#[ Sorry this took so long to reply >.< ]

[feliville]

Thank you for black girl trans woman…….. The world is quite beautiful 🌈✨

Thank YOU for liking my Paulina : -] !!💜

[galactic-rhea]

i had a dream with a decent amount of vaderdala/anidala content in it but most importantly it had me discovering amidala uses the same red pigment for her lips and nails, the pigment/mineral that makes vader's lightsaber red, that one. (such a long statement idk how to phrase it you get the idea)

and also it was all over his mask

So in padmé's empire instead of mining the kyber crystals for the death star, they're mining them just for Padmé's makeup? I would let her tbh, she looks good.

Considering that for makeup and lipstick sumerians pulverized gemstones it could happen. Except that the red kyber crystals are red specifically bc some dark-side stuff and they aren't found naturally red. Which means Vader gave her his own kyber crystal from his lightsaber...he would, he has zero self-respect.

[tip jar!]

More of this AU> first || prev || next

open for a funny bonus! ;))) (sliiiiiiiightly suggestive tho)

[lcs-scar]

PLEAS PLEAS PLLEEEEAASSSS

Can you draw some pete content?? 🙌🙌🙏🙏🙏🙇🙇🙇

THAK YOU IF ITS YES

sure!!

[peace-hunter]

I like the idea that the Matrix was said to contain "The wisdom of the Primes" and while it kind of DOES, what he actually got was the ability to commune with the Primes, and while everyone expects them to be a well of wisdom they're kind of just normal people and tell Optimus that Megatron's a glitch.

He's basically just got 13 older annoying siblings.

some times collective wisdom means knowing how to build and lead an entire army while restructuring your entire society after decades of oppression.

others it means knowing that mixing the cybertronian equivalent of vodka and tequila is a Stupid Idea and you will definitely regret it oh my god-

and being the youngest of fourteen sometimes means knowing that and doing it anyway lmao

but yeah that's basically it! that's kinda the point of the au! yeah they were wise and intelligent and almost divine but they were still people! and the concept of wisdom can be very subjective when there's thirteen of you and you have thousands if not millions of years of Opinions™ aklsjdlalds

haunted au

[egophiliac]

Serious question.

Do you think we’ll see the parents/family of each of the guys???

Like, We’ve been TEASED with Ace’s brother, that I’m starting to think it’s just a reference to that Alice in Wonderland park character in Japan and nothing else….

Jack’s family, Ruggie’s grandma, Falena, Maleficia, Ms.Rosehearts, Just now Vil’s dad is in the picture which I am really happy but now I’m wondering about his mom, and so Deuce’s mom.

I mean, some HAVE a silhouette!! It could mean they do have a design in the making/ready to show. They could’ve shown us Falena in the Tamashina (hope I said that correctly) event, but didn’t (prolly to make Leona not so σ(▼□▼メ) and it’s understandable)

Anyhow, any idea/headcannon about this? Who do you want to see first?

I'm wondering if everyone might eventually get a travel event? like they've now introduced with Vil's that it doesn't have to be specifically hometowns, so that opens things up a lot! (especially if they have to figure out how to do three separate Coral Sea visits) (how would that even work otherwise)

but yeah, I hope everyone gets a chance! there's a lot of backstory characters I would LOVE to meet. :D :D :D though I do think some of them don't really suit the more light-hearted tone of the events (pretty sure you're right about that being why Falena wasn't in Tamashina-Mina, that would've just been. too much for Leona.) so like...we're probably not ever going to meet the Rosehearts. or Maleficia (although I maintain that this would be THE funniest possible way to introduce her outside of the main story, and actually I would love this a lot, can we please Twst) (I need to see her to put Malleus in a froofy little outfit and tell him what a handsome boy he is). but they've sprung surprises like Kifaji on us, and honestly anyone who shows up and tells embarrassing stories about characters' childhoods is good in my book!

characters off the top of my head who I most want to meet: literally any of the Zigvolts, Azul's mom, Ace's brother, Che'nya's grandfather (<- I think he would be a good one for Riddle) (please just any non-terrible adult in his life), any member of Rook's family because I need to see how they managed to produce him, and...really just whoever they can come up with for Silver.

[seoksoonwoo]

DANDELION by Seungkwan for @hongtonie 🤍

[sudokuplayer]

I agree with you about the ridiculous book titles but I don't think the ones you mention are so great. Like what's so good about them👀

hiii 👋🏻 I apologize for this long answer. This is so serious for me lol I could talk about it for hours.

I think Giovanni's Room is a perfect title. As I said, it's short and evocative, and I think it's also mysterious but not that mysterious. You don't know what's up with the room in question but you can gather, for example, that this guy Giovanni is Italian, otherwise the name would be John or something, so for sure his Italian identity will be relevant. You have to assume there’s intention behind something as significant as a main character’s name. Also, and more importantly, there's no last name attached to Giovanni so it suggests intimacy—being on a first name basis. It lets you know that whoever tells the story is close to Giovanni; for sure close enough to have been inside his room. Name and last name creates a sense of distance and formality, or it suggests the person is 'important' or special; preternatural like Dorian Gray, famous like that woman Evelyn Hugo (probably, I haven't read it). But just ✨Giovanni✨ ... you can tell it's going to be a first person account of the events by someone who knows Giovanni very intimately. But obviously I’ve already read it and my interpretation is biased. Nothing about the title guarantees it'll be a first person account. This is just what I mean by evocative; it makes me theorize and read into it...

Now, just Giovanni, like Emma or Carrie or Rebecca, wouldn't work because—and this you find out once you read the novel but the title is already telling you—the room is the main character; it's the metaphor. But I wanted to mention those single name titles just to say I don't like them lol. I get them but I think they don't really work nowadays. A recent example I can think of is Eileen. Crickets, right? Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh. It's a good novel though.

And I also don't like "[Name] [Last Name]" titles very much:  - Anna Karenina  - Jane Eyre  - David Copperfield  - Oliver Twist 

As I said, full names give a sense of distance (imo!), BUT those I mentioned make sense because the novels span the lifetime of the character. Of course the title of a person's life should be their name, and at least it's not something like The Unbelievable Life of David Copperfield, which would be so silly. I think full name titles had their time too. Just Evelyn Hugo would be crickets but it doesn't mean its original title is any better lol 

Giovanni's Room is perfect because I think "[Name]’s [Noun]" is a good title formula: - Charlotte’s Web - Ender’s Game - Sophie’s Choice

Adding an adjective to any of these would truly fuck them up. Imagine if it was Giovanni's Mysterious Room… flop! It was already mysterious. Or Giovanni's Peculiar Room, also a flop and an awful sounding adjective. 

You have to be very particular about the adjective to make "[Name]’s [Adjective] [Noun]" work.

Howl's Moving Castle is a perfect example of a good one because it could have been something like Howl's Magical Castle, right? But that sounds basic. The chosen adjective, Moving, couldn't be more perfect.

The other title I mentioned in my post is The Bell Jar. Just picture a bell jar; something so delicate that can trap or protect or display or contain. You can already tell the metaphor game is going to be strong. Also, its formula is my favorite ever: "The [Noun]": - The Trial - The Metamorphosis - The Waves - The Tunnel  - The Goldfinch

This formula is serious business for me. I think it's perfect. Short and so sure of itself. They demand to be taken seriously. I see them and I feel reassured that the author is confident and clear about their work. 

"The [Adjective] [Noun]" is good too but it really has to need that adjective:  - The Virgin Suicides  - The Savage Detectives

I love "[Adjective] [Noun]" — Short yet compelling. Just two words so you can have them tattooed on the back of you ankles or something: - White Teeth  - Wuthering Heights - Sharp Objects - Invisible Monsters (Chuck Palahnuik’s titles are always a hit with me. Short and straightforward; they come across as very cool and crude, Fight Club, Choke, Snuff, and then he delivers cool and crude. The 3 titles below are by authors with a similar vibe to Palahnuik, and look at those titles… chef's kiss) - Exquisite Corpse  - American Psycho - Mysterious Skin

I also love "[Noun] and [Noun]" — To contrast, to compare, to complement each other, whatever it is it's always a hit. The alliteration in both Jane Austen's titles is more poetic than whatever long wordy title you can think of: - Pride and Prejudice  - Sense and Sensibility - War and Peace  - Sons and Lovers - Crime and Punishment 

❌ Now, the ones I consider flops no matter what. The long “creative” ones that come across as eager and insecure and make me roll my eyes.

Anything that tries to sound like The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Also these wretched formulas:

"The [Adjective] [Noun] of [Fuckass Name + Last Name]": - The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August  - The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender (Two adjectives! Get out of here!)

"A [Noun] of [Noun] and [Noun]": - A Song of Ice and Fire - A Court of Thorns and Roses - A Book of Spirits and Thieves

"The [Person’s Job/Occupation] [Relative]" — The relative is usually a wife or a daughter: - The Surgeon's Daughter - The Time Traveler's Wife  - The Zookeeper's Wife - The Shopkeeper's Daughter

"All The + [Some Bullshit]": - All the Bright Places  - All the Light We Cannot See - All the Dangerous Things - All the Colors of the Dark

"Where the + [Some Bullshit]": - Where the Crawdads Sing - Where the Red Fern Grows - Where the Dead Sit Talking

"This Is How + [Some Bullshit]": - This Is How You Lose the Time War - This Is How It Always Is - This is How You Lose Her

"We Are All + [Some Bullshit]": - We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves - We Are All the Same in the Dark - We Are All Birds of Uganda - We Are All Made of Molecules

I also don't vibe with titles that instruct you to do something: - Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone  - Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead (good novel though!) - Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters - Go Tell It on the Mountain (adding one by the author of my beloved Giovanni's Room so you know I'm serious about this lol)

💌 To finish my rant on a more positive note, there are always exceptions, and I do like some poetic titles: - Tender Is the Night

One of my favorites and I haven't read it, I just like how it sounds. That would be "[Adjective] is the [Noun]". I don't know if there are more like this. I like that it's taken from a poem but it's not too wordy. 

And the following are all by John Steinbeck. His title game was insane! And they are all references, which shows it can be done with grace and measure: - East of Eden — biblical reference - The Grapes of Wrath — lyrics from hymn which references a bible passage - In Dubious Battle — from Paradise Lost - Of Mice and Men — this one could go in the [Noun] and [Noun] category but the preposition adds a little something imo, and it's also taken from a poem by Robert Burns.

Anyway, I hope this wasn't a bore! 💌

[bison-appreciation-club]

Hi! What are some of your favorite things about bison?? Your pinned post says ask at your own risk and I'm very happily doing so

oughhh ok!! firstly, i think they just look really cool. i mean, look at them....

secondly (and for this i am referring solely to american bison, i don't know very much about the history of european bison) they are very historically and culturally significant. the native americans who lived on the great plains relied a lot on the bison for food, but also to make clothes, tipis, weapons, and bison were also a part of their religion. in the 19th century white settlers killed most of the plains bison. this was sponsored by the us government as a method of cultural genocide, by removing the lifeline of the native americans in the area and forcing them onto reservations

in the 20th and 21st centuries, bison have been reintroduced to national parks and indigenous land across america and their population has increased, although there will never be as many as there were before because there's just, you know, not enough room for them.

look at him.... very important creature

[kawaii-chronicles]

Take your time, and don't forget that the player will tell CatNap the truth and forgive her

[glitzbot]

HI!!!!! Still I wanna say I could never get tired of looking at your work! You could open a museum with that!😁 Here’s an artwork I made!!💕💕💕 May you be cleansed of art block!!

you're too kind, thank you!! and this work is so beautifully epic! I love how you've captured this parallel of stolitz rescuing each other 🥹💖 great work!!

[sylvieserene]

On the recent update, I noticed a lot on yt and a lot of places on the internet that people fully believe that eternal sugar changed for the better at the end of episode ten of beast yeast. In an objective standpoint I thought she didn't and was wondering on your take on if she changed or not objectively and maybe the reasoning for why people think so. And also if it's not too much, what's your opinions on people pushing (not those who say they think or have it as a HC) that Eternalholly is cannon and not one sided?

I think the entire point of the ending was that she didn't change.

And she directly confirms so by this dialogue alone:

Eternal Sugar Cookie is in deep denial with reality.

This dynamic is central to her and HB's relationship.

ES has always been avoiding reality like a plague, to the point even the mere thought of it scares her.

You can see this especially during her final conversation with Hollyberry Cookie, moments like:

These moments highlight perfectly just how much she hates reality.

She repeatedly associates it with pain. Not just any pain, a pain so overwhelming that it feels like you're being torn apart.

This is basically what their dynamic comes down to.

Acceptance and denial of reality.

Eternal Sugar believes that happiness can be created wherever reality doesn't reach, for that can only bring pain and sorrow. She truly believes that confining cookies here in the garden, a place where she has artificially bred happiness would keep them the most well and happy, for what truly can make you more happy if you remain confined in a space detached from reality? What can make you happier if you live in your own delusions without accepting the cold hard truth? Forever on the run from it and denying it?

Eternal Sugar Cookie embodies that. She has found herself happiness in her delusions, in her twisted sense of "reality" and doesn't want to step beyond it.

That doesn't mean she has ill intentions in mind though. She really is sincere in what she wants.

Happiness for all cookies.

She really wants that. She really does everything she feels is right to cultivate that.

But that doesn't make her methods or approach correct though.

Trapping and not allowing the subjects of her garden to go outside is wrong.

Intoxicating them with such an aroma that they forget all their worries and let themselves indulge in the luxuries her place offers (basically making them high and stripping their will) is wrong.

Scaring them and indirectly threatening them to not leave is wrong as well.

The very methods through which she tries to deliver happiness at the end denies all her subjects their true happiness. It even denies her true happiness.

Hollyberry Cookie understands that.

For just like ES, she has had a phase where she just wanted to run away from the cold hard reality because it hurts. The sad truth is, ES in a way is very much correct.

When you experience something painful or traumatic, the first response is to run away from it.

This is something HB is highly aware of.

From drinking away her problems to neglecting her son to running away from her kingdom after a mental crisis and war, HB has always found some way to avoid reality.

ES's garden was truly a paradise for her in the truest sense. Because just like her, she just wanted to forever run from reality than facing it. She didn't want to face her past, her mistakes, her everything because of the pain that accompanies it.

This is why ES took even more interest in her because she wanted exactly what she offered, denial.

But this is the very thing which also seperates them.

Unlike ES, HB doesn't forever want to live in a delusional world. She has always been the one to face danger and pain head on.

She has her moments of confusion but at the end, HB would rather accept the cold whiplash of truth than forever live in the sweet embrace of a lie like ES.

Unlike ES, HB isn't the one to lie to herself nor is she someone who cowers from pain.

And this, all of this? HB knows and understands this.

Which is exactly why she acknowledges it directly, she tries to gently nudge ES in the right direction, the reality.

That is why, she essentially at first literally says "There's plenty of fishes in the sea!" to ES here when she asks why she's leaving lol

But when that obviously doesn't work judging by her reaction...

She tries to give her a gentle reminder towards the truth.

The most important thing to takeaway from here is HB acknowledges her good intentions but she also tries to push her towards realising the truth.

That there is a world beyond her garden and while it may hurt to incorporate with it at first for reality often is cruel and pain is inevitable but it is only after pain that one can gain happiness. True happiness.

However....as you can see, even the mere mention of reality scares her. So much so, that she asks HB to stop.

She hates reality.

She is scared of reality.

She fears reality.

Which is why, HB tries to console her gently again.

While also pushing her towards the right decision.

By also calling out her flaws.

And offering hope.

Ultimately leading her to atleast think about it, even if for a second.

Which is a huge step up.

HB put a connection with herself and reality to get ES to consider it after seeing that she won't even listen about it on its own.

Her words came from a place of understanding.

What HB said here didn't come from a romantic perspective especially when you look at their dynamic as a whole.

Hollyberry Cookie is a person who wants something real in life. She craves for reality, she doesn't like falsehoods and would rather take the pain accompanying truths than seek comfort in lies. She'd rather accept the cold hard reality and the pain that accompanies it rather than live in delusions.

Eternal Sugar Cookie is a person who doesn't want the reality in life. She'd rather indulge herself in falsehoods and the sweet veil of lies rather than face pain while facing the cold hard truth. She finds her comfort in the artificial world she has weaved together in her delusions.

This is what really seperates the two and puts them on two different paths.

HB is willing to face the truth and step away from the twisted world crafted by ES while ES isn't willing to step away from it but she doesn't want to let go of HB either.

This... is exactly why ES says this:

Because she understands this conflict.

She knows that what HB is saying is correct and if HB goes outside and gets the true happiness she seeks, it would prove that she has been wrong.

That she has been denying herself happiness and what she has artificially bred in her garden is wrong.

That is why she asks HB to not do this, to not do this to her.

Because while ES is close to admitting her fault, she still is in heavy denial.

Let's revisit the most famous bit that is often interpreted as Eternalberry being "canon" and HB returning ES's feelings:

I think what most ppl fail to understand is that HB's words, with all the previous context in mind, comes from a place of understanding rather than romance.

HB directly admits that while she feels ES is sincere in her actions, her methods are wrong for she is detached from reality and is lying to herself about it.

HB tries to gently nudge ES towards the truth but ES was unwilling to even listen the word reality and literally asks HB to stop which leads her to gently nudge her again because HB recognises ES is not a malicious person. She's just in deep denial and trapped in her own delusional thoughts.

That's exactly why she puts a connection with herself and the truth to get ES to atleast listen because she knows ES won't be listening otherwise.

She quite directly says that the day ES stops lying to herself and gets better, that's the day they can complete eachother cuz as of rn, they don't.

HB and ES are supposed to be eachother's other halves. The ones completing eachother's very soul but they don't.

ES is deep seated in denial while HB craves reality.

How can they complete eachother's soul when their paths diverge instead of converging?

When one runs away from truth while the other runs towards it?

What HB says here is trying to show her the pros of leaving the delusion.

She's basically saying to ES that if she accepts reality then both of them can consider being eachother's other half.

She isn't showing romantic interest towards ES, just showing her that if she changes for the better then she can consider being her other half (Key words: perhaps then).

This just goes to show HB doesn't have the same interest as ES towards her. She is interested in ES but just not in the romantic way.

That's exactly why she tries to console ES by trying to tempt her with something ES actually wants.

A connection with herself.

And the brilliant part is, she gets ES to think about it. The same person who refused hear even the word "reality" suddenly thinks about it at the prospect of joining HB but ultimately, choses her delusions.

That is exactly why when HB doesn't comply to her begging requests, she opts to trap them all in her garden for life and when that didn't work out, she tries to destroy her garden and kill herself along with the damage.

She quite literally goes insane when HB rejects her and tells her that she has to leave.

To the point, she tries to self inflict harm upon herself.

HB, even though she doesn't love her romantically, still cares about ES which includes her life.

So when ES almost dies by getting crushed by her own garden collapsing-

HB swoops in.

In a very stereotypically prince in armor style saving the damsel in distress (ES) fashion lol

However this romantic angle is from ES's pov.

From HB's perspective, she makes it clear that she is not doing this cuz she wants to stay with ES/live in her delusions of because she has a romantic interest in her.

She literally says to ES to snap out of it and wake up 😭

Cuz she wants ES to see that she doesn't feel the way ES thinks she feels lol

HB quite literally calls out her delusion.

But not before nudging her to think about what she says because at the end, HB wants ES to change for the better.

And ES, over the moon, agrees to think about it because of the moment

I think what's important to note here is that HB cares about ES and her life but just not in the way ES does for her.

For HB, it really comes off from a platonic perspective because she doesn't want ES to end herself just because she rejected her/her delusional world because at the end, she cares about her and her life and doesn't want her to kill herself just because of this, despite knowing PV's warnings about Beasts.

Because Beast or not, HB sees the good in ES that's why she keeps asking her to consider what she says to her.

Irl, when someone proposes to someone and they get rejected and take it badly, the person who rejected sometimes just consoles the other person that they can't be with them for (x) reason and until they do (x), they can't be but if they do (x) then they can consider it. They may or may not actually mean it but the point is, this happens quite a lot and isn't too uncommon.

What HB is doing here is basically that. She basically tried to console ES in a similar way and asked her to help herself by stop denying herself reality and maybe then ES can get a chance to be truly be her other half but until then, nope. And when ES takes this rejection incredibly badly and tries to end her very life, HB intervenes because her intention isn't to finish off ES but rather guide her towards healing because she genuinely thinks she's a good person at heart and sincere in her philanthropic joyful wishes towards others but it's just that she's in deep denial about the flaws in her ways that's doing harm to both her and everyone around her.

HB's response to all ES's advances is at its core just this:

She doesnt want ES the way, ES craves her.

This is further evidenced here as ES basically confirms the parallel between how they see their relationship:

She'd forever wait for HB even when HB won't.

She'd forever offer HB her love even when she rejects that a thousand times.

This directly shows their core dynamic.

ES loves HB romantically but HB? She doesn't.

[Quick Note: This is in this canon continuity where she didn't accept her offer to stay by her side, if she did then welcome to their costume story which is a whole another AU and interpretation of her character lmao (there HB can be read as having mutual feelings for ES) ]

And it is due to that, ES is more focused on HB saving her than heeding her words.

The main reason? She chose her delusions at the end.

She said she'll think about what HB says and she does.....just not what HB told her to think about lol

At the end, she really just understood that HB thinks the outside world is better but takes it as some sort of phase of hers that she'll outgrow once she understands how much the outside sucks and will return to her again one day. (Pure copium and delusion lol)

She didn't think about what HB said, it's doubtful she even understood what she tried to say. She's far more focused on her and ironically, her own web of misconceptions than face the possibility of reality.

ES at the end remained unchanged. She chose her own artificially manufactured world of happiness over the real one.

She didnt accept HB's rejection and still awaits her, inevitably setting history to repeat itself because HB will forever reject her false world created by her own denial and self-lying and ES will forever remain self-destructive because of it.

Just as HB said, unless ES "wakes up", she'll forever be stuck in this eternal cycle of pain, false happiness and denial not allowing her to ultimately achieve her dream to bring happiness to everyone or even be her other half.

So yeah, Eternalberry is very much one sided.

Those dialogues by HB truly mean nothing on their own and can only come off as romantic if you take it out of context. If you take in the context, HB's tone is very clear.

HB doesn't love ES the way ES loves her nor does she need her the way ES does.

At the end, they can't be anything, let alone soul mates/eachother's halves unless and until ES changes. It is only then that HB may consider it.

The entire conversation, if anything, just proves so.

So in conclusion, no. Eternalberry isn't canon but rather one sided just like all the Beast x Ancient ships (and this is coming from a person who ships Eternalberry and desperately wants it to be thing in the future lol).

[jovialoddity]

Prof. Puzzles:

He would see someone holding up a lesbian flag, and just be like “huh, what is that? Wales?” /affectionate

LMAOOOOOO YOU’RE SO RIGHT 😭 the only pride flags he knows are the rainbow flag and maybe the trans flag and the rest he just thinks are some kind of obscure countries he’s never heard of

[sapphire-drawings]

Hey, in your Age Swap Au, who is in the throne right now? Abigail? I imagine she would do the same thing with Wendy, that Charlie does with Maxwell in Encore. And this would totally break Wendy's heart.

Abby is in the throne

Do I have more explanation? ...no But IF Wendy is Maxwell, Abby HAS to be Charlie (and William and Jack's mother (so weird)). Makes sense... Right????????

Anyway, I might change her design (at least use the dark hair) but for now this is the Queen

[asksteverandle]

show the cat! show the cat! show the cat!

she ain’t very good at takin photos :,)

(she also ain’t very good at bein nice. I’m pretty damn sure Dally trained her to be like this -_-)

[regheart]

Do you have any fic recommendations that are jily but also have a jily critical tone to them (like it isn’t bash-y, but just something that doesn’t depict them as perfect and shows some flaws in their relationship)? Thank you!

anon, i think you might suffer from the same anguish as me. i love jily (i really do!) but sometimes i get tired of romcom plots and enemies to lovers and school sweethearts and i wish instead that i had something to explore the gruesome reality of war or the suffocating boredom of hiding. or even, maybe, something that is more honest about the obstacles of their get together, that doesn't ignore snape or the different social standing between lily and james or the war

fluff and yearning are essencial to the ecosystem of a fandom, i just want to get the other stuff half as easy

so i picked a few fics that diverge a bit from the genre conventions of your typical romance fic, and instead deal with the more human aspects of lily and james as characters and realistic troubles they might have faced during the war

morbid little game by darkbluedark has james and lily discussing how all of their friends would die before voldemort got to them, which is the bleakest pillowtalk ever, but a darkly funny fic

i desperately need to reread like a rabid dog by emerqldv and catch up with the sequel, but i remeber being so captivated by the messy of being essentially a child soldier and just learning to live a life as an adult. beautifully written!

the art of dying by the_wig_is_a_metaphor takes some creative liberties with a brand of dark lily, and because james is the narrator there's a huge dissonance between the two of them. unexpectedly, this is probably one of the funniest fics i've ever read

pretty white smile by clarewithnoi is a story about jily getting together in school but there's so much about what lily faces as a muggleborn that just makes it more realistic and more interesting

one thing (or the other) by rougeatre is another lily centric work, this time focusing on her relationship with other women. the section on bathilda has the most interesting jily commentary imo!

privilege and prejudice by acciosalmon explores a landmark on jily's relationship affected by the bigotry of others "and a well-meaning fiancé ignorant of his privilege", a likely fault for james to have

and my last rec is an ongoing fic that has just started and i only finished the last published chapter this morning but i'm very very excited to see how it goes. an ever fixed mark by thestralsofspinnersend is a portrait of a complicated relationship in complicated times. lily and james both feel very human and the secondary characters (remus, mary and snape being my favorites so far) are rich and complex on their own

[aritsukemo]

“If you ever need me, call my name. I will be there.”

That was Xiao’s promise. You weren’t the only person he’d offered it to, far from the first or last, but you were the only one who had it whispered against their lips, in between stolen kisses that lingered on your skin long after he’d vanished into the moonlight.

“Always. For whatever reason.”

You hadn’t had much need for it prior, beyond the occasional sticky situation or sudden bout of loneliness, but the reassurance was always there. One word was all it took, and he would be at your side. Always with a spear in his hands, and a serious expression, scanning you up and down to check for injuries. Only when he was satisfied you were in one piece, unharmed, he’d speak.

“What do you need?” He asks, putting down his weapon once he realized there was nothing to vanquish. With his free hand, he grasps your chin, turning your face to the left, then to the right. “You aren’t hurt. There aren’t any demons around, yet you called me anyway. Why?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” You blink, nudging something with your foot. He looks down, frowning at the sight of… a picnic blanket. There were pastries, and fresh fruit, and a box of almond tofu laid out across the ground. When he looks up again, you’re grinning. “I thought you could use a break.”

“A… break?” He says slowly, tasting the words like they were unfamiliar. You roll your eyes, giving his hand a gentle tug and pulling him down to a sitting position.

“Yes, a break. You’ve been working non-stop. This is long overdue.”

Xiao continues to stare at the lavish spread of food, not saying a word. The picnic is carefully arranged, each item selected to match his tastes perfectly. Even the location—a quiet, shady spot underneath the shelter of a tree—was thoughtfully chosen; not too far from Liyue Harbour, but far enough that there was no one around to disturb them. You’d thought through everything, that was obvious enough.

“You…” He swallows, the words caught up in his throat. There’s a dull ache in his chest, but somehow, the feeling isn’t unpleasant. “Thank you. Truly.”

You smile at him, offering him the box of tofu. “No problem. Eat up.”

The pair of you eat in silence, interspersed with the occasional observation about the weather, or your day, or what Xiao has been doing during his absence. It’s quiet, it’s mellow; nothing like what he was faced with before you called on him. He spares you the details, keeping it to a simple “I was purging evil, as usual.” He knows to omit the most brutal parts of his life, keeping them held close to his chest, so as to not worry you even more than you do.

“You look tired.” You hum. “Do you want to take a nap?”

Your suggestion is met with protest of course, but he never could resist your whims for long. Somehow, despite his objections, he finds himself with his head laid in your lap anyway, the tree branches above casting shade over his face, and you smiling down at him.

Xiao can’t even bring himself to feel displeased with the situation. Your hands in his hair is heavenly, a soft, comforting feeling that has his eyes sliding shut, and all of the tension in his shoulders melting away. He doesn’t know how you manage it, unravelling him with the slightest touch, but he voices no complaints. Any reservations or doubts are swept away as your nails gently rake across his scalp, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

“Sleep,” You murmur, kissing his forehead. It’s an odd reversal of your positions; typically, he is the one standing guard as you slumber, but he strangely doesn’t mind as much as he typically would. Perhaps it is because it is you that is caring for him, treating him so tenderly like he’s something worth cherishing. You, who remains the only one he will let see his guard fall completely, the one who has seen his shadows, and his regrets, and loved him through all.

When he wakes, he will return to his role as guardian, but as he sleeps, he is content to have you watching over him.

- 🕸️

OMGOSH I AM SOOOO INCREDIBLY SORRY THAT IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO REAPOND TO THIS!!! I SWEAR I HAD A GOOD REASON!! 😓

THIS WAS SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSO GOOD!! YOUR WRITING STYLE IS AMAZING!!!

I've always adored the fact that Xiao is willing to drop everything if we called his name like that always made me feel so loved 🥹 AND FOR READER TO USE THAT IN ORDER TO GET HIM TO RELAX??? UGH I ADORE IT SM

The domesticity in this drabble is top notch like I love how comfortable they are with each other and just imagining it makes me kick my feet!! 😖

Whomever you are 🕸 anon, you're an amazing writer and I promise to pay you back for this gift 💞 TYSM THIS MADE MY WHOLE MONTH!!