#AND THE RETURN OF THE TRANS PRIDE TEA CUP

[kitsumidori]

My half of an art trade with @wainwrightjakobshammerlock featuring eyr oc, Hammerwright Al Fine Jakobslock

[girl-effigy]

After a long night of transgender depravity, I returned to my apartment today. Sore and sleepy, I decided to prepare myself a nice cup of tea before retiring to my hovel for a day of rest. I removed the teabag after letting it seep for just a few minutes longer than recommended - I like it strong - I went to pour the oat milk to top off my beverage of choice. I noticed, to my slight dismay, that we were nearly out. I filled my cup as I wanted it, but the half-a-thimble left in the quart was mocking me, so I poured it into my cup. This left it precariously full.

I had to climb a full flight of stairs to reach my desk, where I type this post.

And I took it in the ass last night.

Slowly, ever so slowly, in a feat of precision and stability that would be envied by world renowned surgeons and streetwise pickpockets alike, I managed to work my way up the stairs. One at a time, with heavy use of the railings - a name so reminiscent of the treatment that had left me so impaired in my ability to walk.

I reached my desk, and sat the mug down. A surge of pride hit me, as I had not spilled a drop. Surface tension proved itself to be an ally to the trans community. I sat down in my chair, but my hubris was to be my downfall. I bucked my hips to scoot forward - again, a motion reminding me of the way my prostate was treated like a heated length of metal beneath the strikes of a hot orc woman blacksmith wearing naught but an apron - and the armrests of my chair collided with the desk. The tea spilled all over, scalding my bruised thighs. And, so, after mopping up yet another hot and sticky mess from my pelvic region, I came to tell you all my story. Remember my mistakes - Don't overfill tea or you might spill on your dick. Even if this means your roommates might mock you for leaving just enough oat milk to outperform a trans woman's best attempt at a facial.

[makeroftherunes]

New Poetry maybe? for the wip game please?

HELLO YES I am so excited to answer this ask, but I should let you know that 1) as per my last update on this file, I did write it rather chaotically, and 2) it does have a light mention of blood as an allusion, and of familial pressures and religion (and this is tagged as such). I'm new to posting my poetry here so I want to tag generously!

In any case, I am very excited about this new maybe collection. I'm thinking about combining my experience with anxiety/ADHD, and my experience with Dungeons and Dragons. It's all very vague and nebulous. Thoughts appreciated!

Blood of the Covenant

I will not say anything new by

telling you that there's more to

the saying "Blood is thicker than water."

You already know "family comes first,"

and all the implications children carry

on their shoulders from such half-idioms.

You know this, so I won't tell you.

Instead, I will tell you that a friend with a

camera told me my nose was beautiful. I'll

tell you about the teen girls in my shop, buying

Trans pride pins for their friend, and that friend

who came back to get two Ally pins in return.

I'll tell you about my partner, kissing our best

friend's forehead, goodnight. I'll tell you that the

tea I serve at a table of friends with dice and

chipped mugs is the blood of the covenant, and

that the tears I lost over my grandfather's letter

damning my soul for desecration of marriage were

water of the womb. Your love is only deserved by

those who cherish, cultivate, and return it. Family

can be that; my mother baking my yellow cake

with pink frosting for 27 years, our smiles deeper

every time a candle is added. Yet often, I would

rather talk about my sister in law, caring for her

closest friend as they heal and grow. I will tell you,

my friend - would you like a cup of tea?

[ajaxwrites]

Genshin Impact Fanfic Rec List

(because this is my most current obsession~~)

The Narwhal of Dihua Marsh by GreyLiliy

Childe hears of a strong Adeptus living at the Wangshu Inn. Despite warnings from Zhongli that fighting Xiao would be a deathly mistake, Childe seeks out the Adeptus living in the Dihua Marsh eager for a proper fight.

However, Childe severely underestimates his opponent, and the consequences of his actions may keep him from returning home to Snezhnaya.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: This fic is interesting primarily because it's not necessarily what you would call an easy story to read. The content can surprisingly get quite heavy as the relationship between Childe and Zhongli isn't healthy and it becomes increasingly obvious as the story progresses. You swing between wanting to separate the two and also desperately wishing that they'll work out because there is something there. The story snowballs from what seems like an innocuous, if stupid and rash, decision on Childe's part to a complicated mess that you can’t help but be enthralled in. I went in expecting your typical romance and ended up in something that was more complex than I expected but also beautifully thought provoking.

Entirely Out of Spite by Bgtea

"Welcome to a new user experience! You have triggered this interface with the keywords, ‘Stupid game! Stupid devs! I want my f*****g money back!’ You are now bound to the character Tartaglia, the Eleventh Harbinger of the Fatui, codename: Childe! We hope you have an enjoyable user experience and we welcome you once again to Genshin Impact 2.0!”

Those are some of the first words Ajax, starving college student extraordinaire, has the misfortune of hearing upon waking up in a brave new world from what he's fairly sure is a very, very fatal accident involving water and a shit ton of electricity.

Okay, so he's not dead. That's good. But what's this about him being stuck playing the character Tartaglia? Tartaglia, as in the shitty, one-dimensional, cartoonish villain who met his untimely, gruesome death in the first act of the original game?

Fuck that noise. Like hell Ajax is going to share that fate.

And so begins one man's journey to unfuck himself.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: Whenever this updates, I squeal. If you’re a fan of The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System or just transmigration/reincarnation plots in general, you’re going to love it. Bgtea does a beautiful job in balancing humor with the trauma that comes with the whole reincarnation plotline. The whole of it is beautiful written and watching Childe/Ajax interact with the other characters (and the perspective of those characters) is a delight! 

the sister by glassdrachma

The tragic and unexpected death of Zhongli-xiansheng of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor occurred to the sorrow of many and the deep skepticism of a few.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: glassdrachma has a gift for humor and romance. In short, Zhongli fakes his death for plot reasons and comes back as Jianlao, the bereaved twin sister. Shenanigans ensue, featuring overprotective Liyue-ians (?), chaotic gremlin Venti, and Kexing. Very light hearted, good for the soul.

The White Cicada Society by clementinesgulag

After his little brother is bundled back to Snezhnaya, Childe makes good on his promise to the traveller and takes the first boat out of Liyue Harbor. Any sense of homecoming lasts about as long as an uncooked steak in front of Xiangling, however, when his boat sinks, grounding him back in the mainland.

It's just as well, because the next morning, a body is found in the Northland Bank. A visit from a fellow Harbinger reveals a far more insidious plot than anything Childe could concoct with a god of the vortex and twenty minutes without supervision. The murders aren’t limited to the one Bank. They’ve been trailing down the Liyue border, getting closer and closer to the city. The Tsaritsa has a new mission for him: to figure out who, or what is targeting Fatui forces.

Against his best wishes, Childe is forced to see Zhongli again at the morgue. It becomes clear that he’s going to need a guide, and Childe resolves to quash his pride, and their differences to request his help to navigate Liyue and solve the case.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: A diamond in the rough that I slept on and then stumbled back to by accident. I had it marked for later on AO3 and forgot about it for like a good week to my utter self-disgust. It. Is. So. Damn. Good! The mystery is intriguing but I live for the realistic portrayal of the aftermath of the whole gnosis plotline. The betrayal, the bitterness, but ah, the sexual tension. The harbinger interactions in this fic make it gold though.

Lungs full of Roses by SecretlyACatLady

Childe had always assumed that he would die young. He had accepted that a long time ago, ever since he accepted the mantle of a Fatui Harbinger. However, he always thought that he would die in a glorious fight, his body broken but spirit relishing the strong opponent that had bested him. He was okay with that type of death.

Unfortunately, it seemed like Fate had decided to add one last insult to injury, because, here Childe was, dying because he had fallen in love with the ex-Geo Archon. The same Archon who seemed to have discarded him like an old toy ever since the Osial Incident. --- In which divine beings are cruel and a cursed Childe starts preparing for his inevitable death because no Archon could ever love a mortal.

…Right?

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: The fic that started it all for me, the one that sucked me into the fandom. This fic is heartbreaking. We always do love a hanahaki plotline but something about the way it frames the disease and the shame that comes with it...I highly recommend giving it a read. The angst is real I tell you.

The Bride of The Golden Dragon by Erika_Bee

“You’re to be sent on a special mission, Tartaglia.”

The young man’s eyes gleamed in interest. “How special?” He asked as he wiped the blood off his daggers.

His superior grinned. “Special enough to put your name in Snezhnaya’s history books.”

—

In which the Archon War ravaged the land of Liyue and to ensure the people’s survival, the God of Geo established the Harvester Contract: One bride per village, every year, in exchange for protection and a good harvest.

Or: Childe is sent on an undercover mission to kill the Geo Archon, but things don’t go as planned.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: Don’t let the title scare you off--this isn’t one of those fics where they feminize one of the male characters and reduce their personality to a mindless submissive bobblehead to the point that I want to throw my laptop out of the window. Not that there’s anything wrong if you like that kind of thing, just not my cup of tea. This fic though---READ IT! There’s just something refreshing about the writing and the plot, the way that Childe’s character reads off the page. I live for the interactions between the characters and how the author has mapped the relationships. Warning that recent chapters have swerved decided into NSFW territory though.

the brothers grim by izabellwit

Left in an unfamiliar land with a mission he never wanted, a young Kaeya lies, survives, and somehow finds a family in the process.

Or: How Kaeya came to Dawn Winery, and why he left it. Includes lore, sibling bickering, found family struggles, and a more in-depth look at the years between Kaeya’s arrival and Crepus’s death.

Ships: N/A

Notes: Ahh, little Kaeya. Cheeky ass little shit that’s too angsty and adorable for his own good. I don’t have words for this fic. It makes my heart warm but also makes me want to weep because god, this fic covers exactly how traumatic Kaeya’s situation is and why child soldiers/spies just shouldn’t be. And the dynamic he has with Diluc and Crepus--do me a favor and read it. Screams found family.

the wind through the mountain tops by glassdrachma

Boredom brings Barbatos of Mondstadt to bother a certain ex-Archon of the Earth.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: A light-hearted, humorous and fluffy as hell piece. Short word is that Venti comes to Liyue for some fun, causes chaos, accidentally plays matchmaker, and steals some vegetables. A get-together fic for Childe and Zhongli that includes a surprisingly self-aware (if blunt and snarky) Zhongli and jealous Childe that gets increasingly flustered.

melt (speak or forever hold your peace) by anatakana

Falling into bed with Diluc was an unbelievably bad idea given their tumultuous shared history, but Kaeya’s impulsive urge to amuse himself knew no bounds.

It’s all fun and games until emotions got involved.

Ships: Diluc/Kaeya

Notes: THIS IS NSFW. With plot though? This is THE FIC that got me shipping the two (though the game did a good job on its own). The angst is real here and we love the sheer gal of both of these two stupid men.

Cascading (In a good way) by Hubbleablubble

Kaeya is a fascinating annoyance.

(Or: A series of events in which Albedo gets to know Kaeya, and they slowly go from strangers to acquaintances to something more.)

Ships: Albedo/Kaeya

Notes: Sweet fic. Not my typical ship pairing. Loved the Khaenri’ah mentions. Kaeya is Trans FTM here though it’s only briefly mentioned. There is also an incomplete sequel (as of May 2021) featuring an Overprotective Big Brother Diluc on a warpath giving shovel talks to everyone except apparently Albedo that’s also worth reading.

The Language of Flowers by Jules (Penwyn)

Kaeya Alberich has made a habit of lying—after all, the only truths he’s ever spoken cost him everything—but there are only so many lies a man can tell before the truth comes spilling out.

Ships: Diluc/Kaeya

Notes: Hanahaki! Except not! Basically, Kaeya pukes up flowers that say the truth whenever he lies. Cue, angst! Lovely and quick read--love Kaeya’s voice here.

i know i'm where i'm meant to go by paperclips (pastel_paperclips)

"Childe," Zhongli says suddenly. "I am enjoying myself greatly."

Childe’s face breaks into a grin. "Then-"

Zhongli gasps, grabbing his wrist and tugging him over to an unsuspecting peddler with a cart full of rocks. "Is that an intrusive igneous pegmatite formed in the Inazuma regions?"

Childe’s grin smooths into a small, adoring smile. He has all the time in the world to figure the other man out.

OR: Finding the Geo Archon is on Childe's to-do list but hanging out with Zhongli is significantly more fun.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: Childe, you idiot. Humorous and funny, very light hearted. Makes you wonder if Childe has an IQ. He’s too busy pining/lovesick to realize that he told his target that he’s going to kill him for his gnosis. Zhongli and Liyue remain confused on how Childe still DOES NOT get it but half-ass hiding his Archon status anyway.

the bird without wings by Anonymous

"Kaeya!" someone yells. Small arms wrap around his waist tightly, red hair spilling out of the ponytail, and Kaeya's heart almost stops.

He's talked his way out of all types of situations. From placating international disputes to buttering up his informants, he's always had a quick response to everything.

But for once, Kaeya is speechless. He stares down at the boy with puffy cheeks, slightly crooked teeth and sparkling bright eyes.

Eight year old Diluc beams back.

Ships: Diluc/Kaeya

Notes: Diluc gets de-aged and Kaeya gets angsty. The interactions between the two are heartwarming and will induce tears. Childe makes a brief appearence that *chef’s kiss*

call me "lover boy" by Anonymous

Zhongli turns back, eyes bright with amusement, a stray lilypad still stuck in his hair, and Childe thinks, wow. I want to kiss him stupid.

Childe's not into the whole "swooning maiden patiently waiting for his beloved to swoop down and smooch the daylights out of him" thing. Nah, that's not his style. He's Tartaglia, eleventh of the Fatui harbingers, and he's going to kiss Zhongli right now.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: FUNNY AS HELL. Childe is straight up just trying to plant one on Zhongli but fate and people just keep interfering. It’s a weird trope aversion where the character is actively trying to confess rather than avoiding it but life gets in the way. 

springtime in snezh-nya-ya by miaomaomei

Tartaglia’s body moves before he can even think about it. He arches his back and flattens his ears against his head, baring his teeth in a hiss. Considering he barely even reaches Scaramouche's knees — Scaramouche, of all people! The guy is practically the size of a fourteen-year-old — he doubts that he is cutting as imposing a figure as he hopes.

It isn't a surprise, though. No one could become a Fatui Harbinger if they were scared of a little cat.

OR

Tartaglia is turned into a cat and he goes to Zhongli for help. It goes about as well as expected.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: TOO ADORABLE FOR WORDS. This is just pure fluff I swear. Love how Childe is written and the interactions between the two are just ahhhh. A balm on the soul.

Melt by tanktrilby

“My name is Diluc,” he says. A scowl naturally furrows his brow, and Kaeya looks like he wants to laugh.

He’s looking at him through his lashes again, blue eyes teasing and warm. “Diluc,” he says. “A knight in overalls isn’t quite where I thought my preferences would lie, but here we are.”

(or: Kaeya loses his memories and makes some assumptions. Diluc can't honestly tell him that he's wrong.)

Ships: Diluc/Kaeya

Notes: As the summary says, Kaeya loses his memories. Diluc plays babysitter for plot reasons. Meanwhile, Kaeya freaks out and has an essential crisis because his instincts freak him out which = angst. Simultaneously, sort of love confessions? 

you are cordially invited by ktenologious

When the Traveler receives a mysterious invitation from a Snezhnayan businessman, they seek out help from the only Snezhnayan they are on good terms with. They decide it is a wonderful idea to go to this business party in the middle of the ocean because, well, what could be better entertainment than watching a Fatui Harbinger at work? It is too bad Childe couldn't come with them...

Meanwhile, the Tsaritsa needs someone to track down the source of a brand new drug at a party on a cruise; it just so happens that she has two Harbingers who specialize in causing chaos and sinking ships. Scaramouche is a sadist and loves this, and Tartaglia... Well, Tartaglia just wants to know why is he the one in the dress again.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe, sort of Diluc/Kaeya & Scaramouche/Childe

Notes: Features a crossdressing Childe and Kaeya for plot reasons. Funny as hell. Love Fatui dynamics/interactions. Highly recommend. Go read it. I’m serious. It’s so beautiful, I can’t. Also Zhongli is so love-sick and jealous, it’s hilarious.

The Road to Snezhnaya by paranoid_fridge

Everything's done and over. Now, Zhongli only needs to adjust to living like an ordinary mortal. Or that is what he thinks until a familiar face shows up in Liyue. Teucer comes looking for his brother who failed to return to Snezhnaya on the Fatui ships. And as Childe's declared "friend", Zhongli must help Teucer find him.

Or: Teucer drags Zhongli on a cross-country goose chase looking for Childe. Zhongli just happens to find a bit more along the way.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: I have no words for this fic outside of the fact that it is clear that Teucer has the only functioning brain and should be Best Man because he obviously did all the work here. Features an oblivious Childe and overprotective Zhongli, plus bystander Kaeya that is getting allll of the gossip. And also the most destructive group of children ever.

basket of knives by oronine

“I just want to be loved,” Childe says to himself, to whoever is listening. “Is that too much to ask?”

They are on the roof once more, this time Childe’s foot touches the edge of the building as he daydreams of something that cannot be. The sky is blank and cloudy and perhaps Lumine fears it’ll all end when he takes a step.

“Not at all,” she says. It’s still the truth.

Contrary to popular belief, Childe hates his family but loves them all the same.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: TW for suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, self-harm, depression, etc. Not a light read by any definition. Set in a modern AU, not in the genshin impact universe. Features a Childe that is Not Okay, good friend but also probably traumatized friend Lumine (and her brother Aether), and Zhongli. Family dynamic is messed up as hell and explores mental health quite well in my opinion. I’m not sure how healthy necessarily Childe’s relationships are but I think that’s a given considering the context and how derailed his mental health is in this fic. Definitely angst as heavy, made me tear up quite a bit. Read, but pay attention to the content/trigger warnings as it does get quite explicit.

Bane of All Evil by tzitzimeme

When Chongyun unintentionally offends Liyue's second most powerful adepti, he vows to mend the thorny relationship between Adeptus Xiao and human exorcists-- even though no one has succeeded in currying Xiao's favor for over a thousand years.

His best friend Xingqiu offers to come alone, mainly because he's worried about what kind of trouble Chongyun will run into. Along the way, they receive help from others: Xiangling packs them meals for their journeys, while Zhongli gives them advice on what demons to track.

Childe is just there because he thinks the whole thing is hilarious.

Ships: Chongyun/Xinqiu

Notes: JFKLFJS I LOVE THIS. I love Chongyun’s characterization and the interaction between all the characters. The dynamic between Chongyun, Xingqiu, and Xiangling are to die for. Also, this line: “Stuck-up Persnickety Bastard.” Random note but Xiao throws Chongyun off a balcony yet is also 100% a softie.

Talks about Nothing by tzitzimeme

In which Zhongli unlocks the Memory of Dust, only to find out:

1. Guizhong is 100% alive (just disembodied) within it, 2. Guizhong has been watching over him this whole time, and 3. Guizhong is very excited by the prospect of Zhongli getting a cute Snezhnayan boyfriend.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe, Venti/Xiao

Notes: The pure judgment that Guizhong unleashes on Zhongli (as well as her sass in general) is pure comedic gold. The dynamic between Xiao and Venti are also adorable. Meanwhile, Childe misunderstands and also just wants to know what the fuck is going on.

xi wangmu by tzitzimeme

Xiangling scales entire mountains to satisfy the palettes of her two pickiest customers.

(Or, two men who are emotionally stunted by their own immortality inadvertantly turn an overly enthusiastic chef into their messenger pigeon.)

Ships: Zhongli/Xiao (?)

Notes: Not sure if it reads romantic exactly, can definitely be read as platonic. The fic boils down to Xiangling trying to expose Xiao to variety because just eating plain almond tofu is a no no. Zhongli gives advice/uses Xiangling as a messenger pigeon. Backstory is explored!

Falling (Fallen) by asinglecrow

It’s only when Childe finds himself in front of Zhongli, a spear protruding from his stomach, that he thinks oh I might have fucked up.

Or: The worst (best) day of Childe's life.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: Funny and lighthearted! Gets sort of NSFW with passing mention of mpreg but otherwise, it’s just pure humor/fluff. Get-together fic featuring deadpan dragon Zhongli and Childe that is just done with everything. 

the louvre by morisuke

Here in Liyue, the air is filled with the ocean, and the sun shines through the mountains like it’s flowing through a crack in the sky. Here in Liyue, there is a man with no wallet at a vending machine that is going to waste the rest of his day showing a stranger around their school campus for a pocket sized can of iced coffee.

It’s interesting here in Liyue, Childe thinks.

or

Where Childe flirts with a stranger at a campus vending machine.

Ships: Zhongli/Childe

Notes: Set in a modern/college AU. This is a relatively quiet, soft kind of story. Childe comes to Liyue because reasons and falls in love quietly. It’s more of a snippet of life type of fic that’s sweet and peaceful. Love the change that comes over Childe as he finds a home.

[deceptive-jo]

Merry Christmas

(The final ficlet for this...year probably! And Merry Christmas to all my celebrating followers!)

Even the numerous inhabitants of Egotropolis celebrate Christmas in their very own way, with their families and friends. Let’s take a look around the houses, shall we?

Words: 1922

Ships: The Author x Actor Marc; Darkstache; Marvin x JBM

“Merry Christmas!” Mad Mike slid into the living room, clearly exited to already be getting presents. “What in the heavens are you wearing?” Author’s shocked expression was exactly what he had tried to achieve and Mike looked down on himself. His sweatpants were a simple light blue but his sweater could be a bit...much with its blues and pinks. “You look like you slapped the Trans pride flag in there and then dumped a gallon of glitter on it.” Admittedly that was pretty much what had happened after he asked Bim for help… Marc threw his arm around him, in his own nightmare of a red Christmas sweater, “I for one like it. Good job on that, kid.” He ruffled his already unruly hair before falling down next to his fiance. Mike preferred a place on the floor, with direct view over the presents. Author’s were already in his room, having gotten them on the end of his holiday celebrations (an USB-stick from Anti which’s content still no one knew, though it was certainly not due lack of trying on Marc’s side, and a Death Note from Mike- a hilarious joke they were sure but considering their connections Author couldn’t be too sure). The lights on the tree flickered for a moment before Anti glitched into the room, red and green lights flickering in his hair. Well, you took what you got and at least he was enjoying himself. “When’s that brother of yours supposed to arrive?” “Any moment now, surely”, a voice came from the entrance where the Host entered. The room seemed to light up as Author jumped over backrest of the couch and pulled his brother in a hug. “Glad you could make it”, Actor smiled as he passed him a glass of eggnog. “Merry Christmas everyone.”

~~~

Darkiplier and Wilford Warfstache were awoken by the sound of rapid knocking on their bedroom door. “It’s Christmas morning, get up!” Dark could only burrow his head deeper in the pillows, “Just wait, we’ll be out in a moment.” They could almost see Bim dramatically draped against the door when he answered, “I’ve waited one whole year. If you’re not down in ten minutes we start without you!” Slowly Dark lifted his head, hairs askew, “This boy, I swear-”

Exactly ten minutes later the couple entered the sitting room, with its enormous tree and the pile of presents underneath. Bim looked like he should be held back and as soon as he saw the two Egos enter he bolted forward, only to get tripped by Yancy. “Youse need to chill!” Wilford watched the scene fondly, Bim somehow managed to pull half the Egos into his enthusiasm and now the Jims and Illinois ere figuratively vibrating with excitement (Bing was literally vibrating next to Google which was disturbing to say the least). “Okay, go on-”, he hadn’t even finished before Bim surged forward and began handing presents out in light-speed. The whirlwind only stopped when the Host, so far clearly light-asleep next to Dr Iplier, got hit into the chest with what was probably another note book (they could be glad Bim decided against throwing the box that turned out to be a new typewriter). Egos began opening presents, either tearing into them like small kids (the Jims and King, mainly) or slowly unwrapping and folding the paper together again (the Googles and Yancy). Dark nearly got strangled when Bim thanked him for the new set of ties while Wilford next to him was too busy examining the dagger that had been sent from the Cabin. Google was fiddling with some new gadget, judging by the accompanied message in clean letters on gold-white paper it came from the Mind Palace. Bing looked over his shoulder while trying to pay attention to Chase’s present at the same time. The Host turned towards the demon, pulling his attention away from the gold-black journal- no, scrapbook- he was holding. “A merry Christmas.” “It is indeed.”

~~~

"Holy shit, now that's a tree!" Jackie stared in amazement at the giant Christmas tree that filled up half of the open living room. Marvin turned around from where he was letting the last ornaments float into position, "Good Morning, darling." "Morning", the hero pressed a kiss on his boyfriend's cheek, "you did an amazing job. How long have you been working on this?" "Pretty much all night", the magician wiped off the sweat and slipped his mask back on. "You must be tired. Tea?" "Coffee..." He chuckled dryly when the cup was pressed in his hands. "Oh wow, this looks so cool! Uncle Marvin did you do this?", Connor came running into the room, his sister close behind. "Sure did, glad you like it, kid." "This is great for celebrating- can we open our presents now?" Chase came down the stairs and began leading them towards the dining table, "Nah, first breakfast, then presents." Ashley pouted but sat down and waited patiently until everyone had finished their christmas pnacakes before she jumped out of her chair and rushed towards the heap of presents. The others followed in a calmer pace (if only to annoy her a bit) and to her credit she waited until everyone was seated before reaching for the first present.

Surprisingly enough Ashley didn't open it but instead got up and handed the small box over to Jameson. Four more packages followed and once every adult had a wrapped box in their hands she looked at them excited. "Go on, open them!" The wrapping wasn't very neat but you could see the effort put into it and a moment later Marvin held a small item in his hand. A strangled noise escaped him as he stared down on the handmade bracelet. It wasn't anywhere near as high-quality as his usual accessories but he could see its aura, could feel the love radiating off of it. Looking over he recognised similiar bracelets in his brothers' hands. Jackie and Jameson were looking utterly delighted and over-joyed, while Chase and Henrik smiled, there were clearly tears shining in their eyes. "I made us family bracelets! Connor and I have our own already-" Chase didn't wait to pull his kids into a tight hug, his brothers joining right after. "I love you, sunshine, so much." "I love you too, daddy. Merry Christmas."

~~~

The Crankgameplays Mansion was bustling with energy, if a  bit different than the manor’s. All the Egos were seated in the living room, enjoying a movie marathon when a chime echoed from the kitchen. “Oh Blank, the cookies!”, Mrs Thomson looked up from her brochure at the dark ego who was already slipping out of the room. A mere minute later he returned with a plate piled with cookies. “Oh damn, those smell awesome!” Bernice snatched a cookie away, painted red and green nails matching with the green designer sweater she was wearing. “And they taste delicious. Good job, boy”, Father Ethan patted Blank’s shoulder as he fell back into his chair, but now with a small smile grazing his lips. The next hour or so passed in peaceful silence as the family followed the movie and enjoyed their cookies and hot chocolate. But of course it was interrupted when Mc Gee cam tumbling down the stairs from where he must have been decorating the roof, as he usually did. “They’re coming!”

Mrs Thomson rose with a shriek and rushed to the nearby mirror, nearly pushing Bernice out of the way. “Oh god already? They’re early for once- How does my hair look?” “Nice, my dear. Don’t stress yourself on this peaceful day”, Father Ethan once again made no indication to get up when the doorbell rang but luckily the Postman was already in place. “Well hello there, Gentlemen. Looking fine today!” “How dare you, I always look fine!” Mrs Thomson had to smile at the teasing, oh how she adored her grandchildren. Speaking of- the entrance hall was filled with people, taking off their jackets and shoes and shaking out the snow-filled hair. One of the black-haired men was standing in the middle, still in his coat and clearly struggling with the package in his arms. “Oh, let me help you!” With a surprising swiftness the old lady took the box from his hands. The young man’s eyes lit up, “Mrs Thomson, how wonderful to see you. You look lovely as always”, he bowed down for a light kiss on the knuckles. “You’re impossible, Author!” She hit him playfully on his shoulder but couldn’t hide the blush at his attitude. “You know me, I’m an old man after all- Marc were are the presents?” A hand reached out of the mass of people and a pile of wrapped gifts floated into the living room. “You brought presents?” “Yeah, you got some as well, we planned ahead this time”, Mike tumbled out of a group hug with his brothers and came over to greet her, “Merry Christmas, grandma!” With a smile she send him in the living room to follow Author into the kitchen. The writer was rummaging through the cabins, “Where are the plates in this house?” “What’s in the box?” “Uh...a cake, the Gingerbread house Mike failed to deliver...Sufganiyot from me and Rugelach because Host made too many- Aha!”, when Author finally re-emerged with enough plates the female Ego looked like she was about to faint. So many baked goods!

Once they entered the living room with their for plates everyone else had settled down around the  TV. Blank was trapped between Mike (chatting with the postman) and McGee, looking peaceful and happy for once. Marc was already in an animated conversation with Bernice and Father Ethan (he was about to snap his neck, should probably stop that) while Anti was hanging around Yandere. Mrs Thomson teared up at the rare sight of her whole family together and joyful, untroubled by their problems for once. A large warm hand came to rest on her frail shoulders. “Merry Christmas, Oma.”

~~~

The view from the Mind Palace was always magnificent but now that the sun was setting and reflecting the snow covering the hills one last time it nearly looked magical. So Roman was sitting at one of the large windows and painted. He’d gotten new brushes after all, those should be tested! The whole atmosphere was soothing. The Christmas tree and few candles were the only source of light while the full room offered enough light for Roman to draw, while Virgil played some slow song on the piano. Logan relaxed on one of the couches enjoying his newest book and the rare quietness. Janus was over by the tree crafting something that was either a simple wooden statue or a doomsday device (depending on which of his acquaintances sent it). He was completely emerged in the gift- where those tears shining in his face? Roman shook his head and decided not to stare too much. He did however exchange the canvas for a new one to turn the easel around and instead began to draw the group in front of him. Where the first four Sides were keeping to themselves and savouring the last hours of Christmas, Patton and Remus were huddled together on a love seat, with the dad Side nearly slipping off, while Remus had draped himself over the back rest. They were giggling over something on his phone while Patton’s lighted up constantly with all the Christmas wishes he must be receiving. Roman allowed himself a short sincere smile. Merry Christmas.

[thiswasinevitableid]

Indruck bartender ah prompt???????? Very good A++

Glad you liked it! I liked one of the other ones for them as a pair, so please enjoy this self-indulgent one-shot.

Prompt: you always bring your Tinder/Grindr dates to my bar and have sex in the bathroom and I really think you need to get better standards (spoiler: I’m not so upset when it’s us having sex in the bathroom)

Note: This is Not Suitable For your Workplace. Also, as a CW, Indrid has lots of casual sex that, we learn, started out as something he liked but that he may now be using as a less than ideal coping mechanism

It’s a busy Friday night at the bar; spring has come and folks are ready to be out and about. From his position as bartender (and owner), Duck sees many new faces mixed in with the old ones and smiles. The Beacon is his pride and joy, and he likes to see people enjoying themselves.

When he steps into the hallway leading to the bathrooms he hears a familiar voice under the music and crowd, one that tells him a certain regular is also enjoying himself.

“Oh yes, yes, more, please.” A lilting, begging voice comes from behind the wall. Yep, it’s Indrid alright.

Business as usual then.

The skinny, white-haired man started coming in two months ago. At first he just sat at the bar, ordered the sweetest thing on the menu, and chatted with Duck. After a few weeks, he started bringing in a new date every night, usually two or three times a week. These dates (a term Duck uses loosely)  follow the same pattern: Indrid and the guy arrive, make small talk at the bar while they have a drink (also a term Duck uses loosely, since Indrid’s drinks have almost no booze), then disappear into the bathroom for a little while, returning a little disheveled. Sometimes the guy stays, keeps chatting with Indrid, sometimes they leave together. Most times the guy doesn’t stick around long.

Because of the proximity of the bathroom to the supply closets Duck needs to visit during work, he often ends up hearing just what goes on between Indrid and his date of the day. Some nights, from the noises he’s making,  it’s clear Indrid is getting fucked, likely against the door. Other nights, he can’t hear him, only his date, meaning Indrid is on his knees with a dick in his mouth.

Duck tries not to worry or judge. Indrid’s a grown-ass man, and can fuck as many guys as he wants. Hell, Duck’s had plenty of bathroom and backseat one-nighters in his time.

But.

Whenever he overhears him, or sees him at the bar after the trysts, all he can think is that Indrid somehow deserves better than a bathroom hook-up who half the time won’t stick around for a second drink. A dinner date, maybe, or a spin through Golden Gate park. Flowers, he bets Indrid would like those. At the very least, he deserves someone who will offer him their jacket when he starts shivering no matter how warm the bar is. Only three guys have, and Duck decide those three are the ones he most approves of.

Then again, maybe the guy he’s with now is a good one.

“Ah! Harder, please, oh goodness yes I-”

“Jesus, do you ever shut up?”

That’s a no then.

When they get back to the bar, Duck glares at the guy as he pays the tab and leaves with only a few words to Indrid, who keeps his eyes downcast.

“Bit of dud?” He leans over the bar, wishing for way to make Indrid look less…muted.

“I suppose. Oh well, they can’t all be charmers.” He flashes Duck a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

“That they can’t. Speakin’ of which-hey! Boyd I saw that!”

By the time he’s done calming one of his regulars down from trying to pick a fight with an out of towner, Indrid is gone.

———————————

A week later, when Duck sees Indrid take his latest date by the hand and lead him towards the bathrooms, he beats them to the door. He’s put this off longer than he should have.

“Uh uh, Indrid, not tonight.”

Indrid starts blushing with embarrassment as the man he’s with glowers at Duck. He remains undeterred.

“I been getting complaints from other patrons about your, uh, activities back here. It’s makin’ an awful lot of folks uncomfortable that they can hear someone gettin’ their dick sucked when they’re just tryin’ to use the john.”

“Hey, pal, how about you just ignore those complaints?” The date flashes a twenty at him.

“Nope.”

“Look, asshole, just because you serve the drinks at this shitty place-”

“Do not speak to him that way.” Indrid snaps, crosses his arms. The man looks at Duck, still blocking the door, then back at Indrid.

“Whatever, you’re not worth this much hassle.” He disappears.

Indrid glances at Duck, cheeks still pink.

“I’m sorry, Duck, I didn’t mean to cause trouble for you, or make people uncomfortable. I’ll just pay and go.”

“Hey, Indrid, it’s okay, you can stay I just needed you to know what was off-limits, I ain’t mad at you or nothin.” He touches his shoulder reassuringly and Indrid takes a sharp, shaky inhale.

“I, I’m sorry, I s-should”

Duck’s worked in a bar for years, he can tell when someone’s about to cry. Gently, he leads Indrid back to a staff break area, eases him down into a chair.

“You must think I’m reckless and awful.” It’s a sniffle and Duck, having no tissues, grabs a stray handful of napkins.

“Don’t think anythin’ of the kind. Sometimes wonder how you fell into the habits you have, but I also know that’s none of my damn business.”

Indrid blows his nose, tosses the napkin towards the trash.

“I m-moved here a few months ago to be with someone, after he got hired at a tech start-up. Two weeks after I got here, he dumped me. He, he said I was a walking disaster, that I talk too much, that, that I was a starter boyfriend at best and not really even good enough for that and didn’t deserve someone like him.”

“Asshole.” Duck mutters, rubbing a circle on Indrids back, a motion that seems to calm the skinnier man.

“I barely knew anyone, still don’t, and I liked hooking up at first because it was fun but it, it’s also because he was right, I shouldn’t ask for anything more than a few hours with someone. This feels like what I deserve.”

Duck lowers onto his knees in front of Indrid. Cups his chin with one hand, strokes his tangled strands of white hair with the other.

“Indrid, that’s the biggest load of bullshit I ever heard. I’ve gotten to know you plenty well and I can gauran-goddamn-tee you deserve better than givin’ a blowjob on a bathroom floor. You deserve the best this city and the guys in it have to offer.”

Indrid meets his gaze, eyes still watery behind his red glasses. But he smiles, soft and sweet and genuine.

“Thank you, Duck. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said since I got here.”

Duck tucks a strand of hair behind his ear, takes a moment to admire the strange angles of Indrids face.

A crash from out front, followed by Leo, the other bartender, yelling “Boyd!”

“I better go help out. You stay here as long as you need.”

He glances back just as gets to the door. Indrid is looking at him. And he’s still smiling.

———————————

Duck’s resigned himself to the possibility of not seeing Indrid again. After all, the guy was clearly embarrassed and maybe that means he won’t come back to The Beacon.

But Tuesday night, Indrid is in like usual. This time, he’s alone.

“Hey stranger, what’ll you have?” Duck flashes him a teasing smile.

“The sweetest thing you can make me.”

Duck pours a few ingredients into a glass, tosses a maraschino cherry in and slides it to Indrid. The taller man takes a sip. Grins, takes another, and then chugs half the drink before popping the cherry into his mouth.

“What is this?”

“Shirley Temple.”

“Wait, that’s-”

“Nonalcoholic? Yeah. Look, Indrid, I got a confession: your drinks have had little to no booze in ‘em since week two you of you comin’ here, because I watched you wince and then not drink ‘em when they did. Don’t worry, I charged you less for ‘em. Even made you a few experimental ones that I figured would be to your tastes”

“You….made special drinks for me?”

“Yep.” Duck serves two more regulars as Indrid contemplatively sips from his glass.

“That’s sweet.”

“Oughta be, mostly grenadine.”

“No, I meant what you did. With the drinks” He smiles shyly at him and Duck feels his cheeks heat up.

“I think I’d only like nonalcoholic ones from now on.”

“Roger that.” Duck winks at him just as another regular, one he needs to have a word with, steps up to the bar.

“Ned, for chrissake, will you tell Boyd that he doesn’t need to take on every straight dude-bro who wanders in here.”

“I take it my beau has become overeager in his quest to ensure a safe space?”

“He broke a chair, Ned. And while I appreciate the time he literally carried the guy who took issue with me bein’ trans out the door, if I wanted a bouncer I’d hire one.”

“Very well friend Duck, very well.” Ned notices Indrid, nods at him, “I see you’re flying solo this evening.”

“Yes, I’ve decided a change of pace was in order.” He smiles at Duck again and this time his heart flutters more than it usually does when Indrid’s around.

The pattern changes over the next few weeks. Indrid will come in multiple days a week, though now he favors late afternoon or early evening on weekends, and shows up on weeknights that are usually slow. Duck makes him something sweet, with as many maraschino cherries as ice cubes. Indrid will talk with Duck, or draw on the sketchpad he brings, and as the days go by he starts to open up more to Ned, Boyd, and a few other regulars.

Through their talks, Duck learns that Indrid works as psychic/palm reader/tarot reader as well as taking commissions for his art. That he loves the fog, even though it’s cold, and that he really likes Dim Sum, boba tea, and kool-aid. They swap stories about their tattoos, and whenever Duck recommends a sight to see in the city or in the east bay, Indrid jots it down.  Duck finds him easy to talk to, full of ideas and anecdotes, hands moving animatedly as he speaks and it’s so endearing Duck doesn’t mind the few times he knocks a glass over. 

Yeah, his ex was full of shit.

———————————

It’s a busy Friday night and Duck is feeling good. He woke up feeling himself (as his friend Aubrey likes to say) and as result is dressed extra sharp, with pants he knows make his ass look amazing.  Indrid is in his usual spot, the stool on the farthest end of the bar, and although Duck doesn’t have much time to chat, he still sends the odd smile and wink his way. Towards the end of the night, right before closing, Indrid disappears and Duck assumes he went home.

After everyone is out, he shuts and locks the door and begins cleaning up. He steps into the bathroom to make sure it’s not so wrecked that he can’t leave it until tomorrow when he hears a familiar noise.

It’s Indrid, in the stall behind him, letting out breathy, high moans and clearly trying to keep quiet.

He sighs.

“Okay fellas, I already closed up, so how’s about continuin’ this somewhere else.”

There’s a muffled curse and then Indrid steps out. Alone. He washes his hands hurriedly.

“Sorry, I lost track of time.”

“Someone out there got you all worked up?”

Indrid turns, his eyes slowly taking in Duck from top to toe.

“You could say that.”

“Really now? What else could you say?”

“I’d say-” As Indrid speaks Duck takes a step towards him, accidentally knocking his keys from the counter onto the floor. Indrid kneels down to grab them, ends up eye-level with his belt, freezes as he looks up at Duck. They’re so close, so very close.

Indrid leans forward an inch, kisses Ducks stomach quickly, stands up just as fast and hands Duck his keys.

“I should go.” He doesn’t move an inch.

“First you should finish answerin’ my question.”

“I would say” Indrid whispers, picking his words carefully, “that if the person I was thinking of was in this room, I would very much not object to him kissing me.”

Duck doesn’t hesitate, takes Indrid by the shoulders and pulls him into a kiss. Indrid threads his fingers into Ducks hair, let’s the shorter man press him against the counter. Duck laughs into the kiss as Indrid starts taking the phrase “climb him like a tree” literally, trying to wrap his legs around Duck and bring them closer.

“Somethin else you want, darlin’?” Duck pants when they finally break apart.

“Yes, but I have it on good authority it’s not permitted in this bathroom.”

Duck slides his hands into Indrids back pockets.

“Ain’t no one here to make uncomfortable. And a perk of ownin’ the places is that I can make exceptions to the rules. Like, say, when a cute fella makes me so hard I can’t see straight.”

Indrid kisses him again at that, small eager sounds bubbling up in his throat.

“How d’you wanna do this?”  Duck runs a finger along Indrids collarbone.

“Oh. Uh….” Indrid fiddles with the crystal he always wears around his neck, “I hadn’t given, that is, everyone just assumes I’ll bottom.”

“Well, I ain’t assumin’ nothin’, darlin’. Want you to tell me what you want.”

Indrid bites his lip, nervous, as he looks at Duck.

“May I fuck you?”

“Hell yeah.” Duck kisses him again before letting him step around him. Never has he been more grateful for the fact he keeps a basket of condoms in the bathroom for folks to take if they need. He undoes his belt, gets his pants and boxers down in a hurry and rests his elbows on the counter. When he looks at Indrid the man is frozen, condom in hand, staring at him.

“You doin’ alright there?”

“Yes.” Indrid licks his lips and Duck smirks, begins rubbing lazily at his clit.

“Enjoyin’ the view?” He purrs, gasps a little as he slips two fingers inside.

“Ohgodyes.” Indrid scrambles into motion, stepping behind Duck and wiggling his pants down. There’s a sound of tearing foil and then Duck slips his fingers back out so Indrids cock can take their place.

Indrid pushes in with a soft moan that Duck echoes, then pauses, trails kisses along Ducks neck and back.  His hands come to rest atop Ducks, their fingers intertwining as he begins steadily thrusting.

“Goodness this is even better than I imagined.”

“Yeah?” Duck grins over his shoulder at Indrid, “that what you been doin’ while you’re here? Thinkin’ about what’d feel like, ohfuck, to get that nice dick of yours inside me?”

“Well, yes. But, oh god, not only that. I daydreamed about every part of you, touching each inch.” His hands begin roving across Ducks body, shoulders and stomach, chest and arms, even his thighs receive reverent, hungry touches. Duck groans in pleasure, and Indrid presses a kiss to the back of his head, breath growing shakier as his touches turn to grabs.

“C-can I go harder?” He whispers, nuzzling Ducks ear.

“Hard as you want, handsomeOHshit.” His nails scratch at the tile as Indrid straightens, grips his hips and pounds into him.  He tosses his head back, a stream of praise and thanks leaving him underscored by the sound of skin hitting skin and that settles it, this is the hottest goddamn thing Duck’s ever seen. He locks eyes with Indrid in the mirror, grinning at how utterly ruined he looks. Indrid suddenly stops making noise, looks a little sheepish.

“Ain’t gotta be quiet on my account, darlin’, like hearin’ that sweet voice moanin’ my name.”

Indrid smiles at him before picking up his pace, hips snapping more erratically.

“Yes, gracious, Duck you feel so good, I’m so close.”

Duck growls, pushes his hips back.

“Sweetheart, Duck, ohmy yes yesyesyes.” He drops his forehead to rest against Duck as he comes, fingers pressing into his skin as he moans more high, broken sounds.

When he pulls out, Duck turns around, contemplating how he wants to come but by the time he’s finished the motion Indrid is on his knees. He thumbs at the join between Ducks hips and thighs, panting, gaze flicking between Ducks clit and his eyes.

“Please?” His eyes are puppy-dog wide. Duck smiles indulgently at him, nods and then Indrids head dives between his legs.

So this is why the guys were always so damn loud on nights when Indrid sucked them off. His tongue is fucking magic. Duck moans, tangles his hands into Indrids hair and grinds his hips.

“Holy fuck, shit, Indrid you’re fuckin’ amazing.”

Indrid meets his eyes, noticeably smiling even as he closes his lips around Ducks clit, making the man yelp and then growl.

“That’s it darlin’, suck my dick, yeah, oh fuck yeah, you’re doin’ so good, that’s it honeyohhhh.” He cums against Indrids tongue, which doesn’t stop moving until his hips stop pulsing.

There’s a minute where the only sound in the room is their joint, ragged breathing. Duck pulls his pants back on as Indrid shimmies his back up. When the taller man looks at him, Duck opens his arms in invitation.

Indrid is in them immediately. Duck holds him tight, feels a little hum of pleasure and happiness buzz against him out of Indrids chest.

From the bar, his closing time playlist switches to a new, slow song, and he begins to sway them gently to the melody.

Wise men say

Only fools rush in

But I can’t help

Falling in love with you

Jumping the gun a bit there, King, he thinks, but then Indrid grins down at him and he tilts his head, kissing him slowly and softly, Indrid caressing his cheek with his cold fingers and he knows exactly what the singer means.

They kiss and dance until the song ends. At which point Indrid goes pale.

“Oh no! Shoot! What time is it?” He digs his phone out of his pocket, “Oh damn it, BART will’ve stopped running by the time I get to the station.”

“Hey, no worries, I can call you a cab or one of those ubery things. Or…” Duck takes his hand, “if you don’t got anywhere you have to be in the mornin’, you could crash with me. I live upstairs, so it ain’t far.”

Indrid arches an eyebrow.

“An offer that comes, I’m sure, from purely the goodness of your heart?” He teases.

“Gotta be honest: yes. Fuckin around with you plus workin’ all night wore me out, so I ain’t gonna try anythin.”

Indrid cocks his head, unconvinced.

“Honest” Duck says,”besides, don’t expect anythin’ in exchange for offerin’ a friend a place to sleep.”

“And if the friend offers it tomorrow morning?” Indrid flutters his eyelashes.

“Then I ain’t gonna complain.” He smiles, offers Indrid his hand and the other man takes it.

Once they’re upstairs, he gives Indrid the chance to take the bed for himself and have Duck sleep on the couch but Indrid simply shakes his head, pulls Duck onto the bed with him. They change out of their street clothes, Duck into his boxers and Indrid into one of Ducks sweatshirts. Indrid makes himself into the big spoon, kissing Duck on the neck as they settle in for the night.

“Indrid?”

“Yes Duck?”

“Will you let me take you out? Like on a real date or two, or more if things are goin’ well?”

“Gladly.” Indrid sighs, snuggles up closer, and Duck squeezes the hand resting on his chest.

In the morning Duck wakes up first, slips out of the apartment for a quick errand. By the time he gets back Indrid is stirring, and the skinnier man smiles when Duck holds aloft the breakfast he brought. The smile grows neon-bright when Duck reveals his other purchase from behind his back:

Flowers.

[mimzy-writing-online]

A Witch’s Memory: Character Aesthetics

Making mood boards, for me, can be a difficult task. Part of it is that I don’t always understand the character’s aesthetic until I’ve been writing them for a long time, and while I love visuals and mood boards, they can get time consuming for me.

So when I started writing A Witch’s Memory, before I made mood boards I just wrote down my ideas for their aesthetics. And because I haven’t talked much about my WIP lately, I thought I’d share them. These are from my notes in One Note from ages ago

[Note, for anyone who hasn’t heard of A Witch’s Memory: It’s my YA contemporary fantasy novel. Ulric is a werewolf who doesn’t know the truth about how he went blind. Anna and Felix are two witches with partial amnesia who don’t know how many memories they lost to a curse. They meet when Anna and Felix move from the U.K. to Pennsylvania and attend Silverstone Academy, a boarding school that Ulric is returning to after a semester away recovering from going blind. Link to my A Witch’s Memory masterpost ]

Onto the Aesthetics:

Anna St. Claire: tea, books (used, new, and borrowed) purple and dark blue, late nights, sarcasm and kindness. Copper hair that looks like fire (or just much more red) when the sun catches it just right. Love for all things fall and spooky. Black dresses and stockings and oversized sweaters. Loves platonic cuddles, soft and delicate hugs. Tumblr with fandoms and pretty pictures. Sits strangely a lot. Really strong from years of archery

 Felix Robbins: Good tea in fancy tea cups, thick journals, scarves and hats and nice coats. Graphic tees and worn but not ripped jeans. One comfort hoodie. Laptop, early mornings and sunrise. Sci-fi and fantasy books. Old Victorian Lit too. Green and red, together and mixing. Curly black hair. Freckles. Studious. British literature. History. Listens to lo-fi and piano melodies and covers. Classical music but also older rock (Beatles and anything popular in England before 2000) getting crushes on cute boys who love english and writing. Likes sitting strangely too.

(Anna thinks Felix is very, very smart academically, but he's a little clueless/oblivious to the world around him and reading people)

 Ulric Matthews: laptop, music and headphones, hoodies and beanies and black shirts, rectangular black glasses and a white cane, warm sunny days, open soccer fields, soccer practice, running as fast as you can, running during full moons. Blue with bits of gold. Brown eyes, messy brown hair. Black coffee. Fancy café coffee as a treat. Forests and hikes on four paws. Loving dogs. Loving ALL animals, cats and snakes and rats and anything alive. Loving friends and family. Secretly very cuddly but won't admit it. Loves head scratches. Tumblr and random posts with memes/bad humor. He's secretly a writer

 Mason Shepherd: soccer, sunny days, energy and energy just lots of energy. Playing piano and guitar and loving all kinds of music but really understanding classical. Big smiles. Protective of friends. Blue in all shades. Fluffy blond hair, blue eyes, childish face.

 Lucy Wilder: flowers, plants, and all things nature. Spring. White and pastels of all colors, but also vibrant colors. Long blonde hair, messy buns and perfect ballet buns. Dresses, cardigans, flats, skirts and cute tops. So many halter tops. Can embroider and crochet. Ballet and every type of dance. Color guard. Walking like you're dancing. Greenhouses, big open windows, rain and sunshine. Little hoarder of all things pretty and shiny.

 Eli Griffith: late nights on his computer, shy but reaches out to people he knows need it, kind, good listener. Big sweaters and hoodies, ripped jeans. Stacks of sketch books full of art of all types, loves color and painting but draws in pencil a lot. Netflix. Cool autumn afternoons, cold winter nights. No sleep, just passing the quiet night time hours.

 Hayden Watson: Messy red-brown hair that looks amazing in the right light, hazel eyes, loves green, appreciates Felix's puns. Human, but takes Greek for fun, loves writing, likes reading poetry and might have a cool quote or two to bust out. Introverted but seems kind of cool sometimes, but also very dorky sometimes. Adopted brother to Luca.

 Travis Blair: gay pride, pride flag, dance, science and space nerd. Loves singing and theatre. Dark skin and short but beautifully curly brown hair. Short and light on his feet from all the dance. Color guard. Best friend of Luca, younger brother to Ivy.

 Luca Watson: gentle smiles, non-binary with they/them pronouns, oversized sweaters, art, loves coffee, shy smiles, best friend of Travis, round glasses and mousy brown hair, slight even compared to Travis. Gets easily excited for interests like favorite shows and youtubers. Color Guard. Adopted sibling to Hayden.

 Ivy Blair: books stores and quirky coffee shops where she only orders tea. Sarcasm and attitude. Cute pastries, nice tea but also lattes and Starbucks too. Insta addict. Long fluffy curls and medium brown skin. Round brown eyes with thick lashes. When she smiles it's sly but sometimes its soft too. Loves vintage and goth fashion, super short and wears heals a lot. Feminism, intersectional feminism, loves her trans girlfriend. Color guard captain.

 Veronica St. Claire: Aunt to Felix and Anna. Mother to Emily. Messy dark curls in messy buns, green eyes, pale hands that are stained from potions. House witch. Quiet and loving. Great mum honestly. Home business selling potions.

 Elmsley St. Claire: Academic witch. Total professor aesthetic with sweaters, vests, ties, tweed jackets. Glasses, brown hair, brown eyes. Beard. Uncle to Felix and Anna, father to Emily, loves his wife Veronica with all his heart. Gentle soul. Has a mobility disability involving nerve damage in his left leg, walks with a support cane.

There you have it :)

Follow this blog for: updates on A Witch’s Memory (in editing stage), writing advice guides (including my popular- How to Write a Blind/Visually Impaired Character guides), writing memes and humor, and images with image descriptions.

[morebedsidebooks]

LGBTQ+ Characters in Comics from the 20th century I like

It’s June, Pride is here and rainbow colours are everywhere. So, I figured I’d be a little retrospective and share a short list of LGBTQ+ characters in comics from the 20th century I have a soft spot for. I’ve organized these by date of the characters first appearing but, happily most are still having stories written about them today.

Let’s start with three ladies from DC: 

Catwoman

Catwoman, specifically Selina Kyle has been around comics for a long time, nearly as long as the turbulence of her relationship with Batman. Though, Bruce isn’t they only character she has involved herself with over the years. I’ve got my share of comics featuring this fierce lady of many lives and antiheroine, including part of the New 52 run by Genevieve Valentine a few years back where her bisexuality was acknowledged as canon. Though, it was the film adaptation Batman Returns in 1992 with Michelle Pfieffer that blew me away when I was young. And remains, I think the most iconic Catwoman costume, which you can see in 4K now. Hear her roar.

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is another longstanding character and probably the most popular female superhero. I had comics as a child with Diana along with watching the sometimes campy 1970s TV series with Lynda Carter. Perhaps even more interesting than the Amazonian warrior herself is the passions of one of her creators William Marston and the themes of those earliest comics. (I’d suggest the book Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peters Comics 1941-1948.) And of course, also the controversy over a strong heroine standing on her own sparked by Fredic Wertham in Seduction of the Innocent.

Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy, or Pamela Isely with her sexual agency and connection to the Green, who admittedly may go about fighting for the environment as well as for women or children in the wrong way sometimes, is my top female character from American comics period. After again some rough treatment in comics recently, I wrote this year about her origins since 1966. Most people these days probably can’t think of Ivy without Harley, since it’s been 20 years since their first meeting in comics (longer for other mediums) but, these gals have a relationship that isn’t monogamous and has had it’s on again off again points too. (And note to DC maybe get it together on just how you define it since you waffle a bit hmm?)

 Taku and Venomm

Black Panther was one of the few Marvel comics characters whose stories I’ve wound up reading. (My mum had this thing against some comics and one of my older brothers mainly passed on DC issues to me.) The Jungle Action installments written by Don McGregor are to this day still memorable. And part of that should be due also to Taku and Venomm (Horatio Walters), the latter first appearing in the “Panther’s Rage” arc. Though, it would take time for the open acknowledgement of this example of early gay characters in comics. Sexuality outside the heterosexual among other topics was taboo in the 1970s yet, McGregor managed with a collection of artists to bring a vision of Wakanda focusing largely on its black inhabitants and difficult social issues in the world to publication.

 Juli Bauernfeind

I read The Heart of Thomas by Moto Hagio about boys at a German boarding school when I was 21. Juli was a character I connected to and the story had a profound effect on me. And I bawled my eyes out. It still makes me cry and is still one of the best comics I’ve ever come across. I reviewed the English edition a few years back. As well as wrote a post on the French bisexual author Roger Peyrefitte whose novel was adapted into a film which inspired Hagio.

 John Constantine

Full of politics, call it dark with a dose of nihilism but, Hellblazer with John Constantine is just damn good. Sometimes the world is awful, people are awful, you’re awful and well yeah everything is going to hell. Constantine is pretty much dreadful for the women he’s often involved with, or well anybody really. It was in the early 90s readers were first clued into the history of his love life made up of girlfriends and boyfriends. And can we fail to recall the later S. W. Manor from Ashes & Dust: In the City of Angels, one of the most visceral takes thru a character that is basically a stand in for Bruce Wayne, and his twisted relationship with John? I’m not. It’s been a strange trip over the years some adaptations really glossing over his sexuality. Though of late handling this aspect of his character appears to have gotten better.

 Stormer and Kimber 

The madcap Jem and the Holograms was one of my favourite cartoons as a child in the 80s. I even had some of the dolls and cassette tapes. Stormer aka Mary Phillips part of the Misfits was the rock star I loved the most. Dedicated to music and actually quite sweet with the optimum blue hair. I had to try the colour myself. The episode where she teams up with Kimber after both have differences with their respective bandmates is a classic. So, it was truly outrageous when the series was revived in 2015 in comic book form by Kelly Thompson and Sophie Campbell, and the Stormer and Kimber relationship that had been brewing came fully out for fans. (Btw the comic also added a new character, Blaze who is a trans woman and girlfriend of Misfit’s fan Clash.)

  Ash Lynx and Eiji Okamura

It’s been interesting to experience Banana Fish by Akimi Yoshida in different ways from first encountering the comic when I was a teenager, picking it up again in my twenties, and yet again the animated TV series last year. I wrote about the comic and first few episodes of the 2018 adaptation when it was airing. Though, I haven’t posted much more on it because there’s a tiny percentage of its fandom I want to avoid, as well as 30+ years on the series is still— pain. This one is a tragedy folks. However, it also has a beautiful healing love story and touched on a variety of hot button issues that are sadly still relevant today. My love for these two teen characters in a gritty USA will live forever.

  Chihaya and Kagetsuya

I’ve written before how the sci-fi title Earthian was what introduced and endeared respect for m/m comics from Japan for me. The art style of Yun Kouga has changed a bit over the years, nevertheless still stands out from the crowd. And Earthian with a taboo love between androgynous male angels remains my favourite of her work.

Michiru Kaiô and Haruka Tennô

Sailor Moon has become a multimedia sensation and is beloved around the world. Many kids and even adults of all sorts in the 90s will remember it in one form or another and cite it as an influence for pursuing careers in all sorts of creative fields. Along with countless fans recognizing or discovering something of themselves in the characters. There are several different characters for rep in the series. But particularly for me Michiru and Haruka were an opportunity in a very anti-LGBTQ+ climate (their relationship was even refashioned as being cousins when brought out in English for the first time) to nevertheless see such a loving, positive relationship.

Tomoyo Daidôji

Love is a theme the creative team CLAMP revisits and revisits and Cardcaptor Sakura is the magical girl comic series with a theme on all different forms. It is one of the first all ages titles from Japan that I will recommend to people. (Despite fyi containing a whopping four student-teacher relationships. Not the purpose of this post to go into right now though.) The best friend to Sakura, Tomoyo is one of my favourite characters. Always supportive, maybe a bit alarming popping out of bushes or other spots with her camera at the ready to catch either Sakura’s everyday life or battles, and possessing boundless fashion sense. (Btw, there are other characters in the series that are or could be interpreted as examples for my list as well. Sakura among them.)

  Isabella Yamamoto

Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa, a sequel of sorts to one of the huge girls’ comics titles of the 1990s Gokinjo Monogatari, introduced a group of teenagers on the verge of graduating, some with an idea of what to do with their lives and others questioning the path they’ve so far taken. Isabella from an affluent background but, who struggled for acceptance from her family or nearly anyone until she was gifted a handmade dress by her childhood friend George (who is Bi btw), studies pattern drafting at the same art school as Gokinjo Monogatari. The most mature of the main cast, refined, always listening and offering a cup of tea, she achieves her dream career and self-actualization in fashion. Since I have a degree in fashion design, I have to agree that clothes are so much more than just something we wear.

[problemsofabooknerd]

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Through the Ages edited by Saundra Mitchell (Review)

Pride day 12!

Check out the intro to my Pride project here.

Anthologies have been all the rage in YA for a little while now, and I know that there are many more on the horizon. But All Out is the one that means the most to me, and the one I have loved the most out of the many I have read. It is a collection of stories all about queer teens living, loving, and being happy, written by a variety of queer authors. I figured today I would share my full, detailed review of the book, and encourage all of you to pick up a copy of your own!

For those of you who don't know, I have been anticipating All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Through the Ages since the very first Publisher's Weekly announcement almost two years ago. Since that time, I have read more books by more of these authors, worked shortly for the agency that represents many of them, and generally fallen into a rabbit hole of anticipation that I can't believe I've finally pulled myself out of. It has been a long journey. And now I'm thrilled to talk more about each of these stories and my overall thoughts on this collection. ♡Story Reviews♡ ♡ Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore: 4/5 This was a brilliant start to the collection, and only solidified the love I have for Anna-Marie McLemore's writing. There is something so fierce and unyielding about her characters, and even in a few pages she was able to craft a deeply moving story full of characters and a world I instantly understood. I really appreciated her writer's note giving more context to the story, but overall I felt fully absorbed in the collection from page one. ♡The Sweet Trade by Natalie C. Parker: 2.5/5 In concept, this is brilliant. Two women run away from their husbands on the day of their weddings, steal boats, and happen to run into and fall for each other. However, in execution, I wasn't as big a fan. The story felt rushed, the romance uncompelling, and I was already forgetting it by the time it was over. ♡And They Don't Kiss at The End by Nilah McGruder: 3.5/5 I love stories set in the 70s, and this definitely delivered on that aesthetic element. The main character was sweet and I really liked the inclusion of a story with a character on the ace spectrum. It was a really nice story with a great setting, and I will 100% be on the lookout for more of Nilah's work. ♡Burnt Umber by Mackenzi Lee: 4/5 McKenzi Lee sure does know how to make me fall for an m/m pairing. This was hysterical and adorable, and without a doubt delivered on what I was expecting from this author. While I didn't love Gentleman's Guide, this renewed my confidence in Lee's writing and hyped me up for her book coming out in 2019. Seriously, blushing art boys falling in love softly with little bits of embarrassment thrown in? Exactly my cup of tea. ♡The Dresser and the Chambermaid by Robin Talley: 4/5 I will be the first to admit I have a huge weakness for palace drama, and I'm so glad at least one story in this collection gave it to me. While I have had my bouts in the past with queer characters in period palace shows and movies, this was finally what I've been looking for. The romance wasn't rushed, and the setting was excellent. I'm thinking I may have a particular fondness for Robin Talley when she writes shorter fiction, and I can't wait to read her story in Toil & Trouble after enjoying this as much as I did. ♡New Year by Malinda Lo: 3.5/5 So it turns out this is only part of what will be a full book by Malinda, which I suspected based on the summary of her next release, and I think that showed in the story itself. While it was nice, and I loved the setting of 1950s San Francisco, it felt incomplete and I'm excited to eventually read a deeper, more fleshed out version. ♡Molly's Lips by Dahlia Adler: 4.5/5 This was (I think?) the shortest story in the collection, but it absolutely blew me away. I mean.... Kurt Cobain? Best friends harboring secret crushes? Drama? I live for it all, and I can't believe this is the only thing I have ever read by Dahlia. My new goal is to read more of her work as soon as possible. ♡The Coven by Kate Scelsa: 3/5 I kind of expected more out of this story considering it was set in the 1920s, one of my favorite time periods to read about. I did love the witch element, and the setting, but it fell flat considering how many of my favorite things it was trying to deliver simultaneously. I will say I liked the very end of the story the best, though, and I think it made the whole thing feel like it had a solid landing. ♡Every Shade of Red by Elliot Wake: 3/5 Oh, how I have tried to love Elliot Wake. His writing is very, very flowery and metaphorical, which was something I knew back when I read Black Iris. But while I know a lot of people love his writing style, it ends up being sort of a slog for me to get through. The story underneath heavy-handed writing was fantastic, though. I love a good retelling, and a m/m retelling of Robin Hood with a trans Robin as the love interest was just a fantastic concept. ♡Willows by Scott Tracey: 2/5 I'll be honest, I don't have a very full idea of what happened in this story or what the particular queer rep even was. I think it was possibly going for a gender fluid or non-binary main character, but the entire thing was unnecessarily confusing. ♡The Girl With the Blue Lantern by Tess Sharpe: 4/5 Can I get a "hell yeah!" for prairie vibes, bringing it back to the historical fiction I consumed constantly as a kid? Honestly, this was fantastic. Clearly I was a fan of the setting, and the fantastical element was really well done. I'm usually not a fan of anthologies that aren't fantasy having stories with fantasy elements, but I loved this. The f/f romance was great, the writing was solid, and this is a story I would love to return to in the future. ♡The Secret Life of a Teenage Boy by Alex Sanchez: 4.5/5 I can't even fully describe why I love this story as much as I do, but even after just a few pages with the main character I got a little teary at the end? I do love the setting of a scorching porch in the summer and a stranger just wandering through who happens to catch the eye of a main character. I mean, I know that's a specific trope, but I love it. This wasn't a romance so much as a romance-to-aid-coming-of-age-narrative situation, but it was soft and quick and it just made me smile. ♡Walking After Midnight by Kody Keplinger: 2.5/5 I'll be honest, I had to flip back to this story later because I completely forgot what it was about, and that is the biggest problem. The romance doesn't feel earned, and the entire thing is just sort of a there-and-gone situation that I at no point felt particularly invested in. ♡The End of the World As We Know It by Sara Farizan: 3/5 First and foremost, I'm not that old so it was weird to read about a date I remember experiencing in a historical fiction collection? I mean, I was at a New Year's Eve party in December 1999. I know what that was like. But beyond that, I thought this story was nice. It didn't blow me away, but it was sweet and I did really like the New Year's Eve element. ♡Three Witches by Tessa Gratton: 3.5/5 I've upped my rating by half a star since I read this! There are multiple f/f witch stories in this collection, but I think this one is a bit stronger. The romance was wonderful, and I thought the magic was really off-kilter in a way that charmed me. I think the final POV kind of unsettled the rhythm of the story, but overall it was super enjoyable. ♡The Inferno & The Butterfly by Shaun David Hutchinson: 5/5 My absolute favorite story in this collection. As someone who lovesThe Prestige more than I would care to admit, the fact that SDH made it gay is??? Overwhelming??? I can't believe it?? I mean, battling magicians is great, but put a m/m romance at the center of it and my heart is completely yours. I want this to be a full novel. I would cry. ♡Healing Rosa by Tehlor Kay Mejia: 4.5/5 An incredibly solid conclusion to this collection, and it blows me away that Tehlor doesn't have a novel out yet. I know one is coming soon (and!! she's writing one with Anna-Marie McLemore!! I'm not even kind of ready wow!), but I'm anticipating it even more highly after this story. There was so much work done here that it felt like I got the content of a full book in only a few pages. It was profoundly emotional, and there is a deep connection to family and tradition, with this through-line of respect and romance that pulls the whole thing together. Overall, fantastic. ♡Overall Thoughts♡ Like any anthology, I would say this had its ups and downs, but it was a really solid collection that allowed me to read some incredible stories by authors I already love, and some by authors I can't wait to read more from. I do wish, like many other reviewers, that more stories would have been set outside the United States and Europe? I think it would have offered a greater variety in storytelling and really opened up the potential to see so many more stories of queer teens. But beyond that, I really had no complaints, and I feel like my months and months of anticipation were met with a beautiful collection of queer characters living their lives throughout time.

And that’s it for my review! Check out some of my other favorite reviews of this anthology by Elise, Kav, and Destiny. Also, add this book on Goodreads or purchase a copy of your own. Also, bear with me for the next couple of days of posts because I am about to get on an international flight to Australia, so I might be a tiiiiny bit scattered.