#rachel about talia

[iridescentis]

mischalia to me. if you even care

[velvet4510]

In my headcanon, there is no Apocalypse or Dark Phoenix, and the Deadpool films & Logan take place in their own universe. After the 1973 events of Days of Future Past, Erik spent the next several years continuing his fight for his cause as best he could while occasionally sneaking into the mansion to steal some time with Charles without being found by law enforcement, and Raven began doing the same to see Hank. During this time, Charles recruited Peter as his first new student when the school reopened, and Peter also later brought Wanda to get help with her powers as a student, and this is how Erik found out the truth about Peter and Wanda during one of his visits. Eventually, the X-Men and remaining Brotherhood worked together to defeat Stryker’s new program and rescue all of his captive mutants. They were aided in this by Logan, who never became Weapon X because Raven had kept him out of Stryker’s hands. After this, due to his help, Erik finally received a pardon and was able to live safely in the open again. He settled at the school, taught all of the languages that he knew, grew close with both of his children, and married Charles as soon as it became legal to do so. Raven married Hank and they retrieved and then raised Kurt together, and also had a daughter of their own (Francesca Angel McCoy), and later adopted Rogue; Kurt & Rogue became X-Men, whereas Francesca became the school doctor. Alex also found a love of his own and had a son who he named Sean after the late Banshee. When Jean joined the school in her youth, Charles and Erik both essentially raised her, and it was the combination of their teachings - Charles’ help with her telepathy and Erik’s help with her more physical telekinetic power - that kept the Phoenix fully under control … thus the events of The Last Stand never happened specifically because Charles and Erik got back together sooner than in their previous life. Eventually Peter found Crystal and they had Luna; Wanda found Vision and they had Tommy & Billy. Also Jean & Scott married and had their daughter Rachel; Ororo & Kurt married and had two kids, David & Talia; and Kitty & Piotr married and also had two kids, Christina & Cameron. All of the aforementioned kids were raised and educated at the school. Rogue & Bobby also married, but chose not to try to conceive and instead fostered/adopted many orphaned students. Pyro never left the X-Men this time around, but still became one of Erik’s favorite students. Charles & Erik both lived into their nineties, and ultimately they were buried together in the estate’s garden, each with a chess king piece in hand, and given one shared headstone. Scott & Jean then took over the school, and eventually, the school became the hereditary property of their descendants - including Rachel and her son Charlie - all of whom were befriended by Logan and Raven who were both a constant presence at the school due to their longevity. (Raven’s role in the school’s operation proved to be an emotional saving grace for her when her slow aging caused her to inevitably outlive Hank and their kids.) Thus they personally helped the Summers family carry on Charles’ legacy and ensured that the school remained open for many generations of mutants, always bearing the Xavier name.

[lumaconstante]

"Love, Swords, and Inconvenient Dimensional Portals" [DAMIRAE]

Summary:

Damian Wayne decides to introduce Rachel Roth, his girlfriend, to the Al Ghul side of the family. The meeting with Talia and Ra’s al Ghul (and, by extension, the entire League of Shadows) turns into a spectacle of sarcasm, tension, and dark humor. Damian tries to keep the situation under control, but Rachel, with her mix of emotional coldness and sharp remarks, steals the spotlight. Between philosophical confrontations, veiled threats, and surprisingly sweet moments, the visit makes it clear that Rachel can handle much more than just an awkward family dinner.

Warnings:

Dark humor

Sarcastic interactions

Fluffy (with a touch of chaos)

Ps: Sorry for the delay, my sunshine! I was organizing my posts, there are a lot of texts to write. Thank you for following me until now!

Damian Wayne was not nervous. He was Robin. A trained assassin, a brilliant strategist. He did not get nervous.

“You’re nervous,” Rachel declared, watching him adjust his sword belt for the third time.

“Ridiculous,” Damian replied.

She raised an eyebrow, that stoic, slightly irritating look that said more than any words could. He sighed.

“It’s not nerves. It’s… preparation.”

“If you’re preparing for the worst, I think that’s a sign you should reconsider the life choices that brought you here,” she commented, opening one of her portals.

“And if you could avoid sending the entire League to another dimension this time…” Damian began, but Rachel simply shrugged.

“No promises.”

---

As soon as they entered the Al Ghul fortress’s main hall, Rachel paused and surveyed the environment. It was dark, cavernous, smelled of incense, and something she could only describe as “medieval pretension.”

“Let me guess,” she said, glancing at Damian. “They think this is intimidating?”

Damian frowned. Before he could respond, Talia al Ghul appeared, her posture as elegant as ever but with a sharp smile that promised trouble.

“Son,” she said, pulling Damian into a quick, efficient hug. Then her eyes fell on Rachel. “And you must be…”

“Rachel,” the girl replied flatly.

Talia tilted her head. “Ah, yes. The demon empath. You know your power could be easily exploited, don’t you?”

“Exploited? By who? You?” Rachel smiled faintly. “You wouldn’t be the first cult I’ve dealt with.”

Damian muttered something about moderation, but Rachel had already caught Talia’s attention with her cool demeanor.

---

Ra’s entered with his usual dramatic flair: cloaked in shadows and walking slowly, as if expecting a background soundtrack.

“Damian,” he began in his deep voice. “You’ve brought an… ally?”

Rachel raised a hand. “Girlfriend.”

Ra’s blinked, as if the word confused him. “You mean… consort?”

“No,” Rachel replied. “I mean girlfriend. But thanks for making it weird.”

Damian sighed. “Grandfather, please. No speeches about lineage or—”

“She’s a Roth,” Ra’s interrupted. “A powerful but unstable lineage. Do you know what you’re doing, boy?”

“He does,” Rachel answered for him. “Do you know what you’re doing, testing me like this?”

Ra’s paused, intrigued. “Interesting. Continue.”

Rachel crossed her arms. “You want to evaluate me. Figure out if I’m a threat, an asset, or dead weight. Here’s my answer: I’m none of those. I’m just someone who came here because this guy,” she pointed at Damian, “thinks family matters.”

The room fell silent. Damian stared at Rachel with a mix of frustration and admiration, while Ra’s and Talia exchanged calculated glances.

Then Talia laughed. Not a chuckle, but a short, genuine laugh.

“She has courage,” Talia said.

“And recklessness,” Ra’s added, with a rare smile.

---

Things went downhill when an assassin tripped over Rachel’s cloak. She gave him a lazy look, muttered a few words in Azarathean, and the man disappeared in a puff of smoke.

“Where did he go?” Talia asked, a mix of curiosity and exasperation.

“To a beach,” Rachel replied. “He needed to relax.”

“Which beach?” Damian asked, frowning.

Rachel smiled. “I think it’s a tropical hellscape. Literally.”

---

By the end of the night, Damian was exhausted. Rachel, however, seemed perfectly calm.

“They liked me,” she declared.

“Liked you? My mother tried to intimidate you, my grandfather tried to recruit you, and you exiled one of their assassins.”

Rachel shrugged. “Classic family dinner. I thought it was fun.”

Damian looked at her and sighed. “You’re insufferable sometimes.”

Rachel smiled. “So are you. I think that’s why it works.”

He couldn’t help but smile back as he took her hand.

“Next time, we’ll visit the Graysons,” he suggested.

Rachel narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure your adoptive family is any less insane than your biological one?”

Damian thought for a moment. “Good question.”

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

💙💜🩷 Books for Bisexuality Visibility Month 🩷💜💙

please support this blog

💜 How incredible is it that I made a list of 99 books for bisexual visibility month, KNOWING there are so many NOT featured on this list? I'm so proud to be bi. Having these characters and stories intertwine with mine warms my heart.

💜 What's your favorite book featuring bisexual characters?

💙 The Henna Wars - Adiba Jaigirdar 💙 Perfect on Paper - Sophie Gonzales 💙 Imogen, Obviously - Becky Albertalli 💙 Red, White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston 💙 Queens of Geek - Jen Wilde 💙 Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster - Andrea Mosqueda 💙 Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute - Talia Hibbert 💙 Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake - Alexis Hall 💙 A Merry Little Meet Cute - Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

💜 Leah on the Offbeat - Becky Albertalli 💜 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid 💜 Radio Silence - Alice Oseman 💜 The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzi Lee 💜 You Exist Too Much - Zaina Arafat 💜 Wolfsong - T.J. Klune 💜 The Pairing - Casey McQuiston 💜 Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail - Ashley Herring Blake 💜 Heartstopper - Alice Oseman

🩷 Going Bicoastal - Dahlia Adler 🩷 Some Girls Do - Jennifer Dugan 🩷 Hani & Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating - Adiba Jaigirdar 🩷 Autoboyography - Christina Lauren 🩷 Written in the Stars - Alexandria Bellefleur 🩷 They Both Die at the End - Adam Silvera 🩷 Cool for the Summer - Dahlia Adler 🩷 Delilah Green Doesn't Care - Ashley Herring Blake 🩷 One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston

💙 I'll Be the One - Lyla Lee 💙 Running With Lions - Julian Winters 💙 Take a Hint, Dani Brown - Talia Hibbert 💙 Felix Ever After - Kacen Callender 💙 Not Your Sidekick - C.B. Lee 💙 Ophelia After All - Racquel Marie 💙 Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao 💙 Something to Talk About - Meryl Wilsner 💙 The Girls I've Been - Tess Sharpe

💜 Iris Kelly Doesn't Date - Ashley Herring Blake 💜 Never Ever Getting Back Together - Sophie Gonzales 💜 Her Royal Highness - Rachel Hawkins 💜 Call Me By Your Name - André Aciman 💜 I Wish You All the Best - Mason Deaver 💜 Mistakes Were Made - Meryl Wilsner 💜 Hang the Moon - Alexandria Bellefleur 💜 Kiss Her Once for Me - Alison Cochrun 💜 The Brightsiders - Jen Wilde

🩷 Wild Beauty - Anna-Marie McLemore 🩷 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - Victoria Schwab 🩷 Payback's a Witch - Lana Harper 🩷 A Dowry of Blood - S.T. Gibson 🩷 Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo 🩷 Dark Rise - C.S. Pacat 🩷 If This Gets Out - Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich 🩷 Let's Talk About Love - Claire Kann 🩷 Carry On - Rainbow Rowell

💙 Under the Whispering Door - T.J. Klune 💙 I Kissed Shara Wheeler - Casey McQuiston 💙 Pumpkinheads - Rainbow Rowell 💙 Icebreaker - A.L. Graziadei 💙 This Poison Heart - Kalynn Bayron 💙 A Lot Like Adiós - Alexis Daria 💙 Sorry, Bro - Taleen Voskuni 💙 We Are Okay - Nina LaCour 💙 Count Your Lucky Stars - Alexandria Bellefleur

💜 Hot Dog Girl - Jennifer Dugan 💜 Verona Comics - Jennifer Dugan 💜 They Hate Each Other - Amanda Woody 💜 The Disasters - M.K. England 💜 The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater 💜 You Should See Me in a Crown - Leah Johnson 💜 These Witches Don't Burn - Isabel Sterling 💜 My Dearest Darkest - Kayla Cottingham 💜 City of Shattered Light - Claire Winn

🩷 The Unbroken - C.L. Clark 🩷 Dread Nation - Justina Ireland 🩷 House of Hollow - Krystal Sutherland 🩷 Love & Other Disasters - Anita Kelly 🩷 Ace of Shades - Amanda Foody 🩷 The Lost Girls - Sonia Hartl 🩷 Of Fire and Stars - Audrey Coulthurst 🩷 This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story - Kacen Callender 🩷 Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz

💙 If You Still Recognise Me - Cynthia So 💙 Melt With You - Jennifer Dugan 💙 The Charm Offensive - Alison Cochrun 💙 That Summer Feeling - Bridget Morrissey 💙 The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School - Sonora Reyes 💙 The Luis Ortega Survival Club - Sonora Reyes 💙 The Fiancée Farce - Alexandria Bellefleur 💙 Flip the Script - Lyla Lee 💙 Role Playing - Cathy Yardley

💜 I Think I Love You - Auriane Desombre 💜 Truly, Madly, Deeply - Alexandria Bellefleur 💜 Gearbreakers - Zoe Hana Mikuta 💜 Finally Fitz - Marisa Kanter 💜 The Spirit Bares Its Teeth - Andrew Joseph White 💜 Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl - Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum 💜 Late Bloomer - Mazey Eddings 💜 A Darker Shade of Magic - Victoria Schwab 💜 Love at First Set - Jennifer Dugan

[rebelrayne]

Each Islander's Answer to: "Would You Be Willing to Return for All-Stars?"

under the cut (endgames included for fun)

➥ YES YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES!

Emel Ivy Kat Kelly Lily Johnny (with a dramatic flair) R!Hannah Summer Uma

➥ Yes, I would be.

Bianca* (S8 CA) Blake Cassius* (S7 Bombshell) Erikah Felicity* (S8 CA) Hazel Meera Nicolas Rachel* (S8 OG) Stephen* (S7 Bombshell) Toby Valentina

➥ The show wouldn't be complete without me.

Allegra Arlo Brad* (S8 Bombshell) Bryson Christy* (S8 Bombshell) Eddie Elisa Finn Iona Jamal (I'm sorry he is pure chaos) Lexi Marshall Mason Rafi (sorry, he's there for the fame) Reese Ryan Sienna

➥ Doesn't wait for a call, just shows up.

Hamish Liam (he's told to go home)

➥ Depends...Do I get a hot tub date?

Roberto

➥ Pretends they're busy for flair, then says yes.

Rocco

➥ I don't know...Look what happened last time.

Grace Hazeem Hope Jo Lucy Kobi Priya Rohan

➥ Maybe? Let me think about it.

Cherry Daphne Estelle Flo Genevieve Geri Harry (Sorry Mo, he'd just feel bad to say no LOL) Jasper Jen Luna Nicky Sammi Vicky Willow

➥ If I don't have anything better to do, sure.

Jakub Miles Shannon

➥ Lol! This reminds me of a throw pillow!

Chelsea

➥ My Nan would kill me, mate.

Gary Lewie

➥ *Rambles until the producer just hangs up*.

Bill (because he can't shut up) Bruno (because he can't figure out how to say no) Juliet (because she has advice for them) Rahim (because he starts talking about Violet Man)

➥ Tries to say no, tricked into saying yes.

Ciaran Tom Rafael

➥ No thank you.

AJ Alex Andy Arjun Bea Bella Bobby Carl Chloe Claudia Elijah Elladine Evan Gabi Hari Henrik Jack Jake Jin Jo Kyle Levi Logan Lucas Lulu Max Oakley Oliver Ozzy Shawn Tai Talia Thabi Theo Yasmin

➥ Hah. I'm still waiting for the punchline.

Elliot

➥ I wrote enough fanfic about it.

Talia

➥ No thanks, Mamacita.

Camilo

➥ Full offense-no.

Angie Lottie

➥ Non.

Youcef

➥ "Oh, sorry! We forgot you exist."

Tiffany Tyler

➥ Ghosted and/or ignored the call.

Joyo Kassam Noah Seb

➥ Ghosted the call, but by accident.

Cora Najuma Will

➥ Production didn't even bother inviting them.

Alfie Bonnie Dana Felix Francis James Miki Travis

➥ Calls & complains they weren't invited.

Dylan Graham Pete Sophie Suresh

➥ Ghosted & Ignored...by Production.

Amelia

[thousandfireworks]

Authors whose books you have to avoid because they are problematic.

Abigail Hing Wen.

Alex Aster.

Alice Hoffman.

Alice Oseman.

Alison Win Scotch. ‘Terrorism is never acceptable. Not in Israel.’

Allie Sarah.

Amber Kelly.

Amy Harmon.

Annabelle Monaghan.

Anna Akana.

Aurora Parker.

Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

Brandon Sanderson. Islamophobic.

Carissa Broadbent. Said that hamas is doing violence against innocence.

Chloe Walsh. Siding with Israel in the name of humanity.

Christina Lauren. Believe that Israel is the victim. A racist, also Islamophobic.

Colleen Hoover.

Cora Reilly. Travel to Israel despite criticism.

Danielle Bernstein. Islamophobic.

Danielle Lori.

Deke Moulton. Said hamas is terrorist.

Dian Purnomo.

Eliza Chan.

Elle Kennedy.

Elyssa Friedland.

Emily Henry.

Emily Mclntire.

Emily St. J. Mandel. Admiring Israel.

Gabrielle Zevin. Wrote a book about anti-Palestine. Mentioned Israel multiple times without context on his book.

Gregory Carlos. Israeli author. A zionist.

Hannah Whitten.

Hazel Hayes. Reposted a post about October 7th.

Heidi Shertok.

Jamie McGuire.

Jay Shetty. ‘Violence is happening in Israel.’

Jean Meltzer.

Jeffery Archer. Wrote a book with a mc Israel operative (mossad) in a positive and anti terrorist light.

Jennifer Hartman. Liked a post about pro-Israel.

Jen Calonita.

Jessa Hastings.

Jill Santopolo. Said that Israel has right to exist and fight back.

John Green.

Jojo Moyes.

J. Elle.

J. K. Rowling. Support genocide. Racist. Islamophobic.

Kate Canterbery.

Kate Stewart.

Katherine Howe.

Katherine Locke.

Kristin Hannah. Support Israel. Shared a donation link.

Laini Taylor.

Laura Thalassa. Islamophobic.

Lauren Wise. Cussed that Palestinian supporters would be raped in front of children.

Lea Geller. Thanked people who supports Israel.

Leigh Dragoon. Islamaphobic and anti Asian racist rants on Twitter and threads

Leigh Stein.

Lilian Harris. A racist. Blocking people who educates about colonialism in Palestine and call them disgusting.

Lisa Barr. A daughter of Holocaust survivor. Support Israel.

Lisa Kennedy Montgomery.

Lisa Steinke.

Liz Fenton.

Lynn Painter. Afraid of getting cancelled as a pro-Palestine and posted a template afterwards.

L. J. Shen. Her husband joins idf (Israel army).

Mariana Zapata.

Marie Lu.

Marissa Meyer.

Melissa de la Cruz.

Michelle Cohen Corasanti.

Michelle Hodkin. Spread false rumors about arab-hamas. Islamophobic.

Mitch Albom. ‘We shouldn't blame Israel for surviving attacks or defending against them.’

Monica Murphy. Siding with Israel.

Naomi Klein.

Navah Wolfe.

Neil Gaiman. Suggested Palestinians unite with Israel and become citizens.

Nicholas Sparks.

Nic Stone. Talked nonsense that children in Palestinian refugee camp are training to be martyrs for Allah because they felt it was their call in life.

Nyla K.

Olivia Wildenstein. Blocking people who disagree with Israel wrongdoing.

Pamela Becker.

Penelope Douglas.

Pierce Brown.

Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Rebecca G. Martinez.

Rebecca Yarros. ‘I despise violence’ her opinion about what's happening in Gaza. Blocking people who calls her a zionist.

Rena Rossner.

Renee Ahdieh.

Rick Riordan.

Rina Kent.

Rivka (noctem.novelle).

Rochelle Weinstein.

Romina Garber. ‘These terrorist attacks do nothing to improve the lives of Palestinians people.’

Roshani Chokshi. Encourage people to donate to Israel.

Samantha Greene Woodruff.

Sarah J. Mass. Her book contained ideology of zionism.

Stephanie Garber. Promoting books by zionist author (Sarah J. Mass)

Skye Warren.

Sonali Dev.

Talia Carner.

Tarryn Fisher. Said ‘there was terrorist attack in Israel.’

Taylor Jenkins Reid. Posted a video about genocide.

Tere Liye. Rumoured to have ghoswriters to write his books and never give credit to them.

Tillie Cole.

Tracy Deon.

Trinity Traveler (Ade Perucha Hutagaol). Rumour to wrote book about handsome Israelis.

T. J. Klune.

Uri Kurlianchik.

Veronica Roth.

Victoria Aveyard. ‘Israel has the right to exist.’ quote from her about the issue.

V. E. Schwab. Shared a donation link and video about Israel.

Yuval Noah. ‘Israel has the right to do anything to defend themselves.’

Zibby Owens.

[ladyantiheroine]

The Paris Suite

Summary: After eloping from Gotham, Bruce and Selina enjoy a steamy honeymoon night in Paris. Read on AO3.

Pairing: Sub!Bruce Wayne x Dom!Selina Kyle

Warnings: Knifeplay, kinky sex

Word Count: 2.6k words

Tags: Honeymoon, eloping, femdom, shibari, bondage, edging, knifeplay, strip tease, alcohol, face-sitting, cunnilingus, oral sex, dom/sub, roleplay, sexual roleplay, pegging, hand jobs, hotel sex, married couple.

“Those pearls look beautiful on you.”

Selina paused and realized she was fiddling with her necklace. She glanced up at Bruce as the elevator pinged its way up another floor. She grinned.

“Thank you,” she said. “A very handsome friend of mine gave them to me.”

“How handsome?”

“Enough that I might marry him. Maybe.”

Bruce smirked and fiddled his wedding ring with his thumb. Martha Wayne’s pearls had been a gift to Selina right before they eloped. They were the only thing that Bruce brought with him once they decided to leave Gotham together.

Well, except for millions of Wayne bucks that could buy a luxury honeymoon in the City of Love, of course.

The elevator doors parted and Selina followed Bruce down the hall to a set of double doors. Bruce pulled a gold room key from his pocket.

“The Royal Suite,” Selina read on the plaque by the door. “You really went all out for this one, did you?”

Bruce smirked as he turned the key in the lock. Just as he instructed the staff upon making the reservations, the DO NOT DISTURB sign was already hanging from the doorknob.

“The occasion calls for nothing less,” he said. 

He held open the door for Selina to step inside. Her high heels clicked against the marble floor and her eyes took in the expansive chateau.

“Impressive,” she said.

The suite was nestled on the top floor of the hotel, offering an impeccable view of the city’s golden glow below. Black marble countertops, crisp white furniture, and gold accents. All were illuminated by the glittering diamond chandelier that hung from the ceiling. The place even smelled expensive. 

Bruce removed Selina’s coat and placed it on a hook before stripping off his black trench coat. His eyes ran along the place, past the fully equipped kitchen to the living room where the fireplace was already crackling.

“Nice for them to light this for us,” he said. “Wish they could’ve left us some champagne in an ice bucket.”

“Oh, they did,” Selina said.

Bruce turned to Selina just as she pulled a sleek bottle from his handbag. He smirked.

“Impatient?” he asked.

Selina returned the smirk.

“I don’t like waiting for what I want,” she said. She reached behind her and locked the suite door. “Can you grab some glasses for us, darling?”

Bruce did as she asked and approached the upper cabinets in the kitchen. He found a neat row of tell champagne glasses inside and brought two to the counter. Selina set the bottle down between them with a glassy thud.

“Planning to get me drunk right out the gate?” Bruce teased.

Selina snorted.

“Like I would have to get you drunk to do anything,” she said.

“Are you certain about that?”

The two held each other’s teasing eyes. Bruce’s eyes lingered down to Selina’s fingers around the stem of the bottle. The diamond on her wedding ring glinted in the pale light. Twenty-four carats. The kind of stone only Wayne money could buy.

His breath still hitched whenever he saw it. He looked down at the gold band on his own finger.

He was married to Selina Kyle.

They fled Gotham, had a modest ceremony in Florence, and now whisked themselves away to Paris. It all happened so quickly that Bruce still felt like it was a dream. Like any moment he would wake up back in his cold, oversized bed in Gotham, the taste of Talia Al Ghul on his lips and Rachel Dawes heavy in his chest.

Now, he couldn’t even remember a time he loved any other woman.

“There should be some chocolate strawberries in the fridge,” Selina said. “Could you check for me, baby?”

“Sure,” Bruce said. He turned to the stainless steel fridge. “Made some arrangements with room service?”

“I like having something to eat with my drink.”

Bruce opened the fridge door. Behind him, he heard the champagne gurgle into the glasses. Indeed, the fridge was empty save for a box of decadent chocolate strawberries. He reached for them before closing the door.

Bruce turned back around just as Selina finished pouring the second glass. He brought the box over and popped it open. Before he could grab one, Selina reached over and plucked one from the box.

“Last time I had something sweet, it was laced with something not-so-much,” She gripped the strawberry by its green stem and held it to Bruce’s lips. “Can you taste this and tell me if it’s okay?”

Bruce grinned, then opened wide for Selina to push the tip of the dessert inside. He held her eyes as he closed his lips over the fruit and bit down, chewing slowly and moaning at the sweet taste in his mouth.

“Are you trying to tease me, Bruce?” Selina asked.

He swallowed.

“Is it working?”

Selina smirked, then flicked the remaining stem into the waste bin. She plucked her champagne glass from the counter and Bruce followed suit.

“To a new chapter,” Bruce said, raising his glass.

“To cities of love, not cities of fear,” Selina said.

They clinked their glasses together and Bruce took a long sip. Already, he could feel the foamy buzz settle in his veins. He felt light and giddy and suddenly much sleepier than he’d been even a minute ago.

“Jesus…” he mumbled. “What do the French put in their…”

He clasped a hand on the kitchen counter as he felt his knees buckle beneath him. Selina stood there, swirling her unsipped glass in her hand, watching Bruce with a mischievous look as he collapsed onto the floor.

~

The pain was the first thing Bruce felt when he came to. Not the pounding, headache pain of a hangover, as the lingering taste of champagne on his tongue would have him think. Not the sharp pain of a stabbing or gunshot wound. It was the aching, numbing pain of sore muscles that had been contorted for too long.

His eyes fluttered open and he was met with the glaring sparkle of the chandelier hanging above him. To his right, he felt the heat radiating from the fireplace, and behind his body was the soft, white fur carpet.

“Selina…” he said.

He tried to move, then groaned in pain when he realized his hands were bound behind him. Bruce dipped his gaze down his body. He’d been stripped down to his tighty-whities, and his body had been looped with rope. Strong, firm rope.

Either Bruce had gotten rusty in the year since he left Gotham, or Selina was exceptionally good at tying knots, because no matter how hard he struggled he couldn’t break the rope. Bruce was inclined to believe the latter. He groaned as he tried and failed to snap the rope binding his hands behind him.

“Selina,” he called louder. He glanced around the suite, which from his angle on the floor, seemed empty. “Very funny, Selina…very clever…”

Bruce squirmed on the carpet. She didn’t stop at tying his wrists together at his back. His legs were bound up two, keeping his knees bent and his thighs spread apart.

Shibari, he thought. Of course she knows Shibari.

Why was he surprised?

Somewhere behind his head, he heard the bedroom door open and the telltale click-click-click of Selina’s black pumps. A shadow passed over his face and he rolled his eyes up a long pair of legs to the woman towering over him.

Looks like he wasn’t the only one she stripped down. The simple black dress Selina had arrived in was gone, replaced with black lingerie, nylon thigh-highs with garters, and a familiar-looking black mask. All of it topped off with the pearls shimmering at her collar.

“I think you had a little too much to drink,” she said. “You’re very vulnerable when you’re drunk.”

Then, Selina reached into her bra and pulled out a black metal object. Bruce’s breath hitched when she flicked it open to reveal a pocket knife. The sharp end glinted in the light, piercing the glare into Bruce’s eyes so that he had to squint. 

“You should really be more careful,” she said. Her voice was low, drawn-out, as cold as an arctic breeze. “Someone could hurt you like this.”

She stood over him with his body between her legs, then lowered down to him. She held the knife to Bruce's throat and teased the dull side against his neck. Bruce shivered at the icy touch of the metal, afraid if he moved an inch, she would draw blood.

The thought tantalized him as much as it frightened him.

He chuckled. Of course, Selina would want to play one of her games as soon as she got him alone in their room. He should have known this was coming. 

Thankfully, Bruce was the kind of prey who was happy to be chewed in his predator’s mouth.

“Well, Mrs. Wayne,” he said. He shifted beneath her and met her eyes. “It seems you’ve caught me in a bind. What do I have to do to earn my freedom?”

Selina’s face stretched into a wicked grin. Her lips were bloody red, a shade Bruce bought her as a present, called Maneater. How appropriate.

“You don't have to do much, Mr. Wayne,” Selina said. 

She moved the knife from Bruce’s throat and rose to her feet. Bruce watched her step out of her high heels and set them aside,

Then, she lifted one nyloned foot and pressed it down on his crotch.

Bruce released a shuddering moan. Selina pressed down on his bulge, teasing his length with her toes, sending pain and pleasure down between his thighs.

“All you have to do,” she said. “Is just lie there and look pretty.”

“Selina,” Bruce croaked.

Every nerve in his body angled itself to where Selina pressed down on his erection. His body burned to move, to wiggle out from under her, but the ropes kept him in place. The only part of him that could move freely was creating a bulge in his underwear.

Selina giggled girlishly and ran her toe along his length. His tip was already leaking precome, leaving a stain on the fabric.

“Wet already?” she said. She clicked her teeth. “Bruce, what kind of fucked-up man gets wet from something like this?”

Bruce huffed and reported back, “What kind of woman gets wet from holding a man at knifepoint?”

Selina lifted an eyebrow. She pressed the point of the knife against Bruce’s Adam’s apple, pressing down just enough to create a prick of pain, but not too much to break the skin. She gently teased the tip down his throat, his chest, all the way down to his waist. Bruce’s heart stopped as an image of castration crossed his mind.

“Selina…” he said. “What’re you…”

Selina nudged the tip of the blade into the fabric of Bruce’s underwear, just barely missing his cock. In one slow motion, she tore through the material. The threads ripped apart and the whole thing fell apart on the floor. Bruce’s red, throbbing cock was bared on display, like butcher’s meat she served on a platter.

Bruce watched Selina kneel down again, straddling his leg. She slowly wrapped her long, slender fingers around his cock. By this point, Bruce was visibly shaking and sweating.

“Poor baby,” she said. “Need some help?”

Slowly, she started working her hand up and down his cock. Painfully slow. Bruce sucked in a gasp of breath and hissed between his teeth.

“Selina,” Bruce said, his voice more desperate. “Please…please…”

Selina grinned but didn’t stop her busy hand on his cock. She moved faster, pulling more whimpers and whines from her husband. She gradually quickened her pace until Bruce's hips started jerking and she could feel he was close.

Then, just before he could come, Selina pulled her hand away.

Bruce snapped his head up and looked at her.

“Wah…” he said, his breathing hitched. “Why’d you stop?”

Selina grinned and pressed her chin to her knuckles, her eyes flicking over him like he was some animal she caught in a cage.

“You want, baby boy?” she said. She leaned forward, her smile dropping and her voice turning ice-cold. “Then beg for it.” 

She teased her fingers along his cock, touching him just enough to make him hiss between his teeth. Bruce was panting like a dog and he wished for nothing more than to tear his hands from their binds and jerk himself off at her feet.

“Please, Selina,” he whimpered. “Please…I’ll do anything you want…just…fuck, please, it hurts…”

Selina pursed her lips and frowned.

“Aw,” she said. “Your poor baby.”

Her mocking baby talk only made him harder. Bruce was in agony. He tried to jerk his hips up and rub his cock against her hand, but the ropes were too tight.

“Please, Selina…” he whimpered softly. “Don’t torture me like this…”

Selina paused to look at him for a moment, letting him stew under her considerate gaze and then stood up. She underclipped her garters and they fell from her thighs.

“I don’t know if I want to let you off so easy,” she said. “I’m not an easy woman, Mr. Wayne. You need to earn something from me, first.”

She hooked her thumbs into the side of her lacy panties, and then slowly pulled them down her legs. Bruce was damn near drooling and he started twitching and grunting beneath her. Just the sight of her bare pussy made him feel like a feral dog foaming at the mouth.

Her hands stripped away slowly, taking their time until the lace was at her ankle. She moved forward up his body, positioning Bruce’s head between her thighs. Bruce’s nose filled with her scent and his mouth instantly watered.

“You want it, baby?” she said. “Then give it to me first.”

She lowered herself down onto Bruce’s face and Bruce wasted no time. He plunged his king, velvety tongue inside her and moaned at the taste. Fuck, that was good stuff.

Selina’s eyes fluttered shut and she sighed. She threaded her fingers through Bruce’s hair and curved her hips into his mouth.

“That’s it, baby…” she purred. “Right there…”

Selina arched her back and tightened her grip in his hair.

“Uh huh, baby,” she said. “Just like that…”

Bruce growled between her thighs. He loved her taste, the sounds she made, her soft flesh against his face. Bruce would’ve given anything to rip his wrists from the ropes and dig his fingers into her thighs.

He lapped at her pussy like a hungry dog, her hot juices trickling down his throat. Selina moaned louder and her hips twitched as she fucked his skull into the floor.

“Fuck,” Selina moaned, gripping his hair with both hands now. “Fuck, Bruce…”

Bruce didn’t slow down. He sensed her getting close and he wanted to send her hurling over the edge. He wanted her to unravel on top of him, a bit of cheeky revenge for drugging his champagne.

Selina yanked at his hair and tipped her head up to the ceiling.

“FUCK!” She hissed through her teeth. Selina came like a glass bottle shattered against the wall. She rode Bruce’s face until every drop left from her was trickling down his throat.

Even after she finished, Selina’s hips kept jerking and twisting. Bruce didn’t want to stop. He could’ve stayed on the floor licking her dry all night. But Selina drew a heavy sigh and lifted herself from his face.

“Cute,” she said, using her thumb to wipe the shiny come from Bruce’s mouth. “This is a good look for you.”

Bruce grinned and licked the residue from his lower lip.

“Are you happy?” he asked.

Selina scoffed and gave him a smug grin. She stood up and stepped back into her high heels.

“Oh yeah,” she said. “Very happy.”

“So, are you gonna use that knife to let me go now?” Bruce asked.

Selina twisted her mouth and glanced down between Bruce’s thighs. His bulge was still erect and leaking profusely. 

“Not yet,” she said. She pointed the knife at it. “I have to take care of that business first.”

Bruce’s skin prickled with anticipation. He expected her to join him back on the floor and ride him into the carpet. Maybe she’d blow him and leave that red lipstick on his cock, marking her territory. Maybe she’d just finish that handjob she tortured him with.

Instead, he watched Selina’s heels click past his head and into the bedroom. Bruce tried to glance behind him to see where she was going.

“Selina?” he called.

Bruce didn’t hear a response. However, he did hear the distant clink of metal and the stretch of leather straps. His heart ricocheted in his chest.

Oh, he thought. Oh yes. 

He thought she would stop at the ropes. He had no idea that she brought extra toys with her as well. Clearly, he underestimated Selina and how thorough;y he planned to fuck him senseless during their honeymoon.

She’s perfect, he thought. Perfect woman. Perfect wife. 

Goosebumps erupted across Bruce’s whole body. He instinctively clenched his ass hole. The ropes around his body suddenly felt ten times more restricting and he was giddy to the point of nearly giggling.

“The bedroom door creaked open and Bruce heard Selina’s high heels approaching.

Bruce rolled his head to face the ceiling. Selina clicked her heels right up to his head, and Bruce’s vision of the chandelier was blocked by a long, protruding shape.

“I bought it brand new before the flight,” she said. She ran a finger along the length. “I even got it in black, just for you baby.”

Bruce licked his lips and stared up at the plastic cock. His gaze lingered down to the leather harness grasping Selina’s thighs, the metal buckled that glinted in the light. His body was shivering even in the firelight.

“I guess I can’t escape, can I?” Bruce said, an enormous grin on his face. “There’s no way I can get out…Nowhere I can run to…I’m completely at your mercy...”

Selina gave him a sadistic smile. Bruce Wayne, billionaire and notorious former vigilante, was now quivering at her feet. The sight of it alone could have brought her to climax right there.

“I’m afraid so,” she said. She dug her toe under Bruce’s back, then flipped him onto his stomach. Her new husband let out a delicious moan of pain. “You’re all mine to play with…my favorite little toy…”

Selina kneeled down close to Bruce’s bare back. She grabbed a small vial of lube from her bra and lathered up her cock. Then, she lathered her fingers and went to work wetting Bruce’s hole.

Bruce winced and sighed as his new wife massaged her fingers inside him, teasing his prostate just the way he liked. He could never get enough of this. After years of relentless control, it felt heavenly to surrender to someone else. Especially someone like Selina Kyle.

No, Selina Wayne.

Selina pulled her fingers out and readied herself at Bruce’s entrance. With one firm thrust, she pushed her length inside him. The lube allowed her to slide deeper inside him, and the deeper she went, the louder Bruce whined

“Shush, baby,” she purred. “Don’t want someone calling security on us with all the noise.”

Selina paused her hips to straighten up and reach behind her neck. Bruce could barely look over his shoulder to see what she was doing. Then he heard a strange clicking sound.

Selina unclipped the pearl necklace and balled it in her fist. She leaned forward and grabbed Bruce’s jaw from behind.

“I’m gonna have to keep you quiet,” she said.

She shoved two fingers in Bruce’s mouth and his jaw instinctively unhinged. With his mouth open, Selina quickly removed her fingers and shoved the balled-up necklace inside him.

“Urgh,” Bruce grunted. 

His saliva dribbled over the necklace. The pearls smelled, even tasted , like Selina’s skin, and that stopped him from immediately spitting it out. Selina grabbed his hips and continued to pound into him.

At a certain point, Bruce’s body went limp like a ragdoll’s. He surrendered to the fur carpet and let her ruin him from behind. Her movements were quick but precise, pressing into his prostrate so well that it took only a few minutes for him to feel a swelling inside him.

Selina dug her sharp nails into his muscular shoulders, leaving red lines across his flesh. If only Gotham could see their dark knight now, face to the floor and his dick pressed to the carpet, spilling a pool of precome.

Bruce’s whimpers turned to moans and then desperate pleas. Any stoic front melted away in a mess of sweat and tears of pleasure. He tried to moan words, but the pearls in his mouth only allowed a gurgle of noises to spill from his throat.

Selina spanked a hand against his rear end, getting a loud grunt from him.

“What’s that, baby?” she said. “You want it harder?”

Selina grabbed his hair, forcing his back to arch, and she thrust her hips faster. A bead of sweat ran down her neck between her breasts and her heart knocked against her ribs. Bruce was teary-eyed, blubbering mess beneath her.

“Mmmmm, good boy,” she purred in his ear. “Come for me, baby.”

With those words, Bruce released a hissing, pained cry from his throat and burst onto the floor. Selina kept thrusting and fucking until every drop of him was gone. Even when he was finished, she kept pushing inside him and gave another snap to the ass for good measure.

Once they were both out of breath and slicked with sweat, Selina pulled out and stood up to remove the harness. She dropped the whole thing on a nearby chair.

“You look cute from up here,” she teased. “Maybe I should just leave on the floor all night.”

“And leave half the bed cold?” Bruce retorted. “On a winter night?”

Bruce heard Selina unsheath her switchblade again. She grabbed his hand and sawed at the ropes until they split away. A cool breeze brushed over Bruce’s skin and the circulation smoothed in his wrists.

“Too tight this time?” Selina asked.

Bruce scoffed. “Never too tight.”

He turned onto his back. His body was slick with sweat, and the heat from the fireplace and the fur carpet on his back did little to cool him. Selina crawled on top of him and pressed her forehead to his.

“You look a bit parched,” she said.

“Yeah,” Bruce said.

“Need a drink?”

Selina reached up and pulled the champagne bottle out from behind a footrest. Bruce chuckled and watched Selina rise up to straddle him and pop it open.

“Promise this one isn’t spiked?” he said.

Selina chuckled.

“Oh, Bruce,” she said. “A few days into marriage, and already you don’t trust me?”

Bruce smirked and watched Selina take a swing of the bottle. Then, she hovered it a few inches over his face.

“Open wide,” she said.

Bruce did as she said and parted his lips. Selina dribbled the foamy drink into his mouth. Some of it landed on his tongue, the rest spilled on his lips and nose. Droplets went flying onto the carpet.

“You’re going to leave a hell of a mess for the maids tomorrow,” Bruce said.

Selina raised an eyebrow.

“Maybe I should make you lick it off the carpet,” she said. “Make you crawl on your hands and knees, and stay like that until it’s all gone.”

Bruce gave her a look, as if to say, "Is that a challenge?” 

Selina set the bottle aside and stretched out on top of Bruce. Bruce circled his arms around her and Selina smacked a kiss on his cheek, leaving a crimson stain behind.

Champagne bottle half-empty and too sleepy to stand, the Bat and the Cat dozed off as the fireplace embers cooled to wisps of smoke.

[displayheartcode]

'#if you need good f/m contemporary adult romances ask me!!!! I have so many recs!' hiii here i am, 🤲🏼 recs pls!!

Obvious authors like Tia Williams, Emily Henry, and Talia Hibbert aside... Here are some favorites -

contemporary

thank you for sharing by rachel runya katz -former childhood friends are reunited through a work project

finding mr. write by kelley armstrong - an exasperated author must hire a wannabe actor to pose as her because of her pen name

just playing house by farah heron - a stylists enlists the help of a former friend to act as her caretaker as she heals from major surgery, causing them to confront old feelings and wounds

hang the moon by alexandria bellefleur - she's the girl of his childhood dreams, he's the best friend's younger brother who grew up, so now what will happen when he becomes her personal tour guide...

out on a limb by hannah bonam-young - a one-night-stand involving pirate costumes has two people navigating a new phase in life

the heart principle by helen hoang - a violinist connects with the wrong man, both struggling with unconditional love as they weather through respective tragedies

business or pleasure by rachel lynn solomon - forced to help a d-list celebrity with his memory, a struggling ghostwriter gives her mediocre one-night-stand some tips

a shot in the dark by victoria lee - a young woman returns home, facing her tumultuous history between her substance disorder, her faith, and healing

contemporary with speculative elements

the seven year slip by ashley poston - a publicist on the verge of burn out discovers that her late-aunt's apartment can send her seven years in the past

a little too familiar by lish mcbride - come for the baby phoenix, stay for the werewolf and witch learning about the power of friendship and building a found family

witchful thinking by celestine martin - a misplaced spell makes a witch suddenly fearless, causing her to collide with the boy who got away

modern divination by isa agajanian - two academic rivals hide out in a cottage as another witch hunts to steal their magic

[dalekofchaos]

Fixing Nolanverse Two-Face

I view Aaron Eckhart's Two-Face as wasted potential.

Harvey has a great character, the problem is that Bruce and Harvey have no friendship and a reason to care. Harvey Dent does not have a split personality and what started out with promise as Two-Face, he is killed off too quick.

I think the easiest solution is for Harvey to have been apart of the trilogy from the beginning and the trilogy should have been based around Bruce and Harvey's friendship.

Harvey Dent essentially takes the place of Rachel as the childhood best friend.

and Batman's ally as the young but determined DA. No need for Rachel as just have Gilda. Showcase Harvey's struggles with his abusive father to contrast that with Bruce's loving father. Show his struggles with his split personality and show he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty to get a conviction and also willing to work with Batman and Gordon to help clean up this city.

You could have Bruce's love interest of the trilogy be Talia. She helps him realize the LOS was wrong in the first place and they help each other. And she helps stop her father in BB. Her role is mostly about stopping the need for Batman, where she works to end the causes of crime and such.

Or Selina. Like Bruce, Selina has a double life. A charitable socialite who gives to the animals and a thief who robs the rich and gives to the downtrodden and sex workers and Selina finally becomes Catwoman in TDKR.

Then the events of the Dark Knight happens where Dent is cleaning up the city, but Joker is there to show Harvey's "true face" and gives Batman the choice to save Harvey or Gilda. Bruce knowing Harvey would want him to save Gilda, the twist happens, Gilda dies and Harvey's face is burnt.

The rest of the movie is about stopping Joker and it ends with Two-Face confronting Wuertz in the bar. "Dent? Jesus, I thought you was dead" "Half" cut to black.

In TDKR, all hell breaks loose. Two-Face reveals himself and everyone he locked up gets overturned and released and Two-Face becomes the undisputed "law" of Gotham. He uses his past as DA to lead his own crime syndicate, dressing in black and white, pure and scarred. Initially saying it’s to be the one in control so he can mitigate damage, but it’s clear as the movie goes on that he’s really just using that as an excuse.

Explore his split personality more. If landing on clean heads, Harvey assumes control and goes after the escaped criminals on the loose. If scarred heads, then Two-Face resumes his war on Gotham.

I’d also basically have Harvey be judge, jury and executioner in Gotham. Holding kangaroo courts and dispensing his twisted sense of justice. He’s basically holding all of Gotham responsible for Gilda’s death and his disfigurement. He wants to bring out the ugliness we all hide out of Gotham.

He holds Gotham responsible for setting Joker loose, the GCPD for selling him and Gilda out, Maroni for Gilda’s death and Batman and Gordon for failing to save Gilda.

Maybe end it in similar fashion to the Telltale game. Bruce comes out to confront Two-Face. Two-Face has a whole host of hostages and plans on executing them, unless Batman and Gordon give themselves up.

Bruce refusing to give up on Harvey and talks him down. Reminds them of their childhood, the promise they made to fix Gotham since they were in college and that Gilda would not want this. Harvey seems like he's about to let everyone go, but then he has to flip for it. One hostage dies and when Harvey flips for it, Bruce grabs it and puts it in his pocket and Harvey can't function without his coin.

The Two-Face within him asks "What's the verdict, counselor?" and Harvey simply says "Guilty".

And Bruce pledges to never stop and promise to get Harvey the help he needs with the newly funded and rebuilt Arkham Asylum.

"Good old Bruce, you'll never give up on me."

"Like my father always told me. Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up again."

And we have a fully developed Two-Face, Bruce not "dying" or pointlessly giving up Batman for almost a decade and a promise for this universe to continue.

[the-forest-library]

April 2024 Reads

Just for the Summer - Abby Jimenez

Only and Forever - Chloe Liese

Say You'll Be Mine - Nana Kumar

The Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril - Manda Collins

The Lying Game - Sara Jane Woodley

The Prospects - K.T. Hoffman

The Husbands - Holly Gramazio

Begin Again - Helly Acton

One Moment - Becky Hunter

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice - Elle Cosimano

Interesting Facts About Space - Emily R. Austin

Nothing to See Here - Kevin Wilson

The Tusks of Extinction - Ray Nayler

The Reappearance of Rachel Price - Holly Jackson

Every Time You Hear That Song - Jenna Voris

Rules for Rule Breaking - Talia Tucker

Hawkeye, Volume 3: L.A. Woman - Matt Fraction

No One Returns from the Enchanted Forest - Robin Robinson

Dear Sophie, Love Sophie - Sophie Lucido Johnson

Out of Left Field - Jonah Newman

Continental Drifter - Kathy MacLeod

Fiona the Hippo - Richard Cowdrey

Woodland Dreams - Karen Jameson

Mushroom Rain - Laura K. Zimmermann

Bluets - Maggie Nelson

Sociopath - Patric Gagne

Grimoire Girl - Hilarie Burton Morgan

I Am the New Black - Tracy Morgan

The 2000s Made Me Gay - Grace Perry

The Bookseller at the End of the World - Ruth Shaw

Dear Fahrenheit 451 - Annie Spence

Why We Read - Shannon Reed

Says Who? - Anne Curzan

The Anxiety Sisters' Survival Guide - Abbe Greenberg, Maggie Sarachek

The Microstress Effect - Rob Cross

Overcome Anxiety - Lilly Andrew

Mindfulness Now - Jesse Sands

The Cure for Burnout - Emily Ballesteros

Grown Woman Talk - Sharon Malone

Unfiltered Enneagram - Elizabeth Orr

Dear Prudence - Daniel M. Lavery

Bold = Highly Recommend Italics = Worth It Crossed out = Nope

Thoughts: 

A few standouts this month: Only and Forever brings the Bergman Brothers series to an end, and it was a worthy wrap up to these stories featuring MCs with disabilities and neurodivergence.

Just for the Summer is my new favorite Abby Jimenez book with several laugh out loud moments - especially the raccoon scene - which was hilarious on audio.

The Bookseller at the End of the World is not the cozy bookseller tale you might expect. Ruth led a varied and adventurous life filled with heartbreak and hope.

And I really enjoyed Says Who? - a super accessible and fun guide to English style and grammar.

Goodreads Goal: 150/200

2017 Reads | 2018 Reads | 2019 Reads | 2020 Reads | 2021 Reads | 

2022 Reads | 2023 Reads | 2024 Reads

[mmmmalo]

Two main takeaways from Batman Begins:

Nolan enters into the costume-as-sexual-deviance arena pretty economically: young Bruce is triggered at the opera when the dancing women remind him of bats, so Batman on some level seems to be dressed as a woman. Interacting with the criminal world brings about intimate/violent male relationships, so his cover story is dating 2 very pretty model chicks. Trans lesbianism doesn't seem to enter into the equation (yet? Got my eyes on Talia), so Rachel rejects a romantic reunion with Bruce by way of asserting that the Batman is the true self (trans positive??). The feminine "mask" angle made the claim that Bruce is destroying his father's legacy by way of Batman activities sting a bit more

Bruce also literally destroys his father's legacy by annihilating the affordable public railway, a gesture that runs parallel to preventing Wayne Enterprises from going public. Both of these in turn are iterations of cutting off all the bridges to the slums in order to prevent Chaos from spilling over, there's a visceral fear of the swarming masses that has followed Bruce out of the bat cave, out of his obsession with the desperate everyman who killed his parents.

Dunno if bats-as-proles intersects with bats-as-women... or "effeminacy"? Several villains mock Thomas Wayne for being unmanly (because he accommodates the proles)... so that's one point of intersection, but I'm too tired to loop that observation back into the above stuff. Maybe later

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Nightwing: A Setting Sun - Lasting Dawn; The Misery Years Ends

by InkBlot31 This takes an alt take from A Series of Doubts and continues after Slade raped Dick Grayson in Stockholm ( continued from one shot Sladin or Bust) and then says that he cannot get back to his time and sent the real Slade to navigate through it on his own. Dick makes a proposal to save the Nightwing of fake Slade's alternative world as a way to recover his own - yet will the crazier and possessive fake actually want to be sent to a world of flying cars, robots and his boyfriend being a solid overlord that has enslaved all of the heroes and those that oppose his laws? Find out as we dive back into apocalypse town - Lasting Dawn the Misery Years ; End, continues! Read on! Words: 9186, Chapters: 2/?, Language: English Fandoms: Teen Titans (Animated Series), Batman - All Media Types, Deathstroke the Terminator (Comics), Superman (Comics) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con Categories: F/M, M/M Characters: Dick Grayson, alternative world Slade Wilson, Bruce Wayne, Damian Wayne, Talia al Ghoul, Jason Todd, Alfred Pennyworth, William Wintergreen, Lex Luthor, Barbara Gordon, Joseph Wilson (DCU), Rachel Roth, Victor Stone, Koriand'r (DCU), Garfield Logan, Warp (DCU), Overlord Dick Grayson, M'ari Grayson, Komand'r (DCU), Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent, Connor Kent, Kara Kent | Earth-3839 Supergirl, Jaime Reyes, William Cobb (DCU) Relationships: Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson, Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, John Constantine & Slade Wilson, Barbara Gordon & Jason Todd, Dick Grayson/Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Slade Wilson Additional Tags: Future overlords, Alternative Timelines, Creepy alternative version Slade Wilson, Dock Grayson getting groomed unaware, Nightwing being manhandled by a psycho, batfam trying to save nightwibg from false slade, dick Grayson in alt future passing on Cobb's dignity, Barbara Gordon trying to forget about her ex partner, Kori Anderson forgiving Dick Grayson, Jason Todd pissed off at everyone and everything, John Constantine hates Slade but helps Batman, Wintergreen saves last of false Slade's kids from dying, Raven and Warp work to find way out of other world in alternate world, Cyborg and Blue Beetle become partners to help Raven, Beastboy hunts down real Slade in other timeline, Dick Grayson gets repeatedly molested by his keeper, Slade is forced to know boundaries but lies to his partner, Dick Grayson refuses the role of Talon, Talia Al Ghul in future is married to Dick Grayson's alternate self, Damian hates his psuedo Father, Richard is a dictator in future Bludhaven via https://ift.tt/lDXbcWp

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

💙💜🩷 99 Books for Bisexuality Visibility Month 🩷💜💙

please support this blog

💜 How incredible is it that I made a list of 99 books for bisexual visibility month, KNOWING there are so many NOT featured on this list? I'm so proud to be bi. Having these characters and stories intertwine with mine warms my heart.

💜 What's your favorite book featuring bisexual characters?

💙 The Henna Wars - Adiba Jaigirdar 💙 Perfect on Paper - Sophie Gonzales 💙 Imogen, Obviously - Becky Albertalli 💙 Red, White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston 💙 Queens of Geek - Jen Wilde 💙 Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster - Andrea Mosqueda 💙 Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute - Talia Hibbert 💙 Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake - Alexis Hall 💙 A Merry Little Meet Cute - Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

💜 Leah on the Offbeat - Becky Albertalli 💜 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid 💜 Radio Silence - Alice Oseman 💜 The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzi Lee 💜 You Exist Too Much - Zaina Arafat 💜 Wolfsong - T.J. Klune 💜 The Pairing - Casey McQuiston 💜 Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail - Ashley Herring Blake 💜 Heartstopper - Alice Oseman

🩷 Going Bicoastal - Dahlia Adler 🩷 Some Girls Do - Jennifer Dugan 🩷 Hani & Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating - Adiba Jaigirdar 🩷 Autoboyography - Christina Lauren 🩷 Written in the Stars - Alexandria Bellefleur 🩷 They Both Die at the End - Adam Silvera 🩷 Cool for the Summer - Dahlia Adler 🩷 Delilah Green Doesn't Care - Ashley Herring Blake 🩷 One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston

💙 I'll Be the One - Lyla Lee 💙 Running With Lions - Julian Winters 💙 Take a Hint, Dani Brown - Talia Hibbert 💙 Felix Ever After - Kacen Callender 💙 Not Your Sidekick - C.B. Lee 💙 Ophelia After All - Racquel Marie 💙 Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao 💙 Something to Talk About - Meryl Wilsner 💙 The Girls I've Been - Tess Sharpe

💜 Iris Kelly Doesn't Date - Ashley Herring Blake 💜 Never Ever Getting Back Together - Sophie Gonzales 💜 Her Royal Highness - Rachel Hawkins 💜 Call Me By Your Name - André Aciman 💜 I Wish You All the Best - Mason Deaver 💜 Mistakes Were Made - Meryl Wilsner 💜 Hang the Moon - Alexandria Bellefleur 💜 Kiss Her Once for Me - Alison Cochrun 💜 The Brightsiders - Jen Wilde

🩷 Wild Beauty - Anna-Marie McLemore 🩷 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - Victoria Schwab 🩷 Payback's a Witch - Lana Harper 🩷 A Dowry of Blood - S.T. Gibson 🩷 Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo 🩷 Dark Rise - C.S. Pacat 🩷 If This Gets Out - Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich 🩷 Let's Talk About Love - Claire Kann 🩷 Carry On - Rainbow Rowell

💙 Under the Whispering Door - T.J. Klune 💙 I Kissed Shara Wheeler - Casey McQuiston 💙 Pumpkinheads - Rainbow Rowell 💙 Icebreaker - A.L. Graziadei 💙 This Poison Heart - Kalynn Bayron 💙 A Lot Like Adiós - Alexis Daria 💙 Sorry, Bro - Taleen Voskuni 💙 We Are Okay - Nina LaCour 💙 Count Your Lucky Stars - Alexandria Bellefleur

💜 Hot Dog Girl - Jennifer Dugan 💜 Verona Comics - Jennifer Dugan 💜 They Hate Each Other - Amanda Woody 💜 The Disasters - M.K. England 💜 The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater 💜 You Should See Me in a Crown - Leah Johnson 💜 These Witches Don't Burn - Isabel Sterling 💜 My Dearest Darkest - Kayla Cottingham 💜 City of Shattered Light - Claire Winn

🩷 The Unbroken - C.L. Clark 🩷 Dread Nation - Justina Ireland 🩷 House of Hollow - Krystal Sutherland 🩷 Love & Other Disasters - Anita Kelly 🩷 Ace of Shades - Amanda Foody 🩷 The Lost Girls - Sonia Hartl 🩷 Of Fire and Stars - Audrey Coulthurst 🩷 This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story - Kacen Callender 🩷 Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz

💙 If You Still Recognise Me - Cynthia So 💙 Melt With You - Jennifer Dugan 💙 The Charm Offensive - Alison Cochrun 💙 That Summer Feeling - Bridget Morrissey 💙 The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School - Sonora Reyes 💙 The Luis Ortega Survival Club - Sonora Reyes 💙 The Fiancée Farce - Alexandria Bellefleur 💙 Flip the Script - Lyla Lee 💙 Role Playing - Cathy Yardley

💜 I Think I Love You - Auriane Desombre 💜 Truly, Madly, Deeply - Alexandria Bellefleur 💜 Gearbreakers - Zoe Hana Mikuta 💜 Finally Fitz - Marisa Kanter 💜 The Spirit Bares Its Teeth - Andrew Joseph White 💜 Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl - Brianna R. Shrum & Sara Waxelbaum 💜 Late Bloomer - Mazey Eddings 💜 A Darker Shade of Magic - Victoria Schwab 💜 Love at First Set - Jennifer Dugan

[dayscapism]

Read this instead of Harry Potter - part 3/ 3:

Young Adult (YA) recommendations under the cut:

Part 1 - Adult books

Part 2 - Middle grade/children's books

Arrows of the Queen (Heralds of Valdemar trilogy) by Mercedes Lackey (high fantasy): There's actually multiple series in the same world. In this trilogy we follow Talia, a young girl who lives in a small community that misteats her. She doesnt know any different, this is the only life and people shes ever known, but then is chosen whisked away by a mystical horse and taken to a school to become a trainee Herald, destined to become one of the Queen's own elite guard. For Talia has certain talents of the mind only her horse companion can sense. Here, as she works to master her abilities, she also begins to learn to trust for the first time in her life, connect with other people, and understanding her trauma. Meanwhile, conspiracy and trason is brewing in the realm, and only the Heralds can help protect it from its enemies.... This first book is very heartwarming and classic fantasy. In the sequels we follow her as she gets older and the sacrifices and darker, heavier moments that come with that. Honestly thos one sounds like the same brief for the main character as HP. Lackey has great LGBTQ+ representation too.

★ Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson (novel + novella): About a warrior-librarian who finds herself entangled in an evil plot in a world where magic books, called grimoires, have sentience and can turn into monsters if they're not properly taken care of. These grimoires are created by magicians whose magic comes from demons linked to their old-blood families, and these magicians' houses are full of magical artefacts, strange curses, hidden rooms magically folded up between walls and sentient gardens, all very reminiscent of Hogwarts' ever-shifting magical corridors.

★ Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud (series, British): Teenage ghost-hunters, magic bureaucracy, dark vibes, historical artefacts, death discussions, found family, haunted houses, suspense, and more.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin (standalone): In this world, witches maintain the climate, but when this control starts faltering, a witch with rare magic, connected to every season is the only hope.

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo (duology): Mermaids! For Goblet of Fire fans.

Raybearer by Jordan Ifuenko (duology): Tarisai was raised in isolation by a mysterious, absent mother until one day she sends her to the capital, to be chosen as one of the crown prince's council and kill him. This is a story about friendship and the love and warmth of family.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him. This story is about a Latino, trans young wizard, who battles with his family accepting his gender.

★ Legenborn by Tracy Deonn (trilogy): Arthurian retelling with a black protagonist who enters a secret society in her university to solve the mystery of her mother's death but she finds it more full of magic and secrets than she expected. Secrets that might even tie to her own heritage and bloodline...

The Diviners by Libba Bray (quartet, paranormal, mystery, horror): It's set in 1929 New York, the protagonist, Evie, comes to the city to live with her uncle, who has an unhealthy obsession with the occult and she worries he will discover her greatest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought problems so far. When a girl is murdered and branded with a cryptic symbol, she realizes her power might help solve the murder. Great alternative to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Scythe by Neal Shusterman (trilogy, sci-fi dystopian): This has themes about death and mortality/immortality. Set in a world where humanity has conquered hunger, disease, war and misery, now a group of select people called scythes are tasked with ending life to keep the population size under control. We follow two apprentices to such a vital profession, a role that neither wants.

This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab (duology): In a city overrun by monsters created out of acts of violence, there's no such thing as "safe", a young woman and a young man on opposite sides of the divided city, must decide if they will become enemies or friends, heroes or villains and what means to be one. (I mean if that premise is not the analogue to a Horocrux or werewolves idk what is.) I also recommend City of Ghosts by this author (set in Edinburgh, where the protagonist's parents host a TV show about haunted places. But the protagonist can enter this world of spirits ever since she almost--or did drown.)

The Little Witch by M. Rickert (short story): Every Halloween an elderly woman hands out candy to a young trick-or-treater girl who's always dressed as a witch and looks the same age every year. She grows more and more curious and attached to her and her oddness.

One Dark Window by Rachel Gilling (duology): To stay safe in her eerie, mist-locked kingdom, Elspeth needs a monster. One day she meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, and her life takes a drastic turn, thrusting her into a world of shadow and deception. Together with the highwayman, they must gather a set of magical cards that are keys to cure the kingdom from the dark magic infecting it. But Elspeth is forced to face a dark magic taking over her own mind. This sounds great for people who liked the horrocruxes as a magic device, who like exploring evilness corrupting a character from the inside out, and for fans of the dark forest in Hogwarts.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (series): Set in London in the 1880s, we follow Audrey Rose Wadsworth, born a lord's daughter, who yearns for more than social tea parties and dress fittings. She has a secret life working in her uncle's laboratory, studying the gruesome and fascinating practice of forensic medicine. Then a string of savagely killed corpses begin appearing... Deliciously creepy horror novel inspired by the Ripper murders.

School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani and illustrator Iacopo Bruno (series): This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds all her life, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil. But when the two girls are swept into schools, they find their fortunes reversed... Is this really a mistake? Or is it a clue to discovering who they really are?

Into the Labirynth by Jown Bierce (series): Hugh is the worst student the Academy of Skyhold has ever seen. He can barely cast any spells without them failing explosively. He is an outcast in the school, and he definitely doesn't expect a mage to choose him as an apprentice, but when a very unusual mage does, his life starts taking a sharp turn for the better. Though, he still has to get ready for his final test in the labyrinth below the school.

Fireborn by Rosaria Munda (trilogy): post-revolution/overthrowing the government plot, with dragon riders and maybe a child of the old regime survived... This is perfect if you were unsatisfied by the infamous HP7 epilogue.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe (duology + prequel): Eva Evergreen is determined to earn the rank of Novice Witch before her thirteenth birthday. If she doesn't, she'll lose her magic forever. For most young witches and wizards, it's a simple enough test, but Eva has only a pinch of magic and always gets the spells backwards. But she comes up with a plan: set up a semi-magical repair shop to help her town and prove she's worthy. But the biggest magical storm in history threatens the town. Will her little bit of magic be enough? If you wanted justice for the squibs in HP!

The Magician's Guild by Trudi Canavan (trilogy, adventure, epic fantasy): Every year, the magicians gather to purge the city of undesirables. Cloaked in the protection of their sorcery, they move with no fear, until one angry girl hurls a stone at them; there is someone outside their ranks who possesses raw magical power. She must be found and schooled before she destroys herself and her city with the power she can't control.

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger and illustrated by Rovina Cai (standalone, mystery, magical realism, LGBTQ+): Set in an alternate USA with magic, monsters and legends. Elatsoe, an indigenous girl, can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed by generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered and she will protect her family and unveil the secrets of this town.

★Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (YA, series): A magic school but for vampires instead of witches. Still has magic in it, with the dark vibe that goes with vampires. It's a trashy teen vampire series in the best way, tbh. Great to pass the time.

Graphic novel recommendations:

Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

⚠️The following books are often recommended too, but some or their authors are problematic, so tread with caution: ⚠️

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: Has racist Asian stereotyping/jokes in the third book of the series. The author has some problematic behavior on Twitter but I don't know the details.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell: Asian racist stereotypes of the character Park. Carry On/Fangirl could be options, I suppose.

Scholomance series by Naomi Novik: The first book, A Deathly Education, had damaging racist passages and stereotypes of black people's hair. The book was later reprinted to fix the issue.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card: This author is staunchly homophobic.

Skyward & Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson: This author is a Mormon. By this religion's rules, they have to donate a percentage (aka tithing) of their net earnings to the church (around 10%), and the Mormon Church actively funds anti-LGBTQ+ initiatives. Sanderson has been asked before about this, but he hasn't given a clear answer on his contributions. He is presumably paying the tithes, though he will tell you he is pro-gays if you ask him. His books also have heavy religious preaching and his world-building is often very cis/hetero-normative. He is doing great work fighting against Amazon's book monopoly though, using his popularity and power for good, which is great. (I have read his books before but nowadays I would rather read other authors and I will never BUY any of his books.)

Happy reading!

★ Books I've read and personally recommend.

Supporting Sources:

https://www.aspiraldance.com/middle-grade-and-young-adult-books-to-read-instead-of-harry-potter/

https://missprint.wordpress.com/2022/09/01/back-to-magic-school-harry-potter-alternatives-booklist/

Goodreads for synopses.

[vodrae]

This is Thanksgiving in Wayne Manor, well, a day chosen when everybody is available.

As requested by Dick years ago, who took example on Roy's demand back in their Teen Titans days, the redhead who's been raised by Natives-Americans, was always uncomfortable around this period. He never knew where to put himself. He's looking like the Irshiest Irish of all time but it's far away from his culture.

On this day of june, Wayne Manor is celebrating I Love My Falmily And Eating For 5 Party.

Everybody is here, it's starded with Bruce, Alfred, the children, legal, emotional and biological

Then Jasons asked if Artemis and Bizarro could come, because they were alone with nothing to do.

Of course !

Then Damian talked like a sim to ask for Talia, Respawn and Mara.

They're already on their way chum.

...Can Rachel and Jon come too ?

When Tim's approched him, Bruce just called everybody in the Justice League, Young Justice and Titans.

For the first time, the manor seems...Small. They put several large tables together in the garden.

Quickly after they cut the turkey, everybody is walking with his plates, hanging out in trees, in the waterpool, in the air. Hawkgirl is unable to stay STILL.

"THEY DON'T KNOW ME SON ! THEY DON'T KNOW ME SON !" Says calmy Harley as she tried to push Diana into the pool.

Stephanie, Tim, Bernard, Cassie and Bart have constant bi panic.

Titus, Ace, Murder King and Krypto are being good boys.

The Martians are the furthest possible from the barbecue.

A push ups contest is ongoing between Donna and Artemis to know who's having the best bird between Dick and Jason, the two boys are at 200 hundreds for now. Kori next them is at 600 but "She doesn't even play !" As the Robins say.

Duke is talking about power control with Raven and he's actually REALLY happy having someone understanding him.

"Miss Kyle, the party is this way." Says Alfred, who just popped behind Selina.

"Sorry, i'm lost, this manor is so big!" She says, in Bruce human size secret safe layer 5.

Barbara, Helena, Ivy and Dinah have the karaoke session of their life.

Ollie and Hal are teenagers again with the outdoor shooting simulation.

Meanwhile, Damian, Mara, Respawn and Rose are all pushing the hardest on Jon's arm in a arm wrestling contest.

Next to them, Kon is screaming "AGAIN ! AGAIN ! AGAIN !" When Cass is beating him "It's the technique." she says with butterfly eyes

All under the amused eyes of Clark, Lois and Talia.

Meanwhile Bruce is crying, not of joy, but for his draining system. Waterpool, bathtubs, showers...They will all spend the night...AND TAKE A SHOWER WITH THEIR LONG HAIR. DID YOU SEE ARTEMIS AND KORI ?

AND SOMEONE TOUCHED THE THERMOSTAT !

(I wanted to do this joke, but you know. Stream of consciouness)

[libraryleopard]

It’s nearly 2025, so of course I finally got it together and made a nice little graphic of my favorite books of 2023 (swipe for a fairly length list). I would say that 2023 is the year my reading tastes became so eclectic as kind of impossible to concisely describe, something I am maybe overly proud of! In episode 35 of @neverthetwinsshallmeet, me & Pie attempted to discuss our top 10 books of the year (narrowing the list down was an agonizing feat) if you want to hear about my absolute favorites.

Full list below cut

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta

The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

Kindred by Octavia Butler

The Family Outing by Jessi Hempel

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On by Franny Choi

How Far the Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler

Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yap

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency by Chen Chen

Little Blue Encyclopedia (For Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante

Thieves by Lucie Bryon

If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So

Manywhere: Stories by Morgan Thomas

Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

High Risk Homosexual by Edgar Gomez

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Sensible Footwear: A Girl’s Guide by Kate Charlesworth

Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher

Homie by Danez Smith

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

The Groom Will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile

Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall

The Thousand Eyes by A.K. Larkwood

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles

In the Country: Stories by Mia Alvar

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

A Power Unbound by Freya Marske

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

The Renunciations by Donika Kelly

All Down Darkness Wide by Seán Hewitt

A Lady For a Duke by Alexis Hall

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Girls at the Edge of the World by Laura Brooke Robson

Choosing Family by Francesca T. Royster

Night Tide by Anna Burke

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? by Séamas O’Reilly

Tender by Sofia Samatar

Bellies by Nicola Dinan

Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey

The September House by Carissa Orlando

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane

Water and Salt by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha

And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott

The Tiny Journalist by Naomi Shihab Nye

Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas

The Mossheart’s Promise by Rebecca Mix

The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Unraveller by Frances Harding

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue

The Feast Makers by H.A. Clarke

Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min