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separatist-apologist · 2 years ago

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Do you think Elain is a coward?

LOL???

NO?

God, okay, this is going to be long but no, I don't think Elain is a coward. I think Elain displays a lot of courage and bravery throughout the series, even when she's afraid and would have every right to do even less than she does. And like always, I can prove it. Below the cut because this became way too long:

Starting in ACOTAR, consider:

When Feyre returns from Spring and is talking with Elain in the garden, Elain is ready to leave everything she knows behind and is asking Feyre if she'd like to go with her (page 256)

"You should come with me," Elain went on. "Nesta won't go, because she says she doesn't want to risk the sea crossing, but you and I...Oh, we'd have fun, wouldn't we?

I'm not always sure I agree with Feyre's assessment that she had less strength than Elain in the next moment because I think Feyre had to do a lot of horrible things that Elain did not, which sucked the joy out of Feyre's life. However Feyre's allowed to think whatever she wants, and this is what she thinks about Elain on page 260:

"I gazed again at that sad, dark house- the place that had been a prison. Elain had said she missed it, and I wondered what she saw when she looked at the cottage. If she beheld not a prison but a shelter- a shelter from the world that had possessed so little good, but she tried to find it anyway, even if it had seemed foolish and useless to me.

She had looked at that cottage with hope; I had looked at it with nothing but hatred. And I knew which one of us had been stronger."

Again, when Feyre is ready to go, Elain is practical and ready to help, even though I think she's both sad and scared (page 270):

"Elain, to my surprise, had a horse, a sachel of food, and supplies ready when I hurried down the stairs. My father was nowhere in sight. But Elain threw her arms around me, and, holding tightly, said, "I remember- I remember all of it now."

I wrapped my arms around her. "Be on your guard. All of you."

You get a better sense of Elain's courage in ACOMAF, starting on page 248 when her newly made sister and three enormous warriors show up on her doorstep and ask for help. Feyre describes them as "wild and rough and ancient (250), and Elain and Nesta are afraid of the Fae and have been their whole lives:

"'Nesta,' Elain said again, twisting her hands. "If...if we do not help Feyre, there won't be a wedding. Even Lord Nolan's battlements and all his men, couldn't save me from...from them." Nesta didn't so much as flinch. Elain pushed. "We keep it secret- we send the servants away. With the spring approaching, they'll be glad to go home. And if Feyre needs to be in and out for meetings, she'll send word ahead, and we'll clear them out. Make up excuses to send them on holidays. Father won't be back until the summer anyway. No one will know." She put a hand on Nesta's knee, the purple of my sister's gown nearly swallowing up the ivory hand. "Feyre gave and gave- for years. Let us now help her. Help...others."

They're afraid, Feyre can smell it on 253:

My sisters did not curtsy. Their hearts wildly pounded, even Nesta's, and the tang of their terror coated my tongue-

Here is Elain, on 256, owning her part in Feyre's neglect which is the opposite of cowardice because all through this scene she is visibly afraid. She's trembling, her voice is described as a rasp, and she's gripping her knife so tightly Feyre wonders if she might use it as a weapon. A coward would have let Nesta take all the blame:

"And as for Ferye's hunting during those years, it was not Nesta's neglect alone that is to blame. We were scared, and had received no training, and everything had been taken, and we failed her. Both of us."

I can't not share my favorite line ever, on 389:

And it was Elain- Elain- who sighed and murmured, "I hope they all burn in hell."

I think what is highlighted for me in ACOMAF is that if Elain is the coward hiding behind the most powerful person's skirts, and she values power as a way to stay small/unharmed, then Elain would defer to the people she feels has power. Her fiance, with his battlement, her elder sister who runs her household. She could have gone to Graysen and hid behind his walls the minute she saw Rhys/Az/Cassian and who would have blamed her? And instead she conceals from her Fae hating fiance that she's helping them because she views this as working for the greater good and repaying Feyre for years of perceived neglect. And she argues with Nesta to continue helping them, even when Nesta is saying no. Consistently Elain is described as the kind of person who could convince someone to do something with a smile and a few kind words which implies she has learned how to get the things she needs through a combination negotiation, flattery, and perhaps a little manipulation if it suits her. What use are any of those things to a coward? Why not have Nesta do all of that for her?

On page 549, Feyre even acknowledge how strange it is that Elain is there when she could be under Graysen's protection:

"Does my sisters' presence here not speak to you? There is an iron engagement ring upon my sister's finger-and ye here she stands with us."

Elain seemed to be fighting the urge to tuck her hand behind the skirts of her pale pink and blue dress, but stayed tall while the queens surveyed her.

"I would say that it is proof of her idiocy," the golden one sneered, "to be engaged to a Fae-hating man....and to risk the match by associating with you."

That doesn't look like cowardice to me. That looks like courage, that looks like risking everything in service of the greater good, and it even looks a little like shame that she's wearing that iron ring which is a symbol of her and her fiance's prejudice in the face of her Fae sister who I believe Elain does love.

Rhys offers to take Nesta and Elain to Velaris for protection in the face of war and the queens acknowledgement they're leaving the humans to suffer. Rhys, the most powerfully magic man in existence and if Elain values power so much and is such a coward, surely she goes? (555)

Elain swallowed, a doe caught in a snare. "I-I can't. I..."

But she could, and she chooses not to.

Which leads, of course, to her own tragedy. Elain who gives up safety in Velaris for love, finds herself kidnapped and shoved into a Cauldron. Gagged by strangers, and knowing she's going to drown and probably die, Elain still manages this moment on 602:

My sisters were shrieking over their gags. But Elain's cry- a warning. A warning to-

My right, now exposed. Tamlin ran for me. To grab me at last. I hurled a knife at him- as hard as I could.

So now she's traumatized, and I think Elain get's too much unfair criticism for how she handles it. She's never going to be loud, or a warrior and she's not girlbossing her way through it. She is the thing she's always feared and yet, with war coming, Elain is pushing it aside for the moment to think about others (ACOWAR, 470):

Then Elain said quietly, We could move them to Graysen's estate."

And while I think she desperately wants to see him, this is still an act of courage to consider that they would be safe. I also think Elain knows quite well Graysen is not going to accept her as she is now, and still she hopes he will, hopes enough to agree to see him when hiding away and quietly mourning would have been emotionally safer.

Feyre even tells her, on 471,

"This could end very badly, Elain."

She brushed her thumb over the iron-and-diamond engagement ring. "It's already ended badly. Now it's just a matter of deciding how we meet the consequences."

Not the worldview of a coward, but I digress.

On 492, before Graysen, the love of her mortal life, and his terrifying Fae hating father, she says:

"Graysen, I've come to beg you..." A pleading glance at his father. "Both of you...Open your gates to any humans who can get here. To families. With the wall down...We-they believe...There is not enough time for an evacuation. The queens will not send aid from the continent. But here-they might stand a chance."

Up to this point, Elain and Graysen are just staring at each other while Nesta and Feyre speak. Elain could have let them continue but they know her best, they've liked/loved her up until they realize what she is, and she knows it. She has to be the one to ask, and so she does.

And God she risks so much. Between 498-499:

"You belong to him."

"I belong to no one. But my heart belongs to you."

Elain, willing to damn convention and immortality to be with the man she loves.

"Take that ring off."

Elain's fingers curved into firsts. "No."

Elain in the war is endless courage, despite having no tools to defend herself. After Nesta's scrying causes the Cauldron to lure Elain away as punishment, Elain risks her own life to get out a human when a coward would have looked the other way and risked nothing that put them in danger. On 577:

"Grab onto him!" Elain ordered the wide-eyed human girl as Azriel thundered toward her. The girl looked like a doe about to be run down by a wolf.

The girl did not open her arms as they neared.

Elain screamed a her, "If you want to live, do it now!"

Elain holds the entire time, keeping her from slipping and dying.

Elain, on 610, when the violence is unavoidable and Azriel offers her his knife:

"I -I don't know how to use it-" And of course, Elain, who tells Azriel she doesn't know how to use a weapon, who could have hid (and might have been smart to do so) while everyone else fought, does this (653):

But as a blade broke through the king's throat, spraying blood, I realized someone else had.

Elain stepped out of a shadow behind him, and rammed Truth-Teller to the hilt through the back of the king's neck as she snarled in his ear, "Don't you touch my sister."

On 655, I love this moment because Elain is truly Cauldron-blessed in that this sentient cooking pot made of ancient, godly magic, loves her and wants to protect her/gift her things. Nesta makes herself into a God, but I think Elain could have been made one, too, had she the inclination. The Cauldron certainly had the will:

The Cauldron seemed to realize what she'd done, too, as his head thumped to the mossy ground. That Elain...Elain had defended this thief. Elain, who it had gifted with such powers, found her so lovely it wanted to give her something...It would not harm Elain, even in its hunt to reclaim what had been taken.

I like this moment because the argument that Elain aligns herself with power implies that whatever/whoever is most powerful would be a draw for her, and yet consistently, Elain eschews that to protect the people she loves, which includes Nesta. It is revisionist history and willful misinterpretation of the text to suggest Elain does not love Nesta because when she comes for Hybern, who has bested EVERYONE at that final last hour, and is poised to kill her sister, there is no reason for her to think her plan will work or that she, too, won't die. And still she comes. She still tries. The last words Hybern ever hears are a defense of Nesta. Don't touch her.

God this is so long. I think Elain gets labeled a coward in part because of what happens in ACOSF- she didn't stand up against the IC, so she's a coward because Nesta would have never let them take her up there, but Elain spends a good portion of ACOFAS trying to coax Nesta out, and then offering Nesta space in equal measure when it's clear Nesta wants to be alone. I'm not going to argue whether the intervention was good (I have made posts about my problems with this before, so go right and spare me your anger), only that Nesta was spiraling and I don't think Elain abandoned her out of cowardice, but a desperate hope to help her sister.

And Elain has never enjoyed the coddling, no matter how she benefitted from it. In ACOSF, we see her pushing back when Elain is offering to scry on Nesta's behalf. Nesta doesn't WANT to scry but Elain DOES (232)

"Absolutely not," Nesta spat, fingers curling at her sides. "Absolutely not."

"Why?" Elain demanded. "Shall I end to my little garden forever?"

When Nesta flinched, Elain said, "You can't have it both ways. You cannot resent my decision to lead a small, quiet life while also refusing to let me do anything greater."

I think this moment says so much about how Nesta views herself and what she's worth to people more than anything else. Elain is offering Nesta an out- I will do this because I want to (Feyre states it Elain's choice and still Nesta is saying no), and you don't have to. Nesta can't let her, because she can't risk Elain and Nesta is in such a bad place (and I think she was way before she was made, which only amplified it), that to her, she's the expendable one. She can get hurt, she can be the shield because who would miss her? Who would value her if she didn't? That doesn't make her view true, but it does offer insight into their relationship over the last few books, and it makes Nesta all. the more tragic.

But it doesn't make Elain a coward, either.

Infamous passage on page 580:

And he knew the cruelty of Hewn City troubled her. But she hadn't hesitated to come. When Feyre had offered to let her remain home, Elain had squared her shoulders and declared hat she was part of this court- and would do whatever was needed.

Anyway. This has gotten away from me. Elain is a lot of things, but cowardly is not one of them. Elain gets a lot of shit for being quiet (which someone makes her devoid of a personality- but Azriel is brooding and mysterious and the fandom's sexy, shippable boyfriend like yeah okay) and for internalizing her trauma, but she consistently shows up for her sisters every time it matters, often at the expense of herself. I don't think Elain is drawn to power, nor do I think she's a coward hiding behind whoever can keep her safest. I think Elain is in stasis, partly because her time hasn't come for a narrative but also because she doesn't know where she fits anymore. She has no clear, defined purpose and so she's looking for one.

Also, this is a SJM book. Nesta likes the IC by the end of it and idk why people think Elain wouldn't, too. Feyre, Nesta, and Elain love each other even if you don't so like. I don't know man.

#pro elain archeron #elain archeron #archeron defense squad always and forever #i opened my ask box back up and this is the shenaniganry i'm welcomed to #if you dont like her thats fine #but im so over everyone acting like elain needs to change or be beter for a man #OR making every accomplishment she has center around a man #elain has a personality actually #im in a mood

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beth-is-rainpaint · 1 year ago

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In honor of the 3rd (?!?!?!?!) anniversary of the AoS finale, here, have some of my favorite finale-adjacent fics:

cascade by @jakelovesamy - rated T

'Love, like family, is a notion Daisy has a strange relationship with. She used to think it was a lie, that a romantic, unconditional kind of love was an urban myth, or something invented by Hallmark to sell cards. They studied love poems in English class in high school and she thought that’s all love was; an interesting idea, a concept that sounded nice in fiction. Akin to mermaids.'

Daisy finds home. It does not look the way she imagined.

step into the daylight by jemmasimmmons - rated T

"In the deepest depths of outer space, there is no turn of the season. The stars are the same, no matter what month is showing on an arbitrary human calendar. Time, as Jemma knows all too well, is relative."

It’s a whole new life. Fitz and Jemma learn how to live it, one season at a time. Set after the show’s final scene.

To Box It Up and Start Again (Everything Must Go) by @aleksandrachaev - rated T

Daisy’s still looking at him, her gaze burning into him like a brand. “Deke, that’s…”

He can’t let her finish, because he knows if she asks him to, he’ll stay. He’ll find a way to stay. He can’t be the cause of her pain. “And honestly…” He scoffs, trying to clear the wetness from his eyes, the shaking of his voice. He wants this; he’ll swear up and down he does. “I’m kind of a rock god here, anyway.”

(Deke says his goodbyes to the team in 7x13.)

i am a leaf on the wind by @aleksandrachaev - rated T

Lying frozen on the floor of the Zephyr, Daisy gets a glimpse of the lives that could have been.

there goes the maddest man this town has ever seen by @aleksandrachaev - rated T

Team Meetup, Year Two:

“So you’re at the Academy now then,” Jemma said, looking delighted. “That’s wonderful; the recruits—” The smile dropped off her face to be replaced with a look of confusion as the air in the center of the group shimmered before a new figure appeared, outfitted in leather places leather shouldn’t be, spiky hair and a black eye patch over one eye.

“What, I didn’t get an invite?” Deke Shaw asked, looking around at them all.

What Happens on Kitson . . . Does Not Stay on Kitson by @aleksandrachaev - rated T

Team Meetup, Year Three:

“Oh, Daisy, you didn’t,” Jemma said, aghast. Daisy grinned, arms crossed. “I did.” The holographic image of Sousa put his head in his hands. “She did.”

(or, “This is just like Kitson all over again.” “You and I remember Kitson very differently.”)

a small cottage in perthshire by @notabadday - rated G

A soft epilogue for a soft epilogue. This is inspired by the throwaway line from Jemma to Daisy in the finale, with the implication of a secret. It explores Fitz, Jemma and Alya’s lives together after SHIELD.

“I’ll email you that anatomy analysis after Fitz is asleep. Interesting stuff.”

with a little help from my friends by @smallblueandloud - rated G

Long distance friendship doesn't have to happen once a year.

What They Were Fighting For by @beth-is-rainpaint - rated T

Alya meets the rest of her family.

Conversations between Fitz, Jemma, and the team, set between seasons 5 & 6, toward the end of season 6, during their time on the Zephyr, and during and after the series finale.

#aos #agents of shield #agents of s.h.i.e.l.d.#fic recs #yes i did include my own fic on here #i said some of my favorite finale-adjacent fics #it happens to be one of my favorite finale-adjacent fics #i wrote it for me #happy aos finale anniversary!

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singingshutin · 2 years ago

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I saw Honor Among Thieves a few days ago with some friends, and I have a few thoughts.

Chris Pine played Chris Pine, which was not unexpected. You hire Chris Pine for Chris Pine.

Simon was my favorite since he was a pathetic, insecure little guy (I am storing him away in my brain for later).

The visuals were actually really cool. I don't watch a ton of fantasy movies, but they seemed really unique. The cottages were adorable. A lot of movies forget to implement color, and this one did not disappoint in that regard.

Dear Lord, the illusion of Chris Pine's character melting while playing the lute scarred me.

I'm not all that familiar with Dungeons and Dragons lore (I've never been able to play consistently), but I know enough to recognize and appreciate some things referenced or implemented. The monsters were all very specifically D&D, and stood out as memorable because of it.

Other than Simon, the characters weren't super memorable to me? I liked the dynamic between Chris Pine's and Michelle Rodriguez's characters, though.

I didn't realize I was expecting McElroy, Dimension 20, or Critical Role cameos until the movie was over and they hadn't happened.

Overall, 6/10. I'd bump it up a notch or two if it wasn't so long. Anything over 90 minutes and I tap out. 2:15 is tooooooo much for me. The other option would be to have a whole TV series plotted out like a full campaign. I'd have more time to get attached to the characters, though I understand a TV budget would not be conducive for a project the size that Honor Among Thieves was.

ALSO MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A POST CREDITS SCENE OF THE ACTORS PLAYING D&D WITH THE DIRECTOR DMING. That would have been wicked funny (at least to me).

#idk dnd is really fun in theory #in practice at least in my area #the dnd bros suck so bad

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roboticchibitan · 2 years ago

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Hello, newer followers! I write stories! Well, I write one story that's sort of a series of episodes. It's slice of life fiction about a neighborhood of folks who don't have a lot but work together to make it just enough. There's found family in the form of a delightful older lady who I personally find very funny and is probably my favorite character, and a little girl who's lost her father and is the whole neighborhood's granddaughter or niece.

The main characters are Serenity, a cottage witch who sells knitted and crocheted items and tea's she's imbued with magic, and her dragon familiar who is just a very mischevious baby who pulls pranks like switching the salt and the sugar before an important meal.

It's just like a day or a scene in their life at a time. It's very cozy. It might make you cry but they'll be good tears. It started out as a joke, "what if a dragon could transform into a shawl pin." Then it progressed to a story and that story turned into a love letter to lonely people.

I'm sure my readers will leave reviews on this post. Feel free to check them out. If you'd like to read it, it's on AO3 here

#a cottage witch and her dragon #serenity and dragon #my writing #original fiction

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btssavedmylifeblr · 2 years ago

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you mentioned that youre reading some of sarah j maas’ books, what do you think about it so far? i read her stories (the acotar series and the tog series) as a younger teen and reread it again recently now that im older. when i learned that youre allowed to criticise a book (i was a blind follower with weak opinions 😅) i found out that there are some readers who arent too fond of her and her writing, it was quite a shock for me cause she used to be my fav author (i read only her books as a preteen 😂). personally, from her books that i’ve read my favourites are throne of glass and crown of midnight (the novellas were really good too)

So I’ve really only read the acotar series so far, so that’s the only one I can comment on (my favorite book was a court of mist and fury, followed by a court of silver flames). There are a bunch of things that I really enjoyed in that series and a bunch of things that annoyed me about it. There will never be an author that every reader agrees about. My favorite living author is John Green, but there are people who criticise/dont enjoy his books. I hate Catcher in the Rye but it’s considered a classic. Different readers are going to resonate with different books more or less and certain things will bug some people more than others. For every author that is someone’s favorite author, there will be a bunch of people who hate them. I think it’s more interesting to look at what book does well and what it doesn’t.

Things I enjoyed about acotar:

1. The main characters, love interests and ensemble casts are great. I really like Feyre and Nesta. They are both flawed and fierce and show real character growth over the series. I love Rhysand. He is pretty much everything I want in a love interest, wings included, haha. I love Azriel and Cassian too. The whole Inner Circle is well drawn and makes you want to read more to find out what happens to them.

2. The romance is great. The whole misunderstood villain/enemies to lovers aspect of Feyre and Rhys is great and made especially compelling because it plays out over such a long time. It’s also some of the most enjoyable smut I’ve found outside of fanfiction.

3. The action scenes are great. When there is a lot happening and things are changing rapidly, it’s very fun to read. Her scene and action description are very immersive and she does a good job of keeping you surprised and invested in the outcome. The scene with the giant worm, the scene in the weaver’s cottage, the battle of Velaris and Nesta in the Blood Rite are all still things that I can picture very clearly in my head.

4. It’s easy to read. And the combination of compelling romance and good action makes it very hard to put down when you’re in the middle of it. So for someone who wants a fun, quick, romance series, I would highly recommend it.

Things that bugged me about acotar:

1. It really needs more editing. The prose on a line by line level is sometimes infuriatingly bad. She will have paragraphs that are just the same sentence written three different ways. There are weird descriptions of internal reactions that get way overused. Like I think Feyre’s “bowels turned watery” at least three times in the first novel alone, which is three times too many. There are long stretches with no action where characters just wander around big houses doing nothing that I found hard to get through.

2. The world building is shallow. There are all these different courts (spring court, fall court, night court, etc) but other than aesthetic differences it’s really not clear how they are in any way culturally or magically different. There are different classes of Fae, but the potential political or social repercussions of that are rarely examined. Some classes of fae are just ugly and bound to serve the pretty High Fae, which is a fairly problematic trope. The villains are rather generically evil without really examining what their motives are. There are characters of different races, but their race has no impact on their character or story arc. Certain cultures like the Illyrians are written as fairly monolithic except for our few “enlightened” main characters.

3. The stuff around gender is not great. One of my favorite booktokers (pagemelt) explained this better than I can, but the whole series and potentially all of Sarah J Mass’s writing, suffers from what she calls “gender essentialism”. All the women are small and thin and young and beautiful, and they might be warriors, but they never overpower the main male characters. The men are all large and strong with giant *ahem* “wingspans”. The male love interests are all much older than the female love interests (like centuries older) and vastly overpower them in both physical and magical abilities and familiarity with the world around them. SJM frequently uses the terms male and female in descriptions such as “he gave her a male smirk” or “looked at her with a male gaze”. I think because she wants to emphasize that they are Fae and not humans, she always uses the terms male and female instead of man and woman, but it creates an atmosphere where the terms male and man always mean the same thing and there is only one specific way to be male. There’s also a whole bunch of stuff about fated lovers and soulmates and such that seems to only leave room for cishet relationships (though there are hints that this may change in future books).

4. It’s fairly predictable. This may be a pro for younger readers or people just getting into fantasy/romance books but it fairly obvious where things are going in advance. The answer to riddle at the end of the first book is so glaringly obvious that it makes the whole ending of that book and the fallout from it seem kind of stupid.

So for someone looking for a complex fantasy story with elaborate world building that more accurately reflects the complexities of the real world, there are a lot of other books that will provide that better than this one.

#bee’s current reads #acotar

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doesitmatterseriously · 3 years ago

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Jesus shit I disappear a lot.

I’ve been lurking on ao3 a lotttt. An unhealthy amount. And I’ve gotten into darklina.

Listen…I know it’s toxic but I like trash okay? And I read the grisha books and fucking HATED HATED Them. I ranted to my fiancé for like 2 months. Thank the stars for fanfic authors!!

I literally found a fic that I have accepted as the official ending. seriously. it’s called “Start a war” by nymja on ao3.

I’m also beyond looking forward to the following on ao3:

“Dark Guardian “ by FairyRingsandWings (this is one of my most anticipated ones!) it’s incredibly interesting and is an au that involves demons/etc. it’s amazing and well researched. She runs an amazing tumblr under the name @thedarklingxalina Check it out!!

“ The Fight we never had” by PoetHrotsvitha. this one is amazing because it’s self-aware it’s just hilarious. It’s been one of the most fun ones that I’ve read in a very long time in the comment section is to die for. I am so looking forward to the story and can’t wait to see how it ends. I’m definitely rooting for our creepy Alexsander. I dunno if she has a tumblr or else I’d put her user name. But seriously this one is fucking fabulous!!!!!

“ I have a longing” by LRcee

Jesus this one is just a feel good au. I fucking love It and I hope the author continues to write more because the writing is amazing. It’s intelligently written and every time I read it I spend the whole time smiling!

“ forgiveness doesn’t taste like this” by EvilPeaches

I never in 1 million years thought I would like any story with Alina and Ivan. And normally I do not like dark fics. Parts of this were really hard to read and there is another story like where she puts deleted scenes and extras, and there was literally one part in “ deleted scenes “ that I had to start and stop and take a break for a good while after reading. That’s a sign of a good writer. Anything that makes me uncomfortable and makes me genuinely think afterwards. it’s at the end now with only one more chapter left but I’ll be damned if I wasn’t rooting for Ivan even though I am literally a hard-core darklingxalina shipper. This is one of those stories that is incredibly well written and just made me feel so many different emotions. It is very dark. But it really goes in depth about how in mortality and misery would affect you as well as your relationships with other people.

“A Space of Flowers” by ecphrasis

Part of series “ Darklina Cottagecore AU” , The entire series is amazing. I literally never thought I would be interested in a cottage core au but it is beautifully written and the author did a lot of research into making it feel like it’s in the century that it’s taking place in. It’s heart wrenching in and has so much angst. I truly hope that the author continues it and also that they get a happy ending. But the writing is just beyond beautiful. Fuck it is just gorgeous! Written by @ekphrastic

”Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times….” by xxwalkinwonderlandxx

another AU that is in progress. It’s just incredibly interesting and I’m really looking forward to see where it goes. Not too much is given away so with each chapter update I’m still guessing and wondering what’s going to happen. Has been an incredibly fun read and can’t wait to see more!

And the final one that is in progress…

“ I wanna see you in the light of the morning “ by renaegeorge

Omgggg. This one is so hilarious. Like whenever I’m having a bad day I’ll read this. I can’t wait to see how the story goes because it is just a feel good fic. I fucking love it! Please check this one out. The author is amazing and she writes so incredibly well.

I have no clue if anyone actually read this but I beg you to please check these out and if any of these authors have tumblr that I don’t know about them please tag them so that way people can see their Tumblr in case they write on there. leave comments and kudos! Let them know if you enjoy it! And if anyone has any really good fics to recommend to me let me know. This isn’t even half of what I have bookmarked but I’m always interested in fics.

These are my current favorites that are still in progress. I’ll do my other favorites at some point. But if you hated the ending of the grisha series like I did then please check out “Start a war”. I genuinely accept that as the ending now.

And if you hate the darkling, then I totally understand. I totally get it but don’t attack me. People like what they like. Like straight up.

#the darking #alina starkov #darklina #team darkling #ao3fic #fanfic writing #alina x kirigan #sankta alina #alina x darkling #shadow and bone

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darklove9314-blog · 3 years ago

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how do you feel about canon cassian? do you still ship nessian?

i feel like nesta, as a character, would understand that she deserves someone that will always put her first and not choose his friends/her sister over her. i know cassian is loyal and bla bla bla but rhys put feyre over everyone very soon after they met so why doesn’t nesta deserve the same?

nesta probably thinks that she’s a horrible person and cassian is more than she deserves so she just accepts how he treats her sometimes. i was really shocked by him never apologising to nesta. even when they visited her old human cottage and she brought up him telling she’s unlovable, he remains silent and doesn’t try to even backtrack that statement let alone apologise.

and i was confused why him telling her that he was shackled to her wasn’t a bigger deal. nesta literally felt like she had no choice in the mating bond and felt like they were forced together so her not really taking his words into consideration was surprising. especially being with him again without cassian apologising for that. sure he backtracked quickly after saying it but why doesn’t he say “i’m sorry”? and don’t even get me started on her feeling like that whole situation was her fault and she needed to apologise.

he’s never even explained the mor situation to her or spoken to her about hybern and all their previous moments. their relationship felt very shallow and if it weren’t for their moments in previous books, it would be very strange that they suddenly wanted to be together forever.

i think what bothered me the most was nesta bringing out lines like “and his voice was her favourite melody” bla bla bla and having vulnerable confessions with him while cassian is really just lusting over her and has never opened himself up to her.

i know a lot of people don’t like nesta and think cassian deserves better but i felt like ACOSF was so sad? if it weren’t for gwyn and emerie her story would have been really sad. hopefully in the next books sarah janet can fix this mess.

You see anon I’m very conflicted over canon Cassian. I feel like this is where SJM fails as a writer. She sees the bat boys as the epitome of perfection, people who can do no wrong while the Archeron sisters and others have to constantly forgive them for their shitty actions without them doing much to make up for them. That’s why I hate when people call SJM a feminist because her books seem far from it. As far as Nessian goes, they’re still my favorite ACOTAR ship. I loved the idea of their ship in ACOMAF because two people who come from separate worlds falling in love with each other is my favorite thing and Nesta and Cassian fit the character archetypes I love. And ACOWAR was peak Nessian. There’s no denying that. I was apart of a small fraction of people who hated Cassian’s behavior towards Nesta in ACOFAS especially since her father had just died 6 months prior and he was more concerned with the fact that she rejected him??? I know it hurts and she pushed him away, but their fight made him seem more like a dick to me then Nesta. Because while I do acknowledge that Cassian suffered a great loss in ACOWAR as well (the loss of the illyrians) Cassian has always had a support system to help him from drowning. To open up to. Nesta didn’t have that. She had never felt like she could truly open up to people and trust them and after the things that happened when she was human with her parents, grandmother, Tomas, and her “friends”, I don’t blame her.(And yes I know she pushed others away, but the only people realistically trying to talk to her were Elain and Amren. Well before their fight on the barge that is) and honestly Nesta’s self worth being the way it is doesn’t shock me considering the IC has always put her on the top of the blame list. And no one can tell me otherwise because while I acknowledge that Nesta should be held accountable for her part, I felt like Elain, their father, and their mother got pushed to the background. They also played a part, but Nesta’s part always seemed to play a bigger role. And yet characters are shocked that Nesta hates herself?? When no one has ever truly acknowledged the things she’s done to make up for her actions??? But I’m getting off topic. The only reason Cassian isn’t in the same boat as Rhys when it comes to characters for me is because there are scenes that prove he loves and cares about Nesta through the whole series and I can appreciate how Nessian isn’t this perfect ship. I do believe that he gets forgiven way too easily. He should have to work just as hard as Nesta to get forgiven for things. And I hope on future books he does because canonically it seems like Nesta loves him more than he loves her. (I mean this girl has saved his ass from dying three or four times, told him she loved him, opened up to him about her feelings for him, apologized for her behavior towards him while trying to become a better person overall, and even changed her anatomy for him) but I also have to remember that Nesta is a character who loves more fiercely than others because she opens herself up to very few people. I just feel like SJM didn’t focus enough on developing Cassian as a character in ACOSF and I hope he improves in future novels, but there are points where he defends her to the IC in this book, is concerned about her safety, is happy that she had made friends and for her successes, and is protective over her. So I’ll admit I’m at a standstill when it comes to him. I feel like Hunt (Crescent City) was what canon Cassian should have been and I feel like SJM writing Crescent City is what made ACOSF suffer because she didn’t put as much effort into this one and you could tell (even though Nessian is a more established ship at this point, she even makes Hunt call Bryce Sweetheart which was originally a Nessian thing) but we shall see what happens with Nessian in future novels, SJM has claimed she could write 1000 more pages about Nesta alone and that she was getting a big arc in the next few books. So hopefully we’ll see more wholesome Nessian scenes where they’re in love with each other.

#nesta archeron #nessian #nesta #cassian #anti sjm #sjm critical #anon ask #asks

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theredconversegirl · 4 years ago

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Hey there. I've recently got into Naruto and I was wondering if you could recommend some fica about SS getting together after the war. I'd like it if they're canon compliant but it's ok if not. I just thought you'd be the one to ask, since you rec a lot of fics. Thank you so much !!!! Love your blog ;))

Hey there, nonny :)

Thank you so much & welcome to the fandom! 💕😁

Since you’re new, I will recommend some classic fics that are post-war and are as close to canon as possible, and a few newer ones too. I hope you enjoy them!

Post-War [Blank Period] 🍅🌸

Touch By: GreyCatsidhe

After the war, Sakura suggests a new therapy to help Sasuke heal and get better sleep. The recovering Uchiha is uncomfortable with the implications of the healing and what the fluttering in his stomach means. [Rated M, complete]

All time favorite! The story is perfect, amazing development and characterization. And the tension, don’t get me started with the tension…

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

home is where the heart is By: DeepPoeticGirl / @xxlovendreamsxx

And with every moment together, they get just a little closer, a little more comfortable with each other. Fall a little more in love. Post-war. Pre-epilogue. [Rated T, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Cracks By: thevelvetbunny

Sasuke struggles with life after returning to Konoha, and enters counselling with a certain no-nonsense Hokage. [Rated M, incomplete]

I know this was written pre-canon but Sasuke’s return and reinstatement as a Konoha nin is very realistic and interesting here. Also, ss development is👌 . In the end it still fits as a blank period fic in my opinion.

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

It’s A Humble Path By: A m r a k l o ve / @amraklove

She thinks of him when there’s nothing else to focus on but the memory of the contours of his face and the bitterness of his smile. Perhaps, all she craved was his touch at this point, but she just kept walking at a fair distance, and he didn’t question anything, as usual. / Post-Canon; 699-700 setting. [Rated M, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Rise By: soulaire / @soulairee

Post-war. Sasuke is cold, yes, but still there is warmth within him—even though he himself forgets it sometimes. And while he might not be the easiest person to love, at the end of the day he is still human, through and through. [Rated M, on going ~ recently updated!]

The slow burn, the tension, the friendship development… everything our ss hearts need. 💕

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

The Legacy of Fire [series] By: KuriQuinn

Konoha is like a large family unit and every Konoha shinobi loves, believes, cherishes and fights to protect the village, as previous generations did before them and as future generations will continue to do. A series of stories and adventures about the Konoha Eleven and their loved ones, from past to present, that went unseen. [Mostly SasuSaku, Rating vary, incomplete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Reacquaintance By: thisthatfictions

Five months after the Fourth Great Ninja War during the Konoha spring, Sasuke Uchiha was released from custody to reintegrate into the village. Something different stirs in Sasuke as he navigates rebuilding his relationships, his reputation, and himself. What stirs him the most is the pink-haired medic who stands by him the whole way. [Rated M, on going ~ recently updated]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Close to home By: dances.with.sunflowers

Something in his eyes told her, it was always you. [Rated T, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Approaching Sun By: ANerdInAllHerGlory / @anerdinallherglory

After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village. [Rated T, on going]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Pockets By: pinipig

They've been beginning for quite some time. [Rated T, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Something Left By: helena-3190

In the aftermath of the shinobi war to save the world, from their own war to save Sasuke's soul, Team Seven adjusts, mends severed bonds, and strives to love. [Mostly canon, SasuSaku.] [Rated M, on going]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

The Garden By: CatFlorist / @catflorist / rec by @jiyonqchy

Sasuke left Konoha for a cottage in the woods. One day, Sakura arrives injured at his doorstep. They recall their past and think about what comes next. Slow burn, post-canon, with one smut scene, about how Sasuke and Sakura grew close again. [Rated M, complete]

——————————————————————————

I think this is a good start. There are still many post-war fics I haven’t read yet, so I’ll be sure to update the list if I find anything else or if anyone else sends a rec. 💕

~ Happy Reading & Stay Safe!

xoxo

#theredconversegirl answers things #SasuSaku #ss fics #Sakura Haruno #Sasuke Uchiha #blank period #post war #thank you nonny #theredconversegirl recommends #ss fic rec list

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churchkey · 4 years ago

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2020 Writing Wrapped

I was tagged by the lovely and talented @anthrobrat and one of my resolutions is to do the stuff people tag me for (and also, Laura is just wonderful and I’m lucky that she’s my friend) so I’ll give this a twirl.

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 8(ish) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome work.

I don’t know if I can make it to eight but we’ll see. Here’s a fun story - I used to be in this fandom back when we just shared stuff in a super-secret private community on LJ because many of the IRL guys were still alive and we were horrified of people finding out about us. But that was like 15 years ago and a lot has changed so here I am back on my bullshit and really so grateful that this fandom is still around because my love for this series and the very beautiful actors responsible for the fictionalized versions of the IRL guys and their crazy passionate ships who live rent-free in my soul has not dimmed a bit. So THANK YOU for being here and reading my stories inspiring me with YOUR stories and headcannons and being my friends.

So here we go. All of these are Winnix, btw. Someday I’ll learn to write for another ship.

Total (posted) Word Count: 119,294

1. A Spell of Riot (E) This is hands-down, no question, the fic I am most proud of having finished, not just this year but in all of my fandom career. I got the idea to write it from a kiss prompt last summer, just a light little thing about Dick saying goodbye to Lew as he drops him off for alcohol treatment. I never dreamed it would turn into 62k of something into which I ended up pouring three months of love and stress and tears and fairly painstaking research. The feedback I’ve gotten from you about this has been so incredibly humbling and I truly believe I’ve become a more compassionate person from this experience. You just never know what invisible battles people are fighting. I feel lucky to have had this opportunity to tell this part of their story.

2. It Is My Heart That’s Late (E) This was the first thing I ever wrote for the LLSS prompt meme, so it was kind of the first step I took toward actually being a part of the community rather than just going about my work in silence and isolation (which, tbh, I still do... I’m just that kind of writer, but I’m trying to get better about connecting with other creators). For this one I got to flex my description muscles, which was probably the biggest challenge of this story. I wanted to make readers feel immersed in the whole sensual world of Iowa in the summertime, as well as the inner nostalgic world of lovers coming back together after five years. It was also the first time I wrote an OC and had a lot of fun channeling what I think my mom/aunts would have been like at that age (as the whole thing was based on what she’s told me about growing up in that place at that time... Dick as the hired man is based on her family’s hired man, Tommy, who lived in a little cottage on their back 40. Sorry that’s probably more than you want to know.) ANYWAY. I was really happy with the subtlety (I think) I was able to bring out in the way their love has changed over the time they’ve been apart. And I got Dick’s ass to Chicago, finally!

3. Roger Wilco (E) I like this one because I think it’s the ultimate Porn with Feelings, even though when I started I tried to just make it straight-up porn. But I’m a sucker for them being completely smitten with each other, and those feelings sort of bleeding into everything they do/say/think/feel. I also think it’s pretty hot, if I do say so myself. Describing Dick pleasuring himself is like... maybe my favorite thing to write about with him, sex-wise.

4. Things He Cannot Lose (T) The very first story I posted when I came back to the BoB fandom was Long Ago and Far Away, but that was a collection of ficlets I’d written many years ago. This one was the first new thing I’d written in many many years and it felt so freaking good to be writing again, and being in these guys’ heads again, and trying to do justice to the pining and brooding and angsting and loving. It was also the first peek of erection-probs Lew, which you all know by now is a thing I love to work in whenever I can. Sweet, drunk, lovelorn mess that he is, bless his soul.

5. Free Kittens (T) It’s so silly but I’m proud of this one because I feel like I can’t write fluff and, aside from some of Dick’s decidedly non-fluffy attitudes toward the barn kittens, I think I managed to make it pure, uncomplicated domestic fluff. I hope so, anyway. I also freed myself of my narrative structure of staying in one character’s POV for an entire scene, trying instead to do a little more free indirect discourse and float back and forth between them. So even though it’s silly AF, this one has poked its sharp little claws into my heart.

And I’m awful at the tagging thing and feel like I'm just annoying people by tagging them and also that they’ve already been tagged a million times but here we go @speirtongirl and @rillalala

#2020 writing wrapped #band of brothers #hbo war #Winnix #wining fic #by me

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lady-griffin · 5 years ago

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I Became Engulfed by Desire...

This was a super cute episode and absolutely hilarious. Mary and Maria were the true MVPs of the episode. I loved that these two brilliant and accomplished ladies are absolute dumbasses when it comes to one specific dumbass.

Mary is just comedic gold. She is so goddamn funny and ridiculous. I love her so much.

I’m still laughing at this. Look at this desperate dork who just wants to be with her precious Lady Katarina.

Maria was also pretty funny, but she was really more of the straight man to Mary being amazing.

Alan was also a great delight. His and Katarina’s scenes were very sweet and endearing and just made me smile. I mean really, how could anyone not smile or have their heart warmed by those two at the end.

ALSO LOOK HOW STUNNING KATARINA WAS!!!!

This episode in general had some stunning scenes. I particularly love this one image.

Beautiful.

Overall, I enjoyed the episode.

It is just filler episode, so I will admit a part of me wants to gets back to the actual plot and get to certain scenes. As I am a bit worried that some of favorite scenes will not get the full-attention they deserve.

And I get a bit more concerned when I notice that there is still a sleepover and possible gardening shears extra to be explored in the anime. Based off these images.

While I absolutely love the extra Manga Ch. 17.5 (it’s an absolute delight and just so adorable), I am curious and nervous to see how they will do everything that they have to do in the remaining time they have left.

Though, perhaps the anime isn’t going to adapt the whole Ch. 17.5 plot, but take the essential core of it for a future scene. Similarly, to how the anime adapted Alan’s extra chapter in Vol. 5 (LN) to the last scene of this episode.

I have confidence in the anime, but I’m still a bit nervous.

SPOILERS BELOW

Plot Heavy Future

The anime does have a decent amount to cover in the next four episodes.

Bully Accusation Scene Maria Disappearing Katarina learning about Black Magic/Nightmare Katarina confronting Raphael Infirmary Scene – Everyone upset/why they love Katarina Katarina Revisiting her old life Raphael’s backstory Confronting Raphael Raphael and Katarina talking on her farm Graduation Party

To be fair, some of these scenes won’t take that much time and some could be excluded or combined. But still, it’s a lot.

We’ll have to see how the Gardening Shears and Sleepover Scenes happen and when. But if we only had a choice between the two, I’d picked the former. I really do love Ch. 17. 5 with all my heart and would love to see it adapted into the anime.

Angst

I do hope the next four episodes will do justice for future events. I want my angst and I want it now.

I particularly want Ch. 18 to get so much attention and love from the anime.

It’s one of my favorite chapters.

I love how everyone is thinking about how much they love Katarina while at the same time are at the horrific realization that Katarina might die and their helpless to stop it. I want that. Give me that angst and more.

I want to suffer.

Alan and Katarina

If you ship Alan and Katarina, then this episode was a godsend. I personally really enjoyed these two here.

I loved how the anime included Alan’s extra POV chapter and Manga chapter from Vol.5 (LN). in this episode. It was well done.

Their scenes were very sweet and romantic.

There’s something I quite like about Alan and Katarina. I think it’s because their relationship is based in a genuine friendship.

Alan is really the only one I can see who would take his shoes off and join Katarina up in a tree. So, it’s just nice seeing them interact.

Also, Alan at this point, is the most normal one. And I think to a certain extent he brings that out in Katarina…particularly in this scene. Katarina was just a lovely, normal girl. It was nice.

It was lovely. Absolutely lovely.

Despite no one thinking of him being a real threat in the race for Katarina’s heart, due to him being oblivious of his own feelings, he’s made the most headway.

Also look at him blushing.

Alan x Katarina have certainly moved up in my rankings.

The colors and scenery of the last scene were really stunning. Just gorgeous.

Katarina’s Desire

She just wants sweets and I love that. Also, she’s like legit eating the Witch’s house from Hansel and Gretel, so that was fun.

I know it’s not that kind of episode, but I would’ve also liked to see Katarina’s deepest desire – avoiding her doomed endings.

While the other characters (and sometimes the narration) believe there is nothing more to Katarina than what’s on the surface, we know that’s not true. Or at least not 100% true.

And I may be looking into this way more deeply than I should.

But since Katarina was essential to everyone else’s desire and she was actually in the book with them, that makes me wonder if Katarina wasn’t there – would they have been satisfied with a fictional Katarina?

Or would they be like Katarina and not be satisfied with their fictional sweets?

The Harem’s Desires

This might be controversial, but I didn’t think their desires for Katarina were honestly that bad as some people have made them out to be. When I had crushes, my ideal situations and fantasies were just as ridiculous and over the top.

That being said, they could’ve definitely improved on how they showed them with one simple fix.

Have Katarina blushing and eyes sparkling, more than what they showed in the episode. That would have easily worked – Katarina is a huge fan of romance. She is so into it (which is why it’s so hilarious she’s oblivious to what’s happening in her life).

I don’t think the desires were awful or even bad, but they were somewhat off-putting for me. And I did feel like they missed the mark.

Geordo

All I can think about is the weird Matrix moves in his fantasy…what a fucking dork.

But at the core he wants to get married to Katarina and have her all to himself without anyone interrupting them (for one night)…which yeah, I get that. Every time he’s alone with Katarina for more than 3 minutes, Keith breaks down the door.

I have mixed feelings towards Geordo saying he likes the uncomfortable face of Katarina’s. On the one hand, we’re seeing that so-called sadistic side of Geordo that we keep hearing about but never really see.

But still…bad Geordo. Very bad. I’m rooting for you, don’t make me regret it.

For me, that statement is a darker take on what Geordo’s desire are stated to be in The Light Novels.

There’s a difference between this –

And this-

It’s the difference between a cabin in the woods vs. a cottage in the forest. Essentially the same concept, but the words make all the difference.

Changing that line from uncomfortable to embarrassed or flustered would’ve been a huge improvement. But there’s nothing we can do about that now and in the end, I did find the overall scene funny.

Though I feel like the anime is a bit of a let down when it comes to Geordo, so there is that.

Keith

I liked Keith’s desire the least. Surprisingly enough, it really had nothing to do with the pseudo-incest.

It was just the most off-putting for me. I did not like the weird lip-licking thing he did… I wasn’t a fan at all.

Sophia

She’s very bold; I’ll give her that.

But also, poor Sophia. Katarina has no idea that Sophia (or the other gals) has any romantic intention towards her and just thinks it’s fully platonic

…because slamming your friend against a wall is super platonic Katarina…

Nicol

This one was probably the funniest fantasy to me. The sounds Nicol made when he was jumping around the city were so funny to me. It was like they were out of a video game.

Also, Nicol’s desire to be The Devilish Count means that either Katarina or Sophia (definitely Sophia) told him that Katarina sees him being similar to the Count. And I guess after he learned that, Nicol read the entire book series and wants to be that way for Katarina.

He wants to be confident around her and have the freedom (and no guilt) in romantically wooing her.

Which is nice, but also what a dork.

Also, Katarina’s dress in his fantasy is either the same as Katarina’s birthday dress, but in a different color. Or at the very least, very similar.

Possibly because Nicol got to dance with Katarina on her birthday and his fantasy did involve dancing with her. A nice bit of detail.

Mary’s reaction to his fantasy, was a gem among gems.

Alan

He wants to play a recital for Katarina. Which is just so touching. Seriously, Alan is killing me with his sweetness.

If I’m not mistaken, Katarina is wearing the same dress she wore to his recital during their summer break. So, it seems very likely he’s playing “Dedicated to You, My Beloved” to well his beloved.

I’m assuming there was more to his desire, but Mary shutting the book was hilarious.

Also, Alan got pretty damn close to his desire in the real world, so good on him.

I feel like it’s safe to say that Mary and Maria’s desire if they were amplified by the book, would be at the same level of everyone else’s’.

Which is fun to imagine. Especially Mary’s desire for Katarina.

Also, everyone realizing that not only did Mary and Maria sees their desire for Katarina, but Katarina experienced their desire was so funny. They all just stood up and left. A+ comedy.

The Study Session Growing

It was fun seeing everyone join in on Mary’s alone time with Katarina, one by one, and Mary’s frustration building up.

Evil Harem.

If we ever wanted to see the Harem as “evil,” this is not a bad reference point in terms of visuals.

Raphael

I love the red herrings surrounding him. It appears he’s just falling for Katarina, which technically he is, but that’s just scratching the surface of what’s actually going on.

Overall, it was nice and cute episode and really funny and ridiculous.

We got a bit more of a look into the characters and their desires for Katarina, but really the main development was between Alan and Katarina. Who would’ve thought?

Oh, and Mary being the funniest character alive.

#Katarina Claes #Hamefura #Bakarina #Alan Stuart #mary hunt #Otome game no hametsu flag #destruction flag otome #my next life as a villainess #Maria Campbell #Geordo Stuart #Gerald Stuart #Sophia Ascart #Nicol Ascart #Keith Claes

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toomanytakennamesagh · 4 years ago

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TSC Villains: Ranked from Most to Least Favorite

Listen, I adore The Shadowhunter Chronicles, but the villains have always been iffy for me. This list is purely opinion based, not factual at all.

Note: I havent included Samael or Janus. Samael, cuz I havent reached his parts yet in TLBOTW; Janus, cuz I wanna see how he is in TWP first before making any opinions of how he is as an antagonist.

1. The Cohort- Probably makes me a hypocrite since, much like the others, they're also cartoonishly evil with no redeemable qualities at all. But! Theyre memorable! This is villainy at its most entertaining! Every scene a Cohort member (cough cough Zara cough cough) was in, I kept wanting them to die, get smacked around, have their spine get ripped out and crunched. I felt something more than apathy or vague disappointment!

2. Shinyun Jung- In the spin-offs but she still counts! I didn't like how cartoonishly evil she became in the second book. Like, at all. Still way higher cuz of her portrayal in the first book, her interesting relationship with Magnus, and having a lot of good lines. Bigger bigger disappointment than Annabel and Malcolm, but at least I enjoy her more. Heck, one could even say I liked her.

3. Annabel Blackthorn- An even bigger disappointment than Malcolm. We did not get to know her very well, but at least some of her scenes were memorable. I appreciate Cassie's efforts in trying to write a non-evil villain.

4. Malcolm Fade- Truly disappointing villain. I thought I'd put him higher, but at a reread I realized he wasnt there that often. I really did like his absemtminded persona in the beginning, and he was actually close to killing Tavvy if it weren't for the Blackthorns finding hom out in time. He even got to resurrect Annabel successfully! Even if it ended horribly for him, he technically won in the end. Also. The diary entries in the cottage. Breaks my heart for what could have been, and makes me want to see a short story about their doomed romance.

You know what, maybe I put him so high cuz Im a sucker for a tragic romance. I did say this list was purely opinion-based.

5. Tatiana Lightwood- Putting her around the lower middle cuz so far I don't really...feel anything for her? I like her feelings and relationship with Jesse and Grace? The dress parrallel with Miss Haversham makes a super cool image? I'd have liked it more if we got to see some complicated feelings towards her brothers, cuz really all I saw was blind hate/willful ignorance towards their father's death, and some annoying complaining about them not giving her enough. Just /some/ sign of attachment, or grudging fondness towards their childhood. Maybe we'd hear more about the relationship with their father? Idk, her scenes in the books/extras dont even fill me with dread. She's just kind of...there for the conflict. But who knows? She could get better later on, we're only at one book for now anyways.

6. Sebastian Morgenstern- Don't care about this guy at all. Nope. He at least got some cool lines and sympathy points, where you actually got to see him in a casual setting, and his death and backstory were nice. Otherwise I hate him, demon blood!Sebastian was an irredeemable monster. Idk, I know that a villain can have no redeemable or human side whatsoever (ie Joker) and still be good. But I also know that I don't feel this way about him. Who knows? It's been a while since I've reread the whole series, so I can't really articulate the exact scenes or reasons why I put him this low, I just know what there's a reason.

7. Valentine Morgenstern- Would honestly been eighth place if it werent for his appearances in the spin offs, where you got to see him deal with the other Circle members. I didnt care about this guy much.

8. Axel Mortmain. I mean this one was obvious??? TID hada lot of good stuff in it, but it was definitely not the villain. I dont even... remember him?? Or a lot of his actions?? The only thing I found noteworthy was his backstory (10/10 good motivation) but it doesn't even do anything cuz a lot of the sympathy that can be gained there wasn't done correctly. I think I remember him finally being able to talk to his dad, and instead of being sad or touching-you know, cuz he finally met the father he lost- I didnt really feel anything of that? I dunno, I could be wrong. It's been a while.

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freneticfloetry · 4 years ago

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1, 7, 13

You’re marvelous. <3

1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

The recipe for an ideal fic from Courtney: a little backstory, a whole lot of banter, equal parts external motivation and internal conflict, a heaping spoonful of emotionally charged misunderstanding and a healthy helping of angst, all topped with a running metaphor masquerading as plot. Bake low and very slow (because good lord, I take forever to write).

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Right now, it's probably this chunk of What Baking Can Do:

He's technically seen El… since; there's a copy made of clay back at the cottage, lying silent and too still in Eliot's bed. But this is the form he knows — towering and full of grace, even bent over a workbench, brows drawn together, sifting flour into a big wooden bowl. Quentin's clearly caught him mid-setup, a telltale line of little clay vessels arranged across one side of the table, and it's sort of fascinating to watch the way he's adapted, the duality of the picture it paints — a faded apron slung over some sort of sheer, gauzy shirt that's tied at his side, sleeves rolled at each cuff to the elbow and hands stripped free of rings, the room's worn wood and stone an unadorned backdrop for the drama of the dark crown of gems that still circles his head. It's an image Quentin doesn't think he could forget, but there's the strangest urge to frame it, hang it, label it in bronze: High King Humbled, 2017. Flesh and bone.

This whole fic took me by surprise, but that was one of those passages, the last line in particular, that kind of springs fully-formed from your head onto the page, just from a split-second mental picture. Those times are rare, but it actually emerged as exactly what I was seeing, which is rarer still.

I wasn't sure if it counts as prose, but I'm also irrationally proud of the script snippet from scenes from an unfinished story. I struggled with how to make it meaningful and worth both the buildup to the script reveal and the reaction Eliot has to it, and revelation he has from it, to the point where it was literally the last thing I wrote. And in the end, it was the basest sentiment — you matter to me — that let me combine that canon scene from the Mosaic with things Quentin's expressed throughout the series to make the moment work.

13. What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?

There was a Tumblr post I reblogged ages ago that advised never ending a writing session between scenes — that starting the next one makes it easier to get back in the zone when you come back to write more — and that has been indispensable. I love ending things. Endings — the ends of scenes, the ends of chapters, the ends of stories — are my strong suit. But the law of opposites is very much in play, so I struggle hard with beginnings. Can't stand them. I used to wrap up writing sessions when I hit the end of a scene, because it gave me the sense of accomplishment that comes from ending on a strong note. Rolling the beginning of the next scene into a session, when I've already got the creative juices flowing, may not give me the same high, but it makes things a hell of a lot easier when I open that file again.

(I also really love Stephen King’s advice to laugh at your own jokes. That’s the key to writing humor, in my experience.)

#yourtinseltinkerbell #asked and answered #about meme #writing

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the-light-followed · 5 years ago

Text

WYRD SISTERS (1988) [DISC. #6; WITCHES #2]

“‘No one would come up here this time of night.’ Magrat peered around timidly. Here and there on the moor were huge standing stones, their origins lost in time, which were said to lead mobile and private lives of their own. She shivered. ‘What’s to be afraid of?’ she managed. ‘Us,’ said Granny Weatherwax, smugly.”

Rating: 6/10

Standalone Okay: Yes

Read First: Yeah!

Discworld Books Masterpost: [x]

* * * * * * * * * *

I’m just going to jump right in with this one: the best part about the Witches sub-series of the Discworld is that they are all, in their own way, stories about stories. They’re stories that follow other stories, the tropes and archetypes and established narrative structure, but they’re also stories that subvert that structure at just the right moment to make something that feels much more truthful, and often, much more real.

Stories about stories.

This is sometimes very literal: Wyrd Sisters, for example, has very obvious Shakespearean roots, notably from Hamlet and Macbeth, and seems to gleefully delight in throwing around references—three witches meeting to cast spells, blood on the murderer’s hands that won’t wash away, the ghost of a murdered father begging his son to seek revenge, a theater called The Dysk that mimics Shakespeare’s Globe, etc., etc., etc.—that then get turned over on their heads. We’ll see it done again with the fairy tale elements of Witches Abroad, and the Phantom of the Opera parody that is Maskerade. These books are, in a very real sense, skipping the setup and instead using cultural touchstones as framework. The books starring the witches are literally new stories being told about stories we, the audience, already know and recognize.

But sometimes it isn’t literal at all: witches, after all, work magic most often through psychology and metaphor. “Headology,” as the witches call it, is the basis of witchcraft, and it’s all about the stories being told. It’s in the things the witches do for respect, like their hats and black outfits and their out-of-the-way cottages they pass down from one witch to the next, or the way they bow instead of curtsey. It’s in the things they call magic even when it isn’t, like using real herbs and medicines to cure illnesses, or waving their hands over a pot of tea and chanting nonsense before ‘reading the future’ in the leaves, all of it only for the look of the thing from the outside.

And it’s also in the things they tell themselves. For example, when Magrat’s broomstick stops working in Wyrd Sisters, she does what she calls a Change spell—which simply means that the rest of the world remains the same, but she changes the way she sees herself. Before, she was a young woman on a broom rapidly falling out of the sky, and now she’s a confident young witch who can deal with any disaster that comes her way, so she’s therefore a lot less worried about it.

And it works. That’s the thing: Magrat is just fine. Witches do magic in and on themselves, it’s all nothing more than a thought, and yet it works.

None of the Witches books are particularly subtle about the point they’re trying to make with the whole deal, either. In Wyrd Sisters, it seems like everyone is talking about the power of words and stories, the way that the things we tell ourselves and each other can shape the reality of the world we inhabit. There are some negatives you can pull out of that message—history is malleable and written by the victors, propaganda triumphs over the truth, etc., etc. But there are a lot of more interesting, thought-provoking ideas to consider, instead. For example: just because narrative structure has already delivered us the broad strokes of the plot (anyone who’s studied any Shakespeare, which can reasonably be assumed to be any native English speaker older than about sixteen, can probably guess the general course of Wyrd Sisters by about page twenty), it doesn’t mean there can’t be originality and meaning in the specifics.

And that originality and meaning is what makes all the Discworld books work so well. Pratchett is parodying, sure, but he’s also creating something very new and earnest and sincere, and that just doesn’t work if the story is an exact beat-for-beat retelling of an already-told tale.

Wyrd Sisters agrees with that idea. Destiny is all well and good—it’s nice to think that what’s to come is pre-planned, easy to predict, and impossible to subvert—but the world just doesn’t work like that. The story isn’t plotted out in advance.

As Pratchett says later in the book: “Destiny was funny stuff…You couldn’t trust it. Often you couldn’t even see it. Just when you knew you had it cornered, it turned out to be something else—coincidence, maybe, or providence. You barred the door against it, and it was standing behind you. Then just when you thought you had it nailed down it walked away with the hammer.”

The witches certainly don’t truck with destiny. Or, well, it may be a tool in their storytelling arsenal, but they don’t see it as a concrete thing. Destiny is what you make of it, and Granny and Nanny are movers and shakers. That makes it especially ironic that the book is called Wyrd Sisters—the word “wyrd” is an old Anglo-Saxon concept referring to fate or personal destiny, so the “wyrd sisters” themselves typically would be the three Fates, a la Greek mythology, rather than three women who tend to grab Fate and Destiny by the ears and twist until they decide to agree that the witches have the right of it.

Honestly, though, if Granny Weatherwax looked at me like that, I’d do whatever she wanted, too.

I just want to bring up something I really like about Pratchett’s writing style: despite the fantastical setting, despite how far from reality he can get, he’s not afraid to switch to Roundworld concepts or just flat-out break the fourth wall in exchange for better, more impactful descriptions. I like to call this cinematic writing, and sometimes that’s actually very literal. There are quite a few passages in various Discworld books where he starts to write in an almost movie-script style. After Moving Pictures, which is still a good four books away at this point, I think that becomes less notable. Here, and in the previous few Discworld books (Mort, Sourcery, Equal Rites), when Discworld does not have any parallel equivalent to Roundworld’s Hollywood, it’s pretty damn unusual for an author to just outright throw aside their own fantasy setting to make a description in real-world terms.

My favorite example of this from Wyrd Sisters:

“It is almost impossible to convey the sudden passage of fifteen years and two months in words. It’s a lot easier in pictures, when you just use a calendar with lots of pages blowing off, or a clock with hands moving faster and faster until they blur, or trees bursting into blossom and fruiting in a matter of seconds… Well, you know. Or the sun becomes a fiery streak across the sky, and days and nights flicker past jerkily like a bad zoetrope, and the fashions visible in the clothes shop across the road whip on and off faster than a lunchtime stripper with five pubs to do. There are any amount of ways, but they won’t be required because, in fact, none of this happened.”

You can practically imagine the way that scene would look in a blockbuster movie, and it’s wonderful that Pratchett describes it crystal clear just to let us know that it is not, in fact, how it looked at all.

There’s a lot more to like about Wyrd Sisters, too, for all that it isn’t one of my favorite Discworld books. It’s a far better introduction to the witches—specifically Granny Weatherwax—than Equal Rites is, even though Equal Rites is technically the first book in the Witches sub-series. It introduces some characters we’ll see a lot more of later, like King Verence and the greater Ogg family, but also characters that will go on to become staples of the Discworld, like Nanny Ogg and Magrat. We also have some lovely cameos from already established characters: notably Death and his interactions during the play at the castle, but there are some good Ankh-Morpork moments, like the Librarian’s appearance at a barfight.

And we get to see the good old Discworld humor really click—it’s all about that balance between absurdism and realism, or between established tropes and self-awareness. One of my favorite examples of this comes right at the beginning of the book:

“As the cauldron bubbled an eldritch voice shrieked: ‘When shall we three meet again?’ There was a pause. Finally another voice said, in far more ordinary tones: ‘Well, I can do next Tuesday.’”

Pratchett’s really got a sense for it by this point, and he can deliver zinger after unexpectedly delightful zinger. Discworld books are always beautifully funny, of course, even though after a while you really get a feel for when a good joke is coming. Some people might think that knowing the punchline is coming might make it less funny: it absolutely does not. All it does is make the unexpected, sneaky moments—when the humor Pratchett has been secretly setting up for ages finally creeps up to smack you in the face—hit harder. Maybe others disagree, but I can read Discworld novels again and again, and they always get me just as much as they did the first time through. In my opinion, that’s real comedic talent.

Up next in the series we have Pyramids, our first unconnected one-off story, which is wonderfully weird even for a Discworld book! Stay tuned!

* * * * * * * * * *

Side Notes:

Every time that oh-so popular Ankh-Morporkian dive bar, the Drum, pops up, it’s fun to note where it’s at these days: Mended Drum, Broken Drum, etc. In Wyrd Sisters, Tomjon and Hwel go drinking in the Mended Drum.

There are several adaptations of Wyrd Sisters, including a 4-part BBC radio show, an animated film, and a stageplay.

As I go over my highlighted quotes and annotations from each book, putting these posts together, I learn more and more about myself. What I like, what I find funny, what I care to notice. For example, Vetinari shows up exactly ONCE in this book, and just in a footnote, and yet I still highlighted it and wrote a note next to it that contained mostly exclamation points. There’s no real point to this; I just want everyone to know how much I love Vetinari.

Favorite Quotes:

“Witches are not by nature gregarious, at least with other witches, and they certainly don’t have leaders. Granny Weatherwax was the most highly-regarded of the leaders they didn’t have.”

“Now, just when a body would have been useful, it had let him down. Or out.”

“‘How many times have you thrown a magic ring into the deepest depths of the ocean and then, when you get home and have a nice bit of turbot for your tea, there it is?’ They considered this in silence. ‘Never,’ said Granny irritably. ‘And nor have you.’”

“His body was standing to attention. Despite all his efforts his stomach stood at ease.”

“Back down on the plains, when you kicked people they kicked back. Up here, when you kicked people they moved away and just waited patiently for your leg to fall off.”

“The Ogg grandchildren were encouraged to believe that monsters from the dawn of time dwelt in its depths, since Nanny believed that a bit of thrilling and pointless terror was an essential ingredient of the magic of childhood.”

“She gave the guards a nod as she went through. It didn’t occur to either of them to stop her because witches, like beekeepers and big gorillas, went where they liked. In any case, an elderly lady banging a bowl with a spoon was probably not the spearhead of an invasion force.”

“‘You’re wondering whether I really would cut your throat,’ panted Magrat. ‘I don’t know either. Think of the fun we could have together, finding out.’”

“Wizards assassinated each other in drafty corridors, witches just cut one another dead in the street. And they were all as self-centered as a spinning top. Even when they help other people, she thought, they’re secretly doing it for themselves. Honestly, they’re just like big children. Except for me, she thought smugly.”

“‘Man just went past with a cat on his head,’ one of them remarked, after a minute or two’s reflection. ‘See who it was?’ ‘The Fool, I think.’ There was a thoughtful pause. The second guard shifted his grip on his halberd. ‘It’s a rotten job,’ he said. ‘But I suppose someone’s got to do it.’”

“Granny’s implicit belief that everything should get out of her way extended to other witches, very tall trees and, on occasion, mountains.”

“Only in our dreams are we free. The rest of the time we need wages.”

“Words were indeed insubstantial. They were as soft as water, but they were also as powerful as water and now they were rushing over the audience, eroding the levees of veracity, and carrying away the past.”

“‘Witches just aren’t like that,’ said Magrat. ‘We live in harmony with the great cycles of Nature, and do no harm to anyone, and it’s wicked of them to say we don’t. We ought to fill their bones with hot lead.’”

“‘I shall haunt their corridors,’ he said, ‘and whisper under the doors on still nights.’ His voice grew fainter, almost lost in the ceaseless roar of the river. ‘I shall make basket chairs creak most alarmingly, just you wait and see.’ Death grinned at him. NOW YOU’RE TALKING.”

#discworld #wyrd sisters

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theres-a-goldensky · 5 years ago

Text

32 + 6 Good Omens Fic Recs

There have been so many good stories to come out of the Good Omens fandom that I thought I should finally go about making a rec list and give credit to the ones that have given me the most joy.

As ever, feel free to reblog and check out my other rec lists for the following fandoms:

The Untamed list one and two - various pairings, mostly Wangxian

IT chapter 2 list one and two - Reddie

Various BL Series fic (fandoms: Love By Chance, TharnType, 2Moons series, My Engineer, Until We Meet Again, 2gether, History3: Trapped)

Or just head over to my bookmarks on AO3.

All fics are completed. All fics are Aziraphale/Crowley.

** denotes a favorite

1. you knew my name on sight by brinnanza - “This wasn’t me, you know,” Crowley says, the words out of his mouth before he’s made the conscious choice to utter them. “Not just the library, but the whole civil war. You know me; I’ve mostly been getting drunk at Bacchanals.”

“I know,” says Aziraphale. (general, 8,300 words)

Reccer’s note: Aziraphale knows Crowley, perhaps even better than he knows himself. This is a bittersweet story about two human shaped-beings who love the Earth, even when it hurts.

2. End with Hope by PepperPrints - In 537 A.D., the Black Knight enters King Arthur's Tournament of Champions, with quite disastrous consequences, and Sir Aziraphale of the Round Table takes it upon himself to intervene -- which, naturally, also turns out to be quite disastrous in itself. (explicit, 15,888 words)

Reccer’s note: Such great pining from Crowley here. This is a really meaty story with a satisfying ending and a gorgeous sex scene, but it definitely leaves me wishing for a modern sequel to see what happens next.

3. Fraternizing by kalpurna - Aziraphale has an unexpected house guest. Crowley disapproves. (explicit, 5,720 words)

Reccer’s note: A curious young angel comes down from Heaven to investigate what things are like on Earth. He asks a lot of very...awkward questions about Aziraphale and Crowley’s relationship. It seems to diverge from canon in that Heaven knows about Aziraphale working with Crowley and sort of looks the other way.

4. Some strangeness in the proportion by trailingoff - ‘I assume your punishment involved the destruction of the demon, but I am not aware of the details,’ says the Angel. ‘The description was redacted from your file and labelled “Highly Classified” with a red stamp.’

*Aziraphale is trying to mourn in peace, but the cause of his grief keeps bothering him. (teen, 11,461 words)

Reccer’s note: Heavy angst warning. This one hurt, but in the best way. Angst with a happy ending. Gabriel figures out the best way to hurt Aziraphale: he makes Crowley into another soulless angel. This story contains grieving and suicidal ideation and attempted suicide. Aziraphale does not take Crowley’s passing well.

5. In Style by shinyopals - ‘You can’t get kidnapped by the forces of Hell looking like that!’ insists Crowley. ‘I have certain standards to maintain!’

Letting someone else drive your body is weird enough without them accidentally ruining your look. Luckily Crowley's around to fix things. (general, 2,124 words)

Reccer’s note: I am an absolute sucker for stories about playing with hair or massage or any kind of pleasant, comforting touching, and this is a great one. I liked Crowley’s voice in this, and the whole thing was very sweet and cozy.

6. Birds of a Feather by idiopathicsmile - “Isn’t this nice?” says Aziraphale with badly feigned casualness the next time Crowley stops by for a late night drink.

Crowley is all set to reply, words lined up in his mouth waiting to go, when Aziraphale adds, “I mean, all of the books and furniture and bottles of wine and things?”

Aziraphale nests. Crowley relearns some crucial facts about angelic courtship rituals. (teen, 3608 words)

Reccer’s note: Aziraphale decides to go all in on courting Crowley, but Crowley is entirely befuddled by what is happening. Some nice mutual pining here, followed by a bit of supernatural, glowy sex.

7. By Definition by idiopathicsmile - Aziraphale has certainly dabbled in the world of carnal delights over the years, most notably in the late nineteenth century, when a certain infernal adversary was enjoying a century-long nap and seemingly the only way to pass the time had been to develop some hobbies. (explicit, 3074 words)

Reccer’s note: Aziraphale is not that into sex, but he’s VERY into Crowley and watching him come apart beneath him. And Crowley is VERY interested in, you know, having that happen. So things work out quite nicely. Even though the physical sensations of sex don’t do much for him, the author does a nice job of showing how Aziraphale still luxuriates in watching Crowley. It’s super hot. Crowley agrees.

8. I am not scared of the elements by sparklespiff - After the loveliest meal of his entire existence, Aziraphale followed Crowley back to the Bentley. He wondered if it would be too forward to try to hold Crowley's free hand, or if he ought to wait for Crowley to reach out. Probably he should wait. Crowley had done the asking, after all, and would better know what he was doing. And anyway, riding in the Bentley was dangerous enough without removing one of Crowley's hands from doing something theoretically necessary for the operation of an automobile.

or: Two occult/ethereal beings with one (1) brain cell between them attempt to end 6000 years of pining. (general, 3609 words)

Reccer’s note: Aziraphale thinks it’s go time after the events of the show, but Crowley believes that Aziraphale has once again put on the brakes. They’re working at cross-purposes, but they both want the same thing. Eventually it all works out.

9. attachment by artenon - 1941. Crowley is hurt more than he lets on from walking on the consecrated ground of the church. Aziraphale takes care of him while grappling with the realization that he's in love with Crowley. (teen, 4455 words)

A bit of mild hurt/comfort. It’s always nice when stories have Aziraphale helping Crowley, because it’s often the other way around. And you can never go wrong with a good h/c.

10. speeding up by tamerofdarkstars - Crowley stopped calculating the minute shifts required to bring his knee into contact with Aziraphale’s and looked instead at the divine being next to him currently licking butter off his fingers.

“Wait. You picked this because you thought I’d like it?” (general, 1725 words)

Reccer’s note: This is one of the shortest fics on the list, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in utter preciousness. So many pure ‘what if I held his hand??’ thoughts.

11.** Five Times Crowley Fails To Demonically Seduce Anyone, And One Time He Doesn't Need To by shinyopals - 'I need you to tell me how to find a human willing to have sex with me, and then how to persuade them to actually do it in the least unpleasant way possible for everyone involved. If I don’t manage at least one seduction, I’m going to get recalled back Down There.’

Aziraphale stared at Crowley for a moment. ‘I think…’ he said delicately, ‘that we should have that drink.’ (mature, 11,166 words)

Reccer’s note: Oh, the feelings. The feelings. Crowley is forced by Hell to engage in some human seduction, when all he wants to do is be seduced by Aziraphale. The pining. The light angst. The gorgeous ending. Read this story.

12. ** Anywhere You Want to Go by Aria - Aziraphale knew Crowley liked him. He'd known it with a horrible clarity since around 1100, which was at least a thousand years after the first time he'd thought of kissing Crowley, and some eight hundred and odd before it occurred to him that the specific quality of Crowley's regard could be very dangerous for both of them, if they actually admitted their feelings aloud.

It was also two weeks since any of that had mattered at all anymore. (explicit, 9990 words)

Reccer’s note: I wish this story was about 10,000 words longer. The sweet and slow coming together here is lovely. This is a South Downs cottage story, where, after everything, Aziraphale is finally ready to face his feelings for Crowley and Crowley’s feelings for him in return. Crowley’s disbelieving, besotted, overwhelmed reaction is my new favorite thing in this fandom.

13. human childcare for the occult (and ethereal) by suzukiblu - The Dowlings miraculously need a nanny and a gardener at the same time, and Aziraphale suggests they flip for it. Crowley takes one moment to picture Aziraphale nannying anyone and calls dibs. It’s not that Aziraphale’s terrible with humans, he’s just, well. Terrible with humans. Truly, truly terrible.

He doesn’t want to deal with Aziraphale getting metaphorically guillotined or kicking up security’s paranoia, basically. A gardener can be a little odd, and no one will notice or care. Except Warlock, perhaps, as the only other person with any real reason to spend much time out on the lawn, but Warlock’s the one they want noticing so that’ll be fine, Crowley’s sure.

Even if it does make him cringe a little, leaving Aziraphale in charge of the plants. (general, 11,954 words)

Reccer’s note: As with all nanny/gardener stories, you need to mentally erase Aziraphale’s horrifying gardener disguise from your brain in order to enjoy this. But this tale of Crowley and Aziraphale becoming “godfathers” to Warlock and making a cozy little life together at the Dowlings is wonderful.

14. Naps and Other Surprises by out_there - The angel is a surprisingly good kisser. All soft lips and gentle sighs, and the careful graze of fingertips along Crowley's jaw. But there's also the scrape of fingernails at the nape of his neck, the pins and needles shiver it sends down his spine, the slightest catch of teeth on his lower lip. (explicit, 4,312 words)

Reccer’s note: Another slow and cozy fic that starts with Aziraphale slowly and carefully giving Crowley a massage and ends with him slowly and carefully eating Crowley out. Pretty nice day for Crowley tbh.

15 & 16. Ineffable Endearments series by TheLadyZephyr - So far this series includes two stories: Four times Crowley called Aziraphale "sweetheart" without noticing (and One time he did) and Four times Crowley fails to cope with Aziraphale using a pet name (and One time he starts to get used to it)

(not rated, 6,130 words total for the series)

Reccer’s note: Look, if you’re going to do the pet names things, I think you have to really lean into it, and that’s what this author does. It’s sweet how adorably flustered they each get in these stories. So fluffy.

17. An Angel who did not so much Fall In Love as Settle Into It Gradually by TheLadyZephyr - Crowley was standing in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets, looking a little lost. Aziraphale eyed the distance between them. Five steps. Five steps, and six thousand years, and a battlefield spanning an eternity.

The story of the little moments over the millennia that shape an angel’s regard for a demon, and the way he slowly, with great reluctance but inevitable surety, falls in love. (general, 7,548 words)

Reccer’s note: I wish more stories would span the centuries the way that this one does. There’s so much material ripe for a good love story in it, and this author seems to understand that. Slow burn that I wish was a little slower, but still left me satisfied, especially the kiss at the end, when Aziraphale literally says “fuck it.”

18. get religion quick (cause you're looking divine) by brinnanza - So it was fine. Even if Crowley couldn’t love him, he clearly liked him well enough, and that was almost the same thing.

It no doubt would have continued to be fine, or at least fine-adjacent, were it not for a narrowly averted apocalypse and several bottles of a really quite nice Riesling Aziraphale had found in the back room of his newly restored bookshop. (general, 4,285 words)

Reccer’s note: Why, why, why aren’t there more stories with Aziraphale being sure that Crowley can’t love him? This is wonderful seeing the pining from the other side. And of course Aziraphale is completely wrong and completely silly, but that just makes it better. Stars in my eyes for this one.

19. Wings and How to Hide Them by triedunture - Crowley's been annoyingly in love for six thousand years. What's another lifetime between friends?

Or: Aziraphale definitely fucks and isn't that just perfect? (Mature,10,134 words)

Reccer’s note: Crowley knows that Aziraphale has sex, so he assumes it must just be him he doesn’t want. Aziraphale, meanwhile, assumes that Crowley just isn’t Into That. 6000 years of Crowley pining. I will honestly never get enough of this trope. Not ever. I will die wanting more.

20. the first week of the rest of their lives by Deputychairman - “Port gives the worst hangovers in the world, did you know that?” Crowley slurred when the bottle was all gone. “Don’t know who got credit for that one. Nice drink, lovely drink, shame it makes you want to die in the morning.”

“Such a shame,” Aziraphale agreed sadly, watching Crowley stretch out on his sofa. He did like port. He liked Crowley stretched out on his sofa, too. (mature, 4,618 words)

Reccer’s note: The world doesn’t end, but Aziraphale needs a bit of time to ease himself into the idea of a life with Crowley. Crowley obliges him, as ever. I like the way that the sex feels inevitable here, like they’re just falling naturally into it. I also like that Crowley is the one to ravish Aziraphale first.

21. Not So Blue by pineapplecrushface - Aziraphale presses his suit. Crowley mostly has a lot of questions. (mature, 5,501 words)

Reccer’s note: After the events of the show, things start to change and Crowley doesn’t know if he’s quite ready for it. The way that Crowley comes to recognize Aziraphale’s feelings for what they are was so beautiful.

22. Almost Human Moments by shinyopals - The fact that Crowley's largest contribution to saving the world had been to encourage a scared child was an uncomfortable fact that he was endeavouring to bottle up. He was actually doing quite well at bottling it up because of all the other uncomfortable facts he was currently dealing with that he couldn’t even begin to figure out how to bottle up.

Such as: Hell was going to find him, and make him pay.

After the Apocalypse-that-wasn't, Crowley broods, Aziraphale thinks, and somehow they manage to muddle through. (teen, 6,701 words)

Reccer’s note: The visceral and immediate reaction that Crowley has to the idea of Aziraphale going down to Hell was so lovely. There’s also some very intense hand holding that really pushes my buttons. The world needs more desperate hand holding.

23. ** Ever After by ArabellaFaith - We all know they're in love. But maybe, now that the head offices are off their backs, Crowley and Aziraphale can actually DO something about it.

A rambling descent into love confessions, sexual exploration, and what it means for these two to live happily ever after. (explicit, 16,450 words)

Reccer’s note: So much sex. So much really, really good sex. Desperate sex. First time sex. Sex with feelings Is there anything better in fanfic? I really don’t think so.

24 & 25. ** It’s Not The End of the World, Dear series by jessthereckless - Series includes two stories so far: Lie Back And Think Of Dinner and Still My Heart Has Wings

After averting the apocalypse, Crowley and Aziraphale re-examine their relationship and reach the obvious conclusion: they're retired, they're in love and they're damn well going to enjoy it. Providing, of course, that they can stay out of trouble. (mature, 20,745 words total for the series)

Reccer’s note: WHY ISN’T THERE MORE MAGICAL SEX IN THIS FANDOM? I want literally earth-shattering orgasms, give them to me, people. These stories are so good, because the author packs so much feeling and sensuality into every agonized scene between them. There’s desperation, there’s so much love, and there’s really weird-but-hot sex.

26. Taking the Liberty by CartWrite - After swapping bodies (but before their respective sides come for them), Aziraphale spends the night in Crowley's flat trying to figure out how to talk, walk, and be convincing as Crowley. Trouble is, he's such a convincing Crowley, he starts to convince himself to... well. Things get out of hand. (explicit, 3,463 words)

Reccer’s note: Is it really masturbation if you’re bodyswapped with the guy you’ve spent 6000 years pretending not to be obsessed with? Asking for a friend.

27. a city wall and a trampoline by kafkian - In their cottage in the South Downs, when Crowley eventually succeeds in getting Aziraphale to use a laptop, it takes Aziraphale literal hours to get past the default Windows screensavers of picturesque locations because 'oh, look, isn't it lovely, Crowley!'

5 times Crowley knows he’s in love with Aziraphale + 1 time he knows the reverse. (teen, 4,727 words)

Reccer’s note: Crowley just being so endlessly fond of Aziraphale fills me with so much joy. And it’s here again. It’s technically five times that he knows he’s in love with Aziraphale, but it’s also five times that Crowley tries so hard to make Aziraphale happy.

28. A Home at the Beginning of the World by stereobone - "Oh," Aziraphale says. "I think Crowley might have moved in with me." (explicit, 5,867 words)

Reccer’s note: A visit with Anathema and Newt helps Aziraphale realize some very clear things that he’s been missing.

29. Too Generous by rfsmiley - “You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.”

Or: what happened after the [ we all got hit by a ] bus scene (aka "you could stay at my place, if you like")....(teen, 1,501 words)

Reccer’s note: Crowley offers Aziraphale the bed, and Aziraphale suggests that there would be room for two. Contains slinky Crowley, which there should just be more of in the world.

30. His Banner Over Me by pineapplecrushface - Three of Aziraphale's excellent ideas, and how Crowley (very casually) obliges him, as a friend does. (explicit, 5475 words)

Reccer’s note: Handjobs. Just...truly excellent mutual handjobs. \

And finally, because this is my blog and I can, here is a list of my own stories for after you finish all the recs above:

1. The Seduction Malfunction - “Disguise yourself,” Hastur said. “Pretend you’re a priest, or better yet, an altar boy. Their lot can’t resist an altar boy.”

Crowley held in a hysterical bubble of laughter as he imagined Aziraphale’s horrified face at being confronted with Crowley disguised as a lascivious altar boy. He’d feed him soup and give him a good talking to before sending him on his way.

Crowley gets orders to seduce Aziraphale to the dark side. It goes about as well as you might expect. (teen, 5,441 words)

2. Transference - There was always a low level hum of attraction and lust in the air when Crowley was around. In fact, Aziraphale couldn’t recall a single time, after their first meeting on the wall, when he hadn’t watched Crowley dazzle and transfix every poor human that they encountered. He’d even seen Eve give him the eye when he was in his human form, back in the day, and she’d been with child at the time.

Aziraphale couldn’t blame them for falling victim to Crowley’s considerable wiles. He was a demon, after all. Tempting was in the job description. Plus, he’d clearly designed his human form to be utterly irresistible to all humans, from his eye-catching hair down to his stylish clothing. It was overkill, if you asked Aziraphale. But then, he supposed, overkill wasn’t really a thing with demons.

Aziraphale would win a gold medal in Mental Gymnastics. (mature, 4,282 words)

3. Step in the Bright Lights - The angel was holding court on the walking path surrounded by a passel of small children and their bored parents. He wore an absolutely ridiculous magician’s costume, complete with a top hat, cape, black wand, and a painted on mustache above his upper lip that had Crowley recoiling in horror. On a table in front of Aziraphale was a sign that proclaimed: THE AMAZING MISTER FELL AND HIS REMARKABLE FEATS OF PRESTIDIGITATION.

He almost turned right around, but then Aziraphale spotted him and waved enthusiastically, stopping in the middle of a bit involving some handkerchiefs coming out of his sleeve to greet him.

“Oh, look, children! It’s the Amazing Mr. Fell’s very special assistant, Signor Crowley!”

Aziraphale picks up some new hobbies. Crowley has no chill. (teen, 3,311 words)

4. Something To Talk About - He had the sudden and almost overwhelming desire to reach out and take Crowley’s hand. An absurd notion, of course. In 6000 years, Crowley had never shown any inclination towards physical affection for Aziraphale, despite their shared feelings. Aziraphale had long ago accepted that any gentle touch from him would have Crowley stepping hastily away and otherwise ignoring Aziraphale’s attempts. Or at least he had accepted it, until their delicate status quo had been disrupted.

Aziraphale jumps to some very inaccurate conclusions. (explicit, 3,664 words)

5. To Rest My Weary Soul - “Are you saying I feel like this because of my time in Hell? I thought you meant moral consequences.”

“Since when do I give a toss about moral consequences, angel? No, you’ve got a Hell hangover. Must have hit once the adrenaline wore off,” Crowley answered.

“Hell hangover?” Aziraphale repeated incredulously.

Aziraphale's trip down to Hell leaves him worse for wear. (teen, 3,945 words)

Bonus: Podfic by FayJay

6. Taking the Long Way - Crawley nodded down at the sweaty humans undulating in a frightfully uncomfortable-looking position below them. “Mating,” he clarified. “One of God’s better ideas, if you ask me. Looks like it could be fun.”

“Does it?” Aziraphale asked doubtfully. “It’s all a bit sticky for my tastes. I think She had the right of it with plants. Pollination seems much more sensible.”

It takes Aziraphale 6000 years to catch up. (explicit, 6,919 words)

#good omens #good omens fic #fic recs #reclist #ineffable husbands #ineffable husbands fic rec #ineffable husbands fic #aziraphale/crowley

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