#they’re back for the sequel where their characters are going to go ‘to lovers’

[leaves-of-laurelin]

Seven Sentence Sunday

Thank you to @cha-melodius for the tag!

Me: “You just finished a multi-chapter, give yourself self a break before starting a new one.” Also me: “Ok, but what if…” lol. Anyway, this is still in its infancy but here we go:

“I don’t think that’s a very wise idea.”

“Come on, neither of us have to be on set tomorrow. Let’s go fucking live a little.”

“No,” Henry says, his voice louder than before, his tone firm and final.

Alex’s ideas of what could happen that night—a reluctant smile from Henry and then Henry slowly loosing up after a few drinks, the two of them laughing and having fun playing wingman to each other—all evaporate in an instant and Alex is left with the silence of the room, with Henry’s stiff posture and slightly horrified eyes. A stark, cold reminder that they are very much not friends. They are co-workers, professional acquaintances who act civil for everyone else’s sake; it’s how it was during the last movie and Henry clearly has no interest in any of that changing now.

No pressure tags: @inexplicablymine @rmd-writes @dumbpeachjuice @daisymae-12 @cricketnationrise and anyone else who wants to share

[cailynwrites]

Writing Patterns

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there’s a pattern!

Thank you @squibstress for tagging me in this. Though I’m not a writer (publicly, anyway), there’s clearly something about first lines that draws me to recording a podfic. This is such a fun idea. Working backward from my last posted podfic today (!), here goes …

1. “There was certainly something amiss with the temporal forces that morning, for Sybill Trelawney awoke with a splitting headache.”

From Ambiguity (podfic) by @vermin-disciple, Rated G

This is a perfect encapsulation of what’s to come. I already waxed rhapsodic about this character study in another post, but this first line crystallizes the dichotomy of the character and the world view, the tragedy and the comedy, the ethereal and the mundane, the two warring factions inside Sibyll Trelawney. She prances around dispersing her gift of Sight and great wisdom while at the same time completely wrapped up in the lowest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It’s so hard to tell what’s real and what’s a sham with her, because she doesn’t even know herself. And all of that is in the first sentence! Masterful.

2. “The summer after Draco’s first year at Hogwarts was perfectly lovely.”

From there and back again (podfic), the 3rd installment in the dogfather AU series by @nonasuch, Rated G

Of course, the unspoken part is that nothing every would be again after that point. Draco fares much better in this AU than in canon or in many other fanfics. He reads The Hobbit, gets support from cousin Sirius, and ends up more or less on the right side of the war, though definitely not unscathed. @nonasuch is a whiz with a turn of phrase and leaves so much unsaid to be inferred. This fic in particular is almost like a series of interludes; it’s never telling the story as the exciting parts are going on, but rather it gives Draco's version of (semi-)canon events in the calm denouement periods after. As a reader, it keeps you on the edge of your seat because you don’t know when the next time jump will be or what things will have radically changed when you see Draco again on the other side.

(I’m going to cheat here and also give the first lines of the other fics in the series that I’ve recorded thus far, because I think they’re similar in an interesting way and I just want to celebrate every day what a masterful writer @nonasuch is.)

“Remus woke up warm and comfortable, and that was all wrong.”

From the black dog (podfic) by @nonasuch, part 2 of the dogfather AU, Rated M

A prequel to the original story, the dogfather, in which Sirius breaks out of prison and meets up with Remus much earlier than in canon. Again, this first line leaves us to infer so much and imagine what has changed, why Remus hadn’t been warm and comfortable before, what is to come. The first line presages all the angst and hurt/comfort to come.

“To begin with: this is a version of events where, on the morning of November 1st, 1981, the police are called to a house in Surrey.”

From the dogfather (podfic) by @nonasuch, Rated T

This one is slightly different and although this story also has very economical prose, it is much longer than its prequel and sequel above and has more room for details. The author spends a lot of time giving details and breaking the fourth wall, so to speak, to explain character motivations. But it’s all so blunt and bittersweet and funny. As I said in my original post, I think it might be my favorite wolfstar of all time, even though it barely wolfstars at all (especially compared to its M-rated prequel above).

3. “Looking at his watch for perhaps the twentieth time, Ron sighed loudly.”

From Libiamo! (amor fra' calici più caldi baci avrà) (podfic) by @khasael, Rated E

What better way to start a story than to drop our hero in media res at a restaurant with his future enemy-to-lover, Pansy Parkinson? And this is such a pitch perfect Ron characterization in my mind, all rough edges and a gooey, melty vanilla and caramel center.

4. “You can’t be serious?” The words were out of Hermione’s mouth before she could stop herself when Minerva broke the news about Hogwarts’ new Arithmancy professor.

From Stay (podfic) by vendettadays, Rated T

Another in media res and another pairing with Pansy. (I’ve been devouring Pansy fics since I recorded ‘tis the damn season (Pansy's version) by @the-francakes - podfic during the holidays and I can’t get enough of her, paired with just about anyone. I recorded this for @femslashfebruary and it really only features female characters, even the students.

5. “Poppy could feel sweat building around her temples as she continued to cast.”

From The Anniversary Quilt (podfic) by @vdoshu, Rated G

More in media res, with Poppy trying to heal her long-time partner, Minerva, after she gets hit with all those stunning spells. Throughout, we see Minerva through Poppy’s eyes and through the lens of their decades-long relationship.

6. “Severus found Hermione in the kitchens.”

From Mating for Life (podfic) by Arsenic, Rated T (sequel to Care of Magical Creatures (podfic), Rated E)

It may not be fair to compare a sequel opening line to the first in a series because it doesn’t have to do the same work. A first work needs to exert itself immediately to draw the reader in. But presumably, if you’re reading a seven-years-later sequel to a beautiful, pro-werewolf Remus/Hermione/Severus polyamory fic written almost 20 years ago before the book series was finished, you’re already hooked to the characters, the relationship, and the premise. You are drawn in by a desire to see a story you loved continue. And it does!

7. “Oliver Wood had one single year left at Hogwarts.”

From messin’ up my mind (podfic) by SkyRose, Rated T

This one is so nice and simple, but it sets up the stakes for the whole fic, a mutual pining story of Oliver and Percy finally getting together, with a little help from some of their Quidditch teammates. A lot of this story is Oliver’s internal monologue, so it’s fitting that this first sentence lays out what governs Oliver’s motivations - that this is the beginning of a series of “lasts” and that he still has so much he wants to do before leaving school.

8. “What are you doing?”

From The Cat With The Stars in Her Eyes (podfic) by @peachonified, Rated G

The first line isn’t spoken by the main character, Luna, but rather Ginny as an audience proxy to lead us into the story. We also want to know what, in fact, Luna is doing. Turns out she’s creating beautiful magic tattoos and therapizing all of Hogwarts (and later all of the Wizarding World) at the same time. 

9. "Well, that's the last of them," Arthur said musingly, over breakfast on September second.

From Empty Burrow (podfic) by @copperbadge, Rated T

When I was looking for a little fic for Arthur’s birthday, I found this little gem, also written pre-Half Blood Prince. All the dialogue in this fic is sparse, like is so often the case with an older married couple who no longer need words to communicate most of what they want to say. 

10. "I must ask one more time," said Dumbledore, the picture of grave concern with his fingers steepled on his desk, "If you are entirely sure about this decision."

From the stranger in the shell of a lover (podfic) by @slashmarks

Once again, the first person to speak is not the most important to the story, nor even the second most important. But it sets the tension and has a good hook, and once you find out in the next line that he’s talking to Lily, you’ve got to wonder what he’s so worried about …

Looking back over my recent work, I think a few things are clear:

I like fics that start with dialogue. I work hard on my voice acting and my accents, and though they are by no means perfect, I think they add something to the work. Being able to come out of the gate with a Dumbledore or a Ginny voice is a joy.

I also like jumping into the action of a story. It’s easier to tune out audiobooks or podfics than a story you’re actively reading (at least that’s true for me), so making sure that I have a story with a good hook is important to me.

Ever since I did A Very Pair-y Christmas in December, I’ve been branching out with different characters and ships, as opposed to doing mostly Drarry and Dramione a year or two ago. It’s been an absolute joy, I’ve discovered so many amazing new authors, and I welcome any suggestions for future recordings, especially if they’re different than what I’ve already done.

On the other hand, as I've moved away from recording Dramione and into more queer pairings, I worry that a lot of the fics I record wouldn't pass the Bechdel test. I'm pleased to see that in the start of 2024, the majority of my protagonists have been women.

On the other other hand, there's only ONE Explicit-rated fic on this list?!?! What have I been doing? Well, I promise there's some smutty stuff coming very soon ... 😉

This ask was so fun! I love gushing about other people’s writing. Thank you @squibstress for tagging me. Send me more of these so I can procrastinate on the Spanish paper I’m supposed to be writing.

Tagging @teledild0nix, @sweatersinthesummer, and @theselittleponders.

[yukidragon]

Sunny Day Jack - Post-Interview Side B

So... remember when I wrote about MC having a spicy good time with Joseph the other day? That was a challenge to myself to see if I could write about my Something’s Wrong with Sunny Day Jack OTP while keeping the details about “sunshine” as neutral as possible so anyone can imagine any sort of MC in the part of the narrator.

This isn’t a sequel, but rather a reversal. We’ve seen plenty of examples a reader-insert story where the narrator is on the receiving side, but what about on the giving side? Could I successfully write them as the narrator while keeping what sort of equipment they’re working with to penetrate their lover vague enough that it works with any gender?

That’s the writing challenge I dealt to myself. Like the other version of this tale, I have a specific character in mind for the narrator, but I’ve kept their name, gender, appearance, or genitals as neutral as possible. Hopefully I did a good enough job that you can feel free to imagine the narrator as Joseph, Jill, or whoever you like!

This is a short and spicy Adults Only reader-insert story about a celebrity who had a really crappy interview. Fortunately for this MC, their girlfriend Mary Phoenix knows just how to clear away their bad mood. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think!

...

Fuck reporters, and fuck Dan in particular.

Who the hell asks a clown starring in a kids TV show if they want to fuck around or if they posed naked for pictures? Kids would’ve been listening to that, you piece of shit!

I needed a smoke, but smoking while in costume was one of the big no-nos of the job. Once the makeup and wig went on, I was officially in character until they let me get out of the clown outfit. Unfortunately for me, that wasn’t happening anytime soon. They didn’t want to waste time redoing all that makeup before I had to go to the next PR circus performance they had lined up for me in an hour. If I got caught acting ‘out of character’ or made the clown suit smell like cigs, there would be hell to pay.

“So how did the interview go?”

The knot tied tight in my chest loosened at the sound of that familiar sweet voice that never failed to chase the clouds away. I looked up to see my personal ray of sunshine smiling down at me, her gentle eyes a pair of clear blue skies filled with all the love in the world.

Who needed cigarettes when I had sunshine?

“Mary,” I began, only to be cut off by a kiss. It was a quick peck, a sweet and simple greeting, but once I had a taste of her lips I needed more. I pulled her down into my lap and was rewarded by her adorable squeak of surprise that I devoured along with her lips. The noises she made into my mouth as I invaded hers was almost as sweet as the taste of her on my tongue.

I couldn’t get enough of her, but the same couldn’t be said about my lungs, and I reluctantly pulled back to get some air. As we both caught our breath, I couldn’t help but smile adoringly at her flushed face as she panted, her heaving chest drawing my eye to her inviting cleavage. I pulled her in closer and relished the intoxicating softness of her plush body that melded so perfectly against mine.

When Mary caught her breath, I noticed her raise an eyebrow at me, her head tilting in silent question.

Oh, right. She asked about the interview. Ugh. I really didn’t want to think about that right now.

“It was fine and dandy lemon candy,” I said cheerfully, hoping to drop the subject entirely. It was so easy to slip into character at this point, even when I’ve got such a sexy woman straddling my hips.

Mary wasn’t buying it, and that questioning eyebrow took on a more skeptical angle. “Okay, now tell me how you really feel, starlight.”

I let out an awkward chuckle. “I can’t fool you, can I, sunshine?”

A playful poke to my nose was my answer, along with a sly smile. I couldn’t help but laugh softly. Mary was just too damn cute.

“Nope,” she said, teasingly. “Not now, not ever.”

Her arms went back around me and concern crept into her eyes. I must’ve looked really pathetic right now, didn’t I? I couldn’t help but sigh. The last thing I wanted to do was worry her. “It went fine enough, I guess,” I admitted after a moment. “At least the suits didn’t complain about me ending it early this time.”

Mostly because the interview was almost over anyway, most likely. Not to mention the shit that Dan guy asked me. They probably would’ve reemed my ass raw if I did stay to answer that last question.

“That bad, huh?” Mary said softly before giving me another sweet but brief kiss to soothe away my pain.

I really needed this. I needed her like no one else.

When Mary smiled at me, everything was right in the world. However, her smile now took on a slight bend to it that was accented by her pinking cheeks and the way her eyes suddenly struggled to meet mine. “I think I know what might cheer you up.”

Oh fuck yes. I liked where this was going.

“Oh really?” I practically purred. “What did you have in mind, sunshine?”

Mary was always too shy to say what she wanted, at least not right away, but I knew her better than anyone. It was fun watching her blush grow ever darker as I teased and coaxed her into admitting exactly what she wanted me to do to that perfect curvy body of hers in explicit detail.

To my surprise, instead of getting flustered, Mary moved in closer, rubbing her entire body against mine, grinding my lap with her hips. The heat and softness of her body was exquisite, and I could feel her nipples were hard when she ground her breasts into my chest.

Shit. Mary was feeling frisky today.

I grabbed onto those thick, delicious thighs of hers and pulled her closer. I wanted to feel all of her and melt beneath her heat as she squeezed my hips between her thighs as she dry humped me.

“Mary,” I growled as I started peppering her face with kisses. She shivered against me and obediently bared her neck to me, allowing me to kiss, suck, and nibble on her soft, pale skin as I pleased. She moaned my name softly, and I rewarded her by slipping my hand up underneath her shirt. “Sunshine, I love you so much.”

The only thing between her gloriously squeezable tits and my hands were my gloves, but taking them off would take too long. Someone could come by at any time, and I wasn’t about to slow down when I could be making Mary moan my name and squirm underneath me as I played with her breasts and caressed her soft stomach.

“I love you too,” she answered in a shaky, breathy whisper that sent a shiver down to my core. I just had to return the favor. “So mu-ah!”

I chuckled as Mary had to slap a hand over her mouth to stifle herself as I invaded her panties. It was a shame not to hear her adorable voice unrestrained and begging me for more, but if someone heard that would be the end of it, and I’d be damned if anything stopped me until we were both satisfied.

Being quiet wasn’t all bad. It let me better hear her panting and the soft squelching of her absolutely drenched pussy as I teased her folds. I could feel just how hot she was even through my gloves, especially when I slid my fingers inside. She accepted me easily, spreading her legs obediently for me with a stifled whimper as she bit down on her hand.

We couldn’t have that. I pulled her hand away so that she could bite my lips instead. Instead of biting, Mary opened her mouth against mine, and I accepted her invitation eagerly, reveling in the feeling of her wet tongue twining with mine. She squirmed even more against me as I devoured her mouth, rocking her hips shamelessly into my hand.

How could I ignore such an earnest plea from my sunshine to give her more?

Pants and panties? Gone. Goodbye. So long. Don’t bother to write.

Mary had similar thoughts, going for my belt, but she didn’t bother giving my pants a proper sendoff. Her skilled hands invaded my underwear and her touch was magic. She smiled as she felt my arousal in full, and the heat in her gaze was mesmerizing, a blue fire that burned only for me.

“God, you’re beautiful,” I whispered, my voice going rough from trying to keep quiet as she played with my body. She went straight for my sweet spots and teased them without mercy, knowing exactly how to make me come undone. “Shit, yes… just like that. Fuck.”

A breathless giggle escaped Mary, and I couldn’t let that go unchallenged. I added a third finger inside her and spread them, turning her laughter into a squeal that she buried in my neck. She had to hold on tight to me to keep herself grounded as I teased her wet pussy and prepared her to take all of my love.

It was too risky to sneak anything not G-rated into the pockets of this clown suit, but Mary always kept just what we needed in her purse. I just had to take a moment to grab what I needed, slip it on, and I was ready to do her deep.

Mary kept her face buried in my neck, but obediently spread her legs, allowing me to guide her down onto the shaft. I savored the way she mewled against my skin and clung to me tightly. Her entire body quaked and I shivered in pleasure as well as I savored filling my sunshine nice and slow.

“That’s it, Mary,” I cooed in her ear. I eased her down until her hips were flush against mine. “Yes… just like that. Take it all.” She was hot, so hot I was melting as she squeezed me with her whole body, clinging so tight that there was no force on Earth that could ever hope to pry us apart. “You’re so good for me, sunshine.”

Mary moaned against my neck again, but I had enough of her hiding away. I needed to see the expressions she made as I fucked her senseless. I adjusted her hold on me so that I could see her flushed face. She murmured my name breathlessly, and I couldn’t resist tasting her kiss swollen pink lips. She was delicious, a sweetness I couldn’t get anywhere else.

Once we came up for air, I got to relish the sight of her riding me. Her breasts bounced freely with her shirt pulled up near the collar, giving me a glorious view. It took a little effort to capture one of them with my mouth, and I relished the whimper she let out as I sucked on one of her perky pink nipples.

I loved the way Mary writhed in my lap as I drove her down onto me. I needed more of the way her eyes would roll upwards, fogged in a hazy bliss. I needed more of her choked whimpers of my name as she struggled to keep quiet. I needed more of the kisses we shared between hot breaths as she rode me with reckless abandon.

“Fuck,” I breathed near her ear. “You’re taking me… nnh… so well.”

More. I needed more. Faster. Harder.

Mary groped at any part of me she could reach. Her hands were fire, scorching me and bringing me ever closer to the edge. I growled out my encouragement as I responded by driving her down on me faster.

“Please,” she moaned, her voice beautifully hazy.

I took the hint and adjusted my hold so that I could up the ante. I slipped my hand between us and sought out her clit. She could never resist it when I pushed her pleasure button, and the way she writhed against me was exquisite.

I was getting close, but I was determined to send Mary over the edge first.

“Almost there,” I breathed. “Mary… Cum for me, sunshine. Cum for me… Mary… Mary!”

Mary lost all control then, arching taut like a drawn bow and screeching what might have been my name with reckless abandon, but I quickly covered her mouth with mine to stifle her shrieks of pleasure. She writhed against me, clawing lines along my back as she squeezed all around me with everything she had.

It was too much to take, and I gave it all to her, Mary, my sunshine, my love, my life, my everything. There was nothing in that moment but her and the love we shared that overloaded my senses and left me weak.

We clung desperately to that beautiful high for as long as possible, but eventually it faded into something softer, but no less warm. Mary still squeezed me tight, but it was gentler now, her fingers tracing slow circles on my back that soon turned into hearts.

I knew that we should get cleaned up quickly. There probably wasn’t much time left before my next appearance, but I didn’t want this moment to end, not yet.

Being a celebrity was as fantastic as it was hellish. I gained so much from joining the SunnyTime Crew show, too much for me to risk losing, but it all took so much out of me. The studio, the SunnyTime Crew show, the reporters, the fans, the world… They all wanted me to be something that existed for them - a worker that always obeyed orders, a colorful clown who was nothing but cheerful and helpful, a celebrity with a mountain of scandals hidden in the past waiting to be unearthed…

I had to be everything to everyone… everything but me.

Not with Mary. When I was with her, the world was small, quiet, and so wonderfully warm.

The time I spent with Mary was irreplaceable. With her, I didn’t feel like I had to always be ‘on.’ She knew all sides of me, the good, the bad, and the ugly… I didn’t have to be everything to everyone when it was just the two of us. I didn’t have to be whatever the world demanded me to be for it to love me. I didn’t have to be perfect.

I wasn’t perfect, I wasn’t that clown, but Mary loved me anyway.

So I clung to this stolen moment and Mary for as long as I could, wishing that time would stop now and let me stay basking in the warm glow of my sunshine forever.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney @illary-kore @okamiliqueur    

[sucrosette]

★— ⋆｡˚ [04. A Life as a Writer (and a Barista)]

For Day 21 of Carry on Countdown 23, Begin Again. @carryon-countdown

Basil is a writer in dire need of a starting line. But where the bloody hell is he going to find it?

Rated T for Basil being a Smut Author and Simon being a Smut Enthusiast.

This is a series of snapshots of different Simon Snows and Baz Pitches in the greater multiverse. You can find the other "lives" here: [Day 3: Alternate Universe][Day 19: Sci-Fi][Day 20: Flowers]

⋆｡˚

The hardest part of starting a love story, or any story really, is the bloody first line. No matter the environment, the characters, the whole setting, that first bloody line’s always the hardest. Basil’s been sitting on this one for three and a half weeks now. He’s been in bars, dive bars and class acts both, libraries, cafes, parks, even secluded little psychic shops. Nothing seemed to do the trick though. Basil’s remained just as wordless as ever, no matter where he goes.

Lately, though, he’s been haunting this one cafe in particular, with a little disaster of a barista and, he thinks, baker. He hasn’t actually been here early enough to see whether Simon does more than put the pastries out, but he’s always got a bit of a flour smear on his cheeks and his apron’s always a bit of a mess and it just sort of adds up to him being a baker, at least as far as Basil can tell.

He wouldn’t actually know, he’s never been a baker.

Right now, he’s not looking to be much of a writer either. He’s got to at least start this thing. Basil’s got a deal and everything, publishers and editors and such waiting on him. He pitched a damn good plot too and had a decent cast of characters. Now he just had… to bloody do something with it.

Resorting to staring down his empty document just seemed the obvious ‘something’ to do. The cursor blinked threateningly back at him. The cursor was unfortunately, undeniably winning.

Another cup of coffee slides itself in front of Basil, the prior empty one skillfully whisked away to Simon’s tray of dirty dishes. “Still no luck on your start?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve noticed,” Baz groans at the barista, glancing over to him out of the corner of his eyes and sipping his coffee even despite the apparent call-out.

“You’ve been in here every day for the last week,” Simon shrugs, “That doc remains as blank as when you came in the first day.”

“And the coffee?”

“Two hour mark.”

“Well, thank you then,” Baz says with another long spit of coffee, “I just don’t know where to start.”

Simon looks around the cafe, seeing it all but empty except for Basil, and plops himself down across from the struggling writer. “Well, what is it you’re actually trying to start?”

“It’s…” Basil pauses for a moment, assessing Simon with a little more scrutiny before shrugging. He worked in a cafe, there was only so much straight in anyone who works in a cafe, “It’s a romance. I’ve a contract. It’s a supernatural, enemies-to-lovers, witches and werewolves story with all the bells and whistles and underlying fairy tale elements except it’s a bit more future based than middle ages based. Oh, and they’re gay, but you probably could’ve guessed that.”

Simon blinks. “I still have no idea what that’s about.”

“Ah,” Baz lets out an awkward little laugh, “I can give you the proper pitch? I’ve got it all outlined, mostly, it’s just starting it.”

“You got a contract without a manuscript?”

“It’s a sequel, sort of. Like. Same verse, different characters. So yeah, I’ve a contract,” Baz confirms, “I just need to get it rolling.”

“Well, what’s the first one?” Simon asks, precious and innocent.

Basil sighs, supposing if he’s this far in he may as well unmask himself, hopefully Simon just didn’t know what the book was. “Prince of the Drowned.”

“Oh my god,” Simon leans over onto the table and closer to Basil, “That was so smutty… you look so respectable though.”

“Thank you? I think,” Baz snorts out a small laugh. “I guess there goes any hope of you not knowing who I am.”

“I’m not sorry. In fact I might be a little too proud. I don’t read a lot, but that book was hot. So is your next protagonist as much a rake as the last?” Simon, apparently, knows all the romance tropes.

“Well, not as much,” Baz wavers his hand a little bit, “This one’s more a like. Life-long obsession come to fruition sort of vibe. Unhealthy attachment, codependency in all the wrong ways, probably some sick and twisted fantasy fulfillment. You know, not exactly ‘clean’ stuff.”

“Ohh~” Simon bites his lip as the door opens to a new customer, “Okay I’m getting this, but I say start it with a fight. If they’re going to be messy like that, start it with a nasty fight.”

Basil takes a moment as Simon walks away, thinking it over. It works with his rough outline and it fits the vibe. Thank you, random cafe boy, you have truly helped a drowning man out. He puts the first words to page.

And ends up writing three thousand words in a single sitting. It’s a start, he might change it later. He might scrap it entirely later, or put it somewhere else in the novel, or in a different novel altogether, but it’s a start, and that’s better off than he’s been in over a week.

He doesn’t leave without Simon checking in again. “Hey, you’ve got words,” Simon half-sings from over Baz’s shoulder, and Baz immediately tabs away from his work.

“I do,” Baz twists in his seat to look at Simon properly, “And no spoilers for you.”

“That filthy already?” Simon teases and Basil only shrugs.

“Suppose you’ll have to read and find out, won’t you?” Baz smirks a little bit at Simon’s obvious curiosity, “Since you’re obviously a fan and all.”

Simon sighs, “If I bring my book in tomorrow, will you sign it for me?”

Baz can’t quite tell if that’s a tease or not, but he may as well take it for a genuine request. “I feel like that’s the least I can do for someone who helped me at least get a start going.”

“So generous,” Simon sighs, leaning just a little on the back of Baz’s chair, “Your boyfriend must be lucky though, I bet he gets previews of your smut.”

“Ah, well,” Baz shrugs, “If I had one, maybe he would.”

Simon’s lips form a precious little oh, terribly unsubtle for half a moment before leaning off Baz’s chair just as Baz closes his laptop entirely. “So what do you look for in a boyfriend… if you’re up to sharing?”

“That’s incredibly unsubtle, Simon,” Basil fixes his face in an unimpressed sort of look, but Simon’s clearly not buying it.

“So was asking you back tomorrow– and you already agreed.”

Baz let’s Simon have half a smirk and shrugs, “Suppose that I did, didn’t I?”

“That you did,” Simon grins back wide at Baz, knowing somehow he’s already won, “So is Basilton you’re real name or…?”

“It is,” Baz answers as he packs everything up, shoulder bag neatly in place, “If I do decide to show up tomorrow, though, you can call me Baz.”

It’s no surprise at all when Basil shows up just as invited the next day. It’s even less of a surprise when he signs his name in that book with his phone number alongside. ‘For the Unsubtle One with a spicy little mind,’ it says in neatly curled silver script. What’s least surprising of all is how quickly Simon calls that number, Baz’s phone ringing before he even manages to leave the cafe.

[greatandquestionablecontent]

WIP: in the mirror I saw who you could have been

Do you like fantasy stories with disaster bisexuals and psychic pain magic?? Do you like relationship shenanigans and identity crises interspersed with horrific necromancy??

✨ Revamped, reanimated, now with even MORE undeath! ✨

Summary

With the rare ability to suck the life energy from mortals, Delta has healed from death countless times. Except just once, a crucial part of them didn’t grow back.

Missing almost all memories, Delta has a new mission this time around: to wear the guise of their former self and help take down the last of their fellow energy vampires.

Jade, their past self's lover, once knew them better than anyone, and her perspectives from their tumultuous relationship are the best reference Delta has. And then there's Gavin, a soul Delta recognizes from another plane, now a determined rebel leader with his own ideas about how Delta's powers should be used.

Tangled in a web of past relationships and previous promises, Delta must decide where to go from here, and how much they really owe to a self who is never coming back.

Start from the Beginning 

1 -- Delta wakes up on a battlefield (edited from original posting) 2 --  Delta struggles to heal (edited from original posting) 3 -- Delta’s starting get a hang of this whole pain vampire thing 4 -- Delta’s body remembers Jade/ they meet her for the first time (again)

Character studies and backstory snippets (Can be read at any point)

Andromeda -- A flashback, Delta meeting Andromeda and learning about themself.

If Home Is Where The Heart Is Then We’re All Just Fucked -- A flashback. Set shortly before 1 -- when Delta comes back different. Jade has a bonding moment with Maren, learns Maren’s backstory, and gets some unwanted advice about her own life.

Maren: Clarity -- Problematic knife lesbian has a rare moment of self reflection

an undead person thinks about their favorite ghost -- what it says on the tin. Delta looking back on how they got to know Ilya

This Happens Later: Mountain Time, in chronological order

Note: Those marked with an * were written before I decided to change Trystan’s name to Delta in this series. There are hints at a previous draft with more of an Alternate Universe plot and a lot less Reincarnation and Resurrection plot, so some details are inaccurate, although similar things will still happen at some point in the new version. I’ll rewrite them at some point!

*Warmth (No longer fully accurate, but will still happen)-- Trystan, Jade, and Ari are venturing up a treacherous mountain after everything’s gone to hell. HUDDLE FOR WARMTH

*More mountain time (No longer fully accurate, but will still happen) -- what it says on the tin. Trystan, Jade, and Ari are still in the mountains. Ari's still pregnant and Trystan still has to torture people!

*Stop (No longer fully accurate, but will still happen) -- Trystan, Jade and Ari are still in the mountains and it SUCKS. Major environmental whump and creepy undead pain-vampire shit.

*An Occupied Body (No longer fully accurate, but will still happen) -- Direct sequel to Stop. Ari struggles with her emotions as she and Jade figure out how to deal with undead Trystan.

“I’ll take one final step, all you have to do is make me” (Whumptober Day 19, 2023) -- Delta (formerly Trystan in prev drafts) has gone to get help, leaving Jade and Ari alone in a cave to wait. Jade decides she’s done waiting, and guided by a mysterious voice, brings Ari along with her to an unknown fate.

Just Sweet Enough -- Sickening Jade/Ari fluff after they finally get rescued and make it out of their traumatic mountain ordeal.

These aren’t canon anymore but they have Fun Vibes. They’re all from the draft where it was about Alternate Universes.

old prologue (portal girl!) -- a young teen comes down from the mountains, claiming to have stumbled through an impossible portal. Ari backstory which is no longer accurate.

“I like to think there’s a world where you never gave up on me.” Ari and Denna talk about feelings, and how Denna never came looking for Ari.

[fallingdeeperintothispit]

10 characters/10 fandoms

Thanks for tagging me @dirtbag-linecook-kyloren! Let’s get into it 🦆

We’re gonna go chronologically just like the post I was tagged in because it’s late and I have no original thoughts!!

1. Kirishima Eijirou / Boku No Hero Academia

So sweet. My boy. And so criminally underrated. I feel like I really connected with this character back when I was in the fandom, because for those who don’t know his origin story was that he was super boring and bland in the (Japanese equivalent of) middle school, and when he got to high school he had completely changed his personality and flourished. I wanted to be him in a way, strong and brave. (Was this where issues with gender began? Maybe.)

2. Pitch Black / Rise of the Guardians

HOOOOH BOY. So many people identify Jack Frost as their first animated crush, but goddamn it if I didn’t immediately start being totally obsessed with Pitch. Now, as the years have passed, it’s become difficult for me to tell if I wanted to be with him or /be him/, but I always thought that he deserved much better than he got.

3. Sokka / Avatar the Last Airbender

Sensing a pattern? Yep it’s another unappreciated side character used for relief that I identified with and stuck to like a cactus. I actually really liked his character when I first watched the show, and now am an avid Zukka fan! Will I ever write a fic for that? Maybe. But don’t worry, Kylux will forever and always be my main source of inspo. Those blorbos were made for each other.

4. Runaan / The Dragon Prince

Listen. LISTEN. I started watching this show years ago and it is SUCH A COMFORT. I adore it. As I watched the show, of course I immediately connected with Soren, but something about Runaan’s character and the fact that he was so powerful and cut off but also a father and a lover and he NEVER GOT JUSTICE,,, it impacted me. I’ve read every SCRAP of fic I can about his life pre-TDP. Love him to death. Save my boy next season please!!

5. Saiki / The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

Something about a generfluid aromatic main character just hit home for me. The fact that it was so normal that Saiki was born a girl and just changed his gender and no one cares is such a tiny moment in the show but it introduced the idea of “this is ok” to me. I hold that show in a special place in my heart. Doesn’t hurt that it’s also hilarious.

6. Muriel / Good Omens Season 2

We come to the present! Or, well, a few months ago present. Loved the kiss scene. Cried at the ending. Something about Muriel made me want to protect them. They’re so,,, blorbo. Kinda reminds me of Mitaka, now that I think about it 🧐

7. Jim / Our Flag Means Death

Oh boy. OHHHHHH BOY. Him. I love him. I want to be him. Just,,,, JIM. His origin story, his love interest, his bloodthirsty personality, that one scene with Spanish Jackie… just a chef’s kiss all around.

8. Armitage Hux / Star Wars - Sequel Trilogy

SAY IT WITH ME: “HE WAS DONE DIRTY!!” He had so much potential and they just SQUANDERED IT. He could have been the next Thrawn! He had the brains for it, and the wit. I don’t know why Ylasmirs aren’t used more in Star Wars cannon. Did I mention that Hux was a GENIUS?! He built a better, more powerful Death Star and was killed by A CHARACTER THE FANDOM HAD JUST MET. Also, he was the spy??? REALLY?? …I’m so normal about him.

9. Clyde / Logan Lucky

Recently watched this movie with my family and adored it. It’s up there in my list of Perfect Heist Movies! I feel like Clyde’s character was really well executed, and at no point was he made lesser for being an amputee, which I really enjoyed. Also, with the Ferrari movie coming out, maybe another heist is set to happen 👀

10. Stensland / Crashpad

Listen. This movie. This fucking movie. It was SO BAD. And kinda misogynistic? But… I really enjoyed Domhall’s acting. Stensland was lovable and dumb and my heart ached for him when he got rejected. Does that excuse the movie’s weird ending? No. But I still like the character.

Honorable Mention: Captain Phasma / Star Wars - Sequel Trilogy

I love Gwendolyn Christie. I love a woman who can beat the shit out of me. I love a woman in armor. Need I say more? Also, that character’s death was very anticlimactic and I feel like she should have been in TROS.

No-pressure tags! @fridayincarnate @dragonflies-draw-flame @ironsoulmaker

[kikis-writing-world]

Kikis-Writing-World Masterlist

Previously 66wookies and no-droids-on-sunday

Hi all! I'm so thrilled you're here checking out my masterlist. I will do my best to keep it up to date and organized. Any suggestions, or if you notice any missing or broken links, please let me know.

For notifications of new fics, drabbles and head canons I post, follow @kikis-writing-library and turn on notifications.

Happy Reading!

💧=Angst 🩸=Blood/Injuries 🐑=Fluff 🔥=Smut 

Din Djarin (The Mandalorian)

Flags and Labels 🐑

The Reason  🐑 Goodbye 💧 (sequel to The Reason, can also be stand alone)

Requested: “You’re not alone anymore.”  🩸🐑

Requested: Soulmate AU where you cannot say your soulmate’s name  🐑

Eddie Munson (Stranger Things)

Books and Their Covers  🐑

Communication Breakdown 💧🐑

Gizmo (Drabble) 🐑

No Life Without You  💧🩸

Somewhere Safe 💧🩸🐑

Frankie Morales (Triple Frontier)

Where The Sky Touches the Sea Series Masterlist (Hiatus)

30 Days  💧🐑

Every Pilot Needs A Wingman  🐑

Insecure  💧🐑

Longer  🐑

Sticky/Tricky Jar  🐑

To Be Wanted  💧🐑

What Ifs  🐑

Whole Enchilada  🐑

Requested: “It’s two sugars right?” and “I’ll pick you up at the airport.”  🐑

Requested: Soulmate AU where you dream of your soulmate in a past life  🐑

Requested: Soulmate AU where you can feel when they’re in grave danger or emotionally distressed   💧🐑

Fake Fic Title: Panicky Expectant Father  🐑

Jack Daniels/Agent Whiskey (Kingsman and The Golden Circle)

Whiskey Straight Series Masterlist (Hiatus)

A Statesman Christmas   💧🐑🔥

Fireflies  💧🐑

Love is Blind  💧🩸🐑

Overwhelmed  🐑

Secrets in the Wind  💧🐑

Showed Up in Boots  💧🐑

Requested:  “Any other lies left to tell me?” and “Are they really ‘just a friend’?”  💧

Requested: “Why are you acting like this?”  💧🩸

Requested: “I hope your day gets better.” and “You know, you can stay if you want to.”  🐑

Requested: Soulmate AU where it is impossible to lie to your soulmate  🐑

Fake Fic Title: Undercover Lover  🐑

Agent Brandy Universe: Featuring Statesman OC “Agent Brandy” First, Time  🐑 Weapons Testing  🐑

Marcus Moreno (We Can Be Heroes)

Early Mornings  🔥

Passing the Test  🐑

Tiktok Dancing  🐑

Requested: Soulmate AU, matching soulmarks  🐑

Requested: Soulmate AU, dream sharing  🔥

Fake Fic Title: Chalk Tasting Hearts  🐑

Marcus Pike (The Mentalist)

Broken Art  💧🐑

Sunflowers and Pink Roses  💧🐑

Requested:  “Let’s just sit in tonight.” and Thigh Riding 🔥

Requested: Soulmate AU where everyone has a “soul animal” that only they and their soulmate can see  🐑

Max Phillips (Bloodsucking Bastards)

XXX-Mas  🔥

Picking up the Pieces - Max Phillips Edition  💧🐑

Who’s The Boss  🔥

HC: Max helping you with a migraine  🐑

Maxwell Lord (Wonder Woman 1984)

Doing Business  🔥

Picking up the Pieces - Max Lord Edition  💧🐑

Working Late 🔥

Fake Fic Title: Conflict of Interest  💧🐑

Requested: “Stay Over”  🐑

Poe Dameron (Star Wars)

Best Laid Plans  🐑

Bittersweet  💧

Picking up the Pieces - Poe Dameron edition  💧🐑

Think Happy Thoughts  💧🔥

Drabble: Being Poe’s Hairdresser  🐑

Requested:  “Is that my shirt?” “You mean our shirt?”  🐑

Requested:  “ Did you know that you talk in your sleep?”  💧

Requested: “I’m right here.”  🐑

Requested: “You’re hurt. Please just let it heal.”  💧

Requested: Soulmate AU where you cannot feel lust or sexual desire until you meet your soulmate.  🐑

Misc. Characters

Blue Jones (Sucker Punch)

My Eyes Only  🐑🔥

Jonathan Levy (Scenes From a Marriage)

Attraction and Other Subjectivities  🔥

Nathan Bateman (Ex Machina)

Bug in the System  💧🐑

Oberyn Martell (Game of Thrones)

Requested: “Go back to sleep.”  🐑

Santiago Garcia (Triple Frontier)

Requested: “I was just thinking about you.” and  “I want you to have this.”  🐑

Pedro Boys Collections

Pregnancy Announcement HCs  💧🐑

Other Links of Interest

300 Followers Celebration - custom AUs created for followers who wrote in

[mk-wizard]

DC and Marvel’s Problem: It’s time for the icons to be happily ever after

Hi, friends. Like most North American comic lovers, I grew with Marvel and DC, so I am fan of the big icons like Superman, Batman, Flash, Spider-Man, the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Wonder Woman and more. However, I say this as someone who loves them all dearly and always will... their ages are not only beginning show, but they have gotten old.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s ok for something to be old. A lot of public property like the literary classics and mythologies from around the world are old, but we still love them and always go back to check them out. However, if there is one thing I learned from being a writer myself, at one point, you have to accept when a story has taken its natural course and to say “THE END”. No more sequels, no more issues, no more expanding the lore and only make movies and shows occasionally. In other words, it’s time for some of the supers to hang up their capes and retire for good for their own good. They will always be great, always be worth reading and always be the reason we have the standards is supers that we have, but the reality is that they were also heroes of a specific time that has clearly passed. And that’s ok. Instead of trying to changing them, “bend” them or rewrite them, let’s finish their stories so we remember them as they were and when they were at their best. It’s also an act of respect towards these characters. They gave everything they had to offer, now it’s time for them to take their well earned break.

Moreover, the world of DC and Marvel is already overflowing with supers as it is. It was challenging to maintain their universes as it was, so while I once said in a universe it is not up to me to judge and that I think working on multiple things should not hinder your ability to write well... I’m thinking Marvel and DC are the exceptions because when it comes to projects, they have too many. On top of that, they’re trying to write well for each and every one of its characters, but clearly can’t. It can’t keep producing new issues for the oldies while trying to come up with good new characters or finally give the spotlight to the existing ones that were shelved. Even a giant will become exhausted when it has THIS much on its shoulders. Something has to give. It’s time for load to be lightened.

With that said, now is the perfect time to wrap up the stories of the classic heroes. Give them one last hurrah, but it must be their last and then, move on graciously. That way, Marvel and DC can finally properly create new characters and start giving long overdue attention to its shelved characters who ironically are characters of this progressive and aware time. If fans want to read about Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Spider-Man, X-Men and such, they know where to find the books just like we know where to find Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, The Odyssey, The Wizard of Oz and more.

In short, Marvel and DC have stretched themselves and their old supers way too thin and that is why its films, TV series, and most importantly, its comics have suffered. And don’t forget, it’s not there will never ever be a new TV show or film about Batman, Superman, etc. ever again. Or even another comic series. There will be. Just occasionally which is for the best. When they do appear, it will genuinely feel fun treat rather than exhausting and the quality will be great. It is wayyyyy better than forcing their stories to end through deaths that not only upset the fans, but also never seem to be permanent anyway. Give them dignified endings and let those giants sleep.

At least that’s my opinion. What is yours? Do you agree? Thanks for reading and as always, stay safe.

[curestardust]

Dust Watched: Macross Δ Movie 2: Zettai Live!!!

Genres: Action, Mecha, Music, Space // 2h movie // M01 (x)

My experience with this movie could be summed up in a single sentence which is “Slow the fuck down!!”

✧  story  ✧

Obligatory note that I’m not really into Macross or Mecha stuff. I do enjoy it but its plot leaves my brain the second the anime ends, which is kind of a problem when you’re trying to write about a franchise branching across 50 years.

Anyway, this movie is the sequel and ending to the previous one which shows us an Alternate Universe story of the events of the original Macross Delta series.

The biggest problem this movie suffers from is that it tries to tackle about 100 things at once. Character drama, character relationships, character progression, a movie only plot, expanding on the original plot, wrapping up elements of the original plot, wrapping up this movie only plot, referencing the previous franchises, bringing back old characters, introducing new characters, giving character focus to THESE characters, a huge dose of exposition dumping then add a sprinkle space battles in the mix and the flow and tonal shifts of the show felt like *I* was the one sitting in one of the mechas and going at lightspeed.

I feel like I’d need a thesis to talk about the story and not get something wrong so I won’t. All in all, it was your usual affair of Big Bad Mecha needs to be taken down, and then it is. Yay!

✧  characters  ✧

Offta, they really tried to force a lot of things on the characters. The tonal shifts are the worst here; we can go from one scene where Makina is pushing her boobs up against Mirage and they’re goofing around only to then transition into a scene of someone dying a tragic death. A good example of just how much is going on is Bogue; he goes from hating humans still, to losing one of his comrades in battle, to joining up with the humans and taking orders from their commander. All the while, we basically see no reaction from him to all this besides one or two side comments. They try to give Mirage a plotline as well, and it... I mean it’s alright? RIP to all Hayate/Mirage shippers out there tho. And speaking of...

Freyja, oh my dear girl. Freyja (and Hayate’s) plotline gets the most focus even though with everything going on their scenes have a lot less impact than they should have had.

<spoiler> I almost was about to say that the last scene was truly heartbreaking but they pussied out. BRO!!! Show me her passing on properly! Her vanishing into the wind in her lover’s arms would’ve been so impactful but before that can happen they just show the credits? Why?? This an AU, you don’t have to do the “did-she-or-didn’t-she” game here, she is alive in the original series, so just commit to it! <spoiler>

Oh right, almost forgot about them. Yami_Q_Ray, who are even on the cover, went really underutilized which is a big shame. Would’ve loved to see more of them.

✧  art  ✧

The art was also veeery wonky most of the time. The background art were gorgeous, the mechs looked good enough I guess (I don’t know anything about mechs) but the characters... in some scenes they looked like paper cutouts pasted on a background. They lacked detail and depth. The animation was the same. Weird and janky. The CGI looked the best (the inro sequence of Walküre was a treat). The battles were really hard to follow too.

✧  sound ✧

Fantastic as usual. Macross has always been about the music and I’m glad that at least that didn’t disappoint.

✧  overview ✧

In conclusion, I feel like they spent 90% of the budget on the 10 minute long Macross F short in the beginning of the movie. Which I didn’t talk about cause I genuinly have no clue what was going on but damn did it look great.

My Rating: 5/10

[autumnalwalker]

A Dream About Writing Down Dreams

I am having one of the most coherent and epically-scaled dreams I’ve ever had, with a dozen different disparate plot lines involving both existing worlds and characters and new, unique ones made up solely for the context of this dream.  

The existing worlds/characters include, but are not limited to:

A shockingly good sequel to Bee Movie involving innovations in space flight making use of biological materials derived from the same processes used to make beehives and wasp nests.

Flo from State Farm attempting to start up a new ad campaign by bringing back and creating a crossover between characters who have lost their cultural relevance, starting with Alf, Aughra from The Dark Crystal, and Alvin and the Chipmunks who are getting choreography direction from former members of NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys (one member from each).

The Great Powers/Fears from The Magnus Archives.

A guardian from Reboot (the old animated CGI show about people in computers) abusing and then being stripped of his power/authority and put at the mercy of his past victims.

The new worlds/characters include, but are not limited to:

A man trying to have a nice day with his mother, slowly realizing that the end of the world is upon them, but trying to keep their (now possibly last) outing pleasant to the very end and then ultimately finding shelter.

A youth piloting a mech who picks their loadout/attachments solely on aesthetics, but through favoring wavy, semi-organic parts with spiral patterns accidentally creates a mech capable of multiple means of nonlethal subdual and begins using it against both sides of the battle they’re in.  They do this just because they’re kind of a troll who likes messing with their teammates but winds ups having a profound effect in pushing toward peace. 

A world hopper with a fear of drowning who gets summoned into a vast and fantastical swimming pool by friends/lover(?) where they begin to find a measure of peace away from everything else going on. 

This all culminates in the world-hopper in the swimming pool accidentally summons an archetypal trickster called “Old Jack” (as in every classic fairy tale with a character named Jack) by saying his name/thinking too hard about him.  To defend themselves, the friends in the pool summon Old Jack’s equal and opposite counterpart, a cantankerous-yet-soft-hearted old woman who redirects Old Jack’s attention to a man he’d previously tricked.  As it turns out, this man hadn’t actually fallen for Old Jack’s temptation to make a deal and do mischief to bring his dead wife back because this man already made his peace with the fact that his wife still lived on in the love and hearts and memories of him and their child.  And in the blackberry bush that is both symbolically and magically tied to their family.  Old Jack is then trapped in the thorny branches of this bush and forced to confront his lack of reflection in a mirror.  

This then causes the undoing of Old Jack’s greatest mischief.   Across all those worlds that had previously been caught up in all of this, dreamers start waking up.   Dreamers who first had taken on the parts of characters in those worlds, but then gradually degraded into tiny, larva-like beings.  These dreamers all wake up together in matching uniforms on a spaceship/station/colony where they slowly begin to remember who they really are.  The dreamers - or rather, the travelers and explorers of other worlds via dreams - are informed that they’d all, one by one, gotten stuck and trapped unconscious in their dreaming.  Most had been asleep for hours or days and experienced weeks or even years, with one exception who had been asleep for twenty four hours but only experienced three.  She was the one who witnessed Old Jack’s defeat. 

As the story ends, I immediately recognize its rare combination of clarity, quality, and scale and begin trying to record as much of it as I can before it fades away in the manner in which dreams do.  I quickly begin to despair however as it all fades even more quickly than expected while at the same time, new details and plot lines that weren’t part of the original begin worming their way into the recounting.  It is all just too much and too magnificent for any waking mind to handle. 

And then I woke up for real.  I laid in bed with my eyes closed for an unknown amount of time, trying to wrap my mind around it all, to capture and remember as much of both layers of the dream as I could.  I debated whether or not to even bother this hard with trying to remember the dream.  It included far too many pop culture and fandom aspects to qualify for dreams that I would normally record for posting online.  Ultimately though, it was the meta commentary nature of the fact that I’d had A Dream About Writing Down Dreams that drove me to make the decision to roll over in bed, grab my phone from the bedside table, turn on the screen, feel the light through my closed eyelids, give my eyes a moment to adjust, open them, tap my Google Docs app, open my “A Dream About…” document, and start typing out this entry.  

Normally I would wait until my alarm went off to get up in the morning and either write the dream down after breakfast at the earliest, or - more commonly - off and on throughout the day.  Something about this one hit differently though, (most likely the feeling of scale combined with the meta nature) and so instead I started typing away on my phone in the dark a little after 5:00 a.m.  It’s a little after 6:00 a.m. now and work starts at 8:30.  My alarm will go off at 7:40.  Such a rush to get this all down when it will be weeks before my post queue gets to it.  I like to think it was worth it though.  But maybe that’s just the sleep deprivation talking.  I should try to get a little more of that before my alarm goes off.  

[audreylovestoread]

If We Were Us

K.L. Walther

Overall, a very cute and light read with lovable and relatable characters. One of my favorite things about this book was how I was as able to connect so deeply with some of the situations and feelings that the characters had. Charlie’s journey of discovering himself was particularly relatable and refreshing to read.

That being said, there were a couple things I found frustrating with this book. It was a quick read, but there were a whole school’s worth of characters that were hard to keep track of. Everyone had either dated, had history with, or had feelings for, pretty much everyone and I couldn’t keep any of it straight. I would’ve liked to have to have more time to understand all of the dynamics, or have a smaller cast of characters to really focus on. There were also a lot of emotional backstories that were kinda mentioned briefly and then never really gone into.

One of the biggest things I thought was missing (SPOILER) was Charlie’s coming out to his friends. This was a huge conflict for him for a big portion of the book, and there was a huge lead up to it happening, and then it just kinda didn’t. He decided he was going to come out, and then it just time jumped to months later where everyone knew and was cool with it. It was a pretty disappointing build up and I would’ve loved to see his friends being supportive after Charlie had been worrying about their reactions for months.

Sage and Nick’s relationship also wasn’t my favorite. There was so much that could’ve been there for childhood friends to lovers and best friend’s brother that could’ve been included, but it felt super rushed and a little flat.

There also were a lot of time jumps that happened unexplained that left me pretty confused and rereading the same page to figure out if I had missed something. This is a young adult novel, so I wasn’t expecting any graphic sexual scenes or references, but it almost seemed like the author couldn’t decide if they should be included or not. The characters would be going on a walk to a secluded area, and then in the next sentence of the same paragraph, they’re suddenly already walking back to school. But them later in the book there’s direct implications of two characters having sex with mentions of a condom. It was just a little confusing.

The critiques definitely shouldn’t deter you from reading this though. If you want a light, cute read with some really good characters and a boarding school coming of age, then I definitely recommend! This is a book that I feel would really benefit from a sequel as well, and if the author ever wrote one, I would definitely read it!

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[lunaastoir]

fluff/relationships w the mondstadt crew

characters included: diluc, kaeya, and jean

gn! reader as always <3

tw: fluff??? domesticity??? crack??? ideal relationships w people who will never be real??? also mentions of alcohol!

an: so i’m back w a sequel to my “fluff/relationships w the liyue crew” since you guys seemed to really like it <3 thank you my heart is literally melting 😩 this post was getting too long so i excluded some of the characters but expect a part. 2 (more like part 3 but part 2 to the mondstadt version)! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

diluc

man. this MAN.

that’s it, that’s the headcanon. 

he would literally be the most doting lover in the softest ways

SUCH a soft romantic like you thought you knew love??? nah this man will show you what love is

will constantly leave you things around the winery to convey his silent thank you’s and appreciation for you putting up with him being busy for most of the day

it’s always the most thoughtful things ever too like-

you mentioned how nice it would be to have some fresh lemonade with the hotter weather outside but it was too late in the day to actually go to the market in search of fresh lemons 

the next day you walked downstairs only to be greeted with a pitcher of cool lemonade with a side of lemon bars

there was a note attached to the handle of the pitcher <3 

“i recall you mentioning how lemonade would be perfect for the warmer weather so i decided to make some for you this morning. i hope it’s still cool by the time you drink it. love, d” 

pls sir your hand in marriage

he secretly loves it when you usher him to bed after waking up in the dead of night to see him working by candlelight on reports 

soft hands on his cheeks gently whispering about how, it’s been far too long and come to bed, darling and there will be time for this in the morning

his protests are light given the dark purple hues under his crimson eyes but he’ll still make a little fuss 

don’t let this man fool you tho he’s so so touched that you care enough to check up on him and drag him to bed!!

sometimes on the days he has a bit more free time, the two of you will quickly grab your dinners and race to the highest spot in the winery to watch the setting sun

these moments are always filled with laughter, something you’ve found you’re easily able to pull out of diluc, simply because it’s you 

uncontrollable sobbing

he would let you paint his nails black like the angsty man he is 

frankly he would let you do anything to him if it makes you happy <3 

ok but wait diluc w bLACK NAILS?? AND RINGS??? i would die on the spot ⚰️

on the topic of makeup, this man is surprisingly really good w it 

i like to think he learned after practicing on kaeya when they were younger bc kaeya was really into makeup

you found out after babysitting klee one day and trying failing to draw eyeliner on the sweet girl after her “big brother ‘bedo!”

you hastily grabbed some wipes, gently wiping off the messed up design before attempting to dive back in 

diluc however, had some down time so he decided to check up on his favorite chaotic duo 

only to be met with a pile of dirtied makeup wipes, your frustrated expression, and klee’s growing jitteriness 

swiftly moving to your side, he quietly asked if you needed help 

you glanced up quizzically before handing him the eyeliner, already looking around to find more makeup wipes when this inevitably goes wrong 

to your utter surprise tho the eyeliner is perfect??? two perfect winged lines??? in less than a minute??? WHAT

you just stood there like 😦 before diluc got back up and handed you the eyeliner 

you were short-circuiting, klee was ecstatic, diluc was worried about you 

ok last thing abt diluc 

crack! warning but the both of you like lowkey pranking kaeya 

for diluc it’s revenge on his annoying brother; for you it’s good - natured sibling rivalry fun 

every time the two of you see kaeya, one of you always swipes something of his 

small things really, it could be a pen or a handkerchief

one time, diluc swiped kaeya’s spare eyepatch and from the looks of it, kaeya’s only spare black eyepatch bc he was frantically looking for it yk he’s desperate when he even asked diluc if he saw it

the two of you spent an hour nearly laughing your asses off 

all in all, life w him is so sweet 

kaeya

pretty boy? pretty boy. 

while i can’t guarantee stability, life would never be boring w this man that’s for sure

piggy back rides 🗣 piggy back rides 🗣 piggy back rides 

he LOVES it, the feel of you on his back while he’s walking around mondstadt most likely carrying you to your commission 

he finds it comforting especially since he can hear the rumble of your voice against him while you recount stories, or just babble on about everything under the sun 

he is SO dramatic so obviously when y’all reach the site of the commission he has to kill all the monsters even tho the both of you agreed to split it up evenly 

he makes quick work of his set before stealing some of yours much to your chagrin 

you scold him but can you really be mad at him when he looks drop dead gorgeous freezing the hilichurls the answer is no, no you cannot be

oh my god ok wait-

he does this thing where he tries to spook you in public 

so say you’re getting groceries at the mondstadt general store

you round the corner just minding your own business, looking around, taking in the sunshine 

and suddenly you just hear someone drop in behind you but before you can register anything you hear a soft “boo” and hands circle your waist 

you jump SIKE let’s be honest you shrieked 

meanwhile kaeya’s just laughing his ass off 

you can hear his rich peals of laughter while you attempt to regain your bearings 

he does this so often you SHOULD be used to it but you really aren’t bc mans is SNEAKY-

he cards his fingers in your hair whenever you’re speaking 

he doesn’t know why, it’s just a cute habit and he finds the feel of his fingers in your hair soothing

oH on the topic of comfort, kaeya really likes resting two fingers on the back of your neck???

ik he seems like the type to throw his arm around your shoulder which yes he totally is but during more serious conversations his hand automatically seeks out the warmth of your neck 

your neck feels amazing especially during the warmer months due to his chilly fingers contrasting with your warm skin  

he likes that he’s able to access such a vulnerable part of you and you would willingly let him 

HE GETS YOU MATCHING OUTFITS

no i will NOT take criticism on this i just kNOW he’s that type of guy

it would be those stupid “i’m his” and “they’re mine” sweatshirts like BYE 

it’s so cringy but for some reason it’s oddly adorable and you truly despise it but you can’t seem to say no whenever he asks 

you pretend to ignore the look of pity diluc throws your way whenever he sees you like this

kaeya really loves accessories so i think he would be the type to give you a promise ring or something similar to show that he truly does care for you 

he would brush it off, flirting a little like usual before handing you the ring 

with the way his cheeks softly darken though, you know he’s being genuine 

TICKLE FIGHTS ik i mentioned this for childe but shhhh

he has tickle fingers??? his hands just loOK like they’re itching to tickle someone so you’ll most likely be the unfortunate victim 

he will not show you mercy. at all. he’ll tickle you until there are tears streaming from your eyes, your face is hot, and your voice is hoarse from laughing so damn hard 

it gives him such a rush of serotonin its SO CUTE 

i feel like this goes without saying but he’s super into pda,,, anything and everything is on the table 

hand holding? duh. ass grabs? ofc. carrying you bridal style around mondstadt? why not 

ik he’s typically very playful but once the relationship reaches a certain stage, he’ll slowly start to let down the walls that surround his facade 

very very slowly show you the more realistic parts of him 

the real, damaged pieces of his soul 

he’ll be carefully monitoring your reaction though, any sign of fear or disgust will have him recoiling within himself again and you most likely will never see his true nature ever again 

SO BE CAREFUL 👹

once you’ve seen the parts of him he’s offered to you, the hushed whispers of his past, and the uncertain lines of his future, he will take off his eyepatch 

pretends like he’s not super nervous but he’s SWEATING- 

the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen though hands down 

you can understand why he covers it up but you would like it if he felt comfortable enough to take off the eyepatch occasionally when he’s with you 

also!!! sleeps with his eyepatch side facing you (in the event he wears it to bed) 

if this happens you KNOW he trusts you bc it’s his blindside <3 

anyways life w kaeya will never be boring but he is a very complicated man 

stay with him though, i promise it’ll be worth it 

jean

the key to jean’s heart is coffee and food 

GET HER COFFEE AND FOOD

i am begging you she deserves it 😭

the poor woman works so hard bc the knights are so mf understaffed, this is literally the best way you can ever show her your love and appreciation when she has work

she will MELT if you have a hot shower and dinner waiting for her when she inevitably returns later than she promised

will completely refuse at first with, “you did not have to do this, it’s too much” but shush her as you shOULD bc she deserves the entire world 

she’s the definition of “you do something for me, i’ll return the favor ten times grander”

you leave a flower on her desk bc it reminded you of her??? you’ll wake up to find a whole bouquet of the prettiest windwheel asters you’ve ever seen the next morning along with a thank you note

she’s so sweet BYE

she gets flustered extremely easily so you obviously use this as an opportunity to tease her 

when you’re in public rest your hand on her waist and inch it higher until your hand is underneath her shirt and in contact with her warm skin 

she’ll actually short-circuit its quite adorable 

sometimes y’all will be cuddling and you’ll hear whispers of her insecurities 

“am i a good grand master? will i ever be as valiant as vanessa?”

reassure her!!! tell her that she doesn’t need to be like vanessa, she’s already amazing as jean 

if you haven’t seen her in awhile, track her down and schedule a lunch date 

she never misses appointments and if it’s for you, she’ll gladly make time to see you even if she has to stay up even later than usual 

OH-

GIVE HER MASSAGES 

she has so much tension and the sorest muscles from hunching over papers and running around on errands 

if you sneak into her office and quietly stand behind her before gently pushing down on the sore tendons of her neck, she’ll genuinely fall over on her desk 

so make sure you steady her 😀

after you feel how tight her muscles are though, you drag her to barbara bc she needs a healer asap 😭

while most of your time is spent in her office - you helping out in the ways you can while jean is overseeing knight duties - you still have your fair share of life outside of the favonius headquarters

jean never likes to sit still so whenever you have free time, the both of you head off looking for monsters to clear

bouken da bouken???

adventuring w jean is seriously the funnest thing you could ever do 

it’s just non-stop you accidentally getting into trouble and her having to come help you 

even tho the both of you are dead tired after fighting, what? 20 hilichurl camps now??? the laughter and joy in your eyes shows how you both truly loved every minute of it

it’s both a stress reliever, good fun, and a work-out <3

you’re definitely prone to getting dragged to angel’s share w kaeya 

kaeya and jean sometimes hang out after work at the tavern so inevitably you’re dragged along too 

all three of you are drunk out of your minds which just makes everything a MILLION times funnier 

kaeya slurring over his words makes the two of you start cackling endlessly while diluc just shakes his head making sure to not give you more wine despite your pleas 

angel’s share ft. kaeya and bartender diluc are always the best times fr fr 

life with her literally feels like y’all are married 

so much domesticity it’s so NICE ALJDKSFH

your house is always so clean and the color scheme is impeccable bc jean has such a good eye 

you have a chore schedule 😎 but it almost never works out bc jean ends up doing everything without you knowing- 

you always confront her abt it and she’s like 😁 “i had some time so i did them! no worries tho” like i- time??? where bitc-

oH- she has amazing style so you can bet shopping w her is literally the best experience 

she takes you to all of the hidden gems some places lisa recommended and helps you pick out things 

will 100% get really blushy if you come out in something and ask her for her opinion tho she’s literally the cutest

basically jean is a sweet girl who deserves the entirety of teyvat that is all. 

thanks for reading! if you have any requests don’t hesitate to send them in <3 

[longbobmckenzie]

long bob recommends

Looking for something to read and not sure where to start? Hopefully this will help! There are tons of great fics in the LITG fandom, so this list was difficult to whittle down, but here are some of my faves! Some of these I've reread, some I plan to reread some day, others I'm currently enjoying for the first time or read long ago and remember liking. Also note that this is by no means a comprehensive list - there are absolutely more fics out there that are worth reading! And I’m always happy to give out additional recs if people have specific LIs or tropes they’re looking for, or villa/AU, etc. Just shoot me an ask, a DM, or find me wherever! In the interest of keeping this post (somewhat) manageable, I’ve created a page on my blog which includes additional recommendations, which you can find here! I’ll be adding to that page with new favourites as well. And if you still need more, check out @becangle's Recommendations List as well!

*edited 12/19/2022 to remove fics that have since been deleted

These are the completed works, the ones where you can be assured that you won’t have to wait weeks between updates for, never knowing if they’ll even be updated again... (are you scarred? I’m scarred)

Bobby

An Infinite Deal of Nothing by EskiiX (post-Villa)

Takes place after Bobby leaves the villa without finding love. Really great fic with a relatable MC.

Be My Hero and I'll Be Yours by ChronicComicObsession (AU)

Got a taste for superheroes? Go on an adventure with this fic (and its sequel!) with very well-written action scenes and a spicy little romance!

Happy Ever After, Inc. by ThoracicOrchid (AU)

Fluffy fake relationship fic in which MC hires a fake boyfriend service to try to get her ex back. It’s so adorable and feels like watching a movie.

Naptime by EmeraldEmbers07 (Villa)

A friendship couple that starts to realize there’s something more between them. An oldie but a goodie! (And for the smut lovers, there’s a kinky threesome sequel)

Roadside Honey by Colorkiller (AU)

Bobby falls in love with MC, as he tends to do. She’s a drummer in a band, and has some other things to take care of before they can be together.

Say When by twofoursixohone (Villa/post-Villa )

The story of a Casa Amor girl who makes a connection… but doesn’t get picked to stay in the villa.

Sick Like Me by neld13 (AU)

Smut, smut, and slowly developing feelings when two people start sleeping together and can’t seem to quit each other.

The Greatest of Them All by throughthejunobush (Villa)

All the frustrations of a Gary route coming to a boiling point… and opening MC’s eyes up to what’s been in front of her all along.

Wait for it by becangle (Villa)

A villa fic that doesn’t feel like a villa fic (which is something I look for). Bobby pines for an MC that’s way out of his league, but she’s not perfect. A great will they/won’t they story.

What Other People Say by ThoracicOrchid (AU)

It’s like a Hallmark movie – things go wrong for a movie star so she moves back to her small town, doesn’t wanna be there, has some stuff to learn, and meets a really nice guy… It’s so fun and so good!

Whiskey on Your Lips by margotmuses (AU)

Definitely one of my favourites, the characters in this one have such great chemistry, and there are so many amazing (and well-written) moments in this!

Bobby +

Couplings, Cupcakes and Cranes… Oh My! by Kittidot (Villa - Bobby and Gary)

I’m not a Gary stan, but this is a fun and sexy read in which Bobby and Gary, um... have a moment? And then MC (coupled with Bobby) finds them and they turn the focus to her.

Of twos and threes by Pine (Villa - Bobby and Noah)

Uniquely formatted through daily prompts that provide snapshots of the villa journey of a polyamorous MC in non-chronological order.

The One That Got Away by neld13 (post-Villa)

Everyone knows I love a messy MC, and you can’t find worse than Harper.

Noah

Don't Disappoint Me by throughthejunobush (post-Villa)

One of the first fics I ever read, and recently re-read. It’s still as good as I remember, and even after 2 years there were parts of this fic that I distinctly remembered.

Figure it Out & Out of the Black by Follies_Fixture (Villa/post-Villa)

What happens when a rockstar with a crush on Noah drunkenly tweets and finds herself as a Casa Amor girl, and then what happens when they go back to the real world and are faced with real problems.

History written in moans and writhing by Pine (AU)

A unique take on what happens when you combine research with pornography.

Rosehill House by Ariendiel (AU)

A beautifully written regency romance that hits all the right notes. There’s also a oneshot sequel for Bobby!

Jake

In My Veins by ChronicComicObsession (AU)

MC is Bobby’s sister, they’re both vampires, and Jake is a hot chef. A must-read.

Reasons to be Brave by MamaMiaOhMy (Villa)

A fleshed-out villa fic that explores Season 1 through Jake’s eyes as he falls in love with the MC. There’s also an incomplete sequel.

Other

Caught in the Act by throughthejunobush (Villa - Lucas)

A fun fake relationship between Lucas and MC intended to make others jealous that turns into feelings.

Ego and Enmity, Hannah's Song by becangle (Villa)

Hannah’s fanfiction of her time in the villa, full of big words that she doesn’t actually know how to use. A super fun read!

These are slightly riskier -- some are actively (or occasionally) being updated. Others are abandoned, or their status is up in the air. But they’re all still worth reading, even the ones that may never be continued.

Bobby

Begin Again by fuseboxmusebox (AU)

Nobody does fluff better, although it’s also agonizing waiting for them to KISS! (hehe… tugs collar)

Maybe, sort of, kind of, possibly by Blueberry_Cupcakes (Villa)

Do you like banter? Flirtatious moments between clueless characters? Long chapters? A villa fic that mixes up canon but also focuses more on the main characters? Then this one’s for you! This incomplete fic gives me major writer’s envy. I’m not sure if it will ever be continued, but it’s worth reading.

One Night Stand by ItsRealityBoo (AU)

What happens when the person you just had a one-night stand with turns out to be your new client? Really enjoy this one, it’s fun watching them try to deny their feelings for each other for the sake of professionalism… (key word: trying)

she plays bass by y2kjoons (AU)

Punk Bobby! It’s only a few chapters and not long enough for Bobby and MC to get together, but it’s really fun and well-written. Also worth reading for the Seb/Nicky moment alone.

The Sun in My Eyes by christy_sparkle (Villa)

I mean, if you haven’t read this one yet, where have you been? It’s angsty, it’s smutty, it’s got incredible depth… I am (impatiently) waiting for more!

Henrik

Powder Days by Colorkiller (AU)

It’s a snowboarding AU, but that doesn’t have to be your thing in order to read this fic. Friends-with-benefits turned lovers, breakups, makeups… It’s angsty, and I love it. And Henrik is precious.

Moss, Eternal by Colorkiller (Villa)

Featuring the most iconic MC you’ll ever meet, who wants the only thing she can’t have: Henrik. It’s a blast to read!

Lucas

Damaged Goods by Finality2020 (post-Villa)

MC marries Gary after Love Island, but things fall apart when Hannah publishes her novel… so MC runs away to heal and process things, and Lucas follows.

The Power Couple by BattleBelle23 (Villa)

Fake relationship with hidden feelings? Yes. Neat take on a villa fic!

Noah

Noah’s Game by SilentScreaming (Villa)

Not for the faint of heart, this is Bad Noah at his finest as he tries to fuck his way through the villa… without getting caught.

The Fortunate Ones by theriverlea (Villa)

MC is a Casa Amor girl with a crush on Noah, but Noah is loyal to Hope… Really neat take on the villa, and it’s interesting to get a glimpse into what CA was like for the boys.

Multiple/Other

Island Villa Apartments by KittiDot (AU)

Unique fic that follows multiple islanders living in an apartment complex, interweaving their stories of love and friendship together. It’s fluffy and fun!

Shiny Demon by throughthejunobush (Villa – Seb)

The only way to get me to read an S3 fic is for it to be written by one of my favourite authors. This adds depth to the characters (Fusebox could never) and even sometimes makes me forget that it’s S3!

When I started reading fanfiction, I focused on chaptered fics because I wanted full stories that I could invest myself in. I was wrong - sometimes stories are just as good (or better!) when they’re told in a single chapter.

Bobby

Beyond Sunrise by becangle (AU)

Strangers forced together, road trip, one bed… This is trope heaven, and Becca’s strong dialogue brings it together perfectly!

Bittersweet by Blueberry_Cupcakes (AU)

Bobby falls in love with a girl who’s falling in love with someone else… It truly is a bittersweet fic – so good it hurts.

On Repeat by nutshikas (Villa)

Definitely a fic that lives in my head rent-free! Bobby keeps going through the villa on a time loop, getting more and more frustrated and exhausted as he tries different things in an attempt to break the spell…

Henrik and Henrik/Lucas

Just one more bad decision by Kittidot (post-Villa)

This one’s extra special because not only was it a gift for me, but it includes my OC Magnus! It’s so good, one I’ve already read multiple times and plan to go back to again and again.

the gang bullies Henrik into a threesome by Colorkiller (post-Villa)

MC decides she wants to have a threesome, so she ropes Lucas and Henrik into obliging her. Sense of humour required.

Sooner Than You’d Think by OverdressedandUnderwhelmed (Villa)

A perfect look into Lucas and Henrik’s relationship in the villa. This is now canon on a non-Lurik route.

Lucas and Lucas/Bobby

Lucas Koh: An Erotic Life by becangle (post-Villa)

A tongue-in-cheek take on how so many Bobby fics use Lucas as the villain who can’t help but cheat on MC. It’s perfect! But not as perfect as Lucas’s hair.

Wishful Drinking by margotmuses (AU)

A masterful enemies-to-lovers Bobcas fic. I’m still in awe at how rich this fic is considering the length!

Levi

Mer de Désir by margotmuses (AU – Levi)

Levi as a French comte in pre-revolution France? I never knew I needed this until I read it. More Levi fics, please!

Swimming Pool Deep by thesepromises (pre-Villa)

You truly have to read this one for yourself (not a tall order – it’s short!) to understand the genius of this fic. Wow.

Seb

So Good Staying Here by christy_sparkle (AU)

Christy’s Seb characterization is on point, as is her smut (as always!). I’m blushing just thinking about it.

Arjun

Golden Thread by starsarestars (AU - Arjun)

A lot of people might write off this fic because it’s Arjun, but please don’t! It’s such a unique, intriguing AU that’s charming and hilarious, with vivid imagery and a really fun rivalry. I can’t do it justice, just read it!

[shihalyfie]

Some things to know about the upcoming 02-related movie

As someone who seems to be known for being a 02 metablogger now (and 02 lover in general), and who’s been closely following Kizuna’s development and is generally fond of the movie itself, I figured I’d probably need to address the elephant in the room that is the announcement of the upcoming (unnamed, as of this writing) 02-related movie. This is also especially because I’ve personally been on the record saying that I absolutely did not want a Kizuna sequel. And, well, on top of that, to be a bit blunt about it, a lot of us, especially 02 fans, have a lot of reason to be skeptical of Toei right now given some of the things they’ve done with this series in the past, and 02-related things in particular (trust me, the wound is still extremely fresh), so it says a lot about what it took for me to get even remotely positive about this prospect.

Well, here’s the good news: while I of course still think there’s good reason to be apprehensive, and while I wouldn’t say everyone should be getting their expectations up for it to be guaranteed fantastic (which is something I would say about anything, regardless of whether it even has to do with Digimon or not), I don’t think there’s too much to be panicked about with this movie. Again, it took a lot for the staff to gain my trust in this respect, so it’s not something I say lightly. But if you’re a 02 fan and you’re extremely apprehensive, here are my reasons for feeling this way, and, hopefully, they might make you feel a little better too.

The reason this movie exists to begin with

One of the most striking things about this movie’s reveal was that they’ve literally only just started production on this movie. This was to the point that, at DigiFes, where this was revealed, even the voice actors stated outright that they knew absolutely nothing more than what the audience knew from the trailer. Katayama (Daisuke) only knew anything in the sense that they had him record those few lines for it. So even though it’s been a whole year and a half since Kizuna released to the public, it had only just been decided to make a new movie like this. All of the statements between Kizuna and now stating that there was nothing particularly in the works at the time were completely accurate. Of course, there are obvious hints that they were setting up for this possibility (many, many people noticed the suspiciously favorable position the 02 group was in during Kizuna, and the press releases were carefully worded so that having a movie about “Daisuke and his friends” would allow any statement about Kizuna being “the last adventure of Taichi and his friends” to still be technically truthful), but for all intents and purposes it seems like there had been no actual commitment to making this 02 movie until now, and that they’d at least wanted to gauge the surrounding climate and fanbase reactions for what people were looking for before they decided to go ahead with this.

The obvious reasons as to why this movie exist involve the fact that Daisuke and co. are pretty much the only “out” you can have to continue the Adventure universe without constantly defaulting to Taichi’s group yet again, because at the very least it’d be something that you can’t deny hasn’t exactly had the best representation in recent years. Of course they’re trying to capitalize on this! I’m not going to pretend they aren’t! But producer Kinoshita left a very interesting comment about a particular goal they have with this movie:

This time, the core behind the movie is everyone from 02! Daisuke’s group has their own different kind of charm from Taichi’s, and we want to express that precisely because we’re in the times we’re in right now.

That comment alone has a lot to unpack. (For a frame of reference, Kizuna released in Japan in February 2020; development had already long finished by the time the pandemic first hit, and it was unfortunately one of the first victims of the initial lockdowns because of how bad the timing was.) Acknowledging directly that there’s something different about Daisuke’s group and their dynamic, which makes them especially suited for what we need in “the current times”...hmm, what could that be?

The implied answer is one that many 02 lovers will know very intimately: the 02 group’s particular specialty is in uplifting others and giving each other emotional support. While Adventure had traces of these themes, 02 was the one that went really hard on the themes of dealing with grief and loss, the existential crisis of what to do with oneself in a world placing heavy pressures on you, and how to move on from hardships with the help of others. The fact that the 02 group specializes in this more than anything else is probably one of the most distinguishing factors between them and their seniors, so there’s a very heavy implication here that they understand what distinguishes 02 from Adventure, and what it uniquely would bring to the table in this kind of movie. So this isn’t just “we’re relying on the 02 kids because they’re part of the same universe”; there’s some degree of substantial understanding of what makes 02 as a series unique, and a desire to use this to its fullest extent.

Still don’t believe me? Well, how about this...

This staff really likes 02 a lot

Seki Hiromi, the original producer of Adventure and 02, was involved as a supervisor on Kizuna’s development. Seki was personally involved in the creation of these kids and 02 itself -- she’s the one who noticed the story of the nine-year-old boy skipping grades into Columbia University, the one that formed the basis of 02 itself and eventually came back for Kizuna -- and even personally vetted Kizuna’s script to make sure everyone was in character, gave her thoughts on what the kids would be like in 2010, and was (repeatedly) commented as seeming to love the kids like her own children. As of this writing, it hasn’t been confirmed whether she’s involved on the new movie, but even if she’s not, this means that the staff on Kizuna that is returning all listened closely to those discussions about what the characters are like, straight from the mouth of one of their own creators. The new character song releases had a brief mention in Lounsbery Arthur’s interview that there were apparently extensive discussions with the staff on what the characters should be like at this time, so while Seki’s involvement with that is unknown, at the very least, a lot of conscientious thought seems to be put in at all times into maintaining these characters’ integrity.

Of course, just having an original creator alone on it doesn’t necessarily do it by itself, so here’s another interesting thing: Taguchi Tomohisa, director of both Kizuna and this movie, is also very fond of 02.

I suspect we’ll be hearing more from him as this new movie goes further into development, but Taguchi himself implied that 02 was actually the one he happened to connect with in particular, and when you really think about it, given the circumstances surrounding Kizuna, it’s not actually surprising that a movie trying to be conscientiously aware of 02′s position in the narrative would have someone with a particular fondness for it on its staff. (Reason being: a lot of Adventure fans don’t care much for 02, but you’ll almost never meet a 02 fan who doesn’t also adore Adventure.) The really fun part about this, however, is that Taguchi has repeatedly stated that 02′s first movie, Hurricane Touchdown, is his favorite Digimon movie -- in a climate where everyone else was talking about Adventure. The expected answer for the majority of Adventure fans in terms of “favorite Digimon movie” is almost always Our War Game! by knockout, but no, for Taguchi, it’s Hurricane Touchdown, and not only has he said this, he won’t shut up about it. He’s been saying this since 2019. Even Seki noticed. A whole article got made about this. He brings it up whenever he has a chance to. To top it all off, when a Kizuna event asked everyone present about their favorite characters, and everyone gave Adventure-related answers, Taguchi’s response was instead Terriermon and Daisuke. And I mean, look at Kizuna itself -- its entire plot revolves around having to move on from unhealthy nostalgia, represented by kidnapping people and turning them younger and an antagonist swallowed by their own negative emotions, which, well, is literally the plot of Hurricane Touchdown. (Yeah, that Wallace cameo is very, very likely to be sheer self-indulgence.) And considering that Taguchi said his favorite human character was Daisuke, not Wallace, it means that he understands what Hurricane Touchdown brought out of Daisuke, what his interactions with Wallace meant for both characters, and how Daisuke’s best strengths lie in his ability to support and uplift others.

And, finally, we have Yamatoya, who was responsible for penning both Kizuna’s script (and, thus, being privy to Seki’s corrections) and the bonus drama CD that came with it, on the script, and he personally said that he enjoyed writing for the 02 group because he felt they were important to lightening up the mood of the heavy story Kizuna was becoming. In fact, every comment from this staff about what the 02 group brings to the table in particular has showed a good understanding of what their appeal is -- that they have to be “fun”, that they were “healing in a heavy story”, and Taguchi himself said that he got the impression that the 02 group had more straightforward paths to their epilogue careers (which is interesting, considering that I’ve also personally pointed out that the 02 group seemed to have careers with significantly lower bars than their seniors’ due to their difference in priorities). All of these things are observations you make when you know this group and the importance of the story they came from.

Extend it even further to the rest of the staff members and you’ll find there are a lot of 02 fans on there, including the animation staff, who made some very neat observations about 02 and its finale. Miyahara Takuya is a particularly amusing case, because he seems to love Imperialdramon so much that in the thanks booklet for the deluxe edition for the Blu-ray, he drew a picture of Daisuke and Ken with Imperialdramon Dragon Mode because he didn’t get to be in the movie. (As in, he actually said, point-blank in the caption, that he loves Imperialdramon and wanted to draw him because he wasn’t in the movie.)

Of course, even if you’re trying your best, things may not always work out, so I’m not saying having love for the characters will necessarily guarantee that the product turns out for the best. However, considering that historically a lot of our fears come from the idea of them milking the name value of the characters without really caring about their integrity or understanding what the series was about (especially since a lot of people in the fanbase itself don’t tend to read 02′s nuances very well), I think, at the very least, we don’t need to worry about the staff for this movie not being conscientious, nor the idea that they’re making this movie without understanding or caring about 02.

Furthermore, one thing I appreciate is that they’re actually leading the advertisement with a premise that is distinct from Kizuna’s. Of course, it covers a similar topic of “partnerships”, and it’s very possible it’ll cover the issue of the solution to Kizuna’s problem (especially since the answer was already hinted to have a heavy relationship with 02), but nevertheless, it’s an actual premise that’s not just “Kizuna’s story, but more of it”. It’s an understanding that something 02-related should be allowed to stand on its own rather than just tacking it onto an Adventure-related thing. Beyond that, while I think it’s generally expected that a side story like this should have an original character, I think it’s actually very good this time in particular that there’s a new element/character for the 02 group to interact with; again, as with Hurricane Touchdown and Daisuke, these kids often have the best brought out of them when they’re supporting others, and honestly, because the kids suffered so much in their own narrative, I’m not particularly fond of the idea of seeing them having to go through too much more trauma themselves (it’s a big reason I don’t like the idea of a 02 reboot). So while I’m sure a lot of 02 fans feel a bit antsy that the actual group itself wasn’t advertised first, I actually consider it a positive sign that they have an understanding of what context this group performs best in, and, moreover, well...the last time they unveiled something that was so focused on advertising the return of old characters that it forgot to actually be straightforward about the premise, I don’t think that ended well. So to speak.

In general, the track record is good

It’s easy to just smile and nod at the portrayal of the 02 quartet in Kizuna, because in general everything from them is in-character, but I just want to point out how significant it is that they were portrayed so conscientiously when it is really easy to mess them up. (As I like pointing out very often: even official has not historically been very careful with Daisuke’s character.) There are so many easy pitfalls you could have fallen into and pigeonholed the kids into, but Kizuna absolutely demonstrated the quartet at their best, showing off all the nuances of their character and bringing up all the parts that were most important, especially Daisuke’s best quality being “positivity and cheerfulness” and not all of the other things about him running in circles or having a crush on Hikari-chan. This even goes down to the casting; Katayama Fukujuurou sounds terrifyingly like Kiuchi Reiko in terms of all the little nuances and pitch shifts she had in her performance, and the cast themselves spoke of all the nuances present in their characters as they were studying for their roles. These are things that even fans of the series tend to miss, but the voice actors for the quartet nailed their roles so well that it’s very easy to tell that the direction understood exactly what they were looking for and needed, and casted accordingly. Even those who didn’t care for the movie much had a very hard time disputing the voice casting for the quartet (and this is saying a lot given how much voice actor changes are often a really sore point among Japanese fans).

But while the 02 group had a limited amount of screentime in Kizuna, the staff also had a lot of opportunities to prove themselves with the drama CD and the new character song CDs, and every single aspect of these reflects something that was represented in 02 itself -- again, things that often go over the heads of people who aren’t paying as close attention. The drama CD captures a lot of the essence of the dynamics between the group in only short lines, and all of the statements about the characters in the character song interviews are accurate (and remember: Arthur said directly that there were discussions with the staff about keeping them true to character). On top of that, not only do the lyrics in said songs directly mirror each character’s development from the time of the original Best Partner series, there are also a lot of things in said songs that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of each person’s character and what they got out of the events of 02. Someone with only a surface-level understanding of Ken or Iori’s character might think that Ken should only have a soft song, or that Iori shouldn’t want to do anything ridiculous, but the series goes ahead and gives Ken one of the most passionately emotional rock songs in the batch and Iori outright rap with Armadimon, which are both fitting decisions in light of Ken actually being one of the more emotionally assertive people in this group, and Iori only being stoic because he’s strict with himself and being willing to let loose in certain circumstances (especially after the events of 02).

As of this writing, I don’t know if the new movie is going to be featuring the entire group in a major role, and I’m not sure if I even want it to; as much as I do strongly feel like the group should always work together at all times, one minor personal complaint I had about Kizuna was that it tries to do too much in too little time, and I’m personally fine with this new movie being more Daisuke-centric or something if it means it can just get a nice story on the table (after all, if I wanted something that more evenly represents the entire 02 group, I’d just go back and rewatch a very nice anime series called Digimon Adventure 02). There’s also the very thorny question of what to do about Tokumitsu Yuka, since I don’t personally really like the idea of still dragging her out of retirement like this (but I also wouldn’t want them to awkwardly write around her just for this, and I’m wondering if Sonozaki voicing Tailmon in the reboot would let people accept her as a replacement without much fighting).

Nevertheless, I think Kizuna’s staff has proven more than well enough that they understand the essence of 02 and its characters, so, again, regardless of how it turns out, I at least expect that this can be made with some degree of conscientiousness, and at this point, that’s all I can ask for. I don’t think it’s fair to expect or want this movie to be the second coming of 02, because, again, if we wanted that, I think it’d be better for us to all go back and watch that lovely little 50-episode anime called Digimon Adventure 02. But in terms of being something that can add a little nice thing to the mix, I think, so far, this movie at least has positive signs of turning out that way -- and, remember, think about what I just said about initially being very against this idea; as a diehard 02 fan who has a lot of very picky feelings about how to best represent it, it took a lot for the staff to earn my trust in this sense.

[falsegoodnight]

these are the fics I read or reread and enjoyed this month! like last time, i’m separating it into different sections: main list, podfics, wips, and non-1d. rereads will be included in the main list and marked with *.

*note: this list encompasses the fics i’ve read from the 1st to the 25th and any fics read after will be included in next month’s fic rec list because otherwise this is going to be obnoxiously long. 

—

main list ~

✰ black cherries and chocolate by @harryanthus​ | NR | 666 (intense and jarring in the best way. this leaves you with that heart-racing feeling and panic crawling up your throat)

There is something or well, someone in the walls.

✰ keep secrets just to keep you by @hadestyles​ | T | 1k (loved this so much!! and need 1000000 more royalty abos from rori immediately)

“With the elements as my witness, I take you to be my husband. My heartbeat begins with you and ends with you, Louis Tomlinson.” Louis sinks to his knees as well, salty tears mixing with the pure rainwater. “And I take you as mine. My heart beats for you and with you.”

✰ bitter coffee and sweet love by @dontfuckwithmyotp​ | G | 1k (so cute and sweet!! proud of you ari for getting your first fic out and excited to see what you do next!)

“Hello! Welcome to The Busy Bean! Are you new?” Louis blinked in surprise at the voice and looked around to find the source. “Behind you,” The person tapped his shoulder once and he whirled around at the unexpected touch.

“Hey! Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to interrupt a person—” His rant stopped when he finally faced them. It was a guy—Harry Styles, according to his small black name tag. His eyes widened in embarrassment.

✰ turn your mic off, baby by @vogueharrystan​ | E | 2k (i love when lilli writes harry’s pov. this was so hot!)

Louis walks around the house naked all day and ignores Harry to play video games instead. Harry gets tired of it.

✰ This Could Be Love by mulletharry | G | 2k (such a cute and perfect little valentine’s day fic! put the biggest smile on my face <3)

Harry and Louis have been together for four months. They spend their first Valentine’s Day together.

✰ you appear as my soul by @hadestyles​​ | T | 2k (so gorgeous and raw)

He aches — not as much as Louis, he could never imagine all that he bears quietly — and as cruel as it sounds, it keeps reminding him of how fragile they are.

✰ the energy from your body by sweetielouis | E | 3k (hilarious, hot, and cute!)

Harry and his friends have a popular podcast, for the Valentines Day special they get a bit drunk and talk a bit too comfortably about their friends arses.

It's a good thing Louis doesn't mind it all that much. 

✰ look how i remember by @harryanthus​ | M | 4k (this left me speechless and aching)

He hates it, he wants to scream and tell Harry as much. Kiss me like you mean it. Kiss me as if we are in love. Kiss me like you will never do it again. Kiss me with so much hatred that it turns back to love.

✰ Things Unsaid by @londonfoginacup​ | G | 5k (so so cute and funny!!)

"That chunky oversized sweater is like a clown outfit made for winter."

It feels like time slows down.

Those words echo in his mind, familiar. Why are they familiar? The— the sweater he saw last week. The one with all the knit squares.

The train slows to a stop and Louis just— he doesn’t move. He feels frozen in place as people surge around him. Suddenly everyone is moving too fast and then just as suddenly the car is near empty, taking off again.

The man is gone.

His soulmate is gone.

✰ reckless serenade by @thepolourryexpress​ | E | 4k (adorable and funny and amazing!)

Harry's Google search history may or may not look like 'my girlfriend doesn't know we're dating.'

✰ dancing in the moonlight by @outropeace​ | E | 5k (need 100k more of this immediately, thanks. so wonderful)

Louis’ fuck buddy gets a date for Valentine’s day and he discovers that denial isn’t just a river in Egypt.

✰ The truth is, the stars are falling by larrysbeanies | E | 5k (hot!!! walking-in trope that i love so much)

Harry knows Louis is gay. Hell, he came out to Harry exactly two months ago (when the dreadful dry spell started) because it was becoming increasingly hard to hide the fact that his one night stands were men. And, you know, they’re best friends so there aren’t supposed to be secrets and all that.

Thing is, Louis told Harry he’s gay ergo, Harry is aware that Louis likes men. Why the fuck did he act so normal while fingering him three days ago, then? Is this something straight guys do to their gay best friends in Harry’s world?

Louis would really like to know.

✰ to be used and to be in love by @thelesserneptune​ | E | 5k (blessed that this is a series. really hot and cute!)

Louis doesn't know why his filthy best friend turned into a vanilla boyfriend and thinks of the perfect birthday present to solve that problem.

✰ on the borderline by @princelouisau​ | E | 8k (the way danielle writes... poetry. this broke me down and then stitched me back up <3)

Louis makes his choice.

✰ One Step Closer by agrinwithouthiscat | G | 12k (reading asexual hl fics is instant comfort and this was lovely)

The one fake relationship AU where they don't end up together.

✰ i glow pink in the night by @raspberryoatss​ | E | 12k (hybrid louis perfection, beautiful writing, characters, and story as always!)

Harry reads a lot of articles about hybrids and Louis is determined to prove them wrong.

✰ The Thinker of Tender Thoughts by @speakingwithink | G | 13k (asexual hl again! this one made me cry) 

Louis sits on his hands to stop them from shaking as he adds, ‘and I’m ace.’ If only he had glitter, he thinks. Coming out deserves a bit of sparkle.

✰ Kiss Me Once, Kiss Me Twice by @harriblou​ | M | 13k (enemies with benefits to lovers goodness! so hot and entertaining)

“You’re a fucking brat, you know that,” Harry muttered through clenched teeth, bones already burning with the pure desire and hatred mixing in his body. It was an intoxicating rush of adrenaline and something else that probably came with fucking Louis Tomlinson. He squeezed his neck just a little tighter. “I can’t stand it.”

Their lips were brushing against each other, just moving with the ragged movements of their mouths and harsh breathing.

“You’re a lying piece of shit dickhead,” Louis muttered right back. That was all he did, challenge and nag. He loved to have the last word and Harry let him because he used all his energy to fuck him mindless.

✰ hold onto your stars by vashtaneradas | NR | 16k (this writer’s atmosphere/prose draws me in every time. such a lovely story)

Harry's in the army, Louis' back home, and ninety days is a lifetime.

✰ The Future is Now by @jacaranda-bloom​ | E | 16k (love fics in this five times format and this one was so unique and cool!! and the friends to lovers aspect = chef’s kiss)

Five times Louis follows the fortunes to seek out his true love, and the one time he realises that what he's been searching for might've been right in front of him the whole time.

✰ Visceral Heat & Carnal Highs by @theisolatedlily​ | E | 18k (the prose in this... gorgeous. so fucking good and addicting. delighted that there’s going to be a sequel and excited for whatever lily does next!)

Louis is a demon at a house party prowling for a meal, indulging in horrendous sins to satisfy his hunger. Harry is the talk of the night, beckoning all eyes on him and the reason why Louis’s plan goes awry.

✰ deFENCEless by @solvetheminourdreams​ | T | 27k (this was so cute and so funny and i had the biggest smile on my face the entire time. not surprised since stef always evokes that in me with her writing)

When Louis butts heads with his new neighbor who loves to garden a little too much, all he can do to protect his yard (and heart), is keep on building up his fence(s).

✰ darling, you give love a bad name by snowcaplou | M | 29k (been waiting for this one since summer and i wasn’t disappointed! so wonderful and real!)

Louis’ has been best friends with Gemma all his life in this stupid little town he’s grown to hate. What happens when, after one night together with his best friend’s brother, he falls pregnant? Surrounded by small minds and conservative cultures, Louis has to deal with parents that demand they do the “right” thing. Get married before anybody finds out.

✰ The Haunting of Louis Tomlinson* by @helloamhere​ | T | 31k (will never not be an all-time favorite. louis’ character is my absolute favorite - gothic heroine indeed - and harry is the best dramatic gay ghost ever <3)

Louis is a plucky Gothic Heroine, Harry is a Mournful Spirit, and Big Country Houses are full of mystery and suspense, as Big Country Houses ever are!

✰ begged and borrowed time by @bottomlwt​ | M | 40k (this concept was so unique and so cool!! loved the medieval setting and the time travel and how everything fit together in the end!!)

“It wasn’t until 1568 that it became time for Prince Harry to find a queen and prepare to rule. However, the day he was set to choose his bride-to-be, he mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again despite the multiple search parties that went on through the years. To this day, historians still do not know what happened with the infamous Prince Styles case..."

✰ Lidocaine and Palm Trees.* by @daddyharrie​ | E | 45k (definition of ris comfort read - on nth reread and still love it wholly. makes me miss la which is an astonishing feat in itself) 

Heat, fake tans and lots of traffic.

Harry never expected to earn his living this way when he moved to LA.

Louis didn't think he could ever be the same after his divorce.

A lighthearted story about two guys trying to find themselves in the vibrant, sprawling city of Los Angeles, with a side of technical porn industry stuff.

✰ haunted by the ghost of you* by @missandrogyny​ | E | 49k (perhaps my favorite fic of all time? the humor, the characters, the angst?!?! all the britney spears!! and pink ouija boards and wikihow!!)

He’s tall—that’s the first thing that registers in Louis’ head when he spots him, standing with his hands behind his back. Tall, with curly hair, staring at them with the widest, greenest eyes Louis has ever seen. And wait, are those dimples? Louis didn’t know ghosts could have dimples.

Because he’s definitely a ghost, this boy. At first glance he looks normal, standing there pigeon-toed in a band shirt (The Ramones, Louis can’t help but note incredulously), dark jeans, and some boots, with rings on both hands, and tattoos littering his left arm—a sleeve made of anchors and names and roses and other completely unrelated things. But he’s also a little bit translucent; if Louis focuses, he can see the outline of the furniture, the design of the wallpaper through him.

“Hi,” the boy—the ghost—says to Louis. His face shifts; somehow his dimples dig deeper into his cheeks. His eyes flit from Louis, to Niall, to Liam, and finally to Zayn, and his face goes from shocked to elated. “I’m Harry.”

At in that exact moment, standing between three of his best friends and staring at a (quite handsome) ghost, Louis can only think one thing.

Nick Grimshaw was right.

✰ like real people do by @eeveelou​ | E | 64k (this was... so amazing. the characters were so wonderfully written and so was the journey of healing and growth that louis undertakes over the story :’) loved the contrast between l and h’s lives and how they fit into each other still so perfectly)

Jessica Jones AU in which the dead stay where they belong, featuring Zayn as the high-powered lawyer with a hopeless crush on his assistant Liam, Niall as the constantly stoned but strangely insightful neighbor, Harry as Manhattan’s media darling, and Louis as the never-was hero who’s just trying to pick up the pieces.

✰ Black With Autumn Rain by whimsicule | T | 93k (i actually can’t remember if i’ve read this before??? either way - it was wonderful! loved the setting and atmosphere and the supernatural elements! i was so intrigued from the first sentence onwards)

Harry is a journalist, Louis has lots of secrets and the moors aren’t exactly the ideal place to rekindle a lost romance.

podfics ~

✰ tall stories on the page by @soldouthaz​ & read by @softlouislove​ | T (hannah’s voice is so lovely and perfect for reading aloud - and ofc the fic itself is amazing)

Harry's tired of being interviewed by people that only care about the same pointless gossip. Louis is a nice change of pace. 

wips ~

✰ Truth Behind Golden Eyes by @lwtisloved​ | E | 60k | 6/16 (just caught up fully today but i’m really enjoying everything! this is everything i’ve ever wanted in a fantasy fic)

Louis is a royal servant born with magic in a kingdom where his sole existence is outlawed with a war he has no idea he has a part in upon him. Harry is the prince on whom the burden of mending a broken kingdom falls upon and he might be willing to risk it all for a simple servant if only he admitted it to himself.

✰ ‘cause all our tomorrows lead the way by @loubellies​ | E | 39k | 3/10 (having a blast reading this one!! i’ve never seen the bachelor in my life but in fic-format, it’s so fun!)

So maybe Louis’ in over his head.

He had signed up for the Bachelor on a whim after his second bottle of wine and well, here he is. He’s just been announced as the twenty-sixth Bachelor and his ass is sweating. Like, literally sweating. He’s positive that if he was to turn around, the entirety of Bachelor Nation would get a nice peek of his ass sweat.

✰ The Night Still Whispers Sins of Old by @toomanydreamers​ | E | 6k | 2/? (loving this so much, as expected. can’t wait to see how everything unfolds)

Two and a half years have passed since the fateful day when Louis and Harry were crowned Triwizard champions. Confronted with misunderstandings, wounded pride and heartache, Louis stumbled away from the possibility of a future relationship with Harry. Instead, he buried himself into relentless work as a junior Auror and refused to let himself be vulnerable with another person. Circumstances change that force Louis to confront his feelings - and Harry. Stolen glances, picnics at sunrise, thrilling adventures, original spellwork, midnight feasts, soft lips and cautious second chances culminate in an unforgettable mission - but will it be enough to mend their relationship?

non-1d ~

✰ like a bullet needs a gun by @millsxwriting​ | T | 21k | wilds au (despite me having no context, mills still got me to fall in love with toni and shelby. this was so cute and lovely!!)

Toni doesn’t expect to fall for anyone in her senior year. Least of all for Shelby Goodkind, the new girl that arrived in town just before the end of summer. In fact, Toni can’t even look at her for longer than two seconds, or listen to more than three sentences coming out of her mouth without wanting to accidentally push her off a cliff. 

Cue a group project and endless bickering, and suddenly Toni finds herself with an unbearable crush.

If you read any of these beautiful works of art, remember to leave kudos and comment to show your appreciation!

*if i made any errors, please let me know :)

enjoy!

[sitp-recs]

Drarry for Beginners: Muggle Draco

I started this series with two of my fave tropes (Magical Houses and 8th year) and will now close it with my other two faves. I love this concept so much - either Draco living in the Muggle world or just exploring it for the first time - that I couldn’t narrow it down to 3 recs. These 5 fics are brilliant because they present rich, creative and diverse takes, so it wouldn’t have been fair to exclude any. I hope you all enjoy these masterpieces as much as I do!

Open For Repairs by @drarrytrash (2015, M, 35k)

After the war, Draco works at a tv repair shop and Harry breaks things. feat. sad boys in jumpers and more ABBA than is probably necessary

This is such a poignant read, quiet, insightful and very atmospheric! This take where Draco works at a Muggle shop and stays under the radar is one of my favorites. Like the summary points out these boys are sad™ and connect over their loneliness, which means this is a quite melancholic fic. The pacing is great and they fall in love so naturally and gently it gives me a lump in the throat. I love the metaphor linking Draco’s mending life to the repair shop. His arc is powerful and bittersweet; the author never lets us forget about their struggles and vulnerabilities even as they go from tentative to close friends. This is a lovely story about healing and understanding, about finding solace together and welcoming new beginnings. A balm to the lonely hearts!

(Un)wanted by @aibidil (2020, E, 36k)

See also: Moldova’s Magical Tea, another fic with Muggle references by the same author

Ginny's pregnant, then she's not and Harry's single. Harry, again with no family, doesn't know what to do with this turn of events, or how to find a new life—post-war, post-Ginny, post-abortion—in which he belongs. He doesn't expect that life to include dancing to the Backstreet Boys with Hermione and Draco Malfoy. A story of finding belonging in the unexpected.

This fic blew me away - it’s such a powerful and devastating portrait of Harry’s generation, with layered characters full of hopes and struggling to find their place after the war. Harry’s arc is heartbreaking and I love how @aibidil explores his childhood issues early on. We get to see everyone’s reactions from his perspective, and I’m in awe of Hermione and Ginny’s voices. The Drarry slow burn is gentle and honest but I’m here for the way all characters come together by exploring the Muggle world, which brings not only closure but soft nostalgia - all those bonding moments are very cathartic and as a 90s kid I appreciate so much the references and old school atmosphere! A perfect “coming of age” story, delicate, complex and touching. It will make you laugh, cry, reflect on life and realize we’re not so different from these kids.

Here's The Pencil, Make It Work by @6balls (2013, M, 49k)

See also: my rec for Faint Indirections, another Muggle Draco fic by the same author

Harry thinks "Why is Malfoy working in a coffee shop in muggle London?" is a much simpler question than, "Are you going to accept that auror offer and, if you don't, what will you do?"

The coffee shop AU we deserve, only it’s so much more than that! This is a masterpiece in world building and character development, and my favorite take on Harry’s obsession with Draco. He’s clearly all over the place but still brave, kind and sympathetic, still very much Harry. All side characters have brilliant voices but I fell in love with this Draco with his free and captivating spirit. It’s really moving to see Harry inspired by him, learning all the little things about this new Malfoy and noticing all the ways in which they’re similar and different from each other. This fic has a perfect balance of bittersweet longing, sweet romance and quiet catharsis. Reading it made me realize that I love angsty post-war stories because it comforts me to know that Harry and Draco can rely on each other to help them heal and let that “mopey, brooding and tragic” persona behind. Growing up is definitely painful but there’s hope and beauty in it, and no other fic explores it better than this one!

Modern Love by @tackytigerfic (2020, E, 61k)

See also: the sequel vignette Collapsed in Love

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is. And it really doesn’t seem fair that Draco Malfoy is back in Harry’s life, all of a sudden, and even though he’s wandless, and living with Muggles, and making his mother cry with his lifestyle choices, he’s happy. So what's he doing right, that Harry isn’t?

Ohh is it time to talk about my favorite fic yet again?? 😬 this breathtaking friends to lovers is a love letter to Muggle Draco and explores it beautifully! I’m obsessed with the little magical universe Tacky creates through an immersive and mundane slow burn. The plot incorporates Muggle elements very organically (the thrift shop! The church! Draco’s friends and the politics plot!). Harry’s POV is exquisite and there’s a mix of loneliness and yearning about him that make my heart ache. It’s lovely to watch him disrupt Draco’s safe bubble as they transform each other’s lives and develop feelings along the way. All the sweet pining is paid off with the gentlest get together, literally a religious experience. I couldn’t agree more with @dracoladon’s words: “There is a plot that doesn’t distract from the love story, and a love story that doesn’t distract from the achingly slow build of a soft, pining friendship, and a soft, pining friendship that doesn’t distract from Harry and Draco’s own personal character arcs.” Brace yourself for the joy of reading this journey for the first time!

Harry Potter and the Future He Doesn't Really Want, Thanks. orphaned (2016, E, 70k)

It was addictive, the feeling of Draco Malfoy telling him things in a soft voice early in the morning. Harry felt like he was taming a wild animal, or petting a cat that hated everybody else. This train existed outside of time, that was the only explanation Harry could come up with as to why Malfoy was actually having a civil conversation with him right now.

A creative premise, wonderfully executed! This is a great read; all characters are charming and well established - I’m in love with Luna and Pansy! - and the dialogue is fun and engaging. Basically Harry keeps dreaming about a weird future where he and Draco are together and after that they start crossing paths again and again - but they’re not friends, they’re nothing really, just very confused and aware of each other. I love how their dynamics develop from there; Harry learns about Draco’s sentence away from magic and notices the ways he’s changed. The mundane tone gives me warm fuzzy feels and the diversity of Muggle settings creates a lovely atmosphere! “This is such a fucking bad idea / Let’s do it anyway” describes this love story to a T. I chose it to balance all the hardcore angst that came before, so make sure to have a go at this comfort meal after reading the rest!