#xiao deserves all the best things in the world

[xlmibby]

it makes me really soft to think about how xiao has always thought that teyvat is full of demons and monsters he needs to fight with, full of filth and evil. he didn't really care about simple things because of his duty but also because he thought they aren't for someone like him.

but now, we can see him writing poems and enjoying the peaceful comfortable time next to lumine. we see him smile and slowly opening up to the world and its people - even though back in the past he was scared of accidentaly hurting them because of his karma so much that he held himself back from interacting with them.

now, we see xiao live and slowly, finally, become happy with lumine by his side ❤️‍🩹

[jennifer-jeong]

Fluff | Genshin x GN!Reader What Made Them Fall For You?

Xiao, Wanderer/Scaramouche, Diluc

SUMMARY Headcanons on what makes the genshin pookies fall for you <3

CONTENT Fluff, gender neutral reader, men falling for reader, reader is not traveler but is friends with them, mentions of character's trauma, CHARACTERS ARE 18+

AUTHOUR NOTES I hope to eventually write about all the men >:) it will probably take a while to get to it but I’ll try to keep each one short to encourage myself to finish them all hehe.

XIAO

I think Xiao would start to fall for you because you see through his tough, mean guy act. You can tell that even though his words are harsh and he’s telling you to leave him alone, he’s just protecting you. You might not see it at first, but as you understand his condition, his karmic debt, you understand him. Your realization makes you feel warm knowing that Xiao is really just an innocent soul who wanted to keep you safe. He wants so badly to never hurt anyone ever again and “repent” in solitude even though he has nothing to really repent for; he was forced to kill by his previous master and his karmic debt only comes from killing the remnants of old gods and absorbing their debt.

You start to hang around him more as a result and, much to Xiao’s dismay, he doesn’t hate it. In fact, he actually enjoys how you reignite the warmth in him, the warmth he hasn’t felt in so long since his fellow Yaksha have passed. But did he want to let you in? Shouldn’t he push you away? He’s been alone for so long, why change that now? He felt like he didn’t deserve to enjoy company again, that he didn’t deserve you and your kindness. But maybe just this time… just once, would he allow it.

WANDERER

I think Wanderer would start to fall for you because you make him feel human emotions like he’s never felt before. He’s always searched for a “heart” in the form of a gnosis, thinking it would make him human and make him feel loved and wanted. But even when he had it, it didn’t feel right. Even now, with his anemo vision, he feels more, but still not what he wants. But with you, it feels perfect. Others would probably describe what he feels as something like “butterflies in my stomach” but since he probably doesn’t really experience physical things like that, being a magical puppet and all, he thinks about how you make his vision glow. When he feels a surge of emotions, it feels like he’s using his vision. It feels powerful, happy, strong, and warm, like how a light breeze feels on a sunny afternoon.

You know about his past, what he did, and how the world wronged him. He’s been so traumatized and can barely comprehend his emotions. So when you reach out to him after he regains his memory and a new anemo vision, you try to help him through his emotions in the gentle way that you do. You’re so soft with him and it makes his vision heart ache. He believes he doesn’t deserve you but you try your best to show him otherwise. As you two get closer, you never really notice, but the wind always picks up just a little bit when he sees you.

DILUC

I think Diluc would start to fall for you because you don’t just see him as “the young and rich son of the Ragnvindr family estate.” You see him for him: Diluc. You see a beautiful soul with a broken heart that has put up walls that he intends to never break down again. Others might think that Diluc is just cold, but you and the others close to him know that no matter how cold he may seem, the pure fire that burns inside him always spreads its warmth to those around him. He’s believed for a while now that barely anyone can see what he’s hiding underneath, that people want him for his money, his property, his material things. But you prove him wrong time and time again. You sweetly say hi to him every time you see him not because you want to put on a facade to get on his good side. You don’t help him break up a fight at the tavern and clean up after because you want a monetary reward. You don’t bake him an adorable strawberry cake for his birthday because you want something back. No, you do it because you care, because you have so much love to give, and Diluc feels so lucky to be a part of your life.

He feels his feelings grow for you as time goes on. He feels you getting closer and he barely hesitates to let you in. You didn’t break down his walls, you politely made a door for yourself to enter and it makes you both laugh to think about it that way. He stays reserved around most others but always holds the door open for you, physically and metaphorically.

|| MASTERLIST ♡ || Thank you for reading! ||

[yiling-laozu-is-loml]

You know what's sad about Wei Wuxian's death? Its not that a bunch of people disliked him and said 'die bitch!'. No. The thing with Wei Wuxian was that he had to die. There was no other way.

Wei Wuxian was kind, selfless, paid his debts and favours as deserved, cared about people, used his skills and cultivation for good of as many as he could, didn't shy away from danger or back down in the face of injustice. He was, in short, the very definition of what a cultivator should be. And that's why he had to die.

If he lived, corruption would have decreased and ended over time. If he lived, civillians and younger cultivators would've realized their rights and how they shouldn't take bullshit from clans. If he lived, next generations would've realized that rules and traditions were just constraints set to keep them under strict control and from realizing they didn't need all those useless elders after all. The system would've changed, no one would've tolerated all this extortion, corruption, nepotism, power imbalance, crimes that were swept under the rug due to the committers being influential. Absolutely no one.

And all that would've been caused by the existence and actions of one man. Wei Wuxian.

So how do we deal with that? We nip the evil in the bud. First use his horrible treatment at the hands of Jiangs as a base to show that yes, he's bad, his martial family treated him that way and they know him best. Then cutting off his allies by skewing their perception about him and his intentions. Then by sowing fear into hearts of allies and civillians. And then leading a siege to cleanse the world of 'evil' so that their bullshit won't be discovered or put a stop to even centuries later. So that his end would serve as a warning to anyone who wishes to rise against evil and corruption, as an unspoken threat to anyone who cared for people and their duties for real.

And it worked. It worked spectacularly. Anyone defying the rules was punished, anyone saying anything similar to Wei Wuxian's? Anyone trying to do real good or anyone following in his path was deemed evil. Their torture and murder were never even acknowledged, yet the rumours were spread to discourage others from trying. Even people who didn't follow his footsteps and chose to be righteous of their own accord didn't live to see the results of their goodness (Nie Mingjue, Xiao Xingchen, Song Zichen etc) and if they did, no one found out and they were forgotten quickly (Mianmian).

It worked so well that every harm that befell on anyone, whether it was from the gods or from someone playing god and taking advantage, was attributed to the Yiling Laozu's evil ways. He was dead, yet everything that went wrong was his fault. Your marriage didnt work out? Wei Wuxian was behind this, I am sure. There was a flood that destroyed years worth of your hard work? Sounds like the Yiling Laozu. You had a cough because you ate something cold in the winter? Pretty sure the evil Wei Wuxian is behind it, he has various very evil tricks up his sleeve. That Monster!

He was all-powerful, a man who didn't bend to the whims of gods or wills of mortals. Someone who could defy everyone if he woke up in the mood to.

The propaganda and brainwashing worked so well that people never stopped to ask themselves the question: If Yiling Laozu was truly so powerful, how did he get defeated by a bunch of corpses? How did the Ghost General, his most powerful weapon, get killed by a few dozen cultivators?

And thinking of that is depressing as fuck because he died solely so the rich could get richer, the evil and corrupt could advance in their evil ways (Jin Guangyao, Xue Yang) and everyone could stay on their carefully curated bubble of bliss with none the wiser about their deception, manipulation and bullshit about bloodlines and traditions (Jiang Cheng, The Lans, Jin Guangshan, etc).

[niiine]

𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄

Character(s). Xiao x GN!Reader, Scaramouche x GN!Reader, mentions of Nahida in Scaramouche’s part.

Synopsis. On moments that all they could think of was that they’re not deserving of your love, how will you tell them that they are?

A bit of angst but Fluff overall.

 Self-sabotaging Xiao, Harsh and mean Scara

MILD cursing, NOT PROOF READ

Soft Chars. They deserve the whole world.

Feeling so longing lately for these two because I keep seeing edits of them on Tiktok 😫 GIVE THEM TO ME AND I’LL SHOW THEM WHAT LOVE IS. COME ON! 

Xiao

It’s the sixth time this week. Sixth time that you have called out his name and yet he’s nowhere to be found. Not once did he miss your calls before, and he makes sure that you’re well aware if he will be off to a long mission before disappearing for days, that’s why you’re worried sick for the yaksha.

But he’s always there. On the roofs, above the cliffs, behind the trees— he’s there upon seconds of your every call, making sure that you’re alright and not in any grave danger. He promised that he will be there at the moment you utter his name, and he will be, trust me. Just not before your eyes.

He’s decided to put an end to whatever it is in between the two of you. The relationship that you’ve been saying in the past few months is just an excuse for him to indulge in your touch and comfort, an excuse for him to see you everyday without guilt and longing. It doesn’t benefit you, it’s only for his own good to hold and look at you in short distance. At least that’s what he thought, because there’s nothing good when it comes to him, and you? You’re everything to him. 2,000 years of fighting and killing, and yet only now he’s glad for his skills because he can protect you.

And that is why he’s gonna keep you away from his selfish desires. He can’t let his karmic debt corrupt you, he can’t let the danger that lingers in his life reach out to harm you, he can’t be the reason why you’re hurt. Xiao will not let it happen.

But so will you. You’ve asked Verr Goldet one afternoon about your lovers whereabouts, and she told you that he’s been coming home late than usual this past days, as if avoiding an interaction with anyone, as if avoiding interaction with you. No, you’re not going to let it slide. If he’s not in love with you anymore, then you at least deserve an explanation, right?

Xiao didn’t expect you to be there, sitting at his bed, in the dead of the night. Eyes piecing his golden ones the moment he entered the room. He wanted to teleport out, to go anywhere without you because no, he can’t lose his resolve now. But he can’t even move an inch, mesmerized by your gaze. Archons, he knows that if you open your arms and call out to him, he will crash into you. Millenia of strengthening and hardening his heart only to be crushed down by a second of your hug. Unfair.

“What are you doing?” you broke the silence first, giving him a chance to say what you want to hear, that he’s just busy and he will not abandon you. But of course, the universe find it lovely to hear shattered hearts echoing.

“You’re not supposed to be here” the adeptus muttered, averting his gaze anywhere but you. Scared that you will see how happy he is to see you eye to eye.

Your heart tugged; tears threaten to fall. Oh, so he’s done with you now?

Head hung low, eyes dedicated to the floor you whispered your acknowledgement. Remorse, regret, and even a bit of hate plays in your voice “Fine. I guess I shouldn’t have bothered knowing you in the first place. I hate falling in love with you.”

You should’ve have seen how fast his head whipped at you. Eyes tender and glistening. No, please don’t say that. Getting to know you is the best thing that has ever happened to him all throughout his ridiculously long life, and to hear that you regret it? His heart rampaged in his chest, and he can feel his hands shaking at the thought of not knowing you.

You steal a glance at him for one last time, and what you saw added turmoil to your now chaotic emotions.

If he doesn’t want you anymore, then why the fuck is he crying? His porcelain face, so gentle yet stoic, now adorned with tears that reached his chin. Mouth slightly agape as if words are aching to spill out, and his eyes, looking at you and begging. But begging for what?  

You can feel your chest tightening a bit more, and you think of the only that could make the both of you alright.

“Xiao,” you dragged your feet towards his direction, arms reaching out to catch his neck, placing his head in the crook of yours “Why are you doing this?”

You heard him whimpered, his own arms finding its way around your waist. Ahh, he hates the fact that he’s melting into your touch again. How come that he’s an adeptus and you’re a mortal and yet you have this power over him?

“I don’t deserve you,” He started as you rubbed his back, easing the tense muscles. He missed this, he missed you. “I’m not deserving of whatever you’re giving me, of everything you’re giving me.”

You lifted his head and cupped his cheeks, staring straight right through his misty orbs.

“Listen to me—you can take my life, my love. You can take everything from me, and my only complaint is that I’m not enough.”

He shook his head, attempting to disagree, but you beat him to it.

“I love you. And I know I’m selfish but I want to spend my punny lifetime with you. Please, let me.”

Warmth spreads through his body as he heard your words. Warmth that’s always present whenever you’re around, And as you seal the night with a passionate kiss, he knows that this feeling will be stronger that anything else from now on.

Scaramouche

“What are they doing here?” The way the lad before you sneered as he asks the Dedro Archon made your stomach drop a little. Now, you aren’t one of the softs, you wouldn’t be able to date the Wanderer if you are, but the way he looks at you makes your knees buckle and your eyes a bit misty.

“Now, now, Wanderer. They’ve taken the trouble to come and visit you. Please drop the mean.” Nahida reprimanded him, of which he returned with a tsk. The former then turned towards you and bid you a gentle goodbye, hoping that whatever you’re planning will work because she herself can’t take it anymore how the Wanderer being extra mean for the past few days.

And now, you’re left alone with the said mean guy. He’s looking at you as if disgusted by the sight, lips in a frown and eyes sharp. “What do you need?” His question came out icier than expected, earning a flinch from you. He regrets the action right away but kept his composure. He can’t lose it now after enduring it for weeks.

“You haven’t gone home for a while now. I just visit to see if you’re doing good.” You offered him a sheepish smile. He hates it, that’s not how you smile, that’s not how you should smile.

“Now that you’ve seen me doing good—better than ever, you may leave.”

You let out a dry laugh and attempted to joke about his particularly harsh words, but his next words irked something within you.

“Seriously (y/n). Your presence irritates me” he doesn’t mean it, of course. Oh, archons your presence is heaven to him. Everything is just better, if not perfect, if you’re around. Mellifluous, light, comforting—and that’s the more reason he has to distance himself from you. He can’t afford tainting every good thing in you.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” You exclaim seems to have taken him aback because he was silent for a moment, before returning your anguish with his own.

“My problem is you. You’re always clinging to me, going after me. You keep on nagging me. What? Can’t leave without a man now, (y/n)?” Now it was your turn to be shocked, you didn’t know that this is the way he feels about you, a baggage, a burden.

The hurt is vivid in your eyes, and heavens he felt like dying right there. Scara swiftly combed his indigo locks in frustration. He wanted to take it back, to tell you that it’s a lie, that he loves everything you do to him. The way you reach out to him every day, the way you call out his name even on trivial matters, the way you dotes on his necessities. But this is a must, so he doesn’t end up hurting you in the future.

He would rather see you happy and contented in the arms of someone else rather hurt in his. Although the thought alone sent him grasping for air.

“You’re so fucking selfish.” You turned to him, eyes going from hurt to a touch of hate. His chest tightens at the sight of tears streaming down your face. No, no, no. This isn’t supposed to happen. You should be happy; He’s doing this for you to be happy. So why in hell are you calling him selfish? At what part is he selfish?

“Shut up!” he roared, indigo orbs piercing to what’s already broken. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You don’t know how much I’m working hard for you!”

“You’re working hard for me? This is you working hard for me? You’re blind! You’re blind and you're selfish!”

There’s an exchange of a few screams here and there. Both of you are hurt and broken because he decided that it is better to keep things to himself, thinking that it’ll only hurt him and not you. You’re not thinking straight as well. Yelling your heart out, hoping that it’ll wake up your lover, that he’ll realize that he’s so wrong for trying to dump you like shit.

Until he let go of that one phrase you always hear him say on random moments.

“I don’t deserve you!”

Now, the best thing to do in this moment is to hug him, reassure him that he’s wrong. But it only added to your anger; but it’s something more than Scaramouche has seen before.

Your tear-stained face contorts in an uncontrollable sob, but veins pulsating in your tender arms. Your shouting in between hiccups and he hates himself for putting you in such form, though he can’t say anything about it as he was silenced by your outburst.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!”

“I keep telling you, why don’t you ever believe me? What? You think you’re so high and mighty that you can’t listen to me? Your partner?” you paused a little, taking in the surprised look on his face. He’s so beautiful, you thought.

“You deserve me. You deserve me, my love, my everything! You deserve the world and more! And I hate you. I hate so much for thinking otherwise!”

Your knees failed you and you drop to the ground, crying. Hurt at the thought that the man you love the most thinks that it’ll be better for you if you’re not with him.

The man crouched down at your height, taking you in his arms and muttering strings of apologies. His own eyes now watery, regret filling his form at the memory of what he has done to you.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“If you are, then please don’t do this again.”

You craned your neck to see his eyes. The love and affection once again present, with a hint of guilt as he caress your red cheeks. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Scara. You’re the only best thing in my life.”

Your words shook his world. It’s better than any I love yous you’ve said before, before than anything else. How idiotic of him to think such things, how lowly of him to hurt you— his life, the one whom he swore loyalty to.

“I won’t. I promise. You have my life in your arms, love.”

He planted a soft kiss on your forehead. Determined to make it up to you and show you his love, because you’ve done more than that to him.

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 重啟之極海聽雷/Reunion: The Sound of the Providence/The Lost Tomb Reboot/this thing has too many names

Reunion (I'm just going to call it that) is a 2020 action drama about the most specialest little babygirl in the tomb-raiding world, his two husbands, and the cadre of assorted weirdos they pick up as they try to follow a set of directions left by a dead (?) man in the thunder.

Imagine if someone showed you the Mandalorian, and you were like, gee, that was a neat little sci-fi one-shot! because you'd never heard of Star Wars. That was basically my experience watching this show, having no idea that the Lost Tomb franchise (DMBJ) was even a thing. Turns out that not only is there a whole big continuity out there with these characters, but that Reunion takes place a few years after the main story's resolution. Don't worry, though -- Reunion doesn't spoil you for that resolution. It doesn't spoil you for much, period. Look, DMBJ has a weird relationship to endings, okay?

I have written a more thorough where-to-start guide for DMBJ as a whole, so if you want to consider other entry points, well, that information is there for your consideration. Yet it is my opinion that this is the best entry into the overall franchise, and a fun thing to watch just in general, and I'm here to make my case for both of those.

The rest of this rec will assume that you have no familiarity with the DMBJ series. That's okay; you don't need any. All you need is to trust my five reasons you should watch this.

1. Old Man Yaoi

As you begin this show, you are introduced to the Iron Triangle. That's them in the picture up there. Left to right, you have: Xiao Ge, magically tattooed immortal hottie who just got back from ten years in [scene missing]; Wu Xie, our protagonist, who's just a little guy and it's his birthday; and Wang Pangzi, the literal best.

(And yes, Wu Xie is in his 30s and Pangzi is in his 40s, which is not technically old man anything, but ... look, if you watch, you'll see why I think I'm justified in calling it that.)

They are extremely married. They are a disaster trio of disasters so disastrous that no one else should ever be subjected to their chaos. They're going to make sure lots of people are, though, don't you worry about it. Sometimes those people even deserve it.

However, because the show (tragically!!) decides that Xiao Ge has somewhere else to be like 95% of the runtime, most of the relationship you get to see is between Wu Xie and Pangzi.

I'm saying this now as an old gay nerd who just this year celebrated her 15th wedding anniversary: I have never, never felt so represented in media as I have watching Wu Xie and Pangzi interact. There's a little wake-up song they sing together near the end of the show, and it just ... it packs so much character development into thirty seconds. These boys have been living adjacent lives for so long that they've made up their own little shared songs about the mundanities of daily living. That is just what happens when you marry your best friend and then decide to get old and weird together. Ask me how I know.

Look, if you want to know whether this show is for you or not, watch to the end of the first episode, to the part where Pangzi flips over the table. If your heart is filled with joy (as it should be), keep going.

Love makes a tomb-raiding syndicate family.

2. A fun-filled action-packed romp of nonsense!

If you're familiar with Hellblazer canon, this will make sense to you: Reunion is Dangerous Habits. If you're not familiar with Hellblazer canon, try it like this: Reunion is a terrible place to start because it plays on your extant affection for a character who gains a terrible status effect almost immediately. It's a also great place to start because it throws you right in the action with measurably high stakes and gives you a reason to build that affection very quickly.

I'm also going to warn you right off the bat: The plot of this show got cut to ribbons by censors.

See, the DMBJ books, being books, are allowed to get away with supernatural shit! So you've got zombies and ghosts and curses and monsters and immortality and all your other standard ooky spooky semi-urban fantasy trappings. But the DMBJ adaptations, being live-action, are heavily regulated in their content. This is why, in the early Reunion episodes, our heroes are menaced by human-looking creatures that are actually ancient mannequins made of leather that are piloted, mecha-style, by evil clams. Because evil clams are more scientific than zombies. I guess.

So yeah, the plot of this book already had to get mangled into a more "science"-compliant shape even before it made it to filming. The real problem is that a whole lot more of it got cut after it was all filmed and put together. I have read an explanation of what the actual storyline was supposed to be, and yeah, if you know what you’re looking at, you can see (and hear) the scars where major elements got hacked out with a weed whacker.

Therefore: You cannot expect this plot to make sense.

But that's okay! You're not here for the plot to make sense! You're here to watch some characters you love run around through ridiculous and sometimes beautiful labyrinths, trying to solve puzzles you're never given enough information to understand, all in search of the resolution to a mystery that had half its guts torn out before you got to see it -- and you are here to love it. If you have ever laughed and cheered your way through a Mission: Impossible film without pausing to care too much about the plot holes it’s dodging left and right, you are in the correct frame of mind to appreciate this. Just believe that whatever engaging nonsense the show tells you is correct for the time being and go with it.

You cannot watch DMBJ and care about the laws of physics. You simply cannot.

Do not, however, let me give you the impression that the shoddy plotting is accompanied by equally shoddy performances. A major part of this show’s incredible watchability comes from how the cast is shockingly good. There are some serious heavy hitters among the actors. A major part of why this Wu Xie and Pangzi are my favorite together is the incredible chops both Zhu Yilong and Chen Minghao have, to say nothing of their real-life affection for one another. (See that scar on Wu Xie's neck? That scar is there because Zhu Yilong commits to the bit.) Effortlessly charming Mao Xiaotong turns potentially irritating wunderkind Bai Haotian into a perfect precious weirdo baby. Wu Erbai's entire second-season character arc could have been unintentionally comedic, but veteran of queer cinema Hu Jun sells even the undignified moments as relentlessly tragic. And of course Baron Chen absolutely kills it with...

3. This giant fucking loser

This is Hei Xiazi. That's not his name, but it's close enough. Allow me to do a dramatic reenactment of my watching his first scene:

[camera pans over to him]

me: Ugh, I recognize this kind of wannabe badass character design. I hate his type. He's self-important, hyper-masculine, and just a big jerk, and the show thinks he's soooo cool. Barf.

[thirty seconds later]

me: Oh no. I was so wrong. I love him forever now.

This is because he is (as indicated above) a giant fucking loser. Yes, he's a good fighter who knows lots of things. He's also a wet potato chip of a man. Sure, he can get you into a headlock, but he can also annoy you into submission, and that's honestly more fun for him. My wife has used the phrase “Vash the Stampede-coded” to describe him. My wife is not wrong.

And the kind of ridiculous thing is, being such a loser is what wraps back around to making him cool again. He's a loser because he just doesn't fucking care. His masculinity is the opposite of fragile. You tell him to wear a dress and makeup, he'll do it -- and sure, he'll complain, but only because he enjoys complaining. He has no dignity. He’s tits-out. He's gender. He's the worst and also the best.

Hei Xiazi is a major character in the other installations, to the point where he and his boyfriend (more on him later) even have their own movie. But of course, I did not know this on my first watch, so I kept expecting the show to explain his whole deal. It does not, but you don't really need it to. He sees better in the dark. He doesn't age. He's a thug for hire. There, that's all the bio you need.

One of the things that makes him great is that he is the least sexually threatening person ever. Across all the properties he's in, he spends a fair amount of time with women -- sometimes in very close quarters -- and they are perfectly safe around him. I actually wrote a whole post about it once upon a time (warning for tiny spoilers for a series that isn't this one) wherein I claim that not only Xiazi but Reunion in general is the television equivalent of the shirt that says I RESPECT WOMEN SO MUCH I DON'T HAVE SEX WITH THEM.

That said, this loser does get a sort-of romance plot here -- and honestly, I find it very cute! It's not even the only instance in this series of a bisexual guy in a long-term same-sex relationship getting a girlfriend, and I like that other one too! Look, the handle of my DMBJ sideblog is @katamaricule because I joked that Wu Xie treats polyamory like a katamari, and if you don't move fast enough, you're going to be rolled right up into his gay little cuddle puddle.

This is not a show for exclusive ships; this is a show for inclusive ships. The Jiumen Association is a polycule. You don't even have to know what the Jiumen Association is to know it's true.

4. The power of friendship

This show has a lot of characters.

I'd say the supporting cast is divided into three categories: characters who have been in previous installments, characters who have not been in previous installments, and characters who probably should have been in previous installments (or at least mentioned) but who were only created for Reunion so we have to pretend like we've known about them all along.

There is no way to tell which is which -- which is part of my argument that this series makes a good entry point to the franchise.

Take Huo Daofu. Huo Daofu is a brilliant doctor masquerading as a donut stand operator who treats Wu Xie with all the cold disdain of a man confronting the person who left him at the altar years ago. On the one hand, yes! We do know Huo Daofu from a previous series, and we've known he's both a doctor and a bitch. On the other hand, oh, we have no idea why he's like this about Wu Xie, and we probably never will. The show just treats it like it's for an excellent reason, and you know what, from what you know about Wu Xie, it probably is.

Consider also Jiang Zisuan. One of the show's principal antagonists, Jiang Zisuan turns out to be the brother of ... well, let's just say it's someone whose having a brother really should have come up before this. It has not come up. (And that's even before we get into the issue of his surname.) His stated identity as that person's brother is so bizarre that my favorite interpretation is that he isn't actually that person's brother -- all the flashbacks we see are just his delusions about a relationship he's completely invented. But there's no way you'd know how fucking weird this is on your first run.

Then there's our friendly little support himbo, Kanjian, who shows up to all occasions with two tickets to the gun show and not a thought in that beautiful head. (His name just means "vest," which is par for the course when it comes to the author's naming conventions.) He was a lot more menacing in the last series (where they kept putting sleeves on him, geez), where most of what we learned about him is that you can loan him out to other tomb-raiding families. Now he's a golden retriever with great aim and a slingshot. It's an upgrade.

The trick is, you cannot be surprised when someone shows up and the show treats them like you should know who they are, even when there's no possible way you could know who they are. I mean, for heaven's sake, Liu Sang arrives in the middle of an obvious beef with Pangzi, the origins of which are never satisfactorily explained, while also having a giant do-I-want-to-fuck-him-or-do-I-want-to-be-him crush on Xiao Ge, which is also never satisfactorily explained. Whatever, you just roll with it. He's got good hearing, a bad attitude, and questionable taste in idols. Now you're good to go.

(I should throw in a special note here that Liu Sang is many, many people's little meow meow, and not undeservedly. For a fuller explanation of why that is, please consult this other post I made.)

Part of the fun of this big cast is the adorable interactions you get. All the characters have appropriately big personalities, and the show loves letting people you wouldn’t expect bounce off one another. It’s not your typical action-hero show where nothing happens without the protagonist in the room. There are lots of exciting combinations and tons of charming dynamics! Unlikely friendships form all over the place! Enemies become allies! Allies become friends! Friends become friends with other friends! Some friends become enemies again! You'll need a scoreboard to keep up!

This is not to say the show treats all its characters perfectly or equally -- one of the precious few main female characters doesn't even get a real name, for heaven's sake, and the less said about the brownface racism, the better. It is, at its heart, a dude show for dudes made in China, with all the troubling decision-making that implies. Where it does deserve credit, though, is in understanding that its supporting characters are actual people with personalities apart from their function in Wu Xie's narrative. Sometimes the show just asks "what if [random character A] and [random character B] had to interact?" and has fun considering the answer! Which is almost always a delight to watch, and sometimes even breaks your heart.

5. Amazing rewatch value!

And by this I mean the experience of watching this show is remarkably different once you have any understanding of the rest of the DMBJ universe.

For instance, there's a point where two characters are scuba-diving past some submerged coffins, and one character tells the other whose coffins they are. Working only on information Reunion has given you, you're like, oh, that's where they buried the guy who built this creepy place, that's a little weird. Once you recognize that name from other series, though, your reaction is far more, excuse me, they did WHAT to WHOSE corpses?

Or another point where a character you've already met is on a train, and there's a handsome gentleman who just happens to be riding with her. He hands her his business card! Aw, that's sweet, he seems like a nice guy! Well, no, Xie Yuchen is not nice, but he is one of our allies, and he's Hei Xiazi's boyfriend, and a lot of what he's doing hits real different when you have a fuller grasp on why he's doing it and for whom. (Honestly, a major reason to watch Reunion first is so you're not fully and appropriately upset by how your black/pink gays merely have one teeny tiny scene together.)

From the way the series treats the persistent absence of Wu Sanxing, Wu Xie's third uncle, I absolutely, 100% assumed that he was a completely new character to this installment of the series, an extremely long-lost relative that we've somehow conveniently managed to never talk about before now. So imagine my gobsmacked surprise when I went to watch a different series, set much earlier in the timeline, where the opening scene prominently features Wu Sanxing as an actual character in the present-day narrative! ...Well, sorta. Look, there's a lot of fuckery with his identity in earlier parts of the story, and fortunately you need to know none of it to understand Reunion. But when you do, it suddenly makes a lot more sense why Wu Xie talks about someone who was a major part of Wu Xie's adult life like he died when Wu Xie was nine.

AND THE FLASHBACK SCENE WHERE A-NING GETS KILLED BY THE SNAKE, AND YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, AND THEN YOU WATCH ULTIMATE NOTE AND IT WASN'T LIKE THAT AT ALL look, I know there are kinda reasons for this, different production companies and all, but seriously, what the fuck

All of which to say is that the experience of watching Reunion the first time is, hey, this self-contained romp is a lot of fun! The experience of rewatching it after watching any of the other DMBJ installments is a transcendently wonderful head-clutching avalanche of one moment of recognition right after another.

And here's the thing: You will watch more. Reunion is a gateway drug. If you are interested enough to make it through all 62 episodes, you're going to be interested in watching more. Which is great. The English-speaking fandom needs more people. Come down into the tombs. It's great down here. We've got snakes and arguably unintentional homoeroticism. Join us. Join usssssssss

Are you ready for an aventure?

There are a couple different ways to watch the first half, but there's (weirdly) only one way to watch the second, so for both of them, I'm going to send you straight to iQiyi: Season 1 (32 episodes) and Season 2 (30 episodes).

And just so you’re ready when Reunion is done, here’s how you find the rest of the DMBJ series, in the absolutely non-chronological order in which I, personally, think you should watch them:

The Lost Tomb 2 (AsianCrush, YouTube)

Ultimate Note (iQiyi)

The Mystic Nine (iQiyi, Viki)

Sand Sea/Tomb of the Sea (Viki, WeTV, YouTube, also YouTube)

Also, there's a lot of movies and side series and other pieces that are worth seeing, and even a couple of full series I've left off the list, and you can just slot them in wherever. And maybe we'll get Tibetan Sea Flo-- IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! And someday maybe I'll actually have time to watch it! What a concept.

They're so perfect. Perfect triangle. Perfect boys.

[autisticclownfromhell]

Favorites?

Showing blatant favoritism towards Xiao when you get isekai'd into Teyvat

SAGAU, they all know your name, voice, and face for convenience. Divine/creator reader

hehehehe giving this man the love he deserves >:D

------------------------------------------------------------------------------One of the first things you did when in Teyvat was call Xiao.

Yes, your currently with Albedo in his lab, accompanied by like half of the playable Mondstadt characters, in a very comfy blanket, but you just need to see him.

Xiao thought he was going to meet the face of the traveler.

On the off chance that he heard your voice calling him, it was always through the traveler. So he was met with an unexpected face when he appeared in the lab. Yours.

And what was even more surprising to him was how your face lit up the moment you saw him. He didn't expect you of all people to call him, and he definitely wasn't understanding why you were so happy to see him.

He excuses it as you being happy to finally be in Teyvat.

It was more than that.

He doesn't think he'll ever understand why your so energetic and excited to just talk to him. But I mean, who would refuse time with their grace? Not him.

Was caught very unexpected by your blatant favoritism. He was never one to chat a lot, so you constant visits accompanied with a fresh plate of almond tofu were hard to get used to. Not that he didn't enjoy being around you no, quite the opposite. He thought that surely you had much more important things to do than spend all day talking to him. Apparently not!

Tries his best. He deeply appreciates you, along with everything you've done even when blocked behind the barrier of your screen. Thinks its highly unnecessary for you to bring him food every time you visit. You have no need to do such a thing, he'd feel honored just to be with you.

He loves to listen to you talk about your world. It seems so different from Teyvat. Intently listens every time to tell a story of some sort, he listens as if its the best story he's heard in a millennium. If you pay close enough attention, you'll see a scowl of his face whenever you talk about somebody or something that had done something to you in the past. He grips the railing of the inn slightly tighter as well.

The more often your visits become, the more he secretly looks forward to them. At first, he saw chatting with you as some sort of honor. And while he still does, he's become more relaxed when being around you. You're comforting to him now. That's something he never thought would happen.

He basically becomes a bodyguard. You usually travel in a group to ensure your safety, but there's a 90% chance that all the nearby threats to your safety are completely gone before you even set foot onto the road. The more you get to know each other, the more you realize just how often he's around. Ensuring your safe is his way of being appreciative.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

this is an old draft don't mind how the beginning is written.

[thebiscuiteternal]

(many, many thanks to @nekoning for indulging my goofy idea)

---------------

"Stupid Qi-ge!"

For all its small squeakiness, Speaks With Lost Shadows' voice echoed around the massive chamber, even briefly drowning out the rippling of the pool that was one of its prominent features.

"If you had just said-!" he sobbed, tears making dark visible tracks as they matted his white fur to the dark skin underneath, "If you had just said-!" His attempts at getting the words out ended in a muffled howl as he buried his face into the collars of his former sect leader's robes.

Yue Qingyuan cradled the small cub that had once been Shen Jiu tight against his chest, his own heart swinging back and forth between sinking and hammering so fast that if he hadn't been a strong cultivator, it probably would have killed him already.

'Ah,' he thought. 'So this is what Lady Aurene meant.'

The goddess dragon had sent him a warning across their speaking bond just before sending her caretakers to escort him across the world between worlds to their home in Tyria.

-"You were honest with him once because you thought that was your last chance. If you are not honest with him now, then this will be."

"Is that-?"

"Not a threat," she clarified gently. "A fact. My hatch-mother and aunt are very adept at reading questions under questions, and they bring those concerns to me. He asks them frequently to check with me how you are doing; he speaks of you with regret. But I have seen many of the pathways that bringing you here could lead down, and all of the ones where you continue to hide the truth will end with him no longer asking those questions."-

A part of him had always been confused and hurt by the way that things had gone after Maiglu Ridge. Of course he had known that his past actions didn't deserve to be forgiven, but comparing the reactions of the spirit that had claimed his shidi's body to the reactions of his shidi's soul in this new one, he now understood-

What a mess.

Paws suddenly smacked against the sides of his face, squishing his cheeks between them and startling him out of the messy tangle of thoughts and emotions. Though they were decidedly bigger than those of a cat or dog, the pads and fur were thick enough that he was at no risk from the claws as he stared down into wide, determined black eyes.

"Qi-ge is very stupid," he agreed as he tilted his head to nuzzle soft fur, drawing a huff from the cub. "But he will do his best not to be anymore."

Shadows huffed again. "He better!" he snapped, then pulled back and blinked at him in realization. "Wait... Does that mean... does that mean you're staying here?"

"I spoke with my head disciple about the possibility. Even if it hadn't been this, I think he was aware that something would eventually keep me from ascending with the rest of the Qing generation, because he wasn't surprised at all. We've done all the advance work for him to take over my position if I don't return by the end of the month."

He gave a small chuckle. "Can't imagine my martial sisters and brothers will be happy about it, but considering..."

Considering they were happy to have you replaced.

Considering he still wears your face and your name like a festival costume.

"If your current family is amenable, then Qi-ge will never leave Xiao-Jiu behind again."

[frieschan]

𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭. // genshin men

➳ character/s featured: ayato kamisato, diluc ragnvindr, tartaglia, zhongli x f! reader

➳ unrequested | scenario // fluff

➳ TW: not proof-read

➳ summary: you and said character have started growing close, finally they open up to you about their personal life.

➳ AN: sorry for disappearing! part 2 with thoma, kazuha, albedo, and xiao here

—AYATO KAMISATO ; pillar of fortitude !

TRUST LVL. 4 ; about y/n

"ahh, the lady of the HIIRAGI clan. She is a very docile and graceful woman, she tends to be very efficient in her work which I am very thankful of. I admire her patience as well, in a recent work I've heard that a third-party intervened.. Let's just say they left with whispers of admiration about lady Hiiragi heheh"

TRUST LVL. 6 ; about lover

"ohh, my darling wife y/n.. you didn't know we were married? heheh, some things are just meant to be left unsaid until time is right. She is one of my greatest joys in life after a hard day at work. She always scolds me along with Ayaka whenever I overdo certain things.. What can I say? I'm a busy man after-all. I treasure her as much as I do with Ayaka, I'd fight heaven and hell over and over to protect them.. She doesn't deserve to be put against the dark abyss of this world, as her husband it is my duty to protect her.. Ahh I think I'm rambling, please forgive me."

AYAKA KAMISATO ; about Ayato's lover

"about y/n being my brother's wife? I'm so grateful that someone like her is around for my brother.. She always covers his blinds spots and takes care of him, he tends to be quite forgetful about his needs. She is like the older sister I never knew I needed.."

—DILUC RAGNVINDR ; the dark side of dawn !

TRUST LVL. 4 ; about y/n

"y/n.. one of the very few people I can trust."

TRUST LVL. 6 ; about lover

"There are very few people I trust with this information I hope you are smart, y/n is my fiance. Shocking? Me and her have always kept it a secret as a way to protect her from.. certain targetting. I tend to keep her away from Kaeya.. He can't be trusted with anything unlike y/n."

KAEYA ALBERICH ; about Diluc's lover

"oho? Diluc's fiance? She is indeed a treasure among Mondstadt.. She's the type to glow in a room full of people, very much the opposite of dear Diluc.. It never fails to amaze me just how he managed to be with a angel like her."

—TARTAGLIA ; childe !

TRUST LVL. 4 ; about y/n

"She is quite a handful in battle, always brimming with surprises. She's quite a joy to fight against, you might just learn something if you try it yourself, traveler!"

TRUST LVL. 6 ; about lover

"y/n is indeed my lover! my partner in crime.. my other half... nothing could ever compare to her. The joy and excitement she brings me is different from the adrenaline of duels.. yet it feels just as pleasurable. You know, my siblings just love her! Everytime I come home and she isn't with me, I become a punching dummy for the younger ones.. Sigh, they're not the only one devastated anyway. You heard about her being my lover from La Signora..?! Just another reason to steer clear of that woman. Hmph."

LA SIGNORA ; about Tartaglia's lover

"Oh? Childe's dear sweetheart? She is quite pleasant to talk to, unlike her lover.. She is quite thoughtful and caring, once when me and her were on the boat to Snezhnaya together, she had brought with her a coat for me, worrying for my wellbeing. Such a sweet and pure flower for a bloody blade like Childe."

—ZHONGLI ; vaga mundo !

TRUST LVL. 4 ; about y/n

"y/n? Another member of the funeral parlor. She is a lady with grace, a fine worker of the parlor indeed.. If you were to need help and I were not available, she'd be the best one to approach."

TRUST LVL. 6 ; about y/n, truth

"It seems as though you've learned the truth of y/n. It is true, she is indeed a God of Liyue, one of the last remnants of my early days... She is quite responsible for the beauty of flowers that bloom across these lands. I have been eternally grateful for her hard work all these years."

TRUST LVL. 6 ; about lover

"*sigh*, I will assume Hu Tao has given you this information. y/n is my wife, my prized gem.. I've sworn to do everything in my power to protect the last bit of Morax in my life. She is one who has witnessed the ugly and beauty of my actions all these years.. yet she still has chosen to stay by my side. I refuse to lose her, I would rather give up my power as an Archon than live a life without her."

HU TAO ; about Zhongli's lover

"y/n.. one of my best workers! She's a blast to talk to unlike Zhongli, though he scowls whenever I keep her from work with my rambling.. Ai-ya! Let me get you into a little secret, y/n is actually Zhongli's wife! Crazy right? I sometimes wonder that if I tried to be as patient and pristine as y/n.. maybe I'd get more customers?"

copyright © 2022 | frieschan

reblog or like if you enjoyed!

[lumiconic]

♪ — BECAUSE YOU’RE SPECIAL

❥ summary: the things they’d do for you and only you

❥ characters: scaramouche ; kazuha ; xiao ; venti

❥ content: fluff, gn reader

❥ note: just some cute fluffy anemo content!! i worked vv hard so pls enjoy!

♪ SCARAMOUCHE

•  he would follow you anywhere, without question and without a doubt, trusting your own judgement wholeheartedly. if you were to say where you wanted to go, he’s on it in a moment; mapping out the best way to get there, making a list of the supplies you need, and writing down everything that you should take note of in a small blue notebook.

•  it’s an amazing experience, traveling the world with scaramouche. he’s truly brilliant and prepared for anything (in his own unique way) and harbors his own sort of pleased liking for these excursions. there’s a strange, sharply thoughtful clarity that seems to be reserved privately for your journeys across teyvat, and it feels almost like a painfully longing love that replaces his usual apathy and discomfort whenever he’s with you.

•  he dismisses all of your suggestions of payment or anything of the like, the only reward he expects for his hard work is the privilege to come with you on your trip. truly, he only wants to experience it all with you, the action of being at your side as you see everything, the ability to point out all you should take note of is intoxicating enough for him. 

•  the dazzled look in your eyes as you take in the awe inducing sight of the glowing dainichi mikoshi, tiny golden crystalflies highlighted by the sparkling light of blue jade, the clanging bells and joyful shouts of hundreds of people passing through liyue harbor, even the bitter, nostalgic familiarity of amethyst bolts of lightning crackling over salty puddles of water … it’s his pleasure, and his payment, to see you encounter it all.

•  well, that … and maybe a kiss too? not that he’d ever voice it, but you can see the pink dusted blush whenever you pay him even a small compliment for his services, archons knows he deserves many more for his services, but he’d do it for free, just to be your companion in these travels and forever on.

♪ KAEDEHARA KAZUHA

•  he collects scraps of paper and keeps them hidden in boxes and folds of his red robes; all the emotions he can’t convey, his amateurish skills of manipulating words not always quite enough to tell you how he feels about you. pages, torn off strips of paper, crumbles of old, dusty scrolls littered with heartfelt words in scrawling handwriting, neatly printed type, beautifully drawn calligraphy.

•  all of it at the ready if you ever were to ask a question he couldn’t answer, silently giving you a note with all the words he doesn’t know how to say yet. someday he can put this aching into words, the way he feels awe when he takes all of you in, your beauty and the way you make him feel complete, how he’s just completely struck dumb by you.

•  he wants you to know, to be able to picture his emotions that are so painfully heartfelt, the earnestness of his innocent longing; how long he could think about you and you and you and nothing else, the way you fill his mind at all times and drift into his thoughts without him even meaning to.

•  some of it you already understand, his pale face flashes into an all consuming blush whenever you speak of, even casually and in passing, your affection for him; he does small favors for you without a second thought and makes sweet, romantic gestures that you return as best as you can, remembers even the tiniest details about you that he references with presents and jokes and everything he possesses to make you happy.

•  but if there’s even a chance that you can’t take in his whole feelings, that you’re not quite understanding how much he really, truly loves you, he’ll do everything he can to show you everything you are to him with these borrowed words that he wants to someday call his.

♪ XIAO

•  adepti don’t eat, but he’d try anything in the world if you asked him to, offering him dishes from all over liyue and even beyond, anything from cake to fruit juice to salads to barbecues. you buy the items from general stores and stalls along the roads, creating your own recipes that you excitedly offer him to sample, or exclaiming delightedly as you taste something new and then telling him to try it too.

•  he experiences all the new sensations in a way not unlike a younger kid trying things for the first time; his face screwed up in a cutely innocent expression as he sips a bitter, golden amber tinted tea, you counting off beats in the background until it floods into a delicious sweetness that reminds him of the refreshing taste of a cold plate of almond tofu and his eyes sparkle just a bit more.

•  he feels almost human, sampling the things you give him, whether you cooked them up yourself or purchased them from a restaurant, you always look excited to see his reaction and full of delight when he grants it a “it’s not for me” or “not bad” or “i like this one a lot”, always sugarcoating his reviews because you just seem so thrilled to hear his response.

•  of course, he’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it as well, this small experience that teases a mundane life, but it’s for your benefit that he gives such glowing praise; he doesn’t need to eat, after all, but your declarations of how he should even though he doesn’t have to ring with so much sincerity that he practically has no choice.

•  he admires you for how much you care about this, even if he himself has no opinion on it, and almost feels flattered sometimes, with wide eyed surprise that repeats itself every time you come to him with another plate, the disbelief that you’re offering him something of your own accord. he simply wants to see you happy, so if this is a way to make you smile, he’ll take every chance he can. 

♪ VENTI

•  the wind is at his constant beck and call as the anemo archon, and with a wave of his fingertips he can send spirals of breezy flurries through the atmosphere around him and you, teasing cool, cloudy wisps against your skin that make you shiver delightedly and laugh, your voice sounding sparklingly joyful and he can’t get enough of it.

•  there’s a constant, tiny buffet of wind lifting his blue tinted braids gently into the air; the same mild, soft breeze that twirls through your hair and spins your shirt sleeves into billowing puffs, so sweetly cool and constantly present that you can feel it even when you simply weave your hands through the air.

•  it can be soft, gentle, pillowing gusts of smooth clouds underneath you in calmer moments as trees rustle and dandelion seeds whirl through the air, or explosive bursts of furious wind when danger approaches, whipping everything around you into a frenzy as he weaves the sky itself into a weapon to defend, refusing to let any harm come to you.

•  it’s a precious and protective charm of his, the comfort that it brings him to cast you a tiny bit of fluttering gusts that rush past your face in shivery, paradoxical warmth, a reminder of his presence even when he isn’t physically there, a promise that he is still with you even when he is not, so you will always, always be safe.

•  the power of the wind is something he grants to only those strictly deserving, and who have gone through enough for him to decide they shall receive something to better their life with. but it’s beautiful, and it’s playful and carefree, and it fills the world and you with wonder, so to you he gives it freely because it is his power, and what is his power if not an extension of himself to please the one he loves?

thank you so much for reading, and pls leave a like + reblog + follow if you enjoyed!!

[bedoballoons]

Sjsksk omg I love your writing so bad and I'm so happy so I can request as much then😭 if so can I maybe get rich)wealthy reader that like buys the characters anything they want or look at spoiling them with everything until the charactersstarted thinking of blind folding there eyes so they don't buy the whole store maybe scaramouhe/wanderer,kazuha,xiao,cyno and tighnari

Ahhhh thank you!! Absolutely!! Thank you for your request!

Genshin Men Headcanons:

~You spoiling them~

(Includes: Tighnari, Kazuha, Wanderer, Xiao, Cyno, and Scaramouche!)

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Tighnari:

You watched Tighnari carefully, a playful smile on your face as you noticed every single thing he had touched or mentioned in the shop, taking a mental note to buy him every single one. You couldn't help it, he was so sweet and cute, he took care of everyone, especially you. He deserved to be spoiled, even if he didn't think so.

"Why is your bag so full? We haven't even even made it half way through the shop yet..." Tighnari asked, his eyes trained on you and your now almost overflowing bag of items, all of which were actually for him. "Just saw alot of stuff that looked useful...you can't blame me, you seemed to have seen a few things you wanted too..." You said sneakily, doing your very best to act normal and not give yourself away.

He saw right through you, crossing his arms as he responded to your madness, "How many times to I have to tell you, you don't have to buy me things. I don't really need any of them and it's better to save your funds to use on yourself." You chuckled, walking up to him and giving him a kiss on the cheek, "I have more fun when my mora is spent on you and I like knowing you have everything you want."

He rolled his eyes, looking at your bag again before shaking his head and turning back around to continue shopping, "Next time you're not allowed to come with me unless your wallet is left at home or you're blindfolded."

Kazuha:

You lifted your bag, groaning slightly at how heavy it now seemed, it was so full it looked like it could blow up at any given moment and you couldn't help but worry that the straps might actually break on you. I'm reality none of it was for you, it was all for your boyfriend, the man you consider to be the most goregous, most perfect person in the world. The one who should be bought everything he could ever wish for like a prince.

"Oh my...do you need assistance? That looks really heavy, let me carry it for you." Kazuha smiled slightly as he walked over to you, taking the bag from you before you could protest and peeking into it, his face turning a light shade of pink when he realized all of them where things he had mentioned. "...did you get all of these for me? You don't have too...I appreciate them and the thought but surely you should spend the mora on items for you instead."

You shook your head, a smile finding its way on your face as you looked away, feeling slightly mischievous. "I did get them for you, I can't help it, I love spoiling you and I have the mora. It makes me so happy getting you things, treating you like royalty because you deserve it all. Plus as long as I get a poem or two in return...I'll be even happier."

His blush deepened as he sighed, he leaned in close to you, placing a gentle kiss on your lips, "I'll tell you as many poems as you would like, after all you're a inspiration to me, a never ending trove of ideas and wonderful feelings. The fact you enjoy listening so much is a gift and I cherish it." He lifted the bag onto his shoulder, softly grabbing your hand and leading you to the door, making sure to leave before you could by anything else for him.

Wanderer:

(I use the nickname Scara here <3)

Wanderers eyes widened slightly as you lifted your bag onto counter for the cashier to calculate the price for you, having troubles due to how large and heavy it was. "What exactly did you buy? The entire store? Honestly...do you have any self control?" He said, poking fun at the amount of things you had decided to buy and watching the cashier's face in amusement.

You giggled happily, not saying a word as the nice checker started to empty your bag, each and every item being one Scara had touched or mentioned. Sure he didn't always have the best additude, but you loved him all the same and spoiling him, especially without him knowing you were doing so was so much fun.

"...all of those are...oh my...how many times have I told you not to buy me stuff? When will you get it through your thick skull that I don't need mortal possessions?" He sounded annoyed, though just from the small smirk he had, you could tell he secretly enjoyed being spoiled. "You're just to pretty, I have to buy you everything you could want." You joked, watching in satisfaction as his face turned a light shade of pink.

"I'm never shopping with you again."

Xiao:

Xiaos piercing yellow eyes staring at you in disbelief, as if he couldn't wrap his head around the fact you had so many bags already...and how he hadn't noticed sooner that you had gotten so many items. "Do you need help?" He asked, reaching out to grab a bag from you and lighten the load on you, but you quickly backed away shaking your head in response, to which he raised a curious eyebrow to.

"I got it, don't worry!" You said in a attempt to draw away any suspicions, after all...everything you had bought was actually for him and you knew full well he wasn't going to easily accept everything. Before he could say another word you grabbed his hand leading him to the next stall, "All of these beads are beautiful...Xiao you should let me make you another necklace to go with yours. Seen anything you like?" You asked with a big smile, hoping he would say exactly what he wanted like he had a few other times.

He stepped away from you, crossing his arms and sighing in defeat, "I understand now...you've tricked me into saying what I wanted so you could buy it all for me. I don't...have any use for mortal things...your mora should go to things you like." You bit your lip, so much for him not knowing, you silently thought to yourself before quietly saying, "I like you. Isn't that reason enough to buy you things? And! I got things I think you will find useful...even some snacks."

He shook his head, walking towards you and leaning closer so he could take a couple of your bags, your hands feeling so light after carrying the heavy items so long. "Next time we go shopping I'll invite Zhongli, he'll make sure any mora spent will not be on me alone." His voice sounded slightly threatening and you couldn't help but giggle.

"We'll see about that."

Cyno:

You smirked slightly, your basket filled with every TCG card you knew Cyno didn't have and maybe some he did. You knew how much he loved the game, how often he played it and helping him pursue something he liked so much felt important, not to mention it gave you the chance to spoil him a little. You kept your eyes peeled for anything else he'd like, grabbing a joke book even though he didn't need it and a dark purple scarf for when it got cold out.

You were just about to turn the corner to the next section, when suddenly someone wrapped their arms around you, placing a soft kiss on your cheek. "Cyno did you find everything you wanted?" You asked smiling at him sweetly, you already knew by now that he would attempt to pay for his own items, even yours if you weren't careful.

"I thought so, until I saw into your basket, why do you have so many Genius Invokation TCG cards? Has the card mania finally caught up to you? If so your first duel shall be against me, may justice weigh upon your soul...I show no mercy!" He sounded so dramatic towards the end, making you laugh, possibly more than his normal jokes do. "I'm sorry to say it...but I have not joined in on the card mania, these are for you and I got you some other items too. Don't even try paying either." You turned around to face him, watching as his face blushed a slight pink.

"I appreciate the thought but you don't need to buy me things, I'd much rather you spend the mora on yourself. After all you deserve mora then I do." You rolled your eyes at his words, his joke only making you want to buy him the cards more, he truly was funny...even if no one else thought so. "I prefer to spend a bit mora on you than myself, sure you might not need it all but you'll have it in case you ever do and don't even. You deserve the entire world."

"I'm going to place you under arrest if you say that one mora time."

Scaramouche:

You looked down at your large amount of items, you could barely lift the bags anymore and you weren't actually sure how any of the stalls could have anything left at this point. Technically the mora was going to a good cause, all of it being paid to small shops and some being donated...as for the items you got in return....they were all for your...slightly rude boyfriend.

It wasn't your fault that he looked so adorable all blushed and in shock from the amount of things you got for him! Not to mention, even if he said he never used any of it...he actually did more often then not. Everything you bought for him was something he had looked at, touched or said he had wanted at some point so you knew he'd actually like it all too...however carrying the heavy bags was starting to prove difficult.

Your attention left your collection of bags and instead fixated on the short blue haired male not far from you, who was currently looking at what appeared to be some type of soap. You took mental note to check on it later, before calling out to him, "Scaramouche can you help me...I can't carry all of these. Pleeaaaase?" He turned to look at you, groaning in annoyance as he walked in your direction.

"If you didn't want to carry it all...you shouldn't have bought it all." He said, staring down at your bags as if they were the bane of his existence. "What did you even get?" You smiled mischievously at his question making him give you a curious look, one that you had grown to adore. You lifted up the first bag to show him, having some minor troubles since it was seconds away from blowing up and spilling his gifts everywhere. "Just a few things..."

His eyes widened as he took in the view, knowing instantly what you had done and barely knowing how to respond to being bought so many things. His face heating up a bright pink as he took a step away from the bag, almost like it had bitten him. "You...bought all of this for me...again? You have a spending problem and I don't need all of this stuff. Can't you return some of it?"

"Nope! None of it can be returned because half of the proceeds have already been donated and I don't have a spending problem...I just like seeing you blush." You winked at him and he simply rolled his eyes, though you could have sworn his blush deepened ever so slightly.

"Next time you do this, I'm leaving you and your spending problem here...or blindfolding you."

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

✿Hope you have a nice day!✿

[cl00udyyanan]

you asked for it.

imagine the chasm quest with xiao, but he doesn’t immediately come back. like he leaves you behind after always promising to return to you. you’re calling- no screaming out his name as you’re on your knees begging that he really didn’t sacrifice himself for you and the others.

zhongli can hear your screams and at first was ready to let xiao rest but he feared now it may not be the best time. so he saves him.

suddenly xiao appears and you’re literally sobbing so much you didn’t even realize it. traveler is comforting you as yelan sees xiao.

“____…” he ever so slightly whispered but it’s enough that you snap your head around and literally trip trying to get to him. you’re holding onto him for dear fucking life.

“you asshole… you promised you’d never leave,” you’re crying into his shirt as he’s super sad too. traveler, paimon, yelan, and yanfei all standing there like: “damn.”

literally after that he has to rebuild his trust with you because it was shattered when he left you. you become anxious whenever he leaves and he wants to promise he’ll return but he doesn’t think he deserves to say those words.

he comes back to you ever evening with some small trinkets just to try and apologize (bird behavior) and yet you’re just glad he’s safe now. but still hurt because of his broken promise.

this is so self indulgent cause i would literally sob if this happened. LIKE? XIAO YOU CANT DO THIS TO US.

moot you so genius frfr,,

after all of the pain and anguish the chasm had left you and xiao, you hoped he'd stay home for a while. just enough so you can breathe, knowing he was safe and that he was there. every moment away from him left you paranoid, like some was watching you, preparing to pounce at you in your moment of vulnerability away from him. or that someone or something was out there hurting him. the thought had even crossed that he managed to end up back there again- at the chasm.

you tried to forgive him for what happened. you knew xiao's karmic debt weighed him down, how thousands of years alone had worn him down to where he was just a husk of a man who only knew how to fight, but sacrificing himself? after you had met and loved him, he was so stupid enough to throw all that away just to be a hero? oh, how you screamed his name till your throat grew sore. you cries traveled through all of teyvat, letting the world know of how your lover lied to you and left you in this cold world all alone.

the soft whisper of your name flowing through the wind towards you craning your head to see the yaksha right there infront of you, his amber eyes wide as he seen you on your knees, cheeks stained with tears, and lips quivering while mumbling his name. you crashed into him, tears pooling onto his shirt as you held him tight almost clawing at him as your cries grew louder.

why did you leave me? you promised xiao, you promised!

im sorry... is what he should have said to you, but in that moment, the words evaded him. leaving him with nothing but guilt as you sobbed against him. his mind raced, he wanted to hold you, kiss you, whisk you away from all the pain that he caused. he wanted to runaway from you so he could never hurt you again.

never again would he make a promise he couldn't keep.

those days had finally passed, although he didn't stay home like you wish, he did still come visit you in the evening. with a gust of wind, xiao would appear behind you on the balcony of wangshuu inn. he knew you'd sit there waiting for him to return. he had a boquet of sweet flowers in his right hand and a shinning ruby in his left, things he'd found while out in the mountains. he wasn't the best at consoling you, or comforting you. especially after he broke his promise, he didn't know any solutions to make you forgive him, to make things right.

"yn..." he whispered behind you. you didn't move, staring over the balcony unbothered. he tried your name again, a little louder. no response. he pouted his lips and nudged your shoulder. "...please?"

you sigh, wiping your wet cheeks and turned to him. with your bleary eyes you noticed the items he had in his hand. silently, he held them out to you. if you weren't so damn angry at him for leaving, you'd say the gesture was cute. yet, you didn't want the flowers or the gems, you wanted him to stay home. you wanted to cry all over again, thrashing into him and beg him one more time. xiao.. please stop leaving me.. but, you stood your ground, cold eyes boring into him, eye brows kneaded and sweaty fists clenched together. as if he had read your mind, xiao leaned into you besides your threatening aura and placed a soft peck on your cheek.

"...i wont leave you anymore. i promise."

that is, will he keep his promise this time?

(yo why did i kinda eat this up a litte)

[lonelylonelyghost]

Re-watch of The Spirealm. Episode 37

Wu Qi, the bestest bff ever. Everyone needs some Wu Qi in their lives! Wu Qi needs some Wu Qi in his life

"Even you want me to send Ruan Nanzhu to his death?"

"Lingling, you have to figure it out. If you don't enter the Door, he'll die. But if you go, he might survive.

It's obvious. The game can't be fixed without Ruan Nanzhu. He must go, no matter what, even if he is doomed. But if you go, with your strength, you two might have a chance to come back. You can make a choice between all the players and him. But he has no choice. He has to sacrifice himself to save others."

"I understand why I was given up and why he hid the truth from me, but I just don't want to accept it. I feel like I'm a fool who can only accept the consequences and understand him."

So what are you afraid of? Losing Ruan Nanzhu? Let me tell you. I'm not afraid of losing you. Because I know that it's the beginning for you to be yourself. That's the point of being your friend, isn't it? I'm going to lose you at the end of this road, I'll still take this farewell trip as a journey. I can accompany you on your last journey, just like what you can do for Ruan Nanzhu. It's a friend's duty, right?"

"I... I'm not sure if I can make it."

"You can. You can do it. Haven't you always wanted to use your game designer skills to change the world? This is the right time. You're saving the world, Lin Qiushi."

I had to take frequent breaks during these last few episodes, to watch those multi-hour long youtube videos talking about terrible straight romance books, because this shit is literally breaking me.

On a brighter note, I love that Yan Balang's situation is becoming worse for him, reflected by how his surroundings become shabbier and shabbier.

He started from owning a whole building to him ending up in a shitty crowded apartment, with debt collectors banging on his door. The interesting thing about him is that he's extremely intelligent and cunning (as we've seen in the 10th Door), but his hubris and greed destroyed everything that he has built before.

He deserves this misery and no glory

🖕

And Xia Jie being in love with that loser. Appropriate punishment, but honestly pretty sad. I might feel bad, but I don't actually

🖕

🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕

They managed to make everyone here despicable to such an impressive degree

"I'm leaving."

"I have no choice. I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to Zaozao and Qianli. But I have enough time to say goodbye to you. I don't want to miss it. So I'll say goodbye to you ahead of time. No matter what, I won't forget you."

😖😖😖😖

Here's Johnny!

Art that kills

Nooo, our favourite fluffy gangster is back!!!

🥹🥹🥹🥹

"Be careful. Not everyone you meet at night is a friend. They could be monsters. Destroy the game. Good luck."

😭😭😭😭

YEY!! I will cheer for his death every time I see it

My girl!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹

And her stricken face when Nanzhu and Qiushi told her that they couldn't stay for long 😭

But the last we see her, she's still smiling

I hate this show

"This is the place where we first met!"

"Welcome to the world of the Doors."

Bondage-Don't-Stop-Murdering

Our kind gays bring all the coolest Door Gods to the yard!

And I like how all three of them are a different type of menacing. Zuozi is a cute girl straight up from a Japanese horror movie, Lady in the Rain is a refined gothic beauty, while Xiao Jiu behaves in this not-exactly-human way (the way she stares here is uncanny), because she's half-beast (I think???). I would both kill and die for them all

Our best boyyyy 🥹🥹🥹🥹

God, what an absolutely incredible thing they did aaaaaa

Sitcom. 2000 episodes. Just them hanging around, discussing home remedies, new fluffy tights, and going to each other's Doors for some hairstyle and fashion advice, killing bad NPCs in the meantime.

I never knew I needed this in my life. I want it. Now.

PLEEEASE🙏🙏🙏🙏

And the way Xiao Jiu chokes on her own hair like a cat lmao

Also her hands are AWESOME

[accio-victuuri]

OCTOBER READS 📚

Another productive reading month for me! Manhua/Manhwa binge again and for those who are interested in what titles I tried, then this is the post for you. I don’t know what the next months will bring but I wanna get back to reading novels… we will see how that goes. for now, I just feel thankful that these works are out in the world for people to enjoy ^^

• The Tyrant Prince’s Last Promise ( Chapter 74 ; Ongoing )

Adapted from the novel, “the wife is first” so I see why there are alot of people following the manhua. Jing Shao ( MC ) is a prince who is good at battles and was made to marry a male concubine Han ( ML ). He didn’t treat him well for years but Han stayed by his side even if he was sentenced to death and was accused of so many things. Right before they died, he promised to treat Han better.

So his wish gets granted and he goes back to their wedding night. Then the whole story focuses on their relationship and how Jing Shao pays his dues and tries to be the best husband for Han. He also tries to make different decisions to prevent him from falling from grace like before. This story is just so fluffy and sweet <3 and i love their chibi versions! ☺️☺️☺️ I might read the novel to see where it goes but i have to say it’s a standard trope — and i will never get tired of it.

Guilty Affection ( Chapter 47 ; Ongoing )

Esper/Guide trope but this one is more problematic. LOL. The MC, Han Yoonjae is an undocumented Esper and living his life as a normal person. There is some mystery from his past because you can tell that he is strong but decided to leave his life as an Esper. Then here comes the ML, Cha Minhyung. A popular & strong guide who comes to his life and offers to be his guide and make his life better. These two have a shared past and the story tries to uncover that. Also what will happen to Yoonjae and his power. I really like his power, and I understand why he will be someone that everyone will want to control. The relationship between them is not really the “romance” type but more co-dependence and lots of smut.

Crushing Jade & Catching Pearls Chapter 51 ; Ongoing

This one is very unique, I have never read something with this plot. It is modern era, but the MC/ML both work as apprentices for an old art of sculpting. Tho the ML ( Ding Hanbai ) is much older and is more accomplished in the field. It’s really more of the relationship between the MC & ML and less “romance” so far. I feel like some people will find it boring, but there is something about it that draws me to it. and it doesn’t hurt that the art is pretty. Ding Hanbai starts off as an asshole who bullies the MC Ji Zhenzhu — but then they slowly become closer. The MC who is the goodest boy with puppy energy melts Ding Hanbai’s heart 💕

No arguing with Mr.Mo Chapter 71 ; Ongoing

The trope of Mr. Cold hearted CEO who is actually a simp for the MC is not new and I usually like it — I often root for the MC and hope they get together. But in this one, I find myself liking the ML ( Mr.Mo ) waaaay more than the MC. To the point that I don’t think the MC deserves Mr.Mo at all. I get that Xiao Nuo have some trauma and baggage of his own but his drama over nothing just irritates me. Mr.Mo is straightforward and clear with his intentions, but MC takes advantage of him, willingly or not, is not my cup of tea.

I won’t be continuing on, or if i do, maybe it’s to see Mr. Mo’s panels.

Hard Boiled Love Chapter 93 ; Ongoing

I only finished up until Chapter 40 cause I felt like there is nothing else for me as a reader to see, plot-wise. I could be wrong but maybe I will pick it up again when i’m in the mood. This is popular, and i understand why, the trope is catchy : Rich kid and his Bodyguard, then add BDSM into the mix. Boom! There is just no way that people will not click and read. It is a good read and enjoyable but I wasn’t in the headspace for that type of smut, the interaction of the MC/ML tho are sweet!!!! 💕

What captured me tho is the ML. Hwayoung Yoon. He is a lovable psychopath. He gave off so much Hisoka vibes ( from the anime hunterxhunter if you didn’t know ) and this type of character would do so well if done in live action. How he seems to be this sweet boy that his family dotes on but is secretly a sadistic bastard. I mean, look at him as a kid:

A master manipulator.

The MC too, Gyuwon, is well written. He is an ex mercenary who really wants to be someone’s sub ( in a sense ) but he doesn’t think that will happen because of how he looks. People have expectations of how he should be but lo and behold, he meets the fucked up Hwayoung. 😂😂😂 it’s more light and funny considering the subject — they could make the plot really dark, so i’m glad they didn’t.

Campus Trap Chapter 24; Ongoing

AHHHHHHHHHH! My new favorite. The omegaverse hoe in me is screaming! 🤍 too bad there are only a few chapters out. I honestly want to read the novel which is already completed but i’m still trying to figure out how to navigate korean sites. The plot of the story may seem dramatic to some, because it’s all about the MC (Chaewoo) who is an Omega and trying to make ends meet. He was once this kid who lived a pampered life but things changed and now he is a struggling student. One day, his Uncle, told him about the concept of a reset partner, which is kinda like a surrogate. So a dominant omega like him will be a surrogate to a rich dominant Alpha. He agrees and finds out that the Alpha is someone he goes to school with — Mister popular, Euigeon. It doesn’t help he doesn’t like the guy and Chaewoo is even jealous of his “success” cause he feels like he will be the same way if unfortunate events didn’t happen to him.

I LOVE IT. I LOVE THEM. The campus setting and the two being music students is also a bonus, it’s only beginning to be explored and I wanna see more. They have great chemistry and the way I squealed during the car scene. 😱😱😱 it’s also the type of story where I can’t wait for the ML to fall for the MC. I’m reading about Euigeon being this arrogant bitch to Chaewoo and i’m like— can’t wait to see you fall head over heels and regret your actions. It’s nothing abusive, if anything, I feel like his actions are reasonable cause he doesn’t want to make their relationship complicated. It’s supposed to be a business transaction. I wanna know more about ML too cause i’m sure he has so many issues that caused him to be this way. I have spoiled myself a by reading comments on the novel but i will surely keep an eye out on this till it’s completion.

Miss you, Lucifer 15 chapters ; Completed

A short Manhwa that is full of uwu and love! 🥹🥹🥹

If you want something to lift your mood up then this is the best pick. Honestly! It had everything: romance, comedy, angst and some plot in there even if it’s only 15 chapters. The premise is an “idol” from a boy group that’s not popular x A-list actor pairing. I don’t wanna spoil too much cause it’s better to just dive into it, and like i said, it’s not that long.

Business as Unusual 15 Chapters ; Completed

Another short one that I enjoyed. 💕

Tho i’m not a believer of getting back together with your ex. Lol. That’s the story here. MC/ML were a thing back in college and because of a misunderstanding they “broke up”. Years later, they meet again as office mates and rekindle their romance. I’m happy for the characters because they had a second chance at love and are now at a better place to stay together.

Considering the length of this, there was one scene that really stuck with me. The two are walking on the street late at night and ML is chasing the MC, he wants to talk but the MC won’t listen so he shouts:

“HEY! MY FIRST LOVE KIM MINJUN!” 🗣️🗣️🗣️

It’s so funny considering why it was said, to get someone’s attention — but also so romantic. It is like a scene in a k-drama.

Tied To You 64 Chapters ; Completed

I feel so lucky that I found this title in it’s completion cause i would absolutely go nuts if I had to wait, to find out what’s gonna happen next. As soon as I started, I couldn’t stop and took me 5 hours to finish the whole thing. So worth it. This kind of Manhwa is the reason why I keep reading, hoping that I will find something like this. It’s really something special. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

the synopsis is as follows:

It’s only sleeping together while holding hands, nothing else. That’s what Shin Wooseo tells himself when a red ring that ties a person to their soulmate appears on his finger one day. Once two people get tied by the ring, they cannot fall asleep unless they’re physically together. However, his destined partner isn’t his long-term friend and secret crush, Kang Jiseok, but rather his older brother, Kang Jigeon! And so starts the tragedy of loving one brother but having to share beds with the other. Although, it might not entirely be a tragedy, as Kang Jigeon doesn’t seem so disappointed about being tied to his younger brother’s best friend…

I don’t usually go for love triangle tropes, but this one is not really that kind of love triangle. The strength of this Manhwa is the storytelling. Every panel & interactions served a purpose. As a reader, you are pulled in and can’t help but want to know more. I also appreciated that we can see the perspectives of 3 different people, but moreso on the MC/ML. I liked the concept of “love” that was portrayed too — it’s something that you have to work and fight for. It’s a conscious choice and not all sweet gestures.

Now i wanna spotlight the ML, KANG JIGEON 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 If I was to rank my fave MLs from all the stuff I read, he would easily be in the Top 10. He is manipulative but in the best way because all he does is for Wooseo to pay more attention to him. I have to say that he ultimately sets up the “scene” but most of the time the choice is still with Wooseo. His devotion is very real and his approach to fighting for his love is ( to me personally ) admirable! GO GET YOUR BOY! I’m not even mad at him.

I’ve been wanting to read a character like him, a chaotic good if you will, and that’s probably why this made such an impact on me. It was hilarious seeing the comments of readers in the early chapters being sus about Jigeon and thinking he is gonna be an asshole ML. In the middle, they were confused whether to love or hate him and the schemes. Towards the end, everyone was cheering for Jigeon and applauding him. Lol. I guess he was successful in making the readers fall in love too. ❤️

The King and Me Chapter 36; Ongoing

The story is very unique, atleast to me, cause I haven’t read anything set in Ancient Egypt + Time travel. There is also some heavy plot aside from the romance and every character here is just beautiful and badass!!!! The first few chapters broke my heart. I swear. It was effective in setting up the MC’s quest and why he is so stubborn when he goes back in time. What he is after is so important. 💪🏼

I adore the MC (Zhang Li)!!! He is so smart and determined to find out the truth about his “Rocky” and the tyrant king. His circumstances are not the best, but he tries to adapt and is not some love sick fool. Even if the main reason that he is there is because of love. This story is still in it’s early stages and I feel like it could easily go up to 150++ chapters because of the plot and well, the progression of MC/ML relationship. It’s also a slowburn so if that’s your thing, you would enjoy this.

Manhattan Romance Chapter 40; Ongoing

This reads like the kind of novel set in a specific city, in this case, NY, and two people meet each other and fall in love. Of course there are challenges and issues between the characters and their environment but the central story is their relationship. I think people who will read this would want to be the MC (Hyeon), in a way, all because of how much the ML (Luwan) dotes on him. Hyeon has his own issues and he is a precious bean that is too good for this world! I’m so happy that Luwan is the person who “caught” him and not some toxic shit. Let them live in their penthouse and be happy, Let Hyeon paint more masterpieces and the two of them to travel the world. ❤️

Ordinary life of a Universal Guide Chapter 61; Completed

Because i’m a sucker for esper/guide universe I had to pick it up. There is really nothing “special” with the plot, it’s the usual for the trope. My comments sounds like i hated it or something lol but the truth is — it’s alright. I picked this up after reading really good ones ( tied to you & the king and me ) so this was an in between read. I can’t always be that lucky.

The Third Ending Chapter 67; Completed

OMG how do I even begin to describe this perfection. I’ve been seeing this on other people’s list but for some reason I kept putting it off. Funny how I always manage to “start” reading something really good just before bedtime — which delays the “sleeping” I should be doing 😂😂😂

First of all, I love the art. It reminds me of Omega Complex that was so pretty so that helped a lot. 🫶🏼

Synopsis:

Suh Yoonseul has had life easy—everyone likes him, he’s good at his job, basically everything has always worked out as smooth as butter. However, there’s something that brings all of his good luck down, and it’s the infrequent dreams he has of Kang Joon. Who knew that rejecting a guy once would hang so heavy on your life? To make things worse, after he runs into Joon the dreams keep on coming daily. At his wit’s end, Yoonseul takes some advice from a friend so that he can free himself from this jinx. It’s simple. Make Kang Joon think that he’s a nice person. That can’t be hard, right?

Yoonseul is one of my favorite MCs. He’s a chronic people pleaser and has this perfect facade that he presents to everyone. So when he remembers being mean ( showing his true self ) back in high school to someone who confessed to him — he can’t let it go. It was so fun to see him suffer when it comes to winning Joonie over ( AHHHHHH Joonie is the most precious and can do no wrong!!! ) because tbh his intentions weren’t good. He is selfish. The entire season 1 was such a treat. Seeing their relationship progress and I— I don’t wanna spoil anymore but this could easily be a kdrama. There was that scene in the snow. AHHHHH! I was screaming while reading it! Lol. Season 2 is sweeter and more on fluff, by that time, you’re already so invested on them that you don’t care about any plot. Personally, what I loved about this is their mutual obsession towards each other. I’m a fan of that. I like tropes that are about “fated pairs” or something similar.

Between the Lines Chapter 20 ; ongoing

Not gonna say too much about this and I encourage people to wait for more chapters but it has a solid start. The MC/ML are both likable. Especially the MC. The premise is also hilarious, cause MC is a bl writer who is having a writer’s block and needs an inspiration for his protagonist. Here comes ML, who acts like Mr.Perfect ( but he isn’t ) and inspires him. There is so much more going on here that I feel like will be explored more as the story progresses so i’ll definitely come back to it.

Necromancer Survival 79 chapters ; 2 seasons completed and s3 is TBA

I had no idea what was in store for me when I decided to pick this up. I have a thing for necromancers and this one has the whole “dungeons” concept to it so I was down. But like — this probably ruined every other story for me. In a good way. Now I want a plot-heavy type of story with the romance as a bonus only. All I’ve been reading so are heavy on the romance & relationship, this has that element too but you get really invested with the plot.

Synopsis:

When the weak and unconfident Choi Yikyung first found out that he was a user, he thought he had finally hit the jackpot. In Yikyung’s mind, Necromancy seemed like the ultimate mix of cool and interesting. Back then, he had no idea that the Necromancer class was the weakest of them all! But as Yikyung enters the newly reopened Tower of Spirits in search of enhancement materials, he is sucked into a mysterious area of the dungeon where he encounters a frightening corpse. “Ding!” A quest window pops up, and it says… “You have made a pact with Seo Dawon, a vengeful spirit.” When tackling quests, it doesn’t hurt to have a companion or two, especially if one of them is the spirit of an ultra powerful and handsome young man. After all, “it’s dangerous to go alone”!

Don’t let the art fool you. It’s not some bright and shiny story. I made the mistake of thinking it’s gonna be some g rated adventure story lol It’s literally a necromancer whose goal is to make a master/slave pact with all the members of a dead team. He has to fulfill their wishes and help them get their revenge— which means killing a lot of people. It comes with a price, because every summoning is making him weaker in some aspects. Also no one knows what the true power of a necromancer is so whatever it is he’s doing — they don’t know what will happen to him in the long run. I freakin love the concept and how it’s mixed in with the romance. Is Seo Dawon only attracted to Yikyung because he is his master or are these real feelings? How will this relationship even work when one of them is Dead? A huge bonus too are how likable the other characters are. Especially Jung Garam!!! 🫶🏼

I hope the Manhwa continues cause I wanna see them get that revenge! 💪🏼 I wanna know too if Yikyung’s power will allow him to resurrect people and if so, what’s the payment?

I see lots of comments that say this adaptation does not live up to the novel & source material. Which i get it — a Manhwa will have restrictions, especially on the themes. The novels seems more gruesome and explicit ( not the sexual kind ) which usually has to be toned down for a Manhwa to get a license. Plus from what I can tell, the Novel is like 500 chapters ++ with a concept so niche and is for a specific type of reader. So yeah… I’m not sure if I will pick up the novel. I don’t have that urge yet, tho I am very interested in the censored scenes and if it’s really as dark as people are saying it is. I have a feeling it’s right up my alley. && I read some comments that Yikyung gets more dangerous as the story progresses ( getting corrupted by the summoning and the practice of necromancy ). I’m very curious! 👀

If anyones decided to read this, lemme know what you think. 💕

Black Mirror Chapter 64 ; Completed

This is the perfect spooky + sexy read for the season we’re in right now. From the first page down to the end, I can’t stop reading and wanting to know what happens next. It perfectly captures that eerie feeling, even if there are a lot of explicit scenes, it’s still there. The author really planned this well and the artist perfectly executed it. I don’t explain more because it’s best to go into this blind and experience the story for yourself. Highly recommend ✨✨

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See you all next month ^^ & feel free to recommend me some titles! 💕

[i-am-a-l0st-gh0st]

I don't deserve you, you deserve the world-Kazuha X reader flufftober day 12

Everytime that i miss you I feel the way you hurt T/w- mention of kazuha trauma, implied death of a friend, comfort tho summary- Kazuha love you, but couldn't imagine himself being good enough for you

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You were just the embodiment of perfection, Kazuha could hardly keep his eyes off you. Well no one could, you always had someone around you whether you wanted it or not. Someone who wanted to be your friend, or wanted your affection, and others wanted other things. Kazuha just wanted you to look at him, not even as a lover just as someone. But you were too wrapped up in your own little world most of the time, too busy to even notice the blonde-haired man.

He didn’t dare approach you, he didn’t want to get rejected. He didn’t want to get close to you then just as he felt happy, lose you. Just like last time. It's hard healing from trauma espically if it was a loved one. It can hurt a lot, even if you just think of them for a spilt second.

Months later Kazuha finally had the guts to approach you, you were happily sitting in the library reading something on your laptop. He politely tapped you on the should and said, “Hello Y/n mind if i sit here?

“Sure kazuha.” You flashed him a warm smile, which made his cheeks turn red. And you knew his name! He was the happiest he’d been in months.

“So, uh what you reading?”

“Oh, just some… school stuff.” Obviously a lie but he wouldn’t push further. 

Silence fell between you too, causing it to get a tad bit awkward. Kazuha couldn’t help but stare at you. Taking in your beauty, how you sat there taking in all the words on the screen. How you seemed so invested, how your eyes flickered from one end to the other. You looked up at Kazuha meeting his eyes, which made you both look away with red staining each of your cheeks.

"Y/n, are you seeing anyone?" Casually, Kazuha tried to hint at wanting to get with you.

"No not really, but I do have my eye on someone." 

"Who may that be?"

"Take a guess." 

So he named everyones except his own, Xiao, wanderer, heizou, Venti. All of the anemo boy, except himself. You note this and respond; "You missed one silly."

Suddenly it made sense, it was him. You liked him. Just like he liked you, he couldn't contain his excitement at your answer.

"M-me?"

"Of course who else?"

Kazuha felt like the happiest man in teyvat, he asked if he could kiss you (cause consent is the best we love that). You were a little stunned so you only nodded. His kisses were soft and gentle, like you were almost too fragile to be in his arms. The way his lips pressed against yours was like heaven.

"I don't deserve you y/n."

"All good things come to those who wait."

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@pandragonsoul

[projectmoon-smash-or-pass]

propaganda:

✅️ "Listen, I would smash Xiao but only if Lowell was on board with the idea (and in a threesome kind of way) and vice versa. I respect their relationship but boy are both of them hot. Especially Xiao, E.G.O or not."

❓️ "pass on Lowell and xiao assuming it’s a 1 on 1 thing because I am not cukcing them they deserve the world. But if it’s both of them at the same time thats a different story"

✅️ "You just know that Lowell and Xiao would be a package deal kinda thing, looking for a third person to go with, and that only makes everything so much better because it would be the most crazy passionate thing you've ever been included in and you would never be the same."

✅️ "The entirety of the Liu are bisexual icons and they're all just as hot as the burn gimmick implies, I need all of them."

✅️ "Best threesome you'd ever have tbh"

✅️ "For the people who mentioned the fact it would be a amazing threesome with her and Lowell please keep talking cause you are right"

[raine-kai]

Novel Wen Ziduan Has Issues

As you might know if you have seen anything I have posted here or written lately or talked about in the past month or so, I like Third Prince, or Wen Ziduan, from Love Like the Galaxy quite a lot.

What you might not know is that even though I liked him before I read the book, based on the drama alone, I like him even more that I read the book.

Let me be clear: novel Ziduan is a disaster.

For one thing, Yuan Shanjian's tendency to neg Shaoshang at every possible opportunity? That was Ziduan in the book. YSJ is a lot less directly offensive in his behavior toward Shaoshang, which makes him a lot more likable in the book. They still argue a lot, but he doesn't go out of his way to try to make her feel bad about herself. Meanwhlie, Ziduan only goes through one scene where he outright starts negging Shaoshang in the drama—and to be fair, this is episode 49 and he was having a really bad day that day, after having had a terrible day the day before as well—and she tells him off pretty well for it. He has a reason to talk to her that day, but otherwise he seems to mostly ignore her, or roll with whatever else is going on in the scene. Ziduan in the drama comes off as a foil of sorts to Shaoshang. They both care deeply for Huo Buyi, but while Ziduan has power in theory, he can do nothing to help Huo Buyi and is losing his mind (he behaves more erratically, more angrily and snappishly in that episode than we ever see him before or after) after the revenge. Shaoshang might not have power, but she has the keys to exonerating Huo Buyi, and she is exceedingly quiet and calm as she makes her case—both to Ziduan for her right to personhood, and to the court for Huo Buyi. By the end of this scene, we see Shaoshang share a warning with Ziduan, who bows to her and promises to bring Zisheng back, and make him apologize to her.

This is a far cry from the behavior of novel Ziduan, who takes every possible opportunity to point out how inferior Shaoshang is, especially relative to Zisheng.

He does eventually come to terms with the fact that Shaoshang and Zisheng are going to be together, in his own way... But not before being absolutely delighted to betroth Shaoshang to Yuan Shanjian, only to be deeply upset when Zisheng returns and wants her back. There's a whole scene where he demands to know why nobody told him that he would want her back, and rants about how poor of a match Shaoshang is for Zisheng, who deserves the best...even though he is just as dumb as she is, he admits toward the end.

I cannot articulate enough how much novel Ziduan comes across like a comphet gay boy trying to justify why he's mad that his best friend is dating someone by making it the girl's fault. Somehow.

I ship OT3 in the world of the drama, but I don't see how that could work in the novel world unless ZIduan does one hell of a lot of soulsearching.

The other day, I found the novel extras, and there was one for Ziduan, and OH BOY, I did not think this shit could get even funnier.

First off, this man is a misogynistic mess from the moment we get into his head. He says there are two kinds of women: virtuous and unvirtuous. And then he proceeds to list all the women in his life as various shades of unvirtuous. Empress Xuan? Very unvirtuous. His mother, Consort Yue? Extremely unvirtuous. His aunts and sisters? Never heard of the word virtue in their lives—except Second Sister, she's ok. (I have to assume this assessment is pre-time skip, because post time-skip Second Princess had apparently become less ladylike or something.) Xiao Yuanyi is also ok. Cheng Shaoshang is just the absolute worst.

So he sort of...has to approve of their betrothal (again) because it's what will make Huo Buyi happy and as we know, Ziduan really just wants Huo Buyi to be happy. (Although in this universe it's buried underneath so much negative vibes directed at Shaoshang that it can be easy to forget that.)

Shaoshang comes to talk to him, and she uses flattery over his dedication to justice over family (a love language between all 3 of them, I swear) to undercut his usual pattern of berating her. It works, until she's about to leave.

And then this happens:

The prince was very moved, and his tone could not help softening: "I am not afraid of being criticized by others, but only hope that the people of the world will live and work in peace and contentment, free from natural disasters and man-made disasters, so I will live up to the trust of the ancestors."

Originally, he wanted to scold the girl, but at this moment, the crown prince could not swear much, so he simply waved his hand: "Forget it, you can go back, take a good rest, and serve Zisheng carefully after marriage. Sigh, Over the years, Zisheng has really suffered a lot, you, you should treat him better."

Shaoshang agreed sincerely, and hurried out of the door. When she reached the courtyard, the prince suddenly called her to stop. Shaoshang looked back in a daze, and saw the prince raised his right hand, and then her shoulder hurt slightly, and when she looked down, it turned out to be a small stone. She was tongue-tied, and looked at the prince in disbelief—he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he actually threw stones at herself! The majestic crown prince actually threw stones at her!

The prince's brows and eyes are firm and resolute, and the perennial solemnity is swept away, as if he is ten years younger and suddenly returned to his naughty and troubled boyhood. He laughed heartily: "Okay, let's settle the matter now, you can go back and happily prepare for marriage!"

Shaoshang stamped her feet angrily, turned her head and left.

HE THREW A ROCK AT HER.

HE THREW A ROCK AT HER AND WAS HAPPY ABOUT IT.

And then after this scene, Ziduan's immediately thinking to himself about how he has to double their wedding gifts and hope they have a daughter he can marry to a son of his own.

THE AMOUNT OF DISASTER GAY ENERGY HERE IS STAGGERING.

Oh, about his wife--he does have a concubine. A cousin of his, selected by his uncle. He agreed to marry her because his uncle said so, and then the moment he stopped and thought about it, he realized how unvirtuous his wife is. She actually wants him to LIKE her, the gall of her!

Anyway, this man is a complete trainwreck and I adore it.

Mostly because the drama version exists as essentially a fix-it.

Speaking of which, who was it who decided to take Ziduan's "you-stole-the-man-I-am-not-aware-I'm-in-love-with-and-I'm-mad-about-it" energy and dropped it onto Yuan Shanjian, of all people? He's actually supposed to like Shaoshang... That might be the strangest adaptation decision, imo 😂😂😂