#tcf got me doing things i never usually do

[shrimpfriedeggs]

made a keychain of the kids for myself!!! 🥰🥰

[mytragedyperson]

Honestly TCF/LCF is great. I'm rereading it from the beginning, I've never actually finished it, but honestly the amount of times Cale just wanders off for hours, last seen in the slums or a random tea shop and just comes home with a Choi Han or two children from the Cat Tribe and just no one questions it. The only one who does is Hans but even then it's just wanting to care for the kittens. That I understand, he had no way of knowing they're cat tribe but Ron knows from the second he sees them and just doesn't question how, why, where and when he met these cat tribe children . And it's similar for choi han. We know he saw him coming in the gate and Deruth and Hans got the tragic backstory, but none of them questioned why exactly he was in the residential area near the gate to stumble across him in the first place. Also for a second I forgot Cale was 18 and just imagined Beacrox seeing Cale going in the slums and shortly after reappearing with cat tribe children and just thinking Cale had like had children with a cat tribe person, especially since Hong has red hair. I forget how old Hong actually is at the beginning so that didn't help matters. The way he just picks up strays. Like he randomly decides to smuggle Taylor and Cage into the capital, which I imagine is a crime, but literally no one with him questions this decision and tries to say hey maybe don't do this illegal thing. And again I get Ron and Beacrox not reacting, ones an assassin and the other is a torture expert. But the fact that Hilsman, Hans and anyone else with them is just on board with this plan? Like don't disagree with it, don't question it, just go along with it? I get that Cales their young master but everyone just immediately goes along with his plans no matter how insane they are and only really have a problem when Cales plan includes I do something that results in me getting hurt or passing out, which, to be fair, in the first hundred chapters, usually isn't actually part of the plan, it just kind of happens. Meanwhile Cale is just in denial, acting like the sane one. Let me tell you, when people you consider insane are all surrounding you and following plans, chances are you're not as sane or normal as you think.

Also if you for whatever reason have a problem with me using Beacrox instead of Vicross or calling it Trash of the Counts family instead of lout of the counts family. That was the first translation I've seen. This also means I may call Rain City Western City because that's what it says in the translation I'm reading. I don't think it's a big deal but I saw a tweet complaining about it and particularly calling it Trash of the counts family instead of lout of the counts family, which confused me because I knew it as that first and so, when I was reading fanfiction and saw the name Vicross Molran I was like who? I can't have met them yet. I've since learned this is Beacrox Molan, and Beacrox is what I call him. I won't apologise it because that would be dumb but I want it to be noted that this is all purely die to the translation I'm reading

[i-might-be-a-simp]

I need your opinion, do you think Ron knew that Cale was no longer the same person?

I was stalking the fandom (as usual) and I saw a comment, by who I assume to be a new reader, wondering how Ron would react finding out Cale was actually KRS, that the child he watched grow wasn't actually the man he believes and it made me think a bit.

When I read tcf the first time, one of the things I was most curious about was all the odd looks Cale got in the first few chapters, and my biggest question was, surely a very sharp and experienced assassin who knew the know-hows of blending into different crowds would have immediately noticed that "Young master" was no longer the same person.

I'm sure you caught this too when reading, but there were many moments when Ron's expression turned odd after Cale did or said something.

Ron the whole first chapter:

It starts by something he dismisses, such as Cale waking up immediately after Ron calls out to him, on the very first attempt. But as the chapter progresses, Ron gets more and more intrigued.

He notices how Cale says thanks after he receives water and when servants dress him. Along with his other odd actions, asking the date, repeating his own name, asking to go to the study, not breaking things etc.

And then finally, Ron gives him the ultimate test, the lemon tea. I think this was his way of confirming that Cale had changed. It proved to me Ron was definitely onto something.

Now this is where I need your opinion. From my interpretation of Ron's character, yes he "loved" ogCale or held at least a bit of affection for him. Let me pull up some receipts:

^(sorry for light mode)

Although Ron treated him like his grandson he did not think Cale had a soft spot for him nor that he treated him like a person and never really took much interest in him aside from his duties.

And while I was doing a deep-dive I went on the wiki and saw this.

So Ron saw ogCale, his situation and therefore pitied him, yet he thought of him as a helpless impertinent puppy, which is why he did not have much issue with following Beacrox who wished to leave with Choi Han in BOAH. But only after Cale changed is when he begin to be interested.

Now the question is, was the lemon tea experiment he did, just to test whether Cale had become aware of Ron's true identity, or was it to confirm Cale was a changed person entirely???

Personally I think it was both, and that Ron was aware from the very beginning. However this is where I am conflicted, because the idea of Ron watching that small boy become so big and smart is so satisfying to me, because the author wanted to paint this as a "cale finally stopped pretending to be a dumb oblivious trash and started to take matters into his hand" like it was all a plan cale had to hide his powers and get stronger in secret while acting unsuspecting. This is what the public believes and it sounds very cool but... hmm I wish we got a chapter focusing more on Ron's feelings.

Like I am aware he loves Cale very much and especially after getting the new arm he started to feel a sense of loyalty for Cale he didn't have before but the fact that he was one of the few people og Cale was very close with since he was very young, the fact that a whole new person was in the body is kind of not addressed in its full concept, this transition from no interest to loyalty was also a transition from og cale to krs cale so I wish we got more on it.

Thanks for reading my ramble. I love them.

[yisanged]

8 10 orvie

HII ELISEYY my friend. thank you for the ask! and sorry it took so long the sleepies and school and etc. I HOPE COLLEGE IS GOING WELL FOR YOU BTW!!!!!!!

this got so long sorry you know how it is with novels. but hey before i read more the rest of this guys if anyone else wants to send me hater asks you still can... i only got one 🥲 does nobody else want to send asks to their friend nico? i've actually been so dead lately guys that is on me. but i still love you all.......

anyways um 8 is "common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about" and 10 is "worst part of fanon" pretty similar really going for the haterisms here okok. hmmm i honestly don't even interact with the orv fandom that much like most of the orv posts that aren't just art that i see are mine and my few orvie mutuals' which i usually respect i don't see a lot of posts from outside of this orv echo chamber i've created for myself which i'm ok with tbh. but something i see a lot that i don't like is the depiction of kdj as a scammer type like the breed same as cale tcf and others? i haven't read regression instruction manual but like he's a common comparison and such. and it's true that they're all from the similar mold of like "isekai/fantasay coming to real life but i have an upper hand because i read the book it came from nyeheh" and in that specific aspect yeah kdj has his moments where he takes advantage of his knowledge but it seems like some people attribute him being a liar an unreliable narrator etc to that part of the story also and i don't totally agree with that. he's not an unreliable narrator because he's trying to be sneaky and smart the dude is depressed. he's been so depressed since he was like 13 and he's a grown ass man now it's totally changed his outlook and makes him unable to see the world and his interactions with others properly for what it is. he didn't lie to our faces about smiling when he was actually crying because he was trying to be smart and sneaky it was cause he's sad as fuck and can't even recognize it because he's lowkey wanted to kill himself since middle school. i do agree that cale is similar in that he downplays how insane he is almost dying all the time and getting hurt forever but not caring and driving all his friends up the wall with it without even realizing and like he's also depressed as fuck but when people group them together for being self sacrificing bastard scammers or whatever i just feel like it's different a lot of the time. we aren't seeing the same thing there.

i guess that's my soapbox for 8 umm for 10. the way yoo sangah gets pushed aside so often peeves me for sure. she's so everything where did you put her....? and the kids too the kids are so important to me and to kdj but they're never given justice i feel. honestly i think all of kimcom doesn't get enough love most of the time or maybe i've just been bad at finding content that actually does them well it just feels like there's so much joongdok yaoi and not enough friendship and mentorship and everything. jihye and joongdok are so everything but i never see the two of them together ever. heewon and hyunsung also. even if you're not the biggest fan of them romantically like i respect the lesbian heewon grind don't you care that they're the sword and shield.......? and of coures sys and yjh have a lot of interesting potential but no one ever does anything with it. and there's never enough lee gilyoung anywhere i love you gilyoung. yes that's my fanon complaint. too much yaoi focus... there's so much love everywhere it's a main theme but the story ain't a romance there's so much more out there. take my hand we can discover friendship together

[blueteller]

TCF Summary Arc by Arc (Part 5/8)

Every TCF story arc in a nutshell

Volume 5: chapters 400-499

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Empire Strikes Back (and fails) [Enemy Beckrock wants to fight!] Beckrock: I invented a way to combine mana and dead mana, thanks to my tragic backstory! Rosalyn: I don't need a tragic backstory to defeat you. Becrock: Ha! Is that so, you spoiled princess? What exactly do you have that I don't? Rosalyn: Money Becrock: Wait wha- Cale: *hands Rosalyn a ton of magic stones* Rosalyn: BEHOLD THE POWER OF BEING RICH AND HEALTHY FAMILY DYNAMICS, B****! Becrock: *gets wrecked* [Enemy Becrock Got Captured!] *Cale & Co. blow up and/or destroy things counter: 26*

Lion King (and the reverse Mufasa) Bud: *video-calling* Cale! All of the enemies went to the North! Cale: Ok let's go then Dorph: *politely* Let's all fight fair and square, shall we? Also Dorph: *throws his own people into a pit of dead mana* I apologize for my subordinate's bad manners Cale: (WTF's with this crazy bastard??) Jack: *heals* Hannah: *charges* Cale: Ok, time for MY money power up Dorph: Wait wha- Cale: *burns magic stones* Also Cale: *burns the dead mana pit* Raon: Human, Goldie Gramps says Choi Han woke up crying and yelling "Kim Rok Soo" for some reason! He's on his way! Cale: … Cale: (Well f***) Dorph: Let's fight, Cale Henitu-! Choi Han: *shows up having received Choi Jun Soo's power and memories* Hi Cale-nim, I mean Kim Rok Soo. What do I call the best friend of my nephew, anyway? Cale: (…S***. Is Choi Han going to beat me up now??) Dorph: Wait, I was in the middle of- Choi Han: You craving some Korean food, bro? Cale: …of course I am, bro? Choi Han: Great. Anyway, are you- Dorph: Excuse me- Choi Han: Are you happ- Dorph: But- Choi Han: SHUT THE F*** UP *goes on a war path* Cale: *relieved* (...at least it's not me) Raon: Human, what were you two talking about? Cale: …Raincheck Dorph: Khahaha! We shall kill you with the golems, then! Cale: *Mokuton-no-jutsus the tress to trap the golems* Dorph: (…well s***) Mary and the Dark Elves: *show up* Dorph: (Oh f***!) Mary and the Dark Elves: *absorb the rest of the dead mana* Dorph: It's not over! We can use the ✨Power of Friendship✨ too! …also we got airships Cale's group: Wait what [A Wild Bear Person Appears!] Dorph: He controls the light, and I control the dark! Sayeru: Together, we're Pokemon Black and White! Cale's group: Our ✨Power of Friendship✨ is more powerful than yours! Dorph & Sayeru: NANI??? Cale's group: *goes back to protect the capital* Cale: It's just me, Choi Han and Raon versus the Lion and the Bear then *Basically Even Fight Ensues* [You got away safely!] *Cale coughs blood and/or faints counter: 17* *Cale & Co. blow up and/or destroy things counter: 27*

Hello From The Other Side Lee Soo Hyuk: Hey Kim Rok Soo, or should I say Cale Henituse Cale: …Am I dreaming? Lee Soo Hyuk: Ruining all your chances at slacker life as usual, I see Cale: Never-mind. You're definitely the real Team Leader Lee Soo Hyuk: So Choi Han got a power-up from Choi Jung Soo, and now you get a power-up from me Cale: …that motherf***ing God of Death Lee Soo Hyuk: Yup. He's a total motherf***er Cale: Ok, so gimme the power Lee Soo Hyuk: Not so fast, punk. First you gotta promise me you'll be a farmer Cale: WHY Lee Soo Hyuk: Because otherwise you'll only keep getting into trouble, that's why Cale: Dammit, good point Lee Soo Hyuk: Also, me dying is not your fault Cale: Agreed Lee Soo Hyuk: BTW, Choi Jung Soo and OG Cale are both happy Cale: *wakes up* Raon: Human! You're awa- Cale: *starts crying from happiness and relief* Everybody: GASP! Cale: …Why am I crying? I'm not sad *tries to smile* Also Cale: *collectively breaks the hearts of all his friends and the fandom* Everybody: *shook*

Secrets Shared At Long Last Jack: So we destroyed all the Alchemist Towers and looted everything. Cale: Great. We'll go to the North next Choi Han: Ok, but first we gotta talk. Cale: *bows* Hello, Senior Who Is So Much Older Than Me, This One is Kim Rok Soo, Choi Jung Soo's Friend Choi Han: …that's just awkward, please stop Raon: So what is going on, human? Cale: I'm from another world, and so is Choi Han. It's a secret. Raon: *unfazed* Okay! Cale: Now, time to set up some Brazilian telenovela level of drama

Ready, Set, Action! White Star & Sayeru: The Whale Tribe is acting very sus… Is it about the Earth Attribute power?? Witira: *confident* I shall kill you, White Star! Clopeh: *dramatic* I shall obtain the treasure that the Whales are hiding and become a legend! Witira: Gasp! Sir Clopeh, you're betraying us?? Clopeh: Indeed I am!! *Whales and Wyverns suddenly fighting each other* White Star & Sayeru: (WTF???) Shickler: *coughs fake blood* Paseton: *with the fake Korean ancient text in his pocket* Father, are you okay?! White Star & Sayeru: Look, they have the ancient text!! *steal it* Cale: *in hiding* Just according to keikaku Raon: See, Choi Han? This is how the experts do it! Choi Han: *nods along* What did you write on that paper, anyway? Cale: I wrote what Raon told me to Choi Han: …? Raon: "White Star, you stupid idiot! We tricked you!" Choi Han: Lol Clopeh: Now we shall spread the rumor that we defended the North from the evil White Star! Witira: (…that's the exact opposite of what happened, tho??)

Alberu Gets His Revenge Cale: *returns to the Henituse Territory* Ah, home sweet h- Cale: …Your highness what are you doing here Alberu: Ok so the nobles want to keep you and your people under control so you don't get any more political power Cale: Well f*** them. We don't want that anyway. Alberu: I gotta give you guys positions without political power then. So Choi Han will be my instructor Cale: Huh, ok Alberu: And you will be my sworn brother Cale: Sure- wait what Alberu: What, you don't wanna be my Dongsaeng? *sad eyes* Cale: (…why am I getting chills all of a sudden?) Alberu: *livestreaming* I shall now announce rewards for the heroes who helped us win the war! Nothing at all shocking or upsetting will happen! …BTW Choi Han is my instructor now Nobles: Wait, wha- Alberu: Oh, and Cale is my sworn brother. Won't you call me Hyung out loud, my dear Dongsaeng? Cale: … Cale: …sure, Hyung Nobles: (…WTF?!) Alberu: So Cale Henituse and his people all declined government positions- Nobles: (Good!) Alberu: -not to set a bad example, however… Nobles: (…why do I hear boss music?) Alberu: …I decided to promote the Henituses from a County to a Duchy Nobles: (F***!!!) Cale: *doesn't care at all* (IGNORE.) Basen: (Poor innocent Hyung... He doesn't realize just screwed over his "peaceful life" is)

Scammer VS Illusionist Valentino: The White Star is going to show up here in the Caro Kingdom? Cale: Yes, and we'd like for you to stand back and not interfere, please Valentino: …This makes me very anxious, but alright Cale: (…I'm sure this won't bite us all in the a** later) Cale: Ok, so- *Sudden earthquakes and fire going off* Caro Kingdom: *panic* Cale: …what the-? Wind Elementals: That fire is fake! It's all an illusion! Cale: …so there's an illusionist in the Dubori Territory, huh Raon: Human, they used some really strong mana disturbance devices! I can't enter Cale: (Well f***) Cale & Choi Han: *sneak in* Sayeru & Elisneh: Fools! We knew you would use that way! We lured you in on purpose! Cale: Fools. I knew you knew we would use that way, and we did it on purpose Sayeru & Elisneh: NANI??? Elisneh: Well, how would you like fighting innocent civilians caught in my illusion! And I shall trap Choi Han in one as well! Choi Han: *falls under illusion of being trapped in the Forest of Darkness for the first time* Elisneh: Ha! That illusion is so powerful, it won't break even if you kill me-! Choi Han: *snaps out of it using Protagonist Willpower* Elisneh: Wait wha- Choi Han: *destroys her medium* [Enemy Elisneh Fled the Battle!] *Cale & Co. blow up and/or destroy things counter: 28*

Dis-Arming the White Star White Star: *shows up* Cale's group: *gang up on the White Star* Sayeru: *loses an arm* White Star: *also loses an arm* Cale: Damn it. I was aiming for the right one. …Oh well Arm: *video-calling to White Star* My liege! Assassins and mercenaries are destroying our secret base!! Ron and Beacrox: *casually reclaiming their house on another continent* We gotta clean up this mess before Young Master Cale shows up Cale: *smug* …NOW he's down three arms Valentino: *freaks out over everything going on* *Cale coughs blood and/or faints counter: 18* *Cale & Co. blow up and/or destroy things counter: 29*

Unlocking: Dragon Half-Blood's Backstory! Dragon Half-Blood: Ok, so this is where the second Arm base is located Dorph: You traitor! How dare you betray your own father! Dragon Half-Blood: *having been experimented on and locked up in a basement for 900 years by the White Star* …are you f***ing serious?? Dorph: Obviously, you betrayed us because you share blood with the Black Dragon! Dragon Half-Blood: …Wait, what Cale: (WTF???) Cale: Ok listen, you can't die before we unlock that backstory, got it?! Dragon Half-Blod: S-sure? Cale's group: *destroys everything* White Star's group: *shows up* Cale's group: Later suckers! *teleports away* Cale: Alright so WTF is your deal, man Dragon Half-Blood: So the heart of the baby dragon from the red egg was shoved into my chest, and the White Star wanted me to eat the black egg too. So I threw it away Cale: Threw it away? Dragon Half-Blood: I gave it to Redika and told him to hide it somewhere with comfort and protection spells all over the place Cale: …you mean you protected it Dragon Half-Blood: Don't be absurd. Clearly I just threw it away, because I'm not a good person Cale: (This oblivious idiot…!) Cale: Ok so I don't like you at all, but you can't die now. So keep on living as long as you can Dragon Half-Blood: …you're a really good person Cale: Don't be absurd *Cale & Co. blow up and/or destroy things counter: 30*

Stealing the Earth Attribute Cale: Hello, my name is Bob and I'd like to climb this dangerous mountain Bobe: Sir, no way! I sympathize over our similar names, but you will definitely die! Cale: I'll pay you a ton of money Bobe: I don't care about the money! …but I have to make sure you fools don't get killed [A Wild Red Snake Appeared!] The Ancient Power: Cale, how are you going to fit that power in your plate?! Cale: A cheat code, that's how Ancient White Star's voice: Would you like to dominate the world through fear-? Cale: What f*caking nonsense Ancient White Star's voice: Wait wha- Cale: *uses OP sealing skill from his Team Leader* [Earth Ancient Power: Blood-Drenched Rock, acquired!] *Cale's Ancient Power counter: 8*

And the Scale Just Keeps Growing Alberu: *completely done with everything* …Cale Henituse. Cale: What's wro-? Alberu: …Why the hell do you claim to plan a bonfire before setting the entire continent on fire?! Cale: What are you… *reads how Valentino publicly declared war against the White Star and asked everyone for backup* …oh damn Alberu: Oh damn is right!!! We're not ready to fight the White Star yet if we want to limit the casualties! Cale: Hm… But you know what, Hyung? Alberu: Call me your highness Cale: Sure, your highness. Remember the Illusionist? Turns out she's the queen of the Molden Kingdom, a major country on the Eastern Continent. How would you like to cut off another one of White Star's "limbs"? Alberu: …Call me Hyung

White Star Becomes a Conspiracy Theorist White Star & Sayeru: *enter the abandoned part of the underground Dark Elf city* Sayeru: Oh wow, look at this place! It must be ancient! White Star: …my power tells me this tree died less than a week ago. This must be a trap Cale: (Well f***) Cale: *steps out of hiding* You figured it out. Now what? White Star: …I finally get it Cale: …? White Star: You're a transmigrator, aren't you Cale: (Dammit, so he knows-) White Star: You're been jumping bodies for centuries while preparing to fight me Cale: …! (Wait wha-?) White Star: *sees a reaction* I'm totally right aren't I! Cale: No? White Star: Feigning ignorance again, I see! Cale: No seriously, I- White Star: You won't fool me!! Cale: *blows up the ceiling* [Enemies White Star & Sayeru Fled the Battle!] *Cale & Co. blow up and/or destroy things counter: 31*

Hidden Backstories and Secrets Everywhere Alberu: …why do you all have such weird expressions Cale: Your highness… the White Star believes I'm a serial body-jumper transmigrator who's been secretly preparing to defeat him for centuries. Alberu: ??? Alberu: …you're not, right? Cale: (Do you even need to ask?!) Obviously, he's crazy. Alberu: ...Right. Cale: Also, he mentioned something about the Gate to the Demon World, so we have to investigate it. And if you could give me some ancient records on your family that would be great Alberu: *breaks into cold sweat* …Sure… Cale: Also Dragon Half-Blood, you gotta fess up about your backstory to Raon and Sheritt Dragon Half-Blood: *near nervous breakdown* …Okay… Dragon Half-Blood: *makes it out of the confession alive but with GUILT COMPLEX(TM)* Choi Han: …you wanna cook with me? Dragon Half-Blood: Sure *chops onions* Beacrox: *pissed* Get out of my kitchen you heathens

Third World Tree Meeting Cale: So I got a question, is there a time-related ancient power? World Tree: I dunno about that, but time is sure ticking down for you – remember that note with a countdown from the God of Death? He sure likes making deals Cale: Oh yeah, like the Vow of Death World Tree: It's a tracker BTW Cale: Wait what World Tree: Yeah, so you shouldn't trust him, since he- *loses a branch* …dammit. Censorship sucks Cale: It sure does World Tree: Anyway, the gods can't mess with fate, but they actually can. You can probably figure out the rest Cale: Right. Thanks World Tree: Also, Alberu Crossman was fated to be here Cale: …that sure is random World Tree: Oh it won't be very soon Adite: Also, Arm created a fake World Tree and it's right there *points at Molden City capital* The Elves all failed to approach it before, can you help us? Cale: …Perfect

Unlocking: Alberu Crossman's Backstory! Alberu: …you asked me about my family records Cale: Right Alberu: *brings him to a secret underground place* So this is it. The truth is… that my family was cursed by the Sun God. Cale: …? Alberu: *points at rock carvings* This right here says that a person with darkness within shouldn't ever become a king. (Meaning a dark elf like me shouldn't inherit the throne…) Cale: *absent-minded* Right…? Alberu: *tender hopes for reassurance and validation crushed* … *Meanwhile, in Cale's head:* The Ancient Powers: So there's, like, a crazy resemblance between the Crown Prince and the Ancient White Star for some reason…? Of course the Crown Prince is much hotter Cale: …! Cale: Your highness Alberu: Yes, yes, I know, I- Cale: -your ancestor was a criminal? Alberu: Yes, my ancestor- wait what. I thought we were talking about me being unworthy of the throne?? Cale: The hell are you talking about?? This isn't about that, it's about the Sky Attribute Alberu: Huh? Cale: It's probably from the Demon World Alberu: Huh?? Cale: And according to an unspecified ancient source, you look an awful lot like the first White Star Alberu: HUH??? Cale: So it isn't really a curse, more like a warning. You should totally be the king Alberu: … Alberu: *exasperated* THEN WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY SO Also Alberu: *trust mode maxed out*

Rebellion in the Molden Kingdom Plot – Start! Glenn: We got a problem. Remember how Bud went to investigate Elisneh and the Molden Kingdom? Cale: Yeah? Glenn: Well he got captured by the banished princess. (I so regret being friends with that idiot) Cale: ?! Glenn: *shows recording* Jopis: *elegantly sipping tea with Bud tied up in the background* You there whoever is actually behind this man, come meet me or I'll blow his f***ing head off Cale & Alberu: (…wow, what a woman) Cale: Let's go meet her then Jopis: Hello. I was banished because I saw through that b**** and her illusions due to my weak shaman powers that let me talk to dogs Cale: Wanna overthrow your crazy sister together? Jopis: I sure do. Even if you're the devil himself Cale's group: (…he's something worse, actually) Cale: You're gonna give the Raon Kingdom benefits, tho Jopis: What about your personal benefits? Cale: *official permit to loot in his pocket* …nothing, nothing Jopis: Anyway, how are we going to deal with all the dead mana? Cale: Simple… Cale: Dragon simps. Lots and lots of dragon simps. *Nearly all Elves and Dark Elves of the two continents show up to deal with the fake World Tree* Jopis: …Ha! You are definitely worse than the devil Glenn: Emergency!! All 1,001 mercenaries who went to investigate the Gate to the Demon World went missing!!! Bud: *serious mode* I gotta go. Cale- Cale: Go, we'll join you after we're done Bud: …Thank you. Cale: Let's quickly get started then Cale's group: *barges in and causes chaos & destruction* Molden Kingdom Officials: Rebellion!! Traitorous Princess Jopis has returned!!! Jopis: *leads Cale & co. to the underground maze* The walls are filled with dead mana, so there's no way to- Cale: Break them down Jopis: Wait what Mary & the Dark Elves: *absorb all the dead mana and get stronger* Jopis: ...Well ok then Royal children: We are here on a secret mission for our benevolent queen! She told us to carry those totally-not-deadly bottles with precious black jewels inside! Jopis: That crazy evil b**** Royal children: Look, her majesty is here! She came to save us! Elisneh: Yes, I came to save you all Cale: Such bulls*** in front of the children Elisneh: *nonchalantly poisons one of the children* Yup, they're all my hostages Cale: Welp, time to explode a maze I guess. Elisneh: Wait wha- Cale: *goes on a war path on an F***ing Huge Stone Imugi* *Cale & Co. blow up and/or destroy things counter: 32*

End Volume 5.

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[cywscross]

Do you have any scum villain fanfic recs? (I also haven't read it but you've never led me wrong with recs haha)

Omg I have so many, I'll rec some of my favs ^_^

Unveiling The Imposter by ladyflufffluff

While tracking a suspicious fortune-teller, Shen Qingqiu falls unconscious. The fortune-teller extracts a glowing orb from his body, telling Luo Binghe and Liu Qingge that this Shen Qingqiu is an imposter, and they can see for themselves if they don't believe it.

Alternatively, the Demon Lord and Peak Lords watch Scum-Villain's Self-Saving System.

Characters Watch the Series fanfic. Post-Canon.

[This was actually the fic that got me into SVSSS. I was reading TCF reaction fics, ran out, stumbled on this one in a collection, and decided to give it a try. Since it's a reaction fic in its early stages, it basically gave me an introduction to the canon. Obviously since it's reacting to canon, the ship is the canon one, but the current chapters cover just past the Lingxi Caves/Demon Invasion part, and I immediately latched onto the Liu Qingge and Shen Yuan dynamic, so that's what I went looking for, and I haven't managed to crawl back out of this rabbit hole ever since, rip me.]

-0-

Keep Me Anyway by Starrs__00 [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

Shen Qingqiu's been pretending that pretending doesn't hurt, because what's the alternative? The system has its rules, and he'd rather not die.

But Liu Qingge, thank god, is one step ahead of him.

_______

In which Shen Qingqiu is Liu Qingge's soulmate. Really. Truly.

[The second SVSS fic I read. Evidently, it was so good I officially became a LiuShen shipper from this point on.]

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The Grand Unified Theory of Shěn Qīngqiū by 00janeblonde [Liu Qingge/Shen Qingqiu/Yue Qingyuan]

Shěn Qīngqiū new game pluses himself into a happy ending and unlocks some premium content along the way.

This fic is endgame Shěn Qīngqiū/Liǔ Qīnggē/Yuè Qīngyuán.

It takes time for the characters to get together, but there is zero partner infidelity and very little angst. There's lots of pining, but it's happy pining. This is fluff. Everyone is happy and loving and supportive.

[THE #1 worldbuilding fic in the SVSSS fandom, it's amazing, the ship development is done well, there's found family elements, and it's long as fuck and still going. The one thing I thought I wouldn't like - the reason for an arc 1 and an arc 2 - didn't even matter anymore once I started arc 2 because it's just that well written.]

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where your love has always been enough for me by backspacedintooblivion (Evil_and_I_know_it) [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Shen Qingqiu shook his head no, still unable to process the fact that Liu Qingge was standing in front of him, making a rescue attempt.

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

“And Yue Qingyuan is supposed to protect you,” Liu Qingge retorted. “But things don’t always go the way we want them to.”

Or

Liu Qingge comes to rescue Shen Qingqiu when no one else would, despite being dead, and things only get stranger from there.

[I got curious about Liu Qingge/Original Shen Qingqiu after I realized from GUT that Shen Jiu (original SQQ) had a lot more depth than the one-dimensional villain that the reaction fic I read had showed, so that's what I looked up next. Needless to say, I ended up liking LiuJiu even more than LiuShen. LiuShen is usually more light-hearted I think, and I enjoy it a lot, but LiuJiu generally includes the angsty hurt/comfort I love, with a very solid foundation in learning how to understand each other and trust each other and respect each other, plus some low-key world-burning loyalty on top. They're the very definition of direct opposites attract, but they're also so similar in the way they devote their whole selves to the things they care about. Exactly the kind of dynamic I adore ^_^ (Not all of this is shown in this particular fic ofc, I just got ramble-y about them lmao. I'll rec more LiuJiu and LiuShen below.)]

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i've trodden the forest by AMereDream [Shen Jiu/Yue Qingyuan]

Now, Yue Qingyuan won't pretend to be anything he is not. He is achingly aware of his own guilt complex and how he rarely, if ever, questions Xiao Jiu because of it. He wouldn't have been able to become Sect Leader if he was blind to his faults.

But it has been two weeks.

Two weeks of Xiao Jiu following him around, existing in his periphery, only slipping away for a few hours in the morning to teach his students. Even then he returns the moment the lessons are over, never lingering for longer than he needs to.

Presumably he went back to his Peak at night to change his clothes, but Yue Qingyuan has never seen him leave.

In which Shen Qingqiu gets a second chance, but is still allergic to talking it out. Instead, why shouldn't he plaster himself to Yue Qingyuan's side and refuse to leave?

[I don't super ship these two, but I don't dislike it either. It's pretty good.]

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Two for the Price of One by AMereDream [Shen Jiu/Shen Yuan/Yue Qingyuan]

In which a year after his first, Shen Qingqiu falls prey to a second major Qi Deviation. There are now two Shen Qingqiu's walking around - Yue Qingyuan is pleased with this new development, Shen Jiu immediately gets very attached, and Shen Yuan does not mind all this as much as he probably should.

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Try These UNFAILABLE Tips for Getting Fired! Number 9 Will Shock You by AMereDream [Shen Jiu/Yue Qingyuan]

In much the same way you would want to get fired rather than leave your job yourself for the severance benefits, Shen Jiu tries to see how far he can go before he is made to leave.

Fortunately for everyone, since he already knows that violence isn't a dealbreaker to the Sect Leader, he instead decides he'll just demand affection from him -- because surely Yue Qingyuan would rather send him away than let him be close to him, right?

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Abyssal Paradise by DevinePhoenix

Shen Yuan gets to start his new life as a happy fox in what is literally Hell. He likes it here, they have so many cute creatures for him to study.

However Shen Yuan is also a millennial and he will have his creature comforts if he has to build them himself. In which the best motivation for a lazy person is to put in a lot of effort at the start so they can laze off in even more comfort later. Also known as, Shen Yuan builds a house in the Abyss.

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Vision of Happiness by GT_GoldenTrashbag [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Shen Qingqiu is chosen and given a vision of the few lives where he is happy.

The others are confused at his sudden change.

What did he see?

Who did he see?

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Easy Mode by Asymptotical [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

Shen Qingqiu didn't really consider that there might be drawbacks to a system who was devoted to both lore and genuine experiences, until he was dying of it.

Getting to repeat from the start as many times as he needed to figure it out didn't help. Nothing really did, until the System offered an easy mode. He just had to unlock it, and then he could let Liu Qingge do all the work.

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voluntary victim by technorat [Liu Qingge/Luo Binghe/Shen Qingqiu]

Looking back at everything, Shen Qingqiu comes to a conclusion: everything that went wrong in his first life happened because of him.

Or, the Peak Lords search for Shen Qingqiu. Too bad he doesn't want to be found.

[This is EXACTLY my cup of angsty hurt/comfort tea, to the point where I don't even care too much about Luo Binghe being part of the ship. If you saw the tags on my last ask about SVSSS, you'll know I don't like LBH, the original or the SVSSS version, especially when shipped with either version of Shen Qingqiu, but that's a personal thing, I know the canon ship is pretty much the most popular ship in this fandom, so you'll most likely won't have a problem with him. Anyway, everything else about this fic is excellent, and the majority of the romance development is between Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu, plus ever since reading GUT, I really like the Shen Yuan and Shen Jiu are the same person trope, so there's that in here too. Definitely give this one a try, it's one of my top favourites.]

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those secret worlds you call eyes by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

On a mission, Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge are exposed to a plant that all but curses them to be touching each other at all times.

Except... the plant really shouldn't be affecting two alphas like that...

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hollow moon by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Liu Qingge retrieves what is left of Shen Qingqiu from the Water Prison.

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to breathe in by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

In one lifetime, Liu Qingge was little more than a ghost, watching as all of Shen Qingqiu's mistakes caught up to him.

In this lifetime, Liu Qingge would make things be better.

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forever and ever and ever and ever by pennydaniels [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Shen Jiu saves Liu Qingge's life. Liu Qingge isn't the type of person to let debts go unpaid.

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tangled in the hanging tree by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Qingqiu]

Qiu Jianluo is a ghost, one whose resentment has driven him to gain new power.

Shen Qingqiu is captured.

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running out of holy places by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Qingqiu]

Shen Qingqiu is brought to the Water Prison to await trial for his many crimes.

Liu Qingge fights against the ticking clock in order to save Shen Qingqiu.

Luo Binghe no longer knows what he wants.

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hustling for the good life by Chesra [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Shen Jiu is a simple demonic cultivator who just wants to do his job, except that white-robed cultivator from Cang Qiong Mountain keeps getting in the way.

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it’s a crime you’re not around most of the time by backspacedintooblivion (Evil_and_I_know_it) [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

“Speak for yourself A-Jiu,” Liu Qingge shot back. “I can’t believe your shizun still calls you that. Are you five?”

Shen Qingqiu pinched him again, unable to do more than that. He had dragged Liu Qingge to an empty practice field on Qing Jing, too ashamed to face his martial siblings with the great idiot tied to him.

“Like Yan-shishu doesn’t call you Mingming any chance he gets,” he hissed.

“Shut up!”

Liujiu get tied together as a measure to force them to work together. It doesn't go quite as planned.

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Absent Without Leaving by Invidia_Envy

In which, Shen Qingqiu realized what he longed for the most was freedom. Being a peak lord of Qing Jing didn't let him do that often, he envied Liu Qingge who could ditch his peak's brats so easily and go outside as he pleased.

Why did Liu Qingge could do as he pleased whilst he had to stay demure in his peak? Spitefully, Shen Qingqiu also began to leave his disciples to their own devices after picking up his last disciple to appease Ning Yingying.

For Luo Binghe, his Shizun was an enigma. A puzzle with many missing details, a sea with immeasurable depth. His Shizun is his hero. Every time his Shizun appeared, it was always in the direst situation which would be quickly resolved. Ming Fan came and bullied him? Snatching off his mother's jade? His Shizun came and the jade was back in Luo Binghe's hand.

A demon invasion when no strong people home? His Shizun returned and stopped them.

Pretty sure Shizun pushed him into the abyss for his own sake too. That's right. Luo Binghe didn't have any shred of doubt towards his mysterious and wise Shizun.

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Many an Ill to Cure by Asymptotical [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

The system abandoned him with nothing but a cryptic message. It took Shen Qingqiu days to realize that it was referring to a single throwaway line in a filler chapter.

He could have done with a bit more warning about being married.

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Purple by Asymptotical [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

It would have been nice, just once, for Without a Cure to act like a normal poisoning that didn't time itself for dramatic effect. Especially when dramatic effect involved being several hundred feet in the air on a sword.

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Hang Our Tent Like Perfumed Bells by Asymptotical [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

Airplane tries to avert the plot by making sure that both Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu miss the pivotal moment when Luo Binghe joins the sect.

It causes a lot of problems, spawns another transmigrator, sets off a plot that wasn't supposed to trigger for decades, diverts a plot that was supposed to trigger now, and overall is a much better outcome for everyone involved.

(Well, everyone on Cang Qiong)

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altar by fencesit [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

By the time Shen Qingqiu notices the excess light filling the burial chamber, it's already much too late.

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The Ring by VagabondDawn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

If Shen Qingqiu knows one thing, it’s that Airplane-Shooting-Towards-The-Sky is a hack author who will steal ideas from anywhere. Even horror movies.

Luckily, cultivators are pretty good at fighting back.

[Shang Qinghua takes a long, long look at his face and says, thoughtfully, “Actually I think I feel a bit sorry for the demon now.”]

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take a little time to reach for joy by VagabondDawn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

Liu Qingge had been fighting up close and personal – of course – and Shen Qingqiu had lost track of him a little bit. It hadn't really concerned him, because what lame monster-of-the-week could actually beat the War God – that would just be terrible writing. The audience would call foul!

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like there is lighting deep in my bones (got a real good feeling) by VagabondDawn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

There are thousands of cure-all panacea flowers in this world; Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge go to find one.

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last year’s leaves are smoke in every lane by VagabondDawn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

How was Shen Yuan supposed to know the "Which Proud Immortal Demon Way Character Should YOU Marry???" Quiz he filled out would have plot-relevant effects?!

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the sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow by VagabondDawn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

For Proud Immortal Demon Way, that's not actually that unusual of a curse! Shen Qingqiu can think of at least twelve wives who had to be beaten in a fight before they could be married, for various reasons.

It's a little different when he finds himself in the middle of it, but it's only breaking a curse — right?

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wear it like a shining star by VagabondDawn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

It's just a little contrived magic ritual to help a friend out, Shen Qingqiu thinks. They can both be cool about this.

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one good honest kiss by Irrelevancy [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Death number Unknown-Plus-Four, they finally manage to get Liu Qingge to orgasm. __

SQQ is stuck in a time loop at the Spirit Caves. If he doesn't save LQG, they can't get out.

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Entire Lifetime (And After) by Invidia_Envy [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

In this world, to meet your soulmate, you have to leave your fleshly body and cut off completely from the mundane world of living. In another word, dying. You had to die first to see your soulmate.

Liu Qingge didn’t know what to expect when he opened his eyes after his death and stared at the same surrounding of the Spirit Cave. He was confused. He died. He never saw a ghost in his life so it was obvious that he died first, why didn’t he get transferred to his soulmate’s place?

However, Liu Qingge then noticed the two people inside the cave. He saw his body, dead and lifeless. He saw his shixiong by him, looking worse for wear. He recalled the scene before his death when Shen Qingqiu actually tried to help him and murmured guiltily, “Shen Qingqiu...”

Shen Qingqiu’s head snapped up in response and their eyes met.

Oh...

Oh no...

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buried now by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

During the incident in the Lingxi Caves, Liu Qingge ascends. When he is finally able to return to Cang Qiong Mountain sect, too much time has passed.

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Secondary When Compared To You by I_dont_know_anything_im_sorry [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Liu Qingge was dying.

They were in the Ling Xi Caves and Liu Qingge had started to Qi deviate and he'd gone on a rampage and-

He'd started to die.

He was dying and it would be Shen Qingqiu's fault.

Shen Qingqiu couldn't let it be his fault, he couldn't.

(Shen Qingqiu couldn't let Liu Qingge die.)

But Liu Qingge was already dying when he was supposed to live.

What was the cost he had to pay for Liu Qingge to live?

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sustain the weary with a sword by ectocosme [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Scorned and abandoned, Shen Qingqiu only has to wait for death in the water dungeon and mirages of dead men cannot bring him respite.

The hand on his shoulder felt quite real, though.

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The Bamboo Scholar by Mayvn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

Slender in form, and elegant in face. The man was strong, modest, and humble as he stood up for justice and protected those that couldn’t protect themselves. He was truly the manifestation of the noble bamboo.

Shen Yuan wrinkled his nose in disgust. Who the hell is writing this crap about him?!

---

A 3-part series (plus 2 stand-alone extras, so technically a 5-parter) where Shen Yuan dies in Jinlan and awakens as a young Shen Jiu, calming down enough in his second go at it to make decisions that accidentally mold and inspire the people around him to be better, healthier people.

Except for Qiu Jianluo. And the Old Palace Master. And Wu Yanzi. And … um … I’m going to need to make a list.

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Willow Leaf by Aledono [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

As a child, Shen Jiu never considered himself lucky, but one day he received a blessing that would change both his luck and fate. A blessing in the shape of a rock; a very, very painful rock thrown straight at his face.

Then again, even if Shen Jiu couldn't appreciate the pain of the wound, he could certainly appreciate the consequences it carried. Particularly once he found out who was the one who threw the rock at him in the first place.

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When You Have Nothing To Gain (But Everything To Lose) by VermilionRain [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

After living through the original PIDW, many are brought back to their past selves. With knowledge in hand a number push to keep Shen Jiu away from their lives. When unspoken truths and unwoven lies are known can they make amends?

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As The Wheel Shatters by VermilionRain

Shen Jiu was cursed. No that wasn’t it. He felt cursed. Two lifetimes he’s lived with memories and even when he tries, nothing happens. So there; cursed. He wakes up again and in the end why bother? What was the saying; three times the charm.

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Write it on Your Heart by VermilionRain [Shen Jiu/Tianlang-jun]

Shen Jiu did not pass away immediately. He watched Shen Yuan live his life and it hurt. When he finally passed Fate decided to be cruel even more by dropping his reincarnating spirit into a similar setting. One problem; he wasn’t the only one. Another problem; there are a few trying to make amends that he doesn’t want. The last problem; an unwanted companion. He resolves one problem.

[A rarepair I think, gave it a try mostly because I liked the other two by this author, and surprisingly they fit pretty well together.]

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villainous thing by technorat [Shen Jiu/Tianlang-jun + Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

After the incident in the Lingxi Caves, Liu Qingge does not wake. Yue Qingyuan is given two options: to have Shen Qingqiu restrained in the Water Prison before trial or to arrange a political marriage and forget the trial entirely.

Shen Qingqiu is wed to Tianlang-jun.

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Fly With Broken Wings by VermilionRain

Shen Yuan has been getting nightmares since he was young. They were about a fantasy world that centered around Shen Qingqiu, a subjectively evil man. It wasn’t until he read a certain cash grabbing book that everything clicked into place. Shen Yuan was receiving memories of Shen Jiu (They were horrible and now he empathizes with the immortal) Now, after finally receiving his degree he gets transported into said book. He might as well fix this plot hole ridden shit until he gets to go back.

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What You Gain (As You Lose) by VermilionRain [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

PIDW happened with a different punishment in mind for Shen Qingqiu due to the intervention of one Yue Qingyuan. Shen Qingqiu was taken, abused, and placed down again and again. Unfortunately, for others, three people were not standing by and letting this happen.

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Spread your Wings by Araceil [Shen Jiu/Tianlang-jun]

When Shen Jiu opened his eyes, once again staring at the detestable ceiling of the woodshed within the Qiu Estate, he decided to live for himself. He got to his feet, shook off his shackles, and walked away from his nightmares, his hatreds, his resentments, and all the people who ever wronged him. He walked away from all of it. From promises broken, from people who betrayed him, from a life he had never wanted, and from a life that had never wanted him.

In one lifetime he had been a lowly, greedy, grasping creature. Consuming everything around him, ugly, small, and pathetic.

In his second lifetime his body had been stolen from him, and he lurked in the back of himself, watching as his body was puppeted, as his life was stolen.

In this life, he vowed not to make the same mistakes. In this life, he would be free. He would throw off the shell of Shen Qingqiu, Shen Jiu, and find freedom.

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Sanye-jun by Mayvn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

A very indulgent fic about SY(J) as a demon lord, screwing over the plot and banging LQG on the regular.

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Meet Cute (these dorks) by Mayvn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

The instant he turned to dash into the fight, Liu Qingge froze as he saw Not Shen Qingqiu standing coolly over one unconscious thug, guqin in both hands and still in a pose that clearly showed he had, in fact, just bludgeoned someone with the end of his guqin. Not Shen Qingqiu smirked and tilted his head back cockily.

---

LQG finds SY running away from a sticky situation and brings him back to Cang Qiong in hopes that he can keep the man from getting himself mugged. SY is just relieved he doesn’t have to pretend to be a girl anymore.

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Courting Demons by Mayvn [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu/Shen Yuan]

Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu are accidentally transferred deep into the demon realm by an ancient relic. Well, the relic did what it was supposed to. That two sworn enemies were transferred when one touched the relic carelessly with the other trying to stop him – okay, less ‘accident’, more ‘sudden’.

At least the equally ‘sudden’ favor from this powerful demon might keep them alive long enough to get out of here … maybe that thought was too optimistic.

---

Aka, LQG and SJ have to guard their self-proclaimed bodyguard from all the demons who want some. SY: … … fml

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The Woes of Growing Pains by CheckersXIV [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

No one has ever had a successful time acclimating to transmigration.

At least, that's what Shen Yuan tells himself after he accidentally breaks The System. It doesn't help that he wakes up as a teenage disciple inside of the bane of his existence- Proud Immortal Demon Way. He's trying to take precautions to avoid all the death flags that this stupid villain's body of his is going to get him into, but some other disciple really seems to have it out for him...

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Thank you, Bai Zhan robes! by pcysbeauty [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

Liu Qingge has developed a little habit of showering Shen Yuan with the colors of his own peak.

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build yourself a castle to roam by BetweenStarshineAndClay [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

When the succubi's spring poison sends Liu Qingge into a rut, it's Shen Qingqiu who has to deal with it – however unsuited he is to the task.

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Matching Pieces by platinum_firebird [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

Shen Qingqiu can't exactly say he's enthused about transmigrating into an A/B/O novel, but for the most part he manages to ignore it (aside from dunking on Airplane-bro for his shitty worldbuilding).

That is, until he realises Liu Qingge has feelings for him - and that he has feelings in return. Still - the two of them can work out this Omega/Omega thing, right?

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bend, not break (bend me back again, again) by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

There is an age old tradition on Cang Qiong Mountain sect. When the disciples get together to spar, the winner had the right to demand to fuck the loser.

Or, Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu's years as rivals/fuckbuddies.

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so far away by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Shen Qingqiu and Liu Qingge were soulmates, though no one knew save for them.

This does not stop Liu Qingge from dying in the Lingxi Caves.

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With all Due Happiness by Mayvn [Liu Qingge/Shen Yuan]

After his car accident, the only time Shen Yuan feels truly alive is playing the VRMMO Proud Demon Immortal Way. As he joins his Jiu-ge’s guild, maybe he’ll find something more than just the ability to run with absence of pain. Maybe someone more.

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reluctant romance by backspacedintooblivion (Evil_and_I_know_it) [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

“That’s right,” he said. “I was…scared of Zhou-shibo’s reaction. I couldn’t force Shen-shixiong to choose between me and his teacher.”

He squeezed at Shen Qingqiu’s wrist when it looked like his lie was about to be caught, and sent desperate waves of ‘shutupshutupshutup’ at him. It seemed to have worked and Shen Qingqiu closed his mouth with a mutinous scowl.

In which Liu Qingge and Shen Qingqiu (mostly) fake a relationship.

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Lights, Camera, Action! by anlee [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu (kind of)]

Shen Jiu is a promising young actor who showed up seemingly out of nowhere to take the world by storm. Despite only being 21 and still in college, he already has a gigantic fortune and an even bigger fanbase.

Or, at least he was. Until he died in a way that would make his ancestors die all over again due to second-hand embarrassment.

He just wishes that the last thing he did wasn't reading that god-awful novel.

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you're sick or you're obscene by technorat [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

What if Shen Qingqiu had been pregnant with Yue Qingyuan's child?

Or, Shen Qingqiu's marriage to Yue Qingyuan falls apart. Liu Qingge is there to catch him.

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we should stick together by pennydaniels [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Shen Jiu is drowning on Qing Jing Peak in his struggle to become Head Disciple and then hopefully Peak Lord. He's always been good at surviving but somehow can't help wanting more than that. He just wants to make the right decision.

(In which Shen Jiu is just trying to keep his head above water dealing with his faulty cultivation and capricious Shizun, has more than a few illuminating conversations with the brothel ladies, gets caught in a sex pollen disaster with Liu Qingge, and watches the other try their best to make it right.)

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Memories Like Ghost Stories by Miss_aprosexia [Liu Qingge/Shen Qingqiu, hopefully only one-sided Luo Binghe/Shen Qingqiu, as of current chapters, there's only LQG/SQQ development with jealous/obsessive!LBH, so I'm really hoping it'll just stay one-sided, especially with the kind of trauma SQQ has]

While attempting to change his fate as a human stick, Shen Qingqiu confidently charges into a wife plot. Trapped by an evil, psychic plant, he's forced to relive Shen Jiu's frankly horrifying childhood.

This makes him confront some truths about himself, brings him closer to Liu Qingge, and sets off a series of events that leads to him to make some decisions that end up completely derailing the plot.

Luo Binghe constantly gets the wrong idea.

Shang Qinghua has no idea what the hell is going on anymore.

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Fair Trade by 00janeblonde [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu/Yue Qingyuan]

Shen Jiu readied himself for his appointment. The heavy, silver mask sat in its box on the dressing table, a reminder of the day ahead that kept him from enjoying the layers of expensive fabric against his skin. He didn't always bother with the mask anymore... but today's guest was special.

In the world of Proud Immortal Demon Way, there are persistent rumors about an uncanny shop, which can grant any wish… for a price.

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this point of pale light by Tossawary [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu/Shen Yuan]

Peak Master Shen Qingqiu holds his past and his present separate, and his secrets close to his chest, but his worlds collide when his past comes back to haunt him. He finds himself unwillingly brought back to a moon he thought that he'd left behind forever a long time ago, in a part of the galaxy far, far away from anyone who might come for him.

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What else is there? by ForgottenVice [Liu Qingge/Shen Jiu]

Cursed to the shape of a swan, Shen Jiu looses what little hope he has for freedom when the prince makes his vow for the wrong man.

Now he's bound to the lake unable to leave, forced to accept his fate. Until a foolish hunter stumbles into the water.

[acequinz]

Just wondering what kind of hugs some of the characters from tcf would give.

(Complete self indulgence because I am feeling touch starved)

Cale

His hug would be the loose hug which would tighten occasionally to reassure that he's there, your head cradled in his shoulders as one hand is near your shoulder blades while the other on your back.

Making you feel held, he doesn't speak much during the hugs, just letting you feel your way through the entire thing.

He doesn't start the hugs because he's definitely awkward with giving physical affection (when he does, he doesn't even know he's doing it), he never stops or pulls away though.

He does frown when you would come in for one but never stops you. That frown is just his usual unguarded fave though, so nothing to be upset about.

Especially because he totally let's you pull him into a suffocating hug as long as you want because it's not like he needs to breathe when he's got vitality if heart running.

He's more of a, I love you so I will let you love me, but he definitely turns the table around. Like when you go to hug him, suddenly you are the one being hugged.

Also him slightly patting on the head like every few minutes if you seem upset, maybe even nuzzle your head a few times as he breathes as calmly as he can urging you to copy it so you can calm down, running his fingers through your hair slightly mumbling that "it's all going to be fine".

I really want a hug 😭😭😭😭

Alberu

He's a slut for hugs, lots of hugs given.

He's never stingy with them and doesn't back away from starting them.

Would wrap his arms around you and smush you against himself while laughing at your struggling, if you struggle, doesn't let go unless you are beating his back with your fist because "LET ME BREATHE".

Definitely the type to make lean against him when you fall asleep sitting.

Like he sees you falling asleep in the carriage he would gently position your head to lean against his him while he puts a protective arm around you, occasionally pat your head but not pat kind of pat hut more of a gentle hold kind of pat before focussing outside taking in the surrounding with the sound of your breathing as you sleep in the background.

Definitely going to make fun of your snoring but not in "hahahaha snorer" But more of a "omg you are soooo cute when you snore".

The glib tongue is very good at flirting especially compliment attacks, he loves doing that until you are groaning and pushing him away because "stop already, it's too muchhhh".

Choi han

Another one of the awkward lovers.

Like he is a bit hesitant with starting the hug but he absolutely loves them.

Stares at you when he wants a hug and happily runs into your arms when you open your arms for one.

The kind to bury himself into you, like I am talking hands around your waist, face burried in your neck as he just holds you close. It's very calming for him.

His fingers move around a lot when on your waist, especially if you are running your hands through his hair.

Another one of those tight squeezers.

His favorite thing is when you are in a private area and he can just lay his head on your shoulder, hold you close and look at your face as you play with his hair and are maybe talking about something.

Absolutely anything, he probably isn't paying attention because he's already floating with the affection he's receiving which never seems to be enough.

He would keep you close all the time of possible.

Since he had to live alone for a long time, any kind of affection is welcome affection but the hugs where he is the one being held are perfect.

Rosalyn

Back hugger.

She's the kind to give a lot of back hugs.

Like you would be doing something and then GLOMP you are being hugged with a giggle from her.

A swayer.

She will hold you close and sway your bodies in all direction humming sweetly with a wide smile on his face.

Head kisses with the hugs are a must. She both loves giving them and receiving them.

Loves receiving back hugs just as much as she loves giving them.

Especially when she's deep into work and you maybe bring her some tea and hug her from behind while she's busy with the work and she would just sink into your arms, before turning around and hugging you near the stomach.

Doesn't really whine, but if she's tired from work she's not letting go of the hug for at least 5-10 minutes because "I am out of energy, let me refill."

And what are you gonna do? Say no?

Wittiria (did I spell that right? I am sorry my queen if its wrong)

The strong hugger.

One hand on the waist is enough to keep you held properly.

Mostly end up pulling you into her lap and then stroke your head as you both look out into the ocean and hear the calming waves.

Forehead kisses as she runs her fingers through your hair.

Hugs aren't over until she gets a kiss or two from them.

Shameless hugger

will hold you close by the waist no matter what the surrounding.

Will let you braid her hair as you sit in her lap, you need to give her kisses too though. Will try to get all the mess out of your hair if there's any, until they are free of everything and easy to run hands through.

Yeah that's all I got for now, got any suggestions who should I think about next....

Cause currently these are the ones who rule my head the most... I must say I am not over chapter 300 yet so watch out for that.

Asks are open chachang!!!!!

Maybe I can do tiny headcanons for all, suggest me some!!!!!

[yellowocaballero]

Prequel to ‘The Crow’s Funeral’: How Agnes + Gerry met, then proceeded to set Jon on fire.

Exactly what it says on the tin. This exists because I was rereading TCF and went “hey did I ever figure out how Agnes and Gerry met”. I didn’t, so this is it. Rest under the cut. No specific warnings except for the fact that, shockingly enough, Jon had gone through a lot of character development prior to the start of TCF and was actually a complete asshole for a year or two. 

“Daisy? What are you looking for?”

Agnes’s expression stretched into terror. She mouthed ‘fuck!’, and slapped a hand over her mouth. She didn’t breathe, and her chest never rose and fell, but she abruptly started trembling.

For the first time, Gerry reached out to reassure her. But her body heat had abruptly tripled, and Gerry was forced to pull back. In the small, unventilated space, it quickly became overwhelmingly hot.

“Shut it off!” Gerry hissed, as quietly as he physically could. “They’ll feel it -”

“That is the most dangerous monster in the world,” Agnes whispered, and Gerry fell silent. “Don’t move.”

For the first time in a very long time, in an apocalyptic world built on terror and fear, Gerry felt afraid.

Agnes was back. 

Gerry didn’t know how she had found him. His hiding place was pretty well hidden, thank-you-very-much. Adults were always trying to barricade themselves in houses - stupid, when the nightshades could drift through shit - and kids were always trying to hide in closets or attics. But Gerry was the perfect mix of adult and child - or, as they��re known, teenagers - and he had way too much experience stripping houses down for the possessions of the recently deceased. 

So Gerry knew about crawl spaces. Like in the Magician’s Nephew, some older row houses had little secret tunnels between each house. You couldn’t quite get into each house normally, but there were always gaps and weak points and hatches. Even better, at the very top there was a hidden attic where the generator and power box lived. It was small, and there were definitely some gross animal corpses that Gerry could have sworn moved, but it was mostly safe. So much as anything was safe. 

But, somehow, Agnes had found him. Gerry didn’t know what she was doing exploring row houses for fun, but judging from the scent of smoke that’s been in the air lately he didn’t want to know. 

The sharp rapping echoed through the small attic, directly under the hatch with a huge heavy space heater dumped on it. Gerry had other means of entry, and Agnes thought that was the only door. Please! As if Gerry would live somewhere with only one escape exit. That was just asking to get stuck in a nightmare for a month. 

But, then again, maybe Agnes had never had to worry about that. 

“I brought food!” The high, clear voice called out - slightly muffled from the ceiling/floor, but unmistakable. “It’s Twinkies! Come down to eat it!”

“No way!” Gerry called down back. “I bet you put offal in it!”

“What does offal mean!”

“It’s, like, organs! Go away, lady!”

“I told you!” Agnes called back, weirdly delighted. “My name’s Agnes! I’m a Princess!”

“Princess of what, being lame!”

“Fuck you!”

“Fuck you, Princess Agnes!”

“Fuck me yourself!”

Ugh! She was so annoying! This was her fourth fucking time coming by here, and ever since she had realized that he was just a teenage boy she had been leaving food in front of the attic door. It was always weird food, too. Didn’t she know what humans ate?

Stupidly on cue, Gerry’s stomach rumbled. Ugh. 

“Go away,” Gerry called back, eager for her to just leave already so he could eat the shitty food she had undoubtedly left. “I don’t feel like getting turned into a candle today!”

For some reason, she didn’t reply to that. Gerry wondered if she was trying to fool him into thinking she was leaving, but joke’s on her - Gerry could hear footsteps all the way through the house. He waited with bated breath for a minute, two minutes, slowly growing confused why she wasn’t either yelling at him or leaving. 

He’d never tell her, but he kind of enjoyed fighting with her. 

Finally, she called out, with an emotion in her voice that he had never heard from her before, “Is that why you won’t come out? You think I’d turn you into a candle?”

Gerry was flabbergasted. “Yes?” he called back. “You turn everyone into candles.”

“...it’s not just because you don’t like me?”

Aw, man. Gerry abruptly felt a little bad for the flame monster cult leader lady. She couldn’t be any older than him. “You’re really nice,” Gerry called back, feeling like an idiot. “I just didn’t make it this far by not being careful! Thanks for the food, though!”

A longer silence this time. For some reason, Gerry felt a weird kind of anxious. Not the normal level of ‘aaah im gonna get eaten’ anxious. But something different. He couldn’t describe it. 

Finally, Agnes called back, “Do you want me to stop bothering you? I’m sorry if I’ve been harassing you. I’m not good at - at all of this.”

Gerry sat in his own silence, sitting cross-legged in front of the space heater on top of the hatch. His baggy jeans clung to his legs, slightly sweaty and definitely unwashed, and his raggedy thin black jacket was also a little sweaty. His hair was plastered to his head, limp and dirty. Wherever Agnes went, heat followed. 

People who made dumb decisions didn’t live very long. Gerry had lived for quite a while - well, he was fifteen, but he had made it all year without getting eaten, which was really quite impressive. 

And he had made it alone. When he woke up in this green and terrifying world, Mum hadn’t been there. He had looked for her for months. He had almost been ripped to shreds in Pinhole Books. She wasn’t in any of their usual London hideaways, either. Maybe she was outside of London, somewhere far away…

In all of Gerry’s books, he’d pack up his backpack and set out to look for Mum. He wouldn’t stop until he found her. Then he’d find out that she’d been embroiled in some plot to stop all of this, and he’d help her, and she’d hug him…

But it wasn’t a book. No matter how strange this new world was, fiction couldn’t begin to match. And Gerry didn’t really miss his Mum. Not really. He missed the fact that he was alone. He missed the fact that she was powerful and smart and talented, and definitely would have been able to protect the both of them. Gerry had to protect himself now, and he missed that safety more than he ever missed Mum. 

Gerry wondered if Agnes was lonely. How could she, with a whole cult?

It was a stupid decision. But Gerry had always trusted too easy, anyway. 

He stood up and pushed the space heater with a thick, screeching grinding sound that scraped uncomfortably along the wood. With a final heave, he pushed it off the hatch, and reluctantly bent down to lift the hatch and unfold the ladder. 

“If you turn me into a candle I’m giving you an allergy attack,” Gerry called down, and the girl known as Agnes Montague smiled up at him brilliantly. 

***

That wasn’t how Agnes and Gerry started. But it had been, maybe, how they got going. 

Agnes, Gerry found out very quickly, was a hot-tempered girl. Save the jokes. She was always dressed like a sixties hippie, and her long red hair was always somehow glistening and clean. She let Gerry touch it, very carefully, and - yep, even the hair was wax. What a weird person. 

After a bit of frantic introductions and suspicious squinting from both sides, Gerry and Agnes had eventually sat down cross-legged from each other as Gerry stuffed Twinkies in his mouth and she eyed them warily. She had eyed them with a bit of trepidation, but Gerry’s obvious joy at eating them must have made her curious. That was one thing Agnes was: curious. Almost to death. 

“You really live up here? And you’ve never gotten trapped by a nightmare?”

Gerry shrugged uncomfortably, sucking at his fingers. “Yep. I run around town a lot too, cuz I get bored otherwise. It’s easy to evade all of that shit if you know how.”

“Wow.” It was probably her being a fire person or whatever, but Agnes’ eyes seemed to sparkle a little bit. “My cult members barely even let me outside by myself, and I can set shit on fire. You’re really weird for a human.”

Gerry couldn’t help but puff out his chest a little, even if he would have preferred her to use any other word than ‘weird’. “That’s what happens when your Mum trains you since birth to be a demon hunter.” He faltered a little. “I’m not sure if she knew this would happen, but I wouldn’t put it past her.”

“Your mum knew?” Agnes gasped. “I thought nobody knew about the Entities before the apocalypse!”

“Your cult members must have known, right?” Gerry pointed out, and Agnes nodded in concession of the point. “Yeah, there were always a few of us. Not a lot, though. Tight-knit community, everyone knew each other. Hobbyists, you know. It sucked. Most of the people who got involved in the supernatural were jerks.” Actually, now that Gerry thought about it… “That crazy apocalypse prepper Salasea must be coming out like a bandit right now.”

Agnes nodded sagely, as if she knew who Salasea was. Maybe she did? Gerry had always gotten the impression that if all of the demon hunters knew each other, then maybe all of the demons did too. Eventually word about Mum had really started to get around. 

“You’re the first interesting human I’ve met,” Agnes said thoughtfully. “Most of them just - like, scream, you know? Or pretend I’m not there. Like if they don’t acknowledge me then I can’t hurt them. And, like, that’s the way it works for a lot of these things! But I’m a person too, you know?”

“You really aren’t.”

“I have feelings,” Agnes said firmly. “But maybe the reason why you’re still safe isn’t because you’re a super cool human hunter, Gerry.”

“It has to be a part of it,” Gerry said aggressively, eager to assert his masculinity and how cool he was.

“Of course,” Agnes allowed, making Gerry huff. “But I think it’s because you aren’t scared. You were wondering how I found you, right?” Gerry nodded slowly. He had been wondering how Agnes had caught on that he was living here. “It was because I felt a person - I can always feel body heat - but I didn’t taste any fear. I was setting some row houses on fire just to feel something, and you weren’t feeling anything either!” She set her expression firmly, almost bravely. “I think we’re the same.”

“A goth human teenager living in an attic and a flame princess of the fire cult?” Gerry asked skeptically. They couldn’t be less similar. Gerry lived each day in - well, as Agnes pointed out, not fear, but he was constantly just trying to survive. It was all he had ever known, but he knew that others didn’t live like that. He had known when he was a kid - that other kids were normal, were happy - and he knew it now. That a small handful of people in this world were having a blast, and that everyone else suffered. “We’re nothing alike.”

But Agnes faltered, just a bit, and Gerry just a little bit of that loneliness in her expression again. “You’re the only other kid who’s had a conversation with me.” She paused a beat. “Besides, like, Callum, but he’s a baby.”

Maybe, in a schoolyard or a town or a world, Gerry and Agnes weren’t so similar. Maybe they’d have nothing in common. But maybe, in this world that was both so isolated and so unified, they could be a little similar after all. 

“I’ll allow it,” Gerry said graciously. He wanted to shake her hand, but he deeply knew that it was a bad idea. Instead, he broke his Twinkie in half, and held out the other one to her. “Friends?”

Agnes eyed the Twinkie warily. “Do you become friends by asking to be friends with someone?”

“I dunno, I don’t have any friends.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

But she took the Twinkie. It was a start. 

****

Of course, Gerry and Agnes were far more alike than they had first thought. Mostly in the fact that their evil mothers had killed their fathers (which Gerry had the sneaking suspicion wasn’t a universal experience) and that the both of them were actually kind of literally protagonists of a YA book.

Well, Gerry had always been the protagonist of his own life. But he would write a story about Agnes too: about the spoiled princess who rejected her destiny. Who had a really cool previous life where she was all dramatic and sad and stuff, who died tragically only to be reborn as a magical teenage girl. Seriously, it was right out of a Sarah J Maas novel. 

  Maybe they latched onto each other too quickly, but it was the kind of latching on when you made friends with another kid at the orientation to summer camp and then religiously stuck to the kid once the actual camp started until you got another friend. Maybe. Gerry's never been to summer camp, how was he supposed to know. 

But Agnes was sharply quick, surprisingly kind, and fiercely protective. Gerry had never met somebody who cared as much as her. It was really weird. He supposed that people like her, the powerful and destructive, had the privilege to care. 

Agnes snuck over more and more often, and sometimes Gerry went to go visit her. Eventually they started roaming the streets together, loitering in businesses and committing general acts of tomfoolery. Gerry was an old hat at tomfoolery - he had only been vaguely supervised most of his life - but Agnes encroached every second of minor rule breaking with cautious glee. 

Not that there really were rules anymore. Even if you were the kind of juvenile delinquent that got adults yelling at you and caused minor or major property damage, it wasn’t as if the cops were going to come and take you away. Either you got away with it, or you were eaten for a while. This was very natural to Gerry, and after a little bit of convincing it came easily to Agnes too. Maybe they really were well-suited for each other after all. 

If Gerry’s Mum could see him now, she would call him ‘dreadful’ and ‘ill-mannered’ and ‘badly behaved’. But...she wasn’t there, so she could hardly complain. Served her right.

Months - maybe - later, Gerry and Agnes were hanging out in Gerry’s crawlspace again after a long day terrorizing demons and old men alike. They were splitting a blood orange - literally - and letting the sticky juice (juice?) run down their hands, laughing as Agnes imitated the look of shock on the old man’s face. Sitting down on the floor, flavor bursting sweet on his tongue, as Agnes teased him for dropping peels everywhere...Gerry was almost happy. 

Rookie mistake. 

Agnes sensed it first, stiffening slightly as her body pulsed slightly warmer. Gerry scooted a little further away from her carefully as she turned to look at the thin plaster wall, brow furrowing. 

“Is it a nightmare?” Gerry whispered. “Or a person?”

“Neither,” Agnes whispered back. “It’s…”

Then Gerry heard it too: the clack of nails on hardwood, and a sound so terrifying it made his gut tie itself into knots. It was a growl, bestial and wet. Something was snarling outside.

Gerry stopped breathing, sitting absolutely still. The sounds of sniffing and snarling were loud and distinct, and he couldn’t help but stare at the sticky, juicy, smelly orange in his hands. Agnes was also still, far more completely than Gerry ever could be, carefully listening. 

He wanted to whisper to Agnes, make a game plan, but the monster would hear them. Part of Gerry wanted to tremble in fear, but that wasn’t useful. He forced himself to calm down as best as he could while keeping his breaths minimal. Remember Dune. Fear was the mind killer. Fear is the little death. 

But then Agnes smiled at him faintly, making a gentle gesture with her hand. Agnes was a literal fire messiah. She could take almost any monster. Gerry had never seen her afraid of anything, just contemptuous or annoyed. Having her there with him was more reassuring than any book quote, and Gerry exhaled softly as he smiled back at her. Agnes was going to torch that monster, and it would be super cool, and they’d high five, and -

“Daisy? What are you looking for?”

Agnes’s expression stretched into terror. She mouthed ‘fuck!’, and slapped a hand over her mouth. She didn’t breathe, and her chest never rose and fell, but she abruptly started trembling.

For the first time, Gerry reached out to reassure her. But her body heat had abruptly tripled, and Gerry was forced to pull back. In the small, unventilated space, it quickly became overwhelmingly hot. 

“Shut it off!” Gerry hissed, as quietly as he physically could. “They’ll feel it -”

“That is the most dangerous monster in the world,” Agnes whispered, and Gerry fell silent. “Don’t move.”

For the first time in a very long time, in an apocalyptic world built on terror and fear, Gerry felt afraid. 

A faint yipping echoed through the space, almost like a dog. It could never be mistaken for a dog. 

“Well, yes, there’s people everywhere. Other places have more people, even. Why can’t we just go there?” Another bark, a low bass cut. “Oh, if it’s a Hunt, then it’s alright.”

The heat was growing oppressive, and Gerry frantically motioned for Agnes to cut it out. He was withholding his own ragged breathing, and abruptly Gerry felt as if he couldn’t breathe. It was just making him more scared, the sweat trickling down his neck -

There was another yip, so close it might as well be made in his ear. It clearly came from directly in front of him. 

Gerry couldn’t help it - he screamed, overwhelmed with fire and heat and fear and the wolf at their door. 

The wall exploded.

Dust and insulation burst outwards in a fine white cloud, and Gerry and Agnes were abruptly coughing intensely and the wall cracked, folded, and collapsed inwards. Gerry was showered with fragments of wood and plaster, stifling another scream, and screwed his eyes shut against the sudden influx of light. 

He cracked them open as quickly as he could, unwilling to meet whatever was in front of him with his eyes closed. Instantly, overwhelmingly, Gerry was brought face to snout with a giant wolf.

Gerry firmly believed that people weren’t meant to see apex predators up close. Nobody should be able to touch a bear, was Gerry’s opinion. What was an anaconda? Gerry was on the opposite side of the room. He wasn’t afraid, but he hadn’t made it to the ripe old age of fifteen without being highly cautious. 

It wasn’t right, staring this wolf in the face. Every inch of it stood out to him: the slobber, the snarl, the canines almost as long as his hand. It was silvery white, with a thick ruff and coat, and Gerry watched in awe as the wolf snarled and - 

And stopped snarling. It started looking at him curiously instead, bushy tail sweeping gently side to side. 

The immediate problem almost solved, Gerry was able to take in the figure behind the wolf. 

He was a guy. Unfairly tall, Black with curly hair drawn tight into a ponytail. Sharp features, undercut by unnaturally green eyes. He was in a suit that looked like he had put it on three months ago and had never changed. He was...wearing a trenchcoat? He was just a guy!

“A human!” The man - monster? Guy? Nightmare? Avatar? - cried. “Oh, good job, Daisy! You’re a fantastic investigator.” The wolf - Daisy was a stupid name for a wolf - barked lowly. “Yes, it is like an oven in here, isn’t it?”

Gerry opened his mouth, then closed it. He was still cowering on his ass, covered in dust and plaster. This guy was Agnes’ monster? Maybe she had mistaken him for someone else. “Who -”

“He’s even talking!” The man exclaimed, as if he was a dancing monkey. “They never talk to me voluntarily, you know.” Daisy barked again. “I think it’s cute! Kids are so repetitive, but this one smells great. Good job, Daisy.” 

Before Gerry could protest the man stepped forward and looked down at him, and a sick realization trickled through him. 

The man had nothing behind his eyes. Bright green, sick and churning, radioactive and poisonous. His expression was absent and vaguely curious, like a child watching an ant crawl through its anthill. Slowly, intensely, the man’s placid expression broke into a sharp and demented smile. 

It wasn’t the smile of a human staring at a tasty sandwich. It wasn’t even the smile of a monster drawing a human into a nightmare. It was the smile of a child holding the magnifying glass to the ant: triumphant, because now the child got to see what happens when an ant blackened to a crisp. Elated, because they were the child, and not the ant. Victorious, because they could only remember the distinction in the act of causing harm. 

“Statement of -”

“Leave him alone!”

The monster exploded into flames. 

Agnes leapt from her position in the crawlspace, slightly tucked away out of sight, and shoved at the wolf hard. The wolf yowled, her handprints blackening its fur, and it retreated snarling. 

It was not the first time Gerry had seen someone set on fire. It happened a lot, when you hung out with Agnes. But the man burned, in bright and beautiful red-hot flames, crackling and searing the skin and air and sky. His mouth was open in a silent scream. 

Something green shone from within the flames. 

Then the flames were gone. It was as if he had never been set on fire at all. At most he smelled vaguely of burning flesh, and his hair had broken free of its ponytail to settle in fuzzy waves. 

The monster looked mildly peeved. 

Agnes grabbed Gerry, leaving red-hot scorch marks on his hoodie, and yanked him behind her. Gerry was not embarrassed to say that he absolutely hid behind Agnes as she put herself between him and the monster and his wolf. The wolf who was now snarling deeply at them, and the slightly irritated monster who shook ash off his unharmed trench coat. 

“I don’t care if you called dibs on him,” the monster bitched. “You don’t get to stop me in the middle of a - oh, Agnes!” The monster’s expression brightened as he snapped his fingers. “Agnes Montague, right? Your cult introduced me to you at - what was it -”

“Annabelle’s annual party five months ago,” Agnes said flatly. Her wax hair was still burning at the ends, and although Gerry couldn’t see her expression he knew it had to be fierce. “Nice to see you again, Jon. Now stay away from him.” 

“If you called dibs then you shouldn’t have let me try to eat him,” Jon - which was the dumbest name for an evil monster - complained. He smelled his arm, grimacing. “Setting me on fire’s downright rude, Agnes. Didn’t Jude teach you any manners?”

“Go away!” Agnes yelled. Gerry realized quietly that she was still shaking. “He’s not yours! He’s the one thing you aren’t allowed to hurt!”

Jon frowned at her. Gerry could practically see it: Did_not_compute.exe. It simply didn’t make sense: that there was something in the world that he wasn’t allowed to hurt. That there was something in the world that was not his. 

Before Jon could speak again, his wolf barked harshly at him. She kept barking, completely indecipherably, as Jon’s expression screwed up in uncomprehension. “What does it matter if they’re children.” The wolf barked. “I mean, I don’t actually care if we piss off the Desolation or not.” Bark, bark. “Why are you always guilt tripping me!” Bark, bark, bark, bark. Eventually Jon’s expression turned somewhat abashed, and then downright embarrassed. 

“Right, right.” He turned back to Agnes and Gerry, a little sulky. “Sorry for trying to eat your human, Agnes. In my defense, he was quite -” The dog yipped. “ - innocent, and I’m sure he’s very fun. Great. Well, this was a waste of time. Call me if you get tired of him, Agnes.” 

Jon turned to go, and Gerry could not see his back soon enough. The heat had died as Agnes calmed down, her arms crossed over her chest and scowling fiercely. 

“Apologize to him!”

Jon froze, halfway across the room. Gerry quietly wanted to die. 

The monster slowly turned on his heel, looking at Agnes with a faintly flabbergasted expression. “You can’t be serious -” The wolf barked again. Gerry had the impression that the wolf was in charge of him. “Stop ganging up on me -” Bark. “I don’t know how to talk to humans, don’t make me!” A very firm bark. 

“Do it,” Agnes said firmly. “Or I’ll set you on fire again.”

Unbelievably, the monster groaned. He turned to Gerry, fluorescent eye twitching. “Alright, alright! Listen, uh - kiddo? Kiddo. I am very sorry that you tasted - I am very sorry that I tried to scar you for life and consume your trauma. I cannot stress enough how it’s nothing personal. There.” Weirdly enough, he looked a little proud of himself. “Hah. Totally rocked that talking to a human thing.”

“Uh,” Gerry said, too dizzy with the events of the last ten minutes to care very much about what he said, “is the wolf in charge of you?”

Even more unbelievably, the man brightened. “I’m her assistant! Not very many people pick that up. You’re very bright, little human. Do you want to pet her?” Jon glanced at Daisy, who looked unimpressed. Very loudly, he hissed at her, “Do children like petting dogs?”

The wolf, somehow, seemed to inform him that yes, they did. 

They were in too deep now. Gerry walked up and petted the wolf. It was fucking awesome. Agnes groaned and pulled him back again very quickly. She seemed a little jealous. The wolf yipped at her and Agnes reluctantly petted the wolf too. 

Jon clapped his hands. “Well! That was very unpleasant. I won’t ask what you’re doing hiding in a wall, Agnes. As a personal favor to you.”

“Thanks,” Agnes said flatly. 

“Tell Diego and Jude that I’m not doing it. Or eating your human. As a personal favor to you.”

“Definitely will.”

“Fantastic.” Jon’s eyes glinted, in the soft light of Agnes’ flames. “I’m very happy you’ve reincarnated into that fun child’s body, Agnes. Children are so tempestuous and impulsive. I wouldn’t have tolerated an adult setting me on fire. You understand that, don’t you?” 

Agnes nodded, almost shakily.

“You understand that for an adult, that would have had very different consequences.”

Agnes nodded again.

“Fantastic!” Then Jon was beaming again, all carelessness and laziness. “Have fun, you little delinquents. Come on, Daisy. I’m famished.”

He swanned off, wolf following closely on his tail. But the wolf looked back as it crossed the threshold, large yellow eyes piercing in a way that Gerry just couldn’t name, before they both disappeared. As slowly and terrifyingly as they had come.

Ten seconds passed, then fifteen. 

Agnes crumpled to her knees and bent over the floor, shaking, and her hands pressed hot scorch marks into the wood. She was still shuddering, and Gerry bent down next to her. He couldn’t physically comfort her, but he could put his hand close to hers on the wood. As close as possible, yet never touching. 

“We are so lucky to be alive,” Agnes breathed, before abruptly groaning. “I set him on fire! I set The Archivist on fire!”

The title tickled something in Gerry’s brain, bringing up an insane amount of questions, but he brushed them all aside. Gertrude was dead - or at the very least, very far away, where she was no good to him. She had to be, otherwise he would have noticed her cutting a swathe through Britain by now. 

“Who is he?” Gerry asked. He didn’t really want to know, but...well, he was himself. He wanted to know everything. It was kind of his whole thing.

Agnes sat down on her knees, rubbing her forehead, and Gerry cautiously sat down next to her. “He’s the monster who sold the world. The most dangerous man ever made.”

“The most dangerous man in the world gets bossed around by his dog?” Gerry asked, before the words sunk in. “Wait, I thought that was Jonah Magnus!”

“Jonah Magnus doesn’t kill people because they annoy him!” Agnes snapped, before she groaned into her hands again. “And I set him on fire…Diego is going to kill me!”

“For what it’s worth,” Gerry said awkwardly, “I’m glad you set him on fire. He was kind of a dick.” He paused again, uncertain of how to say it. “And...thanks for caring, I guess. You really don’t have to.” He shrugged, unwilling to state what had always been unsaid between them. “I’m a human. These things happen to us. You just have to deal with it.”

That was the way of the world. It had always been that way, even before the apocalypse. The strong and powerful and important like Jon kicked around smaller people, and the smaller people just hoped they survived it. 

Gerry was a survivor. Nobody had ever saved him before. Maybe because nobody had ever saved him before. 

Agnes tackled Gerry in a tight, pressing hug. She wasn’t hot at all, just mildly warm - an incredible act of effort and concentration on her part. Her arms were solid and unyielding, never mistaken for flesh, but she clutched at him with a unique desperation. Gerry cautiously hugged her back, letting her bury her head into his shoulder. 

“Not to you,” Agnes whispered. “Nothing bad’s going to happen to you. Not even The Archivist.”

“You can’t promise that,” Gerry whispered. 

“We’re family.” Agnes separated from him, stubbornly fighting boiling tears. “And I’m sick of just dealing with it.”

Gerry opened his mouth, then closed it. “Family?” He said weakly.

Agnes blushed hotly. “If you want!” She tightened her fists on her skirt, winding the fabric between her fingers anxiously. “It’s just that - I know you don’t have anyone...and I have my cultists, but they don’t really care about me, not like you do...and I know it used to be different, that family used to mean something different, but I don’t care about what old people thought family meant. I care about you, and we’re sticking together, so that’s what we are.” She faltered a little. “If you want.”

“Siblings, then,” Gerry said faintly. “If you want.”

And he did want it. More than anything, Gerry wanted this. 

When Agnes smiled at him, and she hugged him tightly again, Gerry was halfway certain that yet another disaster was about to befall them. He knew that meteors were going to strike, that the ground was going to open up and engulf them, that the world would end in fire and ice, because Gerry was so happy it clenched his heart. He was so happy he couldn’t breathe. 

“It’ll be okay,” Agnes said into his shoulder, “we’ll never have to deal with Jonathan Sims again. I promise.”

****

It was not a promise Agnes kept. 

They ran into him again. And again. And again. Eventually, after meeting a monstrous golem of fear and suffering that induced paralyzing fear so frequently, said simulacrum of human experience became slightly tiresome. And you realized that he was, actually, really not that bright. Or at the very least not very mature. And that his wolf sister kind of wore the pants in that relationship. That he and his wolf sister were like Agnes and Gerry, in every possible way. And that he was, weirdly, deeply kind. And that he loved, so bright and pure and fearsome that it had brought down the world. That he was capable of loving Gerry. Maybe even, given enough time, anyone. 

Many months later, as Gerry, Agnes, Jon, and Daisy sat in an ice cream shop splitting blood orange ice cream (with real blood!) and bickering endlessly about if Friends was the Flesh or the Stranger, that Gerry thought he might feel something familiar in his chest. 

Something that clenched his heart, something that made him so happy he couldn’t breathe. Something that felt like fire and ice and meteors and disaster.

Jon must have felt it. He looked at Gerry, surprised, with ice cream slowly dripping from his spoon and congealing on the table. “What’s wrong with you? Are you ill? Agnes, is he ill?”

“No,” Gerry said, wiping at his eyes. “I guess I’m happy again.”

Everybody stared at him, slightly dumbfounded. 

Daisy barked. 

“You’re quite right, Daisy,” Jon said. 

He didn’t tell them what she was right about, and Gerry never asked. He already knew. 

[dokkaebiking]

I Am But a Humble Cryptid...

...but I was actually tagged to do a thing, and I’m very happy to have a pleasant distraction from all the bullshit that’s happening in the world/my life right now ♥

Tagged by: @joeys-piano rules: answer 30 questions and tag however many blogs you want!

name: Tavis (still haven’t been able to afford to make it my legal name, but it’s my name whether legal documents think so or not D:< Feel free to call me Tav!)

gender: Cryptid. No but really, what the fuck even is gender anymore? I’m transgender, in the nonbinary department, but it’s easier to just tell people I’m a man so I go with that as a default. More in the agender territory though, with masucline leanings, and my pronouns are he/him and they/them. Either or work.

star sign: Taurus, and I’m very much like my star sign. Just wants peace and comfort, sorta stubborn (over dumb things, usually), likes food, and I’m a big guy so I intimidate people by just existing. I could be staring into space and freak someone out, it’s weird...

height: 5′11″, or 180 cm. Does not help my case of “intimidating by doing absolutely nothing”, let me tell you...I’ve learned to capitalize on it, though, and work security these days ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

time: 6:36pm mountain time, currently.

birthday: April 22, 1989. I...am old (ᓀ ᓀ)

favorite band: Not sure I have one, really? The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, they’re pretty good. I’ll forever love Evanescence, fight me. And, hmmm, I dunno, Panic! At the Disco? That still counts as a band, right? Oh! Breaking Benjamin is amazing. Really, I tend to just like single albums, or a song or two, so bands in general aren’t favorites of mine, but I suppose the ones I mentioned are ones I’m fond of, at least.

favorite solo artists: GACKT, Daughtry, and, I dunno, the Me of several years ago, before I started T injections, who could hit those high notes that my cracking voice no longer can achieve  ☆⌒(ゝ。∂)

last movie: GIVEN The Movie. WATCH IT. IT WAS SO GOOD. @ladyxxdaydream knows what I’m talking about!

when did I create this blog: 2013? Or maybe 2012? Around that time.

what i post: Shit like this, where I got tagged lmao. Also art and fanfic, but none of my work would really be considered popular in any of the fandoms I contribute to, so I don’t really see my work as even ‘posts’, and more like me just chucking things I occasionally make into the void.

last thing i googled: Fujiwara Keiji—cause I was watching “Devil and Realist” and heard his voice, and then got hit with emotions cause I had the faint recollection that something had happened to him, googled him, and yup I was reminded that he died last year. Talk about a punch to the gut, remembering that out of the blue (ಥ﹏ಥ)

other blogs: I technically don’t have any other blogs, but I’m a mod for @one-ace-man​ 

do I get asks?: Very rarely, but when I do it’s usually from a mutual whom I love and cherish them for humoring my want to fill out ask memes.

why I chose my url: A billion years ago I wanted to spite the antis in the OPM fandom who had it out for the Asexual fans in the fandom, so I took “Caped Baldy” and made it into “Caped Ace”, just to really rub it in. And basically say, “FUCK (ﾉಥ益ಥ)ﾉ OFF”. I also really loved superheroes like Batman and such at the time (still do, but not as much), so it worked on another level for me. Now, neither of these things are really my focuses, but while I’ve been considering a name change for awhile, for the time being it sure has stuck around ☆～('▽^人)

following: 425

number of followers: 829, and hoping most of those are real people and not bots.

instruments: The only thing I ever got any training on, before life flipped me the bird and told me “fuck you, you don’t have the time or money to learn an instrument”, was the keyboard/piano. Always wanted to learn cello and/or violin, but again, no money for that. Drums was something I was very interested in and took a percussion class during middle school, but AGAIN, could never afford official lessons or the equipment so, right alongside everything else, I just never learned.

what am i wearing: Oversized pink hoodie that says “I’M TIRED” on it, surrounded by roses (it’s a mood, okay), and khaki joggers that make me look like a hobo but are at least comfortable.

dream job: An overnight security position in a cemetery/graveyard. Legit. Sign me the fuck up for that—I wanna walk patrol a dark, empty area that’s spooky as hell, and there’s no one alive around me that I’ll have to perform customer service to.

dream trip: I’ve wanted to go to Japan for a billions years, but also Ireland would be amazing, and any place with amazing temples/historical sites I could see and/or explore respectfully.

favorite foods: I love all kinds of curry. Japanese, Indian, Thai—if it’s curry I love it and will eat the fuck outta it. This one Thai place in Hillcrest (San Diego, CA) had the spiciest and most delicious curry, and they made these things called Curry Puffs, which I would sell a kidney right now for.

favorite song: This is an impossible question to answer ლ(ಠ_ಠ ლ)

nationality: Caucasian. White as fuck. Mayonnaise with a side of sour cream.

last book I read: If light/webnovels count, then Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. I haven’t finished it yet, I’m milking it for as long as I can’t because I don’t want it to end, but god damn it’s so good...no wonder it’s loved by so many people in and outside Korea ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ Might re-read TCF for the third time, but the KR fandom’s shenanigans towards international fans on twitter lately has made me take a step back from TCF for the time being. SMPU (What Happens When the Second Male Lead Powers Up) is very quickly becoming a favorite of mine, even if the only way I can read it right now is on Ridibooks using Google Translate, which is...not ideal, but it’s better than nothing!

top 3 fictional universes I would like to live in: Pokemon for sure. The Cat Returns (oh to live as a cat in the cat kingdom, and dance at the cat ball with the Baron, voiced by Cary Elwes  (*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡). And any of those crazy universes that KR webnovels exist in, be it like SMPU’s world that’s from a romance novel, or Solo Leveling, which is the whacky ‘life became like a dungeon crawler game’ world. I might die in .002 seconds if I suddenly had game stats and monsters were everywhere, but it’s better than living in late-stage capitalism any day.

Tagging: @ladyxxdaydream @liveandletrain @guardiandae @jojoeatsflan @synasays and anyone else who wants to do it!

[yellowocaballero]

ok so I know you said you weren’t gonna explain daisy and then you did, and I want u to know I love when you explain your stories, almost as much as the stories themselves. I both envy and admire the way you think about characters and the way you build your stories and put all these elements together. bc this was a silly story and I laughed almost the whole way through, but there were moments with genuine meaning (ok gertude and jon conversation and about being a very nice boy and all that really got me bc like when am I not having feeling about jon lmao). So then I have Many Feelings about this silly story that are both heartfelt and just pure amusement and I go to you tumblr and then you talk about this story in a way that just makes me love it more. I think it’s bc you write stories where the pov is generally from only one character and when I read the story it’s like I can tell the other characters are having thoughts and feelings deep enough as the pov character, but for the most part, these rich inner lives or just lives separate from the pov character can’t really be perceived. Like it’s all there, but bc we are only seeing it from one characters pov, then there are things we aren’t going to see. And that’s really cool bc like, your characters are real enough that even tho things aren’t outright stated, I can tell there is so much happening “behind the scenes” so to say. It’s neat bc to read what your processes that went into writing a story is satisfying bc it’s like, ok here is what’s happening without the unreliable narrator. Idk as someone who is perpetually confused on why people do what they do (even myself sometimes lol), I like coming here where you explain things so well. Idk this is getting too long so just gonna say that I just really like what you do haha

;_______; Thank you so much. I’m always stressing out that I talk too much and go on too long about stuff nobody cares about lol. I’m also always pretending that I’ve thought stuff out or that I know exactly what I’m doing when I really don’t. I do objectively talk quite a bit about stuff here, but in my defense almost nobody irl knows that I write, at all. They think I don’t have hobbies. 

I’m glad it heightens the experience, though, I didn’t think about it that way. Rise of Skywalker Rule: people shouldn’t need to hear your word of god to understand what’s going on. But I really do hate writing multiple POVs (I only do it when it’s absolutely necessary) for a lot of reasons, but definitely it means that a lot of the behind the scenes character work you do goes unseen. But...even if you don’t see it, you know when it’s not there. A lot of technique in art is like that - invisible unless it’s bad lol. Take Daisy in TCF - it is blindingly evident that I did not really know what was really going on with her until much later in the story. My #1 frustration with that fic - just because Daisy will never tell Jon what’s going on, that’s not an excuse for me not knowing. 

But I do think a lot of a story is a supporting cast. I really sincerely hate it when a story is winnowed down to Main Character and Love Interest, and everybody else is a flat prop for that. I was reading a super fabulous Stucky fanfic the other day that was gorgeously written, but...none of the supporting characters had conversations with Steve that weren’t about Bucky. It was like some kind of terrifying Lotus Eater Machine hellscape. Imagine if nobody around you had rich inner lives, that they didn’t have their own rationales for what they did, that they had lives outside of you - that literally their only role in your life was to get you together with your boyfriend. Disturbing. (This was another parodied thing in Sucker’s Bet) A lot of Jonmartin fics are guilty of this too, frequently even worse. 

So, it’s kind of this dual thing for me - I have to know 10 things about a character and only 1 of those things will appear in the story. This is why I spent so long going on about how I know character’s religions lol. And even if you don’t know these things, it’s obvious when it’s not there. My stuff gets bloated because I insist on giving every major character a character arc and it is terrible of me (Solitaire was a hellscape). Even in the joke arson story - Jon, Sasha, and Tim all needed their individual character arcs, and even though Gerry and Daisy were more plot based characters you still got a strong sense of their lives. 

But the flipside is that as I’ve mentioned I don’t do OCs and I just adjust everyone based on the needs of the story.  Character is fluid and flexible for me so rarely anything is set in stone. I’m always spinning a ton of plates. I think when you know too much about your character and their background you end up stubbornly forcing a square peg into a round hole sometimes. For all I’ve talked about knowing characters - sincerely please don’t think about it too hard it’s useless. I don’t get too attached to any one characterization. Most of the time, the characterization in the story organically grows as the story develops. Some of the time I only really get a character as I write the final scene, then I have to go back and rewrite a bunch. There is a tremendous amount of characters who only really clicked for me as I wrote a final climactic scene (HR!Jon, TCF!Daisy and Web!Jon but specifically in Evilcon are the worst offenders, but also TCF!Annabelle, BBC!Gerry, SC!Daisy...). 

Anyway if you want the reason why I write so many side stories it’s because I finish a story and I just GOTTA tell you EVERYTHING I know about Agnes and Gerry or whatever (how did they meet? Jon will never know!). Legitimately for anyone who’s read Solitaire I highly recommend the Tim side story because Melanie is probably the most unreliable narrator I’ve ever written and there is this entire fucking storm of shit going under the surface of that Tim. Just because he got so complicated. I’ve been churning out a shitton of HR!Jon stories just to fucking try and get the character to click for me. It just goes on and on. As usual I’m both putting too much thought and not enough thought into things - the only way I really hammer out these things is by writing just an insane quantity of words, which is not the most. efficent way.

Sometimes I feel as if I’m hindering myself by not writing multiple POVs but also fuck that. Thank you for the super sweet ask I loved it!