#very canon divergent at this point but canon was a disappointment this season anyway so

[heycoyotegirl]

looking through my docs from 2020 is wild because most of them are like bits of meta or characterization notes or ficlets

and then out of no where i’ll be hit with something like “concept: zoe is a lesbian and paxton is her emergency beard when annoying guys won’t leave her alone”

[crescentmoonrider]

another rewrite, except longer

Well, Arcane season 2 was certainly. Something

You can really see that the team was under pressure to put out a lot of things, and fast. Like, without mentioning how crammed this season was or the themes that were dropped, there was a shocking amount of continuity and characterization errors that should and would have been caught during script editing if the team was allowed more time. For one single example : the timeline of Vander and Silco’s falling out was completely butchered to the point it makes zero sense if we take the information from season 1 and 2 together. This should have been fixed during editing, and the fact it wasn’t reveals some deep issues with production

(My guess is that Riot pushed a release date for commercial tie-in reasons, and the one place the team could really cut corners was during writing, since animation is a slow process and Fortiche would depend on the scripts (or a rough outline at first) to get to work, and the music collaborations also require time + supplementary animation that all depends on the script to just. Exist. And Riot can more easily pressure its in-house teams than music producers and artists independent from the company. But that’s just a personal guess, I don’t actually know anything about the behind the scenes here)

Honestly I’ve been kind of simmering in the disappointment and wasted potential this whole week, and it’s been somewhat of an issue to focus on other stuff, so here’s what I’m going to do : I’m going to explain how I would rewrite this season to try and make it, if not good, then at least coherent with itself and with the themes developed in season 1. And then I’m never going to write anything else about this show again

Deal ?

Alright, let’s do this. Some ground rules first :

we’re working with just the one three-act season 2. Riot wants to move on to greener pastures to introduce more champions and skins, and we’re not winning against the corporate overlords. No added episodes, no season 3 to help pace things better. Welcome to hell

most of the issues I have with season 2 come from the second and third acts, so that’s what I’m going to focus on for the most part

I’m not introducing new characters or locations. Helps that I don’t know anything about League lmao, but more broadly what I mean is like. I’m in the writers room moving post-its on the wall, not writing a 200k fanfiction over like 10 years (real thing I’m currently doing for an A:tlA canon divergence if anyone’s wondering), I don’t have the time, nor the energy honestly, to make sweeping changes and consider their ramifications. We’re keeping things simple, basically

related to the above point, we’re keeping major plot beats. That means Magic Robot Jesus Viktor still happens, as does the Ekko-Heimerdingdong-Jayce dimensional displacement, or the battle against Ambessa’s troops. What I’m going to do is try to make them happen in a more natural, thematically resonant manner. Because I’m convinced it’s possible

Now, having said that, the first order of business for this rewrite (and honestly just, to make this season like. Coherent) is to make space for the plot and the themes. Class warfare and the question of Zaun’s independence were introduced in season 1 and still echo through act 1 and (in one episode) 2 of the second season, and the ending scene makes an attempt to bring them back with Sevika’s seat at the Council, so clearly the goal wasn’t to give that up entirely. Meaning we need to expand on those themes specifically, since familial bonds (the other main Arcane ingredient) are still very much there in the plot with little need to add onto them

Anyway the Black Rose plotline has to go. “But Yumi, didn’t you say you were keeping major plot beats ?” yeah this is the one exception. Look, it just doesn’t cohere. It has no thematic resonance, takes place in a completely different space than the rest of the plot, and basically only involves one single character. It was also the least established plot thread from the first season. Kino died and Ambessa made enemies, and so she wants Hextech. There’s no real need to elaborate on any of this in Arcane specifically. We’re cutting it. Mel can say that she’s going to look into her mother’s enemies/the people who killed her brother in her epilogue or something, and Riot can make a whole spinoff about her quest to find out she’s a mage and still get a shiny new champion out of it, or whatever it is they’re doing with her

Like I said. Idk anything about League. Please don’t tell me anything about League

Cutting out the Black Rose plotline does two things for this rewrite :

it frees up important time that can be spent on elaborating on pre-established themes and plotlines, thus making up for what is in my opinion the weakest and most disappointing aspect of season 2, which is that they completely dropped the ball on class warfare

it frees up Mel’s character

We do need to quickly address the reason Mel survives Jinx’s missile at the start of the season, since she was right in the crosshairs, but that can be done very easily honestly – I may not know shit about League, but I remember the post-season 1 theories, and there were mentions of an in-game item that acts like a magic shield or something ? We’re gonna say she was wearing something of the like, just in case something ever happened. Because she’s been raised in Noxus, by Ambessa, and doesn’t trust that she won’t ever be attacked, even in Piltover. If Ambessa and her guard can have anti-magic runes, Mel can have a force-field

It’s single-use and she only took one of these shields when she was cast off, so no more easy out for her

There’s no need to explain why Jayce barely got a scratch in my opinion, sometimes people are just lucky. It’s not uncommon for survivors of like, car crashes or terror attacks, to just have a light concussion while the guy next to them died. Things happen. Survivor’s guilt is real, and random chance plays a role no matter how much we’d like to think it doesn’t

Anyway back to Mel

Since she isn’t a mage in this rewrite, we’re having her “be the fox” so to speak. She knows Ambessa, knows not to trust her, and does her best to oppose Noxian influence over Piltover as part of the council – however, as we’ve seen happen in episode 1, right now her influence has dwindled, and all she can do is try to limit the damage. This does not get any better when Ambessa gets Caitlyn propelled to the role of puppet dictator and Jayce vanishes

If Mel wants to counter Ambessa’s plans and preserve Piltover from becoming some sort of fucked up military experiment, she cannot do it alone. She needs allies. People she can trust would never agree with Ambessa’s ambitions, and who could both weaken Noxus’ influence and help Mel regain some of her counterbalancing weight – but also, and this is always key to negotiation and alliances, people who could benefit from what Mel has to offer

Her options are limited, but since Ambessa is using the conflict with Zaun as fuel for her campaign, well. If you can’t fight a fire directly, you need to starve it. Mel, through her Zaunite catgirl informant, gets in touch with what undercity “leaders” she can find. Namely Sevika and the Firelights’ lieutenant

We can find an echo of this decision in the discussion between Jayce and Silco in season 1, specifically this line : “I was reminded recently of what brought us together in the first place. The threats beyond our walls.”

Now, obviously her offer for parlay gets rejected at first. Neither Piltover nor Mel (as both a Council member and Noxian) have earned Zaun’s trust at this point

But the situation isn’t getting any better, Ambessa gathers troops to pick up Vanderwick at Viktor’s commune, and Jinx isn’t showing up anywhere to keep morale high and unite Zaun’s people under a strong symbol. Sevika thinks back to Silco leaving to go on a meeting with Jayce and negotiate their independence, and while she’s always preferred to serve the cause by following someone who actually has plans on how to get things done, right now there’s no one like that left. Ekko’s second looks at the tree’s leaves falling and realizes that they’ll have to make a new place if this one falls apart, and right now there’s nowhere in Zaun that is safe enough for that, no place that is safe for the children here

They already agreed to unite old enemies once before, leaderless goons and Firelights and Jinxers, all under the banner of Zaun. It didn’t work, sure, but they tried. They showed up at the meeting. Sevika called the meeting. The two agree to meet with Mel once, to see what she wants

Ideally we’d have a scene where we contrast the Firelights coming to a communal decision on what to do and their list of demands, with Sevika writing her list on her own while some knuckleheads roughhouse it in the background (maybe Sevika even pulls out the manifesto Silco was writing in the flashback for reference, again as contrast – and continuity – with the Firelights, with the past and present/future of Zaun’s independence movement all tying together here). We’re on a tight schedule though, so maybe part of that scene’s hitting the cutting room floor, idk

Anyway Mel makes a request for peace, to cut the grass under Ambessa’s foot so she has no standing anymore to justify her takeover of Piltover, and Sevika and the Firelight guy make their demands. Independence, amnesty for all Zaunite freedom-fighters rotting in Stillwater, access to trade routes, control over the ventilation system (it’s not independence if someone else controls the air you breathe. Or your water, or your electricity. Free Palestine) etc. We can add more clauses, but those would be the main ones

The meeting would be tense at first, since none of these people really trust each other, but they soon realize they’re all desperate to make things better in some way, so they do shake hands at the end even though no deal has been reached yet. They’re not going to become friends, but they can work together and honestly ? That’s already a lot

The sticking point would be Jinx, of course, but thankfully she’s letting herself get arrested by act 3 so we can leave that aside for now. Sevika and Firelights insist that they don’t give up their own, though. Loyalty is the only thing Zaunites can count on, after all

Now, before moving on to act 3, there’s still a little housekeeping to do

First, we need to fix the fuckiness of the Vander flashbacks and his letter to Silco. Like, the falling out between the two could not have happened after the tragedy at the bridge, for multiple reasons. For one, the Vander drowning Silco in season 1 was shaved clean, while the Vander at the bridge has his full beard on. For two, you’re telling me Vander dropped his gloves and picked up the girls and supposedly brought them home, shaved his beard, then went back up to the Pilt to drown his best friend, in what’s supposed to be horrible grief and anger and not premeditation ? It just doesn’t make sense. Doesn’t compel me either

Anyway, I’m not opposed to Vander writing the letter to Silco after the girls’ mom died, in a “I’ve just lost my other best friend and I’m now realizing I went about everything the wrong fucking way and I’m so sorry” kind of way. So that’s what the letter is now, an apology that’s much too late to fix anything, and an attempt at bridging a gap of many years between two people who used to be comrades

And obviously we’re getting rid of the bit of flashback where it’s implied Silco accidentally killed the girls’ mom with a Molotov because that’s just stupid. We don’t need to know what he and Vander broke up over, but it can’t be something that weakens the themes of police brutality and oppression. And don’t “cycle of violence is also a theme” me, they’re revolutionary leaders, they’ve made mistakes and got their people killed or arrested before. You don’t get called the Hound of the Underground without brutally killing a couple few dudes, and that shit has repercussions

Another point before we move on to act 3 is the question of what the hell Sky is supposed to be. In a show that has always been really good at making clear what is a hallucination and what isn’t, Sky’s existence in Viktor’s mind… perplexes me. I interpreted her presence as a manifestation of his guilt over her death and the wasted potential of her too-short life, and how he now wishes he had like, acknowledged her while she was still by his side and not dust. But other people think she’s been idk, absorbed into the arcane ? And that it was therefore the real Sky hanging out with Viktor

In short, it needs to be clearer what’s going on here, and given the fact that they don’t develop Sky’s character and that her whole tragedy is that her life was cut short so suddenly, I think leaning into the idea of her as a manifestation of guilt and Viktor’s isolation (he knows all of his followers, but is still separate from them both physically and in the fact that they do not know what he’s about, and also he’s just lost all two of his friends) would be interesting

Makes the later “I will miss our conversations” “No, you won’t” line more impactful too, as it would be Viktor’s conscience calling him out on the fact that, like, he never really talked to Sky while she was alive. He is missing the idea of her, and trying to make himself feel better about accidentally murdering her when he is now also actively trying to make himself incapable of feeling regret anymore, and thus incapable of learning from his mistakes the way he did when Sky died

With that said, on to act 3 !

Episode 7 is like, very good already, and the fact that it gets time travel right ? Beautiful. Love to see it. The main thing I would change is that there is no way Ekko would think Vi’s death is the only catalyst for change in this world. Like, the divergence is much older than that – and I’m not just talking about Silco finding the letter, I mean that Zaun is just, actively participating in Piltovian culture and events ? They’re part of the Inventors Contest ?? How the hell did that happen ???

I’m not saying we need a detailed timeline, but simply that someone (Ekko) should really remark on that

Also Silco’s eye should be fucked, maybe even gone, if he didn’t have access to Singed’s help to maintain it. Him becoming “good” should not mean that his disability is prettier to look at, and honestly I hate that ugly disabilities tend to be shorthand for evil characters in media. It’s not unique to Arcane, but it was especially disappointing to see it done to Silco of all characters, when his disability was dealt with so gracefully in season 1

We’ll come back to Jayce’s little dimensional trip later, for now it’s fine

Now, the preparations for the battle against Ambessa’s troops… I mean, first of all no one from Zaun is getting put in an enforcer uniform, like what the fuck ?! But also the plan and the way it’s explained changes – no we need your help to save Piltover, it’s “we need your help to save the world,” with an insistence that it doesn’t change the justified resentment Zaun holds for Piltover, but that this fight is also for the sake of their own survival, as Jayce very clearly saw that everything will be ruined if Viktor reaches his goal. Mel’s talks with Sevika and the Firelights also come into play here, as they can now more easily put conditions on their help, and Mel is more likely to agree to push for Zaun’s interests

Most of the city is still evacuated, no one wants a massacre of civilians, but focusing the fighting solely on the Hexgates is just. Look, Ambessa is an experienced military leader, she knows how to lay a siege and fight against conventional military techniques. So the defence now has two layers, proposed by Mel as she knows to use every advantage she can grab. She is the fox in this rewrite, remember

At the Hexgates, enforcers and Piltovan volunteers will man the cannons and more or less do what they did in canon. The other layer is built on the Mel/Zaun collaboration and guerrilla tactics. The goal is to disrupt Ambessa’s troops and their advance and prevent a frontal clash at the Hexgates as much as possible, as Mel anticipates it would be what Ambessa is expecting and would thus be prepared for. With the help of Mel and her knowledge of Piltover’s streets (and possibly Caitlyn’s map of the ventilation system, and whatever other cool tricks might be built into the city. Inventors made this place, there’s bound to be interesting things going on), Sevika, as well as gang members and Jinxers and the Firelights who agreed to/can fight (children were evacuated) lay traps and plan for ambushes and ways to make as much damage as possible without engaging frontally

Academy members help pitch the Firelights’ hoverboards so they can move about efficiently in Piltover’s lighter air. Weapons are greased and sharpened, explosives raided from Jinx’s place and passed around for the teams that need them. Ekko’s lieutenant passes a screwdriver to Sevika, who makes sure her arm is all ready for combat. Mel enters the room to ask how the preparations are going, and the two Zaunite leaders exchange a nod before Sevika hands Mel a dagger, just in case she finds herself in the line of fire. “Wouldn’t want to lose our one ally topside,” one of them says, and it’s pretty obvious that they agreed to this beforehand. When they all leave the room, Mel stands alone, looking down at the blade in her hands

Now, is a fight on multiple fronts hard to plan for and choreograph? Yes. Good thing I’m not animating any of this !

Notable moments would include Caitlyn leaving her post because she can’t see Maddie where she’s supposed to be, and that’s when she finds Maddie trying to do acts of sabotage. She hesitates, clearly still holding affection for her, but her presence has alerted the Firelights’s current leader, and he flies to take out Maddie right as Maddie notices Caitlyn and prepares to shoot her in turn. Caitlyn thanks him and apologizes for hesitating, he grunts and leaves to take care of more things a little farther away

Caitlyn now being down in the streets, where the guerrilla is going on, leads to her losing an eye while saving a Zaunite, not hesitating this time. Tempted to say she saves Sevika, as they have a conflict-filled history together and it would demonstrate Caitlyn’s growth and her ability to put grudges behind for the greater good (and not just for Vi’s sake as she’s already shown when letting her free Jinx) and mark the start of her efforts to make up for the suffering she’s inflicted on the people of Zaun. We’re not going to see much of these efforts because the series is ending soon, but it’s important to show that the seeds are there for reparations

In any case, Ambessa doesn’t get her cool one-on-two duel with Caitlyn and mage!Mel, since we’re not stopping the fighting this time, and also Mel isn’t a mage. Sevika and the Firelights’ lieutenant two-time her at some point, Sevika gets knocked to the ground, while his ride is destroyed and he is sent flying into a fountain or something. Ambessa prepares to deal the final blow on Sevika, who struggles with the handle of her arm’s wheel of fortune, when someone stabs her from behind. She turns around, striking her assailant with one fist, revealing Mel, who looks up at her mother in grief and pain and horror. Focus on Mel’s eyes (“[…] you weakened me ! I couldn’t stand the look in your eyes when I made the decisions, the necessary decisions to keep us safe !” is the idea) as Ambessa pauses for just a second, distracted. That’s a mistake she can’t take back, even as she raises her weapon again, and the maw of Sevika’s arm bites down on her neck like a wolf taking down a prey, the jackpot smile flashing on her shoulder

She helps Mel (still upset about having stabbed her mom, been hit by her in turn, then watched her die brutally, but trying to hide it) get back up and gives her a pat on the shoulder and a “thanks” while turning away

And that’s when the robots come in and everyone’s mind is slowly taken over

(The fight against Ambessa would have been intercut with Hexgate fighting as Viktor’s cocoon slowly approaches, with the empty cocoon reveal coming only after her defeat)

So now we reach the Jayce and Viktor face-off. And honestly ? I only have like, two changes to make here. I’m fine with it. I think I’ve said it before, but I’m fine with most of this season, just not the way it was executed

Anyway change the first ! Viktor actually corrects Jayce on his motivations as I already went over real quick in this post – it’s not about fixing what Viktor sees as imperfections, it’s about putting an end to all conflict, oppression, class warfare, and the environmental results of all that that made him slowly and painfully die. I also need him to go “My disease ? My disease was not beautiful, Jayce, it destroyed my body from the inside ! I was fine being a cripple* but this pain ? Dying before I could truly help anyone ? That’s not beautiful, that’s just, just… unfair, and cruel, and for what ? So Piltover never has to see its own sewage, or breathe the same air as we do ?” and then from there go on about how the Great Evolution is about changing humanity for the good of everyone, so no one has to suffer unnecessarily from the greed and selfish desires of other people, and to put an end to all inequalities

*Viktor self-identifies as a “poor cripple from the Undercity” in season 1 episode 2 I’m not calling him slurs I just genuinely think that’s how he sees himself

And then, once everything has come clean, Jayce can go like “well obviously society has to change to accommodate people in all their differences, look at all the people fighting to make that happen, look at us and our dreams to better everyone’s lives – making everyone the same will just make you alone and miserable” and show him what alternate!Viktor shared in the dimensional field trip

Which brings us to change the second : make it clear that Viktor is not mister magic man who gave Jayce the runes. Designs don’t match, hands don’t match (mister magic man has hand tattoos, alternate!Victor does not, for instance) – which makes Jayce being able to stop Viktor in his world the product of just dumb luck rather than an experiment from alternate!Viktor or something. The same dumb luck that saved his life in the first episode of the season, the same dumb luck that made it so he was born in Piltover rather than Zaun, the same dumb luck that got Sevika the jackpot in her fight with Ambessa. Jayce asks alternate!Viktor why he gave him the rune and a!Viktor says “it wasn’t me. But I did bring you here, because I saw a possibility for change I haven’t seen in any other world. I don’t know the cause – maybe there isn’t one. Maybe this is a wild rune, a ripple born from inconsequential actions long ago. Maybe it’s simply luck. [flash to the acceleration rune and Ekko and Sevika’s jackpot and Jayce surviving the explosion unscathed at the start and maybe a whole other slew of tiny lucky moments] But you’re the only one who can do it, Jayce. Only you.” And then have them be absorbed into the rune to become an arcane queer singularity together

I’m not necessarily opposed to Zaun having a place in the Council as a first step to independence in the epilogue, but it needs to be half of the Council. One single seat means nothing, we’ve seen loads of decisions be taken with a majority vote rather than unanimity, Zaun having only one seat is a spit in the face of everything they’ve been fighting for, and I can’t imagine any Zaunite actually agreeing to that. Anyway I’d like a big celebration of independence with everyone, but a first step is also okay, it’s not like all plot points all need to be resolved neatly so long as we keep the door open

Maybe have Caitlyn say “you’re not dirt” in the same light tone Vi said she’s the dirt under Caitlyn’s fingers, also. Just a small, loving reassurance during that scene

Also Ekko can not end the series on his own what the hell ? It’s fine if he grieves Jinx and Heimerdinger in quiet solitude, but the rest of the Firelights should come in at the end of the scene to comfort him, because he is the one character in this series who is entirely focused on community, and leaving him on a solitary note feels like a betrayal in my opinion

… and with that, I think we’ve reached the end of this rewrite !

I hope you enjoyed this small vision of what could have been, I’m completely winded now and I think my anger has run its course. I’m done writing about this show now. Might rewatch season 1 again soon though, I miss Silco

[harumii7]

MHA epilogue (re-write)

By @haruvm1 on twitter

As many people, I too am gravely disappointed by the ending of MHA, to the point that it’s genuinely laughable. 

430 and the entire post war epilogue was downright mid, and I wont even begin with 431 but lets put that aside for now, as I’m writing an outline for a different MHA epilogue that makes more sense!

- I hope…

‼️‼️Disclaimers(PLEASE READ):

‼️‼️ If you’re happy with the ending and aren’t open to criticism, you might not want to read this, but this is not a hate rampage on the epilogue and you might actually find yourself enjoying it.

‼️‼️it contains little to no shipping content, especially not in the center and it has a little bit of everyones relationship 😁!

(‼️Disclaimer: I greatly respect Horikoshi as a writer and take inspiration from his work AND art, but with that respect comes honesty and criticism. As the ending was really worthy of a plethora of such criticism. I am not writing this in an attempt to overwrite his story, view this as more of an idea or a fanfic of what could’ve been-> if it was more thought through.)

‼️‼️ PLEASE no ship wars(from neither sides, they make me ill), this isn’t supposed to cause anyone harm or start any major discussion or fights It’s genuinely basically a canon complaint/divergence fanfiction OUTLINE, which you’re free to consume or not!

‼️‼️ This is also NOT supposed to be a tool for discussing the ending, it’s just fandom content, not an opening for debates and I personally will probably mute any aggressive comments regarding 431 because I genuinely don’t care!

‼️‼️Excuse my english, it is not my first language and excuse the drawings! Im trying to do this quickly LOL

Anyway enjoy!

Let’s start roughly chpt. 424 (the hospitals scene)

424

Side note to loss of OFA-> I think it was an amazing decision to let him be quirk-less again as OFA is the counter part of AFO and should ergo not exist without AFO, also OFA embodies his self sacrifice and doesn’t let him be a hero on his own terms and makes him rather a vestige for an ideal. So losing OFA ultimately needs to happen to set his character free.

Lets keep this chapter as it is, expect for the fact that Izuku understands that Katsuki is being genuine instead of brushing him off 

With the “this isn’t like you” line. Instead he just looks at him without saying anything. 

Here the real page for reference 

I make this change because their development in the show has been overcoming their miscommunication. We’ve been through this for 8 seasons, why were they doomed to their original narrative they have ACTIVELY been working against??

425 

Perfectly fine as it is

426

The Todorokis conclusion is peak, very nice. Could’ve killed endeavor, but I digress as it is not necessary... 

427 

This is where we from chapter 424 slowly see the transition of Izuku getting more and more depressed which I will follow up with later! As Horikoshi very unfortunately never did.

428 

Stays as it is, also fine. 

Except for one small addition:

Since the Epilogue we’ve seen Izuku indulge in his biggest character flaw, not looking at himself (even though he’s been through a war, saw his bestfriend die and feels as though he is a murderer), but quite literally scanning the crowd for people to save, unnecessarily so (Ochaco could’ve been noticed by Tsuyu->for reasons named later. But I’ll keep it at Izuku as its not entirely necessary, just better.)

Well anyhow, while Izuku does what Izuku does, we get a scene of Katsuki looking at him noticing that something is wrong, not yet acting on it though (Bkdk-antis don’t come for me I SWEAR it’s platonic. Unlike some people, I don’t think that a week after a war is the proper time for romance!)

After this scene, Izuku notices Ochacos panic attack(i think it might be one) and rushes to her, end of chapter.

429

Also fine in it’s idea but poor execution, erase the “You are my hero” line, though and here’s why:

All though respect was due to Ochaco, proclaiming her as Izukus hero doesn’t make sense at all, as they both mirror each others biggest flaw which is their self sacrificing heroism, Izuku leading this Ideal in the image of Allmight and Ochaco learning it from Izuku. So not only is Izuku saying that she is his hero, basically just Izuku calling himself his hero (as their arcs are clear parallels) but he’s additionally cementing that he has learned nothing and still believes that doing what they both did should be idolized and is the best form of heroism (which directly contradicts Katsukis impact on the story and his impact on society.-> I can explain this later)

+the “you are my hero” line would have been fine if he didn’t directly reference her self sacrifice.

-> additionally was this also just not a theme that was being explored or pushed at all during the entire story, the people who were fighting along side him being Eri sacrificing a part of her body for him and Katsuki dying in his image (just for example), would make more sense here especially Katsuki, as Katsukis and Izukus relationship was based on them being each others counter parts in heroism-> win to save, save to win.(s.3-kc vs. dk2) Being eachothers heros-> admiring what the other is lacking instead of enabling what both are lacking (Ochaco and Izuku)

Re-write of the scene 

Heres the original for reference:

Side note to the panel about blackwhip breaking out->

Shinzo saved him, not Ochaco. That dialogue would’ve worked without basically just adding something that didn’t happen. LOL…

Keeping the first page I’m just changing the second:

Here i would extend Izuku and Ochacos talk, 

It cuts to a scene where they have calmed down and they talk about their pains briefly (because i suspect theres not much space might even have to add a chapter…)

He let’s her talk more about Himiko in a calmer state and just gives her a moment to collect herself. (While izuku is still closed off as he is during the entire epilogue.)

Next scene-

Erase the class interrupting them, the hell was that about?? 

Instead have Tsuyu walk by them and Ochaco takes initiative to talk to Tsuyu and they go to another place, the dorms or something.

Izukus and Ochacos talk was fine but I would add a follow up scene with her talking to Tsuyu more throughly about everything letting her really lean on Tsuyu because she needs it and Izuku really shouldn’t be running around “saving” anyone in the state that he’s in(talk about a trauma bond LOL), also Tsuyu and Ochaco arguably could talk about this better as Tsuyu can look at it from an outsiders perspective and they are also definitely closer, emotionally. + she was there. This is Ochacos first step in moving forward-> reaching out to Tsuyu, not having to be found or run to but confronting her feelings on her own which i thought was the point of her character…

Now you could argue that Izuku hasn’t exactly learned this lesson himself self and can ergo not give Ochaco this adivce that she needs and I agree, this whole talk doesn’t fit their characters and what they need at the moment can’t exactly be fulfilled by one another because again, parallel narratives. I would cut it out entirely as it’s a flaw in writing to me, but I just kept it and changed it up like this so it at least makes a little sense and isn’t entirely contra productive.

->Just take their conversation as optional depending on your personal preference!

430

Keeping 430 pre time skip to get the most CRIMINAL missing piece of this entire rather sad excuse of an epilogue, Izuku (the literal main character’s) CONCLUSION.

Also Izuku and Katsuki actually TALK. Two main characters, you might’ve thought they’d get a proper conclusion but guess what!

(For the next part, this can be done in various settings, this is merely what I cocked up-> just pay attention to the core of what I’m trying to do with this scene. 

And this is not supposed to be romantic, they are recovering from a war! If you interpret it that way you’re free to do so but that is NOT the narrative.)

I wont put it in this text, but I drew this ish, because it doesn’t exist as a scene and just because I wanted to.- again the art is conceptual at best. I can post this on my twt if anyone wants me too tho. Again the drawings are NOT good, and just concepts.

Izuku is running around in this epilogue not expressing his feelings at all until he wakes up one night from a nightmare of Katsuki dying (And yes I’m sorry to the antis, this logically needs to happen, he almost went crazy back then, it definitely gave him PTSD). He wakes up in tears, then brushes them away and gets up to get out of bed and just walk, he ends up on the dorms balcony. 

He stands there similar to Ochaco(Again, parallels!). He doesn’t cry though. He stands there alone for a moment looking at his hand, thinking about the guilt of not showing up earlier starting to tear up again. Until someone comes on the balcony as well and interrupts his train of thought shocking him a bit, as he quickly brushes the tears away. 

The following convo is a parallel to (dk vs. kchn 2) just that the shift in the nature of the conversation highlights their development. Katsuki walks in as Izuku notices it’s him, he pretends he’s fine just greeting Katsuki. Katsuki can tell that Izuku is on the verge of finally breaking down and steps closer.

Izuku is reluctant to take his help but he sees a flash of Katsukis dead body infront of him and just breaks down. 

This is a parallel to the apology scene, just that Izuku goes to him on his own instead of being caught, showing that he is now ready to accept the help from others and taking initiative in seeking said help. (If you can’t tell, i really like parallels.)Katsuki lets him break down for a moment kind of awkwardly standing there, still being there though.

You can imagine them hugging here or something, like a meaningful moment between friends. 

Izuku tries blaming himself for what happened to Katsuki and to Shigaraki, saying that he doesn’t deserve being a hero.And Katsuki just denies this, then Katsuki tells him that he is a hero and he’s the reason why the world is the way it is, also telling him that he inspires everyone. 

Izuku just looks at him slowly calming down.Katsuki tells him again that his self sacrificing heroism is inherently flawed, also referencing Allmight here. Izuku takes his advice and then calms down looking at the sky or something.  Izuku looks at his hand, and Katsuki looks at him saying that he can still be a hero(Parallel to the beginning when bis mom said that shes sorry, instead of encouraging him.) Katsuki believes in him but still looks worried at Izuku as tears start to form in Izukus eyes. Izuku says that it is ok though, then looks to the sky saying that he thinks he will be fine or something along the lines of that. Thats how the chapter ends.

I think thats a very good way to end the pre- time skip story. As it is hopeful and leads all the main characters into dealing with their issues and being on a path of openness and healing after everything that has happened.

I KNOW it’s very centered around Izuku and Katsuki but c’mon, as much as you might dislike them, the manga primarily focuses on their relationship to each other. Izuku confronting his feelings towards everything is entirely necessary for a remotely good ending and I think that Katsuki is logically then one who would be there for him, cementing his development concerning the self sacrificing heroism. This is because Katsuki, in the apology scene and later on has always critiqued the self sacrifice. That’s why it makes a lot of sense for the person to teach Izuku this lesson to be him. Also it is a nice follow up to 424. I would additionally also wrap up Katsukis guilt here, as it has been 8 seaons and I think this would be the perfect time to let it go, as he should have from the very beginning(according to Izuku).

And if you really hate them as a dynamic then you can also take a similar scene like this with another character close to Izuku who would match here, the goal is just to let him express his feelings, finally!

-431

I would use this chapter to cement the narratives that we have followed and to see the positive consequences of the character’s works.  

Ochaco’s program, helping children all around the world, making a big impact. My girl getting the bag she deserved since day ONE.

Katsuki’s win to save heroism counter part, completing Allmight’s legacy by shutting down the self destructive heroism ideal. Being respect and important to today’s society. Because what the hell was that…?

Izuku’s heroism leading the world to a better place as showcased in the chapters.

And obviously all of the other work within society.

Im getting rid of the “hero’s aren’t needed anymore” development, because one thing I always admired about MHA and Horikoshi was that it realistically tackled real themes and in reality-> history always repeats itself and the world will always have evil. Especially considering quirksingularity, hero’s would logically still be needed no matter what the circumstances are.

The point of the ending of the commission and the way heroism was lead in the society, was not abolishing the hero system but to change the toxic ideals and the idolization that the people had of the heroes.

Teacher Izuku content. Can stay as it is.

Putting Katsuki higher in the rankings, competing with Todoroki and not giving him that doom ending Horikoshi has decided for him as it’s quite literally cruel and unnecessary. 

The suit was not made out of guilt either and passing it on to Izuku doesn’t magically end their relationship, but they just all become hero’s together.

Class 1A has kept close especially after everything they have been through, Ochaco and Izuku also stayed close. (Why ever they were seperated for all those years in the first place like what?)

We see Ochaco being happy with everyone and there we get that scene of toga letting her go and live out her happiness and they just smile at eachother while Toga ultimately fades away. Showcasing that OCHACO now takes initiative to her own happiness, (differently than whatever 431 was but that was a mess from start to finish anyway.) and her trauma hallucinations fade away, her still seeing Toga is not good and that means that she’s still heavily traumatized. Give my girl a satisfying conclusion!

In the meet up scene of Class 1A they are all just having fun and I’m removing the debunking of Kamijiro because that was also downright unnecessary.

Ochaco sits there with Izuku, Katsuki, Tenya and Shoto (Izukus bestfriends) showing that they are still all on good terms.

Todorokis conclusion still peak, can stay exactly like that.

Kirimina sneak somewhere. WHO SAID THAT⁉️🗿

Izuku talks about being happy because of the suit but he also highlights his joy of being a teacher and then they get called to being heros, we see them in action. Izuku and Shigaraki’s ghost smile at each other one last time, symbolism for Izuku being happy and accepting himself as a hero again despite his “failure” 8 yrs ago. Then the ghost fades and he’s free.

I made this final change, because Izuku’s hallucination is not tied to love or general happiness but to his heroism. 

Ochaco’s Toga hallucinations partly is, but Izuku’s really just isn’t. Horikoshi randomly declared that Izuku’s goal to happiness and his character’s outcome is romance, which is a theme that was never explored, (especially not as a core part of his character) or even hinted at as being his ultimate goal and conclusion, that doesn’t mean that he will forever be alone or anything, but it’s not his missing piece to being set free as a character. Which the last chapter should have been used for.

The end 

Wohoo.

Obviously that doesn’t conclude everything as it is an OUTLINE and I have worked along the lines of the epilogue chapters which are WAY too short. But I think it does conclude the main loose ends Horikoshi sadly left wide open- god knows why.

This ending is just extremely hopeful and ending on a good note for every character instead of just giving 75% to one character that hasn’t properly been build out to begin with.

Ships-I loathe ship wars. Never in my life have I ever commented anything on a ships post I don’t like or hate. But anyway, I never wanted any ships to become canon and 431 is a perfect representation as to WHY. You can’t squeeze a practically unexplored theme into one chapter. The only, ship in class 1A that would’ve made somewhat sense would be Kamijiro as we had some build up there over the seasons. But I think merely the fact that the last chapter is being used for this theme that never played an actual role in all of MHA (quite literally ONLY in Ochaco’s character, which could’ve been concluded MUCH better. + Her arc could also be put in the category of her repressing her feelings). The narratives were neglected, the characters were literally changed, just for that dap up. This in my opinion just goes to show that romance just didn’t fit in there and if Horikoshi wanted a good ending AND romance it might have been a good idea to think about that… I don’t know maybe 200 chapters before.  So I think a good ending while pushing a shipping agenda was doomed to fail from the start and… it did fail! Shipping culture in MHA is also prominent and as a public writer you should ideally keep your fandom in mind. But even aside from that it just didn’t work at all and looks extremely out of place from the whole story.  Bummer…. Either way in my ending, I intentionally made no one canon, because let the people have fun! The story and narratives would not have to be sacrificed for a last minute romance plot that makes no sense from the front to the back. Arguably, in this version the romance would make more sense in a follow up and the gates are open for every single ship (if you care about that sort of stuff), without harming the characters, their development or the narratives and themes of MHA.

Please do not use this re-write for hate to anyone and just treated it as harmless fandom content, even if you do not agree with what I have written.

If you have made it this far thanks for reading, I hope you could enjoy this Outline/ sort of turned into a commentary to the epilogue and I would like to hear your thoughts and such.

As mentioned in the beginning, if you like the epilogue as it is, i still hope you could enjoy this!<3

[princess-of-the-corner]

ML AU Masterpost

So I’ve been asked a few times to make a Masterpost of all my ML AUs because there’s like. A Lot. Some are full fics, others are just concepts we spitball around. 

I’ll write the AU Name, a short summary, and give relevant tags to it. And my tagging system is kind of a mess so like. I’ll have two tags for some AUs because sometimes it’ll be ‘AU Name’ and other times it’s ‘AU Name AU’, ya know?

Anyway here we go!

Hero Chat

My main AU! Kinda my ‘Canon has disappointed me, this is Canon now’ AU. 

Canon Divergence happens technically at the end of Queen Wasp, with Chloé not going back to Audrey and beginning to throw away her redemption arc. But the real changes don’t start until the beginning of Season 3, where Ladybug makes Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Honeybee(Chloé’s new Identity) full-time Heroes. 

Relevant links: 

Fics: X Relevant Tags: X X X X Bonus tag for the HC Answers: X 

Lady Luck

My other biggest AU!

Instead of Marinette, it’s Chloé chosen to be Ladybug. This changes several things. Adrien, Alix, Gabriel and Nathalie all still have their Canon Miraculous, but everyone else gets shuffled around because Chloé will be choosing them. 

Fic: X Relevant Tags: X X X X

Forged

Post-Miracle Queen, Chloé finds a new Miraculous from a separate Miracle Box. Hopefully things go better this time. 

Fic: X Tags: X

Queen’s Second Chance: 

The events of Miracle Queen go horribly wrong. Very very bad end(probably my darkest AU tbh). The Heroes are defeated, Hawkmoth has all the Miraculous, Chloé has been desperately trying to break out of her Akumatization since the fight began, but was unable to.

In a desperate attempt, Sass uses his power. It takes himself and the person with the most regret back in time a lot longer than just a few moments. 

Chloé wakes up the morning of Origins, and is determined to make things right this time. 

Fic: X Tags: X

Double Trouble: 

Post-Miracle Queen, Ladybug realizes she made a mistake in that taking the Miraculous away from Chloé left her vulnerable to Hawkmoth attacking her directly and forcing her to work for him. And now the whole Team’s identities are revealed. To fix this, she’s shuffled the Team’s Miraculous and given it to them permanantly so they can fight back if needed. 

However, Hawkmoth and Mayura believe that Chloé is still on their side, and recruit her for further plans. Not knowing she’s still part of Team Miraculous and is just gathering all info she can as information. 

Chloé finds out that Lila is also working for the villains, but isn’t entirely sure if Lila is truly a villain, or just in over her head. 

Also featuring Sonic Fandub quotes because this AU started as a joke with that. 

Fic: X Tags: X

Steal My Heart

Phantom Thief AU! 

Ladybug and Chat Noir thieves by night. By day, Marinette and Adrien are detective partners using their resources to track down new targets and keep the police off their trail. 

The twist? Ladybug and Chat Noir are rivals! Each have no idea that their rival is also their partner they might low-key be crushing on. 

Fic: X Tags: X

Phantom!Chloé

One of two Danny Phantom crossovers! This one is a more legit crossover while the other is an AU. 

Post Miracle Queen, Chloé accompanies her mother to some rich people gala type thing in America, hosted by Vlad Masters. Chloé wanders off, finds the hidden lab, and fucking dies. Well. Half way. 

Naturally she gets dragged into the Drama that are the other Halfas. To the point that Vlad just straight up sponsors her class for a foreign exchange program. Now the entire Miracuclass is in Amity Park and dealing with these idiots. 

Fic: X Tags: X

Lady Phantom

This is the other DP crossover, but it’s a full AU where instead of the Miraculous, it’s all Ghosts. 

Mari is the Danny of this AU, with her parents having a Ghost Research lab in the basement where she gets fuckin zapped. The rest of the gang are the sidekicks helping with Ghost Weaponry. 

Gabriel and Hawkmoth are two separate people, the latter being an Evil Ghost who is manipulating Gabriel to help fully free him. The Kwami are very powerful Ghosts that are near godlike(think how Clockwork is). 

All the Akumas are also Ghosts, who Hawkmoth sets loose on Paris. They are seperate entities from the Canon ‘Akuma Victim’, but are fighting on behalf of said victim in an attempt to help them because their deaths were very similar to current events. 

Tags: X 

Duchess Noire

Similar to Lady Luck, but instead of replacing Mari as Ladybug, Chloé replaces Adrien as Chat Noir. (Adrien later gets the Bee). 

Tags: X

Cerise Wings

Sabrina is Ladybug instead of Marinette. Chloé is Duchess Noire again. An interesting role reversal for the pair and gets them to learn to be Equals as both Heroes and Civilians. 

Tags: X 

Avatar AU

Exactly what it says on the tin. ML characters in the world of ATLA. 

Kinda funky since Mari and Adrien are both the Avatar due to some bullshit ‘Split Avatar’ thing that I do not have room to explain all of rn. 

The Kwami are also Humans in this. 

Tags: X

Monster AU: 

Again, exactly what it says on the tin. All the ML characters are various monsters. 

Tag: X 

Persona AU

ML but it’s Persona 5, basically. Palaces and all that. The Kwamis are the characters’ Personas. 

Tags: X

Class Knows

Instead of putting the Miraculous in their rooms, Fu puts the Miraculous in Mari and Adrien’s backpacks. This means they pull them out in class and the whole gang learns who the Heroes are from day one. 

Tags: X

Super DC AU

Several characters have Superpowers other than the Miraculous. Marinette’s parents and grandomther are retired Heroes, and Marinette herself inherited their Plant and Energy powers. Chloé has lightning powers because her mom had an affair with an NY Hero. Rose’s grandfather was a supervillain defeated by Mari’s family and she got his Shadow and Death powers. Lila is actually descended from a Fox Hero, but barely has any powers. 

There is an offshoot of the main AU where Rose replaces Adrien as Chat Noir, becoming Shadow Noire. 

Tags: X

Cousins AU

Marinette and Lila are cousins. Mari is used to Lila’s shenanigans, and Lila refuses to harm Family, so there’s no real threat. 

Tags: X 

Childhood Friends: 

Marinette, Nino, Kim, Chloé, Adrien and Sabrina are a squad of childhood friends. Shenanigans ensue. 

Tags: X

Mentor!Jalil

Jalil’s pendant is actually a Scarab Miraculous. Master Fu met him and decided to train him as Guardian years before the whole Hawkmoth thing happened. 

He takes over being a more direct mentor to Ladybug and Chat Noir, with his own Hero Persona: Khepri. 

Tags: X

Feast Redemption

Instead of being destroyed, Feast is broken out of the Peacock’s control and become a real creature. Marinette babysits him as a pet. She’s trying to keep him from eating things he shouldn’t, but she can just reach into his mouth to retrieve things if needed. 

Everyone around her is. so confused by this creature she insists is just a weird looking cat. 

Tags: X

Summer Nights

The summer when the Cesaire family moves to Paris, the apartment they are supposed to move into burns down. Luckily Marlena’s boss is very understanding, and offers them a few rooms in his hotel until they’re able to find and move into a different place. 

While hanging around the hotel, Alya meets Chloé. They end up befriending each other, though encounter a slight hiccup when Alya sees how Chloé acts to their classmates. Nothing that some gentle guidance onto a redemption arc can’t fix! Also maybe a crush along the way. 

Tags: X

Adribrina AU

Adrien and Sabrina have been dating since the spring before the series started, but are keeping it low-key because no one wants to subject Sabrina to the media storm and angry fangirls. 

Marinette starts with a crush on Adrien, but finds out he has a GF and, while heartbroken, moves on. Also Chloé has a crush on her. 

Some Kwami shuffle because Sabrina figures out that Adrien is Chat Noir and tracks down Fu to beg him to let her help keep her bf safe and he gives her the Fox Miraculous. 

Tags: X

Red Velvet

Along with the Butterfly and Peacock, Fu loses the Black Cat. So Gabriel already has one half of the Miraculous he needs to save Emilie from the Magic Coma, and he uses the Black Cat instead, becoming the villain Tuxedo. 

Fu tries to give the Ladybug to Marinette, but Tom was looking for something in her room and finds it instead. Refusing to let his daughter do something unsafe, he takes on the duty and becomes Red Velvet. 

Through shenanigans(Plagg being a little shit), Marinette gets the Peacock and Chloé gets the Butterfly. Once she manages to fix the Peacock, Marinette becomes the Hero ‘Mockingbird’. Chloé doesn’t jump on the Hero Bandwagon until later, but the side effect of the Butterfly Miraculous’s Empathy edges her onto a Redemption Arc. 

Tags: X

To Bee A Bat

This is.... kind of turning some salt tropes on its' head? Like the salty 'Mari's bio dad is Bruce Wayne' but it's Chloé instead and no one's salted.

Between Season 4 and 5, Chloé's 'parents' don't want to deal with her anymore and send her off to live with her bio dad, Bruce Wayne. Shenanigans ensue as she is initially scared to trust them before finding out the family secrets and is down for being a Bat.

Meanwhile, the Miracuclass goes through Season 5 plot, incredibly concerned for where she dissappeared to. Especially as her 'parents' don't seem to care/are telling them to stop looking for her.

Tags: X

Scarlet Scarab and Captain Noire

Alim Kubdel with the Ladybug Miraculous, Anarka Couffaine with the Black Cat. 

Tags: X 

Amazon and Jynx Sphinx

Nora Cesaire with the Ladybug, Jalil Kubdel with the Black Cat

Tags: X

Lord Rouge

Luka and Juleka with the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous

Tags: X

Alley Chat

Nora gets the Ladybug again, but Alya is her Black Cat. 

Tags: X

Queen Of Hearts

Alix with the Ladybug, and Jalil is the Black Cat again. 

Tags: X

Side Note: Scarlet Scarab and Captain Noire, Amazon and Jynx Sphinx, Lord Rouge, Alley Chat, and Queen of Hearts can all have sub-aus where they shuffle the Teamups. So we can have Lord Rouge with Captain Noire, Alley Chat with Queen of Hearts, Scarlet Scarab with Jynx Sphinx, etc. Not all are tagged. 

Miraculous Trio AU

Instead of sending out Ladybug and Chat Noir, Fu decides to send out Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee. 

Tags: X

Chloé Split

Something(either an Akuma or something else) Splits Chloé into multiple different aspects of herself. All aspects go by different names, but most start with ‘Cl’. Catrina is the exception but it’s a fuck you to her because she’s the “Audrey 2.0′ personality. 

Tags: X

Alien!Lila

Instead of being from Italy, Lila is from space. And obvs can’t tell people she’s not human. Her lying isn’t malicious and just her trying to fit in with the other kids and look normal. Yes her stories of meeting celebrities are normal because all her classmates have met celebrities or are famous themselves. 

Tags: X

Public Knowledge

All Hero and Villain identities are known to the public. Though Miraculous can’t be just yoinked from people. They have to either be handed over willingly or won through combat.

Tags: X

PJO AU

Easy to guess. Percy Jackson AU. All the Miracuclass are demigods. 

Tags: X

Animal Attraction

A side effect of the Miraculous is that it attracts the creature it represents. Shenanigans ensue. 

Tags: X

[proudlylost]

My 6 favorite SPN fanfics: Supernatural universe

After the SPN finale I kinda got sucked back into the fandom. The excessive amount of fanfiction reading ensued (I re-read all of my SPN fic favorites and then some) and I realised I have actually read quite a lot of them. So I thought I could share them, to highlight all the talented authors there is and also to gather all of my favorites into the one place. This post consist 6 of my favorite supernatural universe fanfics (meaning that the the universe resembles the one in the show, however, most of the fics found here are canon divergent) The AU edition of this fic rec can be found here.

Put Up Your Dukes by saltyfeathers

Dean can't sleep. Cas offers to tire him out. 

This is probably my favourite supernatural universe fic. It has all the right elements (imo): pining, bunker domesticity, UST, and cockblock!sam. Cas is badass in this fic and knows exactly what he’s doing, and Dean is Dean, trying to come terms with his attraction to Cas. The smut is good, but I liked the plot as well. Characterization is super on point! The fic is in Dean’s POV and all the remarks he made made me chuckle constantly while reading. Word count:  38,282. Explicit

Après by imogenbynight

When the angels stop falling and Castiel makes his way out of the trees, he finds himself alone and oceans away from the Winchesters. For once, Dean flies to him. 

This is very sweet. It is Cas’s POV and happens in France (mostly in Paris), post season 8. Very holiday-y, and quite fluffy, but perfectly written. I read this whenever I need something romantic and this never disappoints. Go read it! Word count:  24045. Explicit

where the weed takes root by deathbanjo

“Are you happy? Y’know. Just—being here,” Dean says, gesturing to the yard with his beer bottle. “Being with—I mean, you used to fight in celestial wars and—and save the world. Now you’re growing vegetables and talking about chickens.”

Well, after the spn finale-which-must not-be named this is the best medicine. Domestic curtain-fic with animals (<3) but Dean and Cas are still very much themselves. They have their own problems, but I wish, I wish, that the show would have ended with something like this. The author, deathbanjo is also the master of spn oneshots, so go read their other works, too! Word count:  30227. Explicit

Our Bodies, Possessed By Light by obstinatrix

Purged of all his souls, Castiel is a changed being, stronger than an angel and too powerful for Jimmy's body to contain. Happily, there's an archangel's vessel on hand, and he could use fixing, too. Dean isn't too happy about the idea of his brother acting as a vessel for Castiel, and Sam can guess why, but it isn't until Castiel gets inside his head and they learn to share the vessel -- and their thoughts -- that Sam realises Cas is as in love with Dean as Dean is with him. It's unfortunate that there's nothing much to be done about it now, but Castiel will get another vessel soon. The Winchesters will make damn sure of that. In the meantime, it's up to the three of them to establish their own strange accord, and Dean realises more fully than ever that it's Castiel, and not his vessel, that he loves. 

Amazing oneshot (not so short though, +39 000 words)! Dean and Cas are so much in love and poor Sam is stuck in the middle of it. While reading, I kept thinking “Gosh, that would be horrible to love somebody who is stuck in your sibling’s body” even though my rational mind knew that could never happen in real world. It is also good to mention, that this is strictly destiel fic, even given the circumstances. That said, I love how supportive and understanding Sam is in this fic, his and Castiel’s friendship is sweet. Word count:  39,881. Explicit

Assimilation by komodobits

Coda to 12.01 Keep Calm and Carry On.

Mary always thought you were supposed to be able to tell. That you could just look at someone and know they were – you know. One of that sort. It’s not supposed to happen to her son.

This is a little bit different than others in this list. First of all, this is technically coda, and secondly, this is in Mary Winchester’s POV. This is also established relationship fic, and one of the few fics where Dean and Cas are already together. There is also elements of homophobia, but I found it interesting how Mary tries to understand Dean and Castiel’s relationship, because as the author points out, the 80′s were very different time. Word count:  5,652. Mature

There’s Only One Sure Thing That I Know by blinkiesays

Dean doesn't even get halfway through explaining before Bobby starts laughing. When he lets himself think about it for more than five seconds, Dean can almost see Bobby's point: he's faced down demons, witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, angels, and Satan himself and now he's been defeated by the God damn Midwest. 

This is another classic in the SPN fandom.Very domestic (there is an Ikea trip), but very believable. Cas and Dean are so married in this, even though there is an element of “didn’t know they were dating”. This is also very old fic, published in 2010, so a lot has happened in the canon since then (a fair warning: Sam is dead in this fic). Anyways, I loved this fic. Word count:  20,355. Explicit

[hawkland]

Destiel fic recs (round #4) + commentary

Time for another (mostly) Destiel fic rec round-up post before my bookmarks get out of control! This one’s a mix of longer and some shorter fics (or series thereof), no particular theme except I guess a lot of angst, hurting Cas, and all the other things that tickle my Id. Several Season 9 human!Cas divergence fics, plus some later season angst-fests and rewrites.

In the Shadow of your Wings by Enochian Things (Salr323) (52k) The first of two fics by this author which I absolutely fell in love with! Canon-divergence from the end of Season 11. Cas finds himself blasted to Naples, Italy by the banishing sigil in the bunker and he stumbles — almost literally — into a sexy, delightful Italian Man of Letters, Luca. When he makes his way back to the bunker and finds Dean still alive, he tries to confess his feelings but Dean panics and shuts him down. Cas goes back in Italy soon thereafter and ends up beginning a relationship with Luca, much to Dean’s chagrin. Meanwhile Sam is still missing and it turns out there may be some dangerous individuals who are out for Cas more so than even the Winchesters. 

I loved everything about this fic so much - Luca is an amazing OC, the Naples and London locations are wonderfully evoked and took me straight back to places I’d been. The angst, the pacing, the plotting and the eventual Dean/Cas getting together are all amazing and this is definitely on my re-read in the future list.

The rest of my recs below the cut!

My heart is beating from me by Enochian Things (Salr323) (55k) The other fic by this author that I literally inhaled in one day! Season 9 Human!Cas canon divergence. It’s been months since Sam and Dean have heard from Cas, and when they do, it’s in the form of a wedding invitation. Cas is getting married to Daphne - the woman who “rescued” him and named him Emmanuel when he’d lost all his memories post-Leviathans. It seems Cas went back to her while on his own and they’ve rekindled their relationship...whatever it is. Dean just knows something isn’t right about her, so he sets out to investigate and try to figure out WTF Cas is doing before it’s too late. 

This story is so, so good! The case Dean gets Cas to come along on is unique and provides a neat investigation subplot, but what’s so especially wonderful is the explanation the author gives of who Daphne really is — and why she’d been so cool about just having a strange man with no memories move in to be her “husband” (and then want to marry him for real a couple years later, after he’d vanished from her life!) In fact it’s so brilliant I’m basically accepting it as my Daphne headcanon from now on and I don’t want to spoil it. The fic is also great in exploring Cas still struggling with understanding human emotions, customs and etiquette, Sam is A Very Good Friend, and Dean is, well, Dean. (I’m just sad this author hasn’t written more SPN fics because what they have is just brilliant.)

The wilderness. by orange_crushed (8k) Wonderful, shorter Season 9 canon divergence fic by an author who consistently makes me happy. Human!Cas leaves the bunker with a few things to get off the ground from Dean and directions to connect with Garth...but he ditches that plan to try to find his way on his own. It’s wonderfully detailed about the basic struggles of survival, finding work, making ends meet and trying to make some new friends...and why it’s important for him to prove he can make it on his own before he’s willing to welcome Dean (back) into his life.

I Through My Window See by deHavilland (26k) This is an interesting one, written well before we had canon human!Cas in Season 9. Canon-divergence in which Cas remains human after they avert the apocalypse in Season 5. Sam and Dean set him up in an apartment in Sioux Falls and then...just kind of abandon him there. He spends most of a year just barely existing before a visit from Sam finally stirs him out of his inertia and depression, to eventually get a job and also start hunting on his own. This is an interesting read, if just to see an author exploring the idea of human!Cas abandoned by Dean a few years before it actually...ended up becoming canon! I love how Cas is written in this (it’s a story much like the next one on my list that I thought does an amazing, realistic job of capturing what depression feels like), but I do have some issues with Dean. It’s never fully resolved or explained why Dean was being such an ass so I honestly wasn’t totally sold on the ending - I wanted some more out of Dean, some more explanation or apology or something. It’s a story that would have been great to have a sequel from Dean’s POV but after all this time, that will just have to exist in my brain, I suppose! Still worth a read because it’s excellently written, Cas becomes totally bad ass again by the end and it’s always fun to read early SPN fic speculating on future developments.

I Shall Not Want by domesticadventures (20k) I found myself inhaling a bunch of wonderful short ficlets by this author the other day, but this is the one I had to stop at to rec. It’s another Season 9 divergence fic, of a sort - Cas is newly human, for the sake of the story there’s no Abbadon to worry about, Sam is healed...and Sam wants to move out and get on with his own life. Cas and Dean are both struggling with adapting to their new lives and it’s a hauntingly rich and stark portrayal of depression, inertia, and the slow healing process of accepting and adapting to change. I also liked that this story gives us a Dean who is a little more aware of his feelings for Cas and they both struggle to reach out to each other - for once it’s not sexuality causing a crisis of identity but all the other shit they are coping with.

Don't Sing Love Songs by ireallydidthistomyself (17k). I’m not normally a big fan of baby/toddler!Jack fics - I like the angst that he was forced to grow up too quickly, and in general I’m not big on kid!fic in fandom. This author’s work is a big exception to that. They’ve written several stories along a similar theme: Cas raising Jack on his own/in secret for years, Dean only finding them or coming back into their lives later on. But this is the version of that idea that really packed the most punch for me and was incredibly emotionally satisfying. Dean finds Cas after 6 years, where he’s kept Jack mostly isolated and safe from the world. But with Dean allowed back into his life, Cas may be inviting grave danger upon Jack as well. This one ripped my heart out but managed to make it all better by the end.

Better Ways to Kill Our Time by always_a_birthday_girl (8k) I don’t know why I torture myself reading Dean-in-the-Ma’lak-box AUs, but I do. I think because it’s pretty much my biggest nightmare/horror and for some reason it’s cathartic while terrifying? Anyway here’s one where Dean goes through with his plan, Cas crashes and burns for most of a year, until Dean finally starts doing what he promised he wouldn’t: praying to him. Cas figures out a way to communicate back and over the distance, they manage to have certain conversations they should have years before. It’s painful but lovely and there is a happy ending, so it’s well worth the read!

Time Flows Like Water and We're Drowning by triedunture (7.9k) A little break from the later-seasons stuff I (mostly?) read, featuring a seriously hot (but angsty) Cas/Endverse!Cas/Dean threesome. When Zacariah’s plan to show Dean the future doesn’t change his mind about taking on his “responsibility”, he sends Endverse!Cas back in time to try to convince Cas instead, showing him what he’s to become. I don’t think Zac expected it to turn into a threesome, but it’s hot and beautiful and sad and wonderful all at once. 

hachikireru by vaudelin  (23k) At one point I went on a wallow-fest of reading a bunch of sad 14x20-15x03 divorce-arc fics. Just to hurt myself more, I guess. I know this fic’s been recced around a lot (at least on fail_fandomanon) and I can see why! After leaving the bunker, Cas ends up in Sioux Falls to visit Claire. She’s busy tracking down leads to find Kaia’s killer and he decides to go along with her on one such hunt. But what they find is an unexpected supernatural threat targeting those with broken hearts. Well. I think you know where that might be leading. This is a wonderful casefic with lots of character moments between Cas & Claire and then Cas & Dean, working through their pain and angst and just...it’s a very satisfying read.

Moriah Codas: A Trilogy by Toomanyfandoms99 (11k total) A series of 3 shorter fics spinning off the events of 14x20, developing a slightly divergent universe the author’s written where Cas does have his wings back and has helped resurrect a few of the angels (Balthazar, Gabriel, and Samandriel in particular). This series is absolutely heartbreaking — Cas is completely broken by Jack’s loss, has “fallen out of love” with Dean after he was ready to kill Jack, and sees no way back to what he’d had and felt before. He’s determined to just let the Empty take him...but not until he and his assembled squad of “avenging angels” clean up the mess Chuck has created, smiting zombies and taking out super-powered monsters across North America. 

Cas’s motorcycle gang/angel squad is so fucking awesome (I want a happy fic where they do this!) and this is BAMF!Cas at his finest. I just have to include a quote:

He set down the empty glass, and Gabriel said, “well, dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to kick some zombie ass. Since they have chosen to amass in Carthage, we are here to take out as many as we can without causing this town to flip the fuck out. Are we in agreement?”

“I expect,” Balthazar grinned, “a full-on bar brawl. Do not disappoint me.”

“Cassie, Driel,” Gabriel addressed the duo, “how are we with weapons?”

“I have enough machetes in a storage facility uptown to film a Jackie Chan movie,” Castiel said.

But it’s also utterly and completely heartbreaking, so don’t read this one if you need a happy ending. If you do read, check out the author’s other later-season coda fics and fic series as they are all really great.

to mend what is not broken by gothyringwald (2.6k) This last short one I’ve mentioned before, but I just have to rec it again! It was my gift for the 2021 Hurt Comfort Gift Exchange and it’s everything I wanted, and more. Sweet and caring Dean, wounded but still prideful Cas, and some lovely wing!kink/wing!care that pushes all of my button just right.

Anyway, that’s it for now as I think this is long enough. If you enjoy my recs, could you let me know? I try to not just list titles but give some commentary...as it helps me re-find stories I enjoyed the most, too!

[dodgergilmore]

1: Also I would VERY MUCH love to hear more of your thoughts on season 3. It always annoys me to NO END how people who hate them think that fans love them for their season 3 relationship despite the fact that other fans have mentioned numerous times that it's not because they thought their relationship was perfect, but that they didn't get a real chance where both of them were at a better place in their life.

Continued: It's very obvious in the season that their relationship actually DOES work in the sense that they get along when there's no outside pressures in the form of Lorelai/Dean, that they actually like spending time with each other and do dates, but the issue is that we never got enough of that, only the big arguments were placed in the forefront which imo is unfair because it further gives people 'proof' that Dean saying that Jess treats her 'like trash' is true, when in fact it's very much not (also it's just obvious shipper bias how many people, particularly r*gans love focusing on the negative aspects of Lit but just sweep aside all the issues Logan has in seasons 5/6, hell even in season 7 with how he proposed to Rory and then immediately ended their long term relationship when she couldn't say yes to him). It's also more than justified for fans to be intrigued of the possibility of older Lit when both Jess and Rory have their own lives that are more separate from the influence of Stars Hollow/Jess's turbulent past, because not only is Jess more mature, more open and just more stable and sure of himself, Rory now has to make decisions for herself and not based off of what Lorelai or anyone else says for her to do. And, although I'm in the minority with this opinion, even though Rory's writing in AYITL was awful in terms of fleshing out how and just why she is at this state, without allowing people to be more sympathetic, I'm not gonna suddenly go against her being with Jess simply because people think he 'pined' for her all these years when it's clear that he's not holding his life back for her, but merely in his own way, will always love her. And what I mentioned about her and Jess finally having a relationship that isn't influenced by anyone outside of it still stands for this, especially when Rory's gotta put her life back together now and Jess would imo offer support, the same way she tried to do it when he was younger and unsure of his capabilities. But yeah even discrediting AYITL, an adult relationship between them would truly be a positive thing

Okay I’ve had my morning coffee so I am ready + this is definitely going to warrant a read more!

Exactly!! I have never seen anyone claim their season 3 relationship was great. We don’t get to see them just be happy and hanging out together – even though we’re explicitly told they’re together often – unless it’s to set up conflict and I think a big part of that comes from the fact that Milo was already being written out of the show before the characters even got together.

They’ve always liked just spending time together and I love how that ends up being a constant thread throughout their relationship, be it in a romantic context or not, with season 4 being an obvious exception but at that point they were still confronting the completely unresolved ending to their relationship. But anyway, getting back to season 3...

Let me just repeat myself here: Dean cast a looming shadow over the entirety of the Rory and Jess relationship in season 3. That’s not to say that they would have been together forever if Dean hadn’t been there because I think it was inevitable for their paths to diverge (and eventually come back together!) – of course it would have been nice for them to grow together but in terms of canon, I actually like that they got to experience life independent of each other. However, Dean’s presence definitely exacerbated the issues in the Rory and Jess relationship. (I don’t mean to frame this in a way that everything wrong with Rory and Jess’ relationship has to do with Dean, I’m just examining the ways in which his role in the narrative had an influence on their relationship)

The Dean/Rory/Jess love triangle had been building up for almost a year by the time we get to 3x07 so we as viewers are ready for it to culminate in a big, dramatic, exciting way and it certainly delivers in that regard because it made for good television but it’s a shaky starting point for Rory and Jess. Before Rory even has time to cry to her mother, or even just tell her mother about the breakup with Dean, she’s already swept up in a new relationship. For that reason, an interesting “what-if” to consider is what if Dean had ended the relationship once he realised she liked Jess in 2x18? But that doesn’t happen, so from this point on Rory slowly becomes aware of her growing feelings for Jess while still being in a relationship with Dean and she feels guilty, obviously! Once she’s with Jess, she feels like she has to make things right with Dean. On top of that, Rory was always being told by the town and her mother about how Dean was the perfect boyfriend and, oh, she was so lucky to have him as her first boyfriend! Regardless of how false that whole narrative rings to me as a viewer, this puts Rory in a position where she is always comparing Jess to Dean; by Rory’s own admission in 3x09 she says she feels like the town is watching them and she’s right, they are watching! There is this pressure put on her to have her life perfectly together, which is an impossible and even damaging standard to be placing onto any teenager. At this point, Lorelai is still heavily involved in Rory’s romantic life but because Lorelai plays friend more often than mother, she has always made her stance on Jess very clear and consequently, Rory doesn’t feel she can talk openly to her mother when she has issues with Jess and this is unfamiliar territory for Rory. In the first episode with Rory and Jess together, Lorelai is already saying things like, “But I never expected you to be with Dean forever, just like I don’t expect you to be with Jess forever.” As much as she says she’s supportive, Rory never actually feels her support. For these reasons, we don’t get to see much of Rory addressing or confronting her relationship with Jess throughout season 4 – we see her play it cool or “stoic” with Lorelai and the townies but we see it’s an act to some extent when talking with Lane in 4x22 or with Jess – “I have actually thought about this moment. A lot.” that whole speech she gives feels like it’s been something she’s been holding onto for a while and never been able to vocalise. Back to season 3: Rory feels she has to hide things from Jess like she did with Dean because she was always trying to avoid a fight with him (which is.....☹️), failing to realise that Jess is not Dean, and thus begins the miscommunication problems throughout their relationship. All of this to say... Rory has no other point of reference for relationships, so I understand where she is coming from during season 3!

Now for Jess we go back to the 3x07 for a moment: obviously this is all open to interpretation but he looks very surprised and also somewhat guilty during the very public Dean and Rory breakup, which I take to mean... he never wanted it to happen, nor expected it to happen, like this. Jess is very aware of how the town and everyone in it views him in comparison to Dean; there’s an insecurity there for Jess “She picked you.” / “God knows why.” because she never actually did choose him and he doesn’t particularly like himself very much at this point. Which brings me to the point that Jess was simply not in a place to be in a relationship – his communication issues were there before he ever got into a relationship with Rory because it’s easier to not deal with things and allow people to have a low opinion of you so that you don’t disappoint them. He really thought the dinner with Emily would be a one and done thing, which highlights both his inexperience with relationships but also his misconception that this relationship could be just him and Rory, see also: “I don't wanna talk to anybody else. I don't like anybody else.” As much as he may love Rory and Luke, they can’t be Jess’ sole support system and he has a lot of personal growing to do. If we are to assume Jimmy was always going to show up in late season 3, I think that’s something that Jess was always going to want to see through. He definitely makes efforts to do better, particularly after 3x15 (there is no way he or Luke didn’t hear that voicemail...) is when we actually see them at their most chill as they’re having movie nights, they’re talking about Rory’s future at Yale, Lane is supportive, Jess is ready to go to prom without complaints, etc. He went after Rory once she leaves the bedroom in 3x19 but the moment he sees Dean, he gives up and we’re back to the looming shadow that is Dean. Without that shadow, I think they could have at least ended things on better terms.

Rory saying, “I don’t want to deal with this.” after seeing Jess in his car in 4x12 really is a good summation of their romantic relationship lmao 🙃

That proposal really was so.........yikes!!

Yeah, I have never gotten the impression that Jess has been pining after Rory all these years. I remember coming onto the internet after watching AYITL and being so confused by how heated people were with regard to that parting look in Fall. From everything we saw – which was very little, admittedly – Jess seems very content with his life and in a place of stability, continuing to mature and better himself since the last time we saw him. For what it’s worth, my interpretation of The Window Look(tm) is that Jess meant it when he told Luke that he was over Rory, and it’s not something he had been consciously thinking about until he went to the window and was like, “Hm..........” and the fact that they hadn’t seen each other in so many years before Summer is actually kind of... reassuring to me? I guess in my mind, once they become consistent figures in each other’s lives then it becomes more difficult to understand why they aren’t together because it would progress into more. “What’s it been, four years?” / “Maybe more?” does not have to set their futures in stone, leaving no room for development.

I’ve probably said it before but the whole story of first, it was Rory offering Jess support when he was sorting himself out and lacking the stability for a relationship; then it’s Jess offering Rory support when she is sorting out her life and lacking stability is just a very compelling story for me! The parallels! The star-crossed aspect of it all! I would like to see it dot gif

[bunnylouisegrimes]

Episode 10 Review (The Good, The Bad, and The Possibilities)

Well, that ending was better than I anticipated. I admit, I am relieved! At the same time... there are some things that I feel could’ve been better. Still, could’ve been worse!

Last episode, with everything they were eluding to, I thought for sure this episode was gonna be the worst thing in the world. Instead, it was not the best nor the worst.

First and foremost, I am relieved Maggie and Vic are alive. All our protagonists are alive, which is extremely good! I’m sure some of you are thinking, “But Bunny! You’re a Charlie fan girl! What about him?” I’ll be honest: I don’t think he’s done. Not only would the series not really be the series without him (I mean, it’s named after his car’s license plates), his spirit, I theorize, could very easily live on. With the world of thought and imagination, couldn’t your soul live on? Plus, the symbolism with the Spirit of Ecstacy hood ornament just sitting there, untouched? Let’s not forget how the engine isn’t fully destroyed. Parts of it could probably still be used. Charlie’s gonna probably come back that way: the engine’s parts will be used for another Wraith (especially since parts for a car that rare are hard to get your hands on), his supposedly cremated body will form itself again (btw, who decided to cremate him? He has no true family left alive), and he’ll rise from the ground, back again. Even if for some reason he doesn’t come back to the show, his spirit could certainly live on. All in all, he’s not truly dead the way I see it, which is surprisingly very smart of these writers to do. Not officially kill him, but not officially keep him alive for a possible season three plot.

I’m not so sure why Wayne is still having problems. The ornaments fixed the kids entirely in the book (btw, I always still find that confusing that the older ones that should be adults would return to be humans like the others, maybe the older ones disappeared and the younger ones are okay, I’m really not sure, but I’m glad that the show addressed this to an extent and when you think about it, hopefully the kids can start new lives, although CPS can be questionable, and I hope those kids don’t end up in the wrong hands). Anyways, confusing that Wayne would still have issues. Good plot point for a possible season three, and I’m hoping there will be clarification then.

In regards to Millie: Now this really pisses me off. She says she wants to leave Christmasland, she contributed to her father’s “death”... and now she’s pissed? She wants to go back? Wtf? I’m wondering if she destroys her ornament will she disappear, I mean, she was fading away without it last episode. That was funny and badass in the ending how she just kills those two stupid teens, I had to laugh. Still, I suppose this, again, leaves plot potential for season three. Don’t exactly think they should’ve made her change her mind all of a sudden in a stupid way and make her the antagonist, that’s pretty lazy. If Charlie comes back, I’m wondering if he’ll have to talk to her and redeem himself through trying to calm her down and working things out. It was an interesting interaction with her and Wayne tho. I’m mixed with this for sure. This whole thing with her character is probably the worst part about this ending.

Still annoyed that Chris is dead, but I’m glad Vic and her mom are close. As a family, they are recovering, especially Vic, which I’m very happy with her little ending with her drawing again. This brings me joy.

I’m mad Tabitha and Maggie are officially broken up (at least how I interpreted it), but I think they could very easily have a plot for season three to get back together, so I’m not entirely mad.

I’m very interested in the hinted exploration of the other Creatives’ worlds. That ending with Maggie going into the elevator... that definitely leaves you hanging for season three! I feel bad for her that she’s still using the cigarette trick, but it is better than having her seizures.

All and all: while not the worst ending, while not the best, it was a lot better than I expected, and I am anticipating season three. I hope that they do season three right, and do not waste all this potential. They have already wasted some potential with this season, and its disappointmented me. But if they mess up next season (if they’re getting one), I will be very sad. I was thinking this episode would cause some Walking Dead-type crap, but it did not! I have hopes that season three will not cause it to have that type of downfall.

PS: Just like Negan lives, Charlie lives. 💖

PPS: Even if Charlie doesn’t live, my fanfiction will say so. It’s already pretty canon divergent as it is, so he’ll live through that ❤️🧛‍♂️🎄🌟

[realityhelixcreates]

Lasabrjotr Chapter 62: Brood XVII

Chapters: 62/? Fandom: Thor (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Mature Warnings: Death mentions, Snap flashback Relationships: Loki x Reader (There We Go) Characters: Loki (Marvel), Thor(Marvel),  Additional Tags: Post-Endgame: Best Possible Ending (Canon-Divergent), You Don’t Know What You Got Till It’s Gone, Never Miss The Sun Till It Starts To Snow, Other Ironic Lyrics About Being Disrupted By The Loss Of A Mundane Thing

Summary:   Sometimes the things everyone complains about become a comfort. Without them, you can't sleep. Loki, however, can't stop being sneaky, even if it's for your own good.

The days marched on into late summer, the sun finally beginning to fully set again. The nights in Iceland were clear and cold, the sky stretching unbroken from horizon to horizon. It reminded you of home in its scope, but was alien in its silence.

That was becoming a problem.

The nightmares came and went every few months, building up to a peak that left you sleepless and discombobulated. You could power through it with sleep aids sometimes, but you had none right now.

The silence of Iceland must seem like a boon to most people, but the lack of late summer cicadas filling the air with their sawing reminded you far too much of the silence of that lost year.

The first dream found you wandering the barren fields, following the sound of a song, desperate to find who was singing, who else had survived. It wasn't until you felt a soft crunch under your shoe, and the song stopped, that you realized that in your scramble, you had accidentally crushed a cicada. Your only other companion in this whole dead world.

You had woken up, weeping in Loki's arms, to his clear confusion.

After that, it was the song of crickets floating over empty hills, with you seeking, always seeking the paradise they must be living in; a tree, a patch of grass, even an old log. Something living, anything. But you could never find it. Every hill you crested only brought you to more hills, the soft chirping drifting on the wind.

Or you waded through drifts of insect corpses, the tiny bodies turning into dust as you walked, until you were drowning in a sea of it.

You moved back into your own room after a few nights, tired of waking Loki up, and tired of not being able to present him with some kind of solution to your problems. He could not make it possible for noisy insects to live in Iceland, he could not remove your nightmares, and if a reality restructuring event couldn't take away your terrible memories, neither could he.

But if you just had to endure this, you could at least do it without waking him up every night. Even if his little questioning “Have I done something wrong?” broke your heart a bit. Though he must know that you weren't lying when you told him he hadn't, he didn't seem to believe it himself.

But in your own room, you could get up and pace, or mess around on your phone, or just sit at your desk and stare out the window at the stars. They seemed so bright and close.

A bit of inspiration one night led you on a Youtube search for 'ASMR Cicada Song 10 hrs'-a boon for your sleepless nights. You also found frog song, and crickets, and even cardinals. All four seasons of nature's singing...at least in Iowa. You lay your phone next to your pillow every night after, just letting the cicada recordings play. It helped a lot, but it was hard on your phone, and it meant you still couldn't go back to Loki. He surely didn't want to have to listen to this every night.

You still joined him for breakfast every day, and sometimes in the bath, allowing yourself to become more comfortable with the intimacy he so ardently wanted to share with you. In fact, despite the disrupted sleep, your schedule remained fairly normal. Magic practice and physical training, lessons with Saga, and paperwork with Loki. You even sat in with him as he saw to the needs of his petitioners, becoming more familiar with the values of the different divisions of Asgardian culture

You and Loki worked side by side on the Trolekaerhalla longhouses, not just supervising, but placing stones, and hauling earth. Some nights, when you looked out at the stars, cicadas singing from your phone, you could not get the sight of him out of your mind: hair braided back, hands dirty, carrying loads his worshipers couldn't manage by themselves. He wore workers clothes, and traced spells of blessing into the foundations, an Asgardian work song on his lips.

You had never wanted him more than when he was like that. When he just looked like a man.

That was another reason for your withdrawal into your own space. You needed time to think about what you really wanted out of this relationship.

Loki, bless him, was very patient and proper; he didn't push, and seemed more than happy to accept whatever level of affection you were comfortable giving him. It was clear that he was terribly vulnerable now-his insecurity was like a raw wound. You wished you could soothe it, but you had to figure yourself out first.

It seemed like all the pieces were there: the desire for closeness and intimacy, both physical and emotional. The mental connection. The respect, the pride, the admiration. The feeling of safety, the excitement. But something still caused you to hesitate.

It was Todd, you knew it was. Or rather, it was the baggage he had left behind. The horribly intimate knowledge that someone you trusted so deeply could treat you that way. That if one person you loved and trusted so much could do that, so could someone else. So could Loki.

You wanted so much to believe he wouldn't, that his gentleness and fervency was real, and would last.

But Todd had been the same way, at first.

And then there was the whole immortality thing. You weren't and Loki was-or lived on a time scale that meant he might as well be. If you were lucky, you might get another whole fifty to eighty years. But with your family's medical history, you might be very unlucky indeed. If a tumor began to form, if it was inoperable, like your mother and your aunt, you wouldn't even get a full year after that.

It hadn't happened yet, but it could happen at any time.

But Loki knew that, he knew about it and he wanted you anyway. Perhaps, with all of the things he'd been through, he understood the preciousness of time.

You had to think of the future too; if you didn't die young, if both you and he decided to make the relationship permanent, what would be required of you? No doubt Thor would make marriage between humans and Asgardians legal, but would the people recognize you? Would you be able to be a good wife? A good princess? With all your problems, would you even be able to keep up with your responsibilities? At that point, this relationship would effect far more people than just you and him.

And then there was the subject of children. You weren't having any. You decided long ago that you weren't suited to raising anything more complicated than a houseplant. But how disappointing would that be for Loki? Wouldn't the wife of a prince be practically required to produce at least one child to further the dynasty? Would half-Asgardian children be considered legitimate heirs? It didn't matter, because you weren't having any. You'd gotten that IUD when you'd first arrived here to make sure of it.

But would Loki be able to accept that?

How the people felt about it meant less to you. For one thing, Loki seemed perfectly willing to circumvent tradition for what he felt was right, and for another...well, you would die of old age, and he would not. He would have plenty of opportunity to marry a nice Asgardian girl and have some heirs after you were gone.

That would be fine, wouldn't it?

Well...you didn't like thinking about him with someone else, but at least you wouldn't be around for it. He shouldn't have to be lonely when you were gone, anyway.  

That was only if you two decided to stay together until you died though. You were looking for permanence and stability now. You'd been through so much that you just wanted something reliable. But did you think Loki could provide that?

He was like you, in that he had endured some dark and terrible things. But was he like you in wanting something lasting? All you knew about his previous relationships was that almost all of them were based on lies and social climbing. Had Loki ever had someone who just wanted him?

Because you did. All the time. You couldn't help but think about it; about squeezing his hips with your thighs, biting his lip, curling your fingers in his hair. About his thin slash of a mouth, his long fingers, his searing eyes.

But also his little drawings, his soft sighs when you cuddled him, the effervescent buzz of his magic. His almost-familiar accent, and his excitement over you.

He was just so...good.

He had to be better than Todd. Had to be.

You wanted to go to him at night, you wanted to let him explore you more, but the little insecurities grabbed you and pulled you back before you could get to his door. What if you changed your mind partway through, and he didn't stop? What if he was just too strong, and he accidentally hurt you?

And what if somehow you didn't measure up? A thousand years was plenty of time to get into some weird kinks, and you didn't have any that you knew of.  There were some very, very pretty ladies in the Asgardian court, and Loki had been with some of them. He never indicated which ones, but it didn't matter. They were gorgeous, and probably smoking hot in the bedroom, and you were average and vanilla. What if he found you boring in bed? Just meh. A disappointment.

No, that was Todd talking. Just some of the bullshit he cooked up to make you try harder, to control you, to enslave you to his desires.

But what if it was actually true? You hadn't been with anyone since then; there had been no one to confirm or deny it.

Maybe you should just leap?

That night you were just reaching out for the doorknob when an image of Loki filled your vision. Disheveled and beautiful, but declining to look at you. Rolling over with his back to you instead.

You went back to bed and fell asleep to the sound of cicadas on loop.

                                                                                                       *****

Something was wrong with his lady, Loki knew.

He could see it in your sunken eyes, your sluggish movements, and dampened enthusiasm. You still worked hard, but you yawned harder.

And you, blasted, stubborn mortal, would not allow him to help!

He assumed you were losing sleep, and knew it was nightmares. He was familiar with that kind of thing. He couldn't stand to leave you alone with that suffering, locked inside the darkness in your own mind. He didn't care if he ended up sharing them with you; at least you wouldn't be alone then.

He also simply missed you. Of course, you were right there during the day, available to talk to and subtly caress, but there was something sublime about sleeping next to someone you cared about. Feeling their warmth, and the solidity of their presence. He missed the reassurance of your body next to his.

But you didn't want to be in his bed anymore, you only wanted your own. Did you not feel safe next to him? Did you not feel comfortable? Did you not trust him anymore? Despite your assurances that he hadn't done anything wrong, he still felt like he must have. You'd been very earnest when you'd said he hadn't, but maybe it was an instinctual thing: He must have done something you didn't realize you didn't like, and your subconscious was telling you to pull away.

Or maybe it really was just the nightmares. He had just gotten used to it being him. If only you would talk to him about it! But you just kept telling him not to dwell on it, that it was just something you had to deal with. It drove him mad. There had to be something he could do to help.

Advice was scarce for him. Thor had shamefacedly admitted that he hadn't been able to tell what Jane had needed from him, and it was a big part of the reason why she didn't love him anymore. Loki was too preoccupied with his own worries to roll his eyes. His brother was still a fool about some things.

Brunnhilde wasn't much help either. She was a woman, like you were, but she was not like you. Her idea of love and courtship was a lot more rambunctious and...well... Asgardian.

Loki didn't know any human women who would be willing to talk to him about this. He barely knew any human men who would. Eventually, he reached out to two people-Saldis, whom he asked to report any odd behavior on your part back to him, and the only human man who he both got along with, and thought might have some knowledge of human women.

Barnes.

Barnes had told him that human women could be complicated, but from his experience, if a lady had a problem and would not talk about it, it was because she didn't think the man in her life could actually do anything about it, and didn't want him to waste his energy trying, or raise his anger through failing. So he had to decide if he wanted to risk it.

He did, of course. He wanted to do everything he could for you.  

So he waited as patiently as he could, allowing his passion to go cold and calculating, so that he could better glean through the information he was given. Saldis, so excited to be part of a secret royal plot, had discovered that you were listening to bugs on your phone, and she had sneaked a peek at your Youtube history.

Cicadas. Crickets, Tree frogs. Creatures that came alive at night, or dusk. Creatures from your home. None of them were found here. He was reminded of standing in the lovely Akureyri botanical garden, as you reminisced over a patch of inelegant but joyful coneflowers.

A taste of home. He understood. The fragrant breezes off the mountains of Asgard were no more. There were types of birdsong that would never be heard again. You needed these familiar sounds to soothe your mind.

And he needed your presence to soothe his.

He had an idea about what to do; a special present for you.

It was time for him to learn more about the mysterious land known as Iowa.

[baeckett-a]

          SEASON 8 OF CASTLE. Canon divergent. 

           I’m putting this under a read more & headcanon, as I feel strongly about this.

          I genuinely enjoyed S8 of Castle, but I have to admit, I was let down. I often feel like it was dragged out for no reason. There were so many times they ended the arc of Bracken being the person behind Kate’s mom’s murder. Yeah, it was hinted that there was often more. Though, I was very disappointed. 

          Since the beginning of this series, we had this slow burn between Castle and Kate. A push and pull. S2 with Kate almost saying she’ll go to the Hamptons, after saying no, and Castle’s ex-wife showing up. S3 with Castle wanting to say he’ll be her one and done, and she gets shot at the end of S3. Season 4 happened, where it made sense to let Kate heal from her trauma before confronting Castle about what he said. It makes sense that a lie slips after being held in so long. It’s fire when they finally connected at the end of S4′s arc. 

          S5 happens, which is comical. We really see them grow and come together. They have the usual moments of couple’s doubt. They work through it. They work well together, giving us what we finally need. Not this ‘will they, won’t they’ until closer to the end of the season when Kate and Castle struggle. He proposes. ** IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THIS IS A BIG SEASON WHERE HE TELL HER SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO GIVE HER MOM’S CASE UP, BUT SHE CAN’T SHUT HIM OUT ANYMORE. 

          Then S6 revolves around working with her in a new career. Being distant. She comes home and gets her old job. They’re inching up to get married, but then there’s a plot twist with Kate being married unknowingly through a Vegas chapel. Then, after getting that taken care of and having this push and shove of Rogan being an absolute ass, they have Castle end up abducted at the end of S6 on the way to his wedding.

          S7 starts, and it’s about finding Castle. He doesn’t have memories of the last few months he was gone. It really strains their relationship. It changes their dynamic for awhile. They elope then. Then we start to see, after not really getting much information on Castle’s disappearance and lack of memory, these teases. The end of S7 is a big turning point because Kate applies to be Captain. She gets that. She gets her happily ever after with Castle and the next step up in her job. They just got through this big push and pull again.

            S8 is when the writers change. IMMEDIATELY, Castle and Kate are split apart. While I loved the angst and understand the estranged relationship behind the scenes, they completely reset us to S4. All of their hard work becomes shattered when Kate falls back into a new hole with a new lead on her mom’s case. We find that in those missing months Castle can’t remember, it’s because Castle’s memory ends up erased by his own doing. They have this mistrust in their relationship because she’s running off and pushing him away and leaving. 

            NOT TO MENTION THAT THEY REALLY RUINED ME WITH THE LAST FEW EPISODES. When they finally decide to work together. Fix it by sex. When Castle gets abducted by the CIA. All of these huge plot points that suggest bad writing on the production end, they only give me two minutes of Castle babies and their future. lIKE WHAT THE      ? ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES KATE AND CASTLE JUST GETTING SHOT AFTER GETTING HOME. LITEARALLY, THEY JUST GOT HOME. GOT SHOT. CRAWLED TO EACH OTHER. IT JUMPS FIVE YEARS.

             Beyond that, I don’t always acknowledge S8. Unless specifically asked for. Simply because I feel like Kate and Castle have survived so much. He stuck by her through the bodies piling up between S2-S4. He sat by her side through the shoot. He asked her, specifically, to not shut him out when they got together in S5. That they’d take it all on together. While I understand the risks and threats she faced, the honesty would have been different. It kind of sucks that Kate preached to Castle in S3 about trusting Smith and how he didn’t know the man’s real intentions      when she blindly leapt into a partnership with Rita and Vikram. Not knowing either of them, but taking their word anyway.

           At the very end of all of that, I just felt like they robbed them of all of the progress and trust they gained through their trials and errors of S1-S7. Just to have a rewrite the two producers/writers wanted to have when they bid, and lost, to S4. It read like an awful fanfic in retrospect of all that happened. So, while I do and will write S8, I just feel like in my canon divergence, I’ll acknowledge Kate being more truthful than hiding behind the same facade Castle clawed at to tear down. They both deserved better than make-up sex and fake fighting to get through. If I stick to canon, I want there to be a heavier consequence than kissing the pain away. That would be a major setback for both of them. 

[wrblr]

**  CANON  DIVERGENCY  !!    ( through season five )

My portrayal Blaine is pretty much canon through 4x21, Wonder-ful.  I do also account for much of All or Nothing, however then we start diverging lmao

I’m not a fan of the proposal plot.  I think they’re too young to be getting engaged, and while I do think Blaine would consider it, ultimately, I don’t think he would go through with it. And so with that --- here begin my divergencies:

4x22 :

so, in 4x21, blaine has a talk with burt about proposing to kurt.  burt tells him that he thinks it’s a Bad Idea, tells him that if he really believes they’re soulmates, they have all the time they need to make that jump.  blaine isn’t fully convinced.  

however, blaine brings up his idea of a proposal to sam.  once again, he’s met with a resounding, “dude, no.”  blaine and sam end up having a conversation  ---  blaine opens up to sam, admitting that he’s scared of losing kurt.  blaine feels like kurt is his soulmate, that they’re meant to be together forever, and it scares him to think that kurt might find someone else to feel that way about.  that someday, he won’t be good enough for kurt.  so he feels that he has to sink his claws in, he has to do something to solidify that bond in a way that can’t be broken. 

blaine essentially leaves this conversation understanding his own feelings better, and he ultimately decides that he isn’t going to propose to kurt.  sam’s encouraged blaine to actually talk to kurt about his feelings.  he doesn’t know if he will or not.

5x01 :

blaine does in fact ask kurt if he’ll give him a second chance.  after talking through it, they both come to the agreement that they’ll wait until they’re in the same place again to rekindle their relationship.  this is hard for blaine, who still feels like he’s barely hanging on by a thread, but he agrees nonetheless.  this leaves them in a state of mostly being back together, but it’s not official, even though they’re both pretty much on the same page about it.   (  of course, this is subject to change upon talking to any partners who are writing kurt !  )

either way, absolutely no proposal happens.

most things beyond this point stay the same.

blaine travels to new york to audition for NYADA   (  though this is verse dependent ;  in some verses, he’s auditioning for the musical theatre program at NYU  )

blaine ranks as his class salutatorian rather than valedictorian, though this can be subject to change upon discussion with any tina or artie players.

he successfully gets into NYADA   (  or NYU  )

then we have ---  5x14 :

blaine goes to school in new york.   (  NYADA  or  NYU  )  instead of living in the loft apartment with kurt and rachel, blaine and sam make the decision to get their own place.  of course, it’s very expensive and they’re kind of struggling, so they do eventually end up moving in with mercedes instead.

blaine and kurt are officially back together   (  this applies for canon compliant verses only.  in instances where blaine and kurt don’t get back together, they instead remain very close friends.  this can also change upon discussion with any kurt players.  )   things are going good for them.

5x16 :    (  though this all gets completely cut in any verses in which blaine and kurt are no longer dating  )

while in the episode, blaine says he “loved being able to protect kurt,” i don’t like that.  i personally don’t feel that blaine ever “protected” kurt, but rather that he was someone who was supporting kurt through a traumatic situation he’d had some experience with himself.  kurt never needed blaine to protect him, and blaine saw his bravery and his strength and knew that.  

for that reason, blaine’s insecurities in this scenario do not derive from feeling like kurt doesn’t need him to protect him anymore.

blaine has always struggled with feeling inadequate, in feeling like he isn’t good enough.  being in new york sort of perpetuates that for him at first.  not to mention, blaine does struggle with minor anxiety and depression.  this, at times, leads to him having some unhealthy coping methods.  one of his most common ways of coping is by bottling things up inside and avoiding the problem he’s meant to be facing and pulling away completely from the person or situation at hand.  though in this case, he’s also using food as a sense of escape, as a sense of comfort, in part from being so far from home and feeling the true stress of all the change he’s faced recently in moving to new york for school, but this only leads to him feeling worse about himself.  

all in all, his sense of self has reached a low.  he begins to pull away from kurt, much like in season 3.  he is afraid that kurt is going to stop needing him, that he’ll stop loving him, and that he isn’t good enough, but these problems are due to his own insecurities. 

most important takeaway: blaine is fully supportive of kurt’s self-confidence.  he loves seeing this man that he loves succeed and flourish in talent, confidence, everything.  none of blaine’s insecurities derive from jealousy toward kurt.

kurt and blaine end up talking things over, and blaine begins taking steps necessary to overcome these insecurities, and even deeper than that, the underlying problems as a result of his anxiety and depression.  he begins seeing a counselor through his school.

5x18 - 5x20:   (  this is mostly canon compliant, i’m just explaining some stuff  )

blaine has found a mentor in miss june dalloway.  she’s able to give him experience and exposure that he would not otherwise have, something he’s very grateful for, especially when she reveals that she plans to have him perform at her upcoming gala.

in verses where he’s dating kurt   (  again, verse and player dependent, if the occasion should ever arise  )   blaine wants to have kurt perform alongside him.  june disagrees.  blaine does lie to kurt about having him perform with him, afraid to disappoint him, feeling guilty about having opportunities that kurt doesn’t, and wanting to share in their victories together.  however, blaine reveals the truth to kurt much earlier than in canon.  he doesn’t wait until the last moment.

and of course, he still has kurt perform with him anyway because duh. 

the impact of june’s exposure is vast, certainly a resumé booster, but it also puts the name blaine anderson on the map.  he finds himself in a world of new opportunity as he navigates through school, and trying to make it as a professional in new york city.  the full extent of the impact of june’s exposure, however, is definitely verse dependent as well.  

and we  ---  will discuss season 6 another time l m a o

[jandjsalmon]

Okay, I started this post whilst on vacation in Las Vegas - sitting next to a beautiful pool in weather that is literally the late July temperatures I get here in Canada. I left this draft sit in my draft box for a couple of days because I wasn’t sure I wanted to wade into the fandom drama that has erupted lately - but after today - I decided that I’ve had enough and now that I’m home and I can properly format the damn thing, I’m going to come on here and say a few things - but it’s gonna be under a Keep Reading cut because it’s long and I tip-toe the line of being irritated and rude and sassy and sarcastic and ain’t nobody got time to scroll through that. See - I’m thinking of all of you. ;)

We already knew Twitter fans in general are rabid and unkind. I don’t care what ship you are - don’t be a douchelord (to anyone - let alone the writers and/or reviewers). If you feel inclined to write decent messages to the powers that be (hitherto TPTB) - fill your boots - but do so politely and respectfully. I’ve already seen a few very nice messages. Cool. If that’s how you choose to engage - awesome. Not everyone enjoys the discourse there and that’s also fine. The key is - don’t be asshats to the writers or to the reviewers or to fellow fans - even if they’re being obnoxious. It’s called the higher road, people. Seriously.

As for the Brian drama from last week - We already know that the writers of our show want maximum attention and they're not above throwing a bone to another contingent of the fandom to do it. They’re also contractually not allowed to absolutely discount any idea - or tear down any ship because it might come back in the future. “Will Betty and the Black Hood finally get it on?” “Tune in to see!” 

Harassing actual official content-makers to change their plan does not and will never work. Like Cole said, making demands like this and expecting to get your way would be like going to an art museum and insisting that the artist change their work to suit you. You don't like sunflowers? Van Gogh should repaint them as tulips then. This idea is ridiculous. If you can't see that then there is nothing I can say to change your mind - but it’s seriously unfortunate. Your life is going to be full of disappointments.

As for the deleted scene drama from today... You can’t honestly think that RAS listened to a ‘petition’ by one set of shippers when he already has a history of releasing deleted content anyway. TPTB had mentioned the particular scene in answers to questions prior to the episode. The duet was on Spotify with the rest of the episode’s music. OF COURSE they were going to release it - petition or not - and thinking that a very vocal but relatively small group of fans made noise and got their way because of it is silly. The fact that those same fans (and worse fans) think that this is now the way of doing things is even more awful.

Additionally, thinking that doing the same thing for a canon ship that already has so much content is the only way to get more content? That’s even more ridiculous. Honestly - has there really been that much of a Bughead drought? Objectively? From where I’m standing - even in the middle of their super-brief breakup there was Bughead content. They were working on the car for the race together. There were longing looks. There were typewriters and Beloved and ‘I’m not sure I even know how to stop loving yous’ - I know it felt like a lot longer and a lot droughtier but if you were binging (and not dealing with hiatuses) it wasn’t. 

And yes - there have been deleted kisses that have never been released - but there have been a lot of NOT deleted kisses too. And because one ship gets something doesn’t mean that we should also get something (because we’re super nice about asking for it). It would be like living a comfortable suburban life where we can easily afford to buy our own school lunches full of chips and cookies and pudding cups and Bughead kisses... but when we see the kids from the other side of the tracks getting a subsidized lunch with mystery meat and cold tater-tots - we demand that too and figure that if we’re polite and asking really really nicely then we deserve the same because it’s just showing the cafeteria lady that we really really care about lunch because maybe JUST MAYBE if we don’t show enough interest, she’ll take lunch away from us. *facepalm*

Speaking as someone who previously participated heavily in a fandom where my ship was not (and was never going to be) canon, the crux of my rant today is this: 

The fact that we currently ship a canon ship is a freaking privilege.

If (heaven forbid) that ever changes - FANDOM DOESN'T CHANGE! 

Our actual canon is often written poorly with cheesy dialogue and Telenova style storylines (long lost twin brother? Come on - what's next? Amnesia!?) 

If canon did reduce itself further... it would not change the fact that the Bughead fics we've loved and read are still amazing. Case in point: I rarely rarely read the actual Harry Potter books... but I often reread some of the best D/G fics that I loved in my HP days. My corner of that fandom still remains my favourite part of that time. Seriously.

One of the things to do to counteract canon that you don't enjoy is to do as @raptorlily suggested in this great post - Create Content or Support Content Creators. This is how it's always been - how else can you explain ‘fix-it fic’ or ‘post-episode fic’ where everyone writes to solve the problem introduced or hiatus-fic-explosions (like our answer to the possibility of Serpent!Juggie last summer and the fic explosion that happened) or any other kind of canon divergent fic out there. I'm not sure if you know this - but Betty wasn't really raped by Chuck... but Fall in Light said it happened. Juggie didn't really join a stage production of A Mid Summer Night's Dream... but in What Fools these Mortals Be, it happened. Hell... Archie didn't really beat the living crap out of Juggie (causing Betty to end any and all friendship with him) but it happened in In the Still of the Night.   Fic isn't canon. Fandom isn’t just about canon. You don't even have to watch the show to love the fic. There are still episodes of this season I haven't seen. There were weeks and weeks where I watched the YouTube highlights because I couldn't stomach canon... but I didn't stop reading fic. 

And there are fandom people out there who don’t read fic. I understand and accept that. So maybe this argument isn’t for them. 

But whether they’re involved in the fic side of fandom or not - campaigning relentlessly to get your way on a television show that is plotted and written way in advance is tiresome.

Guys - fandom is an amazing place.

It's a break from the drama of everyday life.

Chill the frick out and enjoy it for what it is.

[themomentofdavyprentiss]

Not Your Average Zutara Fic Rec

So I’ve gone through a LOT of Zutara fanfiction, probably too much if I’m being honest, and finding good fics can be really hard. When looking up fic rec lists I’ve noticed that a lot of the lists are just the same select fanfictions recommended over and over (We get it, everyone and their mother loves ‘His Majesty Prefers Blue’ and ‘Stormbenders’ [I never finished HMPB, sue me]). 

So this list is for all of you who are in my shoes and can’t seem to find anything besides the same ten or fifteen stories recommended and are desperate for something new. Everything listed is complete! (If I listed the incompletes/abandoned stories I’d have a lot more chaptered stories listed… RIP ‘The Confrontational Approach’…) 

I have a lot of bookmarked stories that I have yet to read and am in the middle of (Almost caught up on @firelordandlady ‘s ‘Say Anything’!), so I’ll try to update this when I finish something I think deserves a recommendation. 

Chaptered

In the Same Candlelight by Like a Dove

In a world where there is no war, Zuko and Katara spend their summers together. Growing up is messy, embarrassing, and at times sad, but they think it might be okay because they have each other. Edited summary.

I know. I KNOW. I LITERALLY JUST SAID I WASN’T GOING TO RECOMMEND FANFICS THAT ARE ON EVERYONE’S LIST. But I NEED to mention this one. I spent so long not interested in this fic. I don’t like drastic AU’s, or modern AU’s. My taste is strictly canon divergence, so I didn’t think I would like this. I WAS SO WRONG. Trust me, if you are like me and don’t like big AU’s, read this anyway. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. Characterization is still so spot on, even with such a different take. Aang is precious. There is nothing but fluff, fluff, and fluff. It will melt you. You will probably die and your spirit will rise up smiling and beaming out rainbows and sunshine. That’s what happened to me. 

Lilacs and Lily Pads by sadladybug

A tale of clumsy courtship and calamitous court weddings, featuring awkward family encounters, floral mishaps, cultural complications, and good old fashioned fluff and conflict. Takes place in the five years following war’s end. For Zutara Week 2016. A prequel to Bones.

Clothe Me in Seasons, Dress Me in Snow is a very commonly recommended Zutara fic (And for good reason, I shed many tears reading it). But this two-shot (A companion to Bones, a smut one shot) by the same author is really underrated and beautifully written. It follows Zuko and Katara as they try to plan their wedding, as well as shows two scenes from before they got engaged that solidified the relationship to be one they knew would last. Just really well done overall and very very sweet. 

EDIT: I talked with the author and apparently it isn’t finished?? But they are apparently working on the next chapters so yay!! And each chapter is independent so it doesn’t feel unfinished.  

The Slow Path by Tazainian Devil

Eight years after the fall of Ozai, Aang returns to the friends he left behind - Taang, Zutara, Sukka

This is technically a Taang fic, and if I’m being honest I kind of just skimmed through the non-zutara chapters, but the Zutara storyline was good enough that I think it’s definitely worth the read. And the overall plot has a great premise. Be warned, it has a sequel that was never finished. 

Another Word For Alchemy by FanPanda13

Five years have passed since the Avatar defeated Fire Lord Ozai, and the members of the Gaang have all gone in their own direction. But when Aang invites them all to a Peace Summit at the North Pole and tells them of his new project, for which he will need their support, the group comes together again for adventure, fun and romance. AU. Zutara. COMPLETE.

So this fic is crazy for me. At first, it started as just really good natured fluff. The writing wasn’t anything fantastic (Although I loved how it broke the 4th wall and didn’t take itself seriously), and there were some definite OOC moments. But I had so much FUN with it. The plot (while definitely not the focus as everyone is more concerned about when Zuko and Katara will get together) was interesting, and there were some really sweet moments. It was also HILARIOUS and I had multiple moments where I genuinely laughed out loud. But then about five chapters before the end, the quality SKY ROCKETED. As the plot and mystery come together, the characters all come together in a moment that truly feels like it came from the show. Even the writing quality increases by a lot and I was genuinely shocked and impressed. Definitely recommend. 

Kyoshi Hold ‘Em by cupid-painted-blind

When a blizzard shuts down the fourth annual Peace Summit, the group has to find some way to pass the time. /Zutara, Taang, Jet/Mai, Jet/Everyone, Sukka

If you’re looking for a good crack fic, look no further. It’s post war and utter nonsense. Jet is alive for some reason??? No one questions it and he’s shipped with pretty much everyone. It’s funny, it’s decently written, there are drinking and sexy time shenanigans, and overall just lighthearted. Also, it does a great job of being a crack fic without crossing the line and becoming unfunny and just a trash fic. A lot struggle to find the balance and resort to going over the top and ridiculous, but this one does a really good job. 

Come With Me by Steamboat Ghost

Coauthored by fuzzytomato. Troubled over his newly restored honor, Zuko finds solace in the familiar guise of the Blue Spirit. In a chance meeting with the Painted Lady, a friendship is forged as the two heroes seek to help the Fire Nation’s neglected.

I’ll admit it: I’ve never gotten into Blutara fanfictions. I only read the first couple chapters of HMPB and dropped it after the tree scene. I don’t know, it felt really OOC for me and I may go back and read it again just because EVERYONE raves about it, but IDK. I’ve never been a huge Blutara fan because while I love the concept, I’d much rather see the Painted Lady and the Blue Spirit come together as equals. Most fics present Zuko behind his mask to Katara, and it feels imbalanced. There aren’t a lot of stories where we see their alter persona’s come together even though that’s the entire point of the parallel between the two. Insert this fic. I only wish there was a sequel dealing with Zuko in the Gaang after these events. Hey, a girl can dream. 

A Zutara Story Anastasia by LastSunset

Katara, the only suviving waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, joins two con men, Zuko and Iroh, while a fearful admiral chases for her death. A Zutara Story. Based on the movie Anastasia.

So this isn’t so much a retelling of Anastasia but with Katara and Zuko as it is a fanfic version of the movie but with the characters names and world changed. It takes a lot of lines from the movie. But WHO CARES? It’s Anastasia and Zutara!!! What more do you need??? 

Oneshot

this burden you bear by cowlicklesschick

Word travels, and war stories will be told round campfires and on freighter ships until every person in the world knows what Master Katara did for the new Fire Lord. She fights the burning in her throat at the thought of people knowing why she had to heal him in the first place. Post-war Zutara.

This is an angst-with-a-happy-ending, which I say is the absolute BEST type of angst. Katara deals with the guilt of what Zuko did for her as the Fire Nation celebrates what she did to save his life during the Agni Kai. The two come together beautifully while struggling to see the feelings they both share. Really well written and like I said, it has a happy ending, which we all need. 

The Best of Me by Laririn-Shadow

The night before his eighteenth birthday Zuko wraps a bandage around his left wrist. He has a country to run and no time for frivolous things. It will make everything easier if he waits. Zutara Soulmates AU

Soulmate AU’s usually aren’t my thing (With the glaring exception of one Until Dawn Soulmate AU, but that’s besides the point), but I really enjoyed this oneshot. It isn’t sweeping or insanely romantic and the reveal isn’t “OMG I’VE LOVED YOU THIS WHOLE TIME” But it’s a subtle love that grows, which I really like.  

my salvation, he’s not anything by sarsaparillia

Let’s run away and start another war. — Zuko/Katara.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ What can I say? I love the ‘Let’s run away together, consequences be damned’ trope. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Time is Ripe by Casa Circe

ZUTARA WEEK 2012 Day Seven: Seasons. There are many stages that a heart goes through before it can finally be ready for the love it was meant to have. The road is often a rocky one but eventually, it leads you home.

A oneshot for the Zutara Week 2012 prompt ‘Seasons’. Not too much to say about it. Short, sweet, and well written. What more do you need? 

Serendipity by Boriqua-chan

Iroh goes hunting for tea leaves and finds something…interesting. /Zutara week, day 1/

Secret relationships! Fluff! Happiness! And all from Uncle Iroh’s perspective!! Everything I love in one great oneshot! 

Too Close for Comfort also by Casa Circe

ZUTARA WEEK 2010 Day Three: Pain. After watching “The Ember Island Players”, no one is in the mood for teasing. But a little slip of the tongue leads to the painful realization that the play was more accurate than they were willing to admit.

There are two Zutara plots/tropes that I am a complete and utter SLUT for. The first is the ‘Let’s talk about that EIP show’ trope. This is one of my favorites. 

The Color of Truth is Red by Mrs. Pettyfer

Written for Zutara Week prompt “awkward.” Zuko and Katara discuss the Ember Island Players.

Another post EIP oneshot

Enlightenment by Blade Quill

Choices are made on the day of Zuko’s coronation, and sometimes, enlightenment is just the simple truth at hand. Zutara. AU of the final moments of the Book 3 Finale

The OTHER plot/trope I’m a slut for is finale rewrites. LET ME SEE THEM COME TOGETHER AFTER HE TAKES LIGHTNING FOR HER. Ugh, I love it. 

Framework by profoundlycan

What if in “Sozin’s Comet” Katara had come into the room instead of Mai? Zuko/Katara. Prequel to Schema.

 Another finale rewrite! Let’s just get Mai out of the picture here… 

Lightning Shocks the Heart by drunkzutarafeels

Why do our hearts remain dormant until a climactic moment makes time stand still?

And here’s yet another finale rewrite. There is a really popular Zutara gifset that someone animated of the Agni Kai ‘Thank you’ scene, but Katara kisses Zuko after she hugs him. This is the fanfiction equivalent of that gif set. 

Sunrise by lewilder

The days go on and on, and even if she feels more comfort from the moon, Katara learns to cherish the promise of each new sunrise. Zutara AU, largely finale-centric. Oneshot.

LAST FINALE AU I PROMISE. Really sweet, starts right after The Southern Raiders and goes past canon. 

all the ghosts we cannot kill (we learn to love) by raisindeatre

Zuko and Katara; the moments we didn’t see. Or: Maybe we are all somebody’s ghost. And maybe sometimes we can be more than that.

“…My quarrel has only ever been with you, Zuko,” she says, his name sharp on her tongue. “This has only ever been about me and you.”

“You’re wrong,” he rasps, his voice rough in the late afternoon sunlight that falls around them, tangles them in golden nets. “This has only ever been about me and the Avatar. Not you and me. What we hold between us has nothing to do with it.”

This is a really beautiful one-shot that follows a battered, war torn and hardened Zuko and Katara through the scenes we DIDN’T see throughout the entire show. A Zutara must-read.

Drabble Collection/Series

And Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Advocaat

A collection of humorous and crack-tastic oneshots corresponding to the days of Zutara Month

Really great Zutara Month themed drabbles, and it contains the only body swapping plot that I’ve read and really enjoyed. Also the chapters ‘Potential’ and ‘Festival’ are some of my all time favorites. 

Zuko Was No Coward by hootowl

Zuko was many things, but a coward he was not. A collection of Zutara100 prompts. Title may change.

Definitely some heartbreakers and angsty drabbles in here, but all well written and thoroughly enjoyable. If you read ANYTHING from this list, read chapter two of this drabble collection. I MELTED when I read it. It’s perfection. Aunt Wu’s prediction has always been a plotline I’ve loved in Zutara fanfiction, and this one just does it PERFECTLY. 

Zutara Week 2012 by ichilover3

A collection of oneshots inspired by the prompts for Zutara Week

Not much more to say. The first, third, and fourth prompts are my favorite from this series. 

Zutara Week 2015 by bianca_anna

It started at a tea shop and ended with forever. My entries for Zutara Week 2015. I hope you enjoy them.

Oh my GOODNESS. So they’re Zutara Week prompts, but all set in the same universe. The Zutara!Family depicted in these drabbles has become my headcanon. I’ve seen many a Zutara family, but this one is by far my FAVORITE. This is now my official family for them. I want the very last chapter fully animated because it’s so good and epic and I want more of this families adventures. 

[andreabiagini]

The Magicians 2.1, “Knight of Crowns”

Warning: This post contains discussion of rape, murder, and torture.

I’ve been vibrating with excitement over The Magicians premiere for like a week now, and “Knight of Crowns” did not disappoint. Lots of stuff happened in this episode, and you all know how I feel about stuff when it happens.

Julia and Martin on Earth

Julia is holding the only weapon that can kill Martin/The Beast, so she offers him a deal. She won’t kill him as long as he helps her get her revenge on Reynard, the trickster god who took over her mentor/friend/lover Richard’s body, raped her, and killed her friends. Once Reynard is dead, provided Martin hasn’t harmed Julia, Quentin, or any of Quentin’s friends, she’ll hand over the knife. They seal the agreement with a magical sigil that will automatically kill Martin if he breaks it. I’m unclear on what the consequences for Julia will be if she doesn’t hold up her part of the bargain, but let’s assume they’re also dire.

Both Julia and Martin are magically talented, both were denied their desires (Brakebills and Fillory, respectively), and both were victims of sexual assault. Martin, despite his stated desire to find a loophole in Julia’s deal, takes a bit of a shine to her. While she struggles with the aftermath of the rape, he offers her a way out of her pain—a spell that will remove her deepest self, her “shade.” Julia is clearly tempted by the offer, but she sees that Martin, cut off from his own emotions, has become a predator in his own right and refuses. For now, anyways.

These sections of this episode felt slow to me, even if they did pack an emotional punch. It was so satisfying to see Julia and Quentin’s storylines converge last season, and I’m sorry to see them separated again. New York has grown even grayer and grittier to contrast with the lush fantasyland that is Fillory.

The Brakebills in Fillory

This part of the episode was everything I could have asked for and more. The plot is basic—The Beast is still at large, and without the knife the gang needs a new weapon. Quentin, still our foremost Fillory expert, suggests the armory, a stockpile of books in Castle Whitespire that holds texts on powerful battle magic (Side note: magic that Rupert Chatwin may have used to win World War II. I’m actually very curious about Rupert. He was the only Chatwin to enter Fillory for the first time as an adult, and he’s also possibly buried there. Since the book-to-show adaptation had no problem ditching two Chatwin sisters, I imagine they must have needed Rupert around for something).

Before they can get to the castle, Eliot needs to be crowned high king, and crown his three co-rulers. This scene, with the titular knight, is both absurd and touching. The Magicians flirts with being a little too self-aware at times, and I tend to cringe at pop-culture references shoehorned into my fantasy. That said, I would not trade Eliot reciting the final speech from Dirty Dancing for anything in the world.

The whole impromptu crowning ceremony gives the group a chance to start patching up their somewhat tattered relationships. There are apologies and affirmations all around, but I particularly like Eliot’s face when Quentin asks him to kneel. It’s the perfect mix of I want to make a dirty joke right now and I’m still not totally over that time we had sex and Thank you for believing in me when I don’t believe in myself.

Penny, with his hands newly re-attached, stays in character and well out of all this sappy nonsense. Which like, okay, he’s not actually getting a crown, but maybe he has some issues he needs to talk about? Or possibly he would just like a hug and/or a forehead kiss? Anyways, I’m glad to see that he’s physically intact (let’s be honest, this show has better things to do with its budget than CGI Arjun Gupta’s hands off), but I’m also glad he doesn’t get off too easily. The least genre-savvy character, he breaks one of the cardinal rules of traveling in a magical land: always, always be polite to strangers you meet in the woods. Now Penny, who went to such lengths last season to learn control, has more unpredictable quirks to his magic.

“Knight of Crowns” puts down some groundwork for the rest of season. Here are some dangling plot threads that I sincerely hope will be picked up again:

-The vial of Quentin’s blood has to come up again. Otherwise, why the whole sequence in the woods with the healer/witch?

-The time-sensitivity on Alice’s godlike powers intrigues me, but mostly because it’s been implied that Julia has similar abilities. Not to be gross, but does the manner in which god-semen enters the body affect the endurance of its effects?  

-I loved the tree growing scene, and that Alice initiates the kiss. An arc where Alice discovers her own strength would be fantastic, and if Quentin can be helpful and supportive without asking for anything in return, so much the better.

-The time difference between Fillory and Earth—what’s Eliot going to get up to while Quentin and co. are back at Brakebills? He might have years to rule Fillory by himself. I appreciate the poignancy of the scene between him and Quentin, but like, why not just leave Margo there too?

-What’s up with Eliot’s wife? She could be a valuable source of information, but she is mostly being ignored right now. I hope she doesn’t wind up dead just so Eliot can have feelings. Enough bad things have happened to him, guys, let’s just chill for a minute

-Okay this is digging back into season one stuff, but whatever happened to the Margolem? Is she in a closet somewhere? Is she attending classes at Brakebills, pretending to be Margo? There were some problematic elements of that subplot but I still want to know

-Not really a plot thing, but I miss Kady.

I’m predicting that from this point on, the series will continue to diverge from book canon, like Game of Thrones or True Blood did. The showrunners are doing their own thing here, and I can’t wait to see where they take it.