#but only for the modern theme...

[dravidious]

You're more amazing than lineart

You're more amazing than tag blocking

[javussyannihilator]

anyway. javert is a good person with pretty average morals for his time period, who tried his best and worked his ass off despite the odds stacked against him from literal birth, all while never receiving a shred of affection or compassion and struggling to be the one halfway decent person surrounded by the flip and corrupt. and he cared so little for his own life that his idea of punishing himself for his mistakes was to end it, in a death so tragic hugo took it from his own daughter’s demise. there is nothing evil or amoral about javert; he’s honestly just a guy doing his best in a system designed to make everyone fail, and he doesn’t even realize it until it’s far too late.

[lunarharp]

uhh another modern au agott follow-up. They've gotten progressively sillier

[whetstonefires]

#4 please !

Now see this could be tricky, because generally if I don't get some key elements written down very quickly the idea flows away again and the 'yet' disappears, even if I remember generally what it was about, but I have one this time! I am still just enough plagued by this vision that it's not out of the question I'll go for the capture, but so far nada.

Idea was basically a Jiang family character study by way of modern au. (So tw canonical abuse.) I started from the reflection, in a modern au very high chance the Jiangs are divorced, because being a divorcee wouldn't necessarily ruin Yu Ziyuan in the modern world, as long as she was allowed to control the narrative enough that she didn’t look at fault, so it might be on the table.

Especially because modern views on child abuse are such that while she'd hold back more than she already does in terms of physical chastisement, Jiang Fengmian would also be under less societal pressure to not interfere in her disciplinary system too much, and both these factors mean he’s more likely to put his foot down.

So, concept: Jiang Fengmian, when his son is eight and his daughter thirteen, forces the issue of taking in his best friends' abused orphan child whom he’s just managed to track down in a nightmarish group home, probably leveraging the fact that wherever their money comes from it's mostly his, something he usually doesn't do, but she has always known he could, and been fucked up about it (reasonable) and hated him a little (less so) and hates him so much more now (understandable but still fucked up).

They were obviously still both pressured into this marriage by their families, because I literally cannot imagine them choosing one another of their own free will, and if they did that would be an au in an even more dramatic way than being modern, and no longer work as a character or relationship study as far as I'm concerned. I mean or it’s a cql-based au, but that’s not the version of this toxic marriage I find compelling.

Situation subsequently deteriorates to the point that when the boys are around twelve some outside party observes and is repulsed or otherwise upset by Yu Ziyuan's treatment of Wei Wuxian specifically--she's emotionally abusive to everyone in the family, canonically, and it harms Jiang Cheng significantly more than Wei Wuxian, which I think is also pretty explicit on the page, but she's more openly antagonistic about going after wwx because he's basically a proxy for her husband, whom she doesn't consider to be someone she's capable of harming.

And ofc in a modern family scenario, being abusive to your foster kid is more plainly personal misconduct than being unfair in how you discipline one of your husband's many students, even if it is his favorite. Which means she's very unlikely to chase him around with a whip, but whatever she does do will sting that much more emotionally.

Anyway the outside judgement provokes a more explicit confrontation than the last four years of maneuver and attempting to balance all the competing needs according to two very different standards. And the upshot is that by the time wwx is 13, the Jiangs are divorced. To avoid making a humiliating spectacle of themselves they present a weirdly united front in court and have a very smooth uncontested proceding, although the closed meetings with their respective lawyers involved a lot of vitriol.

Yu Ziyuan, despite having a smallish trust fund and probably a job of some kind, though one that's more prestigious than profitable like uh. Olympic fencing coach. Idk what they make but it's probably not enormous. She and Cangse Sanren probably competed in the same events back in the day.

Anyway she gets a solid chunk of alimony, the house, and primary custody of both her children, although Jiang Yanli is almost 18 at this point so mostly she just gets Jiang Cheng. Everyone thinks Jiang Cheng wants it that way, including sort of Jiang Cheng; he has this idea that if he has his mom to himself they'll finally have a good relationship, even though he's also terrified of being left all alone with her. He's complicated. Families are complicated.

Also she would never have forgiven him if he hadn't concurred that he wanted to stay with his mother because she was the only one On His Side.

Jiang Yanli ofc does not move out right away when she comes of age, in part because her brother needs her, but she probably does go to college, so she's only around part-time.

Jiang Fengmian, meanwhile, keeps most of his financial assets and Wei Wuxian, and gets his kids on the weekends.

So that's all setup for how you have this situation where Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng are entering high school--probably the same school, together, but no longer sharing the commute except maybe Monday mornings--and Wei Wuxian's primary residence is Jiang Cheng's dad's apartment.

It’s really chill. They get a cleaning service in once a week and eat a lot of delivery food, but they do cook at least once a week. The canonical thing where they largely agree about what’s funny and what’s right-or-wrong, and so forth, on the one hand really pops when there’s mostly no external conflict disrupting it, but also probably gains more complexity now that it’s not a thread of positivity fighting for its life against a background of drama. They get to know each other better than they ever had a chance to in canon.

Some of that isn't all that positive, because now they have the space to discover the places where they do actually have the capacity for friction, but both of them are very good at dispersing tension (I do tend to suspect jfm's dad was abusive he sure acts like it), and on the whole it's a good thing.

Jiang Cheng is going to have such a mental health crisis, and Jiang Fengmian is going to handle it so badly. Because of course when his son starts replicating his ex-wife's toxic attitudes and behaviors more now that she has primary custody, he’s going to feel guilty and like it’s His Fault, but he’s going to feel like it’s his fault that Jiang Cheng is growing up to be a shitty abusive person.

And even if he’d never say that the subtext would come through, in the assumptions he made when framing communications and so forth, as in canon, so the thing where Jiang Cheng’s father loves Wei Wuxian more than him, or at any rate likes him better and thinks he’s a better person and prefers his company, would wind up feeding into a self-reinforcing loop.

(Jin Zixuan's nasty public remark about Jiang Fengmian treating Wei Wuxian better than his own children hits Jiang Cheng significantly harder in this scenario, where he's being Tormented by the feeling that all his peers know his dad walked out on him for another son. Wei Wuxian's punch is therefore even more clearly primarily for Jiang Cheng's sake, although Jiang Cheng is probably more inclined to see it as being for his dad's. Jin Zixuan is about halfway between the Jiang kids' ages here, so he's a senior saying this shit to a sophomore.)

So that cycle builds to the point where Jiang Cheng would eventually have one of those rare moments where he resorts to actual violence, because his poisoned feelings are choking him so bad his rationality deserts him.

He’s not going to be nearly as close to actually murdering Wei Wuxian as he was in canon the night the Jiang Sect was massacred, because it’s a less extreme situation, but he still goes for the neck. So Jiang Fengmian is in his home office one Saturday about a year and a half into this new normal, and realizes the boys are fighting. He hears through the wall the accusation you stole my dad. He says to himself, well that’s terrible but interjecting myself into this situation would definitely make it worse.

Then he hears sounds of violence, and then an ominous abrupt silence, and updates that analysis.

And when he opens the door to the boys’ room, Wei Wuxian is being strangled. He’s not really resisting, which is because he’s made the call that that’s way more likely to get Jiang Cheng to snap out of it, and thinks it might make Jiang Cheng feel better to get it out of his system (because he does sort of feel like what Jiang Cheng is going through is all his fault, or at any rate is much worse as a result of decisions made for his sake) and is severely underestimating the dangers of choking, but looks to a third party like he’s already passed out and Jiang Cheng is still at it. Which is to say, it looks like a serious murder attempt on the brink of success.

So that sure made that situation worse!

So yeah that's my idea that I probably won't write but it sure has its teeth in me.

[steddieunderdogfics]

Strawberry Fields by ParadimeShifts

@paradimeshifts7

Rating: Explicit

19,219 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: Anchorman Steve, Cameraman Eddie, Modern AU, Rom com vibes, Enemies to Lovers, Top Steve Harrington, Bottom Eddie Munson, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, in the vein of sick care, Only One Bed, Rough Sex, Spit As Lube, lube as lube, sometimes home is a person, Light BDSM, Blow Jobs

Summary:

“No,” Steve had said three days prior. “Literally anyone else.” ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆ So close to earning his Emmy and the life he's always wanted, Steve sets off with a cameraman to the tiny town of Mt. Harding, hoping to catch a glimpse of a winter solstice phenomenon held secret by locals. It’s not exactly the gig he’s always dreamed of, but he’ll make it work. The only problem is that he has to do it with Eddie Munson.

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Theme Weekend. The theme this weekend is Only One Bed.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[bvckbiter]

me going into the rr crit tag lately: perhaps you would be happier writing your own books

[andresylupin]

maybe i've subconsciously pushed back against "The Teeth of the Tiger" because it's the one novel where you have to reconcile with the fact that, well:

[born-to-seek-and-destroy]

Right slight ick I have is when someone makes a character themed playlist and it's like a character from say the 1930s and there's TAYLOR FUCKING SWIFT

(no hate to Taylor Swift or anything it just an example)

like dude is from the 1930s what is connan gray, taylor Swift, tears for fears and Rihanna doing here like?!?!?!?

(Again no hate to these artists love them)

Get the Andrew sisters or the ink spots

Get songs like "its been a long, long time" and "dream a little dream of me" on these playlists PLEASE!

(This defo didn't happen because I found a Theseus Scamander playlist with only modern songs on it like the oldest was from the 70s)

[problemswithbooks]

The 6 chapter epilogue moves to 'end' the Tododrama this chapter leaving a divided fandom...

For me I think that given the story the Todorokis have had up to this point it both makes sense and is the best we could have hoped for. I'm not one hundred percent happy with it, but I defiantly don't view as negatively as a lot of people seem to.

First off Touya dying makes sense and this is perhaps harsh but I hope he does. People theorizing that the mysterious Tenko like figure is Shigaraki and he will heal him and the rest of the LoV with his restored Overhaul powers is insane to me. With only four chapters left idk how that would even be covered or concluded, since even if they were healed they would all still be put in prison--it wouldn't erase the fact Touya killed 30 innocent people by his own omission. So, how Hori would cover that kind of plot in a cohesive way in four chapters is beyond me. It's pretty much people wanting a worse story because they want their favorite character to live.

Also, I'm a bit frustrated that yet again people are acting like Enji should die instead and making wild accusations based on nothing. Namely that Touya dying supposedly soonish negates Enji saying he'll watch him and his death will let him off the hook so to speak.

Enji has shown that he really loves Touya and feels immense guilt and rightful responsibility for how he treated him and his the rest of the family. Touya dying doesn't suddenly heal his permanently crippled body or give him back his Hero job. It will only make him feel worse. Also it's not as if once Touya is gone he'll ignore the rest of his family either. He still owes them as well, and will probably try to help them in whatever way he possibly can.

People acting as if Touya's death will free him or that afterwards he'll go on with his life completely happy and forgetting about him is just not in any way accurate to what we've seen of his character.

The other thing I've seen floating around is the idea that if Enji had been killed off during the first PLF War, Shoto would have saved Touya and the family would have been happy in the end. I don't think that's true. I will admit I'm bias because I like Enji and I'm not a fan of Touya, but given how Hori seems to have delt with the LoV and villains in general (unless he pulls a 180 and heals them last min) I think Touya was always meant to end up dying slowly in a hospital or get some other bittersweet ending.

BNHA is not grimdark by any means but it is not the idealistic manga of the past like Naruto. Hori punishes characters that make bad choices no matter how understandable or even shitty the choices they had were. Aoyama, despite helping defeat Afo, being a child and under the threat of death to him and his family, still drops out of UA because he feels he still has to earn his place there. Bakugou dies and his heart and hand will never be the same, while also having to deal with the guilt of Izuku loosing his Quirk (if that sticks). Enji, even though trying to change and atone for most of the Manga's run is still left permanently crippled, the job that meant everything to him, lost, his legacy gone.

For Touya who killed so many people without care, only to get back and his father. Who plotted to kill his little brother despite knowing he was abused. Not caring if his plans got his other innocent family members killed. After everything we've seen with other characters who did far less wrong and tried hard to amend those mistakes getting harsh consequences, I doubt it was ever the plan to have Touya sitting at the table with his family eating his favorite food with a smile, regardless of Enji being alive or not. To suggest that Hori only had Shoto fail because Hori needed Enji to be involved just isn't true. If Hori wanted to give Touya a happy ending he would have--many fans have already come up with how that could have happened even with Enji still alive.

The only criticism I agree with is Rei's ending. You can defiantly read how she wheels Enji around and answers his phone as them being back together or in the very least her becoming his caretaker. Now, That might not be the case--she could just doing those things because they were both going to see Touya and she's just helping him out that day, while they actually live separately, with Enji having a paid home assistant that couldn't or wouldn't go with him to see Touya (because of the stigma or visiting regulations). The issue is that we just don't know for sure and Rei has been shafted pretty badly.

That said, I wasn't expecting much from/for her anyway. I think getting a little blurb about what she was doing like Natsuo and Fuyumi did would have helped, but I sort of doubt Hori had any idea what to do with her character outside being Enji's abused wife and Shoto's mom. With him rushing to get these last chapters out I'm not shocked he just stuck her in the background, especially when Enji and Shoto as secondary characters needed the screen time.

[moonilit]

@danaan13 BUT Why not yhjfh he was picking her up to Andy’s show because Aerith got them tickets for their double date

[alukaforyou]

oh is that a painting of a lady in a wedding dress 😮 say less say less say less

[m1ckeyb3rry]

me sitting down to write a diabolical and soul-crushing story vs nagi going “i no no wanna :’(” about every plot idea i have

[steddieunderdogfics]

Another rec for the only one bed event! "Home(ville) for the Holidays" by ItCanBePalped

Home(ville) for the Holidays by ItCanBePalped

Rating: Explicit

10,087 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: background buckingham, Strangers to Lovers, First Meetings, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Gay Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Christmas, Ghosts, Possession, but it’s more meant to be funny, the gang may or may not be in the background of a hallmark movie, There Was Only One Bed, Sharing a Bed, First Kiss, Dry Humping, Coming In Pants, Virgin Eddie Munson, Bottom Eddie Munson, Top Steve Harrington

Summary:

It’s really great of Chrissy to drag Eddie along on her and Robin’s romantic getaway like he’s their errant child, and it’s only made better when he learns he’ll finally meet the elusive Steve that Robin is always going on about. First impressions deceive, but there’s more to the cozy hamlet than meets the eye. - Mads’ super fancy extra special fever dream mashup of convoluted ideas, fresh out of the oven!

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Theme Weekend. The theme this weekend is Only One Bed.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[margaretkart]

We need less retallings of Greek mythology and more accurate depiction of Aristophanes. People are sleeping on him big time.

Also it's such a travesty that Ovid is the go to inspiration for girlbosses in ancient Greece when Aristophanes has the women of Athens taking over the city and instating comunism 2 milenia before Marx; women ending a war with a sex strike and a secret society of women that plots to murder the guy who keeps portraying women in a sexist way.

Aristophanes my beloved:')

Him, Euripides etc. as well people are ignoring them a lot even though they have ton of literature that's worth reading.

I will say that Ovid only changed Medusa's story and didn't think that it would be such a popular character in the future. From what i remember he kept the other myths exactly as they are in the Greek myths, but for his personal reasons changed only ONE. The issue is more complex with how modern audience treats these myths and unfortunately her story was TOO glorified.

But yeah please guys there are more ancient Greek authors to read besides Homer. Complex characters, drama, tragedy, spice it has them all that jazz.

[un-pearable]

question: is the new Sonic Generations worth the price tag?

honestly i absolutely think so and i am notoriously apathetic about shadow. sonic gens is basically the same except for some fun dialogue changes, and i honestly was happy to spend the money just to be able to play sonic gens on my playstation, but the shadow levels are so much fun (despite the fact i generally suck at games) and are insanely cool to see. good level design beats the fact shadows overhyped for me . im having SO much fun

[vincentsleftear]

once in a while I wake up in a cold sweat remembering that Mary Shelley dedicated Frankenstein to HER FATHER