#it’s amazing the plot is incredible the characters (and their developments) are wonderful the romance isnt forced at all and the ML is an

[theveganearper]

My Controversial Smut-Take:

Smut has become a thing that can either make a fic or break a fic for me. Even as an author, I am guilty of “breaking a fic” with smut. Now that I’ve been reading and writing a bit longer, here’s my biggest controversial (maybe) smut-take.

Note: This does not imply to fics that are actual smut fics. That’s not what I’m mentioning here.

My biggest peeve is when I’m reading a fic that has a wonderful plot point and then as soon as the smut hits, that’s all the story has become. I’m guilty of this myself, unfortunately. It ultimately made me lose direction in a fic that I wrote, I’m Glad These Roads Led Me To You. I loved writing this fic so much. But the moment I did one smut scene, that unraveled into more smut scenes and then I thrived on the feedback of them and that was great. But I felt lost in the direction of where I was taking it plot wise, and then after taking an even longer break to find some direction, I feel like I lost the plot entirely. I’ll find my way back to it though, with a great planning strategy.

This doesn’t always happen though, and I’ve seen it done very well with a few fics. I feel like when smut is just another part of a fic, it can take a story to new heights. You get the best of the plot with a little smut on the side and it’s a perfect ensemble of a wonderful plot and an incredible addition of written porn, haha.

Smut gets stories lots of hits, kudos, comments, etc. because we’re all humans and humans get horny and well…you get it. I feel like the biggest downfall with smut is when authors, again, like myself, start getting that boost from the smut and then it’s like, “People are really enjoying this and are commenting on this, so let me give them more of this thing that they seem to enjoy!”

But the best part of the story is well, the plot. The plot is what’s keeping me interested. What are the characters doing, how do they feel, what are they thinking, what are they experiencing, where is this all going, where will they eventually end up? I feel like a lot of these questions get lost when smut takes over a story and it’s happened with a fic I recently read.

It had a great plot, great character development, awesome descriptions, and amazing writing. It was the perfect balance of romance and humor and angst and fluff and then smut entered and then I’m like, “Where was this story going before this?” And, “Where is the story going now?”

I’m writing a fic now where there’s smut in chapter 2 (so very early on) and my biggest goal with this fic is that smut has to make sense and only be a participant in the overall story. It can’t just be put in there to make things spicy. It has to just be another note in this song that elevates it, but doesn’t take over and become all that the story is. I don’t want people to start reading this fic and then forget what the core of it is or let it fall off because now there’s more smut than there is character dialogue and story advancement.

This is long and very dragged out. But I just felt like putting this out there because although smut is GREAT (of course it is.) I also feel like there can be a negative side to it as well. So there’s my maybe-maybe not, controversial smut-take. Leave your own thoughts if you feel inclined.

[ifwebefriends]

A Reflection of Starlight Review

(TW: brief mentions of COVID, cancer, and suicide) (spoilers for Les Mis but no spoilers for AROS)

Please indulge me as I tell a bit of a personal story.

I took French all throughout high school and also participated in French club. I was also really into musical theatre (and I still am) so I was interested in the musical Les Misérables. I saw it live once and it was incredible. Sometime during my sophomore year I tried to read the original Brick but didn’t get very far, it’s just kinda not my thing I guess. But the characters were so charming and endearing to me and I was primarily moved by the stories of Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert. I was moved by how their characters and stories mirror each other and how they’re so alike but their differences drove them to very different places. During my senior year of high school we watched the 2012 Les Mis film in French club one day. At the end when Javert kills himself, almost everyone in the room cheered, but I did not. While Javert did many bad things, had a very narrow worldview, and made things so much harder for our protagonist, I still felt pity for him. I felt pity that he lived by this one doctrine all his life because he kind of had no other choice and when faced with the idea that he may be wrong, he was so distressed and had no one to turn to, so he took his own life.

Earlier that year, I started reading a fanfiction called A Reflection of Starlight by AutumnGracy, and I was quickly sucked in. For those unaware, it is a continuation of the Les Mis book that starts with one big difference: Jean Valjean saves Javert from drowning after he throws himself into the Seine. From there, the two grow closer and Javert learns to live with the fact that the law isn’t infallible with the help of Jean Valjean.

I started reading this fanfic in the spring of 2019 and I didn’t finish it until today, January 15th, 2024. Over four years. To my credit, it is a HUGE work, spanning over 379,000 words; that’s longer than the entire Hunger Games trilogy, which is about 301,000 words in total. A lot has happened in my life since I started reading that slowed my progress. The COVID pandemic hit, I got diagnosed with cancer, beat cancer, started college, had a cancer relapse, beat the cancer relapse, and got a boyfriend all in the time that it took me to finish this thing. This is the longest text that I have ever read.

And there’s a good reason why I stuck with it: it’s absolutely amazing. While I didn’t read the original Brick, the wording and structure of the story seems very appropriate for the original time period and story. It’s extremely well-written and tells a compelling story all on its own that gives all of the main characters a resolution to their pasts and a hopeful and happy ending. It’s kinda plot-heavy, there’s a lot of original stories and plot lines taking place, but it is all engaging and wraps up really nicely.

The center-point of the story, however, is the growing relationship and eventual romance between Jean Valjean and Javert. From beginning to end you see how this beautiful relationship slowly develops and grows. And I mean SLOW. This is literally the slowest burn that I have ever read. But it’s worth it. Even before it’s explicitly romantic, there are lots of cute, endearing moments between the two that kept me hooked. They’re even asexual which makes my aspec heart so happy. This is probably the greatest fanfiction that I’ve ever read.

@autumngracy thank you so much for such a wonderful work. Your authors notes throughout were entertaining and made me feel like I was experiencing this story along with you. Your writing is phenomenal and I hope you know how great your skills are.

[sitp-recs]

HP Rec Fest, Day 31

Last day of @hprecfest and I AM NOT READY to say goodbye 😭 so sad to see this incredible coming to an end but also thrilled that I’ve had the chance to participate and found my reccing mojo again. Thank you @givereadersahug for this incredible initiative and to all the mods for for your hard work!!! Of course the last prompt is a banger, it was so hard to pick a fav amongst favs but to honour my commitment to rec fics that deserve more visibility I’m sharing two stunning works that showcase the beauty of short (3k) and medium (31k) form. No better way to close it out than reccing two stories that have been so very special for me ever since I first read them, and informed the way I see the ships and my respect for short-medium length. I can only hope this post will inspire more folks to check and experience these beauties by themselves. I hope you’ve had as much fun with the Rec Fest as I did! Wishing everyone a happy NYE and an amazing start to 2024 🥂

Day 31) a fav amongst favs:

Drarry

Still Life (orphaned, M, 3k)

No summary provided so I’ll quote:

if you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to create a perfect short fic the answer is yes and the proof is right here. what a masterclass in short form! the gorgeous prose, the introspective tone, the slice-of-life atmosphere, the perfect pacing and unexpected ending - everything comes together so seamlessly it might feel casual at first but I promise it’s actually quite profound in meaning. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read Still Life and it still hits me in the solar plexus. every. fucking. time. Harry’s pov is a triumph, nuanced, hilariously oblivious and so charming as he navigates conflicting feelings about his growing attraction to Draco. it’s as if we are right there by his side, watching as he overanalyzes their casual-not-so-casual relationship and Draco’s not helping by being infuriatingly hot, tender and quirky (god what a compelling combo, and he has such brilliant lines too!). I am obsessed with their voices and with Harry’s mental gymnastics from horny denial to stunned resignation. this was such a transformative read for me because it’s one of the few fics that made my jaw drop with every paragraph, masterfully crafted to hit me right in the feels. by now I know by heart the lines that give me the “heartkick” - a physical reaction that makes my heart contract and expand with warmth at reading something that changes me in a permanent way. there’s nothing I could say to do this fic justice so I rest my case by stating that it’s a privilege to have the chance to read seefin’s works! what a legend.

Rare pair

A Fine Foray into Fashionable Fellatio by @wellhalesbells (Draco/Ron, E, 31.5k)

First comes tolerating, then comes shagging, then comes unintended consequences.

this is the fic that effectively and irreversibly pulled me into Dron 🪦 I remember being so completely mindblown and obsessed with this story that I immediately found 1824947 ways to mention and rec it every chance I got. holy shit, what a journey! before reading this fic I didn’t know it was possible to love them together and not even think about Harry. but here Ron and Draco are so fully realized, so well-matched in wit, charisma and personality I was promptly sold on the ship without ever comparing their dynamics to Drarry, after all Ron is so very different from Harry. this is quite the emotional rollercoaster, as chaotic, impulsive and intense as both characters; their chemistry and sexual tension are off the charts (the bathroom sex and smoke kink, my god!!!! 🥵) and the Mpreg plot works surprisingly well and in a very Dron way: jump head first, talk feelings later. love the mix of playful banter, horny smut and tentative sweet romance with a long-standing friendship in the background. this is such a FUN read and I really appreciate that the author took their time to develop both the plot and the characters, it certainly felt refreshing to me as I’m used to short rare pair fics. definitely a Dron classic that deserves to be read and reread many times!

[tentative-wanderer]

Reviews: Homophobic Cop Marries Gay Ghost, President’s Son Gets Together with Prince

Recently watched 2 movies with gay main characters in different genres. One was Red, White & Royal Blue (available on Amazon), one was 🌟 Marry My Dead Body 关于我和鬼变成家人的那件事 (available on Netflix). Spoiler-free thoughts below 😊:

❤️🤍💙 Red, White & Royal Blue is an American romcom. It has a 10/10 trailer—incredibly inviting. The movie depicts many women in power, I love that! Many witty jokes, nice! The movie might be better if it were a drama series instead; to save time, it zoomed through the falling-in-love part with the use of text messages—the production team packaged that as well as they could, but it was still too rushed. The ending left me wondering if there could’ve been a tiny bit more to make it feel more complete. Though the movie doesn’t score as highly as its trailer in my opinion, it’s still a decent movie.

(That reminds me of how That Musical Montage in episode 1 of the Heaven Official’s Blessing donghua made me super keen to watch the rest of the series, but it turns out that that was the best part. Quality-wise, Red, White & Royal Blue is overall better than the TGCF donghua though.)

👻👮‍♂️💓 Marry My Dead Body is a Taiwanese mystery + comedy + supernatural movie. Let me copy the blurb from Google: “Wu Ming-Han, a straight policeman who is homophobic and ghost-phobic, accidentally picks up a red wedding envelope while collecting evidence. He finds himself betrothed to the envelope's owner Mao Pang-Yu, a gay man who died under mysterious circumstances. The duo must work through their differences and join forces to solve the case, seeking justice for Mao.” (Real-life context: marriages between dead people and live ones are/were an actual thing in Chinese culture.)

I’ve just finished watching this movie, love it! Let me get the “con” out of the way first: I wish the movie ended differently! The ending was not unsatisfying, it’s just that I personally could have been more satisfied.

Okay, now I am free to gush.

This movie is HILARIOUS. Won’t describe the humour here, you can see it in the trailers on YouTube.

I love the unravelling of the mysteries (police cases). The feelings would not have hit half as hard without them and the exploration of Maomao’s non-romantic relationships (formed during his life) after his death. Even though I highly value a good plot apart from the romance when I read/watch something, I like talking about feelings more, so that’s what I’ll do.

I have Intense Feelings about these guys. They went from being Not Keen about getting stuck with each other to being really cute together—I notice that the movie managed to do this EVEN WITHOUT having them hold hands or do anything physical beyond that. That is crazy. Romantic physical contact is great, but if you can show chemistry without it, and with minimal flirting—that is exceptional.

(Side note: I think it would be harder to convincingly depict a heterosexual pair arriving at romantic feelings the way Wu Ming-Han and Maomao did: (partly) through constant banter and trading barbs. A man looking down on a woman would have come across as a lot meaner because the threat that poses is larger in the patriarchal society we live in.)

Wu Minghan went from casually homophobic to being on track for bisexuality for a ghost, such character development. The scene where Wu Minghan genuinely calls Maomao “my husband” for the first time is AMAZING, unexpected. At that moment I was like, oh my god, he loves him. Or at the very least, he has good potential. It had taken a series of hilarious strong-arming, including a close call with the loss of Wu Minghan’s family jewels, to make this dude marry Maomao, but now he’s calling Maomao husband—in that particular state, at that timing. I cried. I was smiling at many points throughout the movie, I also cried at some points. I said something similar when I wrote my review for Merman’s Fall: a book/movie that makes me laugh and cry will go at the top of my favourites list. Unlike my danmei list, my favourite movies list is too short for me to put Marry My Dead Body at the top or bottom, but it’s definitely in there.

[wondereads]

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (8/10)

It's been a while since I read a male main character, and Lazlo is a really strong one to start with. The characters are really the strong part of this book. I loved both Lazlo and Sarai; they're easy to empathize with and genuinely good people. Their romance is also well-written and quite passionate, probably my favorite part. The plot isn't amazing, but it's still good; I like that there's this history of war and gods and monsters but the main conflict forgoes that in favor of the very human conflict of hate and prejudice. However, I did find a lot of a the middle of this book dragged quite a bit. It was good I enjoyed the romance as much as I did because it was most of what kept me going.

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong (6/10)

I've read all of Chloe Gong's previous novels and loved them, but I don't think her foray into adult fantasy turned out all that well. This book is very info-dumpy, and as a result I am only loosely attached to the characters. A lot of this story is based on things that happened before it actually starts, and instead of getting flashbacks or characters confiding in each other, they just kind of say what happened in the narration. There were some good twists in here, enough to make me want to read the next book when it comes out, but especially compared to her other books this one is lacking.

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (10/10)

This book was so batshit insane and astonishingly wonderful. As is par for the course for The Locked Tomb, it was incredibly confusing but also stunningly executed. The work with POV in this book is great, using third, second, and first person in a way that hints at some situations revealed towards the end, and also making Harrow an unreliable narrator, making the reader doubt even the things that would usually be taken as fact. The mysteries of Lyctorhood are far from revealed, and the revelations in the latter third of this book completely blew me away. Looking back, a good majority of this new information is foreshadowed, and it's just so well-written. If I hadn't promised myself I'd be alternating between this and The Poppy War trilogy, I'd be picking up Nona the Ninth right now.

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim (7/10)

This was certainly a fun read, and it helps that it's based on one of my favorite fairy tales. I think Shiori has good growth throughout the book, and I liked that the villain was not all she seemed. Although the reasoning was a little stretched, she was given a lot more depth than I initially thought she would. The romance was sweet but not nearly as developed as I would like (and I was kind of rooting for the other option). Unfortunately, this book feels very rushed; each scene felt a little too quick, and it didn't make the emotional beats hit as hard as they should. I'm undecided as to whether I'll read the sequel.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (4/10)

I went into this book knowing it would be trash, but I was not prepared for just how horrendously written it would be. Not only is this book an almost identical copy of Twilight (just replace 'vampire' with 'fallen angel') it is also just aggravating to read. There was genuine potential in the creepier parts of this book, especially with Nora being dismissed by everyone and coming to doubt her own memory and sanity, but the incessant focus on the romance over all else just ruined the tone. Everyone in this book acts like a total creep and yet Nora just brushes it all aside, instead preferring to focus on the love interest's dark eyes and windswept hair than the very obvious red flags he is vigorously waving. The absolute worst part of this book was Vee, Nora's 'friend' who is inappropriate at best and a victim-blamer at worst after she waves off someone literally physically assaulting her best friend with excuses of...he wasn't feeling well? Anyway, this book wasn't even enjoyable as a lighter, trashy romance read.

Island of Fire by Lisa McMann (9/10)

I think these books get better and better as they go along. Entering the third book of this series, there is a noticeable complexity that doesn't really appear much in middle grade. Our main character, Alex, is dealing with quite a bit in this book, from grief to his newfound authority in Artime, and there's a lot of nuance. Not to mention some complicated feelings concerning the romantic plotlines, which are usually quite straightforward in middle grade. The worldbuilding is also getting more and more interesting, especially concerning the ending of this book. My one major issue is that although this series jumps from perspective to perspective quite often, Aaron's POV kind of dropped off the face of the earth about halfway through, and for such a major character (who's going through a rather intense breakdown), I wish we'd gotten to see him more.

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater (9/10)

It is truly remarkable that despite the characters beings older and with a mostly new cast how similar the tone and writing is in this book to The Raven Cycle. It's really interesting to read a Ronan-focused story since even though he was a major character in TRC, this provides so much more insight into him. I really like Jordan, she's probably my favorite new character, my opinion of Declan has improved exponentially, and I'm hesitant about Hennessey. I'm not as enthralled as I was with TRC, but I'm definitely interested.

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint Vol. 1 by Sing Shong (10/10)

This book took me almost a year to read, and it was worth it. It seems like a typical fantasy webnovel with a completely overpowered protagonist, but there is so much more to this story. Kim Dokja has to be one of the most unreliable narrators I've ever read. He goes to extreme lengths to hide his plans and feelings, not just from the other characters but also the reader. There are so many strong themes throughout this book, and the side characters are extremely well characterized. I find Dokja's relationship with his mother particularly interesting. Then, of course, there's him and Yoo Joonghyuk, who are supposedly platonic, but they're "companions in life and death" and ridiculously in tune with one another and guess who kills Dokja (don't worry, he dies on the regular) when he's supposed to be killed by the person he loves most. I'm kind of obsessed with them.

[isgaydisaster]

Some shows, movies, and book recs <3

Got the idea from @ghostgirlinsatin !

Here you have a list of recommendations to watch instead of thinking in st4. Feel free to leave more in the comments!

Shows

Arcane: a great show with 3 main storylines that are intertwined and very complex characters. If you like to discover new societies and their structure, a new world with different but in some way similar rules to us. The rivalry between one and other side. The romance (sapphic romance) that grows between someone from one side and someone from the other. The family love that lives in the hearts of two sisters who will have to go through a lot. The curiosity of two inventors that want to create magic using science. There's a lot : an amazing story, more than well-written characters, beautiful animation... All in 9 episodes, streaming on Netflix. (No, you don't have to know anything about LOL to watch it. It just the background story of some of the characters).

The owl house: it's a Disney kind of show (it's streaming on Disney fr lol) with an amazing plot and characters that grow and learn. It's about a girl named Luz that feels like she doesn't fit in. Her mother wants yo send her to summer camp, but thanks to a fast owl, she ends up in a different dimension. It's very amphibia (there are references of that show in this show)- star vs the forces of evil like. And: there's a lot of representation. Dana Terrace (the creator) has fought a lot to bring this to disney, she's doing an incredible work with this story and she deserves the recognition for it. This story made me feel at home, it really makes my heart warm.

Anne with an e: a classic turned into a show that carried the story so incredibly. Even though netflix f*cking canceled the show (yk, what happens to good shows on netflix), there are 3 marvelous seasons to watch. It's one of the only cases where I find the show better than the book. I love the characters, the representation (and it doesn't feel forced or just for rep), and the focus in feminism. There are a variety of topics that are discussed on the show that are very important and I think it's a good tool to learn very good values.

She-ra and the princesses of power: this one right here is one of my favorites ever. I watch it every time I feel like shit for any reason. My comfort show. It's about a girl named Adora that lives in the Horde, who fights the princesses (again the two sides dynamic yes), and is enjoying her live with her best friend Catra until she gets lost in the woods and discovers something shocking (not a spoiler since is the intro): she's a princess. 5 wonderful seasons of friendship, betrayals, war, pure love, death... I love it more than anything :D (+ a lot of representation although some of it it's not explicit).

The wilds: to be honest I haven't finish it yet but so far (I have 3 episodes left to watch) it's being really good. A group of girls end up in a desert island because of an airplane crash and have to learn how to survive by themselves. In each episode you learn more about one specific but also a bit about the others. The background stories are amazing and the development these characters go through is my favorite thing in the world. We're waiting for the third season now, streaming on Amazon prime video. (+ very good and relatable representation).

Movies

Ladybird: if you have mommy issues, this is your movie. A teenager, wanting to move out of her house and study far away from it. Dreaming with her future, because she doesn't stand her present: she's very much poor. The end is so so so beautiful. I cried like a child, not gonna lie.

The Mitchells vs The machines: another great movie of daddy issues. Well, it's more than that: the story of a girl who wants to go to college so bad (she feels understood there) but when she's traveling with her family to get there, the machine apocalypse begins. A really fun movie to watch in family, with a lesbian main character :)

The fear street trilogy: I'm honestly not a big fan of horror, but these 3 movies got me. What an amazing story, which will keep you up thinking about it and making theories all the time, really good characters, romance (sapphic romance yaaasss), and good horror, not only jumpscares. They're long but not boring, and just talking about them makes me want to watch them again so I will. Link to part one, link to part two and link to part three.

Little women: again with a classic turned into a cinematographic masterpiece. Another movie that made me burst in tears. I love the story a lot, but I'd also like to highlight the incredible job of the cast. I have 2 scenes in mind that left me speechless. The story of an independent woman who returns home and remembers her life there: her adventures with her sisters, the neighbor and her mother. And that makes her wonder about her future too. It gave me the chills like a hundred times.

Turning red: one of my favorite movies of all time. It doesn't matter your age, you're going to love this movie. A teenage girl struggles not with puberty but with BEING A RED PANDA. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, really fun and entertaining. Plus, it teaches good values that stick with you after you watch it. And the characters are really well-written: finally someone portraits female pre-teenagers in a realistic and realatble way (thank you Domee Shi). Give it a try, you won't regret it.

And the whole marvel universe is something I enjoy watching/reading too.

Books

The Percy Jackson series: you have probably heard of it unless you live under a rock. I have read the main series and now I have to read more of this universe because it's huge and amazing. If you like Greek mythology, fantasy and adventure this is your series. Percy Jackson feels dumb in comparison to other children his age, hates her mother's stinky boyfriend and has a best friend with crutches. Would you believe me if I told you all of this is related to the fact that he's a semigod? Well, he is. And now he's accused of stealing Zeus' lightning. That's basically the plot of the first book. Fantastic book and series, honestly. Rick Riordan my king.

Enola Holmes: if you'd like to read a Sherlock Holmes type of story but with the main character being a woman, this is your series. I'm on the third book at the moment and it slaps. I love mystery novels, and if you do too I totally recommend.

Heartstopper-verse: Alice Oseman writes so good her characters. Her comics and books are the best, so if you like queer content in teenager media this is your place.

The girl on the train: really good thriller that keeps you reading all night. With mystery and very complex characters (you will probably hate most or all of them). A girl (can't remember her name right now and I have to go so can't search for it) watches people doing their lives every day when she sits on her couch in the train that takes her to her job. She imagines the names of those people, their jobs, their conversations. And, one day, she sees something weird happen just before everything goes to hell.

The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo: Some people say it's not that good but this book reached to my core. It's not my favorite or close to it but it's really good. The story and how it's written, the characters and the message you get from the book is exquisite. Chef kiss. It's basically about a famous woman that hires a very confused reporter to write her story. Very moving and real. The supposed "plot-twist" wasn't that shocking for me though.

That's some I think are very good. Let me know what you thing and give me recommendations too if you want please <3

[smol-blue-bird]

the public (me) would like to hear about your impressions of the Victorian Theodora Novel 🎤🎶

Oh my god, I have so many opinions about the Victorian Theodora Novel, I don't even know where to begin

First of all, I read the entire thing over the course of several late night study sessions in between trying to memorize every aspect of the complement system, SO my memory is probably a little fuzzy. But oh my god was this book weird

I mean, obviously there were a lot of plot points that were just absurd and unhinged on their own (Theodora's dad and John the Cappadocian being a members of a secret society called "the Brotherhood of the Rising Sun???" I literally looked this up because I was wondering where the author got this from and I couldn't find anything except for one Masonic lodge in Saratoga Springs, so maybe I'm just clueless, but the entire thing read as totally insane to me. I cannot imagine what the author was inspired by) but the main thing that got me was the sheer Victorian-ness of it all. Like, there were so many classic Victorian Tropes that it almost read like a parody of Victorian literature at points. Acacius dying of Brain Fever like Sara Crewe's dad in A Little Princess cracked me up right from the start and it just got less coherent from there. And Anastasia!! That entire plotline was bonkers. You could kind of tell that the author was desperate to have the requisite "Beautiful Saintly Ingenue Who Dies Tragically Of The Consumption To Motivate The Less Perfect People" character in his book, and Anastasia came the closest to fitting that role, but it obviously wouldn't work if she was a prostitute because then she wouldn't fit Victorian standards of innocence and perfection. So he just got around it by having Juliana Anicia adopt her? I mean, granted, it's more like Juliana volunteering to take her in as a handmaiden, but she's clearly loved and raised well and there's no real difference in the end. So Anastasia becomes a quasi-noblewoman who can safely catch romanticized tuberculosis and die for Theodora's character development without challenging Victorian ideas about purity along the way, and it's all well and good except for the fact that it makes no sense. And she's so saintly and holy that she even gets to astral-project to Theodora in Africa to encourage her to come home. Truly astonishing, 10/10 stuff.

Theodora and Justinian's romance was also amazing, for different reasons. Justinian comes across as such a useless asshole for like 80% of his pagetime. I'm obsessed with the fact that he decided that the appropriate way to greet her upon her return from Africa was to randomly show up as she's crying at her sister's grave, kiss her on the mouth, and then run away? And then they get married the next chapter! I know a lot of the weirdness of their interactions can be attributed to Victorian ideas about romance and affection, but still, God.

There were just so many weird bits, though. I don't know how I could possibly list them. The Brotherhood of the Rising Sun. Everything about Anastasia. Everything about the central romance. The narrator describing Theodora's eyes as "orbs" like it's a bad Harry Potter fanfic from 2007. That scene where Antonina is, like, sitting at her father's knee as he's in the chariot, and it would be cute if she was a child but she's a grown woman about to get married. Theodora having a dead older brother who was eaten by a lion. The evil stepmother. The bit when Theodora leaves Hecebolus in Africa and the fishermen on the boat are lecherous creeps and one of them touches her and she straight up decks him even though she was too weak to walk just paragraphs prior (and then one of the sailors tries to drag her away and she's like God help me! and God does!) Just a truly questionable novel all around, seeped in Victorian-era moralizing and deeply questionable ideas about women. Incredible, I loved and hated it at the same time. Thank you so much for making me aware that this exists

[thevikingwoman]

Wayfarer Episode 2 launches tomorrow! (July 1st)

alright friends, as you may have noticed, I’ve been absolutely feral about Wayfarer the last month or so (I’ve been playing the patreon pre-release), so I’d thought I make a small post especially for all my Dragon Age friends about why you should play this game. 

Wayfarer is developed and written by @idrellegames, which is a one person team of Idrelle / Anna. Idrelle used to be very active in the Dragon Age community, and was one of the first persons I connected with when I poked my head into the fandom - she’s a great friend and this is both a disclaimer and selling point. She’s great people. 

Wayfarer is not a fanwork, but is inspired by Dragon Age (among other things). It’s a piece of interactive fiction, a text based role playing game of action and consequences, where you choose your own adventure. 

I’m new to IF, in fact I only play a few (as I’m quite picky), and maybe you’re new to IFs too. But I will promise you, if you’re a Dragon Age fan, there’s a high likelyhood you will like Wayfarer. 

Wayfarer is a plot focused game. I really want to emphasize this. Many IF/Choice games are romance centered, and of course that can be super fun, but what I really love about Wayfarer is the broad scope of the game. It’s a lot more like Dragon Age game. The Main Character is part of a story, and the story is at the center. You have companions, some of which you can romance, but it’s not the end goal to end up in a romantic relationship - you can develop deep friendships too and skip romance entirely. 

Because of the text based medium, however, the game’s branching and consequences of your actions are much wider than in a video game. There is so much possibilities, it’s incredible. 

This is getting super long, so let me list some of the things I love about Wayfarer

the writing is amazing. Idrelle is an amazing writer, that’s just a fact

the lore and worldbuilding is staggering. There are so many fun details to discover and discuss. This includes unique fantasy races along with elf-human-dwarf stable. (yes you can play as a pink half-mer person).

the story itself and the plot you’re dumped into is intriguing. In the first two episodes, we’re barely scratching the surface, and yet my brain can’t stop thinking of all the plot points and speculation. 

the emotional impact of the writing is just very good, and there is so much more to come. Prepare to be devastated, I am. 

the characters, both major and minor, are just so wonderful. Unique, interesting and I want to keep them all. 

the game is inherently queer, not just the Main Character (you can choose your gender identity and pronouns), but the whole gallery of characters. Gender identity and a wide spectrum of sexualities are all present in the characters you meet, seamlessly fitting into the world and the worldbuilding. This includes an ace romance option, and for the MC to make their own romantic and sexual choices as the story unfolds. 

lastly, the discord community for the game is really fun, and everyone loves talking about their choices (of which there are many and it’s always surprising to see how many variations there are!), their MCs, the wild theories and speculations about the plot. 

I’m going to tag @noire-pandora, because you say you were intrigued, and @galadrieljones, because my friend I think you’d enjoy it and also I’d love to scream to you about this 🤣 

[duck-era-lexi]

my thoughts on the amazing spider man + sequel

the amazing spiderman 1: 7/10 the amazing spiderman 2: 8.5/10

SPOILERS FOR BOTH!! 

my first and foremost point: i think the amazing spider-man’s strongest point is its romance. i heard about these movies because i saw clips of the romantic scenes on tiktok, and now having the story and context behind it doesn’t ruin the sweetness of it much at all. peter is literally dependent on gwen; she’s his entire world and that is the truth. it’s nearly 5 hours of film and every major character that isn’t peter is gwen or a villain. like, literally. peter needs friends. his aunt is underdeveloped as hell and he has no friends. oh, and gwen dies.

so i don’t know pretty much anything about marvel comics, but i’m actually so impressed with them killing off gwen in the second movie. i think all those scenes were so incredibly wonderful and sad and i think that entire action sequence isn’t leaving my mind anytime soon. in fact, all the action sequences are really good and they kind of make my head spin... which means they’re good! but i’m not an action movie person so i’ll focus on what i know best: the angst. and there is SO MUCH in the second movie. 

peter is so dumb. like genuinely. he has no character development and he’s a static character throughout the entirety of the two films. the ending of tasm2 makes me think that they were gonna make a 3rd movie and make him actually learn to grow without gwen. but like, also i wouldn’t watch that movie because this series is nothing without emma stone. like i understand why they stopped, because what is interesting about this series without gwen? i love the scenes before her death, they are genuinely the best in the entire 5 hour run. 

(also, you’ll see that i am not talking about any other characters because there are no other characters. )

comparing the 1st and 2nd: the first is more cliche, but i like it because the main character is a skater boy but also i hate it because he’s like nooo im not good enough for you. but also i heavily dislike how they built up all this stuff about his uncle and then the overarching conflict is just abt some lizard guy. it was clearly built for a sequel though so these are forgivable faults. the romance is also better in this movie

the second is much better in my opinion. it gets so dark, not just literally but the fact that they killed off gwen is crazy. but then also i hate that they killed off gwen because she was the only thing that made peter interesting. it’s freaky and dark but it stays that way and it embraces the darkness and amplifies the angst. i also really liked the backstory about peter’s parents! yes it barely had anything to do with the overarching plot but personally i like it when movies are like that? it makes it feel more like life. this is objectively plot-wise a much worse movie but the experience is like 100% better. like just don’t think about it and it’ll be good. 

tldr: andrew garfield and emma stone should’ve just starred in a romance movie and saved us like 4 hours of time. like they should’ve just commited to making this a romance and scrapped the green goblin shit. i feel like i just watched 3 movies with the amount of flashing lights i just sat through 

[intrepidradish]

Media: Dragon Ball Z

Year/my age: 2002/12

What drew me to the media:

I came home from highschool everyday and had a small tv with a built in vhs in my closet. It was 4:30pm and toonami was on Cartoon Network. I watched the entire Cell Saga and Majin Boo like a fiend. It was a shitton of episodes! Ugh. It's almost impossible to watch all the way through now, but maybe because as an adult I want like...more plot motivated writing. One of the best fanfic foder aspects of DBZ is that so much is left open to interpretation. I didn't question the filler episodes as a kid. I just liked all the muscles and screaming. The animation/manga style remains super duper fun. But mostly I found DBZ memorable because of Vegeta. I got truly invested in him as a character, because for most of DBZ, he really lets you down. I think TV shows love to harp on tropes for children, ie the bad man becomes a good man and all his values change to match the good characters *sparkles*, because they think morally those are the stories that should be told to children. Which is sad, honestly. Vegeta doesn't fall into that arc. He remains...kind of a bitch... and his character arch is fantastic and long and hard and he fucks up a lot and he doesn't really apologize for any of it. This was amazing to see as a preteen. Teaching failure to a child is really hard, and I think that America's school system is really bad at even attempting to. But failure is super important. Because all of life that child cum adult is going to fail, and its going to suck.

What made me a fan:

In college, I did another pass of DBZ, and whoa, developing adult horny brain really went into spiral knots wondering...so what the fuck... Bulma and Vegeta... had sex? They made a child. They made Trunks. So they had sex, right? I think this is pretty common a reaction. And as soon as you think that, well... the next step is... 'wait wait wait, how did they have sex? why did they have sex? what did that even look like?' And that's what sends you scouring the internet at 1am in your underwear (covertly, because you're in a dormitory with three other roommates).

I wish I could put to language what is it about romance that sends people into fandom holes. Romance is really important to fandom. I think it has something to do with how regimented relationships are in mass media. They aren't diverse. Most main stream romance is very streamlined and never gets into the messy odd bits without being labeled as some kind of edgy cusp drama. I don't know. But relationships seem to be the spring board for fandom hijinks. I'm all about it. I'd rather have fake blorbo relationships in my brain to obsess over than the real world. That shit gets you into trouble.

Oh god, and what an indicator of future dispositions. If you get into the Vegebul fandom, a lot of them are rape stories (because god forbid, a woman could want a shitty asshole alien man to bone at night. Bulma has her own set of problems, specifically with vanity being high up there). But yeah they were hot and I was pretty ashamed about the whole thing.

I was such a baby then.

Have I written fanfiction for it?

YES. One winter vacation, I wrote a 40 page fanfiction. This was probably in 2010? It was UNFINISHED, but I was incredibly sweaty the entire time, trying to build up to a spanking scene. (Yes, 40 pages of build up for spanking. I'm embarrassed for myself.) My computer crashed and the entire document was corrupted. My first fanfic was lost. RIP

Opinion on the fandom:

Pretty chill. I didn't interact with it much besides reading secretly. Originally, I was reading on fanfiction.net. When I came back to it years later (once again after college, I got my husband into it) I was reading fanfic for it on Ao3. I run into other Vegebul's periodically. They are all in their late twenties, early-late thirties. I follow someone here on tumblr that wrote this fantastic long series (100+ chapters) called Pillow Talk which is on Ao3. It's fucking incredible about showing the ups and downs, ins and outs of their relationship, because they do wind up together in canon (which is wild).

The most recent interaction I had was in the kink community, which was like *sigh* 'god, we are so fucking predictable, aren't we?' We had a good laugh! But he was trans masc too, chilling in a femme body, so we clicked right away about it.

I also remember I had an annoying conversation with my stepbrother once about tattoos. I don't have any, so they were asking why I don't. I said "If I started to get tattoos it would be a slipper slop before I start making bad decisions like getting a full Vegeta arm sleeve." Their mouths twisted in that judging you face and said "yeah don't do that." Like...ahem. My point exactly.

I think people get pretty judgy in general about Vegebuls because its a 90s kid's show, and its not a very good one. But being a Vegebul is kind of like... realizing your parents have sex. It's part of 'coming of age'.

Would I participate again:

Hell yeah, I would. Once a Vegebul always a Vegebul. The biggest hurdle for me would be catching up on all the new material. I watched Dragon Ball Super and found it lackluster. GT was so bad, I cannot. Something that's commonly an issue for me is the amount of subject material required to understand a story in fanfiction. I'll get into it later with other fandoms, but if the lore gets too big, I suddenly don't know how to participate.

Master post

[obelians]

LIKE WIND ON A DRY BRANCH CHAPTER 41

[sitp-recs]

On Your Shore by @xanthippe74

Harry/Draco, background Draco/Astoria (2020, Mature, 35k)

Clearing out a remote house full of cursed collectibles in the Outer Hebrides? Not a problem for an experienced curse breaker like Harry Potter. Spending a week with the straight, happily-married man that he’s starting to have feelings for? And sharing a bed with him at night? Surely Harry can handle that, too. But both the house and Draco Malfoy have secrets to uncover, and Harry might be in deeper water than he thought.

One year ago, he had his last date and secretly gave up hope of meeting anyone for whom he felt more than a tepid interest. He’s twenty-seven years old now and has what he can no longer deny is a crush that’s as hopeless as it is inappropriate. Which is a step down even from being chronically single, Harry thinks.

Happy happy birthday @xanthippe74! It was so easy to choose today’s rec because I remember being ridiculously obsessed with this fic and screaming about it in your DMs, then you showed me those amazing reference pics and I wanted to cry because I wouldn’t be able to read this for the first time again :( what better way to celebrate you than sharing with the world these thoughts no one asked for, amirite 😂💜 I’m so grateful that we get to share this fandom space; I appreciate you not only for your kind, fun and encouraging presence, but also for your ability to transform everything you write into my new favorite comfort fic. I still remember feeling my heart burst open with emotion reading Vortex and Follow the Water, two masterpieces - even your advent kidfic had me melting at the spot and I rarely indulge that genre! What a joy it is to only experience the best, softest feelings when I’m reading your works.

To those who didn’t have the chance to check this gorgeous fic yet, do it today. Put simply, On Your Shore is the perfect cottagecore fic. It has that dream-like quality that screams quiet intimacy with a tense atmosphere underneath, and the beautiful Scottish landscape brought me peace despite the mystery and Harry’s inner turmoil. His yearning is written in the gentlest way, as only Xan can do, and his dynamics with Draco are just beautiful - mature, honest, contemplative, laced with soft understanding and bittersweet longing. There’s something really special about reading a romance that develops in remote sites. We watch the characters gravitate towards each other in this confined space as if removed from time and reality, but still so very tentative as if to protect this delicate friendship.

Xan does a fantastic job telling all this from Harry’s perspective - we have no idea what’s going on inside Draco’s head, we have no input about the nature of his marriage with Astoria, we have no way of knowing where this is all going to lead after this little retreat. We’re left to wonder alongside Harry as they carefully tiptoe around each other, unable to stay away but unwilling to take the first step, and yet all the yearning feels inexplicably tender and familiar. Harry’s so gone for Draco I was blushing on his behalf - the wardrobe scene (long-haired Draco asking “Are there scratches on my back?” will be the death of me, jfc 🤤) and I legit gasped when they finally kissed. What a moment!!! And when it feels like Harry’s pining will be too much for our hearts there’s a clever, intriguing Horcrux plot to distract us from the heartbreak and complicated feels. Tbh their jobs and work relationship are so interesting I feel like I could read this story go on for many many chapters after their get together, just to see them travel around being badass curse breaking partners. The plot kept me as immersed as the romance!

This is a gorgeous and atmospheric read, full of feels and with a lovely portrait of demisexual Harry. It will make your heart ache and expand a few minutes later, and it will treat you to one of the best, most meaningful and earned first kisses I’ve seen in fic. Join me to celebrate this incredibly talented author and run don’t walk, to bask in remote Scotland vibes, bed sharing in comfy cottages, plus a gentle and organic slow burn. You won’t be able to put this fic down and will finish it with a sad little sigh, wishing it could go on forever. I promise!

Read on AO3

[nat-20s]

Part 5 of Wonderful! Au. *boyband voice* banter’s back alright!

Also on AO3

~*~

Jon: Hello everyone, and welcome back to our regular format. If my husband being horribly soppy-

Martin:-hey!-

Jon: -turned you off the how, this should be a refreshing return to formula, though I can’t guarantee there won’t be further horrible soppiness-

Martin, performatively under his breath: -most people thought it was charming-

Jon: -as that tends to happen when one is recording with the love of their life. If last week’s episode is the only one that you like, too bad, I’m back in full form, and should be at least through the rest of the season.

Martin: This show doesn’t have seasons? Due to the whole lack of a narrative thing?

Jon: I was referring to spring.

Martin: Oh, right.

[A beat passes.]

Martin, flatly: Oh. Great goof hon.

Jon, smug: Thank you.

Jon, sincere: Also, before we get properly started, I did want to actually thank everyone who sent well wishes.

M artin: Yes! We got positively inundated with lovely messages, it definitely brightened both of our days. I would even say it was wonderful.

[Jon groans.]

Jon: I am..not proud of the energy we’ve created for this episode so far, and we haven’t even hit the small wonders. Speaking of, do you have a small wonder this week?

Martin: Mine’s bad action movies.

Jon: Really? I had no idea you even liked them, let alone consider them wonderful.

Martin: Okay, so, saying I like them is a bit of a misnomer? It’s more that I like what they can do more than the movies themselves?

Jon: Elaborate?

Martin: It probably comes as a surprise to no one that I’ve tried my hand at a fair amount of mindfulness and mediation techniques. I’ve found poetry and journaling have been helpful for actually processing life events and whatnot, but when it comes to giving your brain a hard wipe and reset, nothing is half as quick and effective as a shitty shoot-em-up. Somethings about 2 hours of cartoonish, pg-13 violence held together with the absolute loosest of plots brings me to a state of mental blankness that would make a monk jealous.

Jon: How have I never witnessed you doing this? When are you sneaking off to go see Micheal Tarantino or who ever films?

M artin: That’s definitely not the right name.

Jon: Martin, dear, I don’t care. And you’re dodging the question.

Martin, fond: I’m not dodging anything. Since apparently we’re getting into it, you haven’t caught me cavorting with a movie involving more explosions than character development lately because I haven’t been. Haven’t needed it, in recent years. Turns out when you’re not crushingly lonely and working a literal nightmare of job, there’s less of a drive to try and escape your own thoughts. Shocker, I know. Still, to anyone out there that feels like their brain is on fire, go try watching a fast and furious. Any of ‘em, it doesn’t matter. Or even better, Chronicles of Riddick. I can’t remember a single goddamn detail of that movie, which makes it perfect for what I’m talking about.

Jon: I have the strong feeling that th is is a “mileage may vary” scenario.

Martin: Well, yeah, that’s this whole podcast. Plus, I imagine that movies like this would cause more stress to someone who cares about, say, world-building or rules consistency.

Jon: I wonder who you could possibly be referring to.

Martin: It’s a purely hypothetical person, love, don’t worry about it. Any small wonders?

Jon: Yes! Particularly relevant to the last week, my small wonder is stripping the sheets from your bed when it’s been too long between washes.

Martin: How very specific. M ost people would just say ‘clean sheets’.

Jon: Well, for one, I’m fairly certain that we’ve already covered clean sheets-

Martin: Shit, have we? Thank god other people keep track of this, otherwise this show would be unbearably repetitive.

Jon: Christ, yes. I typically check the website a good three times while prepping, and every about one out of those three times I find I’m trying to do an topic we did 30 episodes again. Anyway, um, it’s just nice, I think. When you’ve been too busy or sick or away for awhile, tossing the sheets in the wash makes a room instantly seem nicer. Of all the chores out there, this one, at least for me, has the highest reward to effort ratio.

Martin: Hard agree. Especially when the y have that slight funk of having been around to long, getting rid of that is such a relief. Speaking of, we need to change our sheets soon.

Jon: We can do it after the episode. Who goes first this week?

Martin: Considering last week was only me talking, I’m gonna say it’s you.

Jon: Alright, then. My first thing this week is Martin K. Blackwood.

Martin: Absolutely not!

Jon: Oh, you can do a whole episode on me, but I can’t do one little segment on my husband, whom I love very dearly?

Martin: Not while I’m sat here, no!

Jon: So you’re saying you don’t want me to tell the internet that your resolve to be kind even in the face of indescribable cruelty is one of the mot breathtaking things I’ve ever witnessed, or how I find it incredibly endearing when you get so emotional that your voice comes out as a squeak, or even that, on a more base level, you’re very physically attractive, and I could lose entire days thinking about your arms alone?

Martin, audibly blushing, voice the aforementioned squeak: Oh my god, Jon!

Jon, laughing: Then it’s probably for the best that my actual first thing is best friends.

Martin, peaking the audio levels: Oh you absolute bastard! Do you enjoy this? Do you get some sort of perverse sense of entertainment from riling me up?

Jon: Oh, don’t you start. As if you’re not as bad as I am. Maybe even worse.

Martin: That’s not…

Jon: Yes?

Martin: Okay. Maybe it’s slightly true. Really, what is romance for if not flustering your partner with compliments?

Jon, teasing: I certainly can’t think of anything.

Martin: Hush, you.

Jon: No, I don’t think I will.

Martin: Fine. I suppose you can tell our delightful audience about the power of friendship or whatever.

Jon: I would’ve assumed more enthusiasm, considering this segment is still, indirectly, about you.

Martin: In what way?

Jon: In the way that, to the shock of all, you’re my best friend.

Martin, pleased: Oh, is that what I am?

Jon, exasperated: Yes, dearest husband, I wouldn’t have married you otherwise. Though, upon reflection, I knew you were my best friend before I knew I held romantic feelings for you.

Martin: When was that?

Jon, letting out a breath that vibrates his lips: God it was...2016? I think it might’ve literally been the day after you told me about your CV.

Martin: That early? Huh. I wonder if that’s what people were picking up when they said they we were close.

Jon: What people?

Martin: I don’t know specifically, that’s just what Daisy told me.

Jon: Daisy? When the hell-?

Martin: It...was when she was interrogating me? And, because sometimes I have to be a parody of myself, pretty much my only take away from that interrogation was “people think me and Jon are close”.

Jon: Well then. It’s not like they were wrong.

Martin, smug: No, no they weren’t.

Martin, sincere: And you’re my best friend, too.

Jon: I was certainly hoping that you’re in this relationship for more than my good looks and incredible fortune, both in the monetary and luck sense.

Martin: You say that as if you aren’t good looking, which we all know is patently untrue.

Jon: You’re biased. You’d say I was good looking if I were nothing more than some primordial ooze with thoughts about its station.

Martin: I’m being completely objective. If you were primordial ooze with thoughts above its station, you’d be the cutest ooze of them all. That’s just scientific fact.

Jon: I’m starting to think we might be insufferable.

Martin: Starting to? Might be?

Jon:…

[Jon clears his throat]

Jon: What I find wonderful about the concept of best friends is, to me, they’re the closest thing real life has to soulmates. I don’t personally believe that there’s some..grand mystic force that drives people to be tied together in the manner that narrative typical soulmates are, and if there was I don’t think it would necessarily be the kind of emotional, heartfelt bond one would hope for, but I do believe that there’s individuals that get to know one another, and because of that knowledge, they chose to stick with one another. It doesn’t have to be a romantic, which is why I say best friend rather than specifically ‘spouse’, but I would argue that the basis of a strong romance like you and I have, is very much rooted in that connection. A true best friendship is an equal partnership, and there’s a sense of..matched sensibilities and understanding that can be utterly incandescent when it happens.

I also think that having one or more best friends makes living life on a day to day basis both better and just flat easier. The dark times aren’t as dark, and the bright times shine even more. I know from my own personal experience there are events that I..that I don’t know how I would’ve made it through without you. Hell, last week my..recovery period would’ve taken much longer if you hadn’t been there.

It’s an amazing thing to have someone to share things with, both triumphs and burdens. Um, also, according to Dictionary.com, the term best friends in English has been around since the 1200s. Something about that delights me, like, yes, we’ve had this casual way of referring to a Favorite Person for roughly 800 years. That makes it a hold-out from early Middle English. I dunno, it’s one of those things that make me feel overall very charmed by humanity.

Martin, audibly smiling: No, yeah, hard agree.

Jon: What’s that look for?

Martin: Nothing. Just. I love you a whole lot, you know that?

Jon, voice soft: I may have heard you say that once or twice. Per hour.

Martin: Only that often? I really need to be more diligent about that.

[There’s a bet of silence, presumably where they’re making doe eyes at each other.]

Jon: What’s your first thing?

Martin: Oh, um, right. Rats!

Jon: The expression or the animal?

Martin: Jon, have you ever once heard me say “rats” as an expression? Obviously I’m referring to the animal.

Jon: Ah. Should’ve known, considering that what, a third?, of all your segments have been on animals.

Martin: Yeah? And? You got a problem with critters? With creatures? With lil guys?

Jon, laughing: No, no, it’s very sweet. I’m just surprised you never became a vet.

Martin: Oh believe me, I wanted to. But then I learned that it was not, in fact, a job composed entirely of getting paid to play with other people’s pets.

Jon: You had that job, though, didn’t you? I thought I remembered you mentioning a month long stint at a doggie day care.

Martin, sighing dreamily: Best job I ever had. Too bad that place was shut down after it was revealed to be a money laundering front.

Jon: Good lord.

Jon: Martin did you...did you know it was a money laundering front at the time?

Martin:

Martin: Would it make you feel better if I said no?

Jon: Martin!

Martin: I figured it out like a week in, but, like, who cares? The pay was decent and the floor was super easy to clean, which is very much a plus for even a front of a doggie day care.

Jon: That’s...rather a lot. How about instead of getting into that any further, you tell me about rodents.

Martin: I would love to. But first, we have a shoutout!

Jon: Ooo, a shoutout. Does it specify who should read?

Martin: Let me check. It...does...not…..

...

Jon: Martin?

[A beat.]

Martin: Right! Sorry, um. This week’s shoutout is from Tim, to Danny. It says, “Danny! My favorite person who shares genetic material with me! I wanted to say thank you for your podcast obsession from 4 months ago, and specifically for telling me about these marrieds. They’ve gotten me through many a dull hour at the publishing house. Also, with this shoutout, I’ve officially gotten ahead on the Superior [Last Name Redacted] Brother scoreboard, so suck it. Love you lots, and looking forward to your visit next month, Tim.”

Jon: Oh.

Jon: Um. That’s very..sweet? I think? Mostly?

Martin: Yeah, I’d say so. Uh. We have to take a quick break because, uh, someone is..at our front door! Be back with you all in, from your side of things, just a moment.

[vickyvicarious]

Just as I was about to go to sleep last night, I got a brain flash that went basically "something something flashback episode thiefsome themes???" so now in the light of day let's re-examine. This still isn't anything too polished, but... I think there's some interesting stuff to be found here.

Putting it under a tag so it doesn't clog up peoples' dashes too much, but the gist is that their roles actually represent their relationships/desires at each respective point in canon quite well, and it's giving me some thoughts about what a possible flashback with Hardison/Eliot would look like.

In the van Gogh Job, we get flashback Parker/Hardison. Obviously it wasn't them and the names are different and all but I'm just gonna call them f!Hardison and f!Parker because it's easier.

f!Hardison is brave, clever, determined, and deeply in love

f!Parker is loyal, comfortable, just as deeply in love, but terrified

Their flashback story is a cautionary tale as much as it is a romance. F!Hardison shares so many traits with Hardison himself, and f!Parker is a clear representation of current Parker. They make no bones about it, the parallels are extremely obvious and are even what makes the guy start telling Parker his story in the first place. Parker loves Hardison but she has found a place to belong in the team (flashback town/roller rink) and is afraid of what will happen if she disturbs that status quo by getting into a relationship with him. She's too scared of losing him (flashback to her racist dad/his buddies killing or hurting him, modern to the possibility of death mostly) to take the step to actually be with him, even though they both know she wants to. I love that there isn't any hint of her doubting his feelings or that he will remain devoted in either flashback or modern; the focus is entirely on her own fears for him and how she would handle that, not ever of him in any way.

Regardless of the timeframe, it's clear that (f!)Hardison loves her and will respect what she is willing to give him, even if that means leaving her. In the flashback, f!Parker still loves him and saves his painting in his honor for the rest of her life, remaining loyal to him despite never seeing him again. None of the emotion is in question at all, and it's clear that if she is willing to give it, her faith in him will be completely justified.

The episode basically just acts out Parker's fears (puppet-style?) and demonstrates to her that even though she would be fine if she doesn't take the leap - she'll be so much happier if she does. There's no guarantee of a happy ending, but Hardison is still himself and that means that before that ending comes at the very least, she will be happy. (Much like Sophie's beautiful speech to her.) Parker was already beginning to ease into a relationship with him, and this episode doesn't exactly drive her to jump in headfirst, but it's clear when we watch her reaction to the story what she will choose. She's going to build up her courage, but she's going to take the risk.

.

Now, given how transparent that episode is on their pairing, I kind of wondered what would happen if I look at the one that pairs Parker/Eliot's flashback selves: the D.B. Cooper Job.

f!Parker is understanding, supportive, loyal, and gives him a place to belong

f!Eliot starts out doing something bad for the sake of someone he loves, is drawn to her, and later feels wracked by guilt and seeks redemption by helping others

The focus in this one obviously isn't on the romance. It isn't even on either of these characters, so much as it is on Nate and his flashback self. But the parallels between modern and f!Eliot are still pretty apparent, if a bit watered down in that f!Eliot has no intentions to hurt anyone and in fact takes pains not to do so.

But as far as pairings go, I think what they do between these two is pretty interesting. Their flashback characters are drawn to one another, feel a kind of understanding and recognition that they can't quite explain. It's why f!Parker stops him before he jumps and never gives him up, it's why f!Eliot trusts her in the first place and why he shows up at her door after it is all over. I think this is a really nice parallel to the way Eliot and Parker understand one another and have this connection that is different from the rest of the team.

The other thing I like a lot is that in this episode, f!Parker is the steady support. She represents the home f!Eliot longs to have, even if she isn't the one who eventually offers him the chance to help others and make his own redemptive efforts. In fact, him working with f!Nate starts out for selfish reasons and only later evolves into a place where he feels he belongs. That's another obvious parallel to the Eliot we know, but the Parker in this episode is a little less immediately recognizable. Sure, she's an incredibly loyal person and will obviously not care overmuch about crime or whatever but mostly it's harder to see her as much in that role.

But I think she serves much the same role here as f!Hardison in the other episode. Though modern Eliot isn't hearing this story and making any resolutions based on it, the casting still represents their relationship. Parker is growing steadily into the position of leader/mastermind, and at this point she and Hardison are openly together. She is someone who understands Eliot on a very deep level, and she is coming to be the person who is his rock. While I'm not discounting Hardison's importance at all, Parker more closely fits the role of the person who encouraged him to take the job in this flashback. She's the one who, only three episodes later in Rundown, verbalizes a promise to change together. She (and also Hardison) represent the home Eliot craves to have, the belonging and support necessary for him to grow and to do good in the world. What's more, f!Parker is accurate in representing her side of things as someone who wants that for him. She wants to invite him in, wants to support him even if it's from a bit more of a distance at first (pre-relationship) but would absolutely welcome him inside as soon as he shows up at her door (once he's ready, she will bring him into the thiefsome).

And Rundown shows us that in action, again only three episodes later. Not in the sense of canon thiefsome, but Parker and Hardison are absolutely supporting Eliot leaving his darker past behind, changing with them for the better - and not just getting away with his own hands clean, but doing the extra work to help others (going after the guy who tried to hire him instead of just leaving town; again when they realize how serious the situation is but stay to fix it). The episode even ends with Eliot literally throwing away the crutch that would allow him to walk on his own, and pull them both in to support him instead. He's in the middle, he's deciding to join them even if he could get by alone, it's all representative for them welcoming him into the relationship too. (I headcanon something went down between them here but it isn't all cleared up relationship-wise until the Toy Job, but either way the themes are there!)

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So with this in mind... The flashback with Hardison/Parker focused on Parker and her fears/decision to enter into a relationship with Hardison. Similarly, the flashback with Eliot/Parker focuses more on him and his desire to join the relationship. For both of them, the episode represents a shift in their relationship with one another, something not entirely unknown before, but a step that is challenging for them personally. Still, this step leads to greater happiness and growth.

All that in mind... what would a Hardison/Eliot episode look like, if we got it in Redemption? I'm getting into slight spoiler territory here, so leave now if you haven't seen the first few episodes.

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Okay, so since we've had more focus on Parker, and on Eliot, this episode would focus most on Hardison. It makes sense as well for his role in the new series, because while Parker and Eliot are a little more stable, Hardison is the one entering a challenging new period of his life that is difficult but helping him grow.

I don't have any kind of full plot figured out, but here are some things I think we might see:

f!Eliot is supportive, confident, and believes deeply in him

f!Hardison is bold, struggles with self-doubt, and upends his own life in order to change the world for the better

I think Eliot's role in this flashback would be smaller, but he'd love f!Hardison deeply and the focus would not be on their relationship developing, but on the challenges it would face as f!Hardison embarks on... whatever it is. It has to be something f!Eliot knows he cannot do, and maybe even something that might mean the end of their relationship (though much like the van gogh job, the love between them is never in question).

I've seen people mentioning a Stonewall flashback episode for these two before, and that's possible. But another thing we could see is f!Hardison working against racist laws or something. Whatever the case, he needs to be doing something that benefits many, many other people, and it needs to put him at personal risk. I'm not entirely sure on what would be holding Eliot back from helping in the same way - it may just be as simple as f!Hardison gives amazing speeches and inspires so many people, while f!Eliot just doesn't have that skill. Maybe he is sick. Maybe, their relationship does end up attracting violence, and he gets hurt (doesn't even have to be their romantic relationship, if we're going a race angle and setting this episode further back, it could just be an open friendship with their romance kept secret. the themes would still be there). Whatever the case, f!Hardison has to leave Eliot behind.

And yeah, this has already happened in canon. We're already here. But if we wanted this episode to happen, I think it would be possible for the themes to still be relevant and the challenge to still be there for Hardison's character, if something brings him back to the team. If something goes down and he isn't there, and it terrifies him that he wasn't there, and he has trouble leaving again even though his work isn't done. Or if he organizes something on his end of the world that goes horribly wrong somehow. Sometimes it's not the first step that's hardest, it's keeping on even after the first big challenge. No road is free of bumps, after all, so Hardison might well think he's fine at first but start having doubts even after things have been going well for a while.

That is where you can bring this episode into play. That's where you start - f!Hardison is already getting involved in activism of some kind, but his own fame brings about negative consequences or something unrelated happens, and it scares him and makes him consider giving his work up. The episode can be bittersweet, with them never reuniting, or it can have a happier ending where he returns and f!Eliot is still waiting for him. But it's important for Eliot to represent a home that Hardison is already comfortable in, and one he has to leave in order to help others (however temporary the leaving is). And we need to see him away from the team, thriving and growing and improving so many peoples' lives in ways that never would have happened without him - both in the flashback, and in the modern part of the episode. In fact, Hardison doesn't even need to actually be physically with the team at all in the modern part of the episode. It can be more like the Broken Wing job, where we get hints at what they are doing but the focus is entirely on him and his struggle.

Of course, I have no idea how this would tie in to a modern heist. But maybe the format could be changed up, if we focus more on Hardison outside of the team. I'm sure there's some way this could be worked. And I think it would do really well in completing the trio of thiefsome episodes, and giving equal emphasis on all three of them in each one.

[cocogukkie]

Anneyong chingu❤

Could you recommend some interesting kdramas that

Have a good plot

Keep you on your toes

Do not let you down

Do not bore you to death

Basically make you think and wonder what will happen next.

I hope you are doing well. Fighting 😘💜

hi! of course, tis but one of my favorite things to do. i’m not sure which genre you’re looking for exactly but i would love to give you a few of my favorites! 

if you're looking for something crime/mystery/thriller-ery, i would recommend: 

Flower of Evil 

flower of evil falls somewhere halfway between a thriller/mystery and a melodrama and it. is. wonderful. the plot is excellent and keeps you on your toes, the character development is so so good and i personally really liked the ending. the angst is very real with this one and it brings me so much life. its a show that will definitely get the gears in your brain running trying to figure certain stuff out. this one is a great choice! 

He is Psychometric

my brain was running a mile a minute with this drama, i was trying to figure things out pretty much the whole first half. its also got some adorable romance in it, and the mystery aspect was done quite well and was sufficiently fucked up, (if you’re sensitive to triggers, this one might be a little iffy, especially towards the end so send me an ask if you’d like a list). i wholly enjoyed this and you might too

if you’re looking for something plot driven with a dash of romance, i recommend:

 Itaewon Class 

a classic methinks, the plot is wonderful, the characters have a lot of heart and flaws which only endears me to them even more and for a while you genuinely can’t really guess what choices they’re gonna end up making. the romance can be a bit iffy if you really hate *younger person under 19 likes an older person* thing but nothing romantic happens until both are fully grown adults. in fact the older person pushes the younger one away until they’re older. but its very engaging and i adored the couple, the overall story, and the ending! 

Pinocchio 

a whole throwback! i love this drama,,, like a lot. this is one of my absolute favorite lee jongsuk dramas. it follows these two characters who met each other as kids and grew up in the same family, continuing to live together until after college and everything. they want to become journalists to report the truth, both have their own specific reasons why reporting is so important to them. as the story unfolds, we see them solve and report stories while also finding solutions to personal problems that have plagued them for years! its so so so good, the character growth is great and the romance is beyond adorable. fair warning tho, this is an older kdrama so it can be a bit cliched and for the first couple eps, lee jongsuk will look absolutely goddamn ridiculous. i need you to do me a favor and look past it cause he will get a makeover and look much much better lmao.

if you’re looking for something with romance and character-driven with a great plot, i recommend: 

One Spring Night

ahhhh one of my comfort favorites. i’m a notorious re-watcher of my favorite shows and i’ve seen one spring night 4 times now. this is a character-driven show with one of the most precious, adorable couples who have chemistry overflowing in every minute they’re together. it follows a single father and woman trapped in a relationship as they meet and go through life together, overcoming prejudices, going through some hard times, and finding safety, love, and comfort in each other. this is a show with the softest bbys i adore with all my heart and i think you might love it too.

It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

ohhh how could i not mention another favorite show of all time for me. I mention this all the time and absolutely no one can stop me. its the goddamn best, every episode is so interesting and is driven by these incredible characters, both main and side. there's therapy and psychology woven in with some excellent melodrama and an amazing romance. the main leads are no your regular cookie cutter characters, they both have tons of issues and don’t expect to fix each other but look to help one another. they challenge each other out of their comfort zones and find a found family within each other. its also a slow burn! the bread to my butter. if you have happened to not have seen this, please do!! 

some honorable mentions (aka k-movies)

Midnight Runners 

this movie was so much fun! its a buddy cop movie, following these two cadets going through the police academy together and become best friends. they witness a kidnapping and do their absolute best to be heroes. this movie is incredibly funny, park seo joon and kang ha neul have excellent chemistry in this and play the balance of serious crime stuff, action scenes and stomachache inducing laughter really well. if you have a couple of hours to spare, this is a great movie to watch! 

The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion 

I had a grand ole time watching this movie, its thrilling, action-packed and has dope as fuck main leads. it follows this genius girl who escaped from a gov’t facility but lost her memories when she was little. she gets adopted by a sweet couple who live on farm and follows her life as some unexpected events and people suddenly crash into her life after she auditions for a music competition. i loooooveeed the action, its so so cool. the plot isn’t the most blow-your-mind-crazy but its very engaging and you will not be bored watching this. you will get sucked in and time will fly as your jaw drops at the cool fight scenes.

I hope this helps! let me know which ones you liked or didn't, i’d love to hear about it 

(if you wanted something similar to Vincenzo, check out Lawless Lawyer!) 

[notebooks-and-laptops]

top five dragon age storylines!! side quests, personal quests, main, or one of the games, whatever you consider to be a storyline counts!

Okay this was very very tricky, but I think I finally have a list I'm kind of happy with, so, counting down to my number one storyline

5. Isabela's Storyline (da2)

I haven't actually spoken a lot about how much I love Isabela's overall plot in dragon age 2, but boi do I. Woman who escapes from an awful marriage and takes to the seas, loses so much because she refuses to deal in slavery, and then steals a very important relic and gets washed up on the shores of the City of Chains with no boat to satisfy her wanderlust. And THEN she comes to have all these friends, but she still leaves when shit hits the fan, but she COMES BACK BECAUSE ITS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. Isabela, my pirate sweetheart with a heart of gold, has just a fun plot with great opportunities for character growth and I love that.

4. Jaws of Hackon DLC (dai)

This was an incredibly clever DLC to add to the game. Not only did it give us the pretty (if deadly) area of the frostback Basin, but it also gave us a wonderful plot which centred around questions to do with how our inquisitior will be remembered, by focusing on how the last inquisitor was forgotten. There's a lot of angst, a lot of subtle pain, a lot of realising that no matter who the inquisitor is, it doesn't really matter because whoever they are probably won't be remembered, especially if they're an elf, or a qunari or a dwarf. Add to that some great companion moments, and getting world building for a society in Thedas that has a VERY different view of magic and spirits (a positive, wonderful view) and you have one of my favourite plots in Thedas.

3. Blackwall's Romance (dai)

The DRAMA. The ANGST. I've already laid out exactly why I love this romance so much and why it makes for a great story elsewhere, but just...the redemption? The way that he keeps pulling away? The way that he stands in front of the inquisitor and lets the inquisitor weigh up not only his actions but his heart? The way that he can't let himself be happy and ignore the execution of his right hand man because if he does so then he isn't the man she fell in love with? The relearning each other? ahikhkhkfer this man is redemption arch personified and I adore his plotline

2. The Mark of the Assassin DLC (da2)

I was actually super surprised when I got into the fandom properly and found out that this DLC isn't very well-liked. I see it as both the prototype for 'Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts', and the superior version of such a quest. I think it does a great job at humanising the Qun and showing why someone would choose to follow it, has whimsical moments (the wyven hunt), has serious moments (the reveal that Tallis is part of the Qun, Tallis trying to show that there is a way besides violence) etc. It's just genuinely so much fun, and immersive; expanding the universe while giving Hawke a silly fancy party to go to.

1. Dragon Age II: The Tale of the Champion

was this a surprise to anyone? There's a reason that Dragon Age II got me hooked on this universe, and it wasn't just the adorable blood mage rambling at me from the corner (although maybe that was a part of it too). Everybody knows this game was rushed through development and so has some uh, technical faults (why have I fought twelve different mob bosses in this same cave?) but its story? Its story is AMAZING. It's tragic, it's funny, it's heartwarming, it's inevitable, it's painful, it's hopeful. Let me watch Hawke try and keep a city together, let me watch Varric string along a Seeker and make her emotionally invested in a group of criminals, let me watch Anders downward spiral, let me watch Fenris upwards spiral, let me see how a dozen tiny mistakes and a dozen well-meaning actions tore a city apart. It's also incredibly 'tight'; with three defined 'acts' that work really well to show the rising tensions in the city over the decade. And while I tried to answer this without thinking of characters, the characters and the way they enhance the plot are also just. God. Perfection. I'm literally obsessed with the storyline of Dragon Age 2.