#genuinely some of my favourite chapters both for plot reasons and Plot reasons

[thawthebeez]

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS

WHAT IS HE, GAY? A HOMO?? YOUR ASS IS ABOUT TO RIP OFF A KILLER SERVE AND ALL YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IS MEN?

the commentators literally just talked about how you pulled off 5 service aces against France at worlds and you're out here thinking about HINATA SHOUYOU? AND FOR WHAT? THERE ARE 5 OTHER PEOPLE ON THAT SIDE OF THE COURT DUMBASS

[erasurecloud]

It’s honestly very fair that you didn’t like the ending conclusion for the Todofam, not everyone was going to be happy with this ending!

To be honest I have seen a variation of feelings some people loved it, some hated it, some were neutral and then there’s peeps like me who are completely perplexed on how they feel about it! Like there were things I liked about the chapter and then things I despised about it!

Personally, I really loved finding out that Touya shares the same food love for Cold Soba as Shouto, and I loved Touya apologising to him(even though Shouto didn’t hear it). The food was one of my favourite things as I was awaiting to finding out what Touya liked, so that made me happy 😊! I won’t lie to you I did like the fact that Natsuo stuck to his guns, and choose the path he chose because I wanted a variation of reaction when it came to forgiveness or non-forgiveness. I greatly appreciated that as I relate to Natsuo, but I also love that he was able to also compliment Enji despite his feelings towards his father. I also never really expected the family to be whole again, but I did expect something happier than what we got(which wasn’t really happy 🙃). Now this is something I both loved and hated - Enji’s retirement! I’m sorry 😔 but I was genuinely happy to see that he retired, and he stated he was wanting to do that after the war anyways but what hated was him being disabled for it….. I mean I don’t know how to word this part but I would have preferred for it to 100% be his choice if you catch my drift 😅 I can’t find the right words I apologise! Like it was obviously his choice to do so, but I can’t help but feel like a bit…unsure!

Now, for what I hated well the biggest thing I hated here was Touya having to slowly die, like what the fuck?! What was the point of…..EVERYTHING! What was the point of having the whole family rushing in to stop Touya and Enji burning to death if Touya was just going to die anyways? What was the point of Shouto creating a move to stop Touya without killing him if you were going to kill Touya anyways? This whole situation feels like a pointless journey of little gain mostly pain, like they basically went through that to basically still lose Touya in the end anyways! I mean at least they get to watch him slowly die this time right?! 🤡 pure pain! I think the only positive thing about this Todofam conclusion is that Shouto and Touya like Soba! (And that Touya still gives mean haircuts)

I do agree with that anon I didn’t really feel like Fuyumi & Shouto were cutting contact too, only Natsuo but at the same time…..the open ending doesn’t really shine much of a light on potential healing either(except for maybe him and Rei given it looks like she’s by his side)! Nonetheless, I think the reason I can’t decide on how I feel about their conclusion and am flipping between “it was ok” to “this sucks” is because of its open-ending and rushed nature, I read it and was left with so many thoughts! Like Natsuo didn’t speak a whiff to Touya, the brother he is supposedly closest to so it is like how was he feeling? His thoughts there? Is he cutting contact with Touya too? We’re also left with questions about Shouto and his feelings, like we know that Shouto was open to a potential relationship with Enji. He was unsure if he could ever forgive him but wanted to see what type of father Enji could be. The fact that we’re left with unsure feelings about his feelings on his father bother me, like has he forgiven his father? His thoughts on his atonement and promise to keep atoning? His response to his father’s apology? He fainted during that apology but it’s never touched upon again, and I don’t know where we stand with his relationship with Enji! Like yeah I guess with it being open ended we can interpret that their relationship healed(or not depending on how you feel) but I don’t know I felt like it was something that should have been touched upon in the conclusion given it was one of the major plot points in their arcs! And like yes ok Shouto does very rarely call Enji “Dad” so I guess that should hint to their relationship potential healing but still….I needed more! I feel I also upset myself with this ending because I had already pictured what I thought was going to be the Todoroki family conclusion 🥴 talk about kicking myself in the ass!

This ask is so long and rambly I love it this is exactly how my brain works. Anyway, I see where you're coming from!! I think that leaving the Todorokis ending so open was a huge mistake on Horikoshi's part and I think it takes away from their characters as well. I think I could accept Natsuo sticking to his decision to cut Enji out of his life if the rest wasn't so bad also.

I don't think I'd've minded Enji's retirement if it was portrayed as him choosing to step down of his own volition rather than him being crippled and forced to step down. The entire ending felt like nothing more than a punishment and that doesn't sit right with me, considering his entire arc has been about atonement. How are you going to write an atonement arc only for, in the last few pages, decide none of it mattered? Why write an incredibly complex character like Enji if you're only going to rip him apart and make everything he tried to do meaningless? Is that the message here? That no matter how badly you want to right your wrongdoings, it doesn't matter? The past will always dictate what happens in the future? Sorry but I don't buy it.

As for Touya dying? What kind of sadistic crap was that? I've heard lots of people say that of course he would die, he had to die, etc, etc.

My question is why? Why did Touya have to die after everything he went through? After all his family went through? He only wanted to be seen, to be recognized by his family after he thought he was forgotten. Then over the next several months he's forced to look at the broken remains of whatever members of his family decided to visit him? I absolutely hate it. And yes, I realize this may come across sounding extremley self-indulgent but I don't paticularly care.

If I were to write Touya's ending again, I'd utilize Eri and the quirk-erasing pills. Touya's quirk was his Achilles heel from the moment he was born and it robbed him of a happy life. It nearly killed him time and time again. Rewind Touya's body to a state where he could survive and take away his blueflame. I think that makes the most sense- losing his quirk after committing the crimes he did? (assuming here we aren't letting him rot in jail his entire life because honestly, how is that any different than what we got?)

But give him a second chance. A real chance. Give all the Todorokis an actual chance to be a family. Even if they aren't super close- even if Enji and Natsuo's relationship were to never fully recover, let me see the two of them interacting with a mutual understanding of one another. I want a scene of Enji listening, really listening to what Touya has to say. I want Rei and Enji to see him the way he always wanted them to and I want Touya to understand that his parents never abandoned him. I want Fuyumi to have her family back and I want Shouto to know the family he was kept away from ever since he was 5 years old.

After spending 10 years with this family, watching this family try its hardest to find one another after the tragedy of Touya's first death, it absolutely kills me that the last time we see them they're once again, splitting apart while Touya dies.

[capcavan]

7, 9, and 11 for your tag game 💜

nah love i need you to answer all of them but yeha only fair i do mine to lul

What is your favourite character in the Foxes? I don't really have favourite there i think Neil will be my favourite in future right now it's Renee

And favourite in the series aside form this one? I will let you guess

Drop your beloved head-canons about both! Renee does not in fact believe in god she participated in Christianity for sense of community it gives her, Riko is deathly allergic to peanuts and wishes he was born a girl but not in the trans way. He just know his life would be better if he wasn't a man. I also feel very strongly about him having adhd/bipolar .

Fic(s) you are always happy to recommend or fic tropes you will always read. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12283962/chapters/27922614#workskin Little Boy blue , I generally can be baited into reading any fic where riko is treated with bit more nuance than flat line Disney villain. I adore extreme hurt with happy ending

Which of the books is your favourite The foxhole court i enjoyed this story much more without seeing it's full development also loved Kevin much more before he was pushed aside, my first idea of what this story would be was much different .

Opinions on AFTG audiobook release? Worth a listen juts to laugh at girls voices , but i adore Renees soft tone in it, I think it,s main reason I adore her sm actually.

If you write/draw/create aftg stuff, what is your favourite work of yours?

i adore this fan art a lot bc it,s funny light hearted has clever joke that references rikos obsession with court numbers and has fox jean and riko on it + riko kind of looks like girl here and i think it's very hot look on him

welp the numbers got fucked

Favourite event/plot point in the books Foxes reaction to seths death and seth death, it set really god tone for rest of the story and was the only event that genuinely surprised me bc i did not expected anyone from hero team to drop dead

Least favourite part of canon (can include Extra content) The fact that both foxes and ravens are groups of abused individuals but one word ,, mafia" is enough to put blame for all bat things on riko only even though he was pawn to his caretaker the way she wrote jeans abuse list it feels excessively edgy for sake of begin edgy i find nothing deep or sad about this i can also write down random list of numbers and attach to it words like rape and broken bones

If you could sent Nora an ask and get answer, what would you ask about? i wouldn't ask about anything bc her giving me answer i'm not looking for would feel bad

If you could make an idea of your choice canon to aftg, what would it be? I'd have a riko make a joke about how foxes should be in prison by now considering they are dressed the part (orange) (and most of them broke the law) id also replace neils car lighter burns with something else bc they are annoying to draw

Feel free to share some random hot takes if you like Andrew "murdering" their abusive mother is creepy as fuck and her being abuser or him only teenager with not fully developed brain is not really making this any less creepy and i enjoy his character because of this I don't mind aaron being homophobic , i'm cool with those character being murderers abusers and bigots , it's fictional characters they had not hurt anyone in real life so i don't really care about their fictional flaws and enjoy interacting with their content all the same I don't like only one of the foxes and i don't think this fox should be part of this team i don't really care about story and whatever, it's my personal bias so discussing it deeper makes no sense unless you want to unpack my past and all people who lead me to feel that way rlly

[ceo-of-sloppy-men]

CEO’s start of 2023 list of top 5 favourite games

The outer worlds

Disco Elysium

Rdr2

Horizon Zero Dawn

Mass effect andromeda

Now here’s why (in my opinion) you should play them…

Tow: do you like taking down the government? Do you like weirdly eccentric old men? Are you a fan of games that don’t have romance routes and instead focus on well rounded characters? Do you like fantastic game design that makes you forget you’re in a hell-hole? Then this game is for you! I fell in love with its art style and its well written characters where every choice matters and no npc is essential. You could literally kill everyone and still complete the game to some capacity. You can even be evil and side with the bad guys! It had a lot of replay ability.

DE: do you hate when games leave too many strings loose? Play this game. Sure, I could pitch middle age disaster detectives to you six ways to Sunday but the fact the story actually makes sense and wraps up neatly is far more important to me. It’s world building is well thought out and with every playthrough you experience the game differently. Even if you think you know what you’re doing, it just means your wandering can be dedicated to figuring out and finding new things.

Rdr2: fantastic writing, fantastic plot, fantastic world building. The only reason it isn’t higher is it caused me so much emotional pain I took actual psychic damage and now the protagonist lives rent free in my head. You could legit stop at any of the chapters and spend a considerable amount of time hunting, fishing and exploring and still feel unfamiliar with the map. It is expansive to the point that it feels comforting. Like you’re actually a cowboy out in the Wild West.

Horizon zero Dawn: the actual reason I’m buying a ps5 after my current semester. This game was so good it made me cave and buy a console so I can play the second one. The world building is to die for, the characters are so well rounded, and the protagonist is genuinely a strong female lead who isn’t objectified, or forced into a romance to further the plot. It had me on the edge of my seat every step of the way because even though I went in knowing a bit too much of the lore I needed to experience it for myself. I got invested hard.

ME:A: a lot of people would dispute me for this, and that’s okay. It’s not going to be everyone’s favourite and its actually tied in my mind for fallout 4. But fallout 4 doesn’t need an advocate, just go play it. ME:A is not a game you play if you’re looking for a good plot, there are holes and there are disappointments. However it is a game for a satisfying ending, the ability to continue to play the game after the ending (and not just reboot a save file I’m talking actual post-ending gameplay). It’s graphics are… acceptable but not great by any means when it comes to people. But it makes up for it in world building - both physically and textually. It has a very heavy found family aspect.

I hope this helped someone find their next game!

[socially-awkward-skeleton]

ooooooh can i get director's commentary on animal in me? (and if you wouldn't mind talking a little bit about ch4 specifically? I really liked that chapter because it really enforced the sheer gravity of what's going on in hope county, and I'd really like to hear your thoughts behind writing that chapter :)c)

I figured you meant "Howling at the Moon" when you said Ch. 4 ;) I'm so glad you really liked that one

So "Animal in Me" is of course the FC5 werewolf au that was always bound to happen. Werewolves are my favourite horror creature and of course there is a giant mountain man who is obsessed with wolves in game (I am a simple woman, when I see the low hanging fruit, I pick it) Anyways, this is my self-indulgent fic to the extreme including many of the time honored tropes of some of my fave werewolf movies, plus things that just make me genuinely happy to write and read (plus also playing with the ideas of A/B/O which I have never written before so fun experiment for me).

Generally when it comes to writing, I am a pantser and it was only in the process of editing that chapter that I realized I'd forgotten to add any plot threads about Dutch and Eli after having just introduced them a chapter previously (I was getting very sucked into my OT3 lol) and so adding in the pack being hunted and the mutation with silver bullets was an idea that sprung to mind in the shower that just needed to be written.

I have never been fond of silver bullets meaning instant death for werewolves, I think it’s an easy way of ending a story and I like the body horror imagery of being stuck between human and animal so I added in the silver having a mutating effect for the wolves in this case. I also didn’t want Jacob and the Seeds to be the only problem. It was one that I could resolve by having Kit join up with Dutch and Eli and to me that just felt like retelling the game story but with added supernatural elements, I wanted to change things up enough that it really was an AU. I also like the idea of having multiple antagonizing forces coming at Kit from all sides and this was an interesting way, at least for me, to do that.  I think the game did such a good job of making the Seeds sympathetic while still being monsters and I wanted to flavor both sides in that same way for this story. Yes, turning people and having them join your werewolf religion isn’t very nice, but neither is going out and hunting them for sport, which is the big reason why I chose to have a mother and son be the ones to show the effects of the hunters weapons on the wolves. There are always innocents on both sides of the war and of course it will have a big effect on plot points further down the line for Kit.

Kit becoming a werewolf and having two opposing sides to her was always going to be the end game, but I wanted to give her the added threat of someone thinking they are being righteous and good while gunning for her and the men she's fallen for.

[blackbird-brewster]

3, 23, 37, 42!

Thanks for the ask!

3. What are some tropes or details that you think are very characteristic of your fics?

I have a list of core characteristics for each of the main people I write for (Emily, JJ, Tara) that are immutable no matter what the fic is about Emily: Chews her nails, left for London bc JJ married Will, has a blackbird tattoo, always a lesbian JJ: has PTSD, always bisexual, complicated feelings about motherhood, she's always a Brat in the bedroom Tara: Taurus, loves scotch and whiskey, seductive AF, always gotta mention her freckled nose, loves her Opel

Tropes: The concept of home as a metaphor, miscommunication as a plot device, both idiots think the other idiot doesn't feel the same, also for whatever reason JJ is infamous for confessing how she feels by means of spontaneous romantic monologues

23. What’s a trope, AU, or concept you’ve never written, but would like to?

There really aren't a lot of tropes (that I like) I haven't touched on in fic. I did post the first chapter of what would have been a coffee shop AU Jemily fic, but I dunno if I'd ever want to go back to flesh that out more. I just found it in my archives and decided to share it as-is.

37. Promote one of your own “deep cut” fics (an underrated one, or one that never got as much traction as you think it deserves!). What do you like about it?

Oh god, so many! I think the one I wish more people would give some attention to is [Between You & Me]. I know that it's me and about five other people who actively ship Tara/JJ, but GOD THAT FIC IS SOOOOO GOOD. I genuinely feel like if people gave it a chance, they would ship Tara/JJ by the end of it. I think this is the fic I re-read the most, just because there's not a lot of Jara content. But I'm infinitely proud of that fic.

42. Have you ever received a comment that particularly stood out to you for whatever reason?

I've talked about it before, but when I get really nice comments, I screencap them and save them to a folder on my phone called 'I'm Having a Bad Day'. When I feel the imposter syndrome creeping in, or I feel like something I wrote isn't 'good', I look through all of those comments and it really reminds me that no matter what I write, someone out there will always enjoy it.

One of my favourite comments of late was a 500 word intricate analysis on a chapter of [i can't be wrong (to be craving you)]. It genuinely made me cry with utter gratitude that a reader took so much time and energy to leave a comment so meaningful.

Send Me [Fic Writer Asks]

[scover-va]

Generally when you reblog things I feel like I ask for ???/Carla/Chandrelle a lot. So I’m going to switch it up and say Rust for the ask meme

My favourite old man!!! And my favourite, dare I say, babygirl

Favourite thing about them:

His fucking CHAPTER oguhgguughggugh i could talk about him and his experiences for HOURS OGUGHGUGUH. Hi. I am NOT normal about him. Tho genuine, less vague answer is probably just. Like. His personality? Like he is SUCH a good dad and i just wanna see him and Weasel Kid bond post-game yknow??? But also like. His entire life is the wastes, people wanting to kill him and his son around every corner, yet he still tries and avoid violence whenever possible?? I dont know if it's more of a genuine pacifist thing or if he doesnt want his son to experience all this death, but like. I kinda wanna lean towards the second option considering how quickly he resorted to killing and shooting on sight when Rocky wasnt there. And I know thats mainly bc of trauma and determination to get to his kid but. I mean. Shooting Jeremiah in the chest was NOT necessary. Anyways also hes silly and goofy and I love him <3

Least favourite thing about him:

Maybe not about HIM specifically but like. I wish the mind control serum was explored more?? Like it kinda feels like a useless plot. Yes it triggered Carla's hardcore mod, but unless she or Sado were in contact with Reggie and Jeremiah somehow, then that mod could've just...been triggered differently. And like. It's mostly Sado's actions that drive him to that brink of insanity. I cant remember if Jeremiah told him to go to the inn, but the ONLY reason i can see the MC Serum being important is just to get him to the inn. other than that. He joins in on the ritual because he thinks it'll get Rocky back. He's already a player character, he doesnt NEED to be controlled by the player. And also I think the potential of him being the dead body up during Junior's lil assistance section of VG2 is unexplored

Favourite Line:

Not even the full line, but. Mayhap. I quote it all the time. (Full line is something like "Can't fit in there. Someone smaller, mayhap" idk I'm not pulling up the game to find it) Mayhap mayhap mayhap. Hes so silly I love him <3333

brOTP:

Again, I think he and Weasel Kid should have a father-son dynamic, as seen in one of my fics. They both lost what the other is, and I just mmmmm!!!!

OTP:

My number of Rust ships is. Low. Admittedly. But him with Bryce and/or Lazarus <3

nOTP:

Obviously The Hex has like 10 fans, and the number of Rust ships is. Low. But I'm just gonna say the obvious notps; Weasel Kid, Sado, or Rocky. Thank fucking god this fandom is small because weirdos would use Lionel's voice line about never figuring out Rust and Rockys exact bond as an excuse for proshitting. So. Yay small fandom moment <3

Random Headcanon:

I dont know how random BUT while in the Wastes, he's fairly thin and doesn't eat much, only eating up to half of their food rations, often less, saving the rest for Rocky. But he had slight muscle to make up for it, because I'm sure carrying around supplies and a bigass shot gun all day every day + walking all day every day at least builds up SOME muscle. Once he gets to the inn, however, he loses his gun and doesn't walk around too much. After all, the inn is MUCH smaller than the wastes. So, he ends up losing muscle. Not to mention he's probably eating less (especially after the possibility of fully coming to terms with what happened to his son), so. He grows thinner. Though he DOES go down a road of recovery (probably with Bryce's help tbh, knowing how Bryce is) and ends up regaining some body fat! He eventually gets healthy enough that he slowly develops a bit of a dad bod :-) I wanted to draw out this hc but couldn't get the anatomy to look right so I forgot about it, but I am VERY happy I get to ramble about it now <3

Unpopular Opinion:

There are like 2 or 3 other people who talk about Rust enough for ANY sort of 'popular' opinion to form. So. That sucks. Does him being the skeleton in the GameWorks base count? Can I say he's smart just not conventionally smart? Like he can hotwire a car and picked up some German thanks to a certain nuclear sandworm and can aim with perfect accuracy despite having poor vision, but he can't read or do math or write or-

Song I associate with them:

I. Have an entire playlist for him. Whoopsies. ANYWAYS. Grief from The Devil's Carnival (ive never listened to the musical i just found it in a playlist a while back) and Still Here by Digital Daggers. Mostly Grief tho. But like. It's from Sado's perspective about Rust. If that makes sense

Favourite Picture of them:

His steam emoji <33333

It looks even goofier on my phone bc of how blurred it is

[hb-writes]

Hi! I reread your 50sog fic Opportunities again because it's one of my favourites of yours. It may be odd because it's very angsty (and I usually prefer fluff lol), but it's still kind of a comfort fic for me, not sure why. I just think it's really well written and you did a great job depicting their fight and their emotions through it, especially Emma's frustration with her brother's ways. I absolutely love your brother & sister fics, especially the 50sog and Suits ones. Can't wait for more! <3

Hi! Funny timing—I was just looking at the chaptered story for Emma the other day, actually (not writing/ editing—sorry, y'all). I am honestly so glad you've found some comfort in that piece despite the angst. I really see most angst as necessary only to make the fluff/ comfort—even if it's subtle—a bit sweeter (lol). I struggle to make the angsty pieces pure angst, so I think even though they're fighting, some comforting notion seems to bleed through anyway. There was so much going on for both of them in that piece—Emma's obviously frustrated and hurt, but I think the fact that Christian has a genuine reason for acting as he is comes through. He's conflicted about it and a bit defensive about the way he's handling it.

Thinking about that piece—there's definitely a part two in there somewhere. I had intended more for it when originally plotting it out, but at the time couldn't get the last scene I was imagining out of my brain and onto paper in any coherent way. Maybe I'll revisit that at some point, though.

Thanks for sharing your feedback with me! I'm really so pleased to know you've enjoyed Emma's and Charlie's stories. 😊💕

[popjunkie42]

Merry November lovely giftee! 💖

Santa and the elves hope you have had a good week, and have some nice plans over the weekend.

Your gift is really starting to take shape and all of us at Santa’s workshop are so happy that you enjoyed your title reveal and the initial mood board. We should hopefully have a little something ready to send you by the end of this weekend, which we hope you’ll like just as much.

Santa has been pondering, would you like smut in your fic? This Santa is no expert in smut but will happily give it a try if that is something you’d like.

Also as a bit of research (and also partly because Santa is nosey) Santa has been wondering if you would like to share your favourite Feysand moment? What is it about that scene in particular which makes it the best moment in your eyes. 💫

Festive wishes,

Santa ❄️

Hi Santa!! Do you know how much I look forward to your messages? Everytime it’s a spam bot in my inbox instead I get so mad…

So I will never ever say no to some smut. But I also know it can be harrowing to write. I read all Feysand stories either way!

You must know a favorite Feysand moment is impossible but I will try my best to narrow it down!

For whatever reason I love Chapter 5 of ACOFAS, when they are in the townhouse just being lovey and domestic together. I think sometimes romances get really boring and too perfect once the couple has finally gotten together, but I love Feyre and Rhys because they just genuinely enjoy each others company, and are happy adventuring or just having tea together.

I’m insane for everything in ACOTAR from Calanmai to everything UTM. I will try to make a choice and say I love their last meeting when Rhys comes to see her in her cell before Feyre’s last task, because it’s when the mask finally starts to come off and they have an actual conversation. And are almost working/plotting together? And Rhys was so miserable and lonely and just wanted to see her 😭

Ok last one - I love their reunion in ACOWAR after the Spring Court. Because they’ve both been through hell before, but this time they know they are mates and they are together and made their way back to each other. It’s an emotional punch in the gut.

I’ll stop there 😅 I hope you had a great spooky season and are having fun heading into the holidays!

[uris-stanley]

steddie fic recs pls!

YES YES THANK YOU get ready i have a LOT

chelsea by randomascas is a popular one, but for good reason. ft background ronance, tragic eddie backstory and steve being on the brink of death yet again. canon compliant excluding volume 2 (which i suggest we do <3)

the backseat lovers by froggieyama doesnt have a plot, but god does it describe their love in such a beautiful, lovely way

whole lotta love by @stereobone is such a quintessential steddie fic. steve and eddie are dating. steve does not realise they're dating. i love my bi himbo king. (this one is explicit, but honestly i don't think the sex is all that graphic and it is just one part, so read at your own discretion)

you got me running like a hurricane by @anniebibananie is the ultimate fix it, in which eddie doesn't actually 100% die in the upside down and instead finds his soul tethered to steve. basically. this one's very sweet, whilst also having a tiny bit of angst to make you go "ouch"

keep me in your glow by birthdaycandles ( @steveharrington ) is very nice. eddie helps take care of steve post volume 1, which apparently includes doing steve's skincare because of course it does. they're so cute

we're just kids in the dark by fagurfiskur ( @perlukafarinn ) is the fruity four sleepover fic of my dreams. nancy brings tequila, eddie brings pot, steve gets his hair braided and everyone has a fun gay time. also shotgunning!!

L is for linoleum (and nothing else) by localman ( @locallmann ) is a heavy one, i'll admit, but i cannot recommend it enough. there is an unfortunate lack of trans eddie in fanfics currently, and i feel this one does a really good job of realistically representing both his and the others' struggles as queer teens in the 80s. see individual chapter notes + the fic tags for tws, but i seriously implore you to read this if you're comfortable

sir stephen strider find his suzie by @lesbianrobin is VERY very cute. steve fills in for lucas during hellfire, and dustin witnesses steve and eddie flirting like crazy during the campaign. honestly, this one made me giggle a lot, and i left it feeling all warm and nice. the way the author writes steve and dustin's relationship just DOES IT for me because it feels so natural and so them. also dustin's little spiral about maybe being homophobic has been on my mind since i read this. god i love it.

another one by lesbianrobin - my hands are tied may be my favourite steddie fic to date. there's a Lot of steddie handcuff sex stuff on ao3 and whilst i DO love it unashamedly, this fic is just. so good and so realistic because YEAH duh steve would probably associate bondage with his trauma and have a panic attack why is nobody else thinking of this. i really really Really love this fic (JUST TO CLARIFY THIS IS RATED TEEN!! no sex dw)

you are going to die in your best friend's arms. (but he won't let you leave like that) by oaseas is so so SO SO good. it follows dustin as he becomes unstuck in time on the day that eddie died and tries over and over to save him and break the loop. it has some absolutely wonderful bonding moments between dustin and both steve & eddie, and whilst the steddie is not the Primary focus we do see dustin slowly realise just how deeply the two care about each other as he goes through each loop. i absolutely adored this fic, and genuinely felt emotional at times. highly highly recommend

last but not least, a sign of the morning by @toedenandbackagain . this is a LONG fic (86.8k!!! love), and just such a good slow burn friends to lovers. i love when fics include steddie having history pre vecna, but often find it cheesy or unrealistic. this, however, i felt was completely believable and very well written. i was reading this as each update dropped and let me tell you the way my heart sunk at the end of chapter 11?? i was going absolutely insane i was so upset and so affected, and really i think that's telling of how well written this fic is. cannot recommend it enough

i could probably keep going, but i think 11 recs is good for now lmao. please please check all these out and support the authors!! steddie writers on ao3 are the backbone to society atm they're doing some incredible work

[buckys-little-belle]

for the next steve and bug part can we see some angst mayve? i’m also a big regressor and sometimes people are meanies. because i’m a boy they say i’m not a little, and i just want steve to hold me and say otherwise. is that an okay idea?

Cafe BigNSmall - Steve Rogers (Chapter Two)

My Big Sunflower

Steve x Little!Reader (He/Him Pronouns)

Warnings - Bug cries, people are mean, Bug is called invalid in his regression, it’s a lie, Steve makes sure Bug knows he’s very valid as a regressor, it’s a mix of some serious fluff, and yet some serious angst.

Notes - I just want to say this, send those mean people my way, you are so valid in your regression! Never let anyone tell you otherwise! There is no perfect age, size, gender, lack of gender, anything, there are no limits on who can regress, no one is more valid than another, and no one should make you feel otherwise. If you ever need a virtual hug, high-five, forehead kiss, a pump up speech, a anything, you come to me, I love all of you, and all of you are valid.

Notes - I used not only the Anon message/request as a plot line in this chapter but also a concept created in the beautiful brain of @little--baby--bear ! A concept we both freaked out over together, so thank you to the both of your for helping shape this chapter! <3

SFW - Please keep all interactions with this post, and this blog, SFW

- - - - - -

Bug was excited, he loved seeing Steve at the Cafe, the conversations always full of laughter and joy. Sure it had only been two days since he had met this tall and seemingly perfect caregiver at the Cafe, but Bug had a good and genuine feeling about him.

“Hi!” Bug cheered to the barista as he walked in, his yellow rain coat on, as a precaution, and his bag slung over his shoulder. “Can I get a -“ He started, soon cut off by a louder and deeper voice from behind him.

“An orange juice, and a Black coffee please.” Steve smiled, stepping beside Bug and pulling out his wallet, offering the cash to the barista who smiled back.

“Of course.” They said, getting started on the drinks, leaving Bug and Steve to say ‘hello’.

“I can buy m’own juice.” Bug protested, his wallet already in his hand, ready to be opened.

“I know.” Steve laughed. “But I like buying you juice, it makes me feel useful.” He offered, a wide smile still plastered on his face.

“I jus’ feel.” Bug paused, searching for the right word. “Useless a little.” He mumbled, embarrassed about not feeling equally helpful, but also embarrassed for complaining about the clearly nice gesture.

Steve looked shocked. “You make my day better every time I see you.” Steve said, his body turning fully towards Bug as he talked. “I would say that’s very helpful.” He added.

“Really?” Bug asked, genuinely wondering if Steve meant what he said.

“Yes.” He laughed. “I’m not lying, I haven’t been this happy in a while.” He said, his words slightly full of sorrow.

Bug reached out and grabbed Steve’s hand, unable to come up with the right words, offering a small physical gesture instead.

Steve felt his gut clench in both happiness, but also sadness, he wanted this, a little of his own, but he still felt inadequate in a way. Maybe Bug just got scared randomly, or some other very reasonable excuse as to why he grabbed Steve’s hand, but he didn’t want to explore the possible ideas, instead he chose to stay in this moment, giving Bug’s hand a slight squeeze.

“Steve.” The barista called, knowing his name as they got more aquatinted. “Your drinks.”

Steve thanked them, regretfully letting go of Bug’s hand to grab both drinks, his head nodding at Bug to lead the way to their table.

Bug walked forward, sitting in his booth, placing his bag on the table, getting ready to take out the book he brought, a book of flowers, so Steve could pick his favourite. “Here Y/n.” Steve said, handing Bug his orange juice, sitting in his own booth, placing the cup of coffee down as he got settled.

“I brought the flower book!” Bug cheered, making Steve look towards the brown bag placed on the table. A new circular pin placed next to a few worn down ones.

“What’s this?” Steve asked, pointing to the pin that looked scarily similar to the one on his jacket.

“Oh.” Bug mumbled, turning his bag over to hide the pin, a little embarrassed that Steve had seen it. “‘s a pin.” He paused. “Like yours.” Bug said quietly, pointing to Steve’s pin, taking a sip of his juice as a way to hide his face.

Steve was stunned, Bug had got a pin just like Steve’s, why? He wasn’t sure, but clearly it was a good thing right?”

“I can get rid of it, if you want.” Bug offered, flipping his bag over once more, reaching to remove the pin from his bag, ready to hand it over or throw it out.

“No!” Steve announced, his hand flinging towards Bug’s. “No.” He said, this time with a little more composure. “I like it.” Steve said, a smile adorning his face. “I’m sad I don’t have a pin that matches one of yours.” He added, pointing to the random pins that were also on Bug’s bag.

The pins were old, they had come with the bag, a good deal from a local thrift store. Some pins were other countries flags, some band pins, and a couple of old rusted flowers. To be honest Bug had meant to replace them with new ones, but hadn’t found any good ones. That is until the shield pin had been on display in a downtown comic store, the new shiny metal pin replacing an old bands pin that had been on his bag for years.

“I don’t even know where these pins came from.” Bug confessed, hoping Steve didn’t think the random pins were weird. “I just like to play with them sometimes, I jus’ need to replace them.” He explained, his fingers grazing the pins.

‘Maybe I can help with that.’ Steve thought, his mind racing with pins he could get. And maybe he would, he just needed some time.

- - - - - -

Y/n and Steve didn’t meet up the next day, their schedules not aligning, so the meeting two days later felt more sincere. The pair genuinely missing the others company for more than 24 hours.

Steve got to the Cafe early, too antsy to wait any longer, the table now taken up by himself, Bug’s juice, two coffees, one empty and one half full, as well as a small gift bag. The bag yellow with matching tissue paper over flowing the top. A smile had be permanently on his face for the past hour that he had been waiting. His leg bouncing in anticipation.

“Sorry.” He heard from behind him, the timid voice coming from the front of the Cafe. “I don’, I’m not.” The voice stuttered, eerily sounding familiar.

“What?” A different voice laughed back. “You think you’re a little?” The voiced mocked, it’s words laced with venom.

“I.” Steve recognized the voice and stood up. Causing the Cafe to look away from the previous commotion, their eyes now on Steve.

Bug stood grasping his bag, his eyes filled with tears, a few trailing down his face, a woman standing in front of him in line, the owner of the mocking voice. “You okay Bug?” Steve asked, out of breath, unsure of how to approach the situation.

Bug shook his head as a laugh rang out. The woman not seeing how distressed Bug was, only seeing a close to seething man stood a few feet away from her. “He’s fine, he’s a big boy, he can handle it.”

Bug let out a quiet sob, his shoulders slumping in, his demeanour defeated. “He’s a little.” The barista spoke up, trying to diffuse the situation. The woman scoffed. “And I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” The barista spoke again, the woman looking at them as if they had done something horrible, the woman getting ready to argue, looking around to find support from onlookers, only to be met with distasteful looks. The woman clearly in the wrong, she left before things got worse.

Steve finally spoke up. “Bug come here.” He called, his arms opening, Bug running into them, his face now smooshed into Steve’s chest, his sobs finally leaving his body. Steve wrapped his arms around him in a protective manor, giving Bug a quick kiss atop his head. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.” He whispered, hugging Bug as tight as possible, Bug squeezing back.

“‘m sorry.” Bug whispered, just loud enough for the super soldier to hear.

“No.” Steve whispered back. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” Bug pulled back at those words, looking at Steve with wet eyes. “I mean it.” Steve said, as if he had read Bugs mind.

The two sat down at their booth. Bug wiping away his tears as he sipped his juice. “Thank you, for being here.” Bug said. Steve knew what he meant, having someone to support you in hard times was most likely new for Bug, and he was happy to show Bug that people cared about him, and would stand up and stand with him.

“Of course.” Steve smiled, taking a sip of his drink as well before clearing his throat. “I have something for you.” He said joyfully, clearly excited, sliding the bag towards Bug.

Bug smiled back, analyzing the bag before pulling back the tissue paper, neatly placing it beside the bag. He pulled out a small pin, a little bumble bee pin. “It’s a bee!” He squealed. His face pure joy.

“Keep going.” Steve laughed, eagerly watching as Bug pulled out the next pin, this one an exact copy of the previous Bee pin. “One for you, and one for me.” He explained.

“I love them.” Bug said, passing Steve a pin as he examined his own, removing an old pin from his bag, putting it in an inside pocket, and replacing it with the new one. Steve placing his pin on his jacket, next to the shield pin.

“I’m glad you like it my little scientist.” Steve beamed.

“Thank you my big sunflower.” Bug responded, still playing with his new pin, Steve laughing at the nickname.

So there they sat, Bug and Steve, at their table, with their matching pins, ready for whatever the Cafe had in store for them next. Whether it be good or bad, they had each other, always.

[dangermousie]

Hello !

I was wondering whether you could rate and tell us of your top 5 favourite webnovels/cnovels of all time ?! (Sorry if this has already been answered lol😅)

Thank you, stay safe and have a nice day🖤

Awww, thank you and that is such a lovely ask!!!

From n1 to n5, here they are (they happen to be all danmei.)

1. The Husky and His White Cat Shizun (2ha) - my n1 forever and ever.

Taxian Jun, the horrific cultivation emperor of the world who razed cities and destroyed sects, is surrounded on his mountain. The righteous sects are terrified to confront him but tired of living, Taxian Jun consumes poison and dies by suicide at the age of 32. And opens his eyes as 16 year old Mo Ran, Mo Ran long before he became Taxian Jun, Mo Ran who is excited at a chance to save the one person he loved and lost. Oh, and to deal with his loathed shizun, the unapproachable and strict Chu Wanning, his past life’s biggest enemy.

I have no idea if it’s objectively the best on this list but it hits every trope I love, its bleak worldview (the world will change only incrementally but that’s enough, average person will not appreciate the sacrifice but it’s still worthwhile, and love is worth everything) mirrors mine, and the sheer complexity of the plot and cascade of plot twists each of which is insane and yet completely logical, is amazing (this is a rare novel where it’s even more fun to reread than read for the first time because you keep seeing all the hints and trail crumbs laid out that you did not see the first time.)

And the characters!!! I mean, this novel has multiple universes/timelines, a side trip to the Underworld AND the demon realm, a plot more twisted than a store’s worth of pretzels and yet the thing that hits me the most are the characters. Mo Ran is my favorite web novel character of all time and I love Chu Wanning so. All the secondary characters are wonderfully written (and some of them made me bawl) and they are all complex. My opinion of all of them changed many times over; the novel doesn’t make it easy to love some of them but then you do and it’s so worthwhile! That slow change is one of the delights of the novel - I started out disliking the unpleasant, superior Chu Wanning and cruel, callow Mo Ran and then I loved them so so hard and cried for them so so hard and was in awe of their heroism and sacrifice and selflessness and capacity to love.

Oh, and the fact that this novel does something almost impossible - it has its protagonist start out as so clearly irredeemable and then slowly and painfully and thoroughly redeems him (without ever letting the reader forget what it is he needs redemption for.)

Also, for a novel that made me cry so hard I felt ill, this book is just so damn funny with the most sarcastic sense of humor imaginable (the serious angst doesn’t even kick in until 90+ chapters!)

Anyway I should stop or I will write a dissertation. But this is the one web novel that I would put in my top 5 not just web novels but any novels in any shape or form. The plentiful trigger warnings are there for a reason so stay away if they are an issue, but if not, if anyone hasn’t read it yet, what are you doing with your life?!

2. Stains of Filth (Yuwu) - another novel by the author of 2ha. Clearly she just pushes all my buttons every time. This one is much shorter and has a plot that is twisty but less twisty than 2ha. Still, all that means is that intensity and the pain are more concentrated.

Aristocratic Mo Xi and former slave Gu Mang were both legendary generals of the empire and lovers. But Gu Mang betrayed the country and switched to the enemy. Now he is back as a peace offering by that country and Mo Xi has to deal with the fact that his feelings are as strong as ever.

This novel!!! So much pain and intensity!!! So many amazing plot twists and supporting characters. The same bleak world view, the same unjust society, the same protagonists doing right things despite the cost. Mo Xi’s intensity and inability to let go (he’s imprinted on Gu Mang and that’s it) is romantic, bone-shakingly intense, and tragic all at once. And oh Gu Mang! So many times I just wanted to reach into the book physically to protect him. The novel deals with unjust societies, memory versus personality, what it’s like to be good in a bad universe etc. And it both made me sob and giggle, repeatedly, and sold me on literally death-defying (but not honor-defying!) love.

Oh, and special shout out to the fact that like 2ha, you may start out hating some characters and end up a rabid fangirl (cough Murong Lian!)

3. Qiang Jin Jiu - a dense political tome that takes a while to get going but then it’s a runaway train.

In a fictional dynasty, Shen Zechuan, the only remaining son of a disgraced aristocratic family and Xiao Chiye, the younger son of a family of generals guarding the border join forces (and then something else) to get power and pull down the dysfunctional system.

This is so elegant and smart (a rare web novel I’d recommend to anyone who just loves solid period fiction) and you probably need a notebook to keep track of the politics and military strategy. These characters are very very smart not just because the author says so.

As to the characters, there is a large cast and I love many of them, but for me the novel is made by Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye. SZC is gorgeous and delicate and icy and can kill you before you have time to blink. Saddled with the sins of the family he had no pleasant interaction with, he claws his way out of hell (seeing the sinkhole he was trapped in, literally as well) to take down those who wronged him but also to amass power so all the tragedy and corruption won’t happen again and the whole rotten system comes crashing down. XCY is a military genius who is trapped as a hostage in the capital because the court doesn’t trust his family. He longs to return to the plains of home and to take his rightful place. The two men start out as bitter enemies, then reluctant and sniping allies, then as friends and eventually as one of the most gorgeous, tender, swoony OTPs.

Anyway this is one is a bona fide masterpiece, equal parts smart and emotionally intense.

4. Wu Chang Jie - are you an emotional vampire? I am and this novel is a banquet.

In a highly fantastical setting, we meet our protagonists - the sunny Xie Bian and the intense and surly Fan Wushe. Xie Bian is a human who assists his master in conveying souls to the underworld and making sure no mishaps happen. Bian is concentrated sunshine in human form and to meet him is to love him. When the novel opens, his drunk master brings back another human to be his shidi and assist with duties - said human is uncommunicative, intense and surly Wushe. Bian is excited to have a shidi but little does he know that a story dealing with the horrors of past lifetime is about to start.

Anyway, why WCJ? So many reasons. It has such a dark bleak worldview - this world is a horrifying system where powerful cannibalize each other’s cores for an impossible chance to ascend, where gods have sealed off their realm and all that’s left is neverending human misery and hell (the only way you’d see a deity is if they’d been sent down to suffer over and over and over), where even reincarnation doesn’t fix things and bad acts are often unpunished. And the novel then asks - is it worth being a good person in such a world? More, is it worth being a good person in such a world when nothing good has ever happened to you and you have been repeatedly betrayed due to your goodness? And the answer, on Bian’s part, is an uncompromising yes.

Ah yes, the other reason to love this novel - the protagonists and their fucked up fucked up relationship. Bian (who was Prince Ziheng in the past life) is so genuinely good. But he is that rare thing - good but not saintly, noble but not cloying. So much of the novel is his getting taken apart over and over and barely able to put himself back together every time but his soul is still as amazing as ever.

And then there is Wushe (who was Prince Zixiao in past life, Ziheng’s not-bio-related brother.) Wushe is not a good person. He is a monster. And he loves Bian/Ziheng more than his life and his soul and the entire world but he’s also the one who hurt him more than anyone else ever could and did it over and over. His love survived a literal century of torture in the worst kind of hell and refused the usual memory loss of new life. But it also humiliated and broke Ziheng down to his constituent parts.

One of the things that is so fascinating to me about this novel is the question of what can be forgiven/what should be forgiven/what kind of expiation is enough/can you ever love someone who you loved so much and then he hurt you so badly and is now repentant? And it never sweeps trauma under the rug or hand waves it away but deals with it head on.

If you want healthy relationships, you should stay far away from this novel but if intense insane ones with a feral barely human one capable of destroying the world leashed by love and guilt to the sane deeply good one is your bag, come right in.

There is also the world building and the fact that yes, the big fall out between Ziheng x Zixiao is based on not knowing all the facts but it’s not “why can’t you talk?! This is dumb!” But is totally in keeping with both events and their characters. It’s reasonable for Ziheng to do what he does and for Zixiao to misunderstand and decide Ziheng is now his biggest enemy (but still one he’s fixated on) and for Ziheng to never be able to clarify.

Anyway, once again this is trigger warning central so please heed those, but if they are no issue, this one is wonderful.

5. OK, this is hard and switches between Sha Po Lang, Heaven Official’s Blessing and The Golden Stage depending on my mood. So what the hell, I am gonna write about all of them.

Sha Po Lang - so smart and so much clever world building. There is enough politicking to satisfy a Qiang Jin Jiu fan, it’s steampunk, and our two protagonists - Gu Yun, the empire’s most powerful general, who’s loyal to the empire despite being badly wronged by it, and Chang Geng, a cursed prince with barbarian blood and horrifying childhood - are wonderful separately and together. This is a huge slow burn but it’s totally worth it! They fall in love with each other’s hearts and brains and ability as much as anything. (Yes, this is the one with the yifu thing. Gu Yun is made Chang Geng’s foster father when he rescues him and brings him back to the capital as a way to keep CG safe in imperial strife. They are 12 and 19 at the time so clearly it’s never a parental relationship.)

Heaven Official’s Blessing (TCGF) - I love it’s sprawling narrative and cast, I love its inventive setting and picaresque story. It’s hilarious and can make me cry. But the novel’s place on this list is due to Xie Lian who is part Kenshin part drama WWX part pure goodness wrapped in heartbreak and trauma wrapped in sunshine.

The Golden Stage - two smart and principled (yes, they both have principles different though they may be) men navigate their arranged marriage, their past friendship and their past break up, become a super couple (one of the healthiest danmei couples I’ve ever read and proves healthy doesn’t have to be boring), save the country and bring down the emperor or two and just generally this is my rainy day book.

I guess I didn’t write as much for the three n5 candidates as I did for 1-4 but my brain is beginning to curdle so...

[qinghe-s]

Hi,.....if you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from MDZS? And why do you love them? And your top 5 favorite moments from the series? Sorry if you've answered this question before....Thanks....

oh my gosh of course i don't mind!! the opposite! ♥

i could be cheeky and just list huaisang, but different adaptations (in order it'd be novel, donghua, cql, audio drama, manhua, just ftr) (donghua comes high on the list bc his scenes are more canon compliant than cql) but i'll take you more seriously than that:

nie huaisang still comes first, he's my sun and moon and the reason i got into mxtx at all. i've told this story before but in 2020 a friend of mine played a character based on him in a d&d oneshot and i was instantly charmed, saw her reblog a gifset a while later and then i started watching cql Just For Him. i started reading the novel around episode... 13? whenever they're in the xuanwu's cave, and he just kept ticking all my boxes. some boxes i didn't even knew i had! he might genuinely be my favourite character ever. he's a spoiled, adorable boy and a horribly bitter and devastatingly lonely adult who does awful things for someone he loves? the most character. no one beats him.

nie mingjue, lan xichen, and lan wangji get to share second place because i couldn't choose if i got paid to. they're so good. all three of them are so deeply loyal but show it in very different ways. i adore how nmj has such an incredibly big heart even though he's not presented as especially kind or nice, but his actions speak volumes if you take the time to look beneath the surface. lxc is kindness personified in contrast, serenity in the shape of a man, and the fact that that's both his strength and weakness in context of the main plot is *chef kiss* — plus, you know, he's the perfect man. who doesn't love him! lwj is an angry, petty, jealous, horny bitch and righteous and brave and so unbelievably good. kind without being nice. incredibly stubborn. objectively kind of terrible in bed (i mean HONESTLY) but it genuinely just endears me more. what a guy.

wei wuxian isn't someone i talk about a lot but oh my god. darling boy. i'm constantly overwhelmed by how kind he is to the dead, how gently caring. when he, lwj, and wen ning go back to the burial mounds before the second siege and he holds a skeleton hand to his mouth, holding it so gently? the way he cares? i'm tearing up just thinking about it. he isn't even the type of character i'm usually drawn to because he has such a severe case of main characteritis but i LOVE how his arrogance is his downfall and how, at the end of the day, what he really wants is a place to come home to. i could write way too much about about him & homes but that's for some other day.

my top favourite moments is honestly kind of hard! both because there are SO many but also, like... i can't decide if my favourite moments are the ones that make me happiest or the ones that make me have the most feelings. i'll try, though!

obviously i want to say "at least 70% of everything in the Guile chapters" but if i have to pick just one scene it's the one where nhs' things are burned. which seems horrible!! but it just says so much about him! the way he switches so quickly to fury and how easy it is to read fear into that reaction, like he's been holding things back for a long time and it just boils over. oh my god. baby. but also for real just. Guile. it's got the juice! and by juice i mean nmj/nielan/nie brothers

wwx coming back from the burial mounds the first time. it's so haunting! wwx, jc, and lwj all have so many things going on for them! jesus christ!!!

when the nie brothers arrive at baifeng mountain. they're both displaying such typical traits of masculinity, just on opposite sides of the scale (i've compared them to a lumberjack and a guy in a suit commercial before; the masculinity is equal but wildly different) and it Delights me. bonus: when jgy complains about how much prey nmj has captured and lxc LAUGHS OUT LOUD because he also finds nmj delightful (':

huaisang during the second siege ♥♥♥ i'm Obsessed with how he pushes his own agenda and the desperation you only see when you already know what he's doing. he's so precious to me, my perfect little guy, my most beloved.

i love almost everything about the extras. yes the bichen thing and the library pavillion too. my favourite extra is the lotus pod one, specifically lwj's chapter and absolutely everything about it. the way the lan brothers interact, the way lwj helps the common people, his insistence on picking lotus pods, the little glimpses of what lxc is like when no one's watching him... tearing up just thinking about how he loves the blooming magnolia so much he needs to paint it and how he goes to their mother's cottage to practice playing liebing. and how lwj put lotus pods in a vase there :((( they're such wonderful boys

[freckledbodty]

Stripping Away The Bloat - The Umibe No Etranger Movie Did The Manga Dirty

I finally got around to watching the movie of Umibe no Etranger - a movie I didn’t know existed based on one of my old favourite BL mangas. And oh boy, does this adaptation reflect a painful trend in manga to anime/movie adaptations overall. Allow me a moment to rant, if you will...

TL;DR: READ THE MANGA BY THE LOVE OF GOD IT’S WONDERFUL. Also the movie is super pretty, but here’s a semi-detailed look at why it still really didn’t do the manga justice. You bet I came with receipts.

A few important notes before you start: 

1. Remember this is just my opinion, and I’d love to hear other people’s point of view on the matter, whether you agree or disagree! 

2. I am not fluent enough in Japanese to read the original without a translation, so my thoughts on the manga are coming from fan translations, which 100% might have affected how I view this! The anime I’m a little more sure on as I can generally tell when the subtitles have deviated, but that does mean I may have missed something/something was lost in translation that means something I say here is incorrect. I’m very sorry for this, so remember this is my view based on the media types I’ve consumed. 

3. Also the manga cuttings I use are not the best quality because of tumblr’s sizing, so even more of a reason to go read the books yourself! 

I’m aware I’m very late to this party, but when I saw the other day that this movie had been made, I was horrified that I hadn’t known about it sooner. I read the manga years ago, and adored it - it’s genuinely a sweet and beautifully drawn romance, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone. With that, however, the movie was a huge disappointment to me and I just need to have a moment to gush in a less than positive way. 

The Pros: 

Let’s get this out of the way, I’d still probably recommend this movie to anyone who likes romance anime-style movies. It’s beautifully animated. Seriously, this movie is stunning, with wonderful expressions, bright colours, and a pretty well suited soundtrack too. The animation tries to match the original art style of the manga, and frankly, I think it captures it perfectly. 10/10. Gorgeous. Watch it just for the prettiness. 

I’m also a big fan of any BL/GL adaptations that get a little more into the mainstream. This movie is definitely a huge win in terms of representation, especially when the manga (on the whole) avoided the more negative tropes that the BL/GL genres have historically been known for. (More on that later...) So that’s a win, and I will take it. 

The Bloat Cut: 

To put it simply, this movie fell into the trap of what I call (in my head) ‘cutting out the bloat’. As a long-time anime and manga fan, who has seen countless adaptations over the years, it’s a common theme that tends to make or break an anime. 

‘Cutting out the bloat’ to me means that the adaptors cut out a lot of the ‘smaller’ moments and panels that are seen in a manga. This movie was thankfully very good at following the original plot and took us through the same beats that the manga did (many adaptations don’t bother doing that at all), but they left out a lot of the extra stuff - the aforementioned ‘bloat’. 

The bloat isn’t really bloat in that it is pointless, however: the problem is that these little moments and scenes are seen to be pointless by the adaptors. Again, understandable: they have a limited run time, and it’s hard to include every little tiny moment, especially when they are ones that are easily scanned passed. Some bloat cutting is necessary to make an adaptation viable at all, but sometimes, it can be hugely detrimental to the piece. Umibe no Etranger is a key example of this. 

Setting: 

I watched this movie without rereading the manga, and as such, I was quickly thrown off by how bad the movie was. This was one of my favourite mangas, wasn’t it? Had I really had such terrible taste? (Yes, let’s not go there, but this manga was not one of my high-school bad decisions). 

The characters felt strange. Personalities did complete 180s after the time skip and did some questionable things that I couldn’t recall finding issue with when I read the manga. The two main characters felt so hot and cold that it didn’t feel like the story I remembered. Even the pacing felt off and janky at times. 

After watching, I went back and reread the manga, and this is where I saw all the ‘bloat’, the little intricate moments and minor panels that were easy to overlook but made the story what it was. Here’s a few of the biggest examples I could find. 

Shun:

Oh, Shun. What did they do to you? 

Shun’s character was bizarre. In the first 15 minutes of the movie, he was bubbly, friendly, and even bold enough to flirt with Mio. After the time skip, he was sour, cold, and completely withdrawn from the world. I understood Mio’s confusion because after the time jump he was a completely different character. 

The manga is often focused on Shun and his inner thoughts, and he’s the one who is hurt the most by the bloat cutting. For starters, he wasn’t as over-the-top friendly at the start of the manga as he was in the anime, and we’re able to see his inner thoughts and worries that cause his reservations from the first few pages we meet him. We also get more hints earlier on as to Shun’s past that explain a lot of his behaviour as a whole, as well as getting little hints as to why he’s even more negative and exhausted after the time jump. 

Mio: 

The biggest bloat cut out in terms of Mio is the big plot point of the phone call. For context, before leaving for the time skip, Mio promises to call Shun once he’s gotten to his new home. In the movie, this is never really brought up again, focusing on the relationship in the present, but this was a huge point to leave out. I think it was cut out because it was explained in one short scene in the manga, and therefore easily mistaken for bloat. 

In the manga, it’s explained that Mio does call, but it’s Eri who answers, and there’s a very important conversation that sets up Mio’s whole character development and explains why he returns to the island set on having a relationship with Shun. Eri warns him that calling Shun, despite knowing that Shun has feelings for him, is cruel and unfair, and tells Mio he shouldn’t contact him unless he’s worked out his feelings. It’s a great scene, and a real shame to leave out when it explains firstly why Mio never called back, and secondly why he is so adamant about his feelings and love for Shun when he does finally return: because he saw Eri’s warning to mean ‘don’t come back unless you are serious’.

Relationship:

In the movie, Mio and Shun didn’t really seem to have a relationship until the drama kicked up and then it quickly seem to disappear again. Shun was extremely held back and reserved, and barely ever seemed to return Mio’s feelings (even in the scenes he was instigating) - he even totally avoided anything resembling physical contact at first. 

Compare this to the manga, where there are little hints of their relationship progressing throughout the chapters. For one, Shun is never as cold and blank as he seems in the film, and when he does seem that way, the manga quickly shows a glimpse of his thoughts to explain how he’s exhausted or distracted - without those little bloated thought bubbles, he just seems... a little cruel frankly.

A really good example of this is the beach kiss scene. In the movie, as Mio is about to kiss him, Shun suddenly announces that he’s hungry and avoids the kiss altogether, leaving Mio confused. 

In the manga, they actually do kiss - it’s their first kiss, in fact. Shun seems embarrassed and his ‘I’m hungry’ feels like more of a way to distract them both. He explains he’s exhausted (which is fair enough, this is a big thing for him to process on little sleep that his inner thoughts earlier in the chapter already set up) rather than just outright shunning him. (Ha. Shun. shun. Get it?) 

A more *noted* bloat they cut out is that Shun and Mio get physical in the manga way earlier than the movie, the touches just not quite being everything Mio wanted. Without those more tender moments, where they actually seem like a couple, it seems like Mio is chasing after Shun desperately, whilst Shun couldn’t care less about him. It detracts from the whole relationship. Below are some examples of the two of them actually seeming like a couple that were cut from the movie, including longing looks from Shun, Shun hugging Mio whilst he’s asleep, and Shun asking to kiss and touch Mio. 

The Issue: 

Bloat cutting always annoys me, but usually, if it’s not hindering the story, I don’t mind. What bothers me most of all in this movie, is that without these subtle little panels and moments, the relationship between Shun and Mio seems... forced, frankly. In the movie, Shun seems to be the instigator of the flirting, and then after the time skip he acts practically disgusted, avoiding a lot of Mio’s advances, and we don’t get to hear his inner thoughts like we do in the manga to explain why he’s feeling this way. 

In the manga, during these ‘bloat’ pieces, Shun is an actual willing participant in the relationship, and Mio isn’t just forcing his advances onto Shun. It’s natural. It’s not flipping between hot and cold, or suddenly ramping up after a big moment of drama, it’s slow and careful and a real relationship. 

This would be a bad change in any adaptation, but it’s especially so in this one. Anyone who is a fan of BL specifically is probably aware of the genre’s bad rep historically for having some... questionable consent issues. This manga didn’t have them. The movie? I’m not so sure, and that’s why it’s rubbed me the wrong way. I could spend another 1000 words talking about this issue as a whole, but I’ll leave it there, you get the idea.

Expected? Yes. Okay? Meh. 

There’s no real point to this post aside from to complain a little and point out just how much more the source material gives us. Cutting the bloat always happens, and I don’t want it to stop happening per say, that would be impossible, but I’d kill for adaptors to just take a little more time to work out what is unnecessary and cutable bloat, and what is something they should really keep in. 

The movie is still cute and beautifully made, so please go watch and see for yourself! Mostly, I’d highly recommend the manga: it’s got the same gorgeous art style, only about 5 chapters long, and the story and relationship is that little bit more firmly built. 

I’ll stop ranting now, and I hope this actually made sense? Anyway, congrats on making it all this way.

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

I was tagged by @boysloveandtaxation to do this fanfic writer tag game - let’s see what we find here, shall we?

What’s your all-time favourite ship?

I love Cor/Nyx. They have a great dynamic and it’s great to write about. I also have Aranea/Ravus permanently living rent free in my head as an ace couple. Luna/Nyx is also something I can see myself playing around with. When it comes to media other than FFXV, I really like Ed/Roy from FMAB, Urahara/Ichigo from Bleach and Wesley/Buttercup from Princess Bride.

How many works do you have on AO3?

38! 37 of those are from FFXV. XD I have one story though that I tell in a series of one-shots, though. And I have a series of Galahdian tales. Not sure if I should count each of those as one or clump them together. But AO3 says 38, so 38 it is.

What’s your total AO3 word count?

492131 words. (My fics are slowly growing monsters. I love them so much XD)

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

All are FFXV fics, which honestly should not surprise anyone:

Heart of Thunder: Absolutely no surprise there. It’s my most popular fic. Started it as a dare. I had no idea that Cor/Nyx was so popular. It’s so fun to write those two. Though the next chapter is giving me some real trouble.

Born Into the Wilds: Another no brainer! Though the gap between the first two is huge. XD The very base concept is the same as HoT. Cultural misunderstandings and a slow mending of bridges and acceptance. But with Nyx as a blue mage and no Cor/Nyx.

Dreams of Our Past: That’s a complicated one for me. It’s the first fic I ever posted on AO3 and for that it’s very special to my heart. But it’s a total dumpster fire and the plot lines are barely holding together. Sadly not as popular as I want it to be with how long this story is, but then again this is one of my few stories that doesn’t focus on Galahd and the Kingsglaive and I recognise OCs are not for everyone. (Then again, all my stories are full of OCs. *shrugs*)

Where the Sea Kisses Earth: That one is a bit of a surprise. Though I think it’s only as popular as it is because of the Cor/Nyx ship. It’s my first time writing something with a horror theme and went off surprisingly well, even though it’s slow going. And the ship is slow burn. So we’re 5 chapters in and Nyx and Cor haven’t even met yet. XD

Of Sunshine and Gunmetal: No surprise there. And I expect it’ll get even more popular when I get around to postin more. It’s Cor/Nyx with the both of them adopting Prompto. Told in achronical one-shots and written as prompts mostly on Tumblr.

Do you reply to comments, why or why not?

Yes!!!! I’m a bit behind right now, but I love answering comments. And honestly, getting them is one of the reasons I post my fics in the first place. Seeing proof of people enjoying my works and being excited about the plot and the characters brings me so much joy. And I love talking to people in the comments. A commenter once gave me a great recipe for Yorkshire Pudding!

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

All of my long fics aren’t finished yet, but I can say now that all of them are gettinga  happy ending. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to write some of the things that have happened/will happen in them. But the angstiest one is definitely Gilgamesh the Betrayer. My origin story for Gilgamesh in FFXV. It’s inspired by tragedies and does not have a good ending. I think the warnings I put on it are the reason it doesn’t have very many hits. XD

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

That’s the goal for every fic I write. Or at least a neutral ending.

Do you write crossovers?

Not really? I have some on my drive that will never see the light of day. They’re for me and for me only. The longest of them is an epistolary style Game of Thrones/Harry Potter thing that’s nearly 8 years old at this point.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not really. I have received the occassional comment that has been... brash. But no genuine hate and I’m very grateful for that.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Nope. My fics go never farther than heavy handed kissing, though sex is implied when it happens. I’m just not interested in writing smut.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I am aware of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No. But I would not be averse to it happening, if I were to be asked.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! It’s Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori. The title is from a poem. It’s an AU about Tenebrae taking place right at the invasion of Fenestala Manor and focuses on Ravus and Luna. (The title means ‘It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country’) I have two others with co-authors and they did some great art for them! Voice In The Dark and For Fire Melts The Icy Path.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I honestly don’t consider any of my WIPs discontinued. Mostly because I still work on all of them no matter how slow it’s going. It’s mostly Dulce and Dreams that give me trouble, but I count it as success, if I can occassionally add a sentence or two.

What are your writing strengths?

Definitely the worldbuilding. People have told me that I can make a world feel lived in and complex but still comprehensible. Which is a great compliment. And apparently I’m also quite good at character dynamics. I also like to think that I can give my characters reasonable flaws that make them interesting.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Keeping track of all the details and plot seeds I planted. Which is often why chapters take me so long. I need to make sure it’s all consistent. Writing romantic relationships is also hard. Most times I’m just going ???????? and whinging it.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Since I do it myself, I’m all for it. I’m not bilingual, so I have no idea how genuine it is, but I’m creating languages for fun and I want to sprinkle them in. It’s part of my FFXV worldbuilding. Giving the different nations languages of their own because there’s no way there’s only one language.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

The first thing I ever posted doesn’t exist anymore, I think. It was on a forum I forgot the name about it was so long ago and DBZ. I was maybe 14 at the time?

The first fanfic thing I ever wrote though, now that I think about it, was a short story I wrote for my mum as a present when I was around 12. She still has it.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

Now that’s a tough one. But I think it’s a tie between Crystal Verse and Fae AU. They’re both series and I enjoy writing them immensly. Mostly because they’re so out there from what I usually write. (Tumble won’t let me link them. *shakes fist at Tumblr*)

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Whoever feels like they want to do this as well, enjoy! No pressure.

[mc-critical]

I was curious since you were just talking about Suleyman sisters. Which one is your favourite and what would you change in their storylines? (Me: I would Sah being in love with Ibrahim and her and Hürrem being enemies, because I truly someone from the imperial family liked Hürrem)

I honestly love all of them. Even though they all share a similar purpose in the narrative on the outset (that is, being antagonists to Hürrem), they have distinct motivations and personalities that always succeed to make them so interesting to analyze.

Despite of that, I have to say that my favourite is Hatice. She's the one who felt most fleshed out, with the widest arrays of personality and relationships and I sympathize with her in nearly every level. While I know that S03 Hatice could turn people off and I could understand why in theory (good flanderization is still flanderization after all and her "Heel Face Turn" could feel underwhelming after Hü's huge E63 victory and it lowkey makes for kind of a soft reset of the show's status-quo, but not only I haven't seen this actually being used in arguments against her, but this is solely a writing problem that didn't even originate from her and wasn't totally fixed until the end.), I felt this was the most logical step in her arc and her development made complete sense, no matter how flanderizing it was and how tragic it ended up being. [poor Hatice :(] I have analyzed her character and why I love her so much as well in more detail here.

The one thing I would change is, again, her spending more time with Osman and Huricihan. The need of having kids was set up as a very important part of her character from the beggining and Osman and Huricihan's birth could've felt as a new wave of hope after the devastating child losses. It felt like they were the start of an entirely new chapter of her life where she could enjoy the company of her kids the way she so wanted to, but the birth of Huricihan and Osman ended up being only the finale of Hatice's worries over her children, a satisfying end to these arcs of hers where she could finally find happiness at last and with this it was over. It wasn't built on at all and this whole angle of Hatice's character was seemingly dropped just like that. While I get that her storyline was very densely packed and they may not have had time, they could've given us a few scenes at the very least, especially in S03B where they would play part in empowering even more Hatice's tragic arc, being a reminder of Ibrahim. Not to mention that Huricihan would've been a much better character if that set-up existed.

I adore Şah Sultan, as well and I actually enjoy her dynamic with Hatice even more than her dynamic with Hürrem, because it tells us much more about who she is. It was so enjoyable to watch these two sisters confront each other on not so few instances, while still loving each other. I love how Şah's ambition contrasts so well with her genuine care for the people she loves (like Hatice and Esmahan) and how her pragmatism could actually get in the way of that care, while we could still see that the two coexist in her regardless. It makes her motivation so interesting to figure out in a way we haven't seen before or after with any other character. Her love for Ibrahim.. while yes, I get that it may seem a little weird, putting so much stuff in their past into another context that could draw the line between "this makes sense" and "how exactly did that happen?", it explains why Şah may have this deep seated resentment to Hatice, it is a nicely used plot-device to drive conflict between them (the conflict set-up in their past that is outside of their clash of ideals and philosophies in the present and near future) and her and Lütfi later. It makes her more interesting, too, because it shows her ability to let go of her feelings when she sees is necessary. Her approach is also very interesting and unique (at least at first) and while I find most of her scenes with Hürrem generic, she was a formidable and effective antagonist. I also find interesting that in rewatch, you do see that out of her and Hatice, it's Şah who is more elitist, interestingly enough. (because while Hatice mostly pulls rank out of ignorance or when she's challanged outright, Şah pulls rank not only in confrontation, but in casual conversations with people around her, as well - E87 is a perfect example of this. She also views the dynasty as something even more valuable that shouldn't ever be touched - her not wanting to fight Mihrimah in the end, even though I'm sure she could've outsmarted her if she truly wanted to, she wanted the most out of anyone in S03B for the dynasty members to have each other's backs and support each other no matter what and she was as ready as Hatice to stand behind what the dynasty represents, but not on a more personal level like Hatice, rather on standing behind its laws and traditions, like Ayşe Hafsa.)

What I would change with her, is that intrigue of hers that succeeded to have Hürrem be exiled for the third time. There's nothing wrong with the intrigue neither writing-wise, nor with Şah's character in it, and I kinda appreciate Hürrem's overspending there as a parallel to Mahidevran's overspending in S02, showing that they're not so different after all in a bunch of cases. But otherwise, the whole thing felt like pointless filler that only repeats some aspect of previous storylines. Yet another harem riot, though not as large in scale, and that almost contrived exile, which served nothing in the end (except for showing how Hürrem has gained a decent network of political allies, but that was shown before the exile, too). I would probably make it a far more complex, but still to the point intrigue, the outcome of which sure wouldn't be another exile for an episode. This also wouldn't have been the ending culmination of Şah's careful plans against Hürrem, either. (Ayaz Pasha's death afterwards was relatively quickly planned in comparison! Like.. c'mon..)

Fatma is my least favourite sister of the sisters, but she certainly has her moments. I love her debut and I love how fun loving she is, I sorta wish we saw even more of that. I actually don't recall a moment where Fatma ever pulled rank on someone in the way Hatice in E26 did and Şah so casually does and if there truly isn't any moment like that, then I love her even more for it. What is even more interesting is how her motivation is a promise made to Mustafa (even though this whole motivation is kinda strange writing-wise, since she's an entirely new character and the devotion to Mustafa could look like something the writers only came up with in the heat of the moment for S04A's bad use of flashbacks and to make yet another antagonist for Hürrem... Fatma could've been next to Mustafa when he was a child in Manisa and she liked him as a child, who knows? That coupled with Mahidevran probably reminding him of Fatma's existence, as well.) and how far she's going to go to fulfill it, even after his death. It all showed a side of hers that is willing to put the dynasty members in intrigue (the way she put Selim and Bayezid against one another and even when she played that game on Mihrimah), an interesting contrast with the other sisters, who would do anything but, at least not so consciously. (I'm referring to Şah's very first scheme against Hürrem, in E85-6) I love how she scolded Mihrimah in E121 and I love how they showed her sorrow for Mustafa's death. (that little scene where she said: "I failed.." was so touching, honestly... It shows how devoted she was to it all) Her relationship with Kara Ahmet is also pretty great.

What I would change with her, is her part in the menopause plot. The episode itself is such a weird and tonal mess, but Fatma there was at her worst and I don't agree with her making fun of Hürrem like this. I get the purpose of the episode and scene, but it still sits wrong with me and since that was our first episode with Fatma, it rendered her a little petty for me when I was first watching. I wouldn't have had Fatma tell it out loud for everyone to hear, I would've probably made her show Hürrem she knew in a confrontation similar to Hürrem and Mahidevran's (hey, a part of their formula could work for once!) between both of them during the entertainment. I would have also given her a little more balanced screentime. In some episodes it was very fine, but in others, it felt like she was more shoved into the background.

About Hürrem having at least one dynasty member to like Hürrem - I agree, it would be a breath of fresh air, to say the least, there should've been this kind of variety. If there is one I would make a friend of Hürrem's (at the most part), that would be Beyhan.

I would have given her more screentime, especially in S01-2, she could be there to advice and support her sisters even more and for them to calm down from the games and intrigues. She wouldn't play such a big role in the story, aside from an arc or two that would be different from working against Hürrem. Her and Hürrem would be usually on good terms, since her emotional maturity would let her understand at least a bit of her side of the story and wouldn't be so quick to accuse her. (as she wasn't when she learned of how Hatice learned about Nigar and Ibrahim) Beyhan can't be fully on board with her, of course, because moments where Hürrem tramples on Hatice's happiness directly or indirectly could put them at odds, but I feel Beyhan's personality and shtick would be the best suited for a friendship with Hürrem of sorts. Since she still wouldn't be part of the throne war, Hürrem would have no reasons to act against her personally, either. (now, S03B could be a problem, but then we could... have her return to her castle permanetly?) It would've been epic if Şah had only her dynamic with Hatice in the story, but I don't think that alone would be enough for the writers, because they sure were searching for someone to replace Ibrahim as a more prominent antagonist until S04's switch of focus and enrichment of storylines.