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rexcaliburechoes · 1 year

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I posted 912 times in 2022

63 posts created (7%)

849 posts reblogged (93%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@spidersmiceandeverythingnice

@rexcaliburechoes

@tmae3114

@asylumdream

@overlord-surgeus

I tagged 911 of my posts in 2022

#touken ranbu - 163 posts

#fandom - 119 posts

#tumblr is a dumpster fire but it's our dumpster fire - 98 posts

#shokudaikiri mitsutada - 94 posts

#writing - 52 posts

#rex rambles - 48 posts

#fire emblem - 44 posts

#about me - 39 posts

#the dread persephone (my lady) - 38 posts

#heshikiri hasebe - 35 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#this being said i have tension with her solely based on my trauma which is not reflective od how she should be treated (kindly with respect)

My Top Posts in 2022:

soon

18 notes - Posted May 16, 2022

I'm gonna play stray again so I can have more educated thoughts on it, but the game, aside from its love of humanity being shown in the companions- how humanity thrives even in the darkest times- is answering the question of what is in a legacy.

okay, I know I know, Hamilton is so out of fashion. it has many issues re American history and how Black ppl are treated and I know all of its critiques but let me have this, please.

but like... who tells the stories of humans when they die off, who sows the seeds of a future without the humans? humans had made a mark on history, good and bad. the obvious choice here is "who lives, who dies, who tells your story", but the line that is seldom referred to that I'm thinking of is "what is a legacy? it's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see."

humans might not have been able to see how humanity thrived on. b12 comments that they are the last human consciousness, which then implies that the companions evolved their code after the humans had died.

that is a response to who sees the flowers after the gardener has died. the companions, arguably more human than the humans, that will tend to the plants, just as their forebears had before them.

21 notes - Posted August 6, 2022

some miscellaneous osafune + chougi modern au headcanons

“but these six swords + chougs in a modern au” - me, to a friend in dms

i can’t get these seven out of my head. they’re just,,, good. i love them. (i’m not quite alive to write longform fics, but i hope this’ll get me thinking of it for when i’m not dying to classes TT)

koryuu’s hair is stupidly fluffy. you cannot blow dry it, or it will stick up and will become an untamable beast. shokudaikiri has already tried. daihannya has also already tried. fukushima has tried. no one has succeeded.

though, if it simply air-dries, there is no problem. no one knows why.

speaking of, daihannya has perfect hair. no knows, not snaggles, smooth and silky to the touch... split ends? what are those? he takes great pride in it and his low maintenance hair routine.

shokudaikiri, on the other hand, will hog the bathroom in order to look presentable. he may be banished to another bathroom to take his pretty prep time. no one knows if he gets bedhead except for fuku, but he’s been sworn to secrecy.

fuku’s hair used to be really frizzy before hannya, who was going into cosmetology, told him his hair is actually wavy, not straight like the rest of his brothers. now his hair looks fine, though hannya makes a show of messing with his hair.

kenshin and azuki have a tendency to get cowlicks if they sleep wrong on their pillows. it’s really cute (though kenshin protests because “it’s not grown up enough”).

fuku wishes for kenshin to stay as a kid for a while and not rush to grow up too fast. all of them do, but fuku most of all. seeing him approach things with an earnestness that kids have, that many adults do not... it’s endearing and a little bittersweet.

speaking of chougi: he’s something of a distant cousin, but koryuu sniffed him out and he’s now in all of their group chats. chougi doesn’t hate it, since he has a place of belonging now, even if he is a bit of a pompous brat sometimes.

god forbid there’s drama happening in the main family unit over a group call, though. chougi will be there, with a bag of crunchy snacks and a slurpy drink, on mute, but enjoying the chaos unfold. there is no way he’s gonna miss out on this. no way.

koryuu studies abroad during college. at first, fuku was a little hesitant, since it can be dangerous in a foreign country, but koryuu can handle himself.

azuki’s working to get his teaching certifications to help teach preschoolers. they’re cute, and he’s good with kids. it works in his favour.

kenshin hasn’t figured out what he wants to do yet. he’s only in grade school right now. no one puts pressure on him to pick.

22 notes - Posted March 8, 2022

some more osafune modern au headcanons that i neglected to mention before // the osafune sitcom

i’d forgotten i had some other hcs that i wanted to add to that massive post from before, so here, have a few more headcanons. they aren’t as numerous as the first post, but they’re fun thoughts that’ve been kicking around in my brain.

these guys basically live in my brain as a sitcom at any given moment, so these aren’t all headcanons, but more funny thoughts i’ve thought of that would work with this large of a group.

don’t ask anyone about the hair spiders that are left behind in the drain. koryuu is the most forgetful, and also sheds the most, and hannya does try to pick them out, but it’s mostly left to the other four.

there is a jar labled “caused a horrible telephone game” sitting on one of the bookshelf that is filled with dollars and some coins. every so often, someone (usually fuku or mitsu) says something that someone else (usually koryuu or hannya) takes out of context, which gets passed around the group chat.

this usually ends in a massive group call to right the chaos, with the culprit of the misspoken words adding a few dollars to the “caused a horrible telephone game” jar. the feeling of the jar is more along the lines of those posts of dogs with cardboard “shaming” them for some naughty act they’ve done. it’s all in good fun, and if it’s actively distressing, the telephone game won’t actually be played.

when kenshin contributed to the jar, he was so darn proud of himself.

when the jar is too full, the brothers go out for dinner. it’s a fun treat afterwards.

koryuu is a fan of vocaloid. specfically, umetora. he knows all the songs by heart, and he isn’t afraid to show off his merch every so often.

don’t challenge him to a trivia fight. you will lose.

fuku likes sappy love songs. if you sneak around his garden enough, you’ll hear him humming them as he prunes his roses.

he also enjoys 80′s era rock.

24 notes - Posted March 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

i feel like spy x family, though technically a shounen, was made for or the ppl who grew up watching like early 2000s-2010s anime. think about it.

it hits the generation growing up with the idea of a “perfect family”. it’s the nostalgia of being a child with a stable home, perhaps unattainable in the circumstances we're in now, for a variety of reasons, but primarily "a lack of peace” in the world, internally, or externally. we have to wring this peace with our own two hands. it’s a hard, thankless, and tiring job, to have to do this day after day for a sense of “peace”.

it's through this show that allows the viewer to achieve that peace, if only temporarily though genuinely, just as how the flowers "that we didn't know could be so beautiful" which bloom in the spring are impermanent, and just how the forger’s family dynamic is just for safety.

it is "until our missions, our killings, do we part."

111 notes - Posted April 24, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #tumblr is a dumpster fire but it's our dumpster fire #tumblr wrapped #naisu #get back to work rex

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simschallengesfor3and4 · 29 days

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Sims 4 The Bunker Challenge

The world went to shit, only a few bunkers are left around the world, and lucky for you and your family were lucky to get a ticket to one of them. Now you live there with some other families. Trying to make a living and survive in this cruel world that it had become.

This is a legacy challenge, for a minimum of 10 but you may play as many gens as you wish. I have made one bunker so far, which kinda was made with the thought of having every pack, I will later make a base game one, with eco lifestyle, as this challenge is more fun if you have that pack and more challenging. As before my gallery ID is: NichoDB here you can find the bunkers, if you wish for bigger or smaller bunkers please let me know, either here on tumblr or on the bunker on the gallery. Of course you are more than welcome to make the bunker more your style.

Cas rules:

Make a family, parent’s, one or two kids or more, a teen if you like, there are 3 “apartments” all have a parents room, one has a teens room and a toddler, with an infant bed too. The next has a kids and infant room. The last one has a kids room and a Murphy bed in the living room. You can use this info to make your family.

Aging can be whatever you like, for a challenge you can pick short.

One parent must have a special eye color, purple, red, white, or what you consider special. The next heir must have that eye color, if no kids have the eye color the family dies and the challenge ends.

You may switch between families but must stay with that family for the whole gen, so no switching during the gen.

Bunker rules:

If you have apartments, make the 3 apartments into apartments and fill the other two, these will be the other families in the bunker when everyone is inside, lock the bunker door, delete it or set up a fence so they can’t leave. If you don’t have apartments, invite 2 households over and lock them in the bunker. You can lock the door for your apartment so they don’t “live” there.

You may only leave the bunker to fix things or if rolled, and will have to roll or use a random number generator, to find out whether they are fine or not.

1/ you didn’t spend enough time out and are fine.

2/ you got sick but not infected, must stay inside their apartment, unless to eat or use a bathroom for a week.

3/ you didn’t spend enough time out and are fine.

4/ you got sick but not infected, must stay inside their apartment for a week.

5/ you got sick, and infected and will be evacuated and will have to leave between 8-11 pm, have them leave the bunker then have them move out.

6/ you didn’t spend enough time out and are fine, but you found a pet, cat or dog. If you don’t have pets you may gather and dig 5 things.

Each week pick a day of your choice where you will roll or use a random number generator to get your challenge or a disaster or maybe a happy thing.

A sickness is out there and if someone gets infected they will be evicted from the bunker and have to fend for themselves/die.

1/ A parent has gotten sick but didn’t get infected. They must stay in their apartment for a week.

2/ The heir or a parent has gotten sick, and got infected, they have to be removed and let out of the bunker between 8-11 pm.

3/ A sim or a family was seen outside and was brought in as they were not sick or infected.

4/ One of the family’s got sick and infected and will have to leave the bunker.

5/ You found a pet, cat or dog. Or you may gather and dig 5 things.

6/ The heir or a parent has gotten sick but not infected, and must stay in the apartment for a week.

You may buy groceries and drag them in, as well as sell the animals for product and meat.

If you have eco lifestyle you must have off the grind challenge on, if you don’t you can have it off. Volcanic Activity must be on if you have Sulani, after all the world has gone to shit. Quake Zone must be on if you have city living, for the same reason as volcanic activity. For an extra challenge you can have on simple living, if you have cottage living, you may remove it, if you find it to make the challenge less fun. Technically goes for all of them, I want my challenges to be fun not annoying.

Now for good lot traits you can pick whatever you like, however I put on, child’s play, homey and sunny aspect.

If someone behaves too badly, getting caught cheating, having 3 or more enemies they have to be evicted to protect the bunker and those who live there.

Gen 1 rules:

The heir must get to level 10 charisma and writing.

The heir must write 4 book’s, they are basically journals.

They may have a job but must only work from home so they can self register, pick freelancer or get a job where they can work from home, here's a list of jobs that allow that (Civil Designer, Education, Engineering, Gardener, Law, Military) There are more but these seem most fitting.

They must make at least 2 friends who aren’t family.

Must have 2 kids

Gen 2 rules:

Must get to level 10 of cooking and comedy.

They must have 2 friends from each family living there.

Must hold parties once a week.

Must have 4 kids.

Gen 3 rules:

Must get to level 10 of gardening and violin.

Must only be friends with family and their partner to be.

Must have the loner trait.

Have 1 to 2 kids.

They may not have a job and must live off the extra produce from farming.

Gen 4 rules:

Must get to level 10 of handiness and fitness.

Must work out 3 times a week.

Must have a best friend.

Must only have 1 kid.

Gen 5 rules:

Must never get to level 10 in any skill’s, 9 is the highest they may reach.

Must go through 3 hobbies, like gardening, handiness, painting, knitting and such.

Must have had 3 partners by the time they are elders.

May not marry.

May have between 1 - 4 kids.

They may have a job, but must go through 5 different jobs, and may not get more than 4 promotions in said career. But must only work from home so they can self register, pick freelancer or get a job where they can work from home, here's a list of jobs that allow that (Civil Designer, Education, Engineering, Gardener, Law, Military) There are more but these seem most fitting.

Gen 6 rules:

Must get to level 10 in 4 skills.

Must get in love as a teen and marry that person.

Must have 5 kids.

Must be good friends with all kids.

Gen 7 rules:

Must get level 10 in logic and piano.

Marry as an adult or elder.

Adopt a kid, must not be able to make or have kids, they are infertile.

Have a rocky relationship they start dating as teens, then break up and get together when they are adults again.

Gen 8 rules:

Must get level 10 guitar and programming.

Must first get in a relationship as an young adult.

Have 1 or 2 kids and adopt one.

May not have a job, they are a stay at home parent.

Must have 2 friends from each family.

Gen 9 rules:

Must get level 10 gardening and painting.

Must have 5 paintings up that they have painted in their apartment.

Must never get in a relationship.

May have a child by donor with a friend or by adopting.

Must have family night every friday.

gen 10 rules:

Must get level 10 writing, violin, guitar, piano and Mixology.

Must have had 4 partners by the time they are young adult.

Must get married before having kids.

Can have as many kids as you want, but must have one.

Must become friendly with all exes but not close friends, just they mended the relationship, if it ended badly.

#sims 4 challenge

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lolexjpg · 4 months

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dts s3 e9-10

e9: -bahrain is such a beautiful track btw i love her -damn they just jump straight into it boom explosion -before logan was the sad wet lil meow meow......2020 alex was the ORIGINAL -the way reporters are asking abt checo->red bull before he even won that race, makes me curious how much he was seriously in the conversation for the seat beforehand. anyone who was on tumblr at the time i'd love to hear what the gossip mills were like at the time 👀 -dany's "please tell me he's okay" always GETS me bc i know dany's the car he crashed with and it was 100% a racing incident but i cannot imagine the guilt he was feeling in the moment. i'm so fond of him he definitely deserved better by the red bull machine -gunther talking about how fire is the worst thing you can have in a crash--and thinking about how guanyu said his biggest fear in his silverstone crash was the car catching fire. we're really lucky that his car didnt honestly -the music design on this in INCREDIBLE like they really did an INSANE job here. cacos "thats an act of god" always gets me. really summarizes how improbably lucky he was to survive that. i'm so glad he did -gunther sucks but the way he insists he has to meet the rescue guys to thank them personally 😭😭 -ALBODIUM MY BELOVED (when will she return) -i didnt write anything down for the grosjean post crash self reflection bit. i just wanted to sit and experience it and not think :) -one can say this sakhir crash was the original checo third wheeling lestappen -when ppl ask how to get into f1, i always bring up the inside story series on youtube, and TOP of recommendations is the inside story on this race! it is truly insane what he did here, cant wait to see this race in full -i just think it wouldve been SO iconic if george had won this race. first ever mercedes race win before he even got a mercedes seat? wouldive been ICONIC. ppl talk abt the domino affect of alex's appendicitis but if mercedes didnt fuck up BOTH their drivers pit stops, checo wouldn't have won (probably), would he have been signed then? new butterfly affect to discuss -I THINK. i know the idea of checo leaving the sport soon is being discussed a lot, and even in this episode he discusses that if its the end for him he is proud of what hes accomplished and thankful for as long as he had to drive in f1. his red bull seat really was a lifeline, a second chance, and he has added to his legacy significantly with red bull. if he loses his seat on 2024, no matter what mean things i've said about him in the heat of the moment, he has a LOT to be proud of. if its his time to go, its his time to go

ep 10: -i think AD is a BANGER of a race track. i'm glad its the finale race -ok so lets see daniel gives renault their first podium in 9 years......then gives mclaren their first win in forever as well.....hmmmm.....washed up who? -cyril getting a tattoo youtube video is So Important 2 ME. cyril calling his wife to tell her the details while daniel dies silent laughing is the instant seratonin boost for me -every time zak & lando have a lil clearly staged chat it has the most sugar baby energy ever why do they do this -lando says so many nice things abt daniel here yet the dando antis choose to ignore them and insist lando does nothing but distrespect him 😡 anti-lando daniel girlies r my least favorite -NOT DANIEL HITTING THE BEAM ABOVE HIM IN THE GARAGE TOO the dando agenda continues -damn i hope they give this much dts attention to the battle for 7th last year too -lawrence rly hired seb to mentor his son huh -aston martin colors Do Fuck we all must admit -frothing at the mouth over the 4433 moment here. its mental illness innit -i've always felt. like the lewis racism segment was a bit shoehorned in here. like they went oh fuck we need to include this somewhere lets just slap it on the end of the episode. i think it would've been so much better and more impactful in a fully lewis focused episode. but ya kno? i'd rather they do it this way than not at all, so i suppose i shouldn't complain too much

#dtsrewatch #she speaks #only 2 episodes behind i'm working on it!

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public-school-quotes · 1 year

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(submitted by someone i wish i could tag not my shit whoever did this because tumblr won’t let me see it i love you)

i am just going to make a masterpost of my school’s shenanigans

a: “ill tell you where its from after we get outta hearing range of (teacher). dont wanna get in trouble“ has gotten in trouble for swearing^

b: “(name) most of the things you say would get you in trouble”

a: “.. fair”

c (teacher) was proctoring and so we were in another classroom. he walked in, and immediately said “whats up knuckleheads”

d: “bbq beans???? its 07:11!!!”

e: “yeah”

f: “hand or mouth?”

g: “teeth”

f: “no”

h: “no”

a“please add arson (to a story) if you didn’t already”

b“that’s their first date wtf”

b“i want to add a dark turn to my story but half of the characters are already dead”

a “kill another”

b “hes gonna die later!”

a “whats wrong with a necromancy”

b“he already died once already!”

a“whats wrong with a SECOND necromancy?”

b“he only has 9 lives”

a“what about 100th necromancy?”

a“stab and run!”- quoting a list of crimes

b“thats a 6 year old”

a“what”

b”ripping out organs wasnt an issue”

a”oh thats just tuesday!”

b”what are you scared of?”

a“someone opening my writing app and reading it… (this bitch wrote porn!)and also the koolaid man.”

b”ohyeah”

(about pot stickers (the food)at school)

a “the outside of this tastes like pasta… lasagna ass bitch”

d: a

a: yea?

d: go home!

a: ok (turns around and leaves, mom picked her up)

“let go of the tree!”

“it makes oxygen for me i love it”

i just. saw a kid taking a swig of honey. it is nine in the morning. why. i am in fear

a “i dont care if its good i care if its done because mine sure isnt”

b “insurance???”

b “but seriously. how do you tone (english class)”

a “………….. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”

c “austria said ‘its mine! kick rocks.’”

c “austria said ‘i want to control it all because i have problems and therapy doesn’t exist yet’”

c “idk what you learn in b r a i n c l a s s” about psychology

i “i will cut out your spleen if you dont”

a “…”

i “jokes on u im into that shit”

a “do i even have a spleen?????”

i “NOT WHEN IM DONE WITH YOU!!! YOU WONT HAVE A PROBOSCUS. wait do you know how to spell that cuz i sure dont”

c throwing a basketball at the hoop “LEEBRON”

he missed

c “for michael jacksons legacy” missed bball shot

c “theres some guy! hanging from a Thing there!”

c “hes crying on a donkey! name something more sad!”

a“crying not on a donkey, donkeys are expensive”

a kid showed off his playboy hoodie to our teacher. she did not know where the logo is from and he walks a free man

a (hands croc to a mf): i entrust you with this to protect yourself and the money

g immediately: threateans a known kleptomaniac with the croc in defence of 5 high-schoolers pizza money

i took a yearbook picture of my friend pretending to draw in a notebook with a stylus for a touchscreen. will they notice? will they put it in the yearbook? who knows! only time will tell!

a “the pile of ppl are growing!”

a “there is a guy on the floor here. .. he is scuttling..”

g “hey colonoscopy man. leave.”

colonoscopy man “you talked to jesus didn’t you”

g “colonoscopy man leave”

j “stop mistreating- manhandling my banana”

honorable mention: molotov soaptail which caused emotional support among us

#submission #i am sorry for this much stuff my school is floridian #public school #school #quotes #inspirational #inspiring quotes #teachers #teacher #school quotes #i love you #i support every decision you make #do it #except not the bad things #be alive #being alive is great

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ruanbaijie · 2 years

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bestie i'm giving you free reign to go absolutely bonkers here, so do what you will with this question (give me all your thoughts)

Can you recommend some cdramas to watch?

hi mandy!!!! go bonkers you say? 👀

ok but full disclosure I’ve done a couple of recs posts before and since then I haven’t watched that many new cdramas, so what I’m gonna do now is to consolidate what I posted there (including my ramblings klaklsdklf) into one super long post (heh)

sorting them into shows I’ve watched, shows I plan to watch but have heard good things about, and shows I’m not currently planning to watch but have heard good things about. all synopses, genres, and tags are from mydramalist!

also! I tend to prefer shows that involve action, mystery, detective, crime, and/ or monsters (think vampires and zombies), so a lot of my favourites and recs (at least those on my completed and to watch lists) are shows of these genres!

someone else also asked me about cdramas / kdramas similar to akatsuki no yona which I’ve answered here for the kdramas! @ anon who asked that, if you’re seeing this post too, my same remarks reply: I’m not exactly sure if there’s a drama with a premise that’s super similar to that of ANY, but I’ve tried to put in notes here and there for dramas that might have similar tropes

completed + my faves (i.e. leT ME SHOVE THIS DOWN YOUR THROAT)

Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji, two talented disciples of respected clans, meet during cultivation training and accidentally discover a secret carefully hidden for many years. Taking on the legacy of their ancestors, they decide to rid the world of the ominous threat. But in a dramatic turn of events, Wei Wu Xian dies. Sixteen years later, Wei Wu Xian is brought back to life through a self-sacrificing ritual. He conceals himself behind a mask and assumes the identity of his summoner. Soon, Wei Wu Xian reunites with Lan Wang Ji and they start working together to solve the mysteries of the present and unravel the truth behind the events in the past.

Genres: historical, mystery, wuxia, fantasy

Tags: censored adaptation of same-sex original work, tragic past, flashback to past, bromance, power struggle

Fanmade trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mVGYSzg-Pk

ah okay I don’t know if you’ve watched this yet so I’m just dumping it here

it’s easily one of (if not the) most known cdramas internationally! and there’s quite a big fandom on tumblr

I don’t make much content for it now but I’d spent more than 2 years pouring my soul into gifsets for it and it was this show that got me into giffing!

might be similar to ANY because of... majority male cast, action, adventure

In the multiplayer online game Glory, Ye Xiu is well known as the textbook level expert and top-tier player Ye Qiu. Due to a series of circumstances he was forcefully expelled out of his professional team. After leaving the pro-gaming scene he resides at an Internet Café employed as one of the managers. When Glory launches their tenth server he throws himself into the game once more. Equipped with ten years of gaming experience, memories of the past, and an incomplete self-made weapon. His journey back to the top begins.

Genres: action, friendship, youth, sports

Tags: online gaming, strong friendship, game, competition, gamer, sismance, tournament, bromance

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q16DV-6DidU

*SCREAMS*

ok if you’ve snooped around my tumblr recently, you might have realised that I’m VERY obsessed with this right now

I never expected to start 2022 getting hyperfixated over an esports show… alas.

no romance but why does a show need to have romance to be good amirite

amazing action, palatable cgi that I actually came to like

very strong found family feels and underdog story

also somehow manages to teach you life lessons

kickass music that IS NOT ON SPOTIFY ;u;

please just watch this why is the fandom on tumblr so small ;u;

YANG YANG AS YE XIU (´꒳`)♡

it’s a whole damn franchise that I’m getting sucked into right now

season 2 when

might be similar to ANY because of... majority male cast, found family

Set in the mid-1920s. A resourceful young police officer named Qiao Chu Sheng is on the trail of a brutal but devious killer. Realising that the police force will need some extra help with this difficult case, he decides to form an elite crime-busting detective team. He reaches out to a young man who has recently returned from studying in Great Britain, Lu Yao. Qiao Chu Sheng has learned that Lu Yao has remarkable powers of deduction and a brilliant mind – and believes he can help crack this difficult case. To round off the team, he enlists the help of Bai You Ning, a focused young female reporter for a daily newspaper. A free-thinking, independent young woman, she has a strong sense of justice – and pledges to help catch the killer. The trio form a small detective squad that specialises in solving strange and unsettling murder mysteries.

Genres: thriller, historical, mystery, romance

Tags: investigation, Chinese Republican Era, bromance, slight romance, friendship, roommates, murder, bickering couple

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ijcA-Fxh24

I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH OKAY I WATCHED IT TWICE

chuyao <333

though from what I’ve seen on tumblr you either love it very much or you drop it

a lot of people really don’t like the female lead though - she can get a bit annoying

also the scenes with english dub are.... hilarious

there’s a second season coming up with the same two male leads, with a similar premise of crime solving in the chinese republican era but they’re no longer playing the same characters (i.e. main characters are different I don’t know how that works)

In 15th-century China, a quick-witted, senior-ranking government official named Tang Fan takes a break from his routine activities in order to investigate a murder, teaming up with martial arts specialist guardsman Sui Zhou in a bid to solve the case. When the peace-loving landlord of the house Tang Fan is renting is found dead, the duo investigates. It is an apparent suicide, but the investigative pair quickly realises that something looks amiss. They investigate and eventually succeed in finding a suspect they believe may have killed the landlord. But they soon learn that this murderer did not act alone – and is just a smaller player in a much grander scheme. As they dig deeper into the crime, the duo soon realises that something very sinister is afoot – including a plot to launch a bloody coup. Can they stop the criminal mastermind before time runs out?

Genres: historical, mystery, drama

Tags: censored adaptation of same-sex original work, Ming Dynasty, bromance, investigation

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCEJd5EI5rc

a really good show! cases are much more solid than MRIAD imo (but I’m biased towards MRIAD *cough*)

adapted from a bl novel that is apparently quite different

In order to leave the assassin organisation The Window of Heaven, the leader Zhou Zi Shu performs an obligatory departure technique, leaving him with three years left to live. He disguises his face and tries to live the remainder of his days as a drunkard wandering the martial arts world. Three months later, he meets the mysterious Wen Ke Xing, who immediately notices Zhou Zi Shu’s façade. The two then grow closer when they get entangled in a conspiracy regarding the Glazed Armour, a protected legendary key to a powerful armoury.

Genres: historical, mystery, wuxia, fantasy

Tags: hidden identity, censored adaptation of same-sex original work, antihero, martial arts, jianghu, revenge, tragic past

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=danLFjQ53aw

another cdrama with a pretty big fandom on tumblr!

also another one for which I was making quite a number of sets a year back

there’s a short 37th episode because if they’d just stopped at 36 it would have been quite a shitty ending

might be similar to ANY because of... action, adventure

completed

During the Republican era, a river is haunted by inexplicable occurrences. Guo De You is a policeman who succeeds in his master 'Old River God' and has inherited his ability to weed out the guilty whenever he lights the pipe. He ends up being suspected of the murder of a distinguished chairman whose son Ding Mao joins hands with him to uncover the truth. Together with some unlikely partners, they begin an investigation that leads them to an incident that happened twenty years ago.

Genres: historical, mystery, horror, supernatural

Tags: Chinese Republican Era, shamanism, adapted from a novel, psychic, bromance, investigation, hypnosis

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egtvJ8Gs3dg

During the Song Dynasty, Ye Zhao cross dresses to become a general of outstanding ability, receiving a top rank of general. The Empress Dowager constantly worries about Ye Zhao holding too much power and took the opportunity to betroth Ye Zhao to one of the Emperor's nephews, the no-good Prince of Nanping, Zhao Yujin, who possesses remarkable beauty but is pampered, lazy and spends his time on "useless" artistic pursuits. Thus, the story of the real battle of who will take power in this new household begins.

Genres: military, historical, comedy, romance

Tags: tomboy, arranged marriage, female warrior, cross-dressing, multiple couples, gender role reversal, Song Dynasty

Trailer (no EN subs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EZe-C_w67I

oh my god this show. it’s so underrated ヽ(´Д`;)ﾉ

the dynamics between ye zhao (sandra ma) and zhao yu jin (peter ma) are AMAZING

especially the heart eyes he keeps giving her when he realises how head over heels he is in love with her

and how much being in love with her changed him from lazy snotty aristocrat to actual functioning “I Will Protect My General Wife Even Though I Can’t Fight At All” member of the government

side note its chinese name literally means “general above/ on top”, and this series was adapted from a novel called 将军在上我在下 “general above/ on top, I am below” like HMMMM

also the costuming in this show is ridiculously colourful and lowkey japanese-like because they actually got a japanese costume designer

might be similar to ANY because of... strong female lead who kicks ass

A world beyond scientific understanding with a group of passionate adults trying to solve cases done by such forces. Zhao Yun Lan and Shen Wei are tasked with upholding peace between underworld dwellers and humans, and the story will focus on their friendship that transcends past and present lifetimes.

Genres: friendship, thriller, mystery, fantasy

Tags: bromance, censored adaptation of same-sex original work, star crossed lovers, hidden identity, tragic past, power struggle

MV of one of the OST songs sung by the two main actors but can pretty much function as a trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHz6e8c0FZY

ah where do I begin

adapted from Priest’s bl novel Guardian

terrible sfx (that makes the sfx in the untamed looks amazing), barely intriguing plot after the first few episodes

BUT. BUT.

the chemistry between zhao yunlan (bai yu) and shen wei (zhu yilong) is ridiculously good ヾ(*′○`)ﾟ.+:｡ﾟ☆

this show was censored so heavily and diverged so much from the original novel, but the actors and the entire crew knew that they were acting a romance and not a romance and it damn well showed

I believe that this show set the road for the untamed because even though it became so wildly popular among fans that I guess it signalled to show runners the possibility of drama adaptations of BL novels despite the heavy censorship

Set in the Republican Era in Shanghai in the 1930s: An intriguing crime case emerges amidst the bustling city. A beautiful new graduate of the police academy, Qin Xiao Man, joins the investigation unit. The famous detective Luo Fei becomes her colleague and neighbour. Together they solve case after case with a growing conspiracy appearing.

Genres: thriller, historical, mystery, comedy

Tags: crime solving duo, Chinese Republican Era, investigation, suspense, murder, Shanghai French Concession, Sherlock and Watson, attempted assault

Trailer (no EN subs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CLfIut0VDI

quite similar to MRIAD, in that it’s a detective show set in the republican era and is structured according to a few episodes per case (in this case - lol - it’s three episodes per case) but with an overarching plot

I feel like they didn’t really touch on the overarching plot here except for a couple of cases? the rest of the cases are unlinked to the overarching plot

though overall the overarching plot feels better executed than MRIAD (which was just… lol)

female lead is absolutely likeable and I’m so glad they didn’t force a romance between the male lead (bai yu) and her

very Sherlock Holmes-ey, down to the music

A story that follows Wang Lu, a young genius, who enters the Spirit Blade Sect and embarks on an unconventional journey towards immortal cultivation. The Spirit Blade Sect was established in the year 4233. Through years of producing martial arts prodigies, it has been hailed as one of the five great sects. As the nine continents face a crisis, a genius by the name of Wang Lu joins the Spirit Blade Sect and comes under the tutelage Wang Wu. Despite Wang Wu's beauty, she is hundreds of years in age. Famous for having a sharp tongue and an erratic temper, she and her disciple Wang Lu engage in endless squabbles while trudging on a path to becoming the strongest sage in all the lands.

Genres: historical, romance, wuxia, fantasy

Tags: xianxia, student-teacher relationship, bromance, slapstick, slow burn romance

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5nshXtTD-k

quite a fun, lighthearted show to watch

big on humour but also has its smart moments

reminded me of a more lighthearted version of joy of life (below)

female lead is super sassy

Fan Xian is born in the ancient empire of Southern Qing with memories of the 21st century. He lives in a rural town as the illegitimate son of the Minister of Finance, raised by his grandmother. His mother, Ye Qingmei was once a celebrated inventor and the founder of the Overwatch Department, the country's spy network but was killed shortly after her son was born. Fan Xian has since been protected by a blind martial arts expert, Wu Zhu, his mother's bodyguard. He learns martial arts and the art of poison as a child, also assisted by his knowledge from the 21st century. After an assassination attempt, he decides to venture into the capital to find out more about his mysterious mother and why anyone would want to kill him, as he perceives himself to be an unimportant person. He also wants to know why he has memories of a sharply different era. In the capital, he accidentally meets Lin Wan'er, the sickly illegitimate daughter of the Princess Royal and falls in love with her.

Unbeknownst to him, she is the woman the emperor chose for him to marry so that he would be the new overseer of the Royal Treasury, an institute Fan Xian's mother established in the palace and currently handled by the Princess Royal. In the capital, however, he gets entangled in the intrigues of the Emperor and the two Princes, as well as the Overwatch Department, leading to him questioning his whole identity and inducing him to find his true life goals, abandoning his original intention to just "enjoy life".

Genres: historical, mystery, romance, wuxia

Tags: martial arts, time travel, sword-fight, power struggle, scheme, sci-fi

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D5AyJAXqiE

believe me or not, this show actually has quite a fair bit of science fiction in it

it’s a super clever show and involves a bit of thinking

also stars xiao zhan as a side character that has a completely different personality from wei wuxian

character to look out for: Second Prince. He’s the scene stealer

character description from wiki that I just had to include: Lin Wan'er, a chicken drumstick princess

A story that revolves around a Peking opera performer and a wealthy businessman who are brought together by their love for Peking opera. Set in the 1930's, it follows Shang Xi Rui, a Peking opera performer who relies on his exceptional talent to gain fame in Beiping. Being an outsider, he faces opposition from the locals but doesn't relent nor give up in fulfilling his dreams to promote Peking opera. As he pours himself into mastering the art, wealthy businessman Cheng Feng Tai becomes deeply captivated after watching a performance for the first time. He makes acquaintance with Shang Xi Rui and becomes an avid supporter. Through Cheng Feng Tai's help, Shang Xi Rui builds Shui Yun Lou and trains a new troupe. When the Japanese army invade Beiping in 1937 and patriotic men and women take up arms to fight, Shang Xi Rui and Cheng Feng Tai are moved to make sacrifices for their country.

Genres: historical, business, romance, drama

Tags: Chinese opera, Chinese Republican Era, censored adaptation of same-sex original work, businessman, bromance, performing arts

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k1XBsF1YlY

a bit of a long show but I enjoyed it from start to end!

a good show that introduces you to the chinese opera scene, plus with the backdrop of the japanese invasion

absolutely stunning costumes

ALL THE HEART EYES BETWEEN CHENG FENGTAI AND SHANG XIRUI

The iron triangle Wu Xie, Pang Zi and Zhang Qiling restart their adventure after receiving an unusual text from Wu Sansheng. Wu Xie, Pang Zi and Zhang Qiling have hung up their hats to end a ten-year promise. After trading their adventures for a normal life, a text from Wu Sansheng drives them to embark on a mysterious journey for the sake of family and friendship.

Genres: adventure, mystery, horror, fantasy

Tags: survival, teamwork, tomb raiding, bromance, treasure hunting, slight comedy

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=649NPvrwoLY

seems super long but was actually aired in two seasons

tbh I would’ve listed horror as one of those genres

because especially in the first half of the show I was watching most of it from behind my hands

there are a whole bunch of series and movies before this one, it’s part of a super big franchise (probably one of the biggest franchises) in china called 盗墓笔记 (the grave robber chronicles, or the lost tomb)

but you don’t have to watch the previous shows to know what’s going on because this one pretty much starts from a new arc, give or take a few casual references thrown into the conversation referring to their past adventures (which are also shown in the opening if you know what to look out for)

xhu yilong here is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from xhu yilong in guardian. there he was invincible ass kicking alien. here he is sick dying old uncle who needs to be protected but still pretty damn smart.

Miss Su Wen Li, a beautiful and witty socialite, forms an unlikely detective duo with the righteous and serious inspector Luo Qiuheng. Despite their many differences, the pair share an undeniable chemistry and - of course - go on to solve many cases together in and around Shanghai, all while Su Wen Li chases clues behind her sister's disappearance, which happened ten years ago, yet is forever a thorn in her heart.

Genres: historical, mystery, romance

Tags: Chinese Republican Era, investigation, detective fiction, historical fiction, slight comedy

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucsbbo5-P5o

another detective show set in the early 20th century! (I have A Type)

su wenli is absolutely incredible and sassy and the rare female detective

Chen Si is a righteous detective who got partnered up with Yuan Bu Jie, a dream reader with unrivalled interpreting skills as well as a dark past. They work together to find the truth behind a series of serial murders.

Genres: thriller, historical, mystery, supernatural

Tags: Chinese Republican Era, suspense, murder, detective fiction, historical fiction, special power

Trailer (no EN subs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHJ9tsxXITk

I really found this quite good and I was (am??) quite bummed that not a lot of people have picked it up ahaha

maybe it’s because it hasn’t really been subbed though?? at least when I was watching it. I’m not sure if it’s still not subbed in english

A story that follows two men who are polar opposites, one kills, while the other heals. One is a violent cop and the other is a compassionate doctor. Together they support and redeem each other during troubled times. Jiang Yue Lou heads the Jingcheng Police Station and appears neither good nor evil. Yet smugglers tremble at the thought of him. While investigating an opium case in Hong Kong, Yue Lou encounters Yu Zhi who learns that Yue Lou suffers from bipolar disorder. Although initially reluctant to undergo treatment, Yue Lou eventually opens up to Yu Zhi. Despite their differing values they slowly become close friends. At this time, the secrets from the past start to bubble to the surface.

Genres: thriller, historical, mystery, crime

Tags: bromance, strop friendship, censored romance, Chinese Republican Era, bipolar disorder, drugs, investigation

Trailer (no EN subs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fafu0-GU7Ko

the chinese name for this show is super poetic

another one for the heart eyes between the two main male leads

Young girl Chu Chu came from a family of coroners. She meets Prince Xiao Jin Yu, a dignified prince in charge of criminal lawsuit who appeared weak and sickly. Prince Xiao lacks reliable manpower to investigate case, while Chu Chu lacks people to step up, take charge and be a man. Together, they manage to unravel a shocking case that has dragged on for 18 years. After solving the case, she won the Emperor's approval and is finally certified as the Imperial Coroner, fulfilling her life goal.

Genres: historical, mystery, romance, medical

Tags: forensic medical examiner, investigation, slow burn romance, Tang Dynasty, coroner, palace politics

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otdEkk6ntdw

has romance as well as bromance

a good balance of forensics / crime-solving and palace politics shenanigans!

here’s a really well summarised infographic by @/dramavixen

You Yi is a young, innocent, and kind-hearted socialite and a successful author, living with everyone's adoration and envy. Her perfect life is turned upside-down when she discovers a betrayal by the two most trusted people in her life. With no one left to turn to, she finds refuge in the friendship and support of Yan Wei, a young photographer with a cold personality. Unbeknownst to all, Yan Wei has a deadly secret identity.

Genres: thriller, historical, mystery, drama

Tags: censored adaptation of same-sex original work, Chinese Republican Era, female centred plot, opposites attract, sismance, murder, revenge, extramarital affair, infidelity

Trailer (no EN subs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWPDjkXC6io

a really quick watch, one of the rare wlw cdramas around

republican era aesthetics!!!

plan to watch

The story follows the amnesiac detective Jian Buzhi who starts on a quest to finding the truth and unmasking his father's killer. Along the way, he finds a love interest and a good friend who work hand in hand with him to solve mysterious cases.

Genres: historical, mystery, romance, wuxia

Tags: murder, amnesia, bromance, sword-fight, hidden identity, strong friendship, swordsman, death

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3J7CML_u50

Wu Xie and Wang Pan Zi are trying to find out what really happened during The Mystic Nine's trip to Parcel Island while also curious about his uncle’s past. Weighing heavily on his heart though, is the disappearance of his friend Zhang Qi Ling/"Xiao Ge". Wu Xie finds himself mixed up in the same elaborate conspiracy he has been trying to solve but with what looked like dire consequences. Undaunted, he forged ahead with clues he'd uncovered from place to place, finally reuniting with Xiao Ge, joining another group of explorers led by Wu Xie's old acquaintance Ah Ning along with his friends Wang Pan Zi and Pan Zi. They were also later joined by Xie Yu Chen and Hie Yan Jing, along with Wu Xie's uncle. During this trip, Wu Xie was dealt a devastating blow while Xiao Ge lost his memory again. After briefly returning home, Wu Xie and Wang Pan Zi decided to try and find out more about Xiao Ge's past to help him regain the memories he lost. That trip led them on another adventure and they found themselves backtracking to their previous expedition and the evil force trying to cover up some dark secrets. Thanks to an ancient Lei family blueprint, Wu Xie became acquainted with Madam Huo of the Jiumen Sect. At her insistence, the group embarked on a tomb raid of the real Zhang Manor which the Jiumen Sect had attempted many years ago in a final attempt to search for the truth. At the last possible moment, a puzzle is incorrectly solved leaving the entering group including Xiao Ge to disappear into the unknown, with the mystery unsolved and Wu Xie devastated. All hope is not lost though, as Xie Yu Chen makes a suggestion to Wu Xie that he simply cannot refuse.

Genres: action, adventure, thriller, mystery

Tags: tomb raiding, bromance, survival, teamwork, strong friendship, slight comedy, horror

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4H5tWUKJiU

A story that follows an aerospace engineer Yu Tu and the shining star Qiao Jing Jing. A decision is made to start gaming in order to save her endorsement deal brings her face to face with an old crush. As they grow closer, the two forge ahead to become each other's glory. Being a well-known celebrity, Qiao Jing Jing has to keep up with appearances in order to maintain her multi-faceted image. Alas, one starts to crack when someone leaks a video of her playing an online game and being terrible at it which is completely inconsistent with the image she has created for herself as the game's ambassador. Thus, she joins a gaming competition to prove her skills and to prevent herself from losing her endorsements. Qiao Jing Jing decides to use all of her free time towards improving her game and her decision leads her to reconnect with her old high school classmate, Yu Tu, whom she once had a crush on. He was a legend at their school, outstanding in everything that he does, while Qiao Jing Jing was just your average girl. Yu Tu went on to become an aerospace engineer who is also an expert gamer. It seems that the online game brought them together once more so she asks him to become her gaming coach.

Genres: comedy, romance, life, youth

Tags: time skip, first love returns, steamy kiss, friends to lovers, aerospace engineer, dream

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23PlXDnakJM

Xu Xiao is the King of China’s Northern Liang in an era of great upheaval. Steppe kingdoms have materialised with deadly intent, as rebellious uprisings threatened to destabilise the Southern realm. Against all odds, Xu Xiao managed to defeat them all. During this period, his unconventional, free-spirited heir, Xu Feng Nian been on the road, honing his equestrian skills and bolstering his fighting prowess. On his journey, he encounters the double sword-wielding martial artist Nan Gong Pu She, who’s soon to become his confidante. In the court of Northern Liang is Jiang Ni, a twelve-year-old girl who is actually a princess from a rival kingdom, with a mind for revenge. As Xu Feng Nian ascends the throne, concerns arise fearing him incapable of following in his father’s footsteps. Xu Feng Nian, despite having mounted a decisive campaign, encounters a crisis while en route to a neighbouring province. Its outcome could very well determine the entire realm's future.

Genres: historical, wuxia, drama, fantasy

Tags: sword-fight, martial arts, master-servant relationship, scheme, slight romance, father-son relationship

Trailer (no EN subs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tO6MsdVphM

When Li Shi Qing awoke that fateful morning, she had no idea her life was about to change forever. Going about her day as usual, Shi Qing boarded the bus without ever giving her actions a second thought. But when the bus she was on was involved in a horrendous accident, Shi Qing had only seconds to realise that her life was about to end. Or was it? Waking up that very same morning, going through the exact same motions, boarding the same bus, and dying in the same accident, over and over again, Shi Qing soon realises that she has become trapped in a never-ending time loop. Desperate to find a way to escape not only the loop but her tragic fate, Shi Qing inadvertently drags fellow bus passenger, Xiao He Yun, into the loop with her. Together they try to find a way to alter their fate, by ensuring the bus arrives safely at its destination but attempting to do so proves anything but easy.

Genres: thriller, mystery, sci-fi

Tags: time loop, explosion, investigation, suspense, slight romance, student, game designer, time travel, web series

Fanmade trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot4OfjUF_Zo

The young painter Shen Yi resigned from the Academy of Fine Arts and entered Haicheng Public Security Bureau mysteriously. Interpol Captain Du Cheng was furious and said that he would never accept those who caused his comrade to be killed in the police force. Five years ago, Shen Yi, who was still a student, was sketching on the street. A man took a picture of a child and asked him to draw what the child would look like as an adult. However, this painting caused Haicheng detective Lei Yi Fei to be exposed as an undercover agent and he was killed. And Lei Yi Fei happened to be Du Cheng's long-time friend and confidant. The strange thing is that, no matter how hard Shen Yi tried of recall for a few years, he couldn't draw the face of the man who asked him to paint the child's photo. Five years later, the guilt became heavier. In order to find out the truth, Shen Yi accepted the invitation of Director Zhang of the Public Security Bureau and became a portraitist of the Interpol Team. Under Zhang Ju’s persuasion and arrangement, Du Cheng had to accept that he became a colleague with Shen Yi, but he was still full of annoyance and despised Shen Yi’s “drawing to solve cases,” and the two became the “ticking bomb” in the team. However, in several collaborations, Shen Yi has repeatedly cracked the "dead end" of cases with his "three-year-old painting", "drawing based on audio," "micro-colour discrimination" and other stunts, which slowly started to impress Du Cheng. More importantly, the truth of Lei Yi Fei's death is still buried in Shen Yi's memory. On the way to find out the truth of Lei Yi Fei's life and death, the two people who were pursuing alone gradually untie their knots and rely on each other. In the end, "the heaven-matched partners" work together to uncover the dust-covered secrets and create a new world for each other.

Genres: thriller, mystery

Tags: murder, death, investigation, forensic sketch artist, deepfake, imposter, domestic violence, detective, elder fraud, plastic surgery

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddWLaA5DEMk

not planning to watch but still recommended!

In sixth-century China, Emperor Xiaoxuan of Southern Liang orders the unjust execution of his brother-in-law General Lin Xie, alongside the Lin family, his 70,000 army soldiers, and Crown Prince Qi. Secretly surviving the massacre is Lin Xie's son, Lin Shu, who undergoes medical treatment that changes his appearance entirely and leaves him in a weakened state, unable to perform martial arts again. Lin Shu changes his name to Mei Chang Su and later becomes the chief of the pugilist world and establishes the Jiangzuo Alliance. Twelve years later, Lin Shu returns to the capital with a secret plan after being sought after by Prince Yu and Prince Xian during their fight for the throne. He decides to covertly assist Prince Jing, the unfavoured son of the Emperor, and wisely rids the court of all scheming officials.

Genres: historical, wuxia, drama, political

Tags: power struggle, tragic past, hidden identity, scheme, childhood friends, political intrigue, revenge, bromance, sword-fight

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ5LBRJCUcg

Having finally sold her TV series script, aspiring screenwriter Chen Xiao Qian soon falls under the scrutiny of the male lead, who refuses to act out the role. Vowing to make her script successful, she starts re-writing. While napping, she is transported into her own story, becoming the Third Princess Chen Qian Qian, a side character. Armed with the knowledge of her own script in which her character is soon to be killed in the third episode by Prince Han Shuo, the male lead, Xiao Qian is determined to stay alive and find her way back home.

Genres: historical, comedy, romance, fantasy

Tags: transmigration, screenwriter, parody, bickering couple, writer, love/ hate relationship, gender politics

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5kTims-cmU

A thousand years since the battle between the demons and heavens took place, the souls of the Star of Mosha and the God of War are sent to the mortal realm to serve penance. In the mortal realm, Chu Xuan Ji, daughter of the Shaoyang Sect Leader, is deprived of her six senses. At a tournament, she meets Yu Si Feng, a skilled disciple of Lize Palace who was born on the same day as her, and the two develop a friendship. Promising to meet again, Si Feng returns to his sect where he is punished for breaking the rules and forced to wear a mask that could potentially harm his life, while Xuan Ji leaves her home to train in martial arts. Four years later, their destinies intertwine anew. While traveling together, recovered memories from their past lives surface, revealing secrets and conspiracies involving themselves and the three realms; demon, heavenly, and mortal. These revelations have a profound impact on their relationship, creating an imbalance in all three realms.

Genres: historical, romance, wuxia, fantasy

Tags: reincarnation, deity, female warrior, hidden identity, xianxia, fated love

Trailer (no EN subs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkS_XhQNBYQ

On a hunt for treasure and extra cash, sixth year primary school student Shi Guang discovered an old Go board in his grandfather’s house. Upon touching the Go board, he was possessed by the spirit of a Go master from the Southern Dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Song, named Chu Ying, that resides within. Chu Ying dedicated his life to Go. And under his influence, Shi Guang gradually developed a passion for the game.

Genres: comedy, drama, sports, supernatural

Tags: bromance, competition, strong friendship, character development, go game, rivalry, friendship, spirit, life lesson

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m2bSej0HxQ

The year is 626 C.E, and the realm and its political center Chang’an, are shaken to its core by the Xuanwu Gate Incident, a successful palace coup to take charge of the Tang Dynasty. A scheming prince leads the bloody coup and kills the family of Li Chang Ge during the raid, although she manages to escape. Now the prince has placed himself on the Imperial throne, and rules as Emperor Tai Zong. Li Chang Ge has her mind firmly set on revenge – and musters a powerful army intent on overthrowing the new Emperor. But her plans are thrown into disarray when she suffers an unexpected defeat against the armies of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. The victorious General, Ashile Sun, decides to keep her in his service, making her his military strategist as he looks to pursue his own military goals. The duo forms a formidable military partnership. And over time, she finds herself falling for her captor – as he also starts developing feelings for her.

Genres: action, historical, romance, war

Tags: friends to lovers, character development, Tang Dynasty, betrayal, hidden identity, slow burn romance

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ2xNMT7d7Q

As the only true immortal who possesses pure essence energy, Shang Gu has spent countless lifetimes acting as the head of the four true immortals of the ancient world. The four most powerful beings in existence, these true immortals have become gods in the eyes of the mortals who constantly beseech them for help. When commoners encounter difficulties, they will pray to the Gods, but what if Gods meet obstacles? It tells the deep love and hardship between two of the four true Gods, Bai Jue and Shang Gu.

Genres: historical, romance, wuxia, fantasy

Tags: xianxia, reincarnation, bromance, action, demon

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4m_IYU7ENI

#*recs #*replies #cdrama #long post

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universitypenguin · 3 years

Text

Restitution - Chapter Seven

Author's Note: Hello everyone. I'm sorry for my absence. I've had some recent interactions that have made me consider if I would continue to post fanfiction on Tumblr. A couple minors followed me and I had to take a step back and consider what appropriate action looked like. Some of you were unfairly blocked and have since been unblocked and refollowed. I apologize to those users. You can read the full detail of my blocking spree here.

To answer your burning question:

Yes, I'll continue to write on Tumblr. No, there won't be another blocking spree. I will block those who I can tell are minors, but I can't police every interaction that occurs on my blog. I don't have the time or energy. Going forward I'll only interact with those who I know are over 18. My tag list is going to be reviewed but I haven't gotten around to it yet, so I'm leaving it off for now. Tomorrow I'll review it. If you're on my tag list and don't have an age listed or haven't messaged me already to say you're not a minor, please contact me or list your age. I'm going to tag you all in a post tomorrow and make sure everyone understands what's going on.

Word Count: 2,832

Warnings: Smut, explicit language, sexual content, NSFW, 18+, minors do not interact. (Note: This chapter does not contain smut but as part of a work of erotic fanfiction, it's tagged as smut.)

Prior chapters: My masterlist

Chapter Seven

“My father was a fourth generation gangster. He was in the Irish mafia. When he died, his title fell to me.”

Andy watched you closely, gauging your reaction. You kept your face smooth and waited for the rest. He licked his lips and then continued.

“He was always an upper ranking member, but after the war for territory killed his brother, he became the boss. He led the gang for twenty years. The three of us boys all wanted out. But it was easier said than done. In the end, I couldn’t escape. Before I left you, a Mexican gang who’d been moving up the coast claiming territory showed up. They murdered my father. Right after his death, his right-hand man came to see me. He said if I didn’t take over, they’d kill me, my mother, and my brothers. I knew he was right. My legacy claim was the only thing that kept our side from internal combustion.”

A chill washed over you at the idea. Steve and Ari had endeared themselves to you. Even as anger stirred in your chest at Andy’s lies, you could appreciate his desire to protect them. The amount of money they’d paid for the painting made sense now, with the context of their underworld ties. Fifty-five million in cash spelled out organized crime in bright red letters.

Andy Barber was a mafia boss. It was perfectly clear, the reality of it staring you straight in the eye. But the unexpectedness of it all was a difficult thing to wrap your head around.

“I’d always imagined you’d run off to be a district attorney in New York or something.”

His mouth twitched. “My plans to go straight were incredibly romanticized. I wanted to roll as far away from the tree I’d fallen from as I could. At least I had those seven years out from under his thumb. The last few I spent with you were the best of my life.”

“What about the others? Steve and Ari? You’re the middle child. Why wouldn’t Steve have taken over?”

“He was born sick and my father hated him for it. They sent Steve to live with an aunt in Brooklyn when he was a year old. We saw each other because of my mother, but my father pretended he didn’t exist. At home, we all did. When he decided something, none of us talked back.”

“I’m sorry. That’s awful. He’s not sick now, right?”

Andy snorted. “He’s the picture of health. The military did experiments on him. They turned him into a beast. He grew ten inches and can outpace a cheetah. I’d hoped when I walked out on my father he might set his sights on Steve as the heir. Selfish, I know. But he never spoke about his oldest child. To him, Steve was dead.”

“But he let you take off for college?”

“He didn’t stop me. He just kept close tabs. Eventually, my little walkabout would have ended. I was too young and stupid to see it, but there was never a way out for me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Denial. I thought I’d left it all behind, but it was looming over me the whole time. The Mexican gang shot him outside of his restaurant. It was one of his money laundering spots that also did brisk business. There were a ton of witnesses and the attack was brutal. When it came down to it, I went back into the mafia life to protect my family. Steve was back from Afghanistan on Liberty. Ari was arriving that same night after a backpacking trip around Europe.”

“Were they in danger?”

“Yes. I took care of things. When I told you I’d been over at Ben’s studying? That was a lie. I met with Steve, got Ari to a safe house, and we agreed. We were in it together and it worked out. The Mexicans left after three months.”

“So we broke up a few days after this war started?”

Andy nodded. “The Mexicans had little information on me. They were at the airport when Steve and I went to get Ari, but we got past them. After they went to ground and started planning, I realized they didn’t know about my new life. So I broke it off and told you to stay away. If I hadn’t they would have come for you and I could barely protect my family. Plus, exposing you to what I grew up in….the idea turned my stomach, duchess.”

“Why didn’t you contact me after it was over? I was still in the apartment. I kept hoping you’d come back.”

“I wanted to. But I was surrounded by bodyguards and they’re more loyal to their clan than to me. Taking over during a war kept us united, but afterwards, I had to prove myself. Steve took up enforcement and Ari started the poker games. The money was good, even better than what they’d made under my father’s rule. The mafia was happy, so they kept us.”

“Feeding the piranhas?” you asked, smiling a little.

“That’s not a bad metaphor. That first few months, I was paranoid. I was in my twenties trying not to get shredded. You know, it’s the only time I’ve been grateful to my father. He prepared me for the job.”

You found you were grateful, too. Because a world without Andy would be a dark and lonely place. Having experienced it, you knew how it felt. At the very least, you’d held on to the fact that maybe he was happy. Anguish aside, your heart was his. Even when you hated him, at the core of your being, you hoped he’d found happiness somewhere in the world.

“Now you know the truth. I broke up with you so you’d be safe. I stayed away for the same reason. I lied to you and I hurt you, but if I had to do it again? I would. You’re still breathing, and no matter the cost, I’d pay it ten times over to keep you that way.”

Your lip curled in outrage. He had lied. A valid lie, spoken with good intentions. But nonetheless, it had been a lie. What stuck in your throat was that you’d never suspected any of this. Andy had been sweet and warm. He’d given you flowers on your first date. He’d stayed on campus late to walk you home every night when you’d lived in the dorms.

“Duchess? Please say something?”

You saw the pain on his face and your hand twitched. There was a powerful urge to reach out to him, but you shoved it down.

“Did you finish your law degree?”

“No, but I passed the bar exam.”

Numb with surprise, you nodded, trying to reorient your world view. Andy wasn’t the man you’d thought him to be. The whole situation tonight had been a massive web of lies, just as your life with him during college had been. Was he the architect of this conspiracy, too?

“Who’s idea was tonight? Why did your brothers proposition Jackson and then come to my office?”

“Ari noticed you. He knew you were with Jackson, and he wanted to seduce you away from him. Unfortunately, Steve had designs on you, too. His plan was to ask you on a date. When they realized they were after the same woman, fists flew. I broke it up and while the matter was being settled, your name came up. Imagine my surprise.”

“Do they know about us? What have you told them?”

Andy frowned. “I mentioned we dated in college. Nothing else. Ari went off from there, spinning a yarn about how none of us had to lose. He assumed the best about our history and I didn’t correct him. Steve agreed to turn on Jackson and try to lure you in, even though he hated the false pretenses. And I kept my mouth shut because they’d planned out a chance for me to see you again without attracting unwelcome attention from our men.”

You pressed your palm to your temple, pain bursting across your mind as you tried to sort through the rush of information. Your emotions were a wild churn. Questions needed to be asked, but you weren’t sure where to start.

Andy Barber was the leader of the Irish Mafia. He’d never finished law school.

“Do you still swim?”

“What?” His brow furrowed.

“Did you like swimming or was that part of your act?”

“I’ve always…” he cut off and took a deep breath. “Fuck. I’m not a total phony.”

“How would I know? I seem to have a gift for attracting them.”

Andy’s face clouded with confusion. Then rage twisted his features. He leaned back, shoulders moving as realization set in.

“Did you just compare me to Jackson?”

“You lied, he lied. I bought the lies. The similarities are endless when you think about it.”

Nostrils flared, a tell you still recognized, announced that your comment truly enraged him.

“Duchess, I’d never hurt you…”

“A minute ago, you said you’d hurt me ten times over if it kept me alive. So there’s another lie on your scorecard.”

“Fuck, baby, give me something to work with here. Jackson financially abused you. He conned you and stole your identity.”

“You stole my heart and lied to me about who you were. I loved you. Losing you like that broke me, Andy. You did that. My bank balance will recover a lot faster than my heart did.”

He jerked as if you’d slapped him. Then his spine slumped, and he curved in on himself. Your heart ached. The instinct to comfort him surged. You fought it off.

“When Ari told me what he’d done, I wanted to help you.”

“What happened to me is none of your business!”

Andy winced.

“I want it to be. I want to protect you. It kills me that he preyed on you, used you, hurt you.”

“You cut me off. That was your decision, not mine. You lied to me and used me as cover.”

“I never used you. Duchess, our relationship was the most authentic thing I’ve ever had.”

You shook your head, refusing to believe him. Andy persisted.

“That was the only time I’ve been free. It wasn’t real freedom, but I didn’t know that. I wanted a life with you. I believed I could have it and I thought I’d left my past behind. You’re pissed I never told you where I came from, but I was ashamed. I’m ashamed of who my father was and what he did.”

Your eyes caught his, and the emotion within them made your heart stutter. Love and misery brimmed out of him, calling to you. You held your breath and stiffened as fear kicked in. He’d ripped you apart. A second round with Andy Barber would shatter what was left of your psyche.

Andy sighed. “Now I get to be ashamed of the man I’ve become. And that has more to do with what happened between us than any of the crimes I’ve committed.”

Breathing was difficult. Thinking was more difficult. Your fight-or-flight instincts were kicking on. Andy was a threat to your wellbeing. It was a terrible dilemma that you wanted to throw yourself into his arms and tell him you’d always loved him and always would. The urge to run warred with an aching desire to stay.

“Why did you want to get me alone, Andy? Did you just want to come clean or do you have something more to say? Because if not I want to go home.”

“I want you. I have no right to ask, but I’m doing it anyway. There are no more lies between us and you know who I am. When we were together, I wasn’t honest with you. If you’ll have me, I want to spend the rest of my life proving how sincere I am about loving you.”

His eyes glinted with moisture. You were frozen, heartbeat thumping.

“You’re saying this isn’t just one night?”

“I’m saying I’m yours. And I’m asking if you’ll have me.”

“Steve and Ari? Where do they fit into this?”

Andy shrugged. “I’ll let them make their own passes at you. For now, I’m throwing myself at your mercy. You don’t have to say anything right now. I’d prefer you think things over. Weigh the odds, duchess. Don’t reject me out of hand, please. I’m begging. I want a second chance.”

“Andy, I don’t know…”

He shifted closer, and suddenly you were in his arms. He snagged you against his chest. At the familiar embrace, you crumpled. He was warm and smelled of the same cologne he’d worn before. Andy groaned. His lips brushed your ear.

“Please, let me back in. I need you, more than I ever have. I want something good in my life. We can make it work. I need you, duchess. Please.”

His voice was aching. Again, you wanted to comfort him. But your head was still spinning. The lies you’d never suspected him of burned your ego and bruised your trust. He’d tied up loose ends, but the explanations didn’t sit easily on your conscience.

He’d had limited options, but the lies had been of his own making. Your belief in him was rattled. Worse, between his lies and Jackson’s, your belief in yourself was broken. If you’d been asked this morning if your college sweetheart could’ve become a ruthless mobster, you’d have laughed. That’s crazy. Andy had planned to become a prosecutor. He was a world away from living the future you’d imagined for him.

Your head snapped up at the sound of the door opening. Ari stepped into the room. He flashed a grin at the sight of you in Andy’s arms.

“This is cute. Did you love birds talk it out?”

When he looked closer at you, his smirk dropped.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?”

Maybe you’d read Andy and Jackson wrong, but Ari was living up to expectations.

“She’s fine,” Andy said.

“I wasn’t talking to you. Sweetheart, why don’t you let my brother and I step outside so he can tell me why he made you cry?”

You wiped the wetness away with the back of your hand. “He lied to me. He broke up with me without a hint of warning after we’d been together for three years. After we’d lived together for two years. I showed up to find him moving out, and he dropped the bomb on me. No explanation, just a clean break. He loved me, but he had to go. Then he dropped off the face of the earth.”

Andy’s face blanched of color, but you had one last detail he didn’t know about your breakup.

“It was an enormous shock, given that I’d found a ring in his sock drawer a week before.”

Ari hissed. Andy swore.

The tanned man was glaring daggers at his brother.

“You didn’t tell us.” Ari clenched his jaw and turned to you. “I swear we didn’t know. Steve and I thought you’d casually dated.”

“I told her,” Andy said.

“You friggin’ asshole, you’ve made us look like psychopaths. Honey -”

“It’s okay. Believe me, I know how convincing he can be.”

Andy’s eyes dimmed at your harsh words. Guilt tugged at your heartstrings, but the pain in your chest was stronger.

“Okay, that’s it. We’re calling it a night. I’m throwing Jackson out on the street. Andy, you can take him home. While you’re at it, find somewhere else to sleep tonight. She and I will take your bed.”

“Fuck you, Ari. I was explaining-”

“Do you want him here?” Ari asked you.

You sighed and laid your hand on Andy’s jaw, feeling his soft beard. A surge of love made your heart go mushy when he shut his eyes and leaned into your touch.

“I’m tired, okay. Can we talk later?”

He looked hopeful. “Anytime you want.”

“In the morning.”

“Sure, great, talk in the morning. Now get the fuck out and take her ex-boyfriend with you,” Ari said.

“You broke up with him?” Andy asked.

“No.”

“She’s going to,” Ari said.

He stalked to the bed and jerked off his shirt, tossing it on the floor. Then he undid his jeans. Andy scowled.

“This is my bedroom.”

“Tonight it’s hers and you’re not fucking welcome. Get out. If you come back before she wants to see you, you’re going to die.”

Andy curled his arm around you, leaning in. His lips were coming closer. You held perfectly still, excited but afraid. He could realize the power he held over you if you weren’t careful. But a part of you wanted to throw caution to the wind and give in.

Ari grabbed him by the arm and yanked Andy away. He let his brother drag him to the door, looking at you regretfully.

“Sorry, Duchess. Have Ari text me tomorrow when you want to see me.”

- - - - -

Next Part: Chapter Eight

- - - - -

Tag List: Under review due to minors following me. Now that I'm aware of this problem, I'm reconstructing my tag list. I'll work on it tomorrow and reblog with tags.

#andy barber smut #steve rogers smut #ari levinson smut #chris evans smut #smut fanfiction #no minors #minors dni #andy barber x you #steve rodgers x reader #steve rogers x you #andy barber x reader #ari levinson x you #ari levinson x reader #ari levinson fanfiction #lemon

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robininthelabyrinth · 4 years

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Light on the Door (ao3) (WWX in the Nie sect) - on tumblr: part 1, part 2

“Absolutely not,” Nie Mingjue said.

“I know this has come as a surprise to you,” Jiang Fengmian said, and his voice was calm and pleasant the way it always was. Reasonable. “But you must understand that –”

Nie Mingjue held up a hand. “Perhaps I was unclear, Sect Leader Jiang,” he said. “Let me clarify: absolutely fucking not.”

Jiang Fengmian was not an easy man to anger, nor did Nie Mingjue truly want to do so: he needed as many allies in the inevitable war against the Wens as he could manage. If he was smart the way Jin Guangshan was always encouraging him to be, he would soften his words, smile, try to make things palatable – but he was not Jin Guangshan, and he had never bent on a matter of principle.

Especially not when the principle was small and young and still unsure of himself underneath his bravado, afraid of losing all that he had gained in a single moment.

“His father was my right hand,” Jiang Fengmian said, a rare frown creasing his face. “The Jiang sect would raise him as his father had intended.”

“His father is dead,” Nie Mingjue rebutted. “And before he died, he was a rogue cultivator – your Jiang sect has no claim here.”

“Legally, no,” Jiang Fengmian said. “But morally –”

“He joined my Nie sect willingly,” Nie Mingjue interrupted. His hands are clenched into fists behind his back: of course this would be the thing that Jiang Fengmian refused to bend on, it was different when it was his family that died, their legacy he wished to see fulfilled, and never mind about the murderer that still walked free and unhindered even by mere criticism. Never mind that that had been a father, too. “As is his right. If he wishes to go, I will not stop him –”

There was a moment there where Jiang Fengmian looked pleased, as if he thought Nie Mingjue was giving in.

“– but I do not understand him to want to,” he finished. “And no, before you ask, I will not let you bully him and bribe him until he does as you wish; as long as he is part of my Nie sect, he will be protected even from that.”

“Am I not even allowed to make the offer?” Jiang Fengmian asked, clear challenge in his voice. He even permitted his qi to flare up, cultivation acting to suppress those in the area – absolutely inappropriate, a tremendous breach of etiquette that could only barely be ascribed to Jiang Fengmian’s emotional state rather than a deliberate desire to intimidate.

Nie Mingjue kept his back straight despite the pressure. No one would blame him for faltering, not even his sect elders; the pressure was immense, and he was in the end only sixteen years old, his body not yet fully formed or even fully grown despite him already being taller than Jiang Fengmian –

But he had his pride. His pride, and Baxia, and the Nie sabers did not bend for anyone.

“Sect Leader Jiang,” he said, allowing his rage into his voice. “Control yourself, or you will not see him at all.”

Jiang Fengmian closed his eyes briefly, recalling his power; there was a hint of apology on his features when he opened them again – perhaps it really had been a mistake. Either way, it didn’t matter.

“Do you know what that sort of pressure can do to someone who’s not yet of age?” Nie Mingjue demanded, crossing his arms. “If Wei Ying was harmed because of you –”

“I would never hurt Wei Ying! Or any other child!”

“Perhaps,” Nie Mingjue said, omitting to mention that by some measures he already had. “Perhaps not, if he refused you; you’re not exactly demonstrating dignity in the face of being told ‘no’ right now.”

Jiang Fengmian’s eyes narrowed, but he couldn’t say anything – he had, in fact, been intolerably rude. He took a deep breath, calming himself forcefully, and then focused on Nie Mingjue.

“His father was my closest friend,” he said, and there was a touch of real pain in his voice. “His mother was very dear to me. I only wish what’s best for him. If he comes back with me, I would make him a direct disciple –”

“So will I,” Nie Mingjue said.

That got a reaction out of Jiang Fengmian beyond anger and selfishness.

“A direct disciple of your Nie clan?” he asked, clearly shocked. “But your clan – there’s only you and your brother in the main line!”

“I’m aware.”

“You don’t seriously mean that you would risk the inheritance of your sect –”

“I have already announced it to my sect,” Nie Mingjue said. “Three weeks ago. If what you want is what’s best for him…other than stories of his parents, which you could give him without taking him away, is there anything else you can find lacking and insufficient in my Nie sect?”

“I didn’t mean to insult you,” Jiang Fengmian said, suddenly belatedly cautious.

“You did,” Nie Mingjue said flatly. “You persist in treating me as a child when I am a sect leader, the same as you. I have told you that the answer is no, and that the answer will remain no. You are in Qinghe, Sect Leader Jiang; if you’re going to insult me to my face, I suggest you pick better ground.”

Jiang Fengmian bit his lip and looked down. “You will not let me take him.”

“I will not,” Nie Mingjue agreed. And then, because Wei Ying really did deserve to know his parents, he added, “But I would be willing to consider something else.”

Jiang Fengmian looked up. “What do you mean?”

Nie Mingjue shrugged, having just thought of the idea himself. “You have children around his age, don’t you? Send them to the Unclean Realm for a season, and I’ll send Wei Ying and my brother to the Lotus Pier for another season in return – it’s not an uncommon arrangement to build relationships between sects.”

An extremely old-fashioned and out-of-date one – nowadays, heirs would only go for long-term visits if there was a real reason to go, like Teacher Lan’s lessons; even the Lan sect, which was close allies to the Nie, would only come to visit for a few weeks.

But it was something he could offer. Something that would make clear to Wei Ying that he wasn’t being abandoned or given away or sold; with Nie Huaisang by his side, he would always remember that he was a part of the Nie sect first and foremost, and get some good experience in the world besides.

“I would like that,” Jiang Fengmian said slowly. “Yes – I would like that a great deal.”

“We’ll work out the details, then,” Nie Mingjue said. The sooner this meeting was over, the better; he wanted to go scream and hit something. “Is there anything else?”

“One more thing.”

Scream. And hit things. Many, many things.

“Yes?”

“You call him Wei Ying,” Jiang Fengmian said. “Have you thought of a courtesy name for him yet?”

He had offered the man an inch and he was trying to take a mile, but Nie Mingjue could see the desperate hope on his face, the need for him to leave some mark of the Jiang sect on Wei Ying – to honor his parents’ legacy or to make up for having failed them, it didn’t matter which.

Perhaps this would convince the man to finally drop the issue for good.

“I would be willing to listen to any suggestions you might have,” Nie Mingjue finally allowed, still hedging in case it was something really inappropriate. “What did you have in mind?”

“Wei Wuxian has a good ring to it,” Nie Huaisang said thoughtfully once the horrible meeting was finally over and they could creep out of their hiding spot to stretch their legs. It was getting a bit cramped in there. “And I suppose it really was the very least da-ge could do, after having all but told him off to his face – especially since the Jiang clan really is quite powerful. I’m really very proud of da-ge for managing to keep his temper as well as he did; we should do something nice for him in return. Don’t you think?”

He paused for a moment.

When he didn’t receive a response, he frowned. “Wei Ying?”

“Is that what a direct disciple means?” Wei Ying said, staring blankly at the wall in front of him.

“What?”

“A direct disciple,” Wei Ying repeated. His face was frozen stiff, maybe from shock or something. “You said it meant I’d be a member of the family.”

“That is what it means.”

“Yes, but you didn’t – you never said – being a direct disciple puts me in line to inherit the Nie sect?”

“Well, yes,” Nie Huaisang said, scratching the back of his head a little. He had no idea why Wei Ying was behaving so strangely. “I mean, the Nie clan runs the Nie sect, and we’re the Nie clan, so joining the Nie clan obviously means – ”

“There’s nothing obvious about it!” Wei Ying exclaimed. “You have cousins! Cousins and aunts and uncles and – there’s so many of them I can barely even keep count –”

“Branch families after many, many years,” Nie Huaisang said with a shrug. “But Qinghe Nie doesn’t make everyone with a drop of blood in them a direct disciple; you have to be part of the main family for that.”

“But…!”

“But what?”

“It’s your sect,” Wei Ying said. “My surname isn’t even Nie!”

“Well, first off, stop assuming you’re going to inherit the sect because that requires both my brother and I to be dead,” Nie Huaisang said. “Which we have no current plans to be. Secondly, if you did end up as the only direct disciple left, you’d be required to marry in with one of the cousins and have Nie babies before you were allowed to actually be sect leader. So for the sake of your future marriage, you have to keep us alive –”

Wei Ying grabbed him into a hug.

“Thank you,” he said, and Nie Huaisang very nobly decided not to complain about how his tears and snot were getting his very nice robes all wet. “I don’t know why you want me, but you do, and – thank you.”

“Of course we want you, you’re great,” Nie Huaisang said, delicately patting Wei Ying on the back. “Look at you, not just one sect wanting you, there are two fighting over you; how many people can say that…?”

“He wants my parents, not me,” Wei Ying said. “If I went there, he’d love me for them, and if I didn’t have anyone else, that’d be good enough – but da-ge picked me for no reason at all, and you grabbed onto me just because –”

“I mean, I did have some ulterior motives, I do so much less saber training now that you’re here –”

“Just accept the compliment.”

Nie Huaisang grinned. “Okay, fine. Besides, you can finally stop saying you need to pay me back now!”

Wei Ying pulled back and wiped his eyes. “How’s that?”

“Didn’t you hear da-ge? You’ve just gotten me a free vacation to Yunmeng for a whole season! It’s going to be great!”

“I hope so,” Wei Ying said. “We’ll be spending a lot of time with the Jiang sect heirs…I hope they’re as nice as Lan Zhan.”

Nie Huaisang patted him on the shoulder. “Just accept it now, Wei Ying. No one’s ever going to be as perfect as Lan Zhan in your eyes.”

“Shut up. Do you know anything about them?”

“The Jiang sect heirs? There’s a girl and a boy, that’s all I know. They’re too young to be the subjects of gossip, though, so I can’t tell you anything about their likes and dislikes.”

“That’s fine,” Wei Ying said. “I guess we’ll find out when we see them.”

“Your dog is wonderful,” Jiang Cheng said.

“Thanks,” Wei Ying said, beaming. He liked the other boy already. “Yours are pretty great, too!”

“They are, aren’t they?” Jiang Cheng said, face lighting up. “This one’s Jasmine, and this one’s Princess, and the last one’s Lovely!”

“Mine’s Xiao Bai! And he’s big enough to be three dogs all together!”

“No kidding! I’ve never seen a dog that big! Why’s he that big?”

“Dunno. Da-ge says he’s a sheepdog from the mountain, and they get really big there.”

“Do they have to fight bears or something? I bet he could fight a bear.”

“Well, maybe if he had to,” Wei Ying said. “Unfortunately, I kind of raised him into a glutton, so now all he wants to do is lie around and eat meat –”

Xiao Bai barked.

“...and he knows the word for ‘meat’.”

“He’s so smart,” Jiang Cheng said, reaching out to rub Xiao Bai behind the ears. “Such a good boy –”

“Please tell me you like something other than dogs,” Nie Huaisang said to Jiang Yanli, who hid a giggle behind her sleeves. “Please. I can already foresee the rest of the season going like this.”

“Well, dogs are very distracting creatures,” she said, her eyes curving into crescents. “They’re warm and furry and all that. But I’d be happy to talk about something else with you…do you like painting?”

“Very much,” Nie Huaisang said, interest piqued at once. “Do you paint?”

“I’m average,” she said with a small shrug. “But I enjoy it. You’re welcome to join me, if you like – I don’t think A-Cheng and Wei Wuxian are going to stop anytime soon.”

“A-Ying can do it for hours all on his own,” Nie Huaisang said mournfully. “He used to be afraid of dogs, you know? I almost miss those days…can we really go paint?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t we?”

“Well, I mean, I don’t know. We were sent here to learn, weren’t we? I thought it’d be lessons all the time. ‘Go to the training field!’, that sort of thing.”

Jiang Yanli smiled and visibly resisted the urge to pat his head. “Some lessons are taught outside of the training field. Do you know the motto of Yunmeng Jiang?”

“Uh,” Nie Huaisang said. Memorization had never been a strong point. “I mean…”

“It’s ‘attempt the impossible’,” Jiang Yanli told him. “To live bravely, without restraints on your heart.”

“So,” Nie Huaisang said, trying to parse it, “you get to do whatever you want?”

“Not quite,” she laughed. “But we get more freedom to govern ourselves than most, yes. I don’t train too much – I don’t have much talent, you see.”

“Neither do I!” Nie Huaisang exclaimed, beaming. “But da-ge’s always pushing me to do better, work harder, try more…”

He trailed off when he saw the wistful, almost envious expression on Jiang Yanli’s face.

“…don’t you like not being forced to cultivate?” he asked, a little hesitant.

“Your brother loves you very much,” Jiang Yanli said. “He only wants what’s best for you. He pushes you because he thinks you can do it.”

Nobody pushed her because nobody believed in her, she meant, and even Nie Huaisang – a devoted good-for-nothing – felt awkward about it.

She didn’t even have a sword.

“Well, don’t worry,” he said, clumsily trying to offer some comfort. “You’re coming to Qinghe next season, aren’t you? You’ll get more than your fill of people pushing you to do things there!”

“I’m sure,” Jiang Yanli said, not sounding as if she believed him at all. “But for the moment – do you want to go paint? And perhaps later we can convince A-Cheng and Wei Wuxian to go shoot kites while we pick lotus seeds.”

“That sounds like an excellent plan,” Nie Huaisang said. “And maybe we can go to the market and see if they have any fans? I have a collection, you know.”

“Well,” Jiang Yanli said, smiling again. “If you have a collection, then of course…”

“I’m not sure I’m entirely suited for this, Sect Leader Nie,” Jiang Yanli said, breathing hard.

“I don’t see why not,” Nie Mingjue said, putting Baxia up on his shoulder. “Take a walk around the yard so you don’t get cramped while your heart-rate comes down, then we can start again.”

“Sect Leader Nie, with all due respect, I wasn’t really intending on picking up something new – much less saber, which isn’t even practiced in the Jiang sect.”

“Well, you have to train in something, you didn’t bring your sword, and all we’ve got are sabers,” he pointed out with a shrug. “What else were you planning on doing while you were here?”

Jiang Yanli smiled a little. “Feminine activities?”

Nie Mingjue let his eyes drift over to the nearby field where three of his aunts were pulverizing a training model that looked almost startlingly similar to one of his uncles.

Jiang Yanli coughed as if she could hide the laugh. “I admit I was more in mind of – cooking. Or sewing, or painting…”

“You can do that in your free time,” Nie Mingjue said briskly. “Nie Huaisang sang your praises in every one of his letters; the least I can do to repay you is making sure you get the full benefit of your time here. Consider it a gift.”

Jiang Yanli did not seem especially pleased by the gift. Her face did exactly the same sort of ‘thanks I hate it’ twist as Nie Huaisang’s.

He wondered idly what excuse she was going to try next. She might not realize it yet, but she wasn’t going to have any more luck than Nie Huaisang had ever had.

“Sect Leader Nie…don’t you think I’m too old for this?”

He stared at her. “You’re joking.”

“Most sword cultivators start in their childhood –”

“You’re fourteen.”

“It’s more difficult to pick things up once you get above ten,” she said with a shrug. “There’s nothing to do about it –”

“Pick a skill you’re good at,” he said. “Any skill, and teach it to me.”

She stared at him. “What?”

“You’re not that much younger than me, and I can still pick up new things,” Nie Mingjue said. “You teach me a skill, and I’ll teach you one, and that way we’ll be fair – and if I really can’t pick up yours and you really can’t pick up mine, then, and only then, will I admit that you have a point about our ages.”

Jiang Yanli still seemed uncertain, although she also looked somewhat intrigued. “Sect Leader Nie…what’s the point?”

“What’s the point of what? Of cultivating? You’re a cultivator, aren’t you? Isn’t that point enough?”

“I’m not going to ever be an outstanding cultivator,” she pointed out. “I’m going to be someone’s wife, someone’s mother –”

“We’re literally cultivating against the heavens,” Nie Mingjue interrupted her. “Aren’t you Jiang sect people supposed to attempt the impossible? You can be someone else’s and still be yourself.”

He’d never been very good with words, retreating when possible into silence, but something about what he’d said left a mark.

“Very well,” Jiang Yanli said, and raised the practice saber she’d already adorned with a pink bow – a clear sign that her subconscious had committed to it, even if her mind hadn’t yet caught up. “I’ll take you up on that bet, Sect Leader Nie. Saber, and then you can join me in the kitchen to cook.”

Cooking? Cooking was fine, he could do cooking –

“And we’re not making barbeque.”

…maybe he couldn’t do cooking.

Whatever. That was a problem for later. Nie Mingjue lifted his saber and bared his teeth at her in a grin. “This time,” he said. “Make an effort, will you? I’d like to break a sweat sometime today.”

Her eyes flashed, and she attacked.

“You two are going to get along and that’s final,” Wei Wuxian announced, hands on his hips. “Now I’m going to get us some snacks and while I’m going you guys are going to get over yourselves, you hear me?”

He made a show of storming out the door, but the second he was outside he waved his hand furiously to send a passing servant to get the snacks and crept back to listen.

Neither Jiang Cheng nor Lan Zhan was his shidi – that was Nie Huaisang – and of course no one could match his da-ge, but he loved them both very much, so they had to get over this inexplicable rivalry they had.

They had to!

“…very special,” Lan Zhan was saying.

“I know,” Jiang Cheng said. He sounded unusually serious – unlike Lan Zhan, who was always serious (except when he was being teased, in which case he was delightfully flustered). “He’s just – I don’t know. It’s hard to share, you know?”

“En.”

“It’s…let me tell you about my sister.”

Wait, why were they talking about Jiang Yanli? She was great, but not relevant to the issues here.

“When she first came to Qinghe, she got into a bet with Sect Leader Nie over…I don’t even know what. She practiced the saber a lot. And then she took one of the sabers home, and she kept practicing with it – my parents were pretty confused, but they mostly let her do what she likes, and Mother was pleased that she’d at least started cultivating something even if it was the wrong thing – and…she’s happier now. Like a candle lit for the first time.”

“…I understand,” Lan Zhan said, which, good for him because Wei Wuxian was totally confused. “It was the same for me. The first ray of sunlight in the morning.”

“Yes! Exactly like that.”

They were quiet for a few moments.

“I suppose,” Jiang Cheng finally said, sounding rather begrudging about it, “that sunlight is meant to be shared.”

“En,” Lan Zhan said. “We are all equal under the sun.”

“I could manage equal,” Jiang Cheng said. “As long as we’re the same, yeah? Best friends.”

There was a brief pause, and then – “Best friends,” Lan Zhan echoed. “Agreed.”

Wei Wuxian couldn’t help himself: he burst in through the doors at once. “You can’t be each other’s best friends!” he exclaimed. “You’re my best friends!”

They both looked at him, eerily identical long-suffering expressions on their faces, and then they looked at each other, and then for some reason they both nodded to each other like they were sealing some sort of pact.

“Okay, it’s all decided,” Jiang Cheng said. “We’re all best friends from now on.”

“All of us?” Wei Wuxian said hopefully. “Both of you?”

They nodded.

“And Nie Huaisang, of course,” Wei Wuxian said. “We can’t leave him out! He’s my shidi!”

“We wouldn’t dream of it,” Lan Zhan assured him.

“Yeah,” Jiang Cheng said. “I guess second place to the Nies isn’t bad, if it’s shared.”

“Xiao Bai,” Lan Zhan said.

“…third?”

“Suibian.”

“Fourth.”

Lan Zhan nodded.

“What are you two even talking about?” Wei Wuxian complained, but not really – he was too happy. He threw himself in between the two of them, wrapping an arm around each one. “I leave you alone for less time than it takes to make a cup of tea and suddenly you’ve got some sort of secret code…”

“Don’t worry, you idiot,” Jiang Cheng said, rolling his eyes. “We still like you the best.”

#mdzs #wei wuxian #nie mingjue #nie huaisang #jiang fengmian #jiang yanli #jiang cheng #lan wangji #my fic #my fics #light on the door

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lunaverseimagine · 4 years

Text

Worth Living For

Part 2 of Worth Dying For

Request: “Congrats on 500! I'm new to tumblr and love your blog! can you do Herbology with post war George and telling him you want to name your baby Fred” - @green-intervention So this was a headcanon request for my 500 sleepover but it fit Worth Dying For so perfectly that I made it into a part 2 instead

Pairings: George x Reader

Warnings: Grief, pregnancy, mentions of death

Word count: 1.5k

Fic:

Streaks of moonlight shone through the tall window, casting a gentle glow on George’s face. The white light highlighted the gauntness of his cheeks and the glazed look in his eye, a sight that made your stomach clench.

“Georgie.”

His eyes flicked down to where you were lying on the sofa with your head in his lap. His fingers were running idly through your hair - sensations grounded him, in particular the feeling of your presence. Three months had passed but you were still his lifeline, and you didn’t think that would change soon.

“I think-” You swallowed, maintaining eye contact. “I think it’s time we visit your parents.”

George’s hand stilled and he clenched his jaw. You knew this was a sensitive subject, but equally you knew going to the burrow would be good for him. The burden of grief is easier to bear when the people around you are feeling the same way; when you can share in your mourning. You had loved Fred like a brother but you hadn’t been there from the beginning, not like George’s siblings had. He needed his family, needed to be with people who had known Fred as he did, who felt the loss as he did. He couldn’t keep hiding in your apartment, a truth he knew as well as you did. George sighed.

“I know.” He glanced at your belly, at the little bump just starting to show. Your hand cupped it instinctively. “They need to know.”

You sat up so you were facing George, holding his hands in your own, running your thumbs soothingly over his coarse skin.

“We’ll tell them together.” Leaning forward, you captured George’s lips in a gentle kiss. You focused on being present: the way George tasted of cinnamon. How his hands felt slightly cold in yours. How your knee was pressing against his. You tried not to focus on the sacrifice that had been made so you could be here. The sacrifice Fred had made to save not just one life, but two. How up until now, the pregnancy was tying you and George to Fred’s memory. It was special, something that hadn’t been told to anyone else. You worried that by telling your families, the tie to Fred would weaken, and his memory would slip further through your fingers.

You held George’s hand while apparating, watching anxiously as the lopsided stories of the burrow came into view. When your feet were firmly on the ground you waited for George to move towards the door, but he stayed rooted to the spot. After a moment of taking in the familiar home, a tear slid down his cheek, and you couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed too. These walls held so many memories of Fred that it was impossible to stand in front of them without the loss hitting you like a bludger. A reminder of all the memories that wouldn’t be made in the future. How Fred would never meet his nephew.

You embraced George, as though you could squeeze strength into him. He rested his chin on top of your head.

“I’m ok love.”

You shook your head slightly at the lie. “You’re not, but you will be.”

You each took a deep breath and walked into the burrow, hand in hand.

Molly was in the kitchen, and at the sight of you she burst into tears, her words incoherent through her sobs. But the bone crushing hug she encased the two of you in said more than words ever could.

“Blimey Molly, what’s wrong-” Arthur stopped short on the last step of the haphazard staircase, eyes widening at the scene in front of him. His face had turned white, and equally pale faces emerged one by one behind him. First Ginny, followed by Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Percy. The Weasleys seeing George must have been an even more emotional experience than that of you seeing the burrow. It was impossible not to feel the missing piece of the family when faced with his twin, like looking at a guitar with no strings. Nobody quite knew how to maneuver the situation, the only sound being Molly sniffing as she wiped her nose with a handkerchief.

Finally the rest of the Weasleys, as well as Harry and Hermione, seemed to come to their senses, closing the distance between you to share hugs and whispered condolences. George was interacting but as though he’d removed himself from the situation, like he was there physically but emotionally he was far away, trying to cope with his feelings. The grief came in waves, this wave feeling like the tallest one yet, and it was all George could do to keep his head above water.

During the day the tone of conversation was kept light, and George became more present, engaging in conversations about what had been happening the last few months. Molly cooked a delicious meal that not only fed you and the baby, but could’ve fed an entire nursery, and as your stomach filled a bit of the emptiness did too. Fred was gone and nothing would make that ok, but there was still a great family who would remember him, and as long as they were alive a bit of Fred would be too.

It was after dinner that you and George decided, through silent glances, to break the news to the family. The chatter had lulled and each individual seemed lost in their own thoughts, although undoubtedly they all revolved around the same person. George cleared his throat.

“Y/n and I have some news.” George looked at you, asking for permission to continue. While neither of you had said it out loud, you knew that this pregnancy was a connection to Fred for him too. That telling other people felt like giving away bits of that connection, which was difficult to bear. But at the same time, maybe there was a way you could honour Fred through the pregnancy, and that’s when the thought came to you. You nodded for George to continue, suddenly buzzing with the feeling of sharing your idea. It was perfect. “Y/n’s pregnant.”

The cries of joy were immediate and heartfelt. George’s hand clasped yours under the table as you were congratulated, hugged, and even kissed by Molly. The atmosphere in the room felt so much lighter, as though this was the good news the Weasleys had been waiting for for three months.

Late into the night, when the celebrations had finally calmed down, you bid your goodbyes before apparting back to your apartment. It seemed less daunting now, knowing that at any time the burrow was just an apparition away. You and George got ready for bed in silence, George reflecting on the day and working through the complex feelings being back at the burrow had brought, you working out how to bring up the idea that had consumed your thoughts for hours. You climbed into bed, laying your head on George’s chest, his arm wrapped securely around your shoulders.

“Thank you.” His whisper was quiet and soft.

“What for?”

“For telling me to see them.” He pressed a kiss to the crown of your head. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad it helped.”

For a while you let the silence wrap around you like a cocoon, your safety net. Approaching the topic you desperately wanted to talk about made your hands clammy and your heart race, not knowing how it would make George feel. All you wanted was for him to be happy - what if this was a terrible idea? What if it’d do the opposite of making George happy? That would break your heart. Before you could persuade yourself out of it you piped up.

“Georgie?”

“Mmhm?” You lifted your head off his chest so you could watch him.

“I was thinking… maybe we could- if you wanted to, of course- we could name the baby Fred?” You felt your heart thumping in your chest as you waited for his reply.

Not for the first time that day George’s eyes filled with tears, and he shook his head fondly, wondering why he hadn’t thought of it himself. “It’s perfect.” Arms wrapped around you, he kissed you passionately. Your hands cupped his face, feeling his stubble beneath your fingers. He was in awe of you. Of how you knew exactly what he needed. Knew how to honour Fred in the best way possible, with the baby that Fred had died to save. His legacy.

Eventually George broke the kiss. “What if it’s a girl?” You laughed, and so did he, the beautiful sounds mixing with tears you were getting used to shedding. You savoured the light in George’s eye, how he seemed more alive now than he had in months.

“It’s not.” George grinned at your response.

“How do you know?” You grinned back, and silently thanked Fred for the gift he’d given you. This baby was the light and hope that you and George needed so desperately. You could feel, from somewhere inside you much deeper than reason, that you were right. The baby would be a boy, with an uncanny likeness to his Dad and Uncle. The thought excited you, making the future seem bright despite the current darkness. You rested both hands on the bump.

“Mother’s instinct.”

End

Thank you for reading! I hope this was a bit less angsty than the first part - if you liked it please feel free to reblog/give feedback <33

If you’re interested here’s my other stuff

#george weasley #george weasley imagine #george weasley x reader #fred weasley #weasley twins angst #george weasley angst #fred weasley angst #george weasley x you #george weasley fanfic #george weasley fanfiction #fred weasley imagine #harry potter #harry potter imagine #harry potter fanfic #hp fanfic #death #grief #pregnancy

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districtunrest · 3 years

Text

author self-interview

tagged by endlessnightlock :) thank you!!

name: we’ll still say Gabbie, even though that’s very much an alias leftover from being a minor online. I also go by MarbleSharp.

fandoms: THG is the only one I’m active in lately but this blog reflects my other, more passive fandom interests lol

where do you post: Archive of Our Own and Fanfiction.net. and then I advertise/preview things here on tumblr.

most popular multi-chapter fic: Somthing of Our Own, or SOO, a WIP about Haymitch and Hazelle Hawthorne with peripheral Everlark, reconstruction, and other fun post-MJ things.

favorite story you’ve written so far: gosh, Idk. I think I like SOO best because it’s my most recent writing and it’s my attempt at a mature slow-burn between two middle-aged people with shared history and a good deal of baggage but a good deal of hope, too. it’s just flat-out compelling to me and I care about it a lot which makes it more than a little painstaking to write, haha

fic you were nervous to post: my very first one, To Have and To Hold, back in 2011 when I was in the eighth grade(!). but it’s a nice, little, bittersweet AU about Haymitch’s girl, had she and his family survived.

how do you choose your titles: agonizingly.

do you outline: for multi-chapter stories, I do. but they’re loose outlines where I leave room to let things happen ~ organically ~ in between major plot points. I tend to be very character-driven.

complete:

Best of Luck, Mockingjay - for a horror prompt, featuring Jackson toward the brutal end of the Squad 451.

bronze legacy - a prompt about Finnick & Annie’s son that sort of explores the genetic/societal onus of carrying a late parent’s legacy. there’s a happy ending though!

The Callers from the Coffin - my first multi-chapter story, where I used Markus Zusak’s narrator Death from The Book Thief to narrate parts of Haymitch’s life that either Haymitch remembers on his deathbed or Death witnessed itself. it’s not really a crossover but I labeled it as such because there are general spoilers for TBT. it was fun to write and the reception was pretty good, though much of the character backstory within is no longer my headcanon lol

cinderella man - a short and sweet multi-chapter story where I use the Cinderella fairy tale to tell Peeta’s side of the Everlark story (or one interpretation of it, anyway).

eat your heart out - about Titus, the cannibal tribute.

Gym Class - an Everlark oneshot where Katniss accidentally (but also not) hits Peeta in the face with a dodgeball, or the origin story of Peeta’s ‘not a piece in their games’ philosophy.

let the memories be good for those who stay - my one (1) story for another fandom. it’s an AU of The Book Thief where the main character Liesel dies and her love interest Rudy lives instead. I’ve gotten many an upset comment about it, which I accept warmly. :)

A New Way to Breathe - a prompt (for shesasurvivor actually!) about Johanna and Haymitch after the war, though in this story the war doesn’t end... well... for some beloved characters. imo, this fic is best read listening to “Alone Together” by Fallout Boy on repeat.

stronger than her story (once she’s lost the plot) - Enobaria vs. Johanna through the years. and it’s very much vs., not / or &

To Have and To Hold

in progress:

so this is your maverick - this AU where Thresh and Rue win can be considered finished but I’d love to come back to it and do a second, final part from Rue’s perspective. only trouble is, I’ve read several great fics with this same AU that cover them going through the rebellion together and so I don’t really know what I have to add to it. we’ll see (as if it hasn’t been 8 years lmao)

Something of Our Own

coming soon:

a month ago, I would’ve said stronger than her story (once she’s lost the plot), a near decade-long WIP lol

but for right now, I’m just working on SOO. *shrugs*

do you accept prompts: sure, though I tend to be a slow writer and I might have to sit on it for a while before posting it. it’d probably be a drabble, too.

upcoming story you’re most excited to write: the rest of SOO? I feel like a broken record :P

story/stories you’re most excited to read: the stories or authors I’m subscribed to, of which there are too many to list here. I also love to check out my mutuals’ recommendations or their own work!

tagging shesasurvivor, juxtaposie, hawtnip, warriorlid14, finnicksannie, lorata (all of whom I hope haven’t already been asked this... if you’ve answered, please tag me so I can learn more about your work!!)

#thg #hunger games #everlark #haymitch abernathy #the book thief #fanfiction #shesasurvivor #juxtaposie #hawtnip #warriorlid14 #finnicksannie #lorata

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nikmikaelsonswife · 3 years

Text

Alaric’s in Love with You but Klaus Was Your One and Only

contains s5 TO spoilers that you’ve probably seen before since you’re on tumblr. set in legacies.

It started when Hope returned to Mystic Falls with you in tow, someone Alaric hadn’t seen in over a decade. You’d changed; physically and mentally. Your hair was darker and shorter, brushing your shoulders as well as your eyes had lost that pretty, dangerous sparkle. You were less extroverted, but that was understandable since you had gone through tremendous heart break.

It also didn’t help that you’d returned to a place that once was your home, the changes having a much heavier and worse effect on you than you had anticipated. You’d spent a great deal of time staring at the Stefan Salvatore Memorial plac, reliving the past, not even having the courage to enter the library.

The way you closed off was only half the reason Alaric and you hadn’t slipped back into old habits. The other was that frankly, it wasn’t easy for him to trust a Salvatore, much less a Mikaelson. You just so happened to be both; the woman who brought the two vampire families together. He didn’t see that as good in any way, shape or form.

He’d never had an issue with you, it was always your brothers, husband and his family stirring the pot and setting paths of destruction in their wake. It was rare for you to aid in it voluntarily, but at the end of the day, you were still a vampire. No matter how much you tried to avoid darkness and evil, you couldn’t hide from something that was apart of who you were.

But then again, he hadn’t seen you in so long. It was before you had officially moved to New Orleans, before you had truly began to cope with Stefan’s death and before you had helped in raising a child. Now you had gone through all of that, along with losing the love of your life and it didn’t take you opening up to him to notice that you weren’t the same person.

Out of nearly two centuries, the past decade had been the worst of your life as well as the best. You’d grown so much and Alaric couldn’t say that he didn’t like who you had become.

He was surprisingly able to set aside your supernatural nature enough to grow quite fond of you. With the help of the people around you, the distraction of being co-headmaster and weekly phone calls with Damon, you were able to break through the grief-stricken shell you’d built around yourself. It allowed Alaric to truly see you again.

At your core, you were still (Y/N), the woman he bantered with in the early morning hours in his office over take out that you had convinced him on buying. The woman who would shout, “YES,” when she’d crack a case all on her own, flashing him a breathtakingly gorgeous smile that made his heart flutter.

He could still pinpoint the day you took your wedding ring off on a calendar, stating that, “I can’t go on everyday with this reminder. I need to live my life.” He knew that was hard for you, since you had refused to take it off for a full two years following Klaus’ death. Perhaps, it meant something.

His brain would turn to mush every time you pulled him in for a hug after a particularly dangerous day, or when you’d catch him staring and give him a quizzical almost smug look. He had a hard time in controlling how his pulse would quicken up when near you, aware that if you listened for it, you’d hear it.

You were far from dumb, as well as the students attending the school. His daughters often gave him a look when they’d catch him acting weird and Hope had even cornered him asking if he had a thing for you with a threatening look on her face.

“I do not have a thing for Dr. Salvatore...”

“Salvatore-Mikaelson,” Hope corrected, arms crossed over her chest. She could see through his bullshit and both of them knew it.

“Look,” she sighed, “(Y/N) is like a mother to me. I’ve known her all my life. For your sake and for hers, I’m going to be completely honest. I doubt she’ll ever get over my dad.”

Sincerity shone in her eyes, a slight frown in her brow. “You didn’t get the chance to but I saw them together. Nothing could match up to what they had. They were soulmates. She doesn’t want anyone else.”

Alaric cleared his throat, briefly adverting his gaze to the floor. “I..I..” He stumbled over his words, unaware of what to say. Deep down, it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. But he couldn’t let his façade drop.

“Have a good day, Hope.”

He’d sat down in his office to mull over her words, pulling a hand over his face every time he’d get too caught up in his thoughts.

If what Hope told him was the case, then what about the little flirtatious glances? Or the way you snuggled into him when you fell asleep in his office that one night?

A small smile tugged at his lips when he thought about how you had berated him after he went off on his own to fight a monster. You had been fuming, eyes watery, yelling about how he was only human and a selfish jackass to not think about all the people who cared about him.

How you cared about him.

He hadn’t felt the way he did since Jo died, not even for Caroline, and it was one he had missed. One he’d been harboring for months and he felt like it was time to confess. If his feelings were requited, he couldn’t imagine a better future than that, a better feeling than that. It was all he was focused on when he said those three little words.

“I..I like you. A lot.”

It was one night when the two of you had gotten a little carried away with the liquor stored underneath your desk. You were snuggled up against him on the couch, but thought nothing of it. Unlike Alaric.

Brows furrowing, it took you a moment to register his words due to the sleepy haze and the alcohol coursing through your system. And when you did, the tension alleviated from your shoulders before you lightly punched him in his. “I like you too. A lot.”

He shook his head, throwing caution and anxiety to the wind before he clarified. “(Y/N), I’m in love with you.”

His eyes were closed so he couldn’t see the way you froze. “I have been for a while. You’re sweet, loving, unbelievably beautiful and an amazing friend. Being co-headmaster with you, seeing you with everyone...I couldn’t help but imagine a life with you by my side officially.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” his eyes fluttered open, which is when he noticed that you had moved away. His heart dropped at that. “I don’t want you to feel pressured...”

“Alaric.” You interjected, fingers toying with the N necklace dangling from your neck; the necklace that was always hidden underneath your shirt, which Alaric hadn’t noticed you still wore until now.

And that combined with the melancholy expression on your face made his stomach churn in fear and realization. He’d made a huge mistake.

Inhaling deeply, you contemplated on what to say. “I like you, Alaric.” His eyebrows raised, hope glistening in his gaze but you quickly shot that down. “But this can’t happen.”

His gaze softened as you stood up from the couch. “It’s not fair to you. I can’t be that woman for you, for Lizzie and Josie.”

“I’m not expecting anything from you...”

“Apparently you are since you told me that you’re in love with me!” Both of you were shocked by your outburst and you quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. I’m overwhelmed.”

A moment of tense silence ensued as you stared at the ground, hyperaware of his gaze on your face. “Klaus was different.” You suddenly spoke, bottom lip quivering as the feelings you had buried resurfaced, “I thought I was going to spend eternity with him.”

“I understand that.” He leaned forward, “I felt the same when Jo died. And it took me a while to move on. I can wait.”

You lifted your gaze to lock it with his. “I wouldn’t ever ask that of you.”

“You’re not asking, I’m just stating. I understand if you need time.” Tears began to gather on your lashes, fingers threading through your hair as you sighed. He was making it more difficult than it already was. You didn’t want to break his heart.

“I still cry in the shower, Al! And when I’m not crying, I’m talking to my dead husband!” Your eyes were wide, voice loud and shaking as you stifled your cries. “I continue to dwell on the past. I dream about him every night. Hell, I even write in a journal about him.”

“After almost three years, I’m still mourning as if I lost him yesterday. And I know for a fact that it will always be like that.”

He stood up at that, his face contorted into a incredulous expression. “But what about the looks you give me? Or the cuddling? You can’t tell me that didn’t mean anything.”

“That’s how I’ve always reacted when a man was interested in me! I thought it was a short term thing or that you wanted to get in bed with me. But just that.”

“It’s not just that. I love you.”

Your heart broke even further at how those words made your stomach churn. “Please. Don’t.” Hatred boiled in your chest as you were upset with him. Upset that he’d ruined a strong bond that took years to build, that you wouldn’t be able to find comfort in your friendship anymore.

“Klaus will always be the man my heart belongs to. He was my one and only. He was my soulmate.”

“You have to stay here and take care of Hope.” He swiped his thumb across your wet skin, “Don’t worry, my love, I’ll be waiting for you on the other side.”

The word echoed in his head, a memory of his conversation with Hope crossing his mind. Soulmate. “(Y/N)...”

“I’m sorry, Alaric.” He internally grimaced at the absence of his nickname and he found himself wondering if the relationship he had with you would ever be the same. Found himself acknowledging that he, in fact, ruined it.

It made him angry as well. He needed you just as much as you needed him.

Your fingers wrapped around the doorknob, “You deserve someone special, Alaric. That someone just can’t be me.”

#i don’t know why i wrote this #i was just watching legacies and got the idea #i was mourning klaus don’t judge me lmfao #klaus mikaelson #alaric saltzman #klaus mikaelson x reader #the vampire diaries #the originals #legacies

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altarflame · 3 years

Text

Deaths That Have Personally Impacted Me in The Past 5 Years

I don’t know if this is “a lot,” as we all eventually die. I’m not in a war zone. It IS a radical increase vs the context of the rest of my life, and as such I find myself craving the quantifying. Fearing that it won’t let up. You know.

I need a novena, a litany of sorts. Please consider the links.

-Diana (Dec 2016), my good friend LJ’s partner. She shot herself, during a period of time that involved visits to our house for holiday celebrations and lots of online interaction. I was in the daily habit of being LJ’s person to vent to by phone, about the ups and downs in their relationship. He is still grieving actively. -Michael Geraldi, (2017) The Pediatrician I had used for all 5 of my kids for more than a decade, and trusted. Perhaps relevant: he was also most of my mom friends’ pediatricians, he guided me through Isaac’s appendicitis and specialists for Elise, he saw all of mine for the price of one when we were paying out of pocket - and my own cousins had actually went to him 30 years before. All their medical records were lost as his office descended into post mortem chaos.

-My Pa. (2017) My Nana’s husband for my whole life. Half of the grandparents I lived with all through high school, and the power behind where I spent all my childhood and adult christmases. I was there with him in the ICU until very close to the end. -Michael Kindt (2017) Who I’d been mutuals here on tumblr with for years, and saw as the male equivalent of my own authorship, and who I conversed with on messenger regularly. He died of liver failure as a self professed drunk, in his 40s and survived by a son. Ironically, he’d liked to say, “the liver is very important. That’s why they call it that.”

-Jean-Paul (2019), my oldest friend. Father of a 14 year old. Someone I loved and trusted and traveled to see annually the last few years of his life, though neither of us knew that’s what it was.

-Katie (2020), my newest real friend at the time. We’d spent a few afternoons one on one in the months leading up to her hanging herself. I’ve taken multiple people to her grave, taken her husband and daughter dinner a couple of nights, felt very pissed at her at times. -Peter (2020). This is a cat, sort of. He was way more of a person. He was part of our family for 13 years and was easily the most complex animal I’ve ever shared space with. Elise didn’t remember life without him and is still writing and painting about him.

-Joan (2021), my stepdad’s sister, who I still had on facebook, and who’s sister Tammy I still visit every couple of years and talk to on messenger like quarterly. Joan was a big part of my elementary school years and seemed like a fixture out in the world. I contibuted to her gofundme and reached out to her, towards the end. Tammy is devastated and grieving every time I open social media. Those are the big ones. There are so many others, in just this 5 year span. Priel, who I went to high school with and who had a freak accident during his honeymoon. Jesse, my friend Jess’s first big love, who actually died a long time ago in a car crash but we just found out because we’d lost touch. Pirate, who I’d only met once but who Sterling lived with once upon a time; we drank champagne and tried to remember and celebrate that we are still alive. I’ve got a candle lit here, green for life and for legacy, as I type. I’m drinking the mimosa flower essence I made myself, under a full flower moon eclipse, to quench grief. Maybe I’ll go wash some of this heaviness off in a shower, when I get up. Maybe I’ll have life affirming and thought obliterating sex. Maybe I’ll even have a couple of years where I don’t lose anyone dear to me. I’m going back to therapy later this month. COVID is surging again and my work (I’m a hospice therapist) seems too personal, too intrusive. I still laugh many times per day, but I definitely tear up often, as well, and it’s always close to the surface. I’m aware, sometimes, now, of needing to siphon it off, having to keep ahead of it.

#momento mori #mortality #loss #ritual #connection #death #personal #long text post

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well-shit-im-a-morosexual-now · 3 years

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Time to talk about Lillith :)

So her being MC's ancestor in the story was... A bad choice, in my opinion.

And I don't hate that she was the one who revived MC, quite the opposite, that was a fine move. I like to think that it was to show that MC had a connection to all the siblings, dead or alive, hate or love. It's just...

Why are they (technically) related? What was the purpose?

That could sound mean, but if some of your playbase could call incest and (possibly) have a leg to stand on, it's a bit... Much, let's say. But, either way, there is an alternative that I like. (And one I made up, but that's besides the point.)

I like the idea that Diavolo lied to the brothers to keep the peace. To me, it makes sense, because:

He needs to keep the peace between the three realms, and y'know, one of the humans dying kind of prevents that. So, why not lie to them to make sure this never happens again?

It would also get to a quick resolution for the brothers, since I'm pretty sure that Belph was about to kill MC... Again.

Sadly, I only have two reasons, but you're smart, you can probably expand upon this.

Anyway, this might be a bit sloppy, but I hope you can understand what I'm trying to say.

Your Anonymous Color Coder,

Lesson 42 Anon

(P.S. I have issues with Lesson 16, 17, and 18. I say this just in case I want to rant about it. :)

So initially I wasn't the biggest fan of them being related, though when they first started hinting at a connection between Lilith and MC I had a "OH GOD. OH DAMN. PLEASE DON'T BE LILITH'S REINCARNATION" moment so finding out MC was just a distant relative was a relief but not one I was necessarily happy with? Because of all the "Is this technically incest!?" feelings I had at the time.

But it did grow on me? I think all the human au's I had roaming free in my head helped me get over it? When writing or thinking up human Aus I try to make them as close to the Canon situation as possible so it'd be:

The brothers and Lilith all living in a foster home with only Lucifer and Satan being blood related, but they all see each other as a found family. MC would be a distant (and I mean distant enough it equals to the thousands of years that separate Canon MC and Lilith) cousin who they don't even find out is related to Lilith until much later (after Lilith either leaves and joins a more permanent family or....well dies I guess).

The way I see it, it'd be the same as a group of "we're so close we see each other as siblings" friends wanting to date the distant/estranged relative of one of the group members.

So yeah, now I see the whole Lilith, MC, brothers thing as "Incest if I'm willing to reach so far my arm tears straight outta my socket" so yeah.

Though obviously it's completely valid if people are still uncomfortable with it.

ANXUSJWMNZRATQVX8 Belphie would have totally murdered MC if they didn't bring up the whole Lilith thing! And I'm so upset they all just get over it? Like damn I love Belphie no lie, but are we just gonna gloss over the fact that he was 110% okay with the genocide of the entire human race???????

I also have this headcanon that MC has chronic pain that flares up on and off after Belphie murdered them, cause remember how the ghost of the fortune teller,Gisella (?), on the train said you never forget the feeling of dying and MC had a pretty violent death so.....

I also HC that there are days, specially when the pain is bad, where they can't stand to be near Belphie and that while he was initially upset by this and was persistent about still being with them by around mid S2 or S3 he's learnt to identify those days and understand why MC can't even look at him then and he makes himself scarce and sleeps away the day in an out of the way dark, corner probably with Beel around for emotional support because honestly those days would hurt him as much as MC.

I like that in the Canon storyline that none of the brothers were 100% okay with Belphie right after Lesson 16 and how they went out of their way, more so than usual, to make sure MC wasn't alone with him? I maybe reading into that too much but I liked it..

And I mean generally MC's a very calm, collected, headstrong and stubborn character so as frustrating as it is I understand why they would want to help Belphie get along with the others again. "I died for this shit, so I might as well see it through" kinda mentality

I didn't initially like the two timelines cause it made me really sad imagining the one MC left behind and to ease that angst I always imagined since MC changed the past their original timeline -the future timeline- got erased with a new future unfolding. but someone on tumblr posted a headcanon with evidence on why they thought Barbatos joined the two timelines together so that they live with the extra day of memories and experiences that came from the original timeline AND I JUMPED THE HELL ON THAT BOAT & actually recently wrote something about it. Here have the link and some shameless self promotion cause I'm an attention whore:

Deadlines

"When Mammon meets his soulmate he's going to punch them in the face. It doesn't matter if he'll only find out who exactly his soulmate is when one of them is on their deathbed. He's still going to punch them."

Um anyway that's all my thoughts on 16, 17 & 18 (I think. There might be more that I can't remember at the moment tbh) and since I rambled to you about it you are now contractually obligated to rant to me about yours. Sorry, those are the rules🤷🏽

About the thing you said about Diavolo and his reasons I honestly have nothing else to add, I mean the reasons you gave make total sense and I'm okay with just what the canon gave too so

It wasn't sloppy at all! My rambles are always too long and all over the place!

Edit: I forgot! As to why they were related, yeah I don't think it was completely necessary but still I can see reasons behind it?

1. As a way to make MC other. A devilgram and a little line in S3 makes it seem like MC is neither angel, demon OR human. I HC that Lilith died right as she was changing from angel to demon making her one of a kind and that pure "Fallen Angel" magic came with her when she was reincarnated and then was passed down to MC.

2. How lilith's known as the mother of monsters in some myths and how MC is related to them... I just think it's neat. Plus MC has an insane amount of raw power - truly a monster in their own right

3. It's closure for the brothers. They never got to see Lililth as a human, never got to see her grow up, fall in love, start her own family. The last they saw her she was in pain and dying. They don't get to see if she was happy. MC's the closest proof they have to that. That she found love and had a family and was happy

4. It's closure for lilith. Just the fact that her spirit passed down from descendent to descendent along with her magic till she could see her brothers again just to see if they were happy and to tell them she had lived a long happy life. I don't know I'm really happy she was able to do that

5. The brothers find similarities between Lilith and MC but they're rare and 6 of the 7 brothers already liked MC before they found out about MC being her descendent. And even Belohie starts to like them as their own person. Just I always worry that they like MC just because of the connection between them and Lilith and that they see MC as a replacement but then U remember their Canon interactions and it feels like the brothers actually forget about that connection. MC is Lilith's legacy, they're living proof that you can be born in one world but find your true home in another, but they're not defined by Lilith. They're their own person. Even their magic is their own considering Lilith used the last of hers when she helped them in Lesson 15/16

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me!#shall we date? obey me!#swd obey me #asks #answers #my headcanons #my theories #obey me lilith #obey me belphie #swd lilith #swd belphie #om! belphie #obey me belohegor #om! belphegor #swd belohegor

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