#piyo-13

[purplephloxpress]

Another year, another Fanfiction Writers Appreciation Day!!!! If you are a writer of fanfic, please know just how appreciated you are!! Fandom would be such a different space without your creativity and labors of love. 💜

Holidays are all about making traditions, and the bookbinding friends with @renegadeguild once again came together to bind copies of fics for their authors as a show of our appreciation. This year I had the absolute joy of binding Emergency Help Wanted by the wonderful @piyo-13 and even got to collaborate with her on some of the design elements! It's a Modern AU Jiang Cheng/Lan Xichen fic that starts with a "help wanted" ad.

EMERGENCY HELP WANTED

I lied when I got my job. I told them I had a kid so I could leave early from work to pick him up from daycare, take him to doctor's appointments, and occasionally miss a day when he's sick. Long story short, I'm in too deep. I didn't think it through. Looking to rent a kid for bring your child to work day. Must be a boy ages four to six, longish dark hair, likes soccer. Must also be artistic as the macaroni noodle paintings I made seem a little advanced for his age. Also, I will pay extra for someone willing to play the role of husband when dropping him off. He's a prosecuting attorney who often brings his work home. Message me for further details. Serious inquiries only.

Ok. So. I may have gone a little feral with this one. Online "help wanted" ad spiraled into loading wheel scene dividers, spiraled into fake Google search result headers, spiraled into FULLY committing to those authentic looking text messages. In full color. (There are so many. I typeset in MS Word. It was SO worth it, but god what a struggle at some points.) And don't forget the "recent searches" title page! Or the computer cutout on the cover! (It's bluescreening, just like Lan Xichen through this entire fic!) Also that cover/title page image that I just kept adding details to. (It's supposed to be Lan Xichen's desk, so it simply didn't feel right until it had sticky notes on the computer, #1 dad on the mug, scissors and measuring tape, scribbles on the sticky notes) Did I have a ton of fun designing this one? Perhaps. Couldn't say. Maybe just a tad. (This is a lie I had an ABSOLUTE BLAST!)

Historically, I've waited until I finish at least the typeset before reaching out to the author, but not so with this one! I got the idea for the fake google search results from Piyo's authors notes, teasing the contents of the next chapter. But! Those didn't start until about chapter 4! So I reached out and asked if we could collaborate and I'm forever glad I did! Not only does this have teasers for each chapter, I also got to bounce design ideas off of her, including what shade of blue and purple for the text messages. Because my friends, that is a serious matter and changed SEVERAL times throughout the process.

Also shoutout to all my Renegade friends who gave input and encouragement over the past year while I worked on this (what endpages to use? how to make this shade of green perfectly Nie Huaisang? how do we feel about this text message design? or how about this one?) - I love you all dearly and appreciate you so much for putting up with my nonsense at all times.

Binding details below the cut!

Fandom: The Untamed/Mo Dao Zu Shi

Pairing: Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin / Lan Huan | Lan Xichen

Bookcloth: Aqua/Purple Dubletta from Colophon Book Arts

Endpapers: Craft Consortium Ink Drops - Ocean pack

Textblock paper: short grain cream from Church Paper

Titling: We R Memory Keepers foil quill

Endbands: leather cording core, DMC embroidery floss for the bands

Body Font: EB Garamond

Title Font: Berlin Sans FB

Text Messages: Roboto

Additional fonts: Times New Roman, Kunstler Script, Magis Authentic

Title page image from Rawpixel and designed in Canva

Various computer graphics from The Noun Project

Tumblr insists on eating and doubling text in this section at its own whim, so if there's something missing that you're curious about, feel free to DM me an ask!

[beesinspades]

drew our favorite grape man for @piyo-13's birthday 💜💜

[rcmclachlan]

In my *mumblemumble* years of being in fandom, never before has something this wonderful happened to me: someone liked one of my fics enough that they book bound it. Someone put the time and effort into doing this unbelievably beautiful thing for a veritable stranger. That someone is the wonderful @piyo-13, who has made my entire life with this incredible gift. Thank you thank you THANK YOU!!

Holding a physical copy of something I wrote--and seeing my pen name printed on the pages--was an absolutely transcendent experience, and yes I cried when I opened the package this evening.

I know we can get caught up in the toxicity of fandom sometimes, but it's things like this that remind me that, at the end of the day, we're all here because of love.

(Also how frickin cute is their card art??? Like, they drew that for me. I get to keep that!).

[izzyspussy]

tagged by @piyo-13 to make a poll of my top 5 favorite characters* and see who comes out on top

*not to be taken definitively because I can't remember shit OR make decisions

I tag @dykerory @lotshusband @fanficfanattic @sky-fire-forever and @bougiebutchbitch

[bi-widower-dads]

Submissions Open for Fic Rec February!

This February, we're going to celebrate by sharing the love for all the wonderful fics in the Barduil community! Use the Google form below to recommend as many of your favorite fics as you'd like, and we'll share them throughout the month of February -- and generate masterlists of recommended fics to share throughout the year!

If you have any questions, please send us an ask or message one of the mods - me (@scary-grace), @nocompromise-noregrets, or @piyo-13! We look forward to seeing your recommendations.

[buriedbybooks]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers (except me because I've already done it). Spread the self-love 💙💙

Thank you for the ask @jayswing101!!

I'm having a hard time with this one, so here's a smattering.

Tradition: Five times Parker tries to understand why people believe what they believe (and do what they do), and what she decides to take from it. This is still one of my favorite Leverage fic that I've ever written. It was one of the ones that I felt fit together really well, and it was also wonderful to find that the headcanon the entire fic was based on was written into canon in Leverage: Redemption.

Living Well: Eliot witnesses an unusual confrontation between his employer and a conman. My first ever crossover fic. It starts the Leverage-Warehouse 13 crossovers and was an absolute romp to write.

La gou gou: Five times Da Qing makes Shen Wei pinky swear and the one time Zhao Yunlan catches them at it. My first time really focusing on this dynamic in Guardian, and I had such fun with it. (and yes, it's another 5+1, how did you guess XD )

Negotiating Perspectives: Exploration of the changing relationship between Yè Zūn and Jiājiā after their first encounter when Yè Zūn returns to Haixing post-canon. The story is told from both points of view. I saw the cut scene from Guardian (yes, *that* one) and immediately needed to play in that sandbox. I wanted to see what would happen if they both survived in some fix-it universe.

A Slipper Lost in the Night: Chéng Xīnyán gets Shěn Wēi to express more of himself. He sees a familiar face and hijinks ensue. This AU has been the furthest outside of my comfort zone. It has been a joy to work on and stretched me as a writer.

Tagging: @eirenical, @piyo-13, @sasamelons, @parrishsrubberplant, @mockedspace

[cielrouge]

tagged by @piyo-13 to make a poll of my top 5 characters and see who comes out on top and well....

Honorable Mentions: Mishil from Queen Seondeok (the OG baddie bitch antiheroine!!! Watching this sageuk as a kid literally alternated my brain chemistry hahaha), Emily Throne from Revenge (another OG antiheroine girlie I was frothing at the mouth over!!!) and Jem Carstairs from The Infernal Devices (the stranglehold this boi had on me during the heyday of the YA paranormal romance era LMAOOO)

Tagging @gyuseulogy, @selkiestars, @skadren, @whenquietthunders, @yukipri, and anyone else who wants to do this!

[nocompromise-noregrets]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers (except me because obvs I have done it). Spread the self-love 💜

aaaa, thank you so much! Thank you also, and apologies for how long it's taken me to do this, to @mirkwood-hr-department, @scary-grace, @erathene and @verecunda who have also sent me this one over the last couple of months. I'm afraid I took fright because I currently have uh 415 works on AO3 and I kind of don't know where to start. I am also terrible at picking favourites, and particularly terrible at picking a short list thereof. So I am going to cheat and give you some links to series instead, and I am not going to limit myself to five because that way lies far too much stress and anxiety XD

My Heart Is An Empty Vessel - well, obviously that had to be on the list, it's the fic that got me into the Barduil fandom and the longest I've ever finished, not to mention it's sparked a whole 'verse spanning at least three Ages of Middle-earth. :D Almost all of my canon-'verse fics take place in this 'verse, as it happens, and one of these days I will collect them into a series but it is not this day, mainly because it's an enormous task. Maybe when I retire... XDDDDD

All I Want Is You - the one that got me through the third and fourth (I think) lockdowns, the daft Christmas-movie modern AU that morphed into something rather bigger and gave me a chance to exorcise some of my work-related demons.

the hardest choice to make - because it's me finally tackling my favourite characters making their Choice between mortality and immortality. I love the Twins inordinately, more than any other character, and I think I have more very fixed headcanons for them than for any other - I've been putting this one off, or rather they have, but they've finally started talking and I'm hoping to piece the rest of it together gradually sooner or later.

a kiss in the cold and dark (I should have kissed you that summer) and its associated series - because it took on a life of its own and is also letting me channel a lot of my teenage memories :D

paint the sky and burn the stars - because, again, it took on a life of its own and pretty much wrote itself, and unlike a lot of my other stuff, it's self-contained. I don't think there will ever be a sequel, but that's all right; the story is complete as it is.

stained glass heart - another one that pretty much wrote itself, I loved the imagery in @piyo-13's art so much and it just all fell into place.

dancing in the dark - because I'm having so much fun with my old rocker bi widower dads :D another place to channel memories of my younger days, this.

A Little Piece of the Sea - one of my longest-running series, I started writing this 20-odd years ago, and then picked it back up when I came back into the fandom. Legolas/Imrahil my beloved underappreciated rare pair canoe!

I Will Be With You Always - last year's TRSB piece written for @seagull-energy's beautiful art, I finally managed to pin down my Arwen feelings in this rather reflective piece about her last moments on Cerin Amroth, where her life has come full circle at last.

breathe freely - the utterly out of character hanahaki twincest fic the premise for which came to me in a dream XD look I have problematic OTPs, I am old and have been here a very long time it is pretty much a given :D (the twincest is not the bit that's out of character)

Do You Remember The First Time? - the Twins/Rúmil two-parter that got rather out of hand and also gave me the headcanon about the Twins standing in alphabetical order as you look at them XD

It's Always Been You - the other problematic pairings one, featuring the Rúmil/Orophin story that had been sitting in my notes for nearly 20 years until I got back into the fandom with a vengeance in the summer of 2020, and the foundations of the Rivendell and Lothlórien bits of my canon-'verse set stories...

death is certain, life is not - the TRSB fic that ate me alive this summer, inspired by @erathene's glorious art, in which Tilda finally strides into centre stage and refuses to stop talking (I am already working on the sequel because I ran out of time to include most of what I wanted to squeeze in). Technically part of Empty Vessel-'verse but deserves an honourable mention here!

A Quiet Understanding - and finally, because if I don't wrap it up here I'll be going all day, the first longfic/chaptered fic I ever wrote, in the King Arthur (2004) fandom, about Gawain and Galahad and how their lives unfold both before and after the Battle of Badon Hill.

(and that's not mentioning the rare fandom stuff like A Knight's Tale, That Thing You Do!, Fisherman's Friends, Call The Midwife, The Alienist and The Palace, all of which I adore unreasonably, but I think I've rambled on quite enough here XD )

Thank you so much to everyone who asked me for this one, and I'm so sorry it took me so long to work out an answer! I haven't the spoons for askboxes, and I have to admit that the choose-x-people-to-ask games always feel a bit exclusive to me because what about the people who never quite make it onto that finite list, the people who nobody ever remembers to ask - and my memory is terrible and I will always inadvertently forget people. So, instead, I would like to invite anyone who sees this and wants to do it - don't wait to be asked, just rec yourselves! Let us know the works of yours you love the most! <3333333

[scary-grace]

WIP tag game

Thank you to @candycandy00 for the tag and the chance to out all of my bonkers WIP titles. (I used only unpublished WIPs because otherwise there would be too many.)

rules: share all the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how nondescriptive or ridiculous. let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! then tag as many people as you have WIPs...

My BNHA x reader WIPS:

x reader enemies to lovers bullshit crackfic -- a Notes app special currently clocking in at 38k, featuring underground hero!reader and post-Kamino wannabe king of the villains!Shigaraki

halloween horror 2: electric boogaloo (the official version) -- my third attempt at starting the sequel for the Shigaraki x reader ghost story

new^3 x reader bullshit -- the Shigaraki x reader haunted video game AU

bnha x reader bodyguard au -- sci-fi/far future/space au where Shigaraki is the heir of the Galactic Empire and the reader is his genetically modified and fanatically loyal bodyguard

new x reader bullshit -- the phone sex au. enough said. seriously.

My BNHA erasermic WIPs:

erasermic train to busan actual -- no quirks AU, exactly what it says on the tin. Train to Busan but make it an Erasermic meet-cute

erasermic circus AU -- set in the 1930s in a world where the reaction to the appearance of quirks leads to people with quirks being marginalized into communes set away from society or circuses where they use their quirks for entertainment, featuring circus performer Mic and supposedly civilian Aizawa

erasermic everybody breaks -- everybody lives fic where the rooftop gang survives, Aizawa and Shirakumo get married, and Mic decides it's better to let them live happily ever after. Except then they get divorced.

My Tolkien WIPs

barduil red au -- modern AU where Thranduil and Bard reunite four years after a disastrous breakup and see if they can make it work a second time

barduil a quiet place au -- what it says on the tin, except I only genderbent one of them (upside down smiley face)

barduil country radio -- fic where Legolas learns while cleaning out his dad's house that his dad was in apparently requited love with a famous country singer

barduil miss congeniality au -- what it says on the tin, but they're both genderbent this time

I'm wondering if I even know this many writers, but here goes -- tagging @dogblessyoutascha, @obsessedtomone, @nocompromise-noregrets, @sophsiaaa, @phantombstone, @mirkwood-hr-department , @thatonetimetraveller , @writerman , @cranky-warlock , @threadbaresweater , @piyo-13 , @palmviolet , and @herawell !

no pressure of course, but if you'd like, I'd love to hear about your WIPs!

[captain-apostrophe]

pick my favourite woman character!

tagging myself courtesy of @piyo-13! and tagging @megalodont and idk the standard anybody who sees this and wants to play, I want to know who your favs are!

[bettydice]

zero context WIP tag game

If you’re tagged, make a new post and share 1-2 (a few) sentences from your most recent unposted WIP(s) with zero context – Let your followers guess!

considering myself tagged by @loquaciousquark to boost the ask/tag meme economy

1.

11: 35 a.m. Jin Zixuan drives him home and Jiang Cheng is so full of nervous energy, he reciprocates Jin Zixuan’s small talk. He forgets what they’re talking about while they’re talking about it, it’s so boring. To Jiang Cheng’s horror, Jin Zixuan says “Good talk!”, with a short, grateful nod before he drives away. Did they… has he accidentally bonded?! Is Jin Zixuan now going to gravitate towards him during family-related social events, hoping to have another “good talk”?

Fuck! Wei Wuxian, stop ruining my fucking life!

2.

She rolls her eyes, as he expected her to, about his use of ‘unnecessarily big words’. “The per-pe-traders were… well, anyone. Enemies, friends, lovers. Who hasn’t tried to stab me at some point is the better question.” She grins in a way that usually tells him he’ll be somewhat annoyed by what she says next. “Technically, you also tried to stab me in my sleep. With pointy things.”

“Excuse me, do not lump me in with those vile-“

“I know.” For a moment, her face softens, as though she’s afraid her comment has hurt him. Then she lifts an eyebrow and gives him a slightly feral grin. “Do you really think you’d still be around if I’d actually thought you wanted to kill me back then?”

He stares into her eyes for a few seconds while his fingers trace the scars on her neck once more. “No. No, I don’t.”

____________

#1 is a wip that I'll hopefully pick up again ANY DAY NOW PLEASE #2 is only maybe a wip or maybe just a short drabble I wrote to have quark react to it and that's all it'll ever be

oh it said zero context WELL FUCK YOUR RULES tagging @perahn @nelsynoo @faejilly @theherocomplex @piyo-13 (if you have no actual wips, ignore this meme and tell me about possible fic ideas rotating in your brain, lets keep the tag game train going choo choo)

[eclecticinkling]

Rules: make a poll with five of your all time favorite characters and then tag five people to do the same. See which character is everyone’s favorite.

Tagged by @ilgaksu and @sasusquatch

Tagging uhhhh @ayzenigma @residentstarboy @aiseulatte @chronos15 @piyo-13 and whoever else wants to do it!

[beesinspades]

@piyo-13 gifted me the most amazing, special thing for my birthday....it's been a couple of days since I opened it, but I could still cry. look at how gorgeous and well-made it is!!! thank you so much again friend, I'll treasure it forever!!! 🥹

[bi-widower-dads]

bi-widower-dads' February Fic Rec: AUs

Thank you to everyone who submitted recs for us! We've done some sorting and collating, and we've got two posts for you: AUs and Canon-'verse - and a whole load of excellent fic for you to get stuck into while we wait for Barduil Month in April! So without further ado, here are the AUs for you, with a little bit about why our recommenders love them...

Header image by mod @piyo-13!

(a note about tags and trigger warnings: tags are selected from those on AO3 as being those that best describe the story for the purposes of this event; trigger warnings are supplied by the recommenders and may not be comprehensive - your mileage may vary. We've tried our best to include Tumblr handles wherever we can, but if we've missed yours out and you want it included, just let us know!)

One-shots

In the Wake of the Second Horseman by EldritchMage / @eldritchmage | M | 2272 words | tags: angst with a happy ending, implied/referenced drug use, post-traumatic stress disorder - PTSD, implied warfare/violence | trigger warnings: mention of drug use, mention of violence in a war zone, PTSD, nightmares

Summary: When addiction threatens to consume Thran, his lover Bard is desperate to help - but Thran isn't. Yet in ending his relationship with Bard, Thran savages both of them, not just himself. Four years later, Thran's about to discover what remains from his cruelty. What he finds is a surprise - and humbling. What do you love about this fic? Even when things fall apart, redemption is possible if you give it half a chance. Out of tragedy comes hope and a chance for a better life.

love remains by likethenight / @nocompromise-noregrets | G | 11,093 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, grief/mourning, Thranduil never sailed west, mythical beings & creatures, folklore, alternate universe - reincarnation | trigger warnings: none

Summary: There is a legend in Dale, that somewhere deep in the forest that borders the city lives the forest king, an ancient being with a special care for archers, and for all things that grow. Bard, camping in the woods after his finals, finds a place that isn't on any maps and begins to dream of something - someone - familiar; and years later, after the heaviest loss he has ever had to bear, he goes back out there again, hoping to find something that might help him recover. What do you love about this fic? Absolutely beautiful fic, such a touching story and excellent writing!

Petrichor by b_ofdale_archive / @beesinspades | G | 14,598 words | tags: alternate universe - reincarnation, alternate universe - modern setting, alternate universe - bookstore, books and cats | trigger warnings: slight mention of past life character death

Summary: It's been six thousand years since Thranduil last laid eyes on his husband - Bard. The world has changed and the great Elvenking with it, lingering in the shadows of Men; as hope for a miracle festers within his heart that grows weaker with every passing day, the only thing keeping him going is a promise he made, many moons ago. What do you love about this fic? I love its overall theme, and the thought that Thranduil will meet Bard again. A lovely and poetically written reincarnation AU, well worth the read!

Multi-chapters: in progress

Love in a time of change by myeaglesong / @myeaglesong | M | 22,840 words | tags: eventual relationships, eventual romance, elf/human relationships, fluff, romance, slow burn, alternate universe - regency, oblivious Bard | trigger warnings: none

Summary: For the longest time, Thranduil has wanted to find a good match for his son, Legolas, to marry. His search leads him to consider Arwen for Legolas to marry, but what if Legolas has already got his eye set on another match that Thranduil may not approve of? What will will happen when Legolas finds out about his father's intentions to marry him off? What would happen when the question of if Thranduil were to marry again was to come up, who could he marry? What do you love about this fic? I am not usually one for Regency AUs but this one is so adorable, and between the kids and the dads there is plenty of potential for shenanigans and some tentative romance! I'm really looking forward to seeing how events unfold…

The Moth Effect by BiSquared / @scary-grace and Dogblessya / @dogblessyoutascha | M | 35,658 words | tags: mothman is real, mothman Thranduil, mothbaby Legolas, park ranger Bard, non-graphic violence, but there is still gore so you've been warned, twilight references | trigger warnings: mothman lore, gore

Summary: (in chaos theory) the phenomenon whereby a mothman moving into your place of employment can have a large effect on the rest of your life. What do you love about this fic? I love the Supernatural/Horror element to it and Park Ranger Bard trying to make sense of all the really weird s**t that's happening around him. Lovely bits have to be the introduction of Mothman Thranduil and adorable Mothbaby Legolas. But best of all is that Mothman Thranduil isn't the weirdest thing happening in Olympic National Park 👀….

Vena Amoris by Patch / @patchoffeathers and Piyo13 / @piyo-13 | M | 72,843 words | tags: crossover with Dracula Untold, alternate universe - vampires, Bard is Dracula, canon-typical violence, slow build, alternate universe - some people live/not everybody dies | trigger warnings: none

Summary: Bard has a secret, one that stems from far to the east, in lands far forgotten and times long past. It's one that no one must know—but times are changing for the people living on the lake. Even for those who, technically, aren't alive. What do you love about this fic? The author does such a great job at merging Luke Evans' two characters here (Bard and Dracula) while still keeping Bard distinctly canon-shaped. Because Dracula!Bard is an immortal, there's a unique comparison of mythological immortalities and the relative costs of them that reflects back onto the plot.

show a little faith, there's magic in the night by BiSquared / @scary-grace | M | 342,922 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, slow burn, music industry AU, indie musician Bard, opera singer turned pop star Thranduil | trigger warnings: none

Summary: Bard Bowman's not the type to give up on his dreams easily, but when DJ Smaug's dirty tricks leave his family band stranded in Denver with a forfeit fee the size of Mt. Everest crashing down on their heads, there's really nothing to do but drink about it. The last thing Bard expects is to meet a beautiful stranger in a similar predicament -- and the last thing either of them expects is a rescue. Luckily for them, Thorin Oakenshield's feeling heroic this evening. What do you love about this fic? I am such a sucker for the rock scene (I've spent my entire adult life kicking about there) and it's not often I see it portrayed so realistically in fic (or indeed in original fiction). The characters are all beautifully drawn, the humour frequently makes me chuckle, and Bard going head over heels while trying to tell himself he isn't, it's not happening, not really, because he can't believe his luck, makes my heart go all funny.

Multi-chapters: complete

Followthrough by ofplanet_earth / @ofplanet-earth | M | 26,737 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, alternate universe - military, alternate universe - spies & secret agents, snipers, sniper Bard, military captain Thorin, mob boss Smaug, revenge, character death | trigger warnings: violence

Summary: Bard and his children have been living in a little cabin on the edge of Laketown for five years, hiding from Bard's dangerous past. But when that past comes back to haunt them, Bard will have to team up with Thorin and his company to face down his demons, confront the man who killed his wife, and fight to save the people he loves. What do you love about this fic? Great spies/military AU with Bard and the gang!

The grey sea and the long black land by Black_knight100 and Blueberryrock / @blueberryrock | T | 29,702 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, alternate universe - cruise ship, first kiss, angst, fluff, angst with a happy ending, eventual romance | trigger warnings: quite angst filled but has an eventual happy ending

Summary: Bard Bowman is thirty-seven years old, widowed and heckled, and he's had enough. If his children want a cruise trip with their lottery money, then so they will have. Bard will only have to work twice as hard to take them out of their little corner of the world. It has been three years. Three years of him raging, and sobbing, and grieving. Three years in which he has turned away from his children. Three years to reach this ship, to put together whatever snapped that day. And the first morning, Thranduil wakes up late. It is going fabulously. Or, in which the two meet on a ship, and there are ups and downs. What do you love about this fic? Thranduil and Bard getting together in the end

Modern Love by Shampain / @abner-krill | M | 65,267 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, alternate universe - coffee shops and cafés, alternate universe - human | trigger warnings: none

Summary: Bard is a down on his luck single father working a thankless job as a courier, eternally worrying over when his daughter is going to start sneaking out of the house with boys. As if that wasn't bad enough, his assignments delivering files to Greenleaf Acquisitions puts him in contact with Thranduil, a stern businessman whose only champion is his assistant, Tauriel. And finally, to make matters worse, his friendship with Bilbo Baggins sends everything else into a tailspin. The summer is just beginning, and it's going to be a weird one. What do you love about this fic? Lovely, lighthearted modern AU that is a delight to read!

hands; eyes; voice by bishkebab / @bishkebab | T | 70,163 words | tags: slow burn, alternate universe, accidental cottagecore, governess/single dad romance but make it gay, autistic Thranduil, Thranduil and Bard both have physical disabilities | trigger warnings: mention of autism, fire accident, PTSD

Summary: An isolated life in a too-small cottage was never what Bard dreamed of for his children – especially sharp, scholarly Tauriel and sensitive, insightful Tilda. But school is a distant dream for a large family living off the land – at least until a storm and the subsequent house fire bring a former scholar to their doorstep. Wealthy recluse Thranduil could never have anticipated leaving his family's manor for a shack in the woods and a single father with five – FIVE – children who can barely write ten words between them. But when disaster strikes, he is left with little choice – and maybe close quarters with a handsome widower won't be so bad after all... What do you love about this fic? This is a rare work of art in which Bard is the loveliest dad ever, stubborn, strong and gentle and Thranduil is an introverted autistic lonely lad. The author writes their story in a very poetical way and family is the main protagonist of the story, as is their small cosy cottage. I do love the gentle feeling this story conveys from the start. It feels like a warm cup of tea after a very rainy day and each word is carefully written. This story deserves to be read and reread and rereread. Slowly. (With a nice cup of tea. &lt;;3)

Those Colours We Share by b_ofdale / @beesinspades | M | 84,709 words | tags: alternate universe - soulmates, alternate universe - post-war, set in 1956, Bard owns an animal shelter, slow burn, fluff and angst, disabled character, asexual characters, period-typical homophobia | trigger warnings: none

Summary: Had anyone told them, Thranduil Oropherion and Bard Bowman would never have believed they would see the world painted in colours again. Until that fateful day of December 1956, when one little boy entered a former soldier's animal shelter. What do you love about this fic? I'm a sucker for two lonely people who find each other and forge a new life together.

Beast by Nuredhel / @nuredhel | M | 132,354 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, all humans, Bard is a cop, Thranduil is a profiler, mentions of suicide, slow burn, crime and investigation, bonding while working, romance, past problems | trigger warnings: gore, violence, abuse, human trafficing, child abuse, murder, suicide

Summary: Bard Bowman is the leader of a team of investigators trying to solve a very complicated case, when the serial killer they are chasing proves to have a far longer history than they expected the feds call in a profiler. Bard has never believed he could feel attraction again but now he does, how can he express what he feels when they are chasing a beast which seems to defy the very laws of nature? Can Thran feel the same way? The road to love can be bumpy, in special when it is surrounded by murders. What do you love about this fic? It is very exciting, very romantic and intense.

seeking a friend for the end of the world by BiSquared / @scary-grace | M | 238,799 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, apocalypse, road trips, family issues and family bonding, opera singer Thranduil, Bard and Thranduil are good parents who are having a bad year, or years | trigger warnings: disease-apocalyptic setting, zombies, major character death, medical injections

Summary: Between dealing with his boss, getting over his ex-wife, and keeping his kids fed and clothed, Bard has more than enough on his plate. He doesn't have time to worry about the frightening rumors coming out of New York City or the lunatic in his service bay who tells him to take his kids and run. But when he stops to help a mysterious stranger on the side of the road, he gets a lot more than he bargained for -- a sexuality crisis, a partner in crime, and maybe, just maybe, a chance for all of them to make it out of this mess alive. What do you love about this fic? Incredible worldbuilding and an edge-of-your-seat plotline! The bonds between all the characters are just beautiful, and it has great worldbuilding. The action is also really well written, and it does tension/dramatics right.

In The Woods Somewhere by Ias / @hubristicfool | M | 249,074 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, vampires, vampire Thranduil, mechanic Bard, blood drinking, slow burn, dark, angst, violence, horror, psychological horror, unhealthy relationships | trigger warnings: vampires, blood, angst, sexual content, violence

Summary: These country roads were rarely traveled by any that didn't need to. When Thranduil pulled up beside the man's stopped vehicle and offered him a smile and a ride, there was no one to see the man's grateful expression as he slipped into Thranduil's car. No one to stand by and call out a warning as the taillights were swallowed by the dark branches of the trees. What do you love about this fic? The writing is excellent

Angels and crooks by Nuredhel / @nuredhel | M | 259,072 words | tags: sequel to Beast, alternate universe - modern setting, all humans, Bard is a cop, Thranduil is a profiler, solving crime, family, violence, drug abuse, everyday life at a police station | trigger warnings: violence, abuse, dark stuff, murder, blood, evil, deviousness

Summary: Bard and Thran are getting used to their new life as a married couple, and their new responsibilities as a family. But they still have their jobs and my oh my does that bring some interesting situations and challenges into their existence. Having both experience and special gifts does help, but at times reality can be more bizarre than anyone can expect. What do you love about this fic? It is a good story with very interesting twists and many great characters

When The Pale Swan Flies by EldritchMage / @eldritchmage | E | 290,646 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, circus performer Thranduil, cabinet maker Bard, Thranduil's name is Luka, Bard's name is Taliesin (which is Welsh for Bard), slow burn, Thranduil needs rescuing and Bard is happy to do it | trigger warnings: sexual abuse mentioned, underage sex mentioned, prostitution/pimping mentioned

Summary: A year ago, when a carpenter met a caged bird, his good intentions left despair in their wake. Is he a fool to hope he can atone for his missteps? What do you love about this fic? It's got circus acts! It's got two sad men learning to trust and love again! It's got an epic visit to a grocery store! It's got bad guys getting their just desserts, and everyone else getting delicious Spanish teacake! It's got a cute little boy who finds his voice while making puppets! There's a sad short-story prequel to set the stage, as well! And who doesn't like a parade?

Season of Light and Shadow by EldritchMage / @eldritchmage | E | 914,703 words | tags: alternate universe - modern setting, Thranduil is a ballet dancer, Bard is a building super and welder (and artist), slow burn, NSFW, blended family | trigger warnings: momentary violence, momentary mention of drug use, adult bedroom games

Summary: It's the week before Thanksgiving. In an apartment building somewhere in the middle of New York City, the mood is far from festive. Upstairs in Apartment 5B, an injured ballet dancer is having a rotten day. He's lost his job, he's had to walk home in the snow and rain, getting thoroughly soaked and frozen in the process, and the radiators in his rooms are as cold as the New York City streets. He limps downstairs to vent his fury on the night super who didn't fix the heat. Downstairs in Apartment 2A, the night super is also having a rotten day. No money, three overtired and cranky children, a slapdash boss, and not nearly enough sleep. And now someone is pounding on the door like a SWAT team. When an angel knocks on the door of a saint, neither finds what he expects. But with a little luck, the upcoming holiday season might give them both something to treasure. What do you love about this fic? It's two lonely men forging a blended family! It's got ballet! It's got home renovation! It's got four cutie children! It's got cooking! It's got an artist regaining the wherewithal to make his art! It's got lots of cool side characters (ten points to everyone who spots all the Dwarves :-). It's got lots of steamy love! It's even got 3 short follow-up stories! What's not to like?????? This was my introduction to the world of modern AUs with these two, and oh, it's SO GOOD. The kids are brilliant and so realistically drawn, and the dads are - well, they're incredibly hot. XD And the development of the relationship between them is beautifully done, as they go head-over-heels for each other while trying to take things slowly for the sake of the kids…oh, it's great. :D

[the-bjd-community-confess]

Hello, this is the Oldie Chinese Diaspora™️ Anon here. Someone asked about these dolls that they found in their local import shop and wants to know more about them. Well, here we go. Let me take you out on a journey of meandering rabbit holes.

First things first, it should come as no surprise that these dolls were manufactured in China. However, it -is- difficult to find a specific manufacturer for them. A big part of this is due to the fact that they are classified as toys, and produced in massive quantities without much in terms of copyright enforcements. There are a few things we know: They are not BJDs. They have mechanical joints much like Barbies. They have inset plastic eyes and rooted hair. They can be customized the same way a playline doll can be customized – needs a bit of work, but it can be done. (For example, here:

The face sculpt of the smaller, “Leisure Girl” doll is based off of Lina Chouchou BJDs (closed mouth version: Baby Piyo

https://linachouchou.net/product/baby-piyo/242/?cate_no=27&display_group=1

and open-mouthed version: Mingky https://linachouchou.net/product/mingky/240/?cate_no=27&display_group=1

There is a trend of using a head sculpt from another source and casting them into a vinyl mould to produce toys. It saves on R&D costs since there’s already a head that people find attractive/cute out there. Considering that it often takes years to sculpt a head from scratch, “repurposing” someone else’s head becomes a lucrative option. These heads can be “recycled” and further “repurposed” into different things. And one Chinese netizen has chronicled the descent of Baby Piyo from the legit version, to a recasted bjd, then all the way down to a cheap (creepy?) decorative keychain: https://www.zhihu.com/question/314739696/answer/940578818

Incidentally, Napi Doll’s Carol was among the first and probably the most “recasted” vinyl head in China. They are invariably made of vinyl and were sold as “toy heads” or “practice heads”. According to another Chinese netizen, they are so ubiquitous that they were sold in toy stores outside of schools.

- Sleeping Carol, eyes opened by recasters, as explained in the graphic.

- sleeping Carol

- faceup “tutorial”

The second, larger doll is most likely DBS’s Dream Angel doll (

https://world.taobao.com/item/654623976663.htm

It’s tough to be 100% sure if this is a perfect match from these photos, unfortunately. They are most likely the 1/6 dolls used by the same artist as above for her customization efforts

) According to the Taobao sites that sell them, these were “extras” made to the specifications from an foreign company (meaning a company like Mattel contracted the factory to make 10,000 MH dolls, but the factory made 15,000 instead. And they are trying to sell off the extra.) Despite this description, I find it hard to believe. There are multiple companies that claim to be the manufacturer for these, almost exact, dolls, after all. The story simply doesn’t hold. However, if they really are DBS’s dolls (like these ones here:

Then they are copied from @ngell $tudio’s LiuRuShi. There was a prior post here about this specific “recast” earlier in the blog, I think.

That takes care of the head. The more “legit” version of the 1/8 body most likely came from the company Ding Xiao Ma (AKA “Ding Pony”

https://xp.toysol.com/company/product.aspx?ID=4260&UID=481

based in Shantou, Guangdong, China). They are advertised as “completely designed and made in China” and features a one-part body with articulation in the arms and legs. (13 joints in total, best seen here:

Unfortunately, due to their low price point, many unscrupulous on-line stores and drop-shippers would buy them for resale. And since they are considered “legit”, their prices can be highly inflated (

https://www.amazon.ca/Anime-Vinyl-Desktop-Decoration-Boxed/dp/B082WTP98Q

The less-than-reputable version of the 1/8 body is created by companies like DBS, the grey-area recasters. (

DBS has a two-part body with a swivel joint in the hips whereas Ding doesn’t. The original “swivel hip” doll body came from YeLoLi (which is legit:

https://true-bjd-confessions.tumblr.com/post/678905335364370432/not-a-recast-today-i-learned-the-night-lolita

but has been shrunken down to the 1/8th size. Incidentally, the YMY doll body also appears suspiciously like a shrunken-down YeLoLi body as well. There have been voices in the anti-recast BJD circles in China to recommend OB11 or Nendoroid bodies instead of YMY for that reason.

The larger dolls are 1/6th sized, and they are an interesting story, too. Supposedly, the DBS 1/6th is original (and therefore “legit”

And the company is now advertising them as being compatible with BJD heads if you use their “proprietary” neck adaptors. The body has 28 joints and is a swivel hip that was originally from YeLoLi. But this one has a modified crotch area that was taken from Xinyi (also a legit vinyl doll company

The DBS body might be seen as the illicit love child between these two companies. However, there are still hybrid 1/6th dolls that uses a “recasted” YeLoLi body along with another “repurposed” head, like these listings:

https://world.taobao.com/item/662180419082.htm

For those of you who made it this far with me: Thank you! Definitely pat yourself on the back for making it through such an arduous journey. While your mileage may vary, I hope this is something helpful.

Long story short: these dolls were cheaply made and they could probably trace their ancestry back to a more legitimate source. After several different rounds of recasting, sometimes into a different material, the features muddy and their price points drop. And they end up wrapped in plastic bags and being stuffed by the dozen in baskets.

Note 1: This is not to say there are no legit vinyl BJDs or MJDs. I hope that I have shown you that there are still legit sources and we should do our best to support them in the face of massive “repurposing”. These companies are really fighting an uphill battle.

Note 2: Shopping sites usually have a tracking serial when you try to copy and paste their listed content. This is how these websites track your geolocation and if you have shown repeated interest for targeted marketing. I have removed all tracking codes in the html in this post, even for folks who uses a VPN, this should still work. (Fingers crossed!)

~Anonymous

[nocompromise-noregrets]

taking prompts for Writers' Month!

All right, lovely people. I'm planning to do Writers' Month again this year (31 prompts for the 31 days of August) and I'm looking for ideas again, so if anyone fancies prompting me, please feel free! No limit on numbers of prompts, there are 31 of the buggers so knock yourselves out!

I need a little bit of background to the prompts as I am particularly idea-free at the moment, so if you would be so kind as to give me at least character/s and/or pairing/s, perhaps a setting or one of my 'verses, that would be enormously helpful. I am not good at coming up with AUs, so if you fancy any of the AU prompts, please especially give me a bit of background to play with! I’m happy to expand on any of the ones I’ve written for previous events including Barduil Month…

My AO3 works are here if you want to have a look at what I've written before, and my fandoms list is here (click to expand, there are, uh, quite a few...)

I'm hoping to incorporate the prompts I was very kindly given for Tolkien Gen Week but didn't manage to write - I am utterly exhausted at the moment but I have the last week of July and the first week of August off work so I'm hoping to rest and recuperate enough to be able to participate in this because it's one of my favourite events.

Here are the prompts; please have at them! (ETA: they're either/or, but where I can see a way of combining them I will :D )

word: blossom | setting/AU: on an island

word: perfume | setting/AU: camping AU

word: seashell | setting/AU: at a festival

word: memories | setting/AU: underwater AU (thank you @verecunda and @glorf1ndel your Tolkien Gen Week prompt rather fits this one too...)

word: sun | setting/AU: poolside

word: surf | setting/AU: backpacking AU (thank you @antares0606 for this one!)

word: vacation | setting/AU: in the mountains (thank you @spiced-wine-fic!)

word: watermelon | setting/AU: fishing AU

word: warmth | setting/AU: home for the summer (thank you @spiced-wine-fic)

word: sandcastle | setting/AU: lifeguard AU (thank you @eowyn7023!)

word: sweat | setting/AU: on a roadtrip

word: lemonade | setting/AU: band AU (thank you @scary-grace!)

word: fan | setting/AU: cruise ship (thank you @myeaglesong!)

word: bonfire | setting/AU: vacation fling (thank you @redeemer46!)

word: blue | setting/AU: neighborhood barbecue (thank you @antares0606!)

word: energy | setting/AU: tourist AU (thank you @piyo-13!)

word: waves | setting/AU: at a wedding (thank you @inthecrevicesofmycrispytoes!)

word: free | setting/AU: restaurant AU (thank you CyanSoul on AO3!)

word: cloud | setting/AU: at a party

word: fireworks | setting/AU: different first meeting (thank you @myeaglesong!)

word: hammock | setting/AU: at a bar

word: sunscreen | setting/AU: human/non-human AU (thank you CyanSoul on AO3!)

word: storm | setting/AU: in the woods (thank you @scary-grace and @spiced-wine-fic)

word: summer | setting/AU: different powers AU (thank you @spiced-wine-fic)

word: relax | setting/AU: at a concert (thank you @eowyn7023!)

word: found | setting/AU: online dating AU (thank you Anon!)

word: volleyball | setting/AU: at the beach (thank you @verecunda!)

word: bright | setting/AU: mythological AU

word: fireflies | setting/AU: at a cabin (thank you @sallysavestheday!)

word: happy | setting/AU: kid story/children AU (thank you Anon!)

word: fall | setting/AU: at a hotel

Thank you all in advance! <333333333