional Love Story are back! Same actors, same character names. I love them. Devastated this hasn't had international distribution. I demand you tell me the moment you find it!

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

July Releases to Come

7/10 Century of Love (Thai Gaga) 10 eps - trailer here, DaouOffroad are back, this time as fated mates in a quasi historical paranormal moment. San has spent many lifetimes waiting for his lost beloved, to reincarnate from her death a century ago. But if he fails to find her within this century's time window, he will succumb to a tragic death. And this time she's a boy. Very much Director Who Buys Me Dinner meets First Love Again, hopefully better than both. I love this pair and think they can handle the premise, it's whether the storytelling is up to the challenge. I'm curious to see but I have reservations.

7/24 I Saw You in My Dream (Thai Weds WeTV) - Dee Hup is behind this one so I have high hopes. Younger boy chronically teased his whole life by the older boy next door suddenly starts having horrific prophetic dreams about his bully and must save hime.

7/26 4 Minutes (Thai Netflix or iQIYI?) - Great is a university student from Faculty of Business and the son of a wealthy business owner. Out of the blue, he gains the supernatural power to see four minutes into the future.

7/29 Battle of the Writers (Thai ????) - trailer here, TutorYim return and while I adore them, I really hope this is better than Middleman's Love. Won't be hard. However: that premise! Ugh. Something something authors fighting - save me. Why don't writers understand that nothing is more boring than writers?

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Product placement du jour! Also the only product placed in a BL that I regularly enjoy myself.

Yes I cried. I'm a sap.

The faens in the wive's positions! So cute.

All Wandee

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in it's infinite wisdom doesn't like too many tags.

There's these tricks, remember.

[alwaysxlarrie]

harry is louis’ baby fic rec masterlist part 2 :)

hi hello, so, i actually started putting together this masterlist at the end of april (since then, ‘ain’t that a kick in the head!’ has been deleted, which was on the original list. big rip) but then life just kept getting in the way. & i have like 57485 fic rec masterlists that i want to get out but i wanted to post this one first, so. here i am. i usually do 50 fics per rec list, but this is 25. so it seems i can do a (semi) shorter fic rec list. who would’ve thought? anyway, enjoy!!

a million roses (bathed in rock n’ roll) by deLILAh

i’d come across this fic a number of times before i actually read it because i don’t listen to lana del rey (thank you jennifer & @hlkings for showing me the wonders of her music) so i wasn’t sure if i’d be able to follow the storyline. but!!! worry not. that knowledge isn’t required. amazing strangers to lovers, good smut, 10/10 relationship development & individual character development 

and the truth shall set you free... by @jaerie / jaerie

jaerie knows i love this fic. my friends know i love this fic. i’m pretty sure most of the world’s population knows too. the relationship development in general & portrayal of inexperienced!harry/experienced!louis is top tier. it’s interesting reading harry going through his journey, in a generally pretty accurate way (from the perspective of someone who grew up religious), so i love that it’s in harry’s pov. i love how louis goes from teasing to soft to guiding so naturally, as well.

a rose, by any other name by @canonlarry / iwillpaintasongforlou

this fic portrays protective louis so well while harry’s still independent & in charge of his own autonomy. there’s some mentions of violence in this, just a disclaimer, but it’s veryyyyy minor! really good (dark) plot twist at the end too!

a cage for every ugly spirit by sarcasticfluentry

listennnnnnnnnnnnn. this fic??? & it’s sequel???? amazing. top tier. i just love how all the different elements of religion, kink, romance, smut, etc connect

be my little good luck charm by 100percentsassy

the flirting!!!!!! my heart!!!!!!!!!! i know larry hitting it off right away is a canon trope & all that but it’s not always easy to write in a way that doesn’t feel rushed & this fic depicts that perfectly. there’s so much wonderful humor, fluffy moments & lots of domesticness.

baby we could be enough (i’ll make this feel like home) by orphan account

i am an absolute sucker for fics where either harry or louis is a single father & the other one just swoops into their life & fits. & that’s exactly how this fic is. i’m not an angst person at all, but i also love how there’s realistic angst/concerns that a single parent would have about bringing another person into their lives. other than that bit, there’s still a whole lotta fluff !!

breathless for eternity by cabinbythesea

wow another fic where they’re strangers, hit it off immediately & have the cutest dynamic!! i’m a walking cliché atp but listen, although this is mostly pwp imo, the way louis picks up on harry’s mannerisms, what he needs as a sub, how to tease, etc is beautiful???? that takes talented writing!! we love to see it?? thank you for this???

boy for sale by @ohpleaselarry / ohpleaselarry

i mean, listen. do be mindful of the tags & what not, but. at the very core, harry is simply louis’ baby & you will not be convincing me otherwise. i would absolutely die for a prequel or a sequel. the undertones throughout this fic are *chef’s kiss*

baby thinking of you keeps me up all night by ballsdeepinjesus

i am nothing if not consistent with loving famous!louis/fanboy!harry fics, alright? you gotta give me that at least. the internal struggle louis goes through throughout the majority of this fic is so funny but also so real of him??? plus, we love thigh fucking here, so. a winner in my book!

do not falter (there’s a star ahead) by @londonfoginacup / ladylondonderry

all you need in life is harry feeling safe surrounded by louis’ scent. shit, me too, harold. there’s so much cuteness in such a short lil fic & altho it’s open ended, we all know they got together & lived happily ever after, thank you v much

gotta get (me) outta my head by @parmahamlarrie / parmahamlarrie

i have severe adult adhd & the way bee wrote this is phenomenal at making anyone who has adhd feel so seen & understood. i dream about writing my struggles w adhd as wonderfully as she did. & the way louis helps harry & is there for her in just the right ways so, so fantastically done. top tier fic for sure. 

heartbeat (fire on fire) by @larryficwriter / theifinlife

this fic was written for my @notjustsmutficfest & i adore it. louis being so vulnerable to comfort harry, louis’ family being so supportive, the check ins during the smut, the way harry makes sure louis is okay too??? I’M CRYING PEOPLE (also, there’s great smut, too)

i love this feeling (but i hate this part) by @lululawrence / lululawrence

i love the crack mixed with cute dynamic mixed with dealing with very real life situations. & the teasing at the end????? i cry!!! give this a read asap rocky

i’ll crash until you notice me by @aliensingucci / stylinsoncity

i love the pacing & how it brings in realistic elements of a boss/employee relationship while not taking out you out of the fic. top tier smut & dirty talk. the bar + bathroom scene??? that shit was art. also i love how much harry went to bat for the natives & kept coaxing louis to respect the culture of the buildings & all that. (like it’s the bare minimum really but i do like the fact that the fic went into that aspect & acknowledged it!)

late night talking by @kingsofeverything / kingsofeverything

this is simply just me continuing to not let lauren forget how much i love this fic. i could talk about this fic for hours & i’ve included this on a masterlist before but idc bc listen. the sneak dating?? the flirting?? the tension building?? there were a few plot points that kept me on my toes (everett, i’m looking at you & how long you managed to stick around for) & i respect that. i have so much more i could say about this fic but i’ll stop here so i don’t spoil anything lol.

my pleasure (to make you mine) by @zanniscaramouche / zanni_scaramouche

i don’t think i’ve let zanni have a moment of peace about this fic since i read it. for that, zanni, i’m sorry. but i’m also really, really not. the way their dynamic right off the bat is so seamless & louis does his best to make harry feel comfortable is what we in the industry like to call cinema. prior to this fic i didn’t really care one way or the other about nipple play in fics & now i don’t understand why it doesn’t occur more in fics?? zanni, you’ve changed me as a woman thx bb

meow or never by velvetnoodle

as a cat lover who has attempted to discreetly bring cats home before & a louis lover, i understand harry’s dilemma. i would also do exactly what he did if given louis’ offer. i will leave it at that & will let you bask in the magic that is this fic.

no bunny but you by @crinkle-eyed-boo / crinkle-eyed-boo

this is another fic i will simply never shut up about. louis is smooth as shit??? like. i WISH a guy would do for me what he did for harry in this. there’s just so much to adore in this from the flirting, the teasing, the relationship developments, the softness, all the little plot twists. 10/10, top tier, no notes

promise not to fade away by @nobodymoves / you_explode

i adore the way this toed the line of angst & fluff so well. it’s so sweet & cute & hot & has an open/ambiguous ending that still gives you a sense of closure imo. as someone who typically is not an open/ambiguous ending fic fan, i absolutely endorse this fic. 

stood up by panda_bear21

the pop punk!louis/popstar!harry (or the bad boy!louis/good boy!harry) trope will always give me the will to live. i love this fic bc it’s cute & does sexual tension well & while it does bring up closeting & general hollywood shittiness, it does a good job of making you feel like it’s not the actual focus of the plot & still leaves you with some hope, if that makes sense & i appreciate that v much

three french hems by 100percentsassy & gloria_andrews

idk if it’s because i started reading fan fics on wattpad (i mean, really my journey started w fanfiction.net & the fics that had the actual fic in the youtube description box & the video was a slideshow of pics but i digress) but i have a soft spot for smaus. & they can be....tricky (the wattpad homies know) but this is done so well & i need someone to get louis some perfectly cooked prawns pls!!!! also louis having a thing for harry’s thighs rly makes this baby a winner imo

to be a better man by @thedevilinmybrain / devilinmybrain

i have a weak spot for fics where harry or louis cheat on their significant other w each other. it’s my guilty pleasure. sue me. jen is so good at describing feelings, actions, etc to make you feel like you’re in the fic watching it happen. i adore the changes in larry’s dynamic, how smoothly it all happened, how much louis cared & understood exactly what harry needed, how easily harry gave in &let louis take care of him. i would absolutely read a part 2 of this w harry & louis together

wrapped in light, in life, in love by orphan account

i will never not be obsessed w fics that have the louis is gemma’s best friend & harry’s in love w him trope. that mixed w how easily & instantaneously harry & louis get along even after not seeing each other for years? add a dash of harry having louis’ baby & how obvious they are about their feelings for each other? GIMME

when we were young by @allwaswell16 / allwaswell16

ok so this is a series, not a fic B U T i feel like  you can read the fics stand alone & you can feel the vibe from each fic, but i think since they both have the ~vibe~ you just feel it all so much more when you read them together. ANYWAY. they’re so obviously smitten w each other & of course everyone else can see it but them. harry is an oblivious shit but we love him (&so does louis).

you took my heart by surprise by @loveislarryislove / livelaughlovelarry

it takes a while for harry & louis to warm up to each other, but once they do, it is just...so, so good. annika’s writing will make you feel like you’re actually experiencing the same emotions as the characters are. louis’ protectiveness & how adamant he is to not let anything get in the way of protecting harry, including himself is so heartbreakingly sweet. i cry. i adore how annika describes the emotionally conflicting emotions & situations while keeping the undertone of how much they care about & want each other. annika does not play when it comes to angst & that is a warning (although this is def not her most angst-filled fic by any means)

your heart can love again by sloganeer

this fic speaks to the famous!louis/fanboy!harry stan in me. a shocker, truly, i know! it’s so cute. i love how their relationships transitions in a way that’s quick but doesn’t feel forced & just makes sense -- the way they get domestic so quickly is simply *chefs kiss*

**friendly reminder to please leave kudos & comments on any of the fics you end up reading from this !! show the writers some love :)**

[itsgrimeytime]

The Nurse (Part Nine) || Rick Grimes (TWD)

Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine

AVAILABLE ON AO3

Taglist: @strnqer @1985bitch @curlycarley @imaginemyfavoritefics @t-uroboros @crazytxgradstudent @addisonnie @whos6claire @taylvvrr @quicksilversg1rl @catt-leya @1tsk1tty @pascalshearts @hopefulatrocity @xoyouronlyamorrxo @fuseburner @idkseraphine @all-for-kpop @carlgrimeskisser @emo-potato-virgil @timotheesrealgf @mcuclintasha @8crazy-freak8 @peepeepoopoobutt @crazyunsexycool @moneyoverl0v3 @alixxhere @allthetroubleiveseen

Summary: Before all this, you were a nurse. A nurse who had patients, one of which was a man in a coma. A sheriff, you think, it was all kinda fuzzy now. When it all went sideways, you set up what you could for the man - but had to leave. You’d always wondered where he’d ended up; until in your search of shelter, you run into a familiar face.

TWS: Blood, gore, angst, mentions of death, gun violence (just violence in general), corpse mention, knife wound mention, being held hostage, being held at gunpoint, threats, swearing, and all things typical of TWD.

[[ A/N: Unrelated, but this gif is chef's kiss 👌. Like impeccable quality, eyes so blue blue. Like hello sir~ Another cliffhanger??? In this economy??? It's more likely than you think... Back on the bullshit, let's see what happens, girlies <3 Anyway, thanks so reading :)) ]]

You exhaled, hands shaking against the chill of the air -Woodbury was eerily empty. A part of you knew The Governor was unstable, but seeing the houses with no inhabitants? It only proved it.

"You stay here," he spoke -hand insistent on your wrist. He hadn't let go since the prison -fingers pushed into your skin with the intent to hurt. You remember Rick's eyes heavy on it, the setting of his jaw -the drag of the glare on him.

Clearing your head, you stepped forward into the room -not fighting, not as long as he could hurt your people. You knew what you signed up for, it wasn't new to you.

As long as they're safe, you repeated in your head, as long as they're safe.

The room was concrete, walls thick and a single table in it's stead. A large florescent light on the ceiling that would've made you have a headache if it had worked. It was dark, other than a single window along the far wall -so small that the sunlight barely seeped through.

He didn't say another word -the click of the lock behind you saying enough.

Letting out a hefty sigh, your voice low and thick with tears you hadn't let fall, you leaned against the wall sinking to the floor. With the fall of your next breath, you closed your eyes.

You hadn't really processed anything, it all felt unreal on your skin -like a dream, like you weren't really there. Except for...

'Please,' -so desperate to have you right there, keep you there, it was unspoken. He couldn't say it then, stakes so high and the world he'd so carefully crafted were all on the line. But you could see it, don't leave me.

And yet, you did.

It was so odd, trying to rationalize it then, why would you caused him such pain? Why would you put everything on the line?

You had to answer, you wanted him to know-

'I love you,' -it was like taking a breath of fresh air, despite being where you were, certainly on the brink of a goodbye, you felt free. Even for just a second, while the story may have come to an end, you felt free. Wonderfully so.

It was those two moments that struck your head in the dim silence of the room -bouncing around like they could change. Like anything could change.

It can't and it won't and that was your decision.

You wouldn't regret it.

As long as they're safe, you repeated, again -like the words could solve the ever aching hole in your chest, as long as they're safe.

You'd hoped he'd keep his word, it was all about power in the kind of vacuum the world had devolved into. And you hoped he realized the power he had.

Not with his own group, or weapons, or an army. It was you.

He had power over Rick because of you.

The guilt you felt coil into your stomach was like a deep thrum of a string. Resonating through your skin, like the ache of a bone. Distant and close all at once. You hated it, hated causing him any sort of pain-

'Please-'

Still, you'd take it over him dead any day. He could hate you, despise you, never wish to see you again, never search for you, move on, and, sure, you'd feel it. Like a cracked open chest, you'd be shred to pieces. A shell of someone you once were, sure, but...

But he would be breathing.

You couldn't take the chance that he wouldn't. Couldn't take the chance that his luck wouldn't run out, that the Governor would have mercy, that he wouldn't run to put himself in the exact place you were in now.

If it was him or you, you'd made a decision. And stuck to it.

Still, as your fingers dusted along the floors -the texture providing some sort of grounding from your thoughts, there was a flame in your heart. Just a tiny one that no matter how hard you tried stayed lit.

It was hope that despite everything, despite chosing this path yourself... that it could be fixed. That you could be saved.

You'd been here before, locked away like a prisoner in exchange for knowledge, in a ruse of companionship when the timing was just right, or just out of fear. Fear of what you might do, what you might bring to their safety, if you posed a threat. You'd experienced many things in the apocalypse, being a pawn in someone else's chess game was far from the worst.

You just... you missed everything.

Back then, when you'd been locked away -you were running on nothing. Maybe a distant memory of the hospital, of coffee breaks and overnights, of normalcy, of a schedule. Or maybe even when you were younger, a family vacation -the feeling of the sun on your skin and the wind in your hair.

It was all so far away then, something you couldn't have either way.

But the prison? Rick?

It was all there. You could have it, you did.

This wasn't something impossible to get. Nothing so distant from your life now, it was your life.

But not anymore.

You didn't know how many days passed, as you stared at the endless abyss of gray haze that the room had become. The distant scent of rain sneaked in through the small window -all mildewy and grass-drenched waves.

The Governor hadn't needed medical help, not really; you'd simply watched as he ended lives like it was as natural as a flick of the wrist. He certainly didn't need to keep people alive when he had a hand in injuring them himself -eyes set in a sort of distant haze like he wasn't really there.

You were worried you'd be on the end of that stick one day -doing or saying the wrong thing. Watching as people begged, fear sunk into their skin and despite being in a world unfamiliar and scary, they were far more scared of him. Far more scared of not living.

He made you watch usually, some sort of twisted take on your oath -you'd promised to help people, save them from ailments. And yet, you couldn't stop him when he so casually ended a life -not that you hadn't tried, but it had ended where everything always did.

"Don't make me take back my promise," he'd seethed, hand insistent on your skin -pushing into the skin so harshly you were sure you'd bleed.

So, you'd mindlessly stood as his descent became clearer -the deaths became more vicious. A lack of control eating away at his being, you watched him search for it.

If you'd been smarter, you would've known this was the time to look -the time to act, uproot him from the ground. But you weren't thinking, you couldn't -scrubbing away at your skin like it could wash away the death you'd seen. The merciless death of people who didn't deserve it.

You'd seen rage misplaced, blood spilled on something insignificant but this? It had no reason. Not one. The Governor killed simply to kill, like controlling others with fear could somehow gain him his life back.

Gain Penny's life back.

The first time you'd seen her it was back when he still had the shred of charisma that gave him the leadership role. Insistent on treating you as a 'Woodbury citizen' with a faulty sense of faith (fear) in their leader. Like you hadn't known the descent he was in.

He'd shown you a photo of a little girl, brunette, blue-eyed and smiling. Talked about her as if she was right there as if the photo was her, in a sense of disconnect. Your heart sunk at the picture, knowing the hell this world had instilled there -the girl had died before she'd even had a chance to live.

There had been a pity for the man that day, a slice through you at the loss he'd experienced.

It hadn't lasted.

"This is Penny," he'd said as if was the most normal thing in the world -merely dragging you into his home. Your pity had all but vanished after seeing the small figure, propped up almost to look like she was alive.

The smell was heavy on your nose -a stench you'd become familiar with just by the crowds roaming the earth, but this one had been entirely focused. Locked away behind doors, the little girl's body sat as if she was some sort of doll -your eyes dashed over the wound you knew to match that of Michonne's katana.

You held back the bile in your stomach -quickly trying to look elsewhere, anywhere.

After that day, you didn't see Penny anymore. In the case that he'd forced you inside his home, as collateral if nothing else, you couldn't look at the photo anymore. A sort of sick, twisted disgust bubbling in you at the thought of where she was -locked away, never to rest. All because he wouldn't let her.

You took a deep breath, stabilizing yourself somewhere deep in your mind -eager to not show any sort of emotion. You'd seen what emotion did in Woodbury. The blood couldn't be scrubbed off your hands, no matter how hard you tried-

"Breathe," you muttered -tone shaky and the distant spin of your head only serving to make you more disoriented.

You couldn't sleep, you never really could.

A fear deep in your bones that maybe one day he'd simply decide you were of no service to him anymore and that your life was expendable. That you were a pawn in the war, and you'd held no value to that anymore. You'd seen him do it before.

So, you stayed awake.

You knew the sound of the night very well at this point -a sort of eerie silence that was only haunted by how many people may have been there once. The only noises were that of bugs, and a distant rustling in the forest you knew to only be wildlife.

Maybe that was why you could immediately tell that something was different. That the rustling wasn't wildlife, and that the ever-so-slight footsteps you'd heard were anything but.

At first, you'd stilled -head leaned against the hard floor as if it would lull you to sleep. Like he'd spare you if you were sleeping, a shred of humanity may rear its head if he had to think about it-

But then, you realized you knew The Governor's footsteps. He'd have no reason to hide them from you, especially if he wished to kill you. There was no reason to run from something you'd already done before -if he was coming to kill you, he would not be hiding. It would just be an instinct for him, the slice of a blade, the trigger of a gun, whatever he chose -he wouldn't even think about hiding. What would he be hiding from?

With unsure steps, you rose from the ground, feet careful to avoid any noise -an instinct that had certainly overrun in your time here at Woodbury. The Governor was day to day, you didn't wish to give him any reason for it to be a bad day.

Peeking through the window, you tried to see what you could.

You'd only usually used it to get a taste of sunlight or a drop of rain on your skin -to feel human again, not to see anything in particular. The glass pane was merely bigger than your palm, only framing a few of the other houses and out of the very corner, a treeline where you'd seen wildlife sometimes.

Out of instinct, your eyes lead themselves there -eager to see what stood at the edge there. If it was some wildlife or a person, you'd only wish to know. To see something to explain away some eerie dusting along your skin, the paranoia was heavy during the night and you only wanted some rest -even just for a second, you wanted a clear head.

Your body ached for it. But every time you closed your eyes, you always saw the same scene -blood on your hands, a striking lack in his eyes, and a body slumped against the ground. You'd lost count, eventually, but could remember their faces clear as day in your dreams.

Eyes refocusing, you'd peered over into the greenery -only really a shadow in the night, but if you squinted you'd always been able to see a shift in the leaves. You'd usually only see a few animals in the mornings, all scattered from the noise-

And then, you saw it. Blue.

A familiar blue that sent warmth down to your toes, you couldn't miss those, especially now.

Even when the tiredness made your head fuzzy, the thrum of your heartbeat keeps you focused -a flame buzzing up into your chest. Hope.

Your lips parted ever so slightly like you could call out to him -you bit it back. Fingers dusted across the glass like maybe he could see you -save you. But it just didn't feel right.

You'd seen Rick before -maybe in a quick glance, your mind would paint out his figure. So solidly that you'd spin on your heel, only to find no one there. You were always so sure, each time you looked -that treacherous flame so bright that you could hardly see past it. The lack of sleep wasn't helping, familiar faces devolved from the shadows -old patients, your family, your friends-

You knew your mind could play tricks, but something in this one seemed so real.

His shoulders moved with his breaths, the crinkles by his eyes smoothed out and brow heavy -like he was focused. You couldn't see much detail from the stars shining, but you almost wished you could. So you could keep it, neatly next to your heart -like all the other ways you'd seen Rick were.

The glint of his gun, brought your attention to another figure -drenched in darkness but you'd recognize him anywhere: Daryl. He seemed to be scoping out the area -well aware of this from hunting, you'd guessed. When his eyes landed squarely on you.

That was what had woken you up from the daze you seemed to be in; the little glint of shock in his eyes was just so real. Daryl wasn't very expressive, but you knew he had tells. That was... That was too-

Before you could even blink, he'd motioned to you -just a nudge toward the building. Small enough for someone to dismiss as an animal if they happened to hear it, you realized.

Daryl was saying something, quick and quiet, not to you. And a deep breath that you were holding seemed to flood out of your lungs, as you watched Rick stall for a second. Shock. Eyes frantic, looking out -trying to find you, you realized. Your heart speeds up in your chest, the thumping being so loud that you half worried that the Governor would figure it all out-

And then, he found you.

If you had a question about whether or not this moment was real, this Rick was real, it dissipated at his eyes connecting with yours. Something in you broke, like a dam, feelings of everything slipping through your skin and the fire of hope felt like it engulfed your whole body.

"Rick..." you whispered, quiet and broken. And you knew he couldn't hear you, but your other hand pressed against the glass -tears choking up in the back of your throat.

He nearly jumped forward, would have if Daryl hadn't held him back -leveling his eyes with his own. He was whispering again, head turned to Rick and yet somehow still aware of their surroundings. They had a plan, you thought to yourself -trying to coax yourself down from the ledge.

You stilled, almost on instinct, your ears were sensitive to specific noises. Especially with being so locked away, you'd nearly memorized every one you could. The drag of the Governor's feet, the windchime of a house in the center of Woodbury, what exactly his gun sounded like just before he shot-

The clink of his keys.

Tapping on the glass, just gently, something you could barely hear if you weren't looking for it. And you imagined Rick was certainly looking for it.

The two men immediately looked at you, eyes attentive, and you felt something in your chest crush at the idea that this might be the last time you see them. See anyone. You knew you'd felt it, his frustrations leading to a head and his options on who he could take it out on were so limited. You knew you served no purpose to him long-term, only a pawn for someone else. And what if he didn't care about them anymore?

You breathed out, a deep shaky breath, looking at Rick with all you could and mouthing -large and unmissable, "Go."

He just watched you, as you said it -a sort of determined look flashing in his eyes like the glint of a knife. Strict and pressured, he stayed exactly where he was -he wouldn't leave.

Just as you were going to say more, beg him. All of this was for nothing if he didn't go. You knew what you were signed up for, and knew where this would end, even if you didn't want to accept it... you knew. And as long as he was living, you were okay with knowing.

The door creaked open, and you spun around -distancing yourself from the window, and desperately wiping at your eyes, it has to stop. But, it wouldn't.

He was always so imposing, entering the room far more than you were ever comfortable -you figured that was the point, keep you on edge. The Governor didn't really focus on you -eyes distant in that way he'd always get before... before making a decision.

"I think you know why I'm here," he spoke in a sort of desolate way -void of any emotion, void of anything, "-we both do."

Instinctively, you slunk back to the window -the farthest away from your door as possible, cold brick uncomfortable against your back but the fear that struck you was much more powerful. Your body was numb in a way like you weren't where you were, like you were watching from somewhere else.

"It's not," you started, voice still shaky, "-you don't have to do this. I can- I can still help you. With... With Penny, I know-"

The Governor's jaw stiffened, seething from his lips, "Don't say her name. You have no right to say her name-"

Your mind was running so fast that you couldn't keep up, a sort of instilled fear running up your arms -it felt like you were still but everyone else kept moving. The tip of his gun glinting in the night sky -it was the only way you could really see it.

"I didn't- I'm sorry," you blurted out, heart racing in your chest and fear biting at your tongue. Suddenly realizing it then, you didn't want to die. As soon as the opportunity was laid out in front of you, the gun pointed at your head, you were afraid, "-I just. I could help. I was there when they started with the vaccine. I knew-"

"Shut up," his voice was only angry -deep and brash and if you could've moved farther away, you would have, but he only stepped forward, "-she's dead. Because of one of your people-"

And then he stopped. A sudden and certain stop.

"Well," his voice got lighter -trying to go back to the charisma, "didn't know we'd have an audience, Y/N."

Realizing then, you spun around -finding the tip of another gun against the glass. Rick stood there with a set jaw you found familiar, and eyes set beyond anger -solely focused on The Governor.

"Let's be polite to the guests," he spoke -voice teetering on the unhinged nature that you'd only seen moments before he shot. The Governor stepped forward and grabbed your wrist -keeping you where you were.

And turning his gun around, he smashed the glass -mere inches from your face. It stung, like bees when you were on the playground -littered across your skin, but you still felt quite numb. Body only guided by instincts, by the emotions that bubbled underneath your skin.

Without an extra thought, The Governor threw you to the opposite wall (your head only stung for a second) -purely focused on Rick, "Didn't we have an agreement, Sheriff?"

Rick's jaw clenched, blue eyes flickering to you just for a second, "I never agreed to nothin'."

"Huh," he responded, almost in a comically exaggerated way, "-that's right-"

The Governor turned the gun to you -trained to the center of your forehead, unflinchingly, "Your life for the prison, right?"

"Don't lay a hand on 'em," Rick threatened, his voice layered in anger but you could hear it deep under it all -worry, "-or I'll sh-"

"Yes," you interrupted, quickly -biting back your tears and your fear, "-that's... That's the deal. My life. Not his, if you shoot anyone, shoot me."

"Y/N-"

The Governor laughed, a sort of dry one like it was entertaining to him, like it was all a game, "You really did a number on 'em, didn't you Rick? Practically jumping in front of my gun."

And then he paused, looking over Rick with less enthusiasm -where he stood eyes trying to stay heavily focused on the Governor, but he kept looking to you (even just for a second, relishing in you being there, being alive-), "Well, well. I guess they did a number on you too, Sheriff. Ain't that interesting."

You opened your mouth to dispute it, take it back -not now, not at the end of it all. He couldn't love you back, not here-

But you looked at him, his eyes were on you -blue shadowed in something so heavy, so desperate that your breath nearly caught in your throat. He swallowed, hand on his gun steady but you could tell the shake, the hesitance, it was there. Deep under his skin, you could tell.

God, he did.

"It's been cute, really," the Governor cleared his throat, his voice taking on the more numbed tone -distant and faraway, "-and hate to ruin the moment, but I'm a man of my word."

With that, he merely adjusted the gun for a straighter shot -one that wouldn't miss. You exhaled, hands shaking but it was something you could deal with, as long as he was alive.

As long as he's alive, you repeated -trying to silence the fear thrashing against your chest, clawing to be let out, as long as he's alive.

And then there was a noise, a familiar one ('what exactly his gun sounded like just before he shot'), and you closed your eyes.

[emmabirb8]

I've been an Invader Zim fan since 2011.

I was 15-16 at that time, and though I did thoroughly enjoy the show, I was not mature enough to really get it. Sure, it was funny, but I didn't pick up on the subtleties and style of humor beyond the surface level. I liked the wackiness and the characters, but I SURELY wasn't at a point of being able to deconstruct themes or analyze character motivations and narratives (like I very much enjoy doing now). I remember discovering an artist on DeviantArt who drew cute ZaGr stuff, so that was the pairing I liked too. I didn't think too deeply about much, and honestly, I don't think the majority of fans (if they were my age or younger, that is) did either. Everything was taken as dumb and silly for the most part, and that IS truthfully a major component of the show itself.

Getting back into Invader Zim within this past year though, I'm looking at it through a WILDLY different lens. I like Invader Zim for what it is and how it's intended to be perceived. I like that the show is meant to be dark, satirical, and tragic at the same time that it's silly, chaotic, and nonsensical. Almost everything that happens onscreen is written in to be funny above all else. (I've mentioned before that I've been watching Jhonen's Twitch streams for a while now, and I have a MUCH better understanding of his sense of humor bc of that. IZ makes way more sense if you can sorta see things from JV's perspective, lol.)

But at the same time, I also like Invader Zim for what it offers in terms of interpretation and what it can imply (intentionally or not). There is genuinely SO MUCH DEPTH to this dorky lil cartoon that a casual viewer wouldn't immediately pick up on. And a lot of that depth, I think, was not woven in purposely. The show itself was never meant to be taken so seriously. Nevertheless, I'm constantly fascinated by what IZ implies about good and evil, the nature of general society, and especially how it goes about demonstrating the devastating effects of social isolation and bullying. Meta for this series is always pretty damn *chef's kiss.* And what's even more interesting is how viewers manipulate canon to expand upon this world and these characters.

Given that I've come to understand Invader Zim better, I've also grown very fond of ZaDr. Now, while I wouldn't want to see this pairing happen in canon material, I love the potential it possesses in transformative contexts.

In reality, I get that these characters were intended to have a deep hatred for one another and a never-ending rivalry for the sake of comedy and not much else. It's an extraterrestrial perpetually throwing hands with a 12 year old because he's incompetent and his plans often fail. And that's funny. That's the point. But beyond that, canonically, these are two characters who are mirrors of each other; they're both treated like garbage by their respective peers, and they both crave acknowledgment, validation, and a sense of purpose. Throughout their story, they find they're only able to obtain these things from each other, so as a consequence of their similar personalities, they become utterly, unhingedly obsessed with each other (to a sometimes unhealthy degree). They are undeniably forever intertwined by design of how the show is set up.

And because of that, shipping of these characters was, frankly, inevitable in fandom spaces. I myself fell victim to their appeal too. (Sorry, Jhonen. 😅)

I'm not gonna go into any discourse surrounding this pairing because there's already PLENTY of that to go around online. Everyone has their own opinion on the subject, and that's fine. I respect that. Point is, even though I understand and appreciate what Zim and Dib are supposed to be in the context of the show, I also enjoy the idea of them as friends and romantic partners outside of and beyond the confines of canon.

And that's something that I think many fans who are biased toward ZaDr would also agree with! Actually, I'd say the majority of people who ship characters in ANY media would concur. We like the idea of seeing how specific relationships could develop over time and/or within different settings and circumstances. It's NOT always about wanting to see a relationship unfold on screen or in fan works strictly adhering to canon. It's about stretching canon, or in some cases, scratching canon entirely however you see fit! Who cares! It's fiction!

For me personally, I enjoy ZaDr because its attributes fall into so many trope categories that I've come to adore over the years (ones that I either wasn't aware of when I was younger, or that I didn't enjoy in the same intensity as I do now). Zim and Dib are, or could be, depending on context:

Codependent toxic soulmates

Human x non-human

Shared history

Classic enemies to lovers (or, as I often prefer it, enemies to friends to lovers)

Bicker couple

Battle couple, when put in the right setting for it

Violence as a love language

Smol and tol

The wild card paired with the rational one, the best part about this being that sometimes the more rational one is Dib, and sometimes it's Zim bc they're both a special flavor of insane

Make each other worse/stupider when together, tho oddly, they also kinda bring out the best in each other too

And, my personal favorites, the potential for hurt/comfort and angst with a happy ending, with the comfort and happiness aspects ultimately coming from each other

I like what these characters could be, to and for each other, apart from their roles in the show.

I would never want to explore a dynamic between Zim and Dib that goes beyond "frenemies" territory in canon (because that doesn't fit what the show is, and I do appreciate the integrity of Jhonen's vision). The subtle foundation for them is there, it's just that it can't really work unless a few key details are changed or manipulated, and, well...

I sure as hell like exploring every bit of that expanded potential in fan works because it's fun to imagine the various directions things could go if they were different!

This isn't me, like... trying to defend my (or anyone else's) enjoyment of this particular ship or trying to convince people to like it. Or the show for that matter! To each their own, truly. And I'm obv aware of the controversy ZaDr often incites and why. Everyone has valid reasons for liking OR not liking it, and I accept differing viewpoints on it. It's a touchy, nuanced subject to be sure. But this isn't about that.

I don't really know what this is, actually, aside from a very long very weird essay, lol. I just wanted to process why and how all of this works for me with my changed perspective from when I was first introduced to Invader Zim in my teens up until now.

It's strange, looking back. I didn't get ZaDr years ago. But I do now, and so much of it, at least from my perspective, has to do with taking the crumbs present in canon (that are undeniably there, whether you choose to acknowledge them or not, and whether they're intentional or not) and absolutely running with them to the ends of your own wild imagination.

(ZaDr content is always tagged appropriately on my blog. Pls use tag blocking functions if needed.)

[demonictumble]

fic rec list (1/??? )

this is a fic recommendation list for whomever wants a good read. All of these are on AO3. I have not provided links, so just search them up!

If you do end up reading any of these, or really any fic in general, remember to leave the author comments!! They deserve them, esp because they do this for free and they deserve to know how beautiful their writing is and how appreciated they are.

My PSA: COMMENT ON FICS AND DONT TAKE AUTHORS FOR GRANTED

DC..

IMPORTANT NOTE I am not a religious fan where I only like a fic when it adheres to canon characterization or texts. I can enjoy fics even when they completely throw off what's actually canon and that's okay for me, but it might not be for you. So just keep this in mind and the back button exists for a reason if you don't like something.

Buy Back the Secrets by Sundiscus (incomplete)

Tim Drake and Kon El centered!! OH MY GODS. I could rave on and on about this fic all day but I'll have to keep it brief. I've reread at LEAST 5 times. It's brilliant. The writing, the plot, the characterizations!! They are incredible. If I had to use a phrase to describe it, it would be "identity shenanigans and timkon" but that simplifies the absolute masterpiece that it is SO MUCH

Executive Assistant to the Batman by heartslogos (complete)

Tim is basically Bruce Wayne's assistant and is desperately trying to avoid letting them know that he knows. This is complete crack, but it is hilarious. The writing is so funny and It's what I need after a bad day or anything tbh. It may not be completely true to characters or whatever, but it makes up for it a thousand times over in spirit and the laughs it's produced from me.

anything (not the title because literally ANYTHING) by IzzyMRDB

I can rave about them all day because the dc/batfam fics I have seen them right are all so delicious and I devoured them far too fast and momggg its just so good. and I love their writing style <3

Reverse Robin AU by yellow_cabellero (complete)

I CANNOT DO THIS SERIES JUSTICE WITH MY WORDS. IT is a must read for me. The writer writes spectacularly and the characterization, even though its a reverse robin, feels on point, especially considering the circumstances (Im a huge believer in circumstances shape a person's personality, which is what I think occurs beautifully in all of these fics). They're just so GOOD.

Also this author has a STEPH FIC that is stunning. 10/10. Steph is a character that doesn't get the appreciation she deserves, so this fic was especially more touching for me. It was terrific seeing her girl bossing in the 90s (IT ALSO FELT SO PERIOD ACCURATE CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT). Not to mention, the author shows off character flaws in a believable manner and nobody is a Mary Sue and it's just EVERYUTHING IS JUST *chefs kiss* by them.

The Fishbowl by LordLuxury (complete)

This is Dick Grayson centered. THEY HAVE MADE A MASTERPIECE. I genuinely mean it. Dick is constantly trying to pull the family together, he is trying to be the glue as everything tries to go the opposite. LET THIS MAN HAVE HIS FAMILY. This had me in shambles. Bad Dad Bruce hurt me, but it was just so realistic. That's what gets me. The whole dynamics portrayed in The Fishbowl are so goddamn realistic and it feels so real. Everyone is flawed in their own way and its just... PLEASE READ IT I BEG OF YOU.

Love and Bruises by Acin_Grayson and Hoebiwan (complete)

Despite what the title may suggest, this is actually funny! Jason thinks Batman is abusing Bruce. And I just remember dying of laughter as I read this. Terrific! Would read and Will read again

Marvel (I am a movies fan so most if not all fics I recommend from here on out will be probably based on movies!)

Tennessee Outreach for Spider-Man and Friends by ciaconna

GREAT FIC. Harley (potato gun kid in one of the iron man movies for those who don't remember) gets an internship with Tony stark for college application reasons and its to help Spiderman. Peter Parker and Harley whateverhislastname is such a funny duo and they made the fic spectacular. Terrific writing omg.

Peter and the Jailbirds by beautifullights

I THINK THIS FIC HURT ME. I don't really remember much bc its been a year and a half, but I think my emotions remember because I feel mildly sad when I think about it. Peter is on the raft and bonds with the ex-avengers also on the raft. The premise of a teenager possibly spending the rest of his life in prison is terrible, but I swear this fic has funny moments and the conversations that occur are to die for because the WRITING. WHEW.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? by theskeptileptic

Tony survives and it's set after No Way Home. Where I'm pretty sure the only people dead are May and Pepper. Morgan saves the day by remembering her big brother (Im a sucker for big brother Peter arc). Peter is kind of a mini Tony in this one I think, which is such an interesting take. And it's such a coming home story and its just so beautiful.

Cross Overs:

Even Heroes Have the Right To Dream by Bounemr (complete)

mlb/dc crossover!! where marinate and Jon are retired superhero and go to college together! Great writing and plot with a good ending. Fluffy for the most part as far I as I can remember (it's been a year since I've read it so you know it's good if I can still remember)

Hired Hands by neighborhood_yogurt (incomplete)

Percy Jackson/ DC crossover!! It's been a while since I've read this one too but It's stuck with me. It's hilarious and I need to reread it but Percy is accidentally on Penguin's payroll because he's just a dumb blonde at heart, but it's okay we all love him. And Shenanigans occur. I don't remember exactly what happens so reminder to read this again for myself as well!

(IDK if any of these authors have tumblrs, if they do, someone please tag them and I will forever be in your debt)

[damnation-if]

I just want to say, as a certified monster fucker, I'm already in love with your story hahaaa <3 I'm glad we're getting more adult stories and the themes in this one are so intriguing, can't wait for the rest ! Alsooo, I really liked the way you describe things? I do not know how to explain it haha but I could easily visualize what was happening and the general atmosphere you're going for and I thought that was neat :^)

thank you so much for your kind words!! i truly appreciate them and i'm so glad the descriptions were to your liking! i have at least some level of aphantasia, so i'm always worried that i'm not describing things enough haha... glad that doesn't seem to be the case!

i was actually talking to my friends just yesterday about how there's relatively few Creacher-y ROs around... so for whatever reason, i guess because it's on my mind, i thought i'd take a bit of time/space here to mention all of the Monsterfucker Approved (TM) ROs that i could come up with, in case anyone else might be interested. this list isn't meant to be exhaustive (in case i miss anyone) as sadly i am yet to become all-seeing and all-knowing 😔

Creacher (Alien)

Rhaxa and Imxa from Project Hadea by my beloved @nyehilismwriting. spikey, scaley, bitey, etc. 👌i also love and appreciate the attention to detail put into worldbuilding for the different ways their species communicates and thinks and so on, showing the culture gaps between them and humans. quality buggies!

Creacher (Eldritch)

Roach from The Passenger... the mc is also an eldritch creacher in this one, which may add or subtract to the enjoyment for various different people lol

Sysba from Attollo; i also think this game in general is pretty monster friendly, with a bunch of monstrous side characters and so forth. the cool kind of neo-gothic vibes give it a feeling a bit akin to a cyberpunk Penny Dreadful... it's about as Monsterfucker as cyberpunk gets i think!

Beacon from Stygian: The Abyssal Lighthouse by my good friend @salty-stories. this one is probably the most Lovecraftian of the eldritch creachers i think, heavy Call of Cthulhu vibes. it's still in progress but i'm personally willing to wait haha

Creacher (Parahuman)

Lorelei and The Other from The Golden Harp; pirates and sirens and mermaids, oh my!

Danny and Isla from When It Hungers by the wonderful @roast-ifs ... the game is still on hiatus but it still lives rent-free in my head always... the monster mcs are So *chef's kiss*

Oisein from The Nameless; due to the sheevra mc there's a Lot of really cool exploration of the boundaries of humanity and stuff like that... we love a "nonhumans shouldn't be able to feel/do this" story... we love it a Normal amount for sure.

Creacher (Indefinable)

Trace from Greenwarden by @fiddles-ifs; an iconique creacher... the game itself also has excellent kind of Appalachian gothic/supernatural vibes and a dark undercurrent of Lurking Monster Foreboding.

Games with Applicably Creacher-esque Vibes

Virtue's End by my beloved friend dani... the ROs might be human, but the mc most certainly is not<3 dark fantasy and sumptuous Monster vibes, what more can you ask?

anything by the extremely talented @thirtybythirty (links to their games in their pinned post). everything they write has a compelling undercurrent of... eldritch existentialism. perhaps the creacher is in fact the Narrative... or maybe the humans were the creachers all along...

the fabulous OFNA: Birds of a Feather - it has the perfect combination of things Not Quite Human and Not Quite Right to create a rich and ominous atmosphere, well-worth playing even though everyone is Technically human lmfao

anyway sorry for rambling on and i'm sure there's a bunch i have missed but. i do feel like it's worth giving praise where it's due for games and writers that we appreciate! thank you again for your kind message (and for giving me a chance to talk about this a bit lol)

[fernandezology]

fernardezology’s recommendation list

series:

invisible string by @invisiblestringmm

where one night fling with mason turned into something impactful. he is unaware that you have a daughter together,but fate has a plan for you. it’s one of the best pieces i’ve read here and while you read it,you cannot feel immersed with story.

just pretend by @gavisuntiedboot

this should be turned into a netflix show. while you wait for an update,you will definitely want to reread it.

worlds collide. by @blubffsd

so much drama. listen to the great war by taylor swift while reading.

juno! by @jesssssssssica

it’s gonna be impossible not to fall for jude after you read this. also very impossible not to check her other work😉

we’ll be allright by @footiehoemcfc

mason angst at it’s finest. very rereadble.

champion’s league’s nights by @yungbludz

there is no better crossover,even marvel doesn’t come close to this. my personal multiverse of madness.

sunshine becomes you by @oh-saints

never knew i needed grumpy martin x sunshine reader before i saw this.

to have and to heal by @yellowkitkieran

where martin navigates the ups and downs of parenthood all on his own, and he’s struggling. that’s not to mention football, life and... love? her other stories are also 10/10.

envolver by @pedriscroquettes

loved every single word here.

a mountain to climb by @mountttmase

you will go through every emotion with this one.

his girls by @pulisicsgirl

is there anything better than christian in general? yes and it’s dad!christian.

almost always by @greykitkepa

thank you for your service and spreading kepa propaganda by writing🫡

one shots/headcanons

can’t sleep (without you) by @julianalvarez9

leandro is the cutest sleep deprived thing and it’s safe to say she did him right with this one.

headcanons by @starsshoppin

i couldn’t choose just one,all of them are masterpieces. head of headcanons and probably one of the first accounts i followed here.

silent treatment by @masonspulisic

angst with mason by her never disappoints.

pretty face,pretty boyfriend too by @masonmtxo

jelaous mason>>

dating pablo gavi by @i9messi

exactly how i imagine dating him would be like.

the great war by @mounts89

as if this already wasn’t my fav song from midnights..

comforting words by @mqsi

if barca losing means we get masterpieces like this,we won after all.

red card by @pedrisbanana

i will never see the barca lockroom the same way.

mornings with you. by @luvgavii

prime example of “how is this her first imagine?”

mistletoe by @ktsfootballff

the twist at the end?? love love this and her work in general.

the 5 times he knew by @888bear

who doesn’t love good old childhood friends to lovers?

wherever you are by @swimmingismywholelife

so so beautiful.

headcanons by @minnlix

again,it was hard to choose just one because all of them are *chef’s kiss*

nsfw alphabet by @footballfeverr

mindblowing. that’s all i have to say.

mornings by @20-th-centurygirl

i think this is also one of the first blogs i followed and i lovee her work!

insta au’s

needed some space by @ithinkimokeei

queen of insta au’s as far as i am concerned.

flashing lights by @gavislover

oh my god.

oh,baby! by @kepamount

pure entertainment.

[blacklegsanjiii]

Can I show you a little thing? Fem!Sanji x Hiyori. Just- them meeting each other in Wano and Hiyori immediately feeling things for her while trying to convince herself she likes Zoro. Robin at some point notices, and with the help of a little but meaningful talk with the woman, Hiyori finally chooses to act upon what she fells.

It ends great, Sanji is also in love with the blue/green haired girl when the StrawHats leave. Hiyori notices after some talk with the blonde that pirate is perfect, the type of people she would love to marry one day. At the time the crew leaves, both are already dating or something pretty close to that, and they promise to communicate by letters or Den Den Mushi calls.

After Luffy turns King of the Pirates, and Sanji finds the All Blue, everyone is celebrating when Hiyori, her brother and Yamato arrives. And seeing the woman of her life, the love of her life as beautiful as the last time they see each other and happy after reaching her dream, she can't just help the words "Marry me, please, I want to be with you for the rest of my life" leave her mouth.

The StrawHats hear this, and when Sanji (after the initial shock) says a "Yes!" full of happyness and hug and kiss her Hiyori, they all cheer.

After, Sanji offers at Hiyori to go at Baratie, meet Zeff and the other chefs. Of course, when the Thousand Sunny arrives after a call two days before saying they're going and Sanji has a surprise for her "father", the last thing Zeff thought was that he was going to meet the woman his daughter is in love and going to marry soon. The Baratie closes and they (Zeff, his little eggplant, Sanji, and her future wife, fucking princess Kozuki Hiyori) talk, Zeff and Hiyori get along.

The marriage happens some weeks later, and it happens in Wano, with the Baratie, some people from Momoiro and friends from the StrawHats seeing. After being officially married, Sanji opens a restaurant in Wano, with dishes from the All Blue and the other four Blues (she wants the next generation to find the All Blue themselves, and there she will live with her precious wife).

Comphet Hiyori is really struggling and doesn't understand why that blonde woman is driving her mad. First she thinks it's because of how much time that woman spends with Zoro and how close they are. She keeps glaring at Sanji who is confused and Robin is laughing to herself the entire time. Robin eventually asks Hiyori what she feels towards the swordsman and the cook and Hiyori talks about Zoro first and then starts going off about Sanji, first about how she's annoying and taking Zoro away from her. Then as Hiyori is ranting to Robin, she starts rambling about how the cook should be paying attention to her, feeding her. She's rambling and ranting and Robin interrupts her to ask if she would like the cook to dote on her. Hiyori pauses and stumbles over syllables and Robin mentions that while Sanji and Zoro are rivals, Sanji's the biggest lesbian she knows, and she knows Nami.

Hiyori stares at Robin with wide eyes and asks for clarification. Robin explains that Sanji doesn't like men and she likes women. Sanji has been pining over her actually and that's most of Zoro and her fight at the moment because Sanji thinks he doesn't know how to behave in front of a woman let alone a princess. Hiyori tries to stumble out that Sanji doesn't know how to use a sword and Robin points out she doesn't fight with her hands because they are her treasures, just as Wano is Hiyori's. Hiyori asks if she really has a shot with the blond woman and Robin says she has more than a shot if she goes and finds the cook quickly. The speed at which Hiyori is gone makes Robin giggle again.

Of course the cook is alarmed Hiyori has found her, is panting and looking slightly crazed and asks if she needs anything and Hiyori is just like 'You! I need you!' and Sanji is saying that she is always at her service. Oblivious because why would an actual princess like her? Impossible, perish the thought. Sanji could only dream of an actual princess like Hiyori liking her. But Hiyori is looking at her like a starving woman and Sanji would feed the starving with her body. Hiyori starts rambling about her talk with Robin and how she thought she was jealous of Sanji for spending time with Zoro when she was actually jealous of the attention she was giving to Zoro. Sanji is listening and says if she needs anything to not hesitate to ask but Hiyori says she already gave her answer and her answer was Sanji. Sanji is trying to laugh it off awkwardly again because she doesn't believe anyone would like her like that, especially not the princess she's been jealous of Zoro getting the attention, not understanding the honor he had. Gods have they really just been pining over each other since meeting?

Apparently the answer is yes as Hiyori closes the distance and asks the cook to take a break with her, spend time with her. Sanji agrees and goes with the princess where they have a more in depth talk about what's going on and it lasts for hours because it turns into them getting to know each other. Hiyori likes how the cook looks in the night, a cigarette hanging from her mouth and the smoke curling into the air. If they fall asleep Robin simply giggles when she finds them and lays a blanket over them, tells the others not to disturb them as Franky quietly cries and calls them adorable and he's so glad the cook found someone after what happened with her family. The next morning Sanji is cooking for them all and Hiyori is watching enamored with the cook's movements and Zoro just rolls his eye at them. Sanji is making more of a show of it than normal as she serves the food. Yeah, Hiyori is so fucked.

When it's time for the strawhats to leave a few weeks later the women realize they are in love. They are crying and kissing with soft smiles and promises to keep in contact. Yamato is holding Hiyori close as they wave the Thousand Sunny off. Robin has an arm around Sanji as well as she watches Wano slip below the horizon line. Nami says it was the same way when Vivi stayed behind in Alabasta, the cat burglar's girlfriend who is also a princess. Sanji asks if gets easier and Nami shrugs, says yes and no, that Sanji will get used to them not being there but it sucks when things happen and they're not, that letters and calls can only do so much. Sanji nods, they do call as much as they can- even if they cut in and out, letters are slow coming to and from Wano for obvious reasons. Wano is still closed off so it's not as fast as Alabasta or the others.

Years later, Luffy the King of the Pirates and the crew still with him, following their dreams and becoming the best versions of themselves. They find the All Blue and are there for a while, Nami called Wano to let them know and give them coordinates to get there, to surprise Sanji. It's been a non-stop celebration since they've arrived and Sanji is busy cataloguing everything she's found, fish plants, spices. She's been cooking and feeding the crew and having fun and swimming and diving with Jinbei who is just as excited to see everything as her. Then a boat arrives as well and Sanji is confused until she sees Momonosuke, Hiyori and Yamato, all of them cheering and Sanji is shocked and excited to see her, in the All Blue of all places. Sanji is shocked and happy and bewildered and just in disbelief the love of her life is here, in the All Blue, screaming for her. Running across a gang plank into her arms and hoisting the cook up and kissing her. Sanji is trying to say something to her but she can't get words out.

"You're as beautiful as the day you left Wano." Hiyori smiles at her and kisses her again. Sanji is flustered and holding onto her tightly and there's tears of happiness falling from her eyes because this is unbelievable, completely and totally unbelievable. "Show me everything you've found." Hiyori demands and that gives Sanji a way to finally start kind of talking to her. When Sanji is finally calmed down enough to excitedly ramble to the princess about everything she's found, she's cooked. Hiyori is watching the blonde with nothing but adoration and love in her eyes. When they're all on deck later, curled up together and watching the crew around them it just seems so natural to ask Sanji to marry her, like there's no better time to ask, so she does. Sanji's eyes widen to look at her and then kisses her.

"Of course I'll marry you!" Sanji laughs wetly. "Fucking hells, you're going to make me cry again." Everyone has gone silent to watch them, Sanji is smiling so widely and Hiyori is head over heels and swords for this woman.

"Woo! Another party to celebrate them getting married!" Luffy cheers.

"Engaged, you shit rubber!" Sanji yells at him as she moves to start cooking again but Robin pins her down with extra limbs sprouting around her.

"Our turn, it's your celebration." Robin smiles politely as she and Nami head to the kitchen.

After a few more days of celebrating Sanji says they need to head to Baratie so that Hiyori can meet Zeff properly and the rest of the East Blue Crew agree it would be good to go home and see their respective friends and families and tell them everything. So they head back to the East, the first stop being the Baratie where another party is thrown. Zeff is happy to see his daughter and then he is introduced to her fiancee who is the princess of Wano and currently smiling very widely at him and bowing and shaking his hand because of how much she loves Sanji. Zeff approves of her heartily and Patty and Carne keep giving Sanji so much shit for being engaged and absolutely teasing her to hell and back. Everyone agrees to head to Wano for the wedding though, Momo says it's going to be huge and grand and fit for them and it is. It happens two weeks after everyone arrives and Sanji puts her foot down about Zeff cooking for the reception because as her father he should be enoying it with her but he does get to make the cake with the rest of the Baratie staff. Zeff says it should be perfect and she gestures around them in the palace saying Momo won't let it not be perfect, also look at Luffy and Nami - they also only want everything perfect for the wedding.

The day of the guests are plentiful, Iva and some other from Kamabakka, most of the Strawhat allies, Reiju shows up. The ceremony is sweet and the party is long and grand and the drinks are flowing and the music never ending as guests dance and eat and wish the couple well. Sanji and Hiyori dance and Zeff dances with both the brides and so does Momo and Luffy. Hell even Zoro dances with Sanji and grumbles about it the whole time as she laughs at him. They're rivals, ya know?

Sanji opens a restaurant in Wano but I don't think the Baratie would relocate since Wano isn't reopen. Sanji does still leave as she's still on the crew but she's never gone long and Hiyori goes with her more often than not. They go to the East Blue to see Zeff and work the Baratie sometimes, catch up with old regulars. She takes Zeff to the All Blue and Sanji will regularly head there to get things for the restaurant. Hiyori dotes on the chef and chef absolutely dotes back. On their travels Sanji tells the newer generations coming forth about going regularly to the All Blue, won't share the information on how to get there. Keeps saying it's more fun to find it themselves.

[critter-genfic-events]

This week, we have eleven fics that feature everyone’s favorite leetol blue tiefling, Jester Lavorre!  Check them out beneath the cut, and as always, comment or kudos if you like them!

they said i could let this bridge wash out by lostsometime (1503,General) Warnings: Mentions of canon slave trade Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Beauregard Lionett, One-Sided Jester Lavorre/Beauregard Lionett, Jester Lavorre & The Traveler, The Gentleman | Babenon Dosal & Jester Lavorre, Jester Lavorre & Essek Thelyss

Beau checks in on Jester. Jester explains why she acts like she does.

Reccer says: This fic phrases the parts of Jester I adore the most: her flavors of compassion, stubbornness, and wisdom. She's not as naive as first impressions might indicate. She is a well of complexity. This fic demonstrates these aspects of her concisely and straightforwardly through Beau's POV.

pickup service available by renquise (2062,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Essek Thelyss

Artagan picks up Essek for Jester

Reccer says: Hilarious, and Artagan and Essek interacting is just chef's kiss

where kindness shines by dawl_and_dapple (2703,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Essek Thelyss

Jester and Essek have a conversation about jewellery in the frozen North.

Reccer says: pitch perfect Jester and Essek friendship talks

God is a Weasel (Or, How an Archfey Made a Friend) by bluehat (2881,General) Warnings: Pairings: Artagan & Jester Lavorre

Artagan's POV of why he became Jester's weasel

Reccer says: I liked it

midnight-dark, nightsky-blue by vietbluecoeur (vietbluefic) (4562,Teen) Warnings: Major Character Death, Attempted Murder, death in childbirth Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Essek Thelyss

A Snow White retelling of Kryn princess Jester and her begrudging friend the Shadowhand

Reccer says: This! Fic! Is! Gorgeous! Jester is adorable and witty and Essek is as sharp as ever.

may your princes understand you (may your wolves get out alive) by grayintogreen (6427,Teen) Warnings: mild dubcon Pairings: Artagan & Jester Lavorre

Jester's first trip to the Feywild does not go as planned.

Reccer says: Great fey trickery and friendship between Artagan and Jester

The Purest Priorities by wtgw (4133,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Artagan & Jester Lavorre

Lord Artagan of the Morncrown meets a delightful little creature and feels himself start to become something different.

Reccer says: Great Artagan voice and dealing with how Jester changes him

From the Mixed-Up Files of The J. Lavorre Catalogue Raisonné by renquise (2328,General) Warnings: None Pairings:

jester's art and life from the perspective of scholars, particularly art scholars, long after she lived!

Reccer says: this fic uses format in such a clever and playful way, and the feeling of knowing the context behind all the painting and art details that the scholars in the fic don't have makes you feel like you're in on something. the author pulls out really fun details that tell a story in their own right. i constantly come back to this!

Strange Happenings in the Waters of Bisaft by HurtComfortInSpace (2125,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Jester Lavorre & The Mighty Nein

This story immediately follows the end of episode 45: The Stowaway. Jester can't sleep after her narrow escape from the blue dragon and finds herself on deck. But even out of the Happy Fun Ball, it's far from safe to be alone.

Reccer says: A very interesting look into what Jester's headspace might have been like after episode 45, everything from worry to loneliness to panic. Plus, there's a mermaid for mermay! What could be better than that? :)

how many miles to babylon? by grayintogreen (5260,General) Warnings: AU - Canon Divergence Pairings: Jester & Artagan

Jester must complete the Moonweaver’s challenge before her candle burns out to save Artagan.

Reccer says: Fey shenanigans are always fun.

A Wisdom Without Face or Name by violettressed (17280,Teen) Warnings: Lifespan angst, major character death Pairings: Jester/Fjord, Jester & Essek, Jester & Caduceus, Jester & Artagan

Jester Lavorre spends a lifetime learning how to let go.

Reccer says: Beautiful and bittersweet

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring fics with Jester Lavorre!

Then, it'll be Cooking, Time/Dimension Travel, and then Storytelling!

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit!

Oh! Also! Critter Gen Week is happening! Prompts will be announced soon, and you might see some familiar themes ;)

And hey, if you're looking for some more good gen content, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

[fanfic-lover-girl]

Harry Potter characters that I like

In response to a Romione fan who thought I hated every HP character and hated everything about the series because I don't stan certain characters and ships, I want to mention here the few characters I like.

For me, I like a character usually if:

they have an interesting personality and background

I feel sorry for how they are generally misunderstood or bashed by fandom (sometimes I take great pleasure in being a contrarian haha) or treated by the author.

their wins feel earned in the narrative and I feel inspired

So here is my list!

Draco Malfoy + Malfoy family

I love Draco so much. I admit that I was drawn in mostly through fanon but as I explored the books more, I really enjoyed his book character a lot. He has a vibrant and entertaining personality and I like how meta he can be sometimes. Every time he proclaims how bad Hagrid is as a teacher or how Hogwarts sucks as a school, I just want to hug him so badly. I also like his parents and their interactions as a family later in the books. Narcissa is my fav mom, no contest. I just think that JKR wasted his potential. Draco is the most developed Slytherin kid and his character should have represented hope for a better future. But of course, JKR only cares about her lions (and Snape who she tried to retcon as a lion too lol) so screw Slytherins. And the NPC houses.

Black family

Gosh, I absolutely ADORE the Black family. The Black family is the most intriguing set of characters JKR ever wrote in HP. The Black family lore, the constellation theme, the dark history, the tragedy. Chef's kiss! Screw making a marauders' prequel!!! Give me a Black Family series! You shouldn't be surprised that Sirius Black is my favourite marauder. Compared to Sirius, James Potter is an utter bore.

Neville Longbottom

I often wish Neville was the chosen one instead of Harry. I think Neville's story is more tragic than Harry's. It must be torture to have your parents alive but practically dead. And Neville just feels more heroic to me. A lot of times, I hate Harry's hero's journey because JKR keeps letting Harry win due to deu ex Machina. It was nice seeing Neville gradually grow into the man he was at the end. And Neville's rage at Bellatrix just felt more visceral compared to Harry's with Moldy Voldy. I just like Neville, he's so sweet and he deserves better friends.

Percy Weasley

On the surface, I don't care much about Percy but I do feel sorry for him. Ron and the twins treated him like trash. His family just had a hate boner for him. Poor Percy. I can vibe with a family black sheep character. I don't like how people paint him as the bad guy for walking out on his family. And I appreciate how distinguished he is as a Weasley. He is the only Weasley member not to bow down and kiss Dumbles' backside like a brainless puppet. It's a shame it backfired on him but I admire his logic.

Luna Lovegood

To be honest, Luna was a nothing character to me until I began reading Druna fanfiction and I realized how adorable her character is in the books. She makes me smile and I like how she used to talk back to the trio in the beginning. So funny when Luna told Harry that people thought Hagrid was a bad teacher lol! I think Luna is the only HP girl I like...also maybe because I really like picturing her with Draco. No shame!

Severus Snape

What a beautiful and tragic character. Like Draco, Snape is such a pleasure to read. The man is pure entertainment in written form. I don't love Snape the way I do Draco, but I like picturing him with a better life. 'Snape drops out of Hogwarts' is one of my favourite AO3 tags. I love how he dedicated his life to good even though life was cruel to him and gave him a bad hand. Everything about Snape is so intriguing and I like learning more about him. Definitely one of JKR's best characters.

Ron Weasley

I hate the golden trio but I find Ron the most tolerable and the most interesting. It's a shame I found myself disliking the guy in the epilogue. People complain about the movies ruining Ron but JKR was ruining Ron in the books too. Ron started out as so intelligent but gradually JKR made him slobbier and dumber. I like how Ron was the common sense guy. Once again, Ron had to be the one to tell Harry what a complete trash disaster Hagrid was. Lord, I hate that man! Shame Hagrid's spiders didn't kill him!!! I wish JKR expanded on Ron's chess ability. Ron showed promise as being a leader of the trio (Lord knows Harry was a disaster) and Ron being strategic would fit with his chess skills...but JKR never followed through. My fellow HP critic, chicory, mentioned this passage:

‘Hmm,’ said a small voice in his ear. ‘Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There’s talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that’s interesting … So where shall I put you?’

applies more to Ron than Harry and I have to agree with her.

There are also several instances of Ron just being a sweet friend to Harry and Hermione and I wish he had better friends. I don't care what Romione/Hermione fans say. Hermione does not deserve a guy like Ron. Never did and never will. I don't even think Harry deserves Ron either. Ron does so much more for Harry than Harry ever did for him. I would have preferred if the Luna friendship was developed more for Ron. Ron has his infuriating moments but his great moments offset them. Out of the trio, I think Ron is the best character and sometimes I wish he was the protag instead of Harry.

Well, let me end it at 7, the perfect number! I can't fully word why I like or love some of these characters but this is a gist.

Of course, there may be other characters that I enjoy for what they are in the story (the Death Eaters, Dumbledore etc) but I don't care about them enough to mention them. Blessings!

[gizkasparadise]

What are your top five xianxia cdramas? And, on the other end, what are your top five historical kdramas (any time period - I'm not well versed in this to know the various types names yet xD)? Oh, and lastly, your top five drama recs that are the most (generally) underrated? Thanks!

nice!

TOP FIVE XIANXIA (& I'M ALSO GONNA INCLUDE XUANHUAN)

love and redemption. girl meets boy. boy's part of a cursed theatre troupe and part of masochism tango of reincarnation with girl that lasts 10 life times. girl is actually kind of the god of war. crack, gender reversal, gender fuckery at large, feminist and queer friendly. incredible OST. just all-around one of my favorite dramas ever.

lost you forever (part 1). a xuanhuan vs. xianxia, but im not passionate enough about 5 xianxia for this list lol. another drama with gender fuckery. a fantastic FL and beautiful relationship building (and unbuilding) and character-driven story. dont even need the second part for this to be a favorite!!

love between fairy and devil. all those tropes you fucking loved when you were like 13 on ff.net given a lot of heart and near-perfect execution (aside from that ending). awesome characters, beautiful costumes and art direction. super addicting and bingeable

the legends. bai lu playing a powerhungry demoness and acquiring a dysfunctional harem in the process. xu kai looking like a sad blue-haired puppy. a monk that creates an entire demon because he has 1 boner. sismance. i had a lot of fun with this one and pointedly did not watch the last 5 or so eps lol

till the end of the moon. there's parts i genuinely hate and would not watch ever again. there's parts that are fucking incredible. sort of like the main couple, i have a love/hate relationship with this drama but when it hits it really hits

honorable mention: eternal love/10 miles of peach blossoms (xianxia fuckery at its finest weighed down somewhat by tedious side plots and one of the most infuriating 2nd FLs of all time)

TOP FIVE HISTORICAL KDRAMAS

gaksital/bridal mask. set in the 1930s. inverse character arcs between the hero and villain. dysfunctional romance amped up to the nth level. high stakes, high consequences, and a cast full of well-developed and written characters. bring tissues

empress ki. girl crushing and girl bossing her way through two kingdoms, one of the best FLs of all time. with her is a besotted baby enemy emperor and a Noble Good besotted powerless king as she goes from slave to smuggler to concubine to empress. chef's kiss

the princess' man. you want feral wrecks for your male leads? female leads ready to throw down in a parking lot? if you like lovers to enemy (?) lovers and star-crossed romances this one is a must

the king loves. this one's also on my underrated list. the first 4ish eps are a chore, but if you get past them you have the love triangle to end all love triangles, interesting palace politics with a fascinating "evil" empress, and im siwan getting to go a lil unhinged as a treat. it's the definition of an idol drama but gd did i love this and i binged the hell out of it no regrets

mr sunshine. le cinema!!! an interesting time in history (1870s-1880s) with a wide range of flawed but compelling characters centered around one of the most badass FLs of all time. winner of the #1 second lead syndrome contest for me with dong mae. only downfall to this one is i felt negative chemistry with the endgame ship but the show is good enough without it

honorable mention: chicago typewriter isnt on this list because it's only kind of half a historical drama BUT OMG WATCH IT. it's in my top 3 kdrama and while it has a slow build once it kicks off it fucking goes off

TOP FIVE UNDERRATED DRAMAS

the king loves as mentioned above. i think why it has a lower rating is the first handful of eps are kind of a snoozefest and there's a bit of an upset with the romance (which i was 900% for). but it's a fucking fun ride and full of awesome goryeo palace drama adventures

kairos. not underrated, since it has decent scores on reviewer sites, but underhyped? not enough people have seen this one and it's an incredible time-travel thriller that i found way more interesting than other popular dramas of its type like signal

cheese in the trap. the ending's a hot mess, but compared to how some 2020-onward dramas are ending it's poetry. a solid adaptation of a really great webtoon, awesome cinematography, and one of the few dramas ive seen that actually capture the campus/college life experience right

discovery of romance. the emotional cheating element causes a lot of folks to hate it/jump ship, but i love this one (and gd BOTH the fl and ml emotionally cheat ftr he's not innocent in this hot mess). jung yumi + eric mun are one of my favorite kdrama duos and they kill it, and kim seulgi plays an incredible second female lead

when a man falls in love. man people HATED this one but i think it's a blast when you're in the mood for mess + gangsters. if you're into watching fucked up romances with severe power imbalances and the dysfunction that follows, this one's for you. it's not perfect but definitely not deserving of its 6.8 MDL rating (gd!)

[letoscrawls]

How would you rate each version of Duncan from the Dune series and of his love/shipping interests whom do you think he had the best and worst compatibility/chemistry with?

Oh i love you for this question because i've been making silly little rankings in my head for YEARS and you just gave me a reason to unleash them in the wild

So, when it comes to Duncan i think the first thing you gotta take in mind is that his original version had a thing for lady jessica (love or whatever), and it's implied in some of his other relationships that she's always there in the back of his mind somehow.

Duncan and Alia: okay let's start with the one that irks me the most. Alia is my daughter, my beloved, my everything and i hate that she had to be overshadowed by her mother even during her marriage. but it's not jessica's fault, it's stupid duncan that saw jessica in alia, and someone even told him at some point. i don't remember who, i think it was jessica herself??? also you're a psychic living computer whatever HOW can you not see that your wife is being possessed by an evil presence. GOD. i'm obsessed with the tragedy of alia and i loved those scenes when duncan realized she was gone and he started crying ugh. chef kiss. very shakespearean if you will, but yeah Alia deserved a better companion so i'd rate this a 4/10 at best. four points for the tragedy and nothing more

Duncan and Hwi: 0/10. -1183948/10. this is the worst. not even tragedy can save this mess of a ship. hell it wasn't even a ship it was just wrong. poor hwi was paired with the worst men ever and then died??? wtf!! that was terrible for women in general. Not to mention god-emperor duncan is the worst duncan of them all i hate him so much you have no idea. he was a sexist homophobic dumb piece of shit and i hate that he survived and probably died peacefully with siona. also something tells me his encounter with hwi wasn't very consensual you know? maybe the way it was written was ambiguous, but i got the feeling she wasn't really sure of it and it did nothing for the plot, it made no sense. just a bad vibe in general

Duncan and Siona: meh, we don't see much of them, we just know eventually they got together and had a lot of babies and saved the atreides. i've always felt like siona was a half written character, we saw her in the beginning and she's a fearless rebel with a mind of her own, but then in the end she succumbs to the insanity of leto II's grand scheme of things and she seems more like a puppet in his hands. i don't know i'd rate this a 3/10 just because we don't see much and i think they were forced by the events and nothing more. P.S: i would have to look on the dune encyclopedia for more details, maybe they actually liked eachother like ghani and farad'n but i'm not sure

Duncan and that Jessica pseudo clone: they are mentioned briefly in god-emperor i think and it proves once again that this man had un unhealthy obsession for jessica (an assumption based on the fact i don't like him and jessica didn't either. stay with me you know i'm right). but yeah they were happy i guess??? i'm sure if some guy resembling duke leto showed up that jessica lookalike would have dropped duncan's ass in one millisecond though. 6/10

Duncan and Murbella: oh we really are in it aren't we. now THIS is a fucked up relationship. they get a higher score because she's as fucked up as him, and i appreciate equality. But hell duncan and murbella are insanity at the highest level. She imprinted on him when he was a teen and he reverse imprinted on her and they got stuck in a weird sexual curse???? peak madness i just. i don't even know what to say, if i didn't read god-emperor before heretics i would have said this is the most insane thing frank herbert did in these books. but anyway, we actually get to see a little more of their relationship (or maybe situationship, i don't even know what to call that thing they had) in chapterhouse, they are addicted to eachother and made a ton of babies for the bene gesserit. i would say there's tragedy in them as well and even though i know they dynamics that got them stuck together is not healthy and ok and they are by far the weirdest pairing in the entire six books, i'll be honest i was saddened when murbella eventually choose the bene gesserit over him. the scene when she's going through the ritual to become a bg and he's desperate to lose her might have moved something in me. idk. i give them a pass because they are fictional and weird, but overall they are a solid 8/10 to me. and i appreciate the fact that duncan was finally able to have feelings for someone who didn't have 95% of lady jessica's genotype

Duncan and Sheeana: meh. they were meant to be according to the bene gesserit plan, and they did seem to have some sort of bond in chapterhouse. but i don't know, i feel like they were two kids manipulated by the bene gesserit in different ways, and nothing more. But since the saga is incomplete, i'm sure the final book was supposed to explore their dynamic as well. i would say 5.5/10 for the potential (sheeana was super cool on her own and i like to think they could have joined forces to take down the bene gesserit and fall in love while they were at that. but it's all in my head so idk.)

i'm at the end of this long ask and i realized you asked me to rate Duncans and not his relationships. oh well (i had a drawing planned for that years ago). my apologies

Original Duncan: 10/10. bestest boy. gone too soon. he was one respectful king

Messiah Duncan: you know what despite everything I DO LIKE THIS DUNCAN. 9/10 bc he has cool metal eyes and he's very similar to the original Duncan in a lot of ways. should have treated alia better though.

God-Emperor Duncan: get this fucker out of my sight. 0/10.

Heretics baby Duncan: just a baby. an innocent soul. my son. you deserved to live a happy life with your adoptive dad Miles. 8.5/10

Chapterhouse Duncan: a pathetic loser trapped in a toxic situationship with a computer inside his head. he did try his best let's be honest. also a skinny legend. 8/10

[highfantasy-soul]

Things I LOVED in NATLA Episode 6 - Masks

Opening with Zuko pre-scar getting ready for the war council - you really didn't have to gut-punch me like that, show

Starting the camera from behind his head so we don't know yet and having Iroh's monologue starting up - really really great stuff

Dallas Liu did such a great job acting as a 3-years younger Zuko here! The way he holds himself, the tone of his voice THE WAY HE FREELY SMILES!!!!! Immediately lets you know this is younger Zuko before the most traumatic shit of his life

Damn that transition from young Zuko to him on the shiiipp!!

Zhao is so slimy and is so good at making you hate him

Love Zuko's desperate plea to his crew that they stand by him and then Jee's outburst at the way Zuko treats them

We see both sides (and even more by the end of the episode)

Love the added layers to the 'villains' of the story

"We can solve the world's problems without hurting anyone!?" "We can try"

Such a great back and forth there - already showing where Aang's ideas are at and how he's a pacifist at heart

But he still mentions painful consequences if they fail - consequences those of us who know the animated version know all too well how close that is to Roku

The Mother of Faces! Great deepening of lore and reinforcing the themes of identity and masks for the episode

Though I miss Roku wrecking shop at the temple, seeing the fire sages all taken out by Nyla's paralysis was dooooopppee!!!

June is so cool and so very, very competent. Love her to death

Zuko's resigned 'no' as Aang begs him to let him go save his friends :(

Yet another instance showing that although Zuko's put a mask on to show the world since his banishment, Aang is the one who can see through it because he truly believes the best in people - even enemies

Baby Zuko in the war council not paying attention

Just trying his best but clearly not taking it as seriously as he should - giving plans of attack they'd already discarded

He just wants the approval of his father

Love the added depth from Ozai here

He WANTED Zuko to come up with a good plan, he's DISAPPOINTED he didn't.

This Ozai hasn't written Zuko off from the start, he's 'giving him chances' to be the son Ozai wants him to be - and is failing

Let's be clear here, it's not ok that Ozai is doing this and this doesn't mean Zuko brought his abuse on himself, it means that in Ozai's mind, he can justify it and 'gave chances' - see the cycle of abuse

Zuko's core shining through as, even though he doesn't have a good plan himself, he KNOWS what the other general suggested is wrong

You don't have to be an expert on world affairs or battle plans to know WRONG when you see it - it's basic humanity and anyone who tries to tell you you shouldn't have a say because you're not an expert can eat shit

AAAHHHHH Zhao throwing it back in Zuko's face that defying one of Ozai's generals (admirals), Zuko is defying his own father

AARRRUUGGGHHHHHHHAHAAAAAHHHHAAAA

Zuko strategizing immediately!!

Iroh trying to talk sense into him!!

Everything from this point on is almost directly pulled from the animated series and I think the show knew EXACTLY when to do a 1-1 translation to live-action

Zhao's little smarmy speech to Aang, Aang then blowing him into the door XD

Zhao's absolutely pitch-perfect middle manager 'Our numbers have been great this quarter, here's your pizza party!' energy that's waaayyyy too into this

He's so obsessed with the appearance of power and the rush of shouting accomplishments to uproarious applause, he doesn't care about anything else

Spit in my mouth, that pan over to The Blue Spirit hanging out in the tree and the little head tilt as he hears the wagon rolling underneath - uuuuuuhhhhh that was…good. Yeah, that was good. Ahem, I'm fine, totally normal over here, carry on.

NiNjA sTuFf!!

The whole unseen hallway fight *chefs kiss*

"Who are you?" Head tilt "Right, talk later, run now" while the Blue Spirit is already all the way down the hallway XD

Their heads popping up above the crates to scope out the courtyard XD too cute

"Now is that 'loyal' or 'faithful', sir?" 😭

Zhao's panicked scream after just having been so confident 🙃

SIIIICCKKK sword flourish!

ALL the choreography at the top of the battlement was fantastic - I could see the CGI doubles in a few places, but really, it was so good I didn’t care

Just two cuties stilt-walking across a courtyard full of enemies, nothing to see here

I LOVE how The Blue Spirit holds himself so differently than Zuko does. The mask hiding his features really does let him take on a persona that he can really settle into

The way he holds a stance ready to fight is completely different than Zuko does when he's firebending and I think it was such a good touch to make sure their fighting styles were nothing alike (even barring the difference in weapon)

It's sooo interesting that in this version, you can see through the eye-holes of the mask - looking closely, you can see Zuko's fear and insecurity, even his shallow breaths as he's terrified his plan won't work. It's something you have to look closely for, but it's very very good.

And that little nick on Aang's neck from the swords! Zuko really was holding them tight to him

Zuko slapping Aang's hand away XD it's hilarious in how honest of a teenage reaction that is

So much of what Zuko does is exactly what teens do when they're trying to be badass and edgy, but to us olds, it comes off so try-hard and petulant - it's a mask of confidence and badassery that's so easy to see through

"Can I ask you a question? It might be a little personal - goat hair or rabbit?"

I legit almost cried at that - it's just SO AANG to talk about mundane things with the 'enemy' to try to find common ground. Humanize each other so they can find a way to resolve the issue without threats or violence.

Ugh just, ugh - Aang telling Zuko that the work he did in the notebook was really good and helped him a lot

Zuko has finally heard he did a good job - something he did was worthy of praise. It was unique and impactful and Zuko should be proud of it. And it's his enemy telling him that - a genuine complement, not gloating or digging at him, but genuinely telling him that he did a good job

Zuko breaking and opening up to Aang!!!! Them bonding!!!!

Zuko's little smile at Aang's joke about snoring while meditating!!!

Love this expanded conversation between them - really humanizing each other and seeing the cracks in Zuko's façade, his mask that he thinks he needs to strengthen to be what he's "expected" to be - and how he reacts with anger when people try to lift that mask.

The Agni Kai - just….wow, yeah, it was a lot

Again, I love how they expand these scenes to really delve into character more rather than a quick, frankly a bit surface level, bullet point of character these scenes in the animated show had.

I have a whole essay about the Agni Kai in my analysis of the episode, but cliff notes:

All of Ozai's lines are dripping with depth and nuance to why he's doing this and a deeper meaning to this lesson than just throwing Zuko away as a nuisance

Ozai really wants Zuko to do well, to prove himself

And Zuko tries - he tries insisting that they don’t need to fight, that he does respect Ozai and the military, then he tries to please his father by fighting

The choreography is brutal and stunning

The fight builds, flows, and ends with Zuko showing compassion, unwilling to really strike his own father

And I've again, written an essay on it, but I do like seeing the conflict on Ozai's face as he brands Zuko

He's not any less horrific of a father, but he is more REAL - which makes it all the more terrifying and heartbreaking that we can see people like that in the world, he's not just a character relegated to a cartoon - his type of abuse is very real and present in our everyday lives

Aang talking about Kuzon :'(

"He's hurt" "He'll recover" "But he'll never heal"

WHAT and exchange.

"Sometimes the weak can become stronger. Sometimes, you just have to give them the chance"

Aaahhhhh!! There's Zuko's character thesis right there: he's always had to fight for his abilities, it's never come easy for him - but what 'strength' is will change and grow with Zuko through the story!

Jesus, Daniel Dae Kim's voice is just sooooo goood as the fire lord. It's not fair. Seriously.

Mark Hamill is legendary - there's no doubt about that, but damn if Daniel Dae Kim doesn't do just as good of a job, putting his own, very resonantly deep take on it.

And the 41st reveal!!!!!

I think this was a genius addition by the live-action team

Bringing it all around full circle where everything is connected.

Iroh cupping Zuko's face and him pushing him away, back to the 'petulant' (what he thinks is strong) mask D':

"There actually are a few of us who care about…about such things"

Cue the waterworks

"Our prince has returned"

Again, waterworks

No, it's not 'home' in the Fire Nation, but it IS the home that Zuko and the crew have made over the past 3 years

Enter the trope of home being where you least expect it and all that

"They must have missed you at music night" DX

Coming in again with the fire ending monologue )':

No Gyatzo waiting for Aang DX

Zuko seeing his unscarred, happy face in the mirror DX

"What's hard is knowing that sometimes, the mask is who we really are"

There were a lot of big emotions in this episode - I needed some time to recover

[Masterlist of my NATLA thoughts]