#it can just be 12 vignettes

[memento-morri-writes]

carrion vignette - a crisis of faith

a sequel to this short story (+ read this). Part 2 coming eventually. pov: Carrion wordcount: 1.8k character(s): Carrion Vice (D&D) canon status: canon backstory vignette trigger warnings: hallucinations, injury, violence, mentions of death summary: after being left for dead by his paladin order, Reverence undergoes a crisis of faith.

Reverence lay on his back, staring up at the moon. In the hours since he had been left here, it had sunk lower in the sky, and now it hung just above the rim of the ravine. The tiny waning crescent reminded him of the edge of a knife. 

A knife like how the rocks cut into his skin if he even tried to move. A knife like the wounds all over his body. A knife like the one that had cut him out of the tapestry of the Silver Order. A knife like the one that had stabbed his heart when Orion fell. 

He shook his head. He was thinking in metaphors. That wasn’t good. Maybe he had lost too much blood. Maybe he would die soon. 

He wondered what death felt like. It had to feel better than this.

Reverence closed his eyes and waited to die. 

Unfortunately, it seemed the Flame had other plans for him. 

He woke to the sun beating down on him, its bright light prying at the edges of his sleep. Slowly, his eyes cracked open. It was daylight now, and the sun was visible over the ravine. That meant that half a day had passed since he’d been left here.

Carefully, he tried to move, get a sense of his body. Immediately, pain shot through him, causing him to cry out. So he was still injured. And badly, it seemed. The paladins – his friends – had nearly killed him. 

If only they had finished the job. 

He closed his eyes and hoped to die.

Time slipped away from him after that. Hours passed without him registering them. He slept fitfully, waking every time he so much as twitched a muscle. His mouth grew dry, and he wished desperately for rain. 

Rain would also help with the heat. It was fall now, and yet he was sweltering. The rocks beneath him absorbed the heat. He was roasting here, like a rabbit over a fire. 

A fire. The Sacred Flame. 

An image danced on the back of his eyelids: His own body, speared on a ceremonial spear, and suspended over the temple’s Flame as though on a spit. The air was thick with smoke, obscuring the temple beyond the first two rows of the pews. 

Seated on those pews were the paladins. His paladins. The people he had traveled with and fought with and laughed with. They were laughing now, but this time it was not with him. They jeered, banging their metal travel bowls together in anticipation of a meal. 

He understood, then: This was what the Flame wanted. It wanted him to burn. He had taken in its light, and carried it, like a lamp lighting the way. But his wick had expired, his use had run out. And now there was nothing left to do but burn. Burn until there was nothing left. 

If it wanted him to burn, then he would burn.

He closed his eyes and reached for the flames.

Hours slipped by as he waded through the fire. In its dancing flames, he saw memories. He saw himself training alongside the other paladins. He saw Theodore instructing him, correcting his stance. He saw Beren laughing, a mug of ale in his hand. 

And in every memory, he saw it. Saw the fire that burned behind their eyes. The fire of devotion. Of loyalty. 

He walked onwards, through the fire. 

Ahead of him, he saw Theodore, arguing with Beren. Arguing about him. About whether or not to kill him. A fire burned at their feet, much larger than the distant campfire that had been there the first time he had seen these events. 

Theodore’s voice boomed, unnaturally loud, coming from all sides. “I will not kill one of my men!”

Beren opened his mouth to reply. But what emerged was not Beren’s voice. It was the roar of flames, almost deafening in volume, somehow shaped into words. “THEN LET HIM BURN.”

The flames flickered and the pair vanished. 

When the flames settled, they were there again, this time leaning out over the ravine, just like in his memory. But this time, Theodore carried a burning torch in one hand. Beren spoke again, but instead of protest, it was the Flame-voice again. “LET HIM BURN.” 

Theodore reached out his hand, and dropped the torch. It fell, tumbling down towards where Reverence lay on the ledge. Despite it being a barren shelf of rock, the flames caught. He could feel their heat. Feel the way his chains warmed until they were burning his skin. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came. 

Above him, Theodore turned away. “Put him out of your mind. Soon he will be nothing but Carrion.”

The flames engulfed him, obscuring Theodore from view.

Reverence burned away.

He woke, thrashing against the chains. It hurt, the pain almost blinding, but that didn’t matter. If he did not break free, he was going to die. And, he realized for the first time, he did not want to die. He wanted to escape, and to get out of this ravine. To hunt down Theodore and destroy his life as Theodore had done to him. He wanted revenge. He wanted to live.

The world took on a purple tint, growing hazy and distant. His muscles screamed in agony. The chains were too tight, cutting into his flesh. He bellowed in pain. They were choke him. Squeeze the life from his body. He was going to burst, or implode.

And then he was free.

The pressure on his body vanished as the chains broke and  fell away, clattering into the depths of the ravine. Euphoric, forgetting about his wounds, he leapt, scrabbling for a handhold on the rocky cliff. His long, knife-like claws dug into cracks in the rock. Slowly, every muscle burning, he ascended. 

Reaching the top of the cliff he staggered forwards, away from the edge. As he stumbled, the world grew in size around him as his body shrank. The pain that he had been trying his best to ignore slammed into him with its full force. 

His legs buckled under its weight and he fell to his knees.

He was dying, he was sure of it. He couldn’t die, not now. Not now that he was free, now that he understood! Desperately he reached out, searching for the golden-orange light of his magic. There was nothing but the cold and the dark. 

Of course. The flames had burned him. They would never heal him now.

BItter laughter bubbled to his lips, harsh and dry. He fell sideways, ignoring the distant pain from the impact. With great effort, he rolled onto his back. Above him, the sky was dark. The moon had vanished. He found himself falling again, but this time falling up, into the welcoming dark. 

He closed his eyes and waited for impact.

Time became a river again, with him borne along by the current, blissfully unaware. Every so often the world became real again, awareness surfacing like an island. 

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

A burst of pain in his shoulder. 

“Oh, fuck.”

A gentle touch.

Stinging pain.

A groan, from somewhere inside himself, more animal than human.

“I know, I know. It hurts. Just try to relax.”

The crackling of a fire. 

Cool water on his lips.

“Drink.”

Before he saw anything, he could hear. He took in the sounds of the world. The crackle of a fire. A rhythmic zing sound, over and over again. Zing, zing, zing. And underneath it, someone humming. He was not alone.

Extending his awareness to the rest of his body, he checked what he could feel. He lay on his back on something soft. A bedroll, maybe? No, too hairy. A pelt of some kind, then. He didn’t hurt, at least not much. There was a soreness that permeated every inch of his body, but it was nothing compared to the agony from before. Wiggling his fingers and toes, flexing the muscles in his arms and legs, he checked his range of motion. He could move. That was good. Maybe even fight if he needed to, though he didn’t want to test that theory.

He cracked open his eyes. Above him, he saw the branches of pine trees. Beyond that, the night sky, and the thin line of a waxing crescent moon. Slowly lifting his head, he looked around. A fire lit a small campsite, tucked amongst the trees. No tents, only his pelt and an empty bedroll. A rabbit roasted on a spit over the fire.

Beyond the fire hunched a figure, bent over some task. They appeared to be the source of the humming as well as the other noise. They didn’t seem to have noticed that he was awake yet. 

Carefully, as quietly as possible, he sat up. Glancing down, he saw he was shirtless and barefoot, though he still wore his pants from the Order, ripped in several places and stained with blood and dirt. He looked around for a weapon. 

There, by the other bedroll. A sheathed sword. 

He inched towards it, stepping as lightly as he could manage. But he was still sore, and clumsy. 

The humming stopped.

“Oh, good, you’re awake.”

He looked up and saw that the hunched figure on the other side belonged to a rugged-looking human man with weathered skin and a tangled mop of black hair. There was a wide grin on his face. In his hand gleamed a knife, which he was sharpening with a whetstone held in his other hand. Zing, zing, zing.

He must have seen the fear on his guest’s face, because he laughed and raised his hands. “I don’t mean you any harm. It would be a waste of all the time I spent dragging you back from the brink of death.”

He gestured to the rabbit on the spit. “I imagine you must be hungry. Come, sit.” Taking the knife, he sliced off a perfectly roasted slice of meat, letting it fall onto the plate. He held it out in the direction of his guest who still crouched near the bedroll. 

The sword was so close. But if this man had saved him… The smell of the roasted meat hit his nose and his stomach growled. He didn’t know how long it had been since he’d eaten but he knew it was days. 

Warily, he inched closer. When the other man made no move to attack, he snatched the plate of meat from his hand. Not bothering to wait for utensils, he picked it up and began to eat. It was the most glorious thing he had ever tasted. It was gone in seconds. 

He looked up and saw his rescuer holding another plate. “Do you want more?” 

He nodded vigorously. “Yes,” he rasped. Then, as an afterthought, “Please.”

His rescuer nodded. “Of course. But first, tell me: Who are you?”

He wasn’t sure what was going to come out of his mouth until it did, but once it was out he knew it was the truth. “My name is Carrion.”

[mysteryshoptls]

do you have a list of the Queen of Hearts rules that we know?

Some have been stated (usually by Riddle) with their actual number, while others have been stated generally. Here are the ones we know so far. Please feel free to chime in if I've forgotten one! (Just let me know where I can find it for confirmation, so I can add it). These may be out of order from when they first appeared. There are also a few that may have mentioned being a rule but without enough specificity for me to confidently add to the list, such as all the things required for an unbirthday party.

Queen of Hearts' Rules with Known Numbers

Rule 1 (Book 7-293): In order to stay in place, one must run as hard as they possibly can.

Rule 23 (Prologue 3): One must never bring a cat to a formal affair.

Rule 25 (Prerelease Comic/Wish Lantern 1-9): There must always be a tea party on the 5th day of every month.

Rule 53 (Book 1-4): Stolen items must be replaced.

Rule 89 (Book 1-2): Never eat a tart without the Queen's permission.

Rule 124 (Halloween II 4-8): When you get soaking wet, you must dry off with a run in the ocean.

Rule 153 (Book 1-14): Tea at night should be herbal tea.

Rule 186 (Book 1-9): No eating hamburgers on Tuesdays.

Rule 228 (Halloween I 2-2): Flowers in gardens must never be picked on Wednesdays.

Rule 249 (Book 1-19): Flamingo caretakers are to don pink attire.

Rule 256 (Book 1-14): No drinking honey-sweetened lemonade after 8PM.

Rule 271 (Book 1-9): One must leave the table within fifteen minutes of completing their lunch.

Rule 304 (Book of Heartslabyul Comic Vol. 2, Pg. 13): On days when a hedgehog sneezes, all card soldiers are to assemble to perform a song.

Rule 346 (Book 2-12): Croquet must not be played after 5PM.

Rule 339 (Book 1-9): Tea after meals should be lemon tea with exactly 2 sugar cubes.

Rule 372 (Book 7-282): When a mushroom with a red cap sprouts on a Monday morning, all roses in the garden must be white.

Rule 412 (Beanfest II 31): When you see a pair of moving glasses in the forest, never go back the way you came.

Rule 434 (Nightmare Before Christmas 4-5): When you see a caterpillar that is exactly 7cm tall, you must recite a poem to the one who discovered it.

Rule 469 (Ceremonial Robes Trey Vignette): When throwing a party for new friends, one must decorate with both red and white roses.

Rule 529 (Beanfest II 2): If you eat steak on the night of a full moon, a cat must play the violin afterwards.

Rule 562 (Book 1-16): One must never bring a chestnut tart to an unbirthday tea party.

Rule 648 (School Uniform Trey Vignette): One must brush one's teeth twice over after eating turkey.

Rule 703 (Ghost Marriage 14): Anyone who comes in second in a croquet tournament must serve the queen tea the next day.

Queen of Hearts' Rules without Known Numbers

(Birthday Boy Riddle Tap Line): You may eat whatever you like and speak freely on your birthday.

(Halloween Riddle Vignette): Always return what one borrows.

(Night Sky Chiffon Riddle Vignette): Scones must be eaten with rose jam during tea parties.

(Dorm Uniform Cater Vignette): There needs to be a dormouse in the pot if you pour from the one in front of you.

(Dorm Uniform Cater Vignette): Dormouse has to be asleep.

(Dorm Uniform Cater Vignette): Spread jam on a woken-up dormouse's nose.

(Dorm Uniform Cater Vignette): The teaware and croquet equipment must go in specific boxes, in a specific order.

(Birthday Boy Trey Birthday Login Message): You're allowed to ask for anything you want on your birthday.

(Dorm Uniform Trey Vignette): Cake must have candles.

(Dorm Uniform Trey Vignette): Party prep is a full-team effort.

(Ceremonial Robes Trey Vignette): Tea is always served when celebrating anything other than a birthday. Coffee is strictly forbidden.

(Ceremonial Robes Trey Vignette): The main dish of the welcome party is to be mincemeat pie.

(Dorm Uniform Floyd Vignette): When holding a meeting to determine prizes for a croquet tournament, the records of the proceedings must be written in blue ink.

(Book 1-16): Formal dress on party days.

(Book 1-21): [The queen] takes tea every day at 4PM sharp.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

sebek and the love of literature

HELLO, HI... PLEASE READ MY SEBEK ANALYSES, I BEG... HE IS A VERY GOOD BOY THAT IS DESERVING OF YOUR LOVE, I SWEAR HE IS... OTL

[ Sebek and internalized racism / Sebek and his place in the Diasomnia found family / Sebek and his capacity to love ]

YES... It is I, here with yet another Sebek-related ramble. Make yourself comfortable :)) *straps you into a seat and tapes your eyeballs open*

***SPOILERS for the book 7 part 12 (Heartslabyul - Deuce and Cater) update!!***

Okay, SO.

We already know that one of Sebek's hobbies is reading, as is stated in his official in-game profile:

... BUT I DON'T THINK YOU TRULY REALIZE HOW DEEP THIS READING HOBBY GOES. He has several voice lines declaring his love of books and reading. Several of Sebek's peers, including Yuu, Azul, and Jack, gift him books for his birthday. In his free time, Sebek chooses to read books on a variety of topics, including romantic tragedies and textbooks. He doesn't just read the book and then move onto the next thing either; other characters may joke that the only time he is quiet is when he is reading, but Sebek seriously absorbs the information he takes in and reflects on it. He thinks about what happened to the characters, what the lesson of the story is, what the author's intent might have been (in his Nightmare Suit vignettes). He wants to apply the techniques he reads about in books to real life, such as picking up new skills like badminton (Sebek New Year’s Attire voice line), how to maximize his training (Jack gifts him a sports science book for his Union Birthday), of learning to adapt to sudden situations like when he and Silver find an injured baby bat (in Lilia’s Dorm Uniform vignettes).This makes sense, as Sebek is the kind of person who is always striving to improve himself so that he may better serve his liege. Sebek is not a selfish reader. He loves books + picking up new knowledge and actively tries to share that with his loved ones. For example, Sebek has voice lines where he asks the player to share book recommendations so that he may read them tonight (aka basically as soon as possible). When we express confusion between dragons and longs, Sebek offers to visit the library with the player to show them "books suitable for beginners". (That of itself also indicates mindfulness towards people having different levels of proficiency at reading.) He is also shown being eager to fetch books for Silver from a higher shelf--though this is in part because Sebek loves to show off that he is taller--and directs Malleus to a book fair in Foothill Town so that his liege may find new interesting reads. He also pays attention to others’ interests and selects the appropriate reading material—hence why Sebek gifts Jamil a travel book for Jamil’s Union Birthday. According to Sebek, "It was [his] grandfather who taught [him] the joys of reading." Indeed, Baur has read to Sebek and told him (oral) stories since his grandson was a baby. He has continuously gifted Sebek book too, all of which Sebek has kept with him. It is implied that Baur thinks receiving a proper education is important, and even though he has complicated feelings about his one and only child marrying a mere human, he still wanted his grandchildren to be well-educated. Baur always made efforts to read and share stories with Sebek to that end. In book 7, this all comes full circle when Silver is wallowing in despair and Sebek talks some sense into him:

"If [Lilia] hated you, he didn't have to give or teach you anything. He could've just raised you into a dimwitted coward and made you a servant. But he didn't [...] Even trapped in the darkest despair, you kept on fighting! Who raised you to be so strong? LILIA DID! Why don't you see? Why do you doubt? You should have understood years ago! What can you call your strength, if not the direct result of Lilia's love?!"

From this dialogue, we can draw direct parallels with how Baur raised Sebek. In this analogy, Baur = Lilia and Sebek = Silver. Both Baur and Lilia initially have a disdain for humans, have served as soldiers in the royal guard, and have personally suffered due to humans invading their country and pillaging it for resources. Then they are also both forced into circumstances where they have a human child thrust upon them and they have to take some responsibility for said child. Despite that, Baur and Lilia were able to overcome their own prejudices and truly learn to love Sebek and Silver, respectively. Sebek is always in a rush to be better for others. Silver is always worried that he'll never be "enough" for the father that did so much for him. But the difference is that Sebek knows his grandfather loves him because Baur gifted him with knowledge--which is a strength and a power of its own. It's because Sebek is cognizant of Baur's love for him that he's the perfect candidate to call Silver out for being dense. Lilia DID teach Silver. Lilia DID value Silver getting an education. And because of that, Silver is strong. He is strong because of Lilia's love, just as Sebek is strong because of Baur's love and the knowledge that was granted to him. To Sebek, literature IS love. This is a core component of his character--and, additionally, it is a core component of how he understands, navigates, and communicates. (Please refer to the examples I gave in the earlier paragraphs!) Nowhere is this made clearer than at the end of Deuce's dream segment in book 7.

In the dream, Deuce gets into a brawl with some Octavinelle mob students in the NRC library. They chuck various books at each other during the fight, which deeply upsets Sebek. He falls to his knees (like, you can see his tall as fuck model lowering) to check on the books and laments at the damage they've taken.

What really sets Sebek off is when he happens to witness the contents of the thrown books. Simply put, a lot of information is missing. There are several blank pages, and what is there is riddled with errors or is written so crudely it's illegible. Literature, being desecrated in Sebek's presence? NOT ON HIS WATCH. He cannot hold himself back and lets it all out on Deuce, reprimanding his peer for wanting to be an honors student but not having the drive to properly absorb these materials (which, as you'll recall, is something Sebek takes very seriously himself).

Sebek has a very specific definition of what a "book" is. Simply having papers that are bound and have a cover is not a "book". Based on his anger, it seems he very much values the contents. He even alludes to the knowledge gained from reading as being a weapon Deuce can actually use in a fight (which, again, makes sense because of how Sebek often tries to apply what he learns from books to his own life) All of this shouting and scolding does lead to Deuce waking up, but I will be glossing over this part as this is an analysis focused on Sebek and not Deuce. However, there is something that I would like to discuss, and it happens after Deuce is fully awake. The two have a moment to bond over an anomaly of a book they found in the library—the only one that appears to have all its contents intact. It is “The Story of the Trump Soldier”, a famous children’s book from the Queendom. It has various short stories about the card soldiers (whom Deuce idolizes) that serve the Queen of Hearts.

Deuce tells us that, as a kid, he would beg his mom to read the book to him. When he got a little older and learned how to read himself, Deuce would read the book so many times that now it’s just stuck in his head. The fact that it was so perfectly reproduced in his dream is proof that the story holds great significance to him. SEBEK RECOGNIZES AND RESPECTS THAT. He doesn't insult Deuce or look down on him for reading what is "just a children's book". Instead, Sebek comments that something as simple as this can be what sparks one's love for reading. And do you know why Sebek says that... BECAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY TRUE OF HIMSELF 😭😭😭 It was Baur who got him books--probably including CHILDREN'S books--and read to him when he was small... so, as a result, Sebek understands how the mere exposure and finding that one book that hooks you can snowball into a real love for literature. It's not clear if Sebek himself is aware of this parallel since he kinda makes the remark off the cuff but BOY did I sure notice OTL

QEILRQEIYQEPPQEF AND THEN AND THEN AND THEN He suggests that Deuce try picking out a book sometime for his friends, something easy so that even Yuu and Grim can understand it. Sebek gives recommendations like this to Silver (one of the few humans he likes), who can never quite finish reading those books despite his best efforts... Sebek is advising that Deuce do this same thing 😭 THE THING HE DOES HIMSELF FOR A FRIEND, BECAUSE RECOMMENDING A BOOK IS ONE OF THE WAYS SEBEK SHOWS HE CARES.... . .. ..... . ..... . .... . . . . .. . .. .. At the end, Sebek even says that he will read "The Story of the Trump Soldier" when he's awake in the real world. THAT'S HIM ACKNOWLEDGING AND ACTING ON DEUCE'S BOOK RECOMMENDATION TO HIM... meaning that some small part of Sebek is coming to terms with Deuce as a companion... slowly opening up to the idea of having other friends... 🥺 The love for literature that Sebek got from Baur... is now being used as a means to bridge the great divide between Sebek and the peers he used to so brazenly snub and insult before...

If you look back at the voice lines for Deuce’s Birthday Jacket card, he says “Sebek gave me this reference book. He said he highly recommended it... Hey! This is CLEARLY for little kids! I can't believe that guy…” BUT DON’T YOU SEE???? With this context, you suddenly see it wasn’t meant as an insult. Sebek considered Deuce’s level of reading proficiency and purposefully picked out something that suited him. I have no doubt that Sebek actually puts a lot of thought into the books he recommends to others because—to him—to share literature is to tell someone “I love you, I care about you.” WEEEEEHEHHHHHHHH H HHHH H H H H H HH H H H H, IT ALL TIES TOGETHER SO WELL!!

[mercurial-chuckles]

Captain Softly Stern & Sergeant Toughly Tender Vignettes

Premise:

Maybe it was fate, now that you thought about it.

When you got the job with the Avengers Initiative, you were giddy and in total disbelief, especially after how the final round of interviews with Tony Stark had gone.

Finding a decent place close to work while you were still living in another city was a nightmare. Everything in the City was pricey, and the parking charges were a joke, honestly. You couldn't afford that much 'coz you were just starting right outta college and didn't have anyone to support you financially.

But you landed a great deal on a place that was pretty close to the compound and decided to go with the roommate-matching option. And lo and behold, you were matched with a girl named Camila. You were really happy about the whole ordeal. Until the moment you rang the doorbell of apartment 517 and came face to face not with Camila but with Captain America and the Winter Soldier, both staring at you, equally confused.

Brace yourself for dealing with not one but two blue-eyed super soldiers, each with a staggeringly different personality.

A wild ride!

Especially since you tried really hard to stay invisible, but neither Steve nor Bucky seemed to be okay with that. Not when they found you so goddamn pretty, delicate, klutzy, and far too kind for your own good. What started as a friendship- quickly with Steve and not so quickly with Bucky- turned into a fierce love that consumed all three of you.

Join me on this chaotic friendship turned romance, and hasten your seat belts to enjoy the domestic bliss with two burly, entirely out-of-time, sinfully gorgeous, and annoyingly protective men.

A/N: This masterlist was long overdue. Most of these works are fluffy, but some of 'em have a dash of angst and smut. Be sure to heed the warnings posted with each one. Note: Do not Steal, Copy, or Plagiarize any part of my work! I do not consent to AI scraping my work. Banner & Divider made by me. Picture credits to Pinterest. Check out my other works: Masterlist Updated: June 12, 2025

Indulge Away!

Below is a collection of one-shots, snapped at various points in their lives. You can enjoy them individually or read them all together, whichever you prefer.

Yield to me

You were on a rescue op. But you find yourself a rescuer. This is a more Bucky-centric fic. (ft. adventurous Alpine)

Entrancing Haze

A rainy day domestic chaos.

Tantalizing Tuesday Thought

Bucky and you are competing. Domesticated chaos

Wibbly-Wobbly Wednesday Thought

Starting a snowball fight with two super soldiers probably wasn't a wise choice. They eventually get to you so did the cold.

Captain, Sgt. Grumpy, & their Doll!

Steve benches Bucky on a Hydra-related mission and Bucky's been too grumpy about it. Some Angsty fluff & making up.

Taut Thursday Thought

Bucky's still miffed with Steve. It takes a grocery trip to finally resolve the issue. Follow up to Captain, Sgt. Grumpy, & their Doll!

Serene Sunday Thought

You wake up from a nightmare, but your men blanket you in their warmth, fending off the embers of the nightmare.

Wanton Affairs

Fluffy Filthy goodness. Bucky being a little shit. Oh, and your torn bra.

Blissful Summer Bruises

Domesticated super soldiers, lame pickup lines, and did I say fluff? Gosh! cavity-causing fluff, I tell ya.

Darcy Knows

You finally meet Darcy and Jane for drinks. And your plan to reveal your relationship with Bucky and Steve doesn't go the way you expect. Darcy puts two and two together though, when she sees your men taking care of you in 4k clarity.

Do you have a wild idea simmering in your head? Send an ask away, I'll try my best to word a world for you! 😘✨

If you'd like to be tagged/removed from my works, please do so here.

[manicpixiefelix]

head, heart, hand. {Oliver/Reader/Felix}

It had been a long time since your world has revolved around anyone but Felix Catton. He was like that; undeniably, unassumingly magnetic. You'd watched countless fawning, fairweather friends drawn into his orbit, only to be cast out when he eventually got bored of them, but not you, never you. Maybe you were a toy in the beginning, the thing they'd all called you when they were feeling especially petty, but it became clear that Felix has wanted to keep you around.

You weren't a toy, you weren't family, you were a sharp and beautiful tool, too good, too useful to be put down. Your loyalty was rewarded with a life in his shape. Felix was like the sun, and you lived your life enjoying his warmth, and wanting to keep him shining.

And there's something about the way Oliver Quick thinks and talks that you almost recognise. The others call him a toy but the look in his eyes says he's capable of so much more than that. Oliver Quick is not one to be tossed aside either, and you'll do all you can to make Felix see that too.

The three of you; head, heart, hand.

Oliver thinks. Felix feels. You do.

Need to Know: established fwb!Felix/reader, there will be smut, Oliver is a weird obsessive perv and reader recognises and is pretty into it, obviously manipulation, AU with a happy poly ending

[ IN PROGRESS ]

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

Part Nine

Part Ten

Part Eleven

Part Twelve

Part Thirteen

Part Fourteen

Part Fifteen

Part Sixteen

Part Seventeen

Part Eighteen

Part Nineteen

Part Twenty

Part Twenty-One

Part Twenty-Two

Part Twenty-Three

Part Twenty-Four

Part Twenty-Five

Part Twenty-Six

Part Twenty-Seven

Part Twenty-Eight

Part Twenty-Nine

Part Thirty

Part Thirty-One

Part Thirty-Two

Part Thirty-Three

Part Thirty-Four

Part Thirty-Five

Part Thirty-Six

Part Thirty-Seven

Part Thirty-Eight

Coda

[ PLUS + ]

a long way down to the bottom of the river - SALTBURN CANON ENDING AU (angst / one-shot)

never wanted anything from you (except everything you had) - SALTBURN CANON ENDING AU 2 (Oliver/Reader / fluff / one-shot)

seen and not heard - Felix & Reader's First Meeting (fluff / one-shot)

all this, and love too (will ruin us) - Reader Murders Oliver For Trying To Kill Felix (Felix/Reader / angst / one-shot)

he wanted to be in love (but you got in the way) // epilogue - Reader Dies At The Maze Instead Of Felix (Felix/Oliver / heavy angst / two-shot)

alone with you - Felix Won't Believe The Reader's Dead (Felix/Reader / heavy angst / one-shot)

and other things that happened by the red staircase - Felix Fingers His Cousin (humour / one-shot)

at the other end of the leash - Felix Beats The Shit Out Of Someone For Trying To Assault The Reader (hurt/comfort / one-shot)

they stare at me (and i stare at you) - CEO!Reader AU With Enemies-To-Lovers (Felix/Reader / miniseries)

love the hand that feeds you - puppy play smut (Felix/Reader/Oliver / post head, heart, hand canon / one-shot)

Ask Box Vignettes;

Reader's Family History of Wealth

Felix/Reader - Joking About The Future

Felix/Reader - Sick Day

Felix/Reader/Oliver - Attending Colin & Araminta's Wedding (Crazy Rich Asians Crossover)

AU Tags;

Vampire AU

Fae AU (ft. Demifae!Oliver)

Crazy Rich Asians Crossover

Oliver & Reader Siblings AU

CEO!Reader AU

Felix Catton's Adventures in Employment

THE TAGLIST IS ALWAYS OPEN ! (just message or comment to be added)

----

Unrelated Fics & Headcanons;

baby, put your back into it - {Farleigh/Reader/Oliver} - (pwp / two-shot)

Euphoria AU - (12 Years Post Saltburn Canon / dot point headcanons)

you're not the main character - {One-Sided India/Reader} - (drabble)

----

Other Tags;

#manic-writer; all fics

#it-shouts-back; all asks

#manicpixieart; my posts

[minisugakoobies]

It's You | Choi San

Pairing: San x Reader Genre: smut, crack, fluff, angst, roommates to lovers, BFF's Lil Bro!AU Rating: M (18+) Warnings: each installment will have its own warnings, read carefully! Word Count: TBD Disclaimers: NSFW, obviously I don’t own ATZ - they just inspire me

Summary: He was only supposed to be a temporary roommate. Your best friend's little brother, crashing on your couch for a few weeks. That's it. How did this happen?

A/N: Hello and welcome to my new obsession/experiment. This is going to be a drabble/short chapter series all about falling in love with your best friend's little brother, San. I'm not telling this in sequence - instead I'm writing and posting the story as vignettes come to me - and there's no posting schedule.

This all started from an ask sent to me by @minttangerines because she's a goddamn brilliant idea factory and I'm the greedy manager demanding she work overtime (I think that metaphor got away from me). Thanks also to @moni-logues @kiestrokes @augustbutwinter @yeontan-my-love @quarter-life-crisis2 for additional ideas and support! 💜

Taglist is open! Reblog, comment, or send me an ask to be added! You can also feel free to send me any ideas/thoughts you might have for a future scenario - who knows, it might end up in a chapter! 💕

ATZ Masterlist 🐈‍⬛ Main Masterlist

The story so far… (updated 12/25/24)

Who is bff's lil bro San? (>1K, fluff, feat. Hongjoong & Wooyoung)

The party (>1K, suggestive, feat. Hongjoong x Reader x Wooyoung)

Noona, do you have any lotion I can borrow? (>1K, Halloween, fluff)

San and Nero cheering you up (>1K, fluff, pining, ft. your cat Nero)

The first kiss (1.8K, angst, fluff)

The first time you're alone in the apartment (>1K, smut)

Menace (1.7K, smut, fluff)

3 AM (2.1K, fluff, angst)

All Yours (>1K, fluff, holiday drabble)

Taglist: @sweetnspicy-noona @krystal-a @jennylychee

© 2023-24 by minisugakoobies. Crossposted to AO3. Please do not copy or repost. I do not allow translations of my work.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - I hand out a couple of high scores & have qualms about pairs

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top. I didn't get many screen shots this week, so welcome to a WALL OF TEXT. Duh duh duh dum.

July 2024 Week 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

We Are Cute (Weds iQIYI) ep 16 fin - TanFang are ridiculous but I have grown to truly love them. ChainPun at the end made me hoot with laughter everyone was a meme of FINALLY. In fact, I loved all the pairs, this was a great ensemble piece.

I was left mildly wondering if Arm will ever lead a BL. 

All in all? 

I really enjoyed this show. It was slow to find its stride (I didn’t get into it until ep 7) but I’m very glad I gave it a chance. It’s a soft ensemble piece with multiple couples and very little plot, but I didn’t care because it’s not trying to be anything more substantial. Essentially this was a series of vignettes covering one year of uni for a queer friendship group finding love, new friends, and laughter. It’s not being harsh with us or it’s characters the way some offerings of this ilk have been (side eyes Friend Zone and Only Friends) nor did it tumble into Gen Y chaos. In fact, this reminded me more than anything of a refined and elevated Love Sick - just with older characters and occurring within a genre that has matured too. It has that close queer friendship group meets earnest gentleness that made me adore Love Sick so much. In other words, this was Thai BL at its finest, finding it roots again 10 years on, but also stretching upwards and showing us what it could do with that original seed. So? I loved it. Did it blow my mind? No. But it left me smiling and made me belly laugh quite a bit. 9/10

Technically it should probably get an 8/10 - too much singing, but I’m bubbling over with nostalgia rn.

Wandee Goodday (Sat YT) ep 12 fin - I struggled to watch that fight. But that’s because it was so well done for a BL. Lots of speeches this ep. (I said too cheesy right before Dee did.)

I like Drake & Title as a new ship. Hope it sails. Also some decent ace rep. 

On a totally different note: Good use of frosting. But… you know I’m gonna say it… NO SINGING. 

Final thoughts:

What a FUN show. A charming quintessentially modern Thai BL about a doctor and a boxer who start as a one night stand and then fall in love. Great rep for everything from Muay Thai, to safe sex, to FUN sex, to ace, to bisexuality, to smiley kisses, to the first legal gay wedding in a Thai BL. It’s a delight and I enjoyed (almost) every single moment of it. 

An easy 9/10. 

I do hope we get more GreatInn.

The Rebound (Weds Gaga) eps 7-8 of 12 - So Ryu’s ma is evil? And Frank is giving me serious second lead syndrome. Also he’s been working out a lot. I noticed my dude, thank you. I don't think we've ever gotten this kind of focus on a side dish before. The show is in dangerous territory, since he's so good he's taking attention away from the leads. Also, I think Zen is completely aware of what is going on with this love triangle, he just doesn’t want to put up with their nonsense. I even like the cute side crumbs. 

On a complete aside: why are crime lords in BL always in bathtubs? Asking for… the other genres. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if The Godfather entirely took place in bathtubs? A Real Man has a large… tub. 

And we end with mass murder? WOW! Chaotically played my dearest pulp! 

Century of Love (Weds Gaga) eps 3-4 of 10 - These boys are playing complicated roles with lots of layers to them. Daou is doing a great job. We can see the old man inside this kid. Offroad... I’m not convinced, he’s chewing the scenery a bit. I actually think he has the more layered and complicated part to play. So I'm giving him a chance to subtly show that cheerful façade fracturing with delicacy. But I worry we may be back in JamFilm territory where one partner can’t quite keep up with the other's skillz.

All of this is to say, this is still a better acted piece than I was expecting. (Although the surrounding cast and special effects are doing our leads no particular favors.)

It’s hugely enjoyable but uneven (with those occasional injections of slapstick humor) I’m not entirely sure the production knows what it wants to be. I wish it had the courage of its convictions to lean into the “I feel you linger in the air” aesthetic. Now that I know Thailand can go there, I’m a bit annoyed when a show like this, which should, doesn’t. Which is not to say I’m not enjoying it. I am. A lot. Just that I should probably lower my expectations. Daou, however, is so damn good, he keeps getting my hopes up.

This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans (Fri iQIYI) ep 3 of 8 - Oh no we have a lonely poor little rich boy. Catnip character for @heretherebedork. Meanwhile, I’m liking the layers of the main romance, with everybody having hidden agendas and such. Nice tension. Of course I love the eroticism around smells. One of my favorite tropes. But I’m not sure I buy the relationship chemistry between the leads when this much lying is going on. 

My Love Mix-Up Th (Fri YT) ep 7 of 12 - I am growing to love Fourth's version of this character. He’s so frantic and confused, but in a completely different way from the JBL. It’s a bit more whiny and a bit less cartoonish. But it resonates with me more. He's less of a meme tho. The photo moment! I literally squealed, "Gah!!! They are so cute!"

Linguistic moment. Did you hear in the cupcake section that Half went to rao/ter? Very sweet. (The boys use rao/nai.)

Also, yay for the twist on the school counselor character! Best thing ever. I would like the entire story of Nop & Sin GMMTV, please and thank you. Also… NO SINGING. 

Sunset X Vibes (Sat iQIYI) ep 6 of 12 - I’m continuing to enjoy this a lot. It’s a fun cast. A touch twee for me, and I’m really hoping they amp up something other than the romance soon, but I don't mind ending my week with these two.

The Trainee (Sun YouTube) ep 3 of 12 - I'm enjoying this show so much, just not as a BL (yet). It’s honest to the internship experience of overwhelm (such as I recall, it's been A WHILE). I’m not sure how much BL I’m getting from it thus far. I mean our leads shared a long glance or two but that’s about it. It’s very slow burn. But I don’t mind that since I’m liking the surrounding stuff. Can't stand the girlfriend intern character tho. I hope she get redeemed.  Or killed.

Love Sea (Sun iQIYI) ep 6 of 10 - Halfway through I had already finished my drink out of sheer boredom.  Trash watch here.

Knock Knock Boys (Thurs Gaga) ep 9 of 12 - Frankly I’m finding this relatively dull right now. Lovely kisses tho. Best and Seng are great together, consummate BL pros, not a pair I had on my bingo card. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

I Hear the Sunspot AKA Hidamari ga Kikoeru (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - I like how much we can see K’s intense liking and emotional need for this loud broken kid. And how easy it is for him to admit to that truth. Because what he’s going through is so much worse than admitting to having feelings. The acting is fantastic. Sometimes I forget how great Japan can be. And then they decide to remind me. Oh, it’s SO GOOD. 

Takara's Treasure AKA Takara No Vidro (Japan Mon Gaga) ep 3 of 10 - Another one I’m finding boring. Just japan’s version. The vintage yaoi “old dude creep trope” I see. It’s been a while. 

It's airing but...

Meet You at the Blossom - it's your funeral (or, more likely, one of the main characters'). You can argue but... statistics. You know my feelings on this matter. MY BLOG, remember?

GIF by mypotatokun

In case you missed it

The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer released to Korean theaters 5/25. HoTae & DongHee, side couple from Unintentional Love Story are back! Same actors, same character names. I love them. Devastated this hasn't had international distribution. I demand you tell me the moment you find it!

The Last Time (Thai Fri YT) - Got bumped to Aug 2. Convoluted story of loss and possible reincarnation or something.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

July Releases Still To Come

7/24 I Saw You in My Dream (Thai Weds Gaga) - Dee Hup is behind this one so I have high hopes. Younger boy chronically teased his whole life by the older boy next door suddenly starts having horrific prophetic dreams about his bully and must save him.

7/26 4 Minutes (Thai Netflix or iQIYI?) - Great, a rich boy studying business at uni, suddenly gains the supernatural power to see four minutes into the future.

7/29 Battle of the Writers (Thai ????) - trailer here, TutorYim return, and while I adore them, I really hope this is better than Middleman's Love. Won't be hard. However: the premise? Ugh. Something something authors fighting - save me. Why don't writers understand that nothing is more boring than writers?

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

No time this week, I'm having computer issues.

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in it's infinite wisdom doesn't like too many tags.

There's these tricks, remember.

[brbievivi]

DISCUSSION .ᐟ

Riddle's Authority – Guidance or Manipulation?

Overview : In Book 7, during Cater's dream, Leona and Idia claim that Trey and Cater manipulated Riddle to shape Heartslabyul into a dorm of their ideals. However, does this claim hold any truth, or is it a matter of perception? Well, let's see.

Author's Note : This is simply a little discussion; this is in no way a bash on any of the characters. You are free to have your own opinion and let me know your thoughts in the comments .ᐟ

MASTERLIST

Heartslabyul operates under the Queen of Hearts' 810 rules, which Riddle strictly enforces. As housewarden, he punishes anyone who dares to break these rules, leaving no room for excuses.

As we know from Book 1, Riddle's stringent obedience to the rules stems from his childhood being constantly under his mother's strict principles, years and years of the same cycle made him internalize the belief that she was always right. Therefore, from his point of view, enforcing the Queen's rules made him also in the right; from his standpoint, he saw it as benefitting the students to reach their full potential through discipline.

Trey and Cater are closer to Riddle compared to others, and Trey, plays a key role in the dorm as Riddle's vice housewarden and childhood friend. However, some question whether this trio's relationship has ulterior motives lurking beneath the depths.

Perception vs. Reality

In Book 7, Chapter 12, we are in Cater's dream sequence, and a clamorous party is taking place. However, this isn't your typical Unbirthday party; instead of silk white tables, teacups, and pastries, we are immersed in a scene filled with LED lights, booming music, and a carefree atmosphere.

During the dream, Leona and Idia discuss how Heartslabyual used to be very un-kept and the opposite of discipline before Riddle took over. To add on to this new information, Leona further went on to imply that Trey and Cater were probably using Riddle to their advantage, saying,

"By propping up the immature king who doesn't know left from right, they could overthrow the old regime and start a revolution. And then, they would become advisors, manipulate the king and create their ideal country." (credit @fleurism on YT)

While Leona's and Idia's opinions are valid, they are biased.

Leona and Idia are judging from an outsider's POV; they do not know Riddle's childhood, his years of friendship with Trey, or why he rules Heartslabyual the way he does. They only see it from the outside, and that is a studious, short-tempered student who becomes housewarden a week after enrolling and his vice housewarden, who says yes to him without complaint.

Leona's and Idia's assumptions should be taken as opinions and not written in stone as facts.

Although that doesn't mean Trey and Cater could not be manipulating others.

Cater and Trey's influence on others

Trey uses his calm and mature nature to subtly manipulate others. In some situations, his sort of passive nature allows for Riddle's extreme discipline, and when the students from the dorm come to him for support, he tells them everything will be fine, giving them reassurance but also brushing off their concerns.

Cater, as we have seen, has a subtly manipulative side to him as well, and we first see it when he convinces Ace, Deuce, Yuu, and Grim to help paint the roses, presenting it as a necessary task to avoid punishment. Trey does something similar in Ruggie's labwear vignette where persuades Ruggie to paint the roses in exchange for laundry detergent. Cater uses charm and jokes to redirect responsibility and avoid conflict just like Trey.

Manipulation or Speculation?

While the two can be manipulative, We do not have enough concrete proof to believe that Trey and Cater, especially Trey, are manipulating Riddle. Trey probably saw Riddle as a better option compared to the past dorm head and, furthermore, thought if he provided support for Riddle, he could make up for the guilt he felt for getting Riddle in trouble when they were kids. While Trey could have been manipulating people to fall in line, and Cater following suit to avoid conflict, it seems uncertain to say that Trey and Cater are puppeteers holding Riddle by strings.

We also have to take into account that Leona has his own opinion on how things should be run. We see him criticize his hometown for how it runs things, for example, and Idia, as someone very skilled in creating and programming, will call out flaws of systems, especially if he already has a perceptive reality in his head on the situation. So, while their opinions are valid, they should be seen as assumptions considering they are speaking from an objective POV, and we don't have enough evidence to fully agree with their opinion.

[yurucamp]

You mentioned having a poor Internet connection and being mostly absent in terms of online presence recently. I feel like I have a lot of days where I spend time on my phone or computer that feels empty or like filler, and I'd like to change that, but I'm not sure what I would do instead. I have hobbies and things I'm interested in outside of being online that I already engage with, but those things take a lot more energy and focus than something like scrolling through twitter or typing on discord. I don't know how I could have the energy to add to what I already do during the day. 

So it makes me wonder, how do you spend your time during the day without having a proper internet connection, while also living in a foreign country where you presumably don't know many people? I hope this question isn't too invasive, and sorry for being so long winded lol

it's not invasive at all, i'm a loudmouth who's always happy to talk ^_^

i'm worried my schedule will make me look crazy, but... i wake up at 6:45 ish (i don't set an alarm, so it varies), eat breakfast, then walk along the river for about an hour before classes start. i'm in class usually until 3 ish, then i set myself some kind of 'task' for the day (walking to a store or cafe, for example), eat dinner around 6, do homework, then draw, then go to bed at 9:30ish. i try to hit about 15,000 steps or 12 km each day, so i spend a lot of my time walking... i really love walking aimlessly. i love all of the weird and spontaneous things you see walking, the way life kind of happens around you, like a gazillion little vignettes and peeks into strangers' lives.

i think it's possible to get a lot of positive things out of social media usage: i love twitter for the amount of art i'm exposed to through it, and i don't think you should feel guilty for taking time to just let your brain relax with 'filler time', that's what walking is like to me- the equivalent of white noise. at the same time, it's so seductive to think of what we could accomplish if we seized every moment and cut out that in-between!

i don't know if i can say anything helpful or intelligent but thank you for taking the time to write to me and i wish you the best with whatever direction you decide to take...!!

[kimmipettie]

krissiincurls captioned photo - 12/16/21 - Last Christmas he wished to become a girl, just as he had every year since he was five, when he first asked Santa for pretty dresses and panties like his friends have.

Mom always sensed she had a daughter, and with the Pandemic, decided it was finally time to find out for sure.

Brian is now gone, but in his place is a lovely young lady named Brynne. Her daughter glows even more than the gold balls on their tree.

Doesn't every parent wish for healthy and happy kids?

If not, they should.

____________________________________________

12/16/24 - When mom and dad look back over the last three years, they can hardly believe that Brynne didn't grow up as a girl, as naturally feminine that she has become. Brynne is as happy as she could possibly be enjoying her femininity.

I wrote the original 2021 vignette as krissiincurls three years ago today.

(0)

[robo-milky]

What’s Coming…

To celebrate Cloche’ birthday (5/12), we will hold a Birthday Bash. Which includes a limited ask event where you can send Cloche your birthday wishes, and get a written or drawn response back! OC interactions are welcome too.

[Notes] [Card]

• Hello hello! For the past month, I’ve been working on this since I know I’ll be pretty darn busy once it’s actually May… (I don’t even know if I can make Epel art in time 😭😭)

• Compared to last year, I do think it’d be neat if I can actually make a groovy in time for the day- but that’ll depend on if I have the time/energy- The last couple months before graduation is hitting HARD.

• I’ve been debating on making an interview vignette but we’ll see-

• Since this is just a birthday thing and not mixed in with something else like last year, I think I’ll just keep this one simple(r) than before.

• Hehe- Bouquet’s gonna be a surprise ^^

• I’ll admit I was a little bit overwhelmed by last year, but it was fun regardless! I still have a wish saved from last year, which for some reason Tumblr flagged and didn’t let me see until months later, but I’m overall excited to grow up on this hell site with you all.

[kharla-k]

Ending a Grand Overture in Relation to Chapter 14

Ending a Grand Overture feels like a very strange event to me, because it cashes in on the main story to provide the climax of a separate entire event. Furthermore, and frustratingly for someone as invested in the main story as they are, it seems to tie up several of the loose ends for that story, that I care about, in passing, while covering in-depth it's own.

The Military Commission is attacked by Rhodes Island and the recently-remade-and-spearheaded-by-Wis'Adel Babel (!!!), dismantling it and ending the war. This is all that's said about it. (GO-8 Before:)

We don't learn how they were able to capture the apparently-still-functional airship shown in A Kazdelian Rescue either.

Theresis escaped somehow, and the most detail we get about this is more focused towards setting up a vignette. Did Ascalon actually encounter him, talk to him even, but not manage to stop him? Did he sneak out and she didn't even see him, failing in a task she's likely been obsessing over for years now? This is a vitally important moment for Ascalon, and yet. (GO-8 Before:)

Theresis also succeeded in whatever machinations he and his sister had, now gaining the ability to create catastrophe storms anywhere at will, securing the safety of the Sarkaz presumably indefinitely. Another footnote. (GO-2 Before:)

I found it difficult to engage with, much less enjoy the Glasgow Gang for a long part of the main story, until they finally came around with Chapter 12. I cried over Baird. I thought they were legitimately cool moving forward from 13 and into 14. But using the main story as a kicking off point, and eliminating one of my favorite characters as a footnote during its own finale leaves me exasperated and deeply saddened. Nezzsalem essentially dies off-screen, no quotes, no words, nothing. And then the story effectively celebrates it, which makes sense with the context, but just feels in poor taste. (GO-8 Before:)

Just because I came to appreciate the Glasgow Gang, doesn't mean that I value them over the main story. So I spent the entire event wondering and poring over it, trying to glean all I could about the aftermath of Chapter 14, and focused on a lot of things that EaGO wasn't about. I don't feel as though I can, in good faith, call EaGO even a subpar event, because these issues aren't its fault, but I still struggled to enjoy it in the face of pining for more main story content.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hi! I'm not sure if you've expanded on this but could you explain Malleus' mental age? I fully believe that he's still quite young because of a few of Lilia's lines, but i hear other things from other people as well.

Mmm... I don't think the answer to this is very clear-cut? I think, if asked this question off the bat, I would that that I also lean more toward the "Malleus is mentally young" because he acts in very immature and oblivious ways that are characteristic of a middle or high school student. For example, he is very egocentric (+ fails to consider other points of view) and doesn't think ahead about the consequences of his actions. He just does whatever is natural and most convenient for himself, and his Dorm Uniform vignettes are a perfect encapsulation of this behavior that we see repeated many times over in the main story (books 5, 6, 7), events (Glorious Masquerade, Endless Halloween Night, Vargas Camp, etc.), and other vignettes (his birthday ones, Lab Wear, etc.). We additionally see that he has attachment issues and has trouble when faced with change, something that usually arises in one's teen years. There's also the fact that Lilia tells us that dragon fae are still considered children at age 200 and adolescents at 500, and Malleus is 178 years old (which is way below those values). This implies that the mental capacity of fae works on different scales based on their life expectancy, which varies from species to species.

Based on in-game dialogue, it also seems to be that fae physically develop slower than humans. For example, human toddlers start to walk at around 10-18 months, but Malleus states that it regularly takes a fae 30 years to achieve the same milestone and that he was an “early bloomer” that started to walk at 20 years old. Normally, mental development lines up with physical development, so this would imply that even at 178 years old, Malleus may still be regarded as a child in terms of his thinking, attitudes, and behaviors.

Buuut, as I've said earlier, the answer isn't really that simple and gets muddled by a ton of other factors which are hard to isolate from Malleus's maturity. For one, how do we know that he isn't mentally and emotionally stunted because of his isolated upbringing and training to become a king someday? How do we know it's not his privilege and limited life experiences that explain why Malleus seems to be behind his peers in some aspects? For another, he certainly doesn't speak like a normal high school student, nor does he act like one in some cases. Sometimes he demonstrates wisdom that can only come with the age or mentality of a far older person, like when he imparts wisdom onto his fellow students (book 3, Riddle's Suitor Suit vignettes, etc.). Lilia is also so old compared to Malleus that him "babying" the prince isn't saying much, considering that Lilia considers pretty much everyone else in the cast children or mere babies next to him. Malleus also refers to his peers as “like babies” to him, so he seems to consider himself more mature than them, not less. He also insists to Lilia that he is “not a child”, so it seems that Malleus views himself as an adult or, at the very least, a teenager.

It should also be noted that the development cycle of humans and fae are not exact. For example, while you could probably cleanly line up 12-15 months for humans and 30 years for fae just to learn the skill of walking, their dietary needs differ even when they are roughly the same age. A human infant can only take mushy foods after milk, but dragon fae babies can already eat seafood and meat on the bone, implying that dragon fae’s teeth come in much faster than that of a human baby. This is a point against the idea that humans and fae age similarly and have similar developmental benchmarks.

So... It seems to be that Malleus is immature (and thus falling in line with the developmental expectations of your average dragon fae), but that immaturity is tempered by him being raised in an environment that demands that he take on more responsibilities. At the same time, growing up with a focus on his future and being granted few opportunities to step outside of his usual environment also means that Malleus has a very limited worldview that keeps him from growing to some extent. I think, overall, I'd still consider him pretty young mentally, but not much younger than a typical high school student. If he actually had the mental capacity of a child, then surely he’d be in elementary school and not high school. Malleus can comprehend the specialized high school level material presented in many of his classes, so this definitely doesn't make him come off like a child to me.

[tlonista]

Multifandom Hurt/Comfort

Everything hurts; just hope you've got somebody to hold you together when it does. My multifandom writing highlights.

Careful, I Bite (Baldur's Gate 3)

Seducere (14,000 words) - Astarion's complicated, mostly terrible 200-year relationship with seduction, and his less terrible relationship with Tav.

A Crimson Night (18,000 words) - What if Astarion's quest involved an uncomfortable proposition at a masquerade? A Ren'py visual novel with BG3 mechanics and extensive player choice.

The Jayvik Cycle (Arcane)

City of Sunlight (10,000 words) - Vignettes about classism, alienation, and Viktor adjusting to life in Piltover.

Bad Machinery (27,000 words) - An AU where Viktor never left the undercity, but he found Jayce anyway.

Burning Paper Curses (26,000 words) - Viktor's exile after the Council bombing, and the birth of a fake-enemies relationship with Jayce.

Blood and Blue Diamonds (73,000 words) - A detective!Jayce love letter to '30s Los Angeles noir.

City Slang (14,000 words) - Viktor has a terrible night in the undercity, but it's the push he needs to confess some feelings to himself.

To Gold and Redwoods (4,000 words) - A marshal!Jayce and outlaw!Viktor classic western AU.

Love and Demolition (Danger Days)

Better Living Through Anarchy (35,000 words) - Fun Ghoul is a captured zonerunner. Gerard Way is a Battery City TV showrunner. A Killjoys origin story.

Graffiti Tarot (50,000 words) - The Fab Four live... but Ghoul's in prison, Poison's in a coma, Kobra's a brainwashed killer, and Jet's raising a magical girl. A post-SING AU.

The Ship Is Isaac/Misery (Dead Space)

Apostles to the Dead (5,000 words) - EarthGov kept videos of what it did to Isaac on Titan. Ellie finds them. Set during Dead Space 3.

Vacuum Lullaby (11,000 words) - Liz Cross lives in the DS remake. After Aegis VII, she and Isaac try to patch each other up.

Miscellaneous

Ant Farming For Beginners (6,000 words, Doom Patrol) - Larry Trainor's time in the Ant Farm, leaning hard on the fourth wall.

Simulacron-12 Is Smooth Again (4,000 words, Blade Runner 2049) - K is under Niander Wallace's control. Reality is breaking down. On a couple layers of existence, Joi does what she can to help.

A Kindness of Dreams (4,000 words, Darkest Dungeon) - Before the hamlet, Baldwin comforts Sarmenti in the tyrant's court.

[rivetgoth]

2024 New Music Releases I Loved

It's that time of year again! Here's the list I've kept all year of brand new music that I adored throughout 2024, so nobody can tell you that there’s no new alternative music or that alternative music genres are dead. There is SO much good shit; this year has radically altered my music listening with the innumerable mind blowing releases. And realistically I’m well aware that this is barely even beginning to scratch the surface. This is just the stuff I personally listened to, but I know I’m missing TONS of stuff.

Purple text means it was a favorite of the year, but that doesn't mean I don't love the non-purple ones (they wouldn’t be listed if I didn’t recommend them!). It just means I haven't spent as much time with them, and/or they didn't shape my year in quite the same way as the purple ones did :)

Genres are being used pretty loosely to give broad ideas, don’t get too hung up on them.

Albums and EPs:

January 26: TR/ST — TR/ST EP (dark electronic, synthpop)

February 16: Zanias — Ecdysus (dark electronic, new age psychedelia)

March 1: Kontravoid — Detachment (EBM, dark electronic)

March 29: CD Ghost — Vignette II (synthpop, darkwave)

April 5: Then Comes Silence — Trickery (post punk, gothic rock)

April 26: Houses of Heaven — Within/Without (dark electronic, darkwave)

April 26: Profit Prison — GILT (dark electronic)

May 3: MVTANT — Electronic Body Horror (EBM, post-industrial, dark electronic)

May 17: PIG — Red Room (industrial rock/metal)

May 22: Void Palace — Machine of Vision (industrial, EBM, dark electronic)

May 24: LLORA — LLORA (EBM, dark electronic

June 3: Qual — Techsick (EBM, dark electronic)

June 6: Primer — Round and Round (synthpop)

July 12: Male Tears — Paradisco (italo disco, synthpop)

July 12: Shock Doctrine — Sapience (post punk)

August 23: Geneva Jacuzzi — Triple Fire (synthpop, art pop)

August 23: Uniform — American Standard (industrial rock)

August 30: Cold Gawd — I’ll Drown On This Earth (shoegaze, post-hardcore)

August 30: IAMX — Fault Lines2 (post-industrial, dark electronic)

September 6: tassel — A SACRIFICE: UNTO IDOLS (post-industrial, gothic rock, power noise)

September 12: So Below — In Hell (dark electronic, synthpop)

September 13: Bill Leeb — Model Kollapse (post-industrial, EBM)

September 13: TR/ST — Performance (dark electronic, synthpop)

September 16: Dildox — Bound to Submit (EBM)

September 20: Haujobb — The Machine In The Ghost (post-industrial)

September 27: PIG — Feast of Agony (industrial rock/metal)

September 27: Matte Blvck — Vows (darkwave, dark electronic)

October 4: Sleek Teeth — Sleek Teeth (dark electronic)

October 4: Wingtips — On Trial (darkwave, dark electronic)

October 22: Vision Video — Modern Horror (darkwave, post punk)

October 25: Normal Bias — Kingdom Come (darkwave, dark electronic, synthpop)

November 1: The Cure — Songs Of A Lost World (darkwave, post punk)

November 15: Xeno & Oaklander — Via Negativa (in the doorway light) (minimal synth, synthpop)

December 6: The Legendary Pink Dots — So Lonely In Heaven singles release (new age psychedelia, electro-industrial)

Singles:

January 26: spiralteeth — ladyofthelake (darkwave)

February 7: S Y Z Y G Y X — Your Sex Is An Accelerant (dark electronic)

March 1: Bootblacks — When You Want (post punk, darkwave)

March 8: Lower Tar — Human Hours (industrial techno)

March 8: spiralteeth — Monochrome (darkwave)

March 22: ACTORS — In Real Life (post punk, darwave)

April 11: S Y Z Y G Y X, Nightcrawler — Destroy Me (dark electronic)

April 18: Debby Friday — To The Dancefloor (alt pop, dark electronic)

April 26: Patriarchy — Hurt Me (dark electronic, trip hop)

April 26: S Y Z Y G Y X — Let’s Lose to disco (dark electronic)

May 8: Touching Ice — nothing matters more than love (dark electro pop)

May 10: Drab Majesty — Photograph (post punk)

May 17: Male Tears & Grizz — Sioux So Pretty (darkwave hip hop)

June 21: ACTORS — Dead Inside (post punk, darkwave)

July 31: Catherine Moan — Angeles (synthpop)

August 9: Dildox — Devilish (EBM, darkwave)

August 22: Madeline Goldstein — 1996 Expectations (darkwave, synthpop)

August 22: Pixel Grip — Stamina (industrial pop, EBM)

September 4: Safe Mind — 6’ Pole (dark electronic)

September 12: clipping. — Run It (industrial hip hop/rap)

September 13: Lower Tar — Rat King (industrial techno)

October 4: ACTORS — Object of Desire (post punk, darkwave)

November 12: clipping. — Keep Pushing (industrial hip hop/rap)

December 6: Male Tears — Little Doll (synthpop, italo disco)

And finally, my personal top five albums of the year out of all of these:

5: CD Ghost's Vignette II — Dreamy, bright, and so nostalgic while still sounding very very now. Just kind of a perfect EP to be honest. "Constellations" is one of my favorite songs to come out this entire year.

4: tassel's A SACRIFICE: UNTO IDOLS — Like no other. I was able to witness one of the best shows I've ever seen, period. from this band earlier this year. So much style, coolness, and energy, with a fresh, heavy sound. Literally nobody is doing it like them. Meshing classic gothic rock, industrial, and power noise into one unrelenting nightmare album.

3: Profit Prison's GILT— Sleeper hit favorite for me. I had never even heard of Profit Prison until this year but this album is just so good from start to finish. Fallen asleep to it on long bus rides numerous times; it somehow has both a fun high energy quality and a sort of wistful melancholy. Super timeless, consistent, and pretty. Kinda can't get enough of it.

2: IAMX's Fault Lines2 — Was waiting for this one and it did not disappoint. I will fucking die on the hill that Chris Corner's recent outputs have been some of the best of his entire career. With irregular beats, heaviness, experimentation, modular synth, some of his best vocal performances, this album has, like, everything. "Neurosymphony" was my most listened to song this year, and "Infinite Fear Jets" and "Conflict Medication" are also two of my favorite things to come out of this year. But really, the whole album is just to die for. Incredible work as ALWAYS.

1: TR/ST's Performance — Album of the year. Performance is a perfect album. You kind of just need to hear it for yourself, start to finish, to believe it. A perfectly captured snapshot of the very end of a doomed relationship and all of the heartbreak, grief, relief, and regret that follow. I kind of don't have much else to say on this one. Experience it for yourself. TR/ST's magnum opus. Angel told me to say it's his Norman Fucking Rockwell!. The best single album to come out of this year for me. Instant classic in every way.

[wearethekat]

Anticipated New Releases of 2024

**As anticipated by Me. Mostly SFF. Links are to goodreads because that's what I use, sorry. Anything marked "new to me" I haven't read anything by that author before and therefore can't vouch for the quality. I just think the premise is neat.**

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands, Heather Fawcett (16 January)

Sequel to the charming novel about the fairy anthropologist.

Exordia, Seth Dickinson (23 January)

Well, it isn't a new Baru Cormorant, but this modern SF about first contact may be the next best thing.

City of Stardust, Georgia Summers (30 January)

New to me. A young woman descends into the underworld in order to break her family's fatal curse.

The Tainted Cup, Robert Jackson Bennett (6 February)

New to me. A sherlock holmes flavored duo solves the mystery of the murder of an imperial official in a labyrinthine fantasy realm.

What Feasts at Night, T Kingfisher (13 February)

The sequel to the mushroom horror book What Moves the Dead.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden (13 February)

A ghost story set in WW1 about a woman searching for her missing brother.

The Fox Wife, Yangsze Choo (13 February)

New to me. A detective in 1908 Manchuria investigates a young woman's death in an area full of mythical foxes.

Redsight, Meredith Mooring (27 February)

New to me. Unpowered priestess and Imperial pawn is set on a collision path with a pirate with a grudge for the Imperium (Gay romance).

Sunbringer, Hannah Kaner (12 March)

Sequel about the professional godkiller Kissen.

Jumpnauts, Hao Jingfang (12 March)

New to me. A SF novel in translation from Chinese, with three scientists joining forces to deal peacefully with a first contact situation.

The Woods All Black, Lee Mandelo (19 March)

I liked Mandelo's debut novel very much so I'm excited to read this queer horror novella set in 1920s Appalachia.

Floating Hotel, Grace Curtis (19 March)

New to me. A series of cozy character vignettes on a space cruise ship after a murder has occurred. One of the four (!) space hotel murder crimes books coming out this year.

The Emperor and the Endless Palace, Justinian Huang (26 March)

New to me. Reincarnation gay romance set in 4 BCE China, the 1740s, and modern-day LA.

Alien Clay, Adrian Tchaikovsky (28 March)

Far future space xenoarchaeology by a man trapped on a prison planet.

Someone You Can Build a Nest In, John Wiswell (2 April)

New to me. Bizarre lesbian cannibalism monster romance from the point of view of the monster.

The Familiar, Leigh Bardugo (9 April)

Glad to see Bardugo writing more adult fantasy, and this one is especially exciting because it's a fantasy set in early modern Spain with a Jewish main character. Fun to see a more original historical period.

A Sweet Sting of Salt, Rose Sutherland (9 April)

New to me. Lesbian selkie romance.

Death in the Spires, KJ Charles (11 April)

Charles branching out from romance into historical Oxford murder mystery about a group of friends with dark secrets.

Audrey Lane Stirs The Pot, Alexis Hall (22 April)

The new Hall thinly veiled british baking show romcom. Libby says it's releasing in April but I've heard nothing from the author so I think it may be Alecto'd (shifted to next year)

Necrobane, Daniel M Ford (23 April)

Sequel to the dungeons and dragons-esque low fantasy lesbian necromancy book.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep, Sylvie Cathrall (25 April)

New to me. Sweet underwater epistolary academic romance.

How To Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Django Wexler (21 May)

New to me. A young hero caught in a fantasy time loop gives up and tries being the villain in an attempt to escape.

Goddess of the River, Vaishnavi Patel (21 May)

Another woman-centered retelling of Hindu mythology, this time based on the river goddess Ganga.

Escape Velocity, Victor Manibo (21 May)

New to me. Evil and toxic private school alumni jockey for position in a space hotel event in an attempt to escape a dying Earth.

The Fireborne Blade, Charlotte Bond (28 May)

New to me. Gay dragon slaying knight novella.

Evocation, ST Gibson (28 May)

New to me but looks very cool. Attorney and medium David attempts to escape his deal with the devil with the help of his ex boyfriend and his ex boyfriend's wife (Poly romance).

Service Model, Adrian Tchaikovsky (4 June)

In an SF future, a robot kills its human owners and ventures out into a world where human supremacy is beginning to crumble.

Lady Eve's Last Con, Rebecca Fraimow (4 June)

New to me. A con artist seeks revenge on the man who hurt her sister, who's coincidentally also on a space cruise ship (Sapphic romance subplot).

Triple Sec, TJ Alexander (4 June)

An actual mainstream published poly romance (!!) by trans author Alexander.

Running Close to the Wind, Alexandra Rowland (11 June)

Gay! Pirates! Scheming! Alt fantasy world! Monks! I liked Taste of Gold and Iron a lot and I'm very excited for this one.

The Knife and the Serpent, Tim Pratt (11 June)

New to me. Space opera about an interdimensional organization. Also, there's a sentient starship.

The Witchstone, Henry Neff (18 June)

A childhood favorite of mine's adult debut, featuring a demon who suddenly has to shape up at his curse keeper job after eight hundred years of slacking.

Rakesfall, Vajra Chandrasekera (18 June)

VERY excited to read more weird queer sff from this author after a fantastic debut. Looks weird. I'm in.

Foul Days, Genoveva Dimova (25 June)

New to me. A witch in a Slavic fantasy inspired world flees her evil ex, the Tsar of Monsters. There's also a plague and a detective.

Saints of Storm and Sorrow, Gabriella Buba (25 June)

New to me. Filipino inspired anticolonialist fantasy novel about a nun who is secretly practicing the religion of her goddess.

The Duke at Hazard, KJ Charles (18 July)

A queer regency with an incognito duke by one of my particular favorite romance authors.

Long Live Evil, Sarah Rees Brennan (30 July)

!!! Very excited to see a new adult fantasy by Brennan. A reader is dragged into a fictional world and finds herself the villain.

A Sorceress Comes to Call, T Kingfisher (20 August)

A retelling of The Goose Girl from reliably good fairy tale stalwart Kingfisher.

Buried Deep and Other Stories, Naomi Novik (17 September)

Collection of Novik's short stories.

Swordcrossed, Freya Marske (8 October)

VERY excited to see a new book by talented writer Marske. A man falls in love with the duelist hired for his arranged wedding. MEANWHILE. details of the fantasy world wool industry.

Feast While You Can, Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta (29 October)

New to me. Small town queer cave horror.

The Last Hour Between Worlds, Melissa Caruso (19 November)

Multiple reality murder mystery spy vs spy type antics, with lesbians.