#A SMALL FAVOR IN RETURN ` > [ MEMES ]

[void-tiger]

Actually…? No. Tell me the odds. I need the likelihood of success and got nothing else to lose might as well try even if extremely unlikely. Because I need help sustaining the hope that everything’s gonna be okay and motivation to get there that I just can’t do for myself without burning out almost completely.

[nightmarealm]

tag dump 1!

[yuri-is-online]

Jade narrating the stuff Yuu is doing sounds funny/cute.

Dear annon, objectively you are correct. Jade narrating things sounds funny and cute in general. Unfortunately I have a cold and just took some nyquil ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ Whoops.

notes:they/them used for Yuu, this is a joke tm inspired by this meme. Please do not take this seriously and look at my masterlist for something not written on drugs.

"The humble shrimp, according to all known laws of hydrodynamics should not be able to swim. Their little legs are much too small to propel them through the ocean." Jade does not say this out loud, instead he continues to prop his head up on his hand and observe the Lounge's newest employee slaving away over the stove, signature reserved smile on his face. "The shrimp of course, swims anyway, because the shrimp does not care about what mages think is impossible."

Not that you are cooking for the lounge (yet) Jade had just invited you over for a little... he had said it was to study. What you had no idea, your patience maybe? He certainly hasn't moved since inviting you to help yourself to the Octavinelle kitchen saying something about how "humans have such interesting uses for leftovers."

"Bullshit." You think, punctuating the curse with a particularly harsh scrape to the pan. "He just didn't want to cook his dinner tonight."

"Imagine if you will, a pan of rice." Jade is idly toying with a spoon, swapping between waving it like a conductor or holding it still to speak into it like an announcer. "Truly a blessing to the hungry masses, a staple food if you will."

"Oh please no." You are tempted to spit in his plate but he would just put an unnecessary type of emphasis on thanking you for the food.

"It is presented to you fried," Jade continues, clearly deeply amused with himself "but this time, it has not been fried by a trustworthy fellow human-"

"You are an eel." You decide to settle your need to be petty by giving him the smaller fork, which does get you a regretful sigh but does not stop Jade's recapping the last episode of Twisted Wonderland.

"But by a shrimp." Jade loves it when you cook for him, not that he really wants to admit to that out loud lest you stop. Or huff and puff in embarrassment, he wants to save that for much later. Sometime when you are back in the Coral Sea and tucked neatly against his chest, safe and very much completely his and not able to run away. "The humble shrimp is proud of it's cooking."

"I am not an it, I am your partner." You are not exactly mad, you are proud of your cooking. And proud that, just like he does for his brother, he will eat all of it and then find something to complain about with a big smile on his face. Jade once again twirls his conductor's spoon, with a hum that sounds sort of like an agreement.

"The shrimp is very proud of their cooking," he amends "and the eel is very happy they want to share with him." You push your food around your plate in embarrassment much to his delight. He can't resist pushing you just a bit further, getting up as if to make for a cup but pausing to kiss your cheek before setting his kettle on the stove so it's ready to repay your favor once dinner is done. "Do be gentle with me," says the eel, heart beating horrifically hard against his chest "I am much more fragile than I look." He very much does not expect to see you darting up to kiss his lips when he turns back from the stove, the shrimp darts away with a smug giggle as the eel stands stunned, savoring the warmth of their affection before he returns to his seat.

Yes, the eel thinks he is keeping this one. Forever, ideally.

[sugawarassoulmate]

no nut november - nov 15

making it halfway isn't so bad...

professor!sugawara & enemies to lovers!kita

word count: 353 & 429

cw: fem!reader, age gap relationship (reader is in their 20s/suga is in his late 30s), college student/professor relationship, oral (f receiving), hate sex, name-calling, minors dni

professor!sugawara

"so you don't want to have sex?" sugawara asks bluntly, confused by the weird challenge you were proposing to him

he's aware of the age gap between you two but it's never really come up before (except from explaining the occasional meme to him)

but when you came into his office to talk about some weird bet you made with your friends, his old man brain couldn't comprehend it.

"we can have sex, i just can't finish," you trail off, probably realizing how dumb you sounded. "i mean, i can just blow you or something."

that makes sugawara look up from the papers he's grading, hazel eyes staring at you once again.

"you can't cum?" he asks, quirking his brown when you nod your head. "what's the point then?"

you try to explain to him that it's a test of endurance, a fun game between your friends.

as you ramble on, sugawara clears the papers off his desk, putting them in a drawer where they wouldn't be tampered with

"are you done?" he asks when you finally take a breath. you nod once more and sugawara gets up and motions for you to sit on his desk.

"kou—professor...," you fix yourself before sugawara could reprimand you, remembering that he doesn't appreciate being called by his first name when the two of you are still on campus.

your words fall of deaf ears with sugawara sitting you down anyways, long fingers reaching for the button of your jeans.

"did you really think i wouldn't let you cum?" sugawara asks, swiftly tugging your pants down your legs. "you think i'd just let you take care of me without returning the favor?"

sugawara crouches before you, pushing your panties to the side to be met with your already wet cunt.

"when have i ever been that selfish?" sugawara's thumb easily finds your clit, making your legs shake and thighs clench. "look at this pretty, pussy. gonna make it cream on my tongue."

sugawara dives in and you're putty in his hands, cumming in a matter of minutes and completely forgetting all about the foolish bet.

enemies to lovers!kita

kita knew what you were trying to do and he wasn't going to fall for it

at least...he's trying his very best not to fall for it

when you heard that kita was thinking about participating in atsumu's dumb bet, you couldn't stop teasing him

"of course atsumu would come up with this," you snorted. "he cries when he gets a crumb of pussy."

but lately kita's noticed you've been trying to get his attention—trying to get him to break

from wearing that perfume he's mentioned somewhat liking in the past to bending down in front of him while wearing the shortest skirt you own

kita is above your tactics...for the most part, ignoring the small surges of pleasure he feels in his crotch

when you ask him to come over, he says yes without thinking

you don't ever invite kita to your place unless it's to fuck but he finds himself sitting on your couch watching a movie

of course, you couldn't let him off that easily as you wore the skimpiest camisole that had your tits practically spilling out

but then you're slightly grazing his arm or leaning over so kita can see down your shirt and it's so stupid.

kita would never fall for that, it's completely beneath him.

he has complete control over his emotions, he has discipline, he's not weak minded

but he's still just a man at the end of the day

"yer so fuckin' annoying," kita says finally, pushing you into the couch cushions and getting on top.

"i know," you smirk, your stupid ego absolutely buzzing

"i fuckin' hate you,"

"i know," you say again as kita tears through both of your clothes to push his cock inside you

kita whispers the most obscene insults in your ear, calling you things he would never say in public but you've royally pissed him off and he shows it by fucking harder than he ever has before

each stroke of his fat cock has your eyes rolling to the back of your head, your brain turned to mush

he has you creaming around him but he doesn't let up, fucking you through multiple orgasms

instead of cumming in you like he usually does, kita pulls out at the last moment to jerk himself off, sending hot, thick ropes of his cum on your stomach

your bliss quickly turns to disgust, shoving kita away as you bitch about the mess he left behind

"you're such a dick!" you whine, scurrying over to your bathroom

"i know," kita says, not too far behind you

©sugawarassoulmate 2023 all rights reserved - please do not repost/translate my work on other platforms!

[sadlyiamgay]

Yandere Genshin Men Brainrot

Im going fucking insane. Anyways have any of you guys played silly or furry wisher? It's like a cute and funny genshin ripoff, a little boring at times but I enjoy clicking away in slime valley. While playing though an idea popped into my brain, "what if the real genshin characters (that's hopelessly inlove with you) finds out the reason why you haven't played genshin in a while? Only to realize that you're playing a genshin meme game" And then these men go and hack the shit out of the game because monika vibes I love. Uh might update from time to time, thie will only include Zhongli and Neuvillette (they're literally the only well built 5 stars I have. How the fuck do we build genshin characters I'm so confused)

By the way check out the games (Silly Wisher, Furry Wisher). It's fun and amusing

--ZHONGLI: His reaction to the realization of you playing an.. Odd ripoff(?) Game was one of pure amusement, the Geo archon couldn't blame you either, I mean, your poor little head couldn't handle the amount of unfinished and WAY too hard quests, he thought you were taking a break, but after a while (when you eventually and finally returned) he finds out pretty quickly from your small mumbles and comments that he oh so always adores, and out of pure curiosity decided to break out of the game codings and go through your apps, seeing two new odd games on your phone, Silly wisher and.. Furry.. Wisher..? Of course he broke in the new favorite games you had in your device, and cooing at the fact that you *still* main and favor him even in these joke games. He also quickly realized that he could easily possess the John Lee (he was a little offended by the name, but quickly laughed along when he heard you wheeze everytime you played the game) as well as Meatball. Quickly making both the characters extremely and suspiciously.. **Overpowered.**

"... Wait. Since when did Johnny do 100k damage??? Is this what happens if you level them up to level 15??? "

- YOU, mumble, absolutely amused and still giggling after listening to Dr. Snek's voiceline. Zhongli smiles, happy that you were enjoying your gameplay, he felt grateful, even though he was a little upset that you decided to play some ripoff game instead of properly spending time with him, Zhongli was happy that he didn't have to hide his lovestruck and flustered face, in the real game he always tried his best to mess with the camera so that it would never face him, he used to be able to hide his true emotions, but overtime it got harder. Extremely, harder (haha that's what she said). So it was a breath of fresh air on seeing you without you yourself seeing him, letting himself indulge in fantasies that he could never think of whenever you were around. Especially with the other game too. He could stare at you all the time, and you'd brush it off. Each time Meatball came around and jumped into the screen you'd coo, making him fall harder (down the stairs of) inlove with you. Each time you needed a copy of him for the whole "gene splicer" He'd come home willingly. Hell, there was a pull you did once that consisted of him and only him. He of course didn't question the fact that the dog version (that sounds so wrong) of him has alot kids. But he brushes it off. Replacing the thought of his genetics being merged is weird, into a fantasy where all those merged, genetically made kids were yours and his.

Congratulations, you gave this old man wattpad fantasies. Fucking hell, he wants to pull you into the game to do that. Though, that thought can and should wait. For now, he wants to watch and stare at you longer. *Just* a little longer.

--NEUVILETTE, the hydro dragon was always a man with (questionable) morals. But even he, the mascot of Justice has his limits. He was upset at the fact that you weren't as active as before, sure he sympathized with your overwhelmed situation (especially since it was he who activated half the quests), but that mean you can literally just leave like that. It wasn't his fault that his curiosity about the game you kept mumbling about made him break out of the game he's bounded in. What was his reaction to Hydropump Judge and Judgy Cat? Well, he laughed. Not because he was upset, but because he was *still* favored. He was still your main. Even if there was no differences in attacks when it came to grinding in slime valley. So he rewards you with extremely overpowered and multiple copies of him, it also doesn't help the fact that he could literally also just stare at you for hours and hours. And you still brush it off. You weren't weirded out. You weren't reporting to the game developers. Unlike when you felt uncomfortable when he forced the camera to not be able to move and freezing the option to switch through the characters. Just you and him. Eye to eye.

"Man I wished you had a voiceline, Neuvi. I mean, your banner description in this game is absolutely hilarious, but I genuinely want another funny audio. Aside fron Dr. Snek"

-YOU mumble as you kept spamming the attack button, watching your highscore be passed, you questioned why the character was able to hit high numbers, but you didn't question it, you never did. Brushing it off and thinking that it must be because he had the highest level out of everyone. Neuvillette smiles. Happy, satisfied and lovestruck at how calm and adorable you were. He loved your expressions, all of it. But he *adored* your relaxed state. Since it was rare to see you like this. He wished the Fontaine update and his banner came earlier when you joined the game.

...Maybe he should lower the world level himself? He wants to see you in this state more often. He wants to see you happy and carefree, proud that you finally finished your quests. He thought of this as he kept staring at you through Judgy cat. You had fallen asleep, not minding the fact that he was on screen a while ago. You didn't question it, since it was part of the games anyways. Seeing you in such a state makes him want to break out of your damn electronic and drag you with him. But that can wait, for now he should think of a way to make you play genshin more often.

[autumnslance]

BLINDSIDED and HELPED for the meme!!

(Yes these are taking me awhile. I do not control the rate at which I respond to prompts. You'd think so, but you'd be wrong. *pokes OCs with a stick, gets slapped back*)

send HELPED for a scene from my muse's past in which someone helped / saved them

“I can’t use magic,” Aeryn whispered, the admission stinging. “I’ve tried and tried, and I know it’s there, but it just…won’t come.”

The old woman nodded. “Perhaps one day you will find out how to change that,” she said. “But there is more than magic.”

Aeryn couldn’t help wrinkling her nose.

The old woman chuckled. “Yes, all the platitudes and reassurances you’ve doubtless heard before—but also more than that. Aether is not the only way in which we interact with the world.”

“But aether is everything,” Aeryn answered.

The old woman chuckled. “Spoken like a well-taught academic. Well, my teachings are not those of a university curriculum.”

Aeryn watched and listened, a small frown on her face, head tilted in curiosity. There were those who said the old weaponmaster’s wife was a witch. She hadn’t given the rumors any thought, when her stepfather had arranged her instruction for her requested nameday gift.

The old woman smiled, reaching a hand out. “Tell me, dear, in all your many readings, what did you learn of akasa?”

—-

(This one got a little long, so going below the cut, BUT how about something from my Free Company’s FF16 AU "On Our Fates Alight"…)

send BLINDSIDED for a scene from my muse's past in which they were betrayed or shocked by what someone did

Everything was supposed to have been better, once Emelia brought her children to Thavnair.

Away from Coerthas, away from its never-ending war. Away from the Inquisition and the dragoons, away the betrayal of the village priest.

Away from the loss of her husband and home.

Instead, she stood in the opulent chambers of the Meghaduta, trying not to tremble in the face of divinity.

The great wyrm sighed heavily, pain in his motions. Her eyes flicked to the wounds and burns scarring his massive form. “Worry not,” he intoned, the words clear in her mind as much in her ears. “I shall heal.”

“I’m so…sorry,” she said, the word trite and absurd for the enormity of the situation. “I had no idea…”

Aeryn, so small and young, so timid now since the events in Coerthas, had panicked—and the Manusya Eikon of War, Asura, suddenly stood in her place, roaring in fury, light and fire and storm flashing with each of her many blades.

So Zaine, to protect his sister, had rushed forward, heedless of danger. And then in his place stood Daivadipa, the Mrga Eikon of War, drum rumbling, snakeheads hissing, as he met Asura in battle.

It had taken the island’s protector and true ruler, the Great Wyrm Vrtra of the First Brood, to stop them from leveling Vanaspati.

Her children were Dominants. Her children were Dominants.

Vrtra shook his head. “Thou has but recently returned to our shores, and while the Eikons often take time to manifest, thy recent struggles hath primed thy children to accept the gods’ favor.”

Favor. Not how they would say it in much of the world. Memories of the Inquisition, rumors of Garlean hunters, crowded her mind.

“What do I do?” she asked, voice small.

“The children must be guided, as well as guarded,” the wyrm answered. “They shall be my wards, and I will teach them to control the divinity within. To the rest of the world, they shall be under the care of the Satrap—those of Alzadaal’s line who maintain my secrecy. You understand you are now part of this secret.”

Emelia nodded, mouth dry. “I want to stay with them.”

“Of course,” Vrtra replied, a warm gentleness in his tone she had not expected. “I would not separate them from thee.” He looked away briefly in thought, and she could swear he was frowning. “Emelia, what dost thou know of Aeryn’s Eikon?”

She blinked. “Asura is the Goddess of War; not always well-regarded among our people, who ever strive for peace, under your all-seeing eye. She wields many blades, and has many faces, all aspects of why one fights in war—justice, vengeance, conquest…”

He nodded, stretching his torn wings with a groan. “I hath known many a Dominant of Asura in my time. Yet none have also wielded the power of dragons.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Asura drew not only upon her own power, but upon Aeryn’s own. The inherent qualities of her bloodline have affected this manifestation of the goddess.”

“What are you talking about?” Her voice came in a hoarse whisper, her heart hammering in her chest. What was happening to her baby?

Vrtra’s head hung low. “Many Coerthans carry within them part of my sister, Ratatoskr, betrayed by mortals a thousand years ago. And in the time since, those men call heretics have found ways to strengthen the dragon within, by consuming the blood and essence of other dragons, as their ancestors did her.”

Emelia stepped back, bile rising in her throat. “That’s not how I’ve heard the story,” she said. “They only speak of Nidhogg, and his rage. Regardless, my daughter is five—she’s no heretic, and we’ve never…eaten…a dragon!” The very idea was blasphemy, even if it wasn’t already disgusting.

“No, she hath not committed such a sin herself,” Vrtra agreed. “And yet I sense my sister’s daughter’s blood within her. Thou hast obviously not partaken. Which leaves—”

“No,” Emelia sobbed, clinging to herself.

They had said the old priest was a heretic, secretly corrupting others for decades. Corran had been one of the men in town to spend time with Father Comfraire. Corran had so often worked longer, later, than some of the others, with certain comrades. Strange behaviors, strange scents and stains, strange secrets she had never looked much into; she had her own harmless friendships and interests, didn’t she? She trusted her husband implicitly, why shouldn’t she?

Emelia had seen Asura’s red draconic face, in the place of fiery Vengeance. Heard the goddess cry out in the draconic language as she had slammed magics into the wyrm repeatedly as Daivadipa tried to wrestle her down.

Vrtra tried to continue to explain in his gentle, rumbling tone, but all Emelia could do was fall to her knees and scream.

--

(No I did not proof Vrtra's Elizabethan language maybe later when it goes on Ao3.)

[xbabybajix]

𝓥𝓪𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓮’𝓼 𝓓𝓪𝔂 𝔀/ 𝓣𝓸𝓴𝔂𝓸 𝓡𝓮𝓿 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓼~

A/n: per requested from you lovelies, hope everyone has a great V-Day and even if you don’t have a valentine I’LL BE YOUR VALENTINE >:) along w these boys! Pt. 2 will be uploaded tmrw! (this is f!reader btw) hope yall enjoy & pls excuse the typos n all

Hanma isn’t one for celebrating big on holidays. Though he will make the exception if it’s with you. And if you’re really big on valentine’s, Hanma will make sure that you get whatever you want! He’ll make sure that the night you spend is an unforgettable one! So he kinda hints to you that you’ll be doing something together that day. But Hanma himself isn’t sure, he kinda just wings it tbh bc he’s a “spur” in the moment kinda guy. Hanma comes to your doorstep with cute little necklaces that have rings w/ engravings in it that are either super cheesy or an inside joke yall have. Hanma takes you for a ride on his motorcycle and you both end up at a secluded area that’s got a nice view of hills or a lake. But on the way over, he had placed rose petal trails which then leads to a small picnic with a tent bc he wants to camp there with you that night. 

Baji. Baji. Baji. He isn’t one who LOVES v-day, but he does look forward to the way your eyes light up whenever you both pass by all the cute decor, flowers, cards etc at stores. Baji never fails to give you the world on v-day. Though he does it on any other day, but on the 14th he makes sure to remind you that he loves you immensely in his own way. Valentine’s Day with Baji consists of a breakfast date, with him handing you a bouquet of (whatever your favorite thing is) along with a little shadow box he made with little photos and trinkets of things you did together. Baji likes to shower you extra with compliments and will not hesitate to be your personal photographer that day bc you look so cute dressed up all for him. You guys both alternate with activities so in the afternoon, you’ll spoil Baji a bit and take him shopping for some clothes that he’s been wanting for a while. After, you’ll share an ice cream and feed him bc he lowkey loves it when you pamper him. Baji enjoys your company out all the things you can do for him, so taking him to the movies or maybe even a fight club?? When he receives your gift, which is a cd with an album cover of you two that contains a playlist of songs you both like he is swooning! The night would end with you both taking a night walk somewhere and just cuddling up on a bench and maybe having a nice makeout session and listening to the cd together >:) Baji loves being covered in your lipstick!

MIKEY loves valentine’s day because of all the snacks and treats that come with it. He isn’t one to love the aesthetic of it but he’ll be happy if it’s something that involves pastries. And that’s what it’s alllllll about lmao. Every year you mix it up and like to surprise him with foreign pastries but also will handmake him some because you want it to have some meaning to it. And Mikey is a sucker for it. Especially if it comes out wonky. It makes his heart swell because he knows that you worked super hard on it and he’ll devour it and leave no crumbs. “That was so delicious love! You should make these again some day!” Mikey is extra sweet on V-day and is very clingly and will snuggle you and smother you with kisses. “I just love you so much baby, you’re the cutest I wish I could keep you in my pocket forever.” Mikey also loves giving you cheesy love cards (like the meme formatted ones) and will leave some hidden around the house. Maybe like a couple weeks before the actual day he’ll find time and hide them and will act clueless about them. “Oh I wonder who put that there... seems he really wants you to be his valentine haha...” Mikey sees how hard you work on the pastries you make him and he decides to return the favor by making you something too. So he goes to those stores where he picks out a stuffed animal and customizes it in a way that reminds him of you. (The way you dress, accessories, etc) and will have a little recorded message inside that is him reminding you that he loves you a ton!

Chifuyu is always a nervous wreck the first week and a half of Feb. And that’s because he always tries to make this valentine’s better than the last. And he’s very keen on making each one extraordinary because he believes that his princess deserves the entire universe and all the good it has to offer. He’s so romantic, it makes Baji and Kazutora gag a little bit, but they’re always willing to help him with his endeavors. Chifuyu likes to gift you small meaningful gifts but also loves to go along with traditional gifts too. He will definitely gift you one of his hoodies that you love wearing and will spray it with cologne. He also will write you love letters about your first date, kiss, sex, etc. And he waits until you’re together to read it to you and it’s so cute because he’s literally shaking and sweating and stuttering bc it’s you and you’re looking all cute there just looking at him with heart eyes and he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Though after reassuring him with some kisses, Chifuyu is so happy to know that you loved every bit of his gifts. The day is spent with you going somewhere you haven’t been to and so yall decide to try rollerskating together! The entire time you’re both losing balance and falling over each other but it’s worth it because Chifuyu will always take the fall first so he’s your personal pillow <3 after you both start to get the hang of it, you’ll skate around while holding each others hands. Sometimes Chifuyu will glance at you and blush after realizing that you’ve been staring at his beautiful face first! Afterwards the night ends with you and him watching movies together with his mom because you both love her and want her to have a special valentines day too <3

[qiaipia]

All Of The Girls You Loved Before — miguel o’hara

ミ★ Miguel tries to take a break but the world doesn’t let him!  

ミCONTENT: miguel o’hara x GN! Reader. miguel’s past messy relationships. a really awkward elevator ride. let me know if i missed anything! based on that one scene in Grey’s Anatomy. No use of y/n.   [1.3k wc]

Miguel O’Hara previously worked at the office of Spider Society full-time.

25/8.

Until of course, LYLA berated him for being too obsessed with the multiverse and never having a life outside of it, so he goes home on slow days.

Villains apparently had personal life matters to take into consideration when plotting nefarious doom, such as shopping at the local hardware for atom bomb parts, gynecologist meetings, or even just plain plotting evil. Whatever it is— they usually weren’t about to destroy the world on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

So come Thursday morning, he was refreshed from sleeping on a proper bed, with a proper breakfast and had a proper bath. He had coffee in one hand, and instead of diving into work as usual from his portable screens, he approached the main elevators to take in the glass paneling installed, giving a view of Nueva York’s lush greenery.

It was quiet. But he expected Spider-people and top scientists to start pouring in soon: for now, Miguel O’Hara steps into the elevator alone.

He even humors himself and doesn’t click the close button on the shaft immediately, taking Lyla’s advice— taking it easy.

That was until the fwip! of a distinct Spider-individual, yelling ‘HOLD IT OPEN PLEASE!’ came trodding in.

The webbing came first, and then a ‘you’ that propelled themselves forward into the shaft. He awkwardly shifts around as you catch your breath, squatting low.

Office hours started a little bit later, but you wanted to get an early start on all the paperwork you left behind.

You look up from your heaving position and make eye contact with the red eyes your boss-slash-fling-slash-the guy you didn’t text back because you weren’t quite sure you were over your ex (a Peter Parker) quite yet, but you wish you really didn’t ghost him because Miguel was such a nice person who you wanted but you just weren’t sure how committed you could be right now.

His gaze struck you, and you immediately stand up straight at the back of the elevator shaft as the door closes, avoiding his gaze.

Miguel was a bit surprised to see you at Spider-Society after a few weeks of no talk  between you two. Not even a meme from you. He thought you had returned to your own universe.

A few beats pass and the door closes. He lets a few more beats pass before turning to you slightly.

“Your watch?”

You nearly jump at his gruff voice cutting through the soft hum of the elevator. “Huh?”

“Your watch— where is it?”

You looked at your expiring day pass, that you probably had to get a new one soon, lest you start glitching. “Oh, it’s in repair. Margo said it’ll be done in a week.” You mumble. You weren’t sure where you now stand with Miguel O’Hara.

The man stands up straighter. So you went to another person first to fix the watch he built and designed? He felt something thorny and green spike in his chest.

“Give me the watch. I’ll fix it within the day.” He says, facing forward, trying to hide his softening frame. He didn’t give you room to argue.

He didn’t play favorites, but he wanted you both to start talking again. More importantly: You’ve been staying in Nueva York and you’ve never come to visit him once?

But before he can try more small talk to clear the awkward air, the elevator stops at one of the human scientists’ floor levels.

In comes Xina Kwan. Head data engineer-slash- freelance programmer and computer scientist- slash- Miguel’s childhood best friend AND ex he cheated on, but was now working in the facility after Miguel called in a favor to crunch some numbers regarding multiverse probabilities.

Xina’s eyebrows raise at the sight of her ex, her black hair shaking as she tilts her head avoiding his gaze as well. Did things end well between them? Debatable.

It was too early for this shit.

She ducks her head as she reaches for her own floor. If Miguel could look closely at her shoulder, a version of LYLA in a Marilyn Monroe get up, hovered around her, giving Miguel the stink eye Xina couldn’t.

Miguel had to give it to the AI, he probably deserves the dirty look.

The ride is quiet and was now much more awkward for Miguel.

He tries to glance at Xina for a brief second, just to see how she was doing—but perhaps they were more alike than they thought, growing up together and whatnot. Xina too was attempting to steal a glance at him.

Their eyes meet awkwardly and they both look away, necks nearly snapping at the whiplash.

This of course was news to you, behind them, your brows furrowed in confusion at the pair.

The air was tense. You were eyeing Xina’s frameup and down, and LYLA Monroe was making detailed calculations and searches on you.

Miguel wished the elevators ran faster.

A few floors further up, the elevator dings open once more, and fate must be fucking with him because Dana D’Angelo waits outside.

She holds a stack of file folders with neatly coordinated labels, all well dressed, not a hair out of place so early in the morning.

She was likely on the way to the resident’s spider-therapists office, whom Miguel assigned to after the need for a competent clerk was needed in their department.

Of course, what he failed to detail was that Dana D’Angelo was his brother’s ex-girlfriend and his ex-fiancé- slash- the person he cheated on Xina with- slash- she cheated on him, with his biological father.

But that messy debacle was ages ago.

Still, he cringed internally, at the thought of her entering the elevator, but they made room for her anyways, her high purple heels clacking against the marble floor.

He had nothing to say about Dana, they closed their chapter amicably, along with a hefty divorce fee, but they were friends enough that Miguel helped her land a job at the society when the Daily Bugle office she front-desked for closed.

Miguel wanted to SCREAM. But he settles on running his fingers through his hair.

Side-eyes between Xina and Dana were given. You sensed how Dana subconsciously stepped and tilted her body towards Miguel. You all probably didn’t know you all worked in the same building as the facility was so big.

But of all days, why today?

The elevator ride up was painstaking. The uncomfortable air made it so that despite Miguel having no spider-senses whatsoever, he felt harsh tingles at the back of his neck.

His own version of LYLA in a fur coat popped on the corner of his eye, visible only to Miguel.

She took a good sweep at the group he was with and arranged her heart-shaped glasses with a low whistle shit-eating grin.

“I betcha’ wished you took the stairs right now.” She remarks teasingly.

He feels a migraine coming, and he wholeheartedly wishes he could shrink down and cease to exist.

“Cállate.” He hisses under his breath, with gritted teeth.

Apparently, even that wasn’t small enough as his voice cuts through the silence of the elevator, and the three turn their heads at him.

Confusion, concern, and chagrin.

Miguel really felt like he should’ve just got off at a random floor and taken the 50 or so flights up, rather than endure this torture, but a few floors before his supposed relief: his stop, the doors open once more, this one taking the cake.

The annoying visitor of the week: his brother, Gabriel O’Hara, stood on the other side of the doors, looking up from his phone as the lift opens.

He takes one good look at the passengers who stare back at him, and then at his brother with his own shit-eating grin and a waggle of his brows.

Fuck it. Miguel promises never to leave his office and never take it easy ever again. 

I wrote this at 5am. I forgot abt it when I went to sleep, so I was very surprised to find a fic made in my notes. First fic abt the dorito man.  Interactions are appreciated and feed the soul ig.

[bahbzxxx]

Passing Notes~

A fellow Venti stan mentioned that Venti would like to write notes to you and pass them to you. This HC is so real and cute 🥰

>The OG post is right heresies 👆<

Now what if his dearest Windblume did the same thing? In a college setting!???

Imagine Both Venti and you are music 🎵🎶 students in college. Let’s just say you’re gonna end up finding your emotional support practice room very early on, because practicing = breathing…(you really cannot get out of it!)

The plus side is…guess who’s your neighbor in the practice room next to you? Hmm?

As you practice your scales on your instrument, or as you warm up your voice, guess who’s biding his time and lying in wait for the perfect moment to surprise you? (Tbh the walls between practice rooms will never cancel enough sound, he can legit hear everything you do lol he knows your entire process like the back of hand at this point)

Obviously you know what he’s plotting, and that’s what makes it funny.

But, when he appears at the door window, his eyes crazy as he honking into the bari sax he conveniently has on him right now…

He hopes you loved your surprise! He hopes you’ll return the favor in the next ten minutes…he’ll be waiting! Yours are his favorite; silent, but deadly…

(Your surprise tends to be tiny memes etched onto tiny bits of note paper. Very small. Very simple. Yet so, profoundly deeply accurate. The genuine cackling you hear in the room beside you is just so 🥹💕🕊️🎵

You know…maybe you should keep him company…in the same room!

(The passing notes thing was far at the end I just thought this was cute)

[brandileigh2003]

Tickle for the word excerpt game please?

(or choose something you really like if you can't find it <3)

Hi!!!

And I do have one!!! ❤️❤️

It's a wip from my silence between us series, it'll probably go in somewhere with the Remus pov work I'm doing.

(for context, remus is deaf and signs are in bold)

Remus turned over in bed and stretched. At first he didn't know what woke him but he met the sleepy eyes of his boyfriend and returned his smile. Sirius’ hand was gently tracing small patterns up and down his bare forearm. It tickled a bit but it also felt really good. Remus pressed gently into his touch and let his eyes drift closed again, taking in the sensation. He felt Sirius' head nuzzle into his shoulder a few minutes later and they popped back open. He felt a gentle vibration and wondered if Sirius was just having a moment and talking to him without thinking about it. Remus grinned and tapped Sirius’ shoulder to get his attention. Can't hear you sweetheart. What? Sirius signed, brows furrowed with the question. I thought you were talking? Remus said. Oh. No. Sirius paused, obviously trying to remember a sign. H-U-M? He fingerspelled. Song for class. I'm sorry. Sirius responded, emphasizing the apology. Don't apologize. I like it, will you do more? Remus said. First words again? Slow? Sirius asked. Remus smiled and changed it to you don't say sorry, then finger spelled what he said before and did those signs. Remus loved how hard Sirius was trying and Remus was glad to slow things down, or repeat, finger spell or just switch to text or writing. He was falling in love with this man so fast, and it scared him a little sometimes. But he also thought of how safe Sirius made him feel, how respected, the small things Sirius did like open doors, or send him funny memes, twist coils of his hair, his gentle smile that seemed to be just for Remus. Sirius laid his head back on his shoulder and started humming again, Remus enjoying the gentle vibrations for a minute. When Sirius started tracing patterns again, Remus couldn't resist the desire to kiss him. He maneuvered himself until he was straddling Sirius and saw him watching Remus carefully. This was another thing about Sirius that Remus couldn't quite believe. Just how accepting he was off Remus and his sexuality. He never expected anything from Remus, always asked permission, never made him feel pressured. And it was such a relief after several relationships ended when they realized that it wasn't something Remus would just magically ‘get over’ or when they made him feel uncomfortable. Sirius instead made him feel seen. Accepted. Respected. And Remus needed to kiss him. That's all he wanted today and he wasn't even feeling guilty for a change. But he was feeling comfortable enough with everything today to slip his hand into Sirius’ pants as they kissed and watched his face as he gave him pleasure. Sirius only nodded and asked if they could still kiss when Sirius asked if he could return the favor and Remus gave a small shake of his head. Remus nodded enthusiastically and got lost in the way their lips slid together, the warmth at every place they touched and how happy he felt to be right where he was.

[hetalia-club]

Ok I have a question. How do you make a Hetalia blog interesting or stay interesting. I have one and would like to know because mine means a lot to me

Uh… gosh idk. I really honestly just make content I like. I would still have a hetalia blog if I had 0 followers and got no likes or reblogs or anything. This blog is my safe space for me first.

I don’t really have a formula for success on tumblr. My best advice would be make content for you. Make things you enjoy about topics you like and things you find humorous or want to talk about create whether it be drawing, editing, memes or anything in between. Likeminded people will find you. And if not, at least you are having fun and enjoying what you are making in the meantime!

I think maybe the most important part is to not get discouraged or take anything too personally. Like if a post you really really liked flopped that is always crushing in a way. But that doesn’t mean I liked it any less, if that makes any sense to you guys at all. Of course.

Of course sometimes I find it irritating when something I took hours on does way worse than something I took a few seconds on. But that’s where I just remind myself that it’s my blog for me.

Edit:

I do actually have a piece of advice that might be actually good! Pay it forward!! And by that I mean if you see a post you like that is Hetalia related give the post a like or reblog. Hetalia is a relatively small fandom on tumblr. It’s nice to acknowledge things you like rather than just scrolling past. It can help encourage the OP to make more similar content. So if you are wondering maybe how to get more notes on things maybe start by returning the favor first?

[apureniallsource]

Niall Horan tends to greet strangers with a compliment — which would be charming enough even if it weren’t delivered in a rich Irish accent and from the smiling mouth of an international pop star. “Love the glasses!” he cheers over Zoom, before eyeing my jacket: “And that, too!” I’m far from the only recipient of such warmth: In videos archived across the last 14 years, Horan greets loyal fans like old friends, eager to see them again, and treats journalists with a reverence that never comes across as hollow. Return the favor and he’ll hit you with cheeky bashfulness, like an exemplary student of the music industry’s best media training.

In 2023, Horan is far from his bottle-blond days spent in the world’s biggest boy band, One Direction, but the honest wholesomeness that made him America’s onetime favorite member and inspired some equally deranged and delightful memes (like the one that goes, “Imagine Niall Horan crawling inside your ear. You tell him to stop but he is in there”) still remains. And lately, everyone seems to want a piece of it, from world leaders — in March, he performed for President Joe Biden and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at a White House event — to the millions of people who watch The Voice, where Horan serves as a coach and recently guided his mentee Gina Miles to the top prize. The Voice marks his first time working as a competition-show judge, but not his first time appearing on such a program: One Direction famously finished third on the United Kingdom’s X Factor in 2010 before going on to forever reshape boy bands as we know them.

For Horan — who will release his third album, The Show, on Friday — joining The Voice meant reconnecting with his 16-year-old self: the ambitious and courageous teen who toldThe X Factor judges back in 2010 that he was “ready to fill arenas around the world” before having sung a note. No wonder he was the first one selected for 1D after the boys were put together following their solo eliminations. (On the recent dearth of big pop groups, Horan thinks the future is all about the ladies: “I love Blackpink. All four of them have such individual personalities. That’s what made people love them.”) “I didn’t have anxieties then,” Horan laughs. “I was just having a great time.” That informs the advice he gives contestants. “On The Voice, you see a lot of technical singers who are very serious about what they do,” he says. “I’m just trying to get them to enjoy what they’re doing. You’re on one of the bigger shows in the country. Millions of people watch every night. Enjoy it.”

If there was any hesitancy in joining The Voice, an arena so similar to the one that kick-started it all for him, it was that he “wasn’t sure [if] it was going to be an overproduced thing where I get told what to do, say, and when to turn.” He smiles. “It’s absolutely not.”

Who can blame him for wanting some semblance of control? In the 1D days, cleanliness clauses threatened career consequences for any unsavory behaviors, and the band’s sheer popularity meant limited freedoms, a life of stalling in vans or rolling deep with security. “I couldn’t really go many places,” he says. “So I try to keep my private life as private as I possibly can. There’s a tendency in the world to take your arm off when you offer a handshake, you know what I mean?” He pauses. “But I’m not hiding.”

Niall Horan’s story is a master class in manifestation. The first voice in the 2013 documentary One Direction: This Is Us is his: “When I was small, I had a desk. It was weird because I wrote on it, ‘When I grow up, I want to be a singer,’” he says. “I scribed it in! It’s still on the desk.” Born and raised in Mullingar, Ireland, the only member of his group not from England, Horan describes his childhood self as both a prankster and a natural performer — he’d get in trouble for singing traditional Irish songs in the back of geometry class, embodying the same kind of irreverent playfulness that came to define 1D. (There’s a moment in the doc where Horan reveals he recorded “What Makes You Beautiful,” One Direction’s breakout hit, in his boxers, and another where he puts on prosthetics to disguise himself as arena security, unbeknownst to fans.)

One Direction sold 70 million albums and filled arenas and stadiums around the world before going on hiatus in 2016, but solo success wasn’t preordained. Horan’s first single, “This Town,” an acoustic slow burn, performed modestly but didn’t make it past the Top 20 in the United States. The funky follow-up “Slow Hands,” inspired by Eagles member Don Henley’s solo work, righted the ship. (Horan now calls Henley a close friend: “He’s always been very big on me being myself, not trying to chase anything that doesn’t exist — and he’s always there if I want to send him something and get a reaction,” he says.) Horan talks about the song with an air of relief. “The success of ‘Slow Hands’ and the first album felt like a big moment,” he says. “And the first tour — learning I can go around the world and still play to thousands.”

Another curveball came three years later, when he released his second album, the synth-pop-flavored Heartbreak Weather, on March 13, 2020 — the day the United States declared COVID-19 a national emergency. It was “a kick in the stomach,” as he describes it. “I was, like everyone, angry at the world for allowing this to happen,” he says. “And then the stillness took over for a second.”

Today, it’s hard to fight the impulse to eye-roll when celebrities talk about the pandemic, but Horan believes he, like everyone else, has been irrevocably changed by it. “I think I might be the eternal optimist,” he says. “I hadn’t had any time off in 10 years. I [thought I] might as well get fit and put the suitcase away in the closet for a little bit. Because at that point, my life was so rat race-y.” He spent his days working out, playing golf, and getting really into Formula 1. (Ask for his favorite driver, and he’ll give you the most Niall response of all time: “I’m a fan of nearly all of them.”) “The pandemic was horrific,” he says, but also: “It was boring! As a guy that travels the world on a regular basis, I was so bored.”

So he got to work on a new album sooner than he planned, writing the majority of The Show in Joshua Tree, without the kind of illicit substances musicians may be inclined to experiment without in the desert. (“No, jeez! No. Thankfully not,” he laughs.) The Show is Horan at his most adventurous, a kaleidoscope of pop-rock sounds of decades past, amped up for arena-sized grandeur. “I’m not just the fella with the acoustic guitar all the time,” he laughs. “I put my neck on the line.” The lustful track “On a Night Like Tonight,” for instance, starts off with a dreamy singer-songwriter intro before detouring into anthemic prog-rock — like Muse doing ’90s Britpop. “If you asked me to release a song like that seven years ago, I would’ve laughed in your face,” he says. “I’ve grown into it a bit. I gave myself permission. It’s probably not what people are expecting of me — and here’s my fingers crossed as tight as you can possibly get them.”

He describes the album as tackling “big life thoughts,” not just the kind you have after history-altering world events but also the ones on your mind as you approach your 30s. The first song he wrote for The Show was the title track, an ode to the gratitude he felt in a time of deep unrest. “You have to swim through the sh*t water to get to the clear stuff,” he explains. “Everything will be OK if you just see it out.” During the pandemic, he couldn’t help but think about how much better life was before, and how he should be thankful for it — or, at the very least, that he’s got to learn to take the good with the bad. The chorus goes like this: “If everything was simple, how would we know / How to fix your tears / How to fake a show / How to paint a smile / Yeah, how would we know / How good we have it, though?” “There’s a façade to most people,” Horan says, addressing the “how to fake a show” line. It’s not about going through the motions at a concert, but about the everyday performance of being a person. “I’m not saying we’re all going around faking everything, but there are parts of yourself you don’t give away.” He pauses. “I’m finding it hard to explain… In some ways, you’re always trying to be the best version of yourself.”

When Horan talks, he often punctuates vulnerabilities with a joke or a folksy aphorism. “The phrase in Ireland is ‘if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry,’” he laughs. But he doesn’t veer away from the hard stuff in song. “Meltdown,” the second single from The Show, was written as a balm for someone having an anxiety attack: “When it all melts down, I’ll be there,” he sings to the sufferer in the song’s chorus. “It’s at 180 BPM, which is a good representation of the heart rate [when beating fast],” he says, “but I also like to have a silver lining in my music.” (While he says he experiences anxiety on occasion, contrary to previous reports, he does not have severe OCD. “That got misconstrued,” he clarifies. “I’m not saying I’m fully OCD. [...] I’ve definitely had overwhelming moments.”)

When he does experience anxiety, he has a few grounding tactics. “I literally say to myself, ‘It’ll all be over in a few minutes. It’ll all be over in a few minutes.’ The thing to do in that scenario is try and keep yourself as calm as possible, and tell yourself that it will all be OK,” he says. “And weirdly enough, most of the time, it turns out OK.” Get this man a Calm app endorsement deal, stat.

That unrelenting optimism is a core facet of his personality. “I’ve always been like that: ‘This is sh*t, but I’m sure it’ll be OK soon,’” he says. But it perhaps accounts for just how well-adjusted he seems after going through the boy-band ringer and half a lifetime in the spotlight. He’s never been at the center of controversy, with the exception of dropping a curse here and there as a teen, which he does so now judiciously. (Recently, Horan enjoyed a pint of beer in a Guinness-branded documentary with singer Lewis Capaldi and was shown getting into a car and driving. His mum came to his defense, saying it was a nonalcoholic beverage. The debate ended there.) Even when I half-jokingly ask for his opinion on cults, a nod to The Show ballad “You Could Start A Cult,” he laughs. “It definitely worked as a metaphor for me! I don’t… no strong views on cults. At least, no public ones.”

That song, as he tells it, is about being so in love with someone that if they started a cult, you’d follow them into it. Is he madly in love right now? “That’s dead right.” He doesn’t mention his longtime girlfriend, account manager Amelia Woolley, by name because “if everyone knew everything, [my songwriting] wouldn’t be as candid, would it?” he says. “There’d be all these theories, and I’m not in town for that. I’m here to write what’s on my brain, and love happens to be one of those things that’s flying around me.”

Horan is staying accessible to fans in other ways, fully embracing the expectations of being a very famous person: He’s dropping skin care routines and goofing around on TikTok. This summer, he’s making his way across the festival circuit — good practice for 2024, when he’ll launch into the biggest solo tour of his career to date, which includes a headlining spot at Madison Square Garden, 12 years after 1D did the same. After a few disruptive years, he’s returned to the lifestyle that feels like home, now as a veteran professional and soloist in his own right. He’s the same nice guy, just with some life experience. And he’s enjoying the ride: “Looking at arenas full of people — it’s the best view in the world.”

[utilitycaster]

Imogen’s powers are interesting to consider in the context of the story, but a lot of the real world analogies people try to make with them are absolutely horrible. Imogen’s powers aren’t a good metaphor for queerness/chronic illness/mental health issues, because they aren’t dangerous invasive powers that can kill people that are inherently tied to an evil source. The comparisons don’t work and have some really bad implications.

(As of 8:14 AM EDT today, April 15th: not answering new questions for this meme that come in but answering the ones already in my inbox - this is the last one btw)

Mostly agreed; see below for the nuanced answer.

For what it's worth: the argument in favor of Imogen's treatment in Gelvaan being a metaphor for queerness that I've seen failed imo because it ignored her powers, rather than incorporated them. It focused on the surface level "woman goes back to her small rural southern-coded town after spending time away having left in the company of another woman, and is ostracized on her return and receives a complicated response from her father" while refusing to engage with the pretty significant details of "woman did sorcery so hard on two people she wasn't sure if she'd killed them; father has seen both his wife and daughter develop incredible and dangerous psychic powers and leave him and still defends them which has further ostracized him within his small town." Like, the problem was not that it equated queerness with her powers; it equated queerness with "people in a small town not liking you because you're different" without exploring that Imogen is, in fact, different because she can murder people with lightning and know all their secrets and whether or not she's attracted to women is completely irrelevant to that.

With that said. My personal mental health stuff is not something that fits well into Imogen's narrative, and I'm physically able-bodied and don't have anything chronic of significance, but I have seen people who do and who have found Imogen or other characters with powers that are potentially harmful to others, like Chetney, to be meaningful. Again, my issue with the queerness metaphor is that it centered on how people see her in a very specific location where she did commit a significant act of violence, and not what Imogen herself experiences. Like, I think comparing Imogen's own experiences as someone who has to carefully avoid triggers (keeping up her mental walls), who gets occasional headaches or sleep disturbances as a result of her powers, and who sometimes struggles to reconcile what she knows to be true via her psychic powers with what people are saying (and as a result both has difficulty interacting with others and is often snappish) is a valid comparison.

To sum it up, it sort of goes back to the X-Men post I have somewhere in the archives. Imogen's own experience with her powers as a metaphor for chronic or mental illness? Totally valid. How other people perceive Imogen as a result of her powers, which are in fact harmful or invasive to them? not a good metaphor for homophobia, ableism, or social stigmas. Like, I think it's fair to say that the X-Men can feel things about their own powers that are relatable to people who are mentally or chronically ill, but it is also valid if the population is like "yeah actually I think we should have some system of registration over 'guy who can laser beam me to death with his eyes', actually, and I would prefer not to hang out with him." The metaphor needs to be quite specific to be handled sensitively.

[rongzhi]

Hiii there op! You have gotten me HOOKED on the sleuth of Ming dynasty! But istg, your memes had me thinking that all the side characters, were actually the mc's! but, ur blog single handedly got me addicted to this. Now i come back to you and ask for reqs! ( Also, take some buFF mEN i found from a webcomic i like called Nan Hao and Shang Feng as payment)

Thank you so much!!!!

a few months ago I saw someone post that they thought ding rong was completely overrated in the tsomd fandom, despite the fact that he has maybe 5 minutes of total dialogue in the entire show and I think I am at least 60% to blame (´-ω-`)🍸

Thank you for the buff webcomic men. I shall store them safely in a cool, dry location.

Unfortunately, I cannot really recommend too many other dramas similar to TSOMD bc I don’t really watch cdramas.

Of the few I've seen I would recommend the following:

无心法师 || Wu Xin: the Monster Killer (season 1) (2015)

(20 episodes, 45 minutes) || Watch online with English subtitles

Despite his immortality, Wu Xin is condemned to wander the earth, purposeless and penniless. In an act of kindness, Lue Ya shares her last bit of food with him and he returns the favor with a strange form of gratitude: killing monsters.

Notes: Only recommending the first season bc that’s the only one I’ve seen! Season 1 is rather self-contained but subsequent seasons feature some of the same characters. I really enjoyed this show's supernatural/monster lore and the 3 main characters have great chemistry.

天盛长歌 || The Rise of Phoenixes (2018)

(70 episodes, 45 minutes)

When a secret from the past rears its head, a respected court scholar must choose between avenging her family and staying true to the prince she loves.

Notes: Extremely well shot, gorgeous costumes, and amazing acting. That said, I think I think I ended my watch of this show with higher blood pressure than when I had started it. I livetweeted my watch of the show if you want to take a skim: here

大秦赋 || Qin Dynasty Epic (2020)

(78 episodes, 45 minutes) || Watch online with English subtitles

Qin Dynasty Epic is a historical drama that tells the story of Qin Shihuang, Ying Zheng, who, with the assistance of Lv Buwei, Li Si, Wang Jian, and more, conquered six kingdoms and established the first unified state in Chinese history.

Notes: This show has a shit ton of characters and also some pretty hard to believe age portrayals (the guy on the cover there plays his character who is like 15-25 for most of the show lolol). That said, there are some pretty compelling character arcs if you can get into it, and the costume/hair and makeup is really well done. I livetweeted my watch of the show if you want to take a skim: (episode 1) (episode 2-78) (predictably I do a lot of yelling about a side character)

双探 || Double Tap (2021)

(16 episodes, 40 minutes) || Watch online with English subtitles

When one of his son’s school friends is kidnapped by two masked assailants, Li Huiyan, a perpetually broke but sharp-witted police detective, investigates. The trail brings him to a small town in the icy north. But after the father of Zhou You, a funeral parlor worker, is murdered in mysterious circumstances, Zhou You also hunts for answers – with the murderer fleeing to the very same town…

Notes: This show is one of the beautiful quiet thrillers and I absolutely love the vibe of it. I watched this as it was airing which is why I recommend it, but I have to warn you that I and many Chinese netizens thought the very last episode was unsatisfying (I suspect censorship and later rewrites had a hand in tanking the finale). Even so, I recommend it for the mystery and cinematography. I livetweeted it if you want to give it a skim: here.

Honorable mentions

三国机密 || Secret of the Three Kingdoms (2018)

I'd genuinely forgotten that I watched this until a second ago but I remember it being decent. Livetweet thread that I have zero recollection of here

Some other dramas that I know others have enjoyed but I haven't watched:

Empresses in the Palace (后宫·甄嬛传)

Nirvana in Fire (琅琊榜)

Winter Begonia (鬓边不是海棠红)

The Bad Kids (隐秘的角落)

The Untamed (陈情令) (I've watched half of this show but it wasn't for me. The donghua is nice! Great soundtrack.)

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (如懿传)

Guardian (镇魂)

[shyanshippingsociety]

Shyan Shipping Society Fic Promo - November 2022 - January 2023

last post

holiday parties and the new year, the perfect excuse for some shyan fic! check out everything our members wrote from november 2022 to january 2023! and if you’re interested, check out our new years fic exchange masterpost!

november

Who You Gonna Call? by Golden4278 | G, 2K, on-going

Ghost Busters! AU

Simple Math by TheMouthKing & tripwirealarm | E, 118K, complete

While filming Ghost Files, a joke goes off the rails and lights a long-ignored fuse between its two co-hosts, but what’s initially just some fun fooling around under specific parameters leads to increasingly complicated feelings, and when a situation brings those feelings under a microscope, a choice has to be made.

Icarus Falling by teresa_agasgi | T, 1K, complete

When Shane flies too close to the sun he needs something to fall back to.

aka Ryan comforts Shane

Something Unholy by PlatinumPussycat208 | E, 2K, complete

“I’m glad you’re taking this investigation very seriously.” “I just want the ghosties to come and fuck around with me!” - Shane and Ryan encounter a ghostly presence at St Ignatius, just not in the way they expected.

Anti-Heroes by Golden4278 | G, 800, on-going

What if the hero and villain were secretly best friends?

Ryan and Shane are broke students at New York University, studying photography and journalism respectively. When they each stumble upon the other's secret, the boys come up with the brilliant idea to make some cash reporting on their own escapades.

Don’t Ever Change by ouijaboy | T, 1K, complete

“Look at how clear the night turned out! There’s not a cloud in sight!”

Ryan shifts grumpily again, and tucks his hands into his armpits. “Or a flying saucer. You’ve made your point, man.”

[Ryan takes Shane UFO-watching. It goes about as well as expected.]

December

Curios and Curiouser by live_from_new_york | T, 3K, complete

“Nothing in this store is haunted. Because ghosts aren’t real.”

“Oh,” Ryan said, “That’s where you’re wrong, buddy. Ghosts are real. There are several documented paranormal encounters, even just here in LA!”

Shane runs an antique store and struggles to take Ryan seriously.

Button up your Overcoat by PhyllisDietrichson | E, 7K, complete

Don’t ever get into the P.I. business with a head full of ideals and a whole briefcase full of compunctions. It’s bad for the profit margins.

A Very Little Christmas by denimwrapped | G, 3K, complete

Shane's a witch. Ryan doesn't know this. At least, not until he stumbles upon Shane's enchanted grimoire, which hits him with a curse - and on the day before Christmas, no less. Luckily, Shane's already on his way to see his family, who should be able to undo this magical mishap.

Of course, the witch thing isn't the only secret Shane's been holding onto.

And you still owe me by Haroldmay | M, 1K, on-going

Can you ever really move on?

~~~

With quick steps he moved forward and his gaze shifted around. The room was filled with all sorts of curiosities, big and small and most of them dusty. Several candles were the only light sources and he tried squint.

“Greetings!” He said, trying to be polite. “I come to you because I need a favor. A murder to be precise.”

"You come to me for this, on the day of my daughter's wedding?" Replied a voice out of the dark.

~~~

Disclaimer: This is just a little joke. More Meme than Fic. It's about the characters Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara and has nothing to do with the real people behind them: Brad Pistachio and Brian Cramblish.

Chain 4 U by ouijaboy | T, 3K, complete

"You know you’re supposed to keep your voice down in the library, right?"

Steven's just trying to get through his shift with Shane, but his friends are being super weird with each other. And each other's girlfriends. (Huh.) SMaShR, Steven POV.

January

I Could Lift You Up by ouijaboy | T, 5K, complete

WWW-inspired. Five times Shane made a big ol’ romantic gesture, and one time Ryan returned the sentiment. (Plus a little bit of ‘clearing the air’ in the middle. They’re trying their best, damn it!)

How to Befriend the Monster in Your Closet by Golden4278 | G, 143K, on-going

Ryan: Hi God, it’s me again. I just moved to LA and I’m really lonely. I need someone to be my friend, someone who understands me. Maybe… you could send me an angel? Yeah! The nicest angel you have.

Demon Shane: *LAUGHS MANIACALLY*

open the yawning grave by PhyllisDietrichson | T, 2K, complete

This close, Shane can see Ryan’s eyes are welling with unshed tears. But he’s smiling—he’s smiling so big and his voice is sure, and he sits right there on the ground, where there’s tree roots and tufts of grass and he tugs Shane against him and gently, gently, he works a firm hand under Shane’s jaw and kisses his chapped lips and Shane feels—something glow in his chest—and for the first time he draws breath without the stinging reproof of pain.

Haunting Hometowns by MmeBabs | E, 34K, on-going

“Just keep reading,” she says. Her face is undecipherable, so he continues. As soon as he reaches his band’s name drop in the article, his eyes shoot back up to hers. There’s a certain sparkle in her eye. “You haven’t gotten to the best part yet.”

“Did he – Did he call me Dave Grohl and then immediately shit on my music? I think I have emotional whiplash from this. I have so many questions.”

***

Ryan is the frontman of the popular band 'Ryan and the Phantoms'.

'Hunters and Gatherers' is Shane's one-man indie band from Illinois.

Their paths cross while out on tour.

Baby, I'm yours by tasty_littl_snack | NR, 500, complete

Ryan has to be doing this on purpose.

if you want to read some more fics, you can always check out our ao3 collection! see you soon! ♡

[dutybcrne]

@kanawolf said : what is a gift your muse is hoping to receive? what acts of service would your muse appreciate the most? (for kaeya!) 『 Meme || Accepting 』

what is a gift your muse is hoping to receive?

Kaeya will say he's okay with anything, but in particular he loves getting things from people that remind him of them. Something that holds their colors rather than his own, or overall hints at him being tied to them in some way. Jewelry, particular, serves that purpose well, in his eyes. He won't hesitate to wear it first chance he gets.

On a less serious note, he really, REALLY likes plushies, and flowers from other nations he can press for his collection.

what acts of service would your muse appreciate the most?

He admittedly gets a little caught off guard by people doing things for him. He's the one who likes to put in effort into offering them acts of service and go above and beyond as much as he can while he's at it, after all. It never crosses his mind that people would actually want to return the favor, no matter how many cases there've been when it was proven otherwise.

He doesn't like outright accepting help with his paperwork or anything of the sort, and he is very particular about his own spaces like his office or quarters to be comfortable letting people clean them for him. HOWEVER, he does tend to be weak for those little gestures of care, especially if done subtly enough that doesn't realize he'd being cared for until he's gotten to used to them--ensuring he's eating at the right times ( esp since he can forget at times, particularly when the knights are swamped with work or his mood's been seriously shifting up for one reason or another ) by inviting him to meals or bringing snacks to share, urging him to take breaks or helping him get squared away and off to bed by inviting him to partake along with you, lifting his mood by spontaneously having him do favors or activities together, getting him a drink in guise of casual company when his migraines amp up to their worst, etc. Small things like that that aren't too overt but still significant enough to him in the long run mean the world once he starts catching on. That endears the person to him greatly.