#yes i've read this novel several times before why do you ask

[another-chaotic-bisexual-vampire]

i'm so mad at Bram Stoker for not anticipating that his 1897 novel Dracula would be adapted over a hundred years later into a format that only releases installments on the dates in his novel - resulting in several hiatuses when there are no installments released - which has, most importantly, personally inconvenienced me!

[wangmiao]

From being stuck in the snow together in 2016 to filming Tibetan Sea Flower - Nan Pai San Shu's "Obsession" over Zhang Luyi.

Thank you for noticing my tag in the other post about the friendship between ZLY and CMH, and showing some interest. So here we go! I guess besides why Zhang Luyi (ZLY) was picked, there's also the story about how everything started. I find it rather fascinating. DMBJ's author Nan Pai San Shu, aka Xu Lei (XL) told the story a few years ago, but he mentioned it again during a livestream when Tibetan Sea flower (TSF) just started airing. The next three paragraphs are based on XL's livestream and ZLY's interviews.

Back in 2016, on a very snowy day, XL was on his way to The Mystic Nine's filming location, and was stuck on a mountain road. After waiting for a while, he thought he should go and help direct the traffic. When he got out to do it, he surprisingly found another Good Samaritan already doing what he intended to do, and yes, that Good Samaritan was ZLY.

ZLY was on his way to The Mystic Nine's filming location too. It was actually not XL who picked him for the role of Wu Laogou then. He went to guest star in that show because his university classmate Bai Yicong, the producer of the show, asked ZLY to do him a favor and just stop by to have a meeting with everyone.

So that's how XL and ZLY first met in person. Because they got stuck in the snow for a LONG time, they talked a lot about DMBJ, from Wu Laogou to Wu Xie, and even TSF (ZLY already read some of the DMBJ novels at the time, and he finished all of them before shooting TSF). At some point, XL told ZLY that ZLY's vibe reminded him of a very important character of his, which was Wu Xie. ZLY was very moved and thankful. Since they had such a good long talk, they kind of made a promise to each other that they'd work together on a DMBJ project at some point. They also each made a weibo post about meeting each other as the traffic director in the snow.

In 2017, there was actually quite some rumors about ZLY being approached to play Wu Xie in Sha Hai/Tomb of the Sea (this is not to discredit other Wu Xie actors, because it's normal for a production team to approach multiple actors for a role in the casting stage), but since ZLY had several health issues due to being injured during the filming of another show, he really couldn't be a candidate for the role.

But XL never forgot about ZLY. In 2021, rumors came around again about ZLY being approached to play Wu Xie in TSF, and this time, he agreed.

During the airing of TSF, XL did a lot of livestreams and Q&A sections on weibo. There's one post where he said: "From the state in the beginning, the state of being lost, to the Sha Hai!Xie state in the end, the entire progress is shown in TSF. I needed an actor with extremely good acting skills. From TSF!Xie to Sha Hai!Xie, there're many occasions where Wu Xie's soul is in a dark place and he might fall for his obsession. Besides Pangzi being there to pull him back, it also needs Wu Xie's strong faith and goodness, and I think it needed acting skills to show it."

In another comment to a fan's question about the choice of Wu Xie's actor, XL answered: "Maybe it represents a kind of inner demons", which I think the inner demons part can be translated to obsession.

So you can tell, it does seem that XL had this obsession to have ZLY play Wu Xie no matter what. And he never gave up the idea ever since they first met, even though by the time they could finally work together in 2022, ZLY was no longer in the best age range to play TSF!Xie (hence, sometimes you'd notice those annoying filters used to mask wrinkles on his face).

I really haven't watched all of XL's livestreams and interviews, and from the very few ones I've watched, he mentioned where ZLY impressed him. Before the shooting started, ZLY double checked with XL to see if XL wanted him to play Wu Xie as a more straightforward northerner or gentler southerner (this is not to stereotype, but to reflect the cultural and language difference), and XL reassured him to be a southerner since Wu Xie is a from the south of China. ZLY was no stranger to playing a southerner even though he's a northerner himself, as some of his best characters were from south China. This was why he dropped all his natural Beijing accent, and showed a gentler demeanor (eg. Pangzi is a typical northerner, and CMH kept his Beijing accent).

Another thing is when they were shooting the real and fake Wu Xie scene, it was filmed without any special effects or even an extra actor. ZLY played both characters each time with thin air. It impressed XL a lot because it required so much more finesse and precision on the memory, timing, and movement.

Lastly I want to show you ZLY's goodbye message to TSF that was posted on Sep 24th. He's a very dedicated, sincere, and cultured actor that often uses handwritten stuff to say goodbye to shows nowadays. And he wrote what Wu Xie and Pangzi always say to each other, the good luck and good fortune thing: "Da Ji Da Li, Gong Xi Fa Cai"

Another fun fact is that ZLY is very good at calligraphy. He used to assign different fonts to the characters he played based on their characteristics. Because Wu Xie writes in 瘦金体/Shoujin font, ZLY wrote the message also in Shoujin font. I guess you can say that's another similarity between him and Wu Xie, that they can both write in this font (I'm no expert in calligraphy, so I found an article teaching people how to write in Shoujin font. It was definitely not an easy thing to do because it advised people to learn and practice certain fonts in traditional calligraphy for a few years before even going for the Shoujin font).

Thanks for reading! If you like ZLY's Wu Xie, that's awesome. If not, that's OK. It's totally understandable. Please also know that I have zero intention to compare his version of Wu Xie to other Wu Xies. I'm sure each Wu Xie is awesome, unique, and lovable in his own way.

[purplesoulcollection]

Unnatural Love

Part 5 Synopsis : Name has being transmigrated into the world of I'm Not That Kind Of Talent without ever reading the novel. She's not being reincarnated as a human but as a devil as well. Hi There! I want to let you know that this fanfiction story isn't solely my creation. I borrowed the concept from @quqiwo2. I haven't actually read the novel either, just some spoiler to the end.

I hope you'll excuse my spelling and grammar mistake, because English not my first language.

Duaks!!!

The sound of punches and kicks echoed in the hall of the demon castle.

In a hidden dark alley. There are several people surrounding an object.

The object turned out to be not an item but a demon.

The devil who is our main character, Adele.

"Damn you, you are just using the reputation of the demon lord to protect your low caste."

"Yes, now you have become very pretentious since you became Mr. Demon's servant."

"Mr. Demon is more honorable than you, know yourself."

"You are a low caste, unable to use magic, dreaming of continuing to be a servant of the demon lord."

Meanwhile, Adele, who was being hit, closed her eyes and curled her body. He bit his lip with his teeth, trying to turn his screams into pain

Pained...

My whole body hurts so much...

They're babbling nonsense even though I don't care about my demon caste. I not even devil.

I don't really want to live like this either.

I want to go home, to earth.

I also want to be alive, not as a demon but as a human.

But fate made me like this.

What... I just give up?

It's easier to give up than to keep facing the same thing.

zrash

Suddenly there was a sound that came suddenly.

Then the sound of a sword cutting through a body was heard. Screams were also heard

At that moment I could smell a fishy smell that shouldn't be there...

Fishy? And screams? Am I next... 

Am I going to die next....

"Adele!!!"

I heavily opened my eyes. I squinted my eyes several times before I finally saw Mr. Demon's figure. He looks so panicked.

He lifted my body, Mr. Demon's face also got closer to me to see my condition.

Then his facial expression, which was initially worried, turned into anger. His eyes suddenly turned fiercer. And his facial expression also became fiercer.

"Sir demon, why are you here?" I asked haltingly

“I was looking for you, you were nowhere. Why did you let yourself get hit again?”

"I didn't just let myself get hit. I tried to fight as best as I could. But they were stronger than me."

I swallowed roughly. Trying not to show my sadness about this incident.

"Sorry for causing trouble to the Mr Demon."

Mr. Demon just kept quiet and carried me princess style before finally treating me himself in his room. I didn't utter a single words to him.

"Adele" He calls me, and it makes me look at him.

"Don't worry, I will protect you from now on."

'Why?'

"Huh, you must be joking, right? I'm just a lowly servant. Later Mr Demon will be considered a freak who protects a servant."

"No one will think I'm strange if I try to protect the people I love."

Adele could only stare while opening her mouth wide. His hands were also shaking involuntarily.

In her mind, Adele was already turning upside down in panic and didn't know what to say.

Her mind went blank for a moment, due to excessive shock.

This is the first time anyone has confessed their love to Adele.

Adele has been single all her life. Even though she used to be quite beautiful, no one ever said they liked her.

So denial is something Adele can do.

"You... Are you kidding me?"

"I've been battered like this?"

"Is this your way of distracting me?"

"If that's your method, sir, it really worked, you know? I'm fine!"

"Adele..."

Mr. Deon's gaze was unwavering. He did not respond to Adele's denial.

"I'm serious."

Mr. Demon's serious statement made Adele feel uncomfortable being looked at seriously.

Then finally the name answered while looking away

"If you're serious, why me? I'm not a human like Mr. Demon. Mr. Demon should also choose humans as partners. I'm just a demon who doesn't have magic. Of course I won't be compatible with Mr. Demon."

Mr. Demon just stared at the name for a moment before finally closing his eyes and starting to tell the story.

"Adele, you are a devil. I admit it." He started to hold Adele's hand. Squeeze it with slow but warm strength.

Makes my heart warm too.

"But in my eyes, you are more than just a lowly devil."

Mr demon opened his eyes.

"Even though you are impolite and always dodge problems."

"You have a kind heart, surpassing the devil and also surpassing the kindness of humans in this world."

"The proof is that you worry and care for me better than other humans and demons in this world."

"Even more than my family which made me have to fight in the war."

"But instead you are oppressed in a world that is not suitable for you right now."

"I've also given permission on my behalf if anyone dares with you but still misses out."

"I'm afraid that sooner or later you will do something undesirable"

"Mr. Demon..." I almost couldn't hold back my tears.

“You are really great. You know me better than I thought or is it because of your own experience?”

"Am I right?"

"... Yes. I did want to give up..."

"I just want to die. If only I could work here in peace, it would be nice. But continuing to be here is tiring inside. The bullying here almost makes me sick of everything."

"I didn't even want to come here. Even though I just wanted to survive..."

And finally Adele cried. Sobbing uncontrollably. There was no intention whatsoever to wipe away the tears and snot that were spilling everywhere.

In the end, the one who wiped Adele's tears was not Adele herself but the Mr Demon.

Although he was initially hesitant to do so. But he wiped away the tears that were welling up in Adele's eyes and wiped his snot with a tissue.

"No need for you to wipe, sir. I can do it myself."

"It's okay. This is the first time I'm entertaining people. Usually I'm the one being entertained."

"Did you forget your declaration of love?"

“Of course not. Do you want to?”

"Sir, did you know that I could have used the Mr Demon's declaration of love as a cover to hurt you?"

"People who want to hurt will never say it directly."

True, they like to stabbed from the back than to tell us.

"If I say I like you, sir, is that okay? Because we are two different creatures, humans and demons... We are never allowed to be together."

"I have great luck. There will definitely be a way."

"If we were together, would the Demon King just keep quiet?"

"Isn't it possible if our relationship is kept a secret?" Deon asked me.

If I remember the character of the demon king, no hope rising.

"I'm afraid that this method won't last too long."

**

“Finally the demon confessed his love to the that servant.“

“Demon Arut's weakness has been confirmed. Is the next plan feasible, Demon King? “

“Do it!”

To Be Continued

[onestormeynight]

Nellie Meets A Client

For the first time, Nellie was allowing a client to come over to her house. She had ghost-written several biographies for him before and had a great working relationship. There was a new project he wanted to start that he wanted to discuss in person. Initially he had offered to discuss it over coffee. Nellie countered by offering to have him come over to her house instead.

Yousef Grouber was incredibly polite. Nellie had been all nerves at the idea of him coming over without someone else in the house she knew. She briefly considered asking Ida or Fatima to pop over before getting grip on her courage. However, once he was there, Nellie could feel immediately how unnecessary that would have been.

He maintained a respectful distance from her. He didn't try to touch her, even to shake her hand upon meeting her face to face for the first time. His cadence was even and slow. Nellie felt as if time would have slowed itself just to listen to Yousef explain a concept.

"Gothic novels aren't your usual project," Nellie said. "Straying away from the biographies?"

"I believe it is time for a new challenge. The Sundial by Shirley Jackson was the book that got me into reading. I read Wuthering Heights every Autumn. It is a genre that holds a great deal of sentimental value to me. I wish to do it justice. Together I think we could pull it off."

Nellie thought about it. "I've never tried, honestly. I mean, there are my poems that are heavily Poe and Lovecraft inspired, but I don't share those with anyone."

"Oh? Why not?"

"I didn't write them for others. I wrote them for me. I still write them for me."

"So, you are saying that you hold back in the writing you do for others and withhold your true voice from the public?"

"Well...I suppose I never thought of it that way. But yes. Someone reading my poems feels a lot like them seeing me naked."

"But it is more intimate than even that, is it not?"

Nellie raised an eyebrow at him.

"You are not just exposing your body, you are exposing your soul. Your authenticity. It is scary to stand in one's own raw truth in front of others and be seen for everything you are inside."

"I...yes. Exactly."

"Because it is not perfect. It is messy and sad. It is fear. Vulnerable. Because you are used to wearing a mask that makes your pain easier for others to bear. If they saw raw and imperfect, you fear they would turn from you. That they would reject the truth of you."

"Stop."

Yousef nodded. "Of course. Do not worry, Ms. Harper, that is why I asked you and no one else. I trust you have it in you to create this story with me."

Yousef collected his things shortly after that. Before he left, he looked at Nellie and said, "I hope, one day, you trust me enough to share a poem with me. Have a good day, Ms. Harper."

"Nellie. You can call me Nellie."

Yousef's lips turned up in the most microscopic and expressive of ways. "Have a good day, Nellie."

((prev)) ((next))

[vodika-vibes]

A Little Miracle

Summary: After the Republic is reformed into an Empire, you are stuck working with the same men, under the same Commander, you worked for while in the GAR. Unfortunately, Bacara doesn't seem to remember that he loves you. And it's becoming too hard to handle.

Pairing: Commander Bacara x F!Reader

Word Count: 2079

Warnings: Angst with a happy ending

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni

A/N: So I was looking at all of my requests, and just, none of the characters I had requests for were speaking to me, and smut just wasn't coming out of my brain today for some reason. So have this instead, a project I've been working on for over a week!

“Commander,” You try not to quail under the stern gaze of the man standing in front of you, “I respectfully disagree. This is a horrible idea, actually.”

The former member of the GAR, and currently Commander of the Imperial Army, pins you with a glare that would have made a lesser person run away screaming. And honestly, the only reason you aren’t running is because you’re right and you know it.

“You have a better idea, Corporal?” Commander Bacara asks, his voice low and gravely, and you can’t help but wonder when the last time he spoke was.

“I do, sir.” You say, “Sir, it’s Life Day.”

His gaze is cold, “And why should I care about a natborn holiday?”

“Because, sir, it means that no one will pay attention to a small group of people sneaking onto the planet.” You say, “And…and, sir, it’s everyone’s holiday, not just a natborn one.”

Some of the ice thaws from Bacara’s gaze, though it quickly returns, “And what’s your suggestion?”

“Send me and one other person.” You say quickly, “We get in, meet the contact, and get out without starting an incident.”

He pins you in place with a severe look, “I suppose that might be a good idea,” He says grudgingly, “Do you have a suggestion as to which of my brothers you go with?” There’s something acidic in Bacara’s voice, and you flounder slightly, because you’re not sure what you did to earn his ire this time.

“I…my understanding is that you would choose the best man for the job.” You offer, hesitantly.

His scowl deepens, “I assume that you’re not going to go wearing armor?”

“No, of course not, sir! I’ll be wearing regular clothes.”

Bacara stares at you, hard, for a moment. And then he nods, “Wait in the hanger, I’ll have someone meet you.”

“Yes sir.” You salute and then turn and hurry out of the room. Hopefully it’ll be someone you can actually work with.

Once upon you were a soldier in the GAR. Once upon a time you were tasked with protecting the Republic.

That felt like almost a lifetime ago.

And while you’re not happy with the Empire, you didn’t sign up for this, you’re stuck. You can no more leave the Imperial Army than you can keep the sun from rising.

At least you still work with Bacara. Well. Under Bacara.

But he’s not the same man he was before the Empire took over. He’s colder, and he looks at you like he doesn’t recognize you.

You miss the man he used to be. The man who would tug you into his quarters and steal your breath with deep kisses. The man who would murmur jokes in your ear when no one is paying attention.

The man who would hum your favorite song to settle you when things were too much to handle.

You missed the man you fell in love with.

And you’re beginning to fear that you’re never going to see him again.

You slip into your quarters, somehow you don’t have to share with anyone, and you pull the pretty dress your mother sent you out of the closet. It looks out of place, mixed with the stark white of your military uniform, but you’re glad you have it.

You hurriedly pull the dress on, as well as some tights and your heels, and you pull your hair out of your regulation bun, allowing your hair to tumble around your shoulders, and then you hurry to the hanger.

The halls are empty…as is the hanger.

It’s nice, if not a little eerie.

If you close your eyes you can almost hear General Mundi walking over to you to discuss a novel that he read recently, or you can hear the shinies joking about which one of them was going to be the first one to get your number.

You release a shaky breath, ignoring the ache in your chest with the ease of long practice when you hear footsteps behind you.

And you start in surprise when you see Bacara standing there in civilian clothes. He pauses when he sees you, and you mentally prepare yourself for the insult that is inevitably coming your way. 

But instead he winces and touches the side of his head, “You look…nice.”

You blink at him, “Thank you, Commander. So do you.” He looks more like Bacara than he has since Master Mundi’s death. “Um…are you ready to go?”

“You can’t call me Commander if we’re going undercover.” He says flatly.

You wince, “Yes. I know.” Except the last time you called him by his name, he verbally tore you a new one, and you’re still reeling from the hurt of that. “Bacara, then.”

He nods once, slowly, and motions for you to take the lead. Which you do, without much of a second though.

True to your predictions, there are a lot of people out and about. But no one is giving either of you a second look.

Bacara’s hand is warm on the small of your back, the heat sending jolts of electricity up your spine. It’s been ages since you’ve been this close to him. But it became necessary after a group of tourists pushed themselves between you and Bacara.

“There are more people than I would like,” Bacara grumbles in your ear.

“Relax,” You reply, “They’re just existing, no one is even giving us a second look.”

His hand slides to your hip when another group of tourists threatens to push between you, and it sits there comfortably, as though that’s where it belongs. “I know. The contact is at this party, right?”

“That’s what the intel says.” You agree.

“Great. Come on, the party is this way.” Bacara guides you through the crowded street, until you reach the open air party that this planet is known for. It’s loud and thrumming with an excited energy that you don’t think you can match…not this year at least.

Once upon a time you would have loved being here with Bacara. You would have tugged him onto the dance floor and spun around with him until he was flashing that secretive little smile at you, and you were giggling and breathless-

But that Bacara doesn’t exist anymore. 

You tear your gaze off of a young woman and her beau, feeling your heart break as you watch them spin around on the dance floor, lost in each other. You swallow the bitterness and the tears, and you cast your gaze up to the taller man standing at your shoulder, “Do you see our contact?”

Bacara slowly tears his gaze away from the dance floor as well, and he looks down at you, “No. Not yet. We might be early.”

“Ah, well…it looks like there’s a snack bar. Would you like something to drink?” You ask, “Or eat?”

“Something to eat would be nice.” He says after a moment, “I’m going to go over by the side entrance. You can find me there.”

“Right. I won’t be long.” You smile at him weakly, before you turn and head towards the table. You’re able to feel his gaze on you, and when you turn to look back at him, to see why he’s staring at you, you see that he’s rubbing his temple again.

You bite your lower lip, concerned, but turn back to the table. Luckily, no one seems too keen to bother you as you grab two wine glasses and some sandwiches. 

And then you walk around the outside of the party to get back to Bacara, who is still rubbing his head. “Com-um…Bacara,” You say slowly, setting the drinks and food on a nearby table, “Are you alright?”

He glances at you, “Just a headache. I’m fine.” He grabs a glass and takes a sip, “Have you seen our contact?”

You watch him for a moment, “No. No, I haven’t. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Just keep your eyes open.” 

You settle on the stool at the table, absently shredding your sandwich as you keep your eyes on the dancefloor. The longer you watch the couples dance, the worse you feel, until you can feel the tear pricking at the corner of your eyes.

“If you want to go dance, I’m not going to stop you.” Bacara’s voice is flat.

“I’m fine.”

“You look like you’re about to cry.”

You press your lips into a thin line, “This just…isn’t how I foresaw my life going.” 

“We’re lucky to have the positions we have,” Bacara’s voice is low and chiding.

You lift your chin, “Yes sir.” And then you hesitate and you turn to look at him, “You don’t…you don’t remember me at all, do you?”

Bacara stares at you silently for a moment, “Is there something to remember, corporal?”

You flinch as if he had just struck you…and honestly, his punching you likely would have hurt less, and you quickly look away, “No. I guess not.” You slide to your feet, “Excuse me.” You slip away before he can say anything. You don’t want to hear anything that he has to say.

You wander around the party, taking in the decorations and the ice sculptures, and, before you realize it, you’re standing outside the party, looking out at the crowds of people.

It would be easy, you realize suddenly. You’re dressed just like most of the other women out there. No uniform. Nothing marking you as a soldier at all.

It would be easy for you to vanish into the crowd. 

You take a step towards the crowd, when a strong hand wraps around your wrist. You whip around to look up at Bacara. He looks…conflicted. And slowly, very slowly, he releases your wrist, and it falls to your side. 

“I won’t stop you, if you want to leave.” He says, “You’re not made for military life-”

“...right.” You whisper. “You could come with me.” You offer.

“I am a good soldier-”

You squeeze your eyes shut, and then you spin on your heel so you’re facing him, and you reach up to press your hands against his cheeks, “You don’t remember me, Bacara!”

“I don’t-”

“You once promised to take me dancing,” You say, and this time you don’t stop the tears from falling, “Properly dancing, you said, not the secret dancing in your quarters late at night, after General Mundi went to sleep and we’re both two sheets passed tired, but we’re together so we dance.”

His hand comes up to brush a tear off your cheek, and it only makes you cry harder.

“You used to love me, Bacara, and I don’t know what the Empire did to you to make you forget, but I can’t do it anymore.”

Bacara’s other hand comes up to cradle your cheek, and slowly his forehead lowers to bump against yours, “...Corporal-”

“You used to call me cyare,” You whisper, “You used to tug me into empty rooms just to steal kisses and would whisper jokes in my ear to make me laugh after hard missions and would hum my favorite song when you thought I needed a pick-me-up…”

His grip tightens slightly, and for a moment his face twists in pain. 

“If you can’t give me that again, if you can’t be that man anymore, then please, let me go.” You beg, “I deserve more than this.”

Bacara says nothing for a moment, his eyes squeezed shut and his face twisted in pain, and then, after a whole minute, his eyes open.

His grip softens, and Bacara slowly strokes your cheek, “My cyare,” He whispers, pain and guilt and horror in his voice, “My beautiful, perfect cyare.”

You look up at him, and there’s recognition in his eyes. Recognition and more than a little guilt. 

“Cara?” You whisper. 

He smiles at you, and wipes a tear from your cheek with his thumb before he leans in and presses the sweetest kiss against your lips, “I did something awful, cyare.” Bacara whispers.

“We can run. No one will ever make you do something against your will like that again. I promise.” You say.

Bacara stares at you, and slowly he nods. Quickly he shoves his comm, and yours, into a dumpster, and then he leads you into the Life Day crowds.

Within days, both of your faces are going to be plastered from one side of the Empire to the other, listed as deserters, but at least you’ll be together if nothing else.

[wordsifelt]

Hi....If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Hi! That was a hard question to answer lol, but after several hours of deliberation I have arrived at the following 10, in no particular order:

Mo Dao Zu Shi and Heaven Official's Blessing by MXTX: (danmei) So yes i cheated a little, these are two novels by the same author, but what I like about them are the same, the author writes relationships extremely well, and she writes very well rounded characters. The plot is very nuanced and makes you think.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett (Tv series): Truly is a gift to humanity, i love this series, I love how queer it is, how the love permeates everything, how very humane it is (also I'm a sucker for mythological fiction, Percy jackson was a favourite growing up)

Loveless by Alice Oseman (novel): This novel is brilliantly done, and perfectly explains being on the aroace spectrum. I read it recently and it's helped me so much with my own journey discovering my sexuality.

Not Me (Thai drama): Apart from having one of the sweetest romances I've ever seen in any media, this drama also focuses on a lot of political issues, revolution, anarchy etc. Also a great exploration into queer joy. I think it is the only drama i have 10/10 stars

Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo: well written characters, good motivation and plot, beautiful world building and most of all amazing representation, one of my all time fantasy favs.

The All For the Game trilogy by Nora Sakavic: I went into this series with actually zero expectations and it has consumed me for years until I can't find anything else even remotely close to the raw emotion this brings out in me. I don't think anything will ever surpass this. Definitely my comfort read.

Yuuri on Ice (Anime) : One of the first queer anime I ever watched. I love figure skating, the animation style was beautiful, and the love was there. It's a very comforting and fun anime to watch.

Given (Anime): Yet another amazing queer anime. Great exploration of grief and healing and love. Also amazing music.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak(novel) : It's such a bare look at the holocaust and at how it affected those persecuted and involved. Beautiful writing style. I can never read this without crying.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman: Queer joy for everyone 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈 (need I say more?)

Some honorary mentions:

Gideon the Ninth: This book drove me insane

I Wish You All the Best (novel): beautiful exploration of non-binary gender

Word of Honor (Chinese drama): I love the main couple, they've got great chemistry

Sasaki and Miyano(anime): most wholesome fluff anime ever

Hope this answers ur question. And I hope you find some good recs in this!

[candywraptor]

hey, why did you delete the radiodust fic from Alastor's POV? the companion to Ruin

Hello.

Well. It isn't deleted, it's just orphaned. If you didn't have it bookmarked, you can still find it linked through Ruin (last chapter, all the way at the bottom).

I did it that way so that it could still be found and so that people who enjoyed it could still have it but I hated seeing it in my list of works, honestly.

(for those who may be reading this and don't know - Lesser Things was originally posted without the "bad ending" or "sad ending" tags that it currently has now)

After it ended, I couldn't really write anymore. I went from writing for hours and hours, nonstop, everyday - to nothing. I could start but then it would feel like pulling teeth trying to get words on the page. Very, very luckily for me I was impatient and blondes was started before Lesser Things ended. If not for that, I think I possibly would have stopped altogether. But the chapters I put out for blondes did not come easy and I wasn't happy with them - my voice wasn't there. At least not to me.

This went on for several months.

Many people checked in on me during this time and I am very, extremely grateful to them. And I'm pretty sure I said some degree of "at least I can still write!" to all of them but I believe I was, uh - coping? I guess? Because I couldn't - not like I used to and not with any real pleasure. I was so afraid to make a mistake that I wouldn't try at all. Or I would start writing and get flooded with thoughts of whether or not what I was writing was "right". Anything I could manage to force out was so wooden and lifeless to me. I had come to know what it felt like when my brain was moving at the right flow and it was like someone had completely dammed up the current. It was just empty.

And I dreaded seeing Lesser Things in my works. It was a constant reminder of a very big mistake*. Every time I got a notification about it, my anxiety did somersaults. What really kicked it over was that I began feeling distressed when someone would read or comment on Ruin. I wanted to tell them not to - because inevitably it would lead them to Lesser Things and I didn't want someone else to be disappointed with me or have Ruin damaged for them. It was tagged correctly by then, yes, but I still felt a very strong, irrational fear over it.

So, in an effort to get away from all of that and try to start over, I orphaned it. I wanted to delete it, I'll be honest, but I hate the idea of removing something someone might love from existence and my friends agreed that orphaning it was kinder. So I made sure it was linked and tagged and set it free.

It did not help for a long while.

But then I talked with this person in the comments of Ruin - I am still not quite sure who they were - and for once I told them that I was angry for what I had lost and upset that the hobby that brought me new life was seemingly gone from me. I deserved to be corrected for the tagging - I needed to know that fanfiction does not work the same way as a novel or TV show and that what I saw as a spoiler was incredibly important for many readers - but the rest. . .I didn't deserve that. I simply didn't.

And it felt good to not try to be diplomatic and to be upset and honest about my feelings. After that, a friend reached out and we spent some time discussing it, also. Talking about how I really felt, allowing myself to believe that I didn't deserve the hate - something in my head just let go.

Now I can write again - to my own personal standards. I can do it for hours and, even better, I enjoy it. I have so many ideas now - I've gone from nothing to too much! I am still not as prolific as I once was but I am writing and having fun and that matters more than anything else.

I jumped ship, too. I think most people know that. My feelings on RadioDust are complex and I am still not exactly sure how I feel even now. I don't like looking at it but I don't hate it. Maybe ask me in a week and I do. Maybe ask me in another week and I feel nothing at all. Maybe many weeks or months or years from now you can ask that question and I'll say that I love it again. Who knows.

Anyway. . .

I'm sure you weren't looking for a novella but, hey, it was a complicated question.

In short - it isn't deleted. If you want it, you can find it. And as for why - because it was fucking with my head and I needed my head unfucked. That's the simplified version.

(*the mistake in question is not the content of the ending. Lesser Things ended how it was intended to end and it will always be that way. Period.)

[aziraphales-library]

hey, i am wanting as many fics as i can get my grubby little hands on where crowley (aziraphale optional) has to reconcile with and make amends for abandoning warlock. even if he hadn't been told all that antichrist business, losing the one real maternal figure he had, permanently and out of nowhere, would hurt and leave a lasting scar! i want to see this addressed. i've read several fics like this and i am a glutton and want hundreds more. any rating is fine.

Hi. We have a #warlock dowling tag, and specifically there is this post with fics where Crowley and Warlock reconnect post-almost-apocalypse. Here are a few more...

Warmth and Security by MikkMeek (T)

[...]The clerk gave him an uncertain look before handing over the pile of clothes. “Do you just have these laying around?” asked Warlock. Panic seemed to spread across their face. “I- Yes! Of course! Never know when you’ll need them!” he said rather quickly. Warlock raised an eyebrow “Alright?” he mumbled, looking over the light coloured clothes. “Thanks…” He trailed off, suddenly aware of how he had no idea what the clerk’s name was. “Sorry, what’s your name?” “You can call me Mr.Fell.” “Oh,” started Warlock. “like the shop’s name.” Mr.Fell let out an amused chuckle as his eyes began to twinkle. “Yes, like the shop’s name[.]" - Alternatively: Warlock seeks refuge in a bookshop during a downpour and runs into some familiar faces

Serendipity by phantomhivemast3r (G)

Seven years after Armageddidn't, a boy wanders into A.Z. Fell and Co. and finds something more priceless than a first-edition novel- a reunion he (and his childhood caretakers) never thought possible.

Find Me Somebody by raiining (T)

“You left me,” he said. “You both left me, for him. And I can’t even blame you, because I’d have left me for him too.”

At Least It's a Decent Shelf by dragonimp (T)

“Then why?” Warlock jerked back and struck at him. “I turned eleven and you were suddenly just gone. And then Megiddo happened—” Aziraphale caught Crowley’s eye. “Ah—” “Well—” “You see—” “Long story—”

what you feel is what you are by suzukiblu (T)

Nanny Ashtoreth and Brother Francis retire at the same time, without any warning or anything. Warlock doesn’t need a nanny anymore and it doesn’t matter who the gardener is, but . . .

But they retire without any warning, and they don’t even say goodbye.

Not to him, at least.

Finding Your Way Back Home by teardrops_on_ghostly_wings (T)

Living as the son of a diplomat is never easy but the world has been especially cruel to Warlock Dowling.

After missing his nanny and gardener for 6 years, he plans a trip to England with his family in the hope of finding them again and reconnecting.

- Mod D

[lindstromm]

20 questions for writers

tagged by @lyricfulloflight Thanks for the tag! I'm deep into writing a novel-length fic that I'm not posting until I've completed it.

1. How many works do you have on AO3? Eleven

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

901,640

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I've written for Cherik/X-men, The Old Guard (Joe x Nicky), the Dragonriders of Pern, Marauders era Harry Potter, Red White & Royal Blue, and am currently working on a destiel/supernatural fic.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Dear Soldier, a Cherik fic (116,000 words) that I co-authored clocks in at 2,401 kudos. That is my most kudosed fic by more than a 1,000.

Tryst With a Stranger is a smutty little Cherik fic (10,000 words) I wrote about a gifset, loads of fun.

Survival Instinct is my X-Men First Class fix-it fic (116,000 words).

Bug on a Plate is a fun middle-aged Cherik fic that grew (20,000 words) into a pandemic roommate fic, back when we thought those were fun to write.

And clocking in at #5 on the kudos list is Lehnsherr & Xavier: Attorneys at Law, a Cherik AU with powers (107,000 words).

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yeah, pretty much. If it's just a "Great fic!" I may not respond. I figure the people who leave the really short comments don't really expect a reply.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't really do angst. In Comfort that which I've brought to ashes, (The Old Guard, 37,000 words), Joe's family is not accepting of his sexuality and that causes him pain. That's not really the focus of the fic though.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

That would have to be ATYD - Happy Ending. LOL. "All The Young Dudes" was Marauders era canon-compliant and had a horribly angsty ending because nothing good happens to Sirius and Remus. So I wrote a canon-divergent story that picks up just before Harry Potter's parents get killed. Then I ran out of steam on it. I wrote about 26,000 words and then just summarized the rest of the plot. Technically, it's unfinished, but I put in all my plot notes so readers know how it ends.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No. I mean, once, but it was kind of a mutual thing, not just an attack out of the blue.

9. Do you write smut?

I don't write Explicit. I write sex, but I don't write descriptions of genitals and bodily fluids.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Nothing published. I have three chapters of a Supernatural crossover with Roswell New Mexico in a drafts folder, but I doubt I'll ever finish it. Sigh. I've got the whole plot plotted out.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I am aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Maybe? A couple of people have asked and I said yes, but I don't know if they ever finished the translation.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes, Dear Soldier. It was only sort of co-authored. Two other authors started it. One author dropped out. The second author soldiered on for several more chapters and then quit. I came in and finished it, with the second author as my beta reader. It was a good experience.

14. What is your all time favorite ship?

Based on my AO3 author page, its Cherik. I tend to go all-in and then completely check out. I haven't written or read cherik in several years now, but that is definitely the ship that inspired my writing muse the most!

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Mmm, don't know? I only have one WIP that I've posted and I fully intend to go back and finish it once I've finished the Supernatural fic that hijacked my brain. Readers of scars that can't be seen, I haven't given up on it! It's Red White & Royal Blue from Henry's point of view and I've got about 31,000 words published.

I'm not planning on finishing ATYD - Happy Ending. That's why I put all the plot notes in the last chapter. I guess that's my WIP that remains unfinished.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Emotional truth. My characters are honest and vulnerable. The fic Dear Soldier is about Erik recovering from PTSD and I alternated POV chapters. My beta reader strongly identified with Erik's struggle with overcoming trauma, and I strongly identified with Charles who was really knocked off balance in trying to support someone with PTSD. We've gotten some really heartfelt comments on that fic from people who understand themselves or their loved ones better.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I over-complicate things. I have to back and edit out all sorts of unnecessary explanations and boring details.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language during a fic?

Have I ever done this? I don't think I have. I would rather just say that the character is speaking in a foreign language. Other than super obvious and easy words, like Erik calling Charles liebchen.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Battlestar Galactica - the original. It was pencil on paper and I lost it long ago.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Survival Instinct. My god, I knocked it out of the park with that plot. I can't even try to be modest about it. My muse has never hit me with a lightning bolt like that since then, but I'm so glad it happened once!

Tagging @turtletotem, @pinkoptics, @kaydeefalls, and @runawaymarbles.

[tuesday-teyz]

Hi, so I literally just got tumbler to see your posts and I love BR so much. So I have a few questions for you that I hope you'd answer. Apologies if it's long.

Would anything change in the story change if BR!Tommy had a younger sibling?

If BR!Tommy had met BR!Ranboo before becoming the crown prince (say in some alternate universe he visited Esempi and met him or something) would he befriend him?

Was there any way that BR!Tommy and BR!Ranboo could have gotten along prior to chapter 26?

Did Kristen usually visit small towns when she was alive, or was it just L'manberg?

How old was BR!Niki when she met BR!Tommy's family?

What was your inspiration for the characters in BR and how they acted?

Does BR!Tommy still love BR!Micheal as a little brother, and come to think of it, does BR!Micheal love BR!Tommy in that way too?

Continuing on from my previous question, does Micheal still have Henry or is he gone?

Do you think BR!Beau and BR!Ranboo could work together and become friends after the events of chapter 26?

Why did BR!Philza like BR!Ranboo out of all the other commoner children?

Did BR!Philza know that BR!Ranboo was a slave?(I'm saying this because in Remarried Empress, Sovieshu had known Rasta was a slave all along, and I know that your fic is based on Remarried Empress)

Come to think of it, where did BR!Philza find BR!Ranboo because BR!Ranboo had lived in Esempi

Also, you don't have to answer a certain question if it'll spoil later chapters

Thank you so much for looking at my questions, considering the fact you even read this post. I think Butterfly Reign is one of (if not the) best fanfics or even stories I've ever read, and I think you're a pretty Poggers writer!

An ask! Haven't done this in a while, but I'll do my best answering your questions! :D

1. Ooooo that's an interesting one. I don't think I've ever thought of it before. In a way, you could say that Tommy did have a younger sibling in the face of Michael (who is his adoptive cousin), but I know that it wouldn't have been the same. There are many factors to how this could play out; whether Tommy is close with that sibling, or how they'd be treated by Phil and Kristin, but I think ultimately Tommy would have all the more reason to push for the crown prince status, and the main storyline would have played out the same with the exception of Tommy being either incessantly harsh towards the youngster (bad example from Phil) or borderline possessive of them in a Wilbur-like manner.

2. Yes! I think I've already speculated on an alternative universe for a scenario where Tommy gets to meet Ranboo on more peaceful terms. I think it would have been a slowburn type of friendship with Tommy learning how not to be an asshole all the time and Ranboo getting to know the ways of court – maybe through becoming Tommy’s attendant.

3. Absolutely! Br!Kristin did a lot of town visits and charity work in her days as an Empress, especially with southern towns that were the most affected by the war in Essempi... and so did Phil, but we are not going to learn about that until later.

4. I think she was anywhere from eleven to fourteen years old, I don't have a very strict timeline for that period, but the way it went was that Niki was sent to be mentored by Kristin. She was fostered in the AE to prepare her for ruling for several years, so that makes her almost a sister to Tommy, Wilbur and Techno.

5. Mostly my own family. I wouldn't call it projection per se, but prior to the start of BR we went through some rough things that made me see a new side to many of my family members – some good, some bad, all very human. BR at large is an exploration of different behaviors I observed in people around me. For example, br!Wilbur is strongly inspired by my cousin, who we were very close with at a young age, and br!Phil definitely has borrowed a lot out of my own father. And of course there were many outside sources from other fics I've read, from my favorite Webtoons and novels, and even random reddit stories I've seen and that stuck with me enough that I wanted to incorporate them into the characters.

6. Yes, Tommy definitely cares about Michael, and Michael about Tommy, but there are certain things in their backstory that make it hard for them to interact. Michael much prefers being around Tubbo because there is less negative emotional package tied to their relationship.

7. Michael still has Henry!

8. No :D

9 & 10. There is a reason for that that I cannot disclose yet.

And the last but not least, I hadn't gotten a chance to make this very clear but Ranboo used to work for Quackity in exchange for him getting him out of Esempi but ultimately ran away when he realized that he's never really gotten free. Which was not thought well though because three days layer he's barely alive in the woods when he stumbles upon Phil's carriage.

I'm really happy you're enjoying the story, and I hope this satisfies your curiosity!

[gneebee]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @pipergirl17- thank you my friend!❤️

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I have 92 works on AO3!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

2,556,425 -- Holy Mole!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I write for The Walking Dead with plans to write for TWD Daryl Dixon soon. I write for several different pairings / ships within the fandom

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A Place Called Heavenly (Daryl Dixon/Beth Greene)

Just Playin' (Rick Grimes/Beth Greene)

Two Doors Down (Rick Grimes/Beth Greene)

The Wonder of Christmas (Rick Grimes/Beth Greene)

Love's Long Road (Daryl Dixon/Beth Greene)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always - if I didn't it's because I somehow missed it. Fic writers live for comments and I believe in acknowledging those who leave them.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I have fics with plenty of angst, but not at the end

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

All my stories have happiness at the end - there's enough bad crap going on in the real world.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No, but I have had people trying to start fights about content that didn't even exist in my story, and I've had the occasional meanness, I just wonder why the hell they read it if they don't like it, then move on

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do, not in every story, but in some. I've only written F/M and no kinks.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Not as a rule, however, I did write a two chapter Bethyl Comedy called The Makeover where Daryl gets a visit from the fellows at Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Oh yes. I have had my dialog copied verbatim, the plot and characterizations used, even nicknames I gave characters. By far, the worst was my entire story "Love's Highway" was stolen. "Only the names were changed" . It was made into a novel and was for sale on Amazon and Goodreads. A reader advised me and I got it removed quickly enough. I was not the only writer this happened to at the time, it was several writers who had works stolen

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I'm aware of

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes, I have co-written three, although I no longer credit my co writer because she asked me not to. She chose to give up writing and didn't want anyone to ever know she once been involved in writing FF

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Daryl Dixon and Beth Greene - by a mile

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

All my stories are complete except my current WIP Love at the Solo Cafe, and a couple of others I am working on behind the scenes

16. What are your writing strengths?

In the fan fiction world I would say my biggest strength is I have extreme OCD and so I always finish what I start.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm easily distracted haha Also, I have no patience with my characters. I want them to get together and quit dancing around their attraction to one another.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I have written sign language - ASL - for TWD Connie, but other than that, I just haven't done it.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

TWD

20. Favorite fic you've written?

That's an incredibly difficult question to answer. I have a great personal closeness to several. I'll say Love's Highway because it's closest to home for me and the hub.

Thank you again @pipergirl17 I will tag @rckyfrk @sasusc @mistressheroine @roksolanna77 and whoever else who wants to participate

#dash games

[xarrixii]

to those of inquiry,

my introduction

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

hello, fellow traveler of the hellscape that is this website (or app, if you happen to be on your phone using such)

my name is @xarrixii, and i am better known as "arri"

i have a separate blog from this one designed for reblogging other peoples' work. if that's something you're more interested in (my taste in writing), then i suggest you visit @the-arrikive

masterlists a long way under the divider

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

i have come from a land not so far away (planet earth) to share the nonsensical nonsense of my brain (my writing).

i write both longer, novel-like stories and responses to writing prompts when i'm feeling it (feel free to send me one, if you'd like). my brain is random, though, so i can't guarantee i'll get something out right away.

i am irregular. do not expect something like weekly uploads. you get a story when i remember to post one and have one available. i shall not rush the accidentally filled plotholes genius i breed.

sometimes i make edits. i've made a lot of edits recently, like layout/ease of access and also wording on some of the earlier chapters. (already read chapter one of cinder? i changed the beginning because i hated it and i personally would put down the book immediately if i'd found it in the library)

i still hate the first sentence but honestly, the noggin can't think of anything better so we'll cry about it later

also, grammarly hates me because i don't like its grammar rules and i don't capitalize my "i"s when i'm casually speaking. i hate grammarly because some of its suggestions are stupid. i just don't want to turn it back on every time i eventually end up needing it.

less important: i am cisgender. i identify with she/her, but i could really care less (not quite sure that counts as any). i am pansexual. (frying pans don't have enough personality, don't ask about them)

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

what i like reading:

i love, love love love love love love love it when a book focuses on its characters. there's nothing wrong with taking in the fantasy world they built for the people to live in, i'm all for that as well. it's just a trend i see that the more a book focuses on following its plot, the less it focuses on the people riding out that plot.

i'm a firm believer in characters "building a plot" based around their actions, even if that means an author built a plot and then designed the perfect character for enacting it.

also, i grew up a gacha kid (gacha studio/life/club). that means i'm familiar with cliches and love it when people throw them on their heel. it's also (unfortunately) made me enjoy love stories less (which makes things difficult since books that focus on characters almost always have some love plot that works out).

i'll read a hero x villain, sure. but sometimes i might think up the ending where they don't love each other (platonic and rival)

ask me any time about what i enjoy reading if i've confused you (it happens a lot).

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

what i like writing:

this one's a lot simpler, i like writing what i like reading. because if i wouldn't read it later, why would anyone else?

due to me being cringe once upon a time, i spent several years writing out roleplays (yes, i was the edgy roblox kid too) with some friends, so anything super long i write for a very long time from now will be my personal adaptation of something that's already existed before

writing prompts are the truest test of my creative abilities, though. making up new characters, a new environment, and a new plot based on the whims of a few sentences from time to time is what keeps my rewrites from being copy-pastes.

that also just keeps it fun for the friends who wrote it with me once and will read it from my fingers typing it again

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

also to note, i'm not afraid of writing about blood, gore, violence, and the like, and i'm also insensitive to what all needs to be tagged, so any help with that goes a long way

most of my writing prompts will be written with non-binary characters

if you find me fucking up pronouns please notify me where i diddled it up thank you!!

so about being a gacha kid

i suck at drawing. the physical descriptions of my characters are laid out in gacha apps, and yes i am mildly embarrassed about it. but putting their designs down somewhere means i have something reliable to refer to while writing.

thou shalt not judge me for it.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

hobbies

writing. i guess a bit obviously. i also still enjoy playing video games and listening to music. i like watching horror games, but can't bring myself to play them. i also make a lot of jokes about violence. i mean a lot. but i know when to take something seriously.

favorite roblox games including: entry point, scp: site roleplay, funky friday, robeats, 3008

i also play genshin impact occasionally, and no i'm not elaborating.

if you couldn't tell by now, i talk too much. moving on:

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

masterlists

hey, me! i know you're reading this, because i know you're the most likely suspect for looking for these links all the time.

"Cinder" Masterlist writing prompts

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

looking for more? ask me! send me prompts! FILL MY INBOX!!!

[not-poignant]

19 and 20!

19. Tell me a story about your writing journey. When did you start? Why did you start? Were there bumps along the way? Where are you now and where are you going?

Oh this is... this will be long and it's 12.13am and I don't want to write long, so I'm going to shorthand it:

Started writing as a kid, liked it, pure escapism and needed that shit because real life sucked. Enjoyed reading and though 'I could do that' before anyone told me no. Wrote several novels as a 10 year old before I realised actually you're supposed to learn how to do it first. I still like those stories. Finished my first epic fantasy trilogy by the age of 12/13.

Lots of bumps, including some creative writing at university which killed all my passion to write. The long and short of it is that I could write award-winning short stories and poems, but I hated all of it and judged and edited everything I wrote to the point where I...stopped.

Stopped all writing. For many years. Became pro-artist. Occasionally write very short fanfics that only ever got posted on Livejournal or Schnoogle. Never liked any of it.

Quit art, had a mental breakdown, needed that good good pure escapism again. Read a lot of fanfiction. Made a fandom Tumblr. Watched Rise of the Guardians, went to town on AO3, wrote literally whatever the fuck I wanted even though I was sure people would hate it and hate me. Some folks said 'hey these OCs are alright' and I went 'sure okay.'

Here we are. :)

20. If a witch offered you the choice between eternal happiness with your one true love and the ability to finally finish, perfect, and publish your dearest, darlingest, most precious WIP in exactly the way you've always imagined it — which would you choose? You can’t have both sorry, life’s a bitch

I don't want both. I don't want either. Fuck monogamy, lmao. (For me! Not for anyone else reading this! I am a walking caveat!!!)

I don't want perfection. I don't have a 'most precious WIP.' Stories are easy to come by, and they're all fun. Characters are easy to come by, and you can hurt/comfort nearly all of them. There is no 'dearest, darlingest, most precious WIP' like damn.

I also...don't want eternal happiness. Like Arden, in FFS, I do not believe that the goal of life is eternal happiness. That's literally not the way our brains are built. Emotions are meant to transform. The good news is - that means all the ones that make you feel like shit. The bad news is - that means all the ones that make you feel good. That's why it's so important to learn how to tolerate and sit with all your emotions free from judgement, because the sooner you do that, the more often you'll feel happiness in general.

We're not made, as a species, to feel happy all the time. You ever see people shaking their indoor plants to mimic wind because otherwise they grow all weak and shit and die early because they had no challenges? Yeah.

And yes, I've had challenges, and I'm also not an indoor plant, I just don't believe eternal happiness is the goal here.

Also I'm polyamorous so this whole 'one true love' thing can fuck right off. This question just reads a little like 'u have one true love story and u have one true love person' and folks can live like that but a bitch could never (it's me, I'm bitch)

--

From the Weird Writing Asks meme!

[serial-serializednovelreader]

A Beginning at the End...

I made a post the other day about MBS getting cancelled and honestly that was just a quick vent post and didn't have much of my actual thoughts and feelings about what why I was so upset. So I want to tell a story about my history with the book and later adaptation, just so I can give it a bit of a sendoff and celebrate my love for the series as a whole.

To begin, I believe I'm neurodivergent in some way (undiagnosed for reasons I won't get into), so you can imagine that I wasn't very welcomed by many of my classmates. While it was a small class and I was close with them, I didn't feel that they really understood me. I often felt alone and found my home in books, as cliche as that sounds.

On a Friday in elementary school, a book on my teacher's shelf called The Mysterious Benedict Society caught my eye. I pulled it out and asked her if I could borrow it. She hesitated a bit before saying yes, as long as I promised to take care of it as it was a very special book to her. I, of course, agreed, not knowing how special it would become to me too.

I immediately began reading and fell in love with the world of the novel, finishing it within a weekend. I loved how clever Reynie was at solving the puzzles he was given, how Sticky rattled off facts like a machine, Kate's positivity and agility (I wanted to be her sooooo badly), and Constance's stubborn nature. And of course, the world-building, themes, and overall plot were superb.

But most of all, it was the kid characters I loved, because I felt they were like me in some way (the neurodivergent coding makes a lot of sense now!!), that if I knew them in real life they would be friends with me. And this only increased when I read the rest of the series. The only unfortunate part is that almost everyone I knew had never heard of these books, let alone read them. The few who actually did I didn't get to stay in touch with due to outside circumstances.

Over the years, I've reread the series several times and I still can't get over just how GOOD this book series is. First off, they're funny. There are so many good moments where I STILL laugh, no matter how many times I've read them. The characters are well-thought out and the main four kids are dynamic characters; they each have a realistic and clear arc over the course of each book (which I hope to make a post about someday!). Book Curtain is a bit of a cartoon villain I'll admit, but his funny moments add to the charm and is still a credible threat as a villain. The themes are interesting, and understandable for kids while being even more hard-hitting for adults. The plot structures are fun and while a bit predictable definitely keep you on your toes.

So in 2019, when I found out that the fourth book, The Riddle of Ages, was releasing I was SO excited and of course bought a copy as soon as I could. It was really emotional for me, as it showed the characters aged up and coming to terms with growing up and what that could mean for their friendship. I needed it, especially with the transitional period I was going through at the time.

Around that time, another bombshell dropped: it was actually getting a TV show adaptation (on Hulu at the time)!!! This was a dream come true for me, who had imagined it so many times (and had actually wanted to play Kate lol). I was a bit wary of what they would do with the characters, but honestly I was just happy it was getting an adaptation at all. That at least some people knew about it and wanted to see it come to life.

When it finally came out on Disney Plus, I watched it every week like clockwork. I loved both seasons and how much detail they put into it. While the show changed a lot of things from the book series, I actually loved what they did with it. Kate's arc of not wanting to be a team player is even more prominent from the beginning, Show Curtain, SQ being Curtain's adopted son, I could go on, but those are just *chef's kiss* 👌👌. More than that I could just feel the LOVE that went into the show from the actors, writers...just everyone!! Even the choices I didn't like still worked for me just because I could tell how much care was put into the series. The community on here shared the love even more through posts, fanfiction, art, etc. Finally I felt like I had validation for the series I loved so much and that people were seeing how great it was!

Then I found out it wasn't being renewed for a third season... and it hurt a lot. I felt (and still feel) that it's just another example of a streaming site looking over the quality of the show for pure numbers. What has helped is the MBS blogs I follow/lurk around (shoutout to y'all <3 I know I need to engage more) and the actors of the kid characters, who have all spoken out about how they're sad it's ended but also enjoyed the journey and love the time they had with getting to play the characters, which cheered me up a lot.

So in the end, I'm still upset the show was cancelled. And I'm still holding out hope that maybe it'll get renewed somehow, or picked up by another studio. But no matter what, it'll never take away the love I have for the book and TV series and the community surrounding it, so I'm glad I'll always be able to celebrate that.

TL:DR: I have a lot of history with the original book series and while I'm still sad about the show ending, the love I have for the MBS series as a whole and the community surrounding it won't go away. I'm happy there was an adaptation that got so much love from everyone involved and that people got to enjoy it.

[dhaaruni]

this may not be your style of book but idk who else to get recs from. Do you know any romances where the couple is together early on and the will they/won't they part is more about marriage or maybe outside factors of conflict? Romance about people in love rather than falling in love I guess? Or where the 'falling in love' is relatively a brief part? typically I read grim Fantasy or litfic that is deep in a character's head and I don't usually read romance so I have no idea where to look but I want to expand bc those genres aren't often capital r Romantic.. but sometimes I believe in love y'know?

Actually yes! I can help you out with this. I primarily read historicals as I'm guessing you know, but try these out; I aimed for the "Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough, I don't know why" vibe lol.

Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean: The main couple is estranged because prior to this book, the heroine trapped the hero into marriage and he publicly cheats on her while she's pregnant, and the book is about her asking for a divorce and his trying to win her back by making her pick his next wife (he's a duke, he needs kids). It's PHENOMENAL, and made me really empathize with a cheater, and I'm extremely anti-infidelity.

Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas: The main couple is married but again, estranged and living on separate continents, and they both have affairs with other people in the interim, but she wants to be free to marry again and he won't grant her a divorce until she gives him a kid.

Lord of Darkness (Maiden Lane #5) by Elizabeth Hoyt: Marriage of convenience between a heartbroken widower and a young woman who gets pregnant out of wedlock but then loses the baby, and comes back several years later since she wants a child. Shenanigans ensue, and it's wonderful.

The Courtesan Duchess by Joanna Shupe: One of THE most truly bonkers romance novels I've ever read. Basically, Julia gets married off when she was 16 to the Duke of Colton, and then he runs away to Europe for almost a decade without consummating their marriage, and leaves her in England during which time she's in dire straits financially and her and her aging aunt are being threatened with jail, so she ..... disguises herself as a courtesan and goes to Venice to meet her husband and get pregnant by him, but then they fall in love. Again, shenanigans ensue and it's wild.

Devil In Winter by Lisa Kleypas (obviously): it's THE classic marriage of convenience romance novel, where they get married for money and then fall in love. Probably the best romance novel I've ever read, and I've read a LOT.

The Trouble With Love by Lauren Layne: One of the best contemporary romances I've ever read, like basically, Cassidy and Emma met in college in North Carolina and were engaged to be married but the night before their wedding, her dad drunkenly reveals that Cassidy went for Emma for professional reasons, Emma and Cassidy get into a huge fight, she throws her ring at him, and the next morning, she gets into her wedding dress and he ... doesn't show. Fast forward 7 years, they're both in their early 30s and living in NYC and working at the same company, and they ... fall back in love and it's fantastic.

There are definitely more but those immediately came to mind.

[turnabout-sunflowers]

I’m late as FUCK but I also took a look through your dgs liveblog tag and WHOOH. Congrats on finishing such a life altering game 🥺

What did you think of the game? Any favorite characters? Any ships? And I also happen to talk wayyy too much about this game so if you ever need to yell or scream incoherently my dms are always open! I WILL yell back

Also I am legally obligated to ask what you think of susato. Thank you, and have a nice day/night :)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! Hope you enjoyed <3 YEAH IT SURE IS LIFE ALTERING OUOUUGGHHH

I'm tentative about talking one on one with people before i really know them just because I am a very awkward and socially anxious person and tend to warm up to people easier in group settings-- however!! i'd love to chat with you! you seem cool i'm just a lil guy who needs to be approached slowly like one would approach a wild cat therefore if you ever wanna chat at me through asks and stuff i love talking to people that way so i'm always down to hear your thoughts or if you ever wanna ask me more stuff <3

WHICH. THANK YOU FOR ASKING ME QUESTIONS BTW. I LOVE QUESTIONS. I LOVE ANSWERING THINGS AND GIVING LONG RAMBLING ANSWERS. IM GONNA GIVE YOU LONG RAMBLING ANSWERS NOW

1] What did you think of the game? I LOVE IT IT'S ONE OF MY TOP TOP FAVOURITE GAMES OF ALL TIME???? IT'S. IT'S. Okay what you need to know about me is 1) I LOVE extremely linear plot-heavy games. I have somehow never played a visual novel before ace attorney despite the type of game I would most enjoy being the ones you're basically just reading instead of playing. 2) I have been super interested in murder mysteries ever since I was very young but NEVER found anything that I felt I could get into before finding ace attorney. mainline AA already filled so many niches there but DGS just completes something in my soul. that's my house. that's my home. i live there. I love it SO much it's so perfect it's everything I've ever wanted in a game, being able to put things together and figure things out as I was playing was SOOOO fun and it was SOOOO . just. GOOD. HJOUOUOUUOGGHH.

2] Any favourite characters? IS IT . CAN I SAY ALL OF THEM??? HFJDKFKD. I have several friends who are still playing DGS and every time they get to literally any character I'm like "that's my blorbo ":3" every time. to all of them. I love all of them they're all my beloved family you couldn't possibly make me choose. Anyway it's Kazuma my favourite is kazuma. JKFDHDFKJKGJFE. Like yes I love all of them completely equally and this is the complete and utter truth however I have been so emotionally attached to Kazuma since several months before I ever even touched the game. I have openly cried on the couch in the dead of night over Kazuma several times. Before I touched the game. I'm dead serious. He means a lot to me <3 However everyone else is an honorable mention and by everyone else i DO mean everyone else. EVERYONE in the main cast + my obscure side character blorbos (haori and inspector hosonaga i love you)

3] Any ships? eehh?? Kind of? I don't really do shipping in the way that fandom does? Usually I'm not as invested in ships much because I care way more about the platonic relationships. so there's a lot of ships that i just kind of shrug and go "yeah, sure! i'll take that as headcanon" and accept it without being invested, and otherwise most other ships i'm just neutral on. when I AM invested in romantic pairs i still am like. completely chill with them not being romantic it's more of just an investment in that pair and their dynamic lol

THAT BEING SAID. Asoryuu. Susahao. Ginasusa. Uhhhh. whatever the ship name for holmes & yuujin is. Those are the ones you'll see me reblogging. I'm either very invested in them or at least have them as my headcanon depending on which it is but! those are them <3 susato polyamory real. everything else is generally just a "eh not for me" or "yea sure why not"

4] Thoughts on Susato My thoughts are uuummm she's me! HSDJKHF. I'm usually pretty quiet about kin stuff on tumblr but. [gestures to my tag masterlist with one of them labelled "kin tag" pretty openly] not necessarily hiding it either lol lol. Hi! She's me <3 I'm her <3 i am incapable of pretending to be a normal average person about dgs. those little guys in there are my family. I mean this so genuinely

That fact that I'm kin with her aside though I think she's a really good character I'm just like. kinnie lens makes character analysis interesting lol. To an outsider's perspective though I suppose she'd technically be my favourite character? I'm gonna write a whole ass fic going over the entirety of the events of the game from susato's point of view just to put all my thoughts somewhere so. FKJDFDLK if that gives you any idea of how frequently i am thinking about her.

Come talk to me about her introductory line in 1-1 that is just "in my darkest hour, with nowhere left to go, she appeared like a bolt of lightning." i'm SUPER fucking normal about it i'll wax poetic about it for hours. honestly i'll wax poetic about ANYTHING re: susato for HOURS because listen. listen. i have the insider knowledge. i have so many thoughts all the time i'm bark bark bark