#slice of life recs

[thefunbanshee]

it's the first time in a long time that I haven't posted manga caps while reading but it's because A Delinquent's Life Hacks is so so good, I'm BINGING THROUGH IT. but also girl same, me too girl. I would also blow away just like that bc HE'S SO CUTE

[wangxianficrecs]

A Glimpse of Past Glory by masked

🔒 A Glimpse of Past Glory

by masked (@hamburgergod)

T, 1k, Wangxian

Summary: The condition is that they can’t use their cultivation since the ghost was a non-cultivator and wants a normal sword duel. This was all fine and well until they realized that none of them could win against him, lasting no more than few blows before having their swords and dignity flung out of their hands. “It’d be easier to just eliminate him,” Lan Jingyi mutters. “Otherwise we’ll be here forever.” “Jingyi,” Lan Sizhui scolds. Lan Jingyi is right, of course, but the whole point of elimination is that it’s the absolute last resort. Although it’s not within their own ability to liberate this ghost, there’s… Lan Sizhui glances at Wei Wuxian, standing idly by while he picks at under his fingernails. - A glimpse of Wei Wuxian and the Gusu Lan disciples on a night-hunt. Kay's comments: Short and sweet, the juniors are getting a glimpse at Wei Wuxian's amazing swordfighting-skills and of course, Wangxian are working dilligently towards Wei Wuxian growing a new golden core. Excerpt: Finally, Lan Jingyi’s voice projects over all of them, asking the one big question on their combined minds. “Why did you ever stop using your sword?” he questions. “Demonic cultivation might be useful and convenient, but—but you’re so good! You’re obviously skilled with the sword! Not cultivating with it is such a waste!” Wei Wuxian raises his eyebrows. He opens his mouth, and everyone quietens to hear his response better. What was the real reason for Wei Wuxian to abandon the way of the sword and start the era of Yiling Laozu’s demonic cultivation when he was already so powerful? “I,” Wei Wuxian answers, “hate sweating.”

pov alternating, post-canon, established relationship, bamf wei wuxian, swordfighting, short & sweet, fluff, domestic fluff, slice of life

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[hp-fanfic-archive]

Wake From a Dream by duplicity (@duplicitywrites) Pairing: Harry/Tom Riddle Rating: T Word Count: 2k When Tom sleeps, he is at peace. It is, perhaps, the only time Tom ever looks at peace. In slumber, his carefully constructed mask of absolute composure is only that—a mask. In the unconscious compress of Tom’s embrace, Harry hears how much he is wanted, how much he is needed. The words that Tom does not say, these actions say for him.

[steddieunderdogfics]

For the 11/4 Challenge Monday-- Fics featuring Will Byers. I'd like to submit 2 because they feature different portrayals of Will:

Aftermath by help_me_no features an adorable fic where Steve is a good babysitter and Will is a sweet, if unwitting, catalyst in getting our Steddie boys together!

On the other hand, we get a BAMF!Will in I Wanna Kiss You (But I Want it too Much) by xiaq! And I'm loving his transformation and the moment he gets in this fic!! (You'll see what I mean when you get there!)

Aftermath by help_me_no

@help-me-nah

Rating: Mature

122,401 words, 51/51 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: Internalized Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Self-Loathing, Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Slice of Life, Steve falls first, Found Family

Summary

Eddie Munson was practically raised by the concept of harsh realities, and he’s learned not to want things that he’ll never have, which isn’t as much as a bummer as it could be, because making the most out of what you’ve got is just as good. Steve Harrington, despite his reputation as a casual flirt and a serial dater, has a bad habit of falling hard and fast and never really recovering. Steve Harrington, despite his reputation as a bit oblivious, and a ladies man, figured some stuff out about himself four years ago and promptly squashed all those feelings into a box he never intended to see the light of day. In which Will coming out forces Steve to be open about some things (because Steve’s issues will always take a backseat to making sure the kids feel safe). And Steve doesn’t mean for Eddie to find out, but he does, and it turns into a bonding experience. (And it’s the best and the worst, because having him as a friend is more than Steve ever could’ve hoped for, but it also feels a little like dying.)

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Challenge Monday. The challenge this week was Fics featuring Will Byers.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

Home to me

by 42hrb

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, The Party (Stranger Things), Dustin Henderson Additional Tags: Fix-It, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Slice of Life, Friendship, Growing Old Together, Domestic Fluff, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, POV Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson Lives, Happy Ending, because they deserve a happy ending Words: 6,316 Chapters: 1/1

Summary

Steve Harrington was not worried about Eddie Munson. Eddie was a grown-ass adult man with a high school diploma who had done a pretty huge part in saving the world only 6 months before, why should Steve be worried? Except maybe he was a little bit worried. He hung the phone up after his third attempt at calling Eddie with a huff.

[interact-if]

are there any IFs that have the same vibe/setting as gilmore girls or 10 things i hate about you? i just really feel like reading some teenage romance and drama!! thank you <3

Hi there Anon,

Here's a small list that includes teenage drama:

Countdown by @countdown-if

If another project fits the bill, please let us know!

[m-le]

I need people to understand the love I have for the manga series called “I want to be a wall” by Honami Shirono. The manga talks about the marriage between Yuriko (aroace woman) and Gakurouta(gay man) who try to adapt to societal norms and their families pressure and expectations through that marriage. In the end their goal is to find their own happy ever after. Not only do we learn about them as people but they also grow next to eachother as partners and friends, while learning how to be ‘married‘.

I cried multiple times throughout reading it all cuz of how they voice their feelings and how realistic some of these situations are. But also many happy tears. All in all I’m happy to have experienced their journey and that of the others whose story was shown <3

The need to share this came cuz I just got delivered the third part and finished reading it with too many feelings to really talk about it. I just felt really understood in Yuriko’s character and how she feels about love, marriage and relationships and think that in the end it talks very sensible on the queer themes in all of it.

Part of the story are queer relationships, discrimination and the feeling of otherness.

So happy pride month ppl and read “I want to be a wall” 🏳️‍🌈

[atsu-i]

[boombox-fuckboy]

.

[may-dream16]

I HEAR A SYMPHONY

Charles Leclerc/Max Verstappen

It's a new chapter, it's a new life, it's everything he wants. It has colours and sleepless nights and a sunray slipping through thick clouds. It's loss. It's discovery. It's a stilted joy. Charles has passion, he has friends, and eventually, he has love. Charles is a rainbow. Max is blue. Max is pink. Probably yellow too. And Charles dreams in blue.

Completed | Mature | 34 568 words | 2/2 chapters | Ao3

[jjands]

I am once again craving for a nice fantasy/ action/ supernatural comic with slow burn romance

[mxtxfanatic]

Spooky Book of the Week: Fantasy Farm

Author: Xī Zǐxù (西子绪) / ซีจื่อซวี่ (thai)

Genre: horror, supernatural, slice of life, danmei

Rating: T for the Nile (not just a river in Egypt)

My Synopsis: Man who moves back to his home village and discovers that nothing around him is normal thinks that he is, in fact, normal. Lol. Lmao even.

My Review: If the other spooky month recs have been a tad bit too spooky, this might be the novel for you! A lot of the plots lean heavily into the supernatural without the scare factor (lowkey starts to feel like a Studio Ghibli movie in the latter 2/3rds of the novel). But before I get too deep into this: this novel is heavy on the slice-of-life, as in it does not feel like much is driving the plot further other than "MC lives his life." It's not bad (I am obviously reccing it, lol) but if you're looking for adventure and consistent plot movement, then this one may not be for you. In a way, it kind of reminds me of the anime Mushi-shi (if you've never seen it, check it out!) where some episodes are horror, some episodes are chill, but the whole show is just about humans dealing with the inconvenience of living beside the supernatural. On another note, if you are someone easily tempted by depictions of food, this novel will either make you very happy or very angry. Almost every chapter discusses a new Chinese dish, and the translators were oh so very kind enough to include pictures of each one at the very end. One even started adding the recipes at the end. All in all, I really enjoyed the slow pace of this despite how frustrating Lu Qingjiu's ironclad self-restraint and lack of curiosity made me. (I mean c'mon dude, you can't be in a horror novel and then not explore the horror! You can't have a sense of self preservation and respect of personal boundaries when mystery is afoot! Do you not know what genre you're in?!) Can't wait for the cookbook to drop!

Translation: complete

[wangxianficrecs]

Paper Dolls and Butterflies by EHyde

Paper Dolls and Butterflies

by EHyde (@ehyde)

G, <1k, Wei Wuxian & Wen Yuan

Summary: While Wei Wuxian is testing a spell, A-Yuan finds a silly paper doll to play with. Kay's comments: Just a cute little story that offers some slice-of-life content for the time Wei Wuxian was living in the Burial Mounds with the Wens. The focus is on his relationship with A-Yuan and the story is from A-Yuan's POV as well and it's just very cute, no angst just fluff. If you ignore that A-Yuan is stumbling over bones while playing. Excerpt: “Chasing butterflies?” Qing-gugu asks. “No!” The paper doll isn't a butterfly. “Oh!” he realizes. “I bet it wants to play with A-Yuan's butterflies!” The paper doll circles around Qing-gugu's head and hovers in front of her face. “Wei Wuxian,” she says. “Xian-gege is, Xian-gege's asleep!” “Asleep, hm?” “Really asleep! I jumped and jumped on top of him and he didn't wake up!” The paper doll nods in agreement, and Qing-gugu laughs. Laughing is right! Jumping on Xian-gege is really fun!

pov lan sizhui, slice of life, burial mounds ensemble as family, burial mounds settlement days, fluff, parent-child relationship, families of choice, good parent wei wuxian

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for this hard-working author if you like – or think others might like – this story.)

[celepom]

FAVOURITE GRAPHIC NOVELS OF 2023

The Infinity Particle - By Wendy Xu

In this gorgeous graphic novel by Wendy Xu, co-creator of the award-winning Mooncakes, a young inventor falls for a lifelike AI and confronts questions of freedom and autonomy. Clementine Chang moves from Earth to Mars for a new start and is lucky enough to land her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an Artificial Intelligence pioneer. On her first day of work, Clem meets Dr. Lin’s assistant, a humanoid AI named Kye. Clem is no stranger to robots—she built herself a cute moth-shaped companion named SENA. Still, there’s something about Kye that feels almost too human. When Clem and Kye begin to collaborate, their chemistry sets off sparks. The only downside? Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye’s growing independence and won’t allow him more freedom. Plus, their relationship throws into question everything Clem thought she knew about AI. After all, if Kye is sentient enough to have feelings, shouldn’t he be able to control his own actions? Where is the line between AI and human? As her past and Kye’s future weigh down on her, Clem becomes determined to help him break free—even if it means risking everything she came to Mars for.

Not Sew-Wicked Stepmom - By i r u, Yir, Mo9Rang

Once upon a time, there was a lovely young princess who suffered under her cruel stepmother…that is, until a children’s clothing designer is reborn as the evil stepmother! All the new Queen Abigail Friedkin wants to do is dote on the adorable Princess Blanche and give her the happy childhood she deserves. The problem is, the previous Abigail has garnered a reputation for being extremely jealous and materialistic—and to top it off, her smile is the stuff of children’s nightmares! Will Abigail be able to convince her stepdaughter that she might not be so wicked after all? 

(TW, childhood SA of the main male lead)

Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist

A bravely blunt autobiography about confronting the tangled traumas of gender dysphoria and workplace sexual harassment. Nonbinary manga artist Poppy Pesuyama is excited when forms offer the option to choose “neither” for gender and thrilled about their new job working as an assistant for mangaka X! But then he sexually harasses them, treating them first like a girl and then like something less than human. It only lasts a few months, but in some ways it never ends. Born into a body they hate and still reeling from the abuse they faced seven years ago, Pesuyama begins to rail at their past, their friends, and even their mother as they try to come to terms with who they are and what happened to them.

Belle of the Ball - By Mari Costa

High-school senior and notorious wallflower Hawkins finally works up the courage to remove her mascot mask and ask out her longtime crush: Regina Moreno, head cheerleader, academic overachiever, and all-around popular girl. There’s only one teensy little problem: Regina is already dating Chloe Kitagawa, athletic all-star…and middling English student. Regina sees a perfectly self-serving opportunity here, and asks the smitten Hawkins to tutor Chloe free of charge, knowing Hawkins will do anything to get closer to her. And while Regina’s plan works at first, she doesn’t realize that Hawkins and Chloe knew each other as kids, when Hawkins went by Belle and wore princess dresses to school every single day. Before long, romance does start to blossom…but not between who you might expect. With Belle of the Ball, cartoonist Mariana Costa has reinvigorated satisfying, reliable tropes into your new favorite teen romantic comedy.

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich - By Deya Muniz

Lady Camembert wants to live life on her own terms, without marriage. Well, without marrying a man, that is. But the law of the land is that women cannot inherit. So when her father passes away, she does the only thing she can: She disguises herself as a man and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage to start over as Count Camembert.   But it’s hard to keep a low profile when the beautiful Princess Brie, with her fierce activism and great sense of fashion, catches her attention. Camembert can’t resist getting to know the princess, but as the two grow closer, will she able to keep her secret?   A romantic comedy about mistaken identity, true love, and lots of grilled cheese.

[steddieunderdogfics]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54992155

For Challenge Monday if you still need some!

blue hour. by througheden

@thefreakandthehair

Rating: Mature

3,310 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Post-Canon Fix-It, Eddie Munson Needs a Hug, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Protective Steve Harrington, POV Eddie Munson, Getting Together, Mutual Pining, Anxiety, Cigarettes, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, lex writing about the moon? wouldya look at that, Slice of Life, Eddie Munson Character Study

Summary:

It’s nice to be compared to his mom for once. Most of his life, he’s been likened to dear old dad. Al Munson and his gambling addiction, drugs, and alcohol. Al Munson and his penchant for grand theft auto. Al Munson who never graduated high school, who gave Eddie his last name and his first pocket knife only under the condition that he learn how to pick locks with it. Other than Wayne, no one ever says You’re just like your mom. Well, until Steve Harrington, apparently. What a fucking turn of events.

Or, Eddie Munson smokes and thinks beneath the light of the chilly moon, the heat of Steve's thigh pressed comfortably against his own.

Thanks for the rec!

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks!

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

How Your Eyes Fall On Me So Undistracted

by subtlehysteria

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, The Party (Stranger Things), Joyce Byers, Wayne Munson Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Deaf Steve Harrington, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Canon-Typical Violence, Disabled Steve Harrington, Disabled Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Slow Burn, Getting to Know Each Other, Steve falls fast and hard but is slow to act, Slice of Life, Steve Harrington-centric, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Shy Eddie Munson, Found Family, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, the inherent romanticism of sharing heavy metal music, Character Study, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Gay Eddie Munson, for once Eddie is the baby gay in the relationship, American Sign Language, Mutual Pining, Love Confessions, First Kiss, Making Out, Queer Culture, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug, Eddie Munson Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Recovery Words: 27,205 Chapters: 3/3

Summary

He thinks he’s made it home free when he’s up on that hill with Dustin and the others, the cool night air helping to numb the cuts and aches blossoming in his skin now that the drugs have totally worn off. But then there’s a burst of static on the radio and Steve’s racing back to the mall like the heroic idiot that he is, Robin in tow. And when he sees Billy’s car on a collision course headed straight for Nancy he doesn’t think twice about slamming his foot down on the accelerator and putting himself in the line of fire instead. Billy’s car hits Steve’s side directly, and Steve’s head hits the inside edge of the driver’s side door. Something pops and then— Silence. Or... the one where Steve loses his hearing due to all his head injuries and has to learn to navigate the world in silence. It takes time but eventually, he learns that he doesn't have to do it alone.