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velvetwyrme · 10 months

Note

TOP FAVE READER INSERT UNDERTALE (OR ANY OTHER AU’S) FICS???? /genq /nf

>:3c

Oh you don't have to worry about forcing me. I've been wanting to do this for a while and you just gave me the perfect excuse!!!

List under the cut because it's LONG and I love to chatter.

A little note before you continue: I won't pick any PURELY explicit fics (... with a couple exceptions) since if I did, I'd be here forever

BUT fair warning that some of these will be dark, and may deal with heavy topics. Some will also have some spicy/explicit content in them, but I'll do my best to mark them accordingly! (I won't mark ones with just suggestive themes/moments, since I cant guarantee I'll catch all of them. Similarly, unless there is graphic death or gore, I won't mark it as such.)

I have also included the STATUS of each fic as such: Finished, Ongoing/Unfinished, Discontinued. Please note that unless the author specified that the fic is Discontinued or on Indefinite Hiatus, I will mark it as Ongoing/Unfinished. Oneshots are also marked as such.

ALSO for some of these fics it's been years since I last read them, so if I miss any warnings for them, that's why! As always, check the tags before reading and take care :]!!

MULTICHAPTERS

When Words Get Broken - Papyrus/Reader - Finished

Featuring: Some of the best Papyrus characterisation that I’ve read. The most unkissable kissable skeleton. If you want to know what I mean by that, go read this fic. I love him so so so dearly.

Life Like A Ghibli Movie - Papyrus/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

One of the fics ever. Broke me apart and put me together again. Lives permanently in my brain.

Vacuous Happiness - Sans/Reader - Finished

Rewired my brain. I feel like I went on a roadtrip which changed me irreversibly as a person. The same author is also writing a Firewatch inspired fic featuring UF!Sans which I’m enjoying as well :]

Thunderstruck - Underfell!Papyrus/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

If you haven’t read Thunderstruck what are you doing. Go read it. You’ve probably already read this fic but go read it again!!!! One of my favourite portrayals of UF!Papyrus ever. Almost certainly has some amount of influence on the way I'm writing Flipping Fate.

You, Me, and Dr. G - W.D. Gaster/Reader

I love this fic so so much. *drinks it up like water*

This is part of a series that also contains fics I love; Story That Might Happen When You Date Sans (F) and Black Thumb (F), which are respectively a Sans/Reader and Asgore/Reader. Both are really good as well. This one is just my favourite out of the 3 though. The same author also wrote Just One Word (F), which is a soulmate AU Mettaton/Reader which I also enjoyed.

Teach Me How - Sans/Reader - Finished

I read this fic waaay before I realised I was somewhere on the aro/ace spectrum and hoooo boy my obsession with it when I was younger really makes sense now. Incredibly sweet, they go from hate to love, and the reader is aro/ace. It’s a little messy, but isn’t everything?

In writing this I also realised this is by the same author who wrote You, Me and Dr. G!!! >:O

Pursuit of Happiness - Sans/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

SO good. Y'all at Rock Bottom babey!!

A Home for Mending Souls - Underfell!Skelebros/Reader - Finished

Extremely soft. Recovery/Healing fics beloved. I love the characterisation in this fic so much. Made me very emotional.

Backroads and Bad Jokes - Horrortale!Sans/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

I love this fic so much. Sooo many scenes live rent free in my head. I won't spoil things ;] I think it takes place in the same universe as A Home for Mending Souls?

The Nebular Theory - Skelebros/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

If it's not obvious already, I absolutely adore this fic. You want some REALLY good characterisation? A juicy plot that has me wishing I had the space for a red-string theory board? An attention to canon details that make me scream? Communication between characters!!!!!

READ THIS FIC.

Love? It's Complicated - Series - Finished (...?)

[Warning: Contains Dark/Heavy Themes.]

I'm cheating here by linking the entire series (which is 11 fics of various levels of interconnectedness) but it's so worth it. This series tore my heart out, stomped on it, stuck it back in and gave me a sweet little kiss at the end. Several times over!! I cried like 4 times in one night while binging it!! Also this series contains one of the few OC/Canon stories that I enjoy!!

I actually read Burning Mountain first and then everything else in order and proceeded to LOSE MY GODDAMN MIND reading the first and second fics because OH. That's why the end of BM was so... OHhhhHHhhhh.........

The current fics included in the series are all finished, but I'm not sure if the author intends to come back to it in the future.

In the meantime, their other fics A Little Bit(ty) of Trouble (F) and Cold Blood, Warm Heart (O/U) have also stolen my heart. Those ALSO deal with dark, complicated topics so tread carefully and enjoy!

Bearskinner in Three Worlds - Various/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

The plot and writing has gripped me and won’t let go. The reader goes through so much and it’s so worth it. Loooove the polyamory negotiations. I don't want to spoil anything!!! Go read it!!

Penitent Island - Various/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

Really good plot and fun interactions! By the same author as Bearskinner. Did I mention I love this author's poly negotiations?

Transmigration of the Soul - Papyrus/Reader - Finished

One of the good ol’ classics. Japes! Drama! Romance! Really good plot! Apparently optional smut according to the tags! I don't recall that but it's a thing!

The impact of this fic can still be seen in the way I view Kindness souls and how they behave lol.

When Two Tsunderes Do on A Date, Does the Void Explode - Fellswap!Sans/Reader - Finished (?)

This series is so so funny. They’re both kinda idiots. And they're both SUPER TSUNDERE. I love all the characters here so much.

My Dearly Detested Deliveryman - Swapfell!Papyrus/Reader - Finished

Every single one of Little_old_lady’s fics are fucking hilarious. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. This one you go through enemies to lovers with your deliveryman. Just go read it already.

Black Coffee - Swapfell!Sans/Reader - Finished

Soulmate AU!! Unbelievably silly. I love it so much. Papyrus is such a little shit here.

Pussycat, Pussycat, Where Have You Been? - Fellswap!Sans/Reader - Finished

Another banger by Little_old_lady. Both Papyrus and the reader are so dumb I love them. Also Sans is a tsundere.

There’s a snake in my bed! - Mafiafell!Sans/Reader - Finished

Sans is a wholeass dumbass in this one. He's got a snake (think Daemons from His Dark Materials/The Golden Compass) who loves to go into your room. You like the snake too :D

The Skeleton Games - Underfell!Sans/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

[Warning: Contains Explicit Content]

He’s so pathetic in this I love it. It's far more complicated than that but hrkjsjhsgf pathetic little guy.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match - Skelebros/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

Super heckin cute!!! I wanna give the reader a little smooch too. They are so lonely but they are making friends!!!

Dirty Laundry - Swapfell!Skelebros/Reader - Finished

THE Swapfell fic. It had me in a vice grip when I read through it the first time. And the second. And the- you get it. Brilliant characterisation and really delicious talks about developing relationships and more.

Honestly all of this author’s works are fantastic, but in particular I love Roadside Attraction (O/U), Fur a Good Time, Call… (F) and also her AU vignettes… Flotsam & Jetsam, Not So Spooky-Scary and Make Your Mark.

A Smile From the East - Underfell!Papyrus/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

I read this way back when it was still updating and it has lived in my brain since. It has everything. UF!Papyrus in all his edgy glory. Flower shop AU. Angst. Romance. It's left me hanging for like 5 years waiting for the last chapter and I encourage you to let it do the same to you.

Re-Hate-tionship - Swapfell!Papyrus/Reader - Finished

[Warning: Contains Explicit Content.]

ENEMIES TO LOVERS!! They hate each other so so much and they WILL fuck about it. Somehow despite being very very mean to each other, they are both very sweet.

Twice a Month I Fall In Love - SwapfellPapyrus/Reader/Swap!Papyrus - Ongoing/Unfinished

I love love love this fic (I even read it again pretty recently…) SF!Papyrus and the reader swap bodies twice a month. Romance and shenanigans ensue. The reader is not the hinge in this poly! Weird things happen when you kind of want to kiss some dude you met in this other guy’s body (who you incidentally are also falling for).

Becoming Edge - Underfell!Papyrus/Reader - Finished

Not only is this fic just so so sweet, but it also sparked me to start experimenting more with my wardrobe which has made me much happier. Actually cured my depression because of that (Partly anyway!)

Paper Flowers - Sans/Reader - Finished

[Warning: INCREDIBLY SAD]

I need to read this again, but I still feel like I can wholeheartedly rec it. I still remember enough that thinking about the title makes me want to cry, so...

Just a Little Offbeat - Bitty SwapBros/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

Hi. Not-so-secret about me. I love bitty fics. This one in particular is really good.

Bitty Hunt - Reverse Harem/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

We all know the [Number] Skeletons and You" setup. We all know Bittybones AUS. But what if… YOU were the bitty? Who is incidentally a landlady? Lots of fun! Many shenanigans.

You all probably know this one but I still love it lol.

His Name Was Bob - Bitty Underfell!Sans/Reader - Finished

One of the OG bitty fics from my recollection. Really good!!!

Skeleton Kisses – Sans/Reader – Finished

SO heckin SWEET. You are in fact scared of him but it all works out :]

Tits and Dick – Underfell!Sans/Reader – Ongoing/Unfinished

I love them so dearly. They’re both so fucking stupid.

All the Right Moves - Dancetale!Sans/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

I almost got into colourguard because of this fic. I haven't read it in a long time so I can't guarantee anything about quality/content but... I really wanted to get into colourguard after reading this.

Honey, We Bee-Long - Underswap!Papyrus/Reader - Finished

This is actually part of series but this is just the one I liked the most ;3c Pretty cute!!!!

New Home on the Range - Cowboy AU!Skelebros/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

Yeehaw. I love cowboys too much not to include this. The reader is described a lil bit, but I will overlook that because I want to kiss these boys sooooo bad. Papyrus in this is such a sweetie. Also plot >:3c

Where the Daffodils Grow - Papyrus Ensemble/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

Chances are, at least some percentage of you are here because you saw the comic I drew of this fic. I love it so. Reverse harem set in Underswap!!! Lets GOOO!! PAPYRUS ENSEMBLE LETS GOOOOOO!!!!!

Cash It In - Swapfell!Papyrus/Reader - Finished

[Warning: Contains Explicit Content.]

Tumultuous soulmate AU!!!! WAH. Super super cute!!!!! UhhhhHH I FORGOT THERE'S SMUT FIRST CHAPTER BUT LISTEN OKAY I LOVE THIS FIC TOO MUCH TO NOT INCLUDE IT KAJDHJFH

Kintsugi - Underswap!Papyrus/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

[Warning: Contains Explicit Content.]

I found this fic last year but APPARENTLY I left kudos on it?? Years ago???? SO I GOT TO REREAD IT FRESH. Dramatic, tense, and a really good read overall.

Panic Room – Swapfell/Reader – Ongoing/Unfinished

[Warning: Contains Dark/Heavy Themes.]

This one you really REALLY need to read the warnings, but if it interests you, hot damn is it a good story. SUPER dark but chewed through my brain like drywall. The worldbuilding is spectacular.

In the Language of Flowers – Various/Reader (???) – Ongoing/Unfinished

[Warning: Contains Dark/Heavy Themes.]

One of the pioneers of the “Reader is a Sans” tropes. Slowburn to the nth degree. Extremely dramatic, it's fantastic. Marked as (???) for the relationship because IDK what the specific ending relationships are going to be. Also technically Sans/Sans since… the reader is a Sans? It gets complicated man.

Joined at the Hip - Various/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

Another Reader is a Sans fic. Enemies to lovers except you are also kinda sharing the same body?? SIGN ME UP. Again, gets complicated with romance stuff because of it.

The Wolf - Various/Reader(?) - Ongoing/Unfinished

As always, it gets confusing when they’re sharing a body. In this one I love that they get along and have all that figured out. Mostly. They have the problems of two people mashed into one body. Plus! I love the naming structure in this one. Also, I (as a reader) am simping hard for Orion. He’s off the table in the fic because he’s Gemini’s brother but PERSONALLY, I love him.

He was Real. – Horrorswap!Sans/Reader – Finished

In which you dream of a strange skeleton and- he’s REAL OH OKAY YOU SHOULD PROBABLY HELP HIM HUH. Fun concept, very well executed.

A collection of Fables and Romances – Sans/Reader (Various) – Ongoing/Unfinished Series

As the title implies, it’s a collection of short fics! All of them are very good :]

Poor Little Meow Meow – Killer/Reader – Ongoing/Unfinished

Killer adopts cats. He’s got so many cats. And also you :>

Still Counting – Sans/Reader Series - Finished

I’m not cheating by including this entire series- it’s all one long story. And goodness gracious is it a GOOD story. It’s got [REDACTED]- well shit I guess you just gotta go read it.

thinking of you. – Underswap/Reader – Ongoing/Unfinished

You think that Swap!Sans is a figment of your imagination, but whoop turns out he’s not!! He’s REAL babey!! Go kiss a ghost(ly skeleton) and a less than ghostly skeleton! Very cute.

Who Done It? - SpicyMobKustard/Reader - Finished

(Mafiatale!Sans/Fell!Papyrus/Reader/Fell!Sans Polycule)

The dynamics between characters are really good and it's got a solid mystery plot underscoring the developing romance :D Please note that the reader is Not the hinge in this poly- they are part of the polycule (and the only two who aren't dating are UF!Sans and UF!Papyrus, since they are related here) so if that's not your thing, don't click! If it is! Enjoy!!

R&R (Rabble & Rampallions) - Bad Sanses (plus)/Reader - Finished

This finished recently (as of writing) and it’s been such a wild ride. I want to read it again and again and again. And I will once I've let it settle in my brain more. I CRIED at the end.

Gloom & Doom All Up in Your Room - Bad Sanses/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

If you are craving more Bad Sanses content after finishing R&R… hey look there’s another brilliant fic featuring them guys. The vibe is different but still so good. Dust is very much bleeding out in your living room when you first meet him, which I feel sets the scene in terms of what sort of violence and/or gore you’ll see here.

Little Assistant - Bad Sanses/Bitty!Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

MORE Bad Sanses content. But they’ve got a bitty (you!) this time. The Star Sanses kinda accidentally suck in this, but they (or at least ONE of them) is trying to get better.

do you live with abusive skeletons? pull a power move and fuck their dad! - W.D. Gaster/Reader - Finished

Incredibly funny (and self-explanatory) title. I enjoy trope reversal and subversion >:3c

Blackcurrant - Horror Swapfell/Reader - HIATUS

Black adopts you as a pet because he doesn’t realise you are sapient. Mutt on the other hand is fully aware and thus is hostile towards you. Lots of fun :] Also very lovely art! Currently on hiatus though.

Skeleton Sisters and the Architect - Fem!Skeleharem/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

I’m so fucking gay. Girls. Holy shit. GIRLS. I am looking so respectfully. They’re all so cute and I love their names.

a full course meal - Horrortale!Sans/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

* Edited after note from the author! There are future installments planned 👀

A very cute series of oneshots centered around the reader and HT!Sans!!! HE’S SO BIG. WAIT THERE’S A THIRD PART I DIDN’T SEE THAT BEFORE.

Potato Soup (with a side of skeleton) - Horrortale!Sans/Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

INCREDIBLY FUNNY PREMISE. Neither of them know how to open up but it’s somehow very endearing.

Chasing the End - Grillby/Reader - Finished

The plot had me yelling. Love some good old "before the barrier" content. We get to see baby Sans and Pap also!!!

=========================

ONESHOTS

A Unique Definition - Underswap!Papyrus/Reader - Oneshot

Really cute oneshot! You steal US Paps’ hoodie and it’s the cutest thing in the world.

Honeydew - Horrortale!Sans/Reader - Oneshot

Sweet! You meet him on a train and share honeydew it’s all very cute.

No Strings Attached - Underfell!Sans/Reader - Oneshot

Rewired the way I conceptualise UF!Sans. (The other fics in this series are explicit!)

Human Anatomy Fanatic - Papyrus/Reader - Oneshot

[Warning: Explicit content]

Papyrus is a little freak and loves every weird and strange part of your human anatomy. Some of the sections deals (briefly) with explicit stuff, but even then, it is more focused on Papyrus being SUPER FASCINATED by how human bodies work. Somehow!! Really cute!

Pat? - Swapfell!Papyrus/Reader - Oneshot

DOGY. DOGGY MEETCUTE. Super cute!! Very embarrassing!!!! PATS!!!!!!

Emotional Drought - Bitty Horrortale!Sans/Reader - Oneshot

LONG oneshot. Very good. Prepare for complex relationships and also a delightfully open and ambiguous ending. I love this one to bits.

Soulmate of the Century - Nightmare!Sans/Reader - Oneshot

The sillies. Really silly. Super cute.

Black Coffee Isn’t Too Bitter - Swapfell!Sans/Reader - Oneshot

Black sends Chara and Mutt to tell a human he likes them. They do a spectactularly bad job at it, but someone better than when he goes in to tell them himself. It works out somehow.

Red and the Bitty - Underfell!Sans/Reader - Oneshot

The title says Bitty, but it’s Red who’s the giant. You get sacrificed to the big bad monster and he’s an ass about it. Somehow, still pretty cute.

=========================

MISC. READER INSERTS

For the non-romantic/platonic fics that are still reader inserts.

Bitty Reader Adventures -Various & Reader - Ongoing/Unfinished

THE bitty reader fic. Series of fics. Whatever. The OG!!! I used to reread these all the time and I still like em :]

Help, I've Fallen Into a Surveillance State and I Can't Get Up! - Reader is a Sans/OC, Platonic Relationships - Ongoing/Unfinished

Yes, there is one chapter so far. Yes, it is 17k words long.

I am so fucking obsessed with this fic. It’s got trope subversion, absolutely amazing worldbuilding, snappy writing, black comedy and light-hearted normalcy in the face of horrors, paired with just enough serious introspection to balance it out?? WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT. I want to eat this fic whole. Also there is lovely art ;>

Street Kitty - Platonic Reader Insert - Ongoing/Unfinished

YOU’RE A KITTY. You menace Sans. You are literally the best cat.

Pieces - Platonic Reader Insert - Ongoing/Unfinished

I need to reread this again, but this was another one that ingrained itself into my bones. You wake up as a flower (like Flowey) and you essentially turn into Frisk’s guide. Love this fic to bits.

Monsters Should Be Cute! - Bitty Sans & Reader - Finished

Pumpkin is a menace and I love him. The undefined-other-reader-dash-underling is also a great character.

Oops, I have a Naga - Naga Bitty Sans & Reader - Finished

Sweet fic !!!!! Real cute! You have a naga now! A naga with TRAUMA.

Tib and Rib – Sans & Papyrus & Reader – Ongoing/Unfinished

This one has me crying and weeping. BLASTER BOYS. On account of the power dynamics here being messed up, this is more a platonic/QPP kinda deal. They hurt so much but they are recovering!!! It updated while I was writing this! Let me go cry!!

Honey, I’m in the mafia. – Platonic Reader Insert – Ongoing/Unfinished

Hi mossy. You thought I would include the fic you wrote inspired by my own fic?? THINK AGAIN. This fic is freakin hilarious. You have to babysit Mafiafell!Sans and Papyrus who are young teens. This can only go well.

(I actually read it the other day but realised I didn't leave kudos. djfgfgkjkajsdkjsd)

Up in the Attic – Platonic Reader Insert – Ongoing/Unfinished

You’re a kid who lives in the Swapfell’s attic. They become your guardians :D

=========================

NON-READER INSERTS

You thought I was DONE? HAHAHA ha. I had to include these.

One by One – Finished

… (Knock, knock, knock)

If you need an indication as to how much I love this fic; I wrote out the last line on a blackboard and that remained on my wall for at least 5 years. It’s since been rubbed off, but I can still recite it to this day.

Cathartic AND beautiful. I've read this many times and also tried to copy-paste by hand into a word document before I realised Ao3 had a download feature.

Day to Day and One by One’s sequel, Truant similarly demolished me.

Brothers Beyond Bonedaries - Finished

Another fic which I haven’t read in years but really should. Both Sans and Papyrus are fallen humans who die and then...? Well go read it and find out ;]

How to raise your bitty - Finished (?)

Don’t have a brother? Storebought Adopted is fine! AKA. Razz (SF!Sans) gets a bitty named Slim (SF!Papyrus). I love it dearly. Again, it’s a series, so the series is technically unfinished, but each individual fic is complete.

The Planet Sanses - Ongoing/Unfinished

REALLY fun concept- what if Blue recruited the Bad Sanses to also help out when the other Star Sanses are busy. Thus the Bad Sanses become!! THE PLANET SANSES. The rest of the series is also fun- I liked the first fic, Blood Moon the most though :]!!

Remembrance - Finished

Some old-school Papyrus angst. This one is the first Undertale fic I bookmarked and thus holds an important place in my heart. Papyrus is so so so sad.

Appreciation for Honesty - Finished

AND WHAT’S THIS? MORE PAPYRUS ANGST? You can really see I was going through it back then. This one similarly broke my heart. You ever think about how many lies Papyrus is told? He does.

Flowey Is Not A Good Life Coach - Finished

[Warning: Contains Dark/Heavy Content.]

*Deep breath* Okay so. This is pure whump. Papyrus gets hurt. He gets hurt and it gets better but oh my goodness gracious does he get hurt.

If you want to read about Papyrus getting broken (in more ways than one) then you should read this fic. If you don’t, then go read one of the other fics I’ve linked that have nicer themes. Something funny. Or cute.

The Pap Chat Logs – Finished

[Warning: Contains Dark/Heavy Content.]

Read these if you want to be SAD. These are mostly chatlogs from an old discord server (that I actually joined and never talked in) which all deal with a great amount of PAPYRUS ANGST. Please note that these talk about a lot very very heavy content. Read the tags and click away if you need to.

In particular, I’d recommend Deitale and "The Great Papyrus" is an Excellent Host- the latter has also been turned into a comic! (Which you should also read, if you haven’t already)

=========================

And there we are! I ran out of links! Not as in I don't have more fics I want to add to this list, but rather tumblr only allows you to add 100 links. Augh. Suffering.

But I don't want to end it on such an angsty note!!! SO... the only logical course of action is to link...

SAUCY FICTION!! - Finished

[Warning: EXPLICIT!!!!! Talk about dicks and boobs!!!]

The only fully explicit fic I will link here. It is the funniest thing I’ve read in my life. Also, there’s a comic of it. I never need to read anything else in my entire life ever.

Wait, there’s a sequel-

=========================

This list in theory is much longer, but I was forcibly cut short by tumblr's limit to 100 links per post. Theoretically I could do a reblog and add more, but I've already gone on long enough. Tumblr Is barely letting me save this post as is ^^"

Also, I'm terrible at remembering to bookmark fics I like, so there's probably a ton I missed!!! :( Not to mention a few have been deleted since I last went and looked :< snowflakeimagines' Meet Ugly series... I would have added you to my list if I could.

There were a bunch of "weirder" fics that didn't make the cut, but this is still a pretty comprehensive list of fics I like :]

If any of yall have recommendations... hand them over. I have gone through the entirety of the reader insert tags, but somehow I still miss things.

Thank you for reading ;3c!!

#fic recs #fic rec list #others writing #my taste in fics has been revealed.#my heart has been bared.#doozis fic recs #anon #inbox

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zahri-melitor · 4 months

Text

Why is it every time someone asks for a list of introductory comics for newbies to get hooked people lose their goddamn minds and start reccing: elaborate Elseworlds that contain triple strength Justice Leagues and which have NO obvious sequels; genre-interrogation pieces frequently written 30+ years ago (even Hush is now over 20); a list of things that very specifically insist they’re Graphic Novels not Comics; and things with Giant Genre Conceit in them that can be confronting to newbies.

Most of this list achieves nothing. ‘Acclaimed story’ usually means the fans love it or the industry loves it, neither of which are barometers for if a NEWBIE will love it.

(There’s also a feedback loop between ‘people who watch Batman movies being recced The Dark Knight Returns so people think that’s what comic and Batman movies should be and disparage a whole list of BASIC superhero concepts’ but I’m tired today)

A far simpler list of suggestions to finding a starter comic for someone:-

1. Something written after 2000. The art will be more accessible. I PROMISE you it will help. You want something with art the person will actually enjoy.

2. Unless you KNOW they’ll get a kick out of something heavily stylised, stick to stuff with clean lines, good colour, and normal human proportions.

3. Ask/think what this person’s favourite stories/TV shows/movies are and PICK A COMIC WITH SIMILAR THEMES.

4. A limited cast list oh my god. Solos or team books for teams with a max of 4 members.

5. Don’t fall into the trap of going ‘an anthology book would be a great sampler’ don’t DO IT, give them an anthology once they’re hooked. You are trying to form babby’s first blorbo, they need to spend exclusive time together.

6. Minis are honestly great in that they have self contained stories, but if possible pick a mini for a character who actually has OTHER real appearances nearbyish. I want to shove Hawkgirl into everyone’s hands but I also know that getting more amazing Kendra stories soon is…unlikely.

7. Alternatively a contained solo run with at least 24 issues. Long enough to hook someone, by the end of it they’re probably ready to to branch out.

8. Honestly, think of your ‘I don’t usually read X family/imprint but this was great’ list more than your all time faves list. Better density of titles that are actually accessible without needing backstory.

#brought to you by Twitter going stupid again #I know it would help if DC reprinted more trades of actual great intro stories #but we do what we can

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respectthepetty · 8 months

Note

Following your last post. Are you able to summarise or explain why you love Taiwan BL so much?

I ask because I too love Taiwanese BLs but……I can’t pin point why. Is it because the first ones I watched was top tier?! (Loooking at you fighting Mr2nd and History4) or is there a different frame work that draws us in?

I don’t know and can’t seem to explain it so I has rushed here after your post and express my need for you to someone explain or put into words, WHY WE LOVE TAIWANESE GAYS?!?

Anon, I've listed a few times why I love Taiwanese BLs (like here and here), but I love them soooooo much, I will gladly do it again!

Strangely enough, I have an ask sitting patiently in my inbox requesting I rank the HIStory franchise, but since I love Taiwanese BLs, it's hard for me to pick between my favorites, which I had to do for Taiwanese BLs in general when I was asked to rank my top five. However, HIStory 4: Close to You rules above ALL BLs regardless of country. I love it! It is the best. I will fight people and their pets for it.

But you know I cannot keep things short, so . . .

10 Reasons I Love Taiwanese BLs

*presented in no particular order*

The shows are visually pleasing.

The cinematography especially the color editing and the lighting are good quality. As a color demon, I've noticed the emphasis on colors even in Taiwanese non-BL series I've watched. I'm superficial. They're pretty!

The men are visually pleasing.

Beyond the production aesthetics, the actors themselves are easy on the eyes. Every single main character is unexpectedly hiding a body-ody-ody under his clothes which he reveals in the most natural ways. The camera doesn't linger on the body. The bodies are just bodies. But they are oh-so-very pretty bodies.

The attraction is obvious.

Taiwanese BLs are high heat. The characters will flirt. They will stare longingly at each other. They will playfully touch each other. They will have sex. The characters want each other, physically, and we see that. And it won't be saved until the final episode. The attraction develops in a way that feels natural, and if there is hesitation regarding sex, once they figure out the mechanics, the characters embody the "practice makes perfect" motto.

The beds are used.

Domesticity is at the core of a Taiwanese BL. We see characters cooking in kitchens, often. We see them sleeping in beds without sex being involved. An entire scene can be focused around the characters doing household chores such as laundry, washing dishes, or mopping. The characters are building a home together as partners, and we constantly see that.

The families are caring.

For every shitty family member, there are three others who are determined to win a PFLAG award. We see characters' siblings, parents, and found family members being supportive of their relationship and fighting other family members who step out of line.

The secondary pairs deliver.

When the story isn't focusing on the main couple, I still care about the second (and sometimes third) pair. Their stories might not always be fully fleshed out, but they don't distract from the main couple nor make me want to skip over their parts. The secondary couples are also involved in the stories outside of their romance. They are connected to the overall story and help to push the narrative forward.

The couples are queer.

This seems like a given since we are dealing with BLs, but Taiwan has delivered very few high school and university BLs, and even when it does, they aren't presented as a coming-of-age story. Characters already know they are queer, or if they realize it, they don't panic. For example, in About Youth, both characters confessed they hadn't kissed anyone before, but it wasn't depicted as an "ah-I'm-gay" moment. Even in DNA Says Love You, the reveal wasn't cause for a crisis; it was a moment of relief. In my fave, HIStory 4, the main character realized he liked his friend, sat on that revelation, then licked his friend's mouth and told him he loved him. Very pro kissing-the-homies.

The couples are adults.

Because Taiwan hasn't produced many high school and university BLs, a majority of its shows are focused on adults, with jobs, and families, and baggage. As mentioned above, the main conflict is never a character understanding his queerness. It's usually him trying to balance his relationship with all the other issues life brings him like a work deadline, the mafia, or ghosts. You know, adult issues.

The couples are enemies-to-lovers, lite.

My favorite kind of couple dynamic is "I'll kill (for) him" and Taiwan knows how to deliver this. Even when couples move past the enemies stage, there are moments when they look at each other as if they could kill each other, and that warms my heart. The couples argue. They fight. They plot each other's murders. Then they eat dinner together and hold each other in bed. Love isn't all rainbows and sunshine in these BLs, and Taiwan shows that it's not just about who will fight with you, but who will fight for you that matters.

The country has marriage equality!

I'm going to get political - I don't even believe in the institution of marriage, but I'll throw hands for everyone's right to marriage equality. People deserve the right to get married, and Taiwan granted its people that right in 2019; then, this year, it made it legal for same-sex couples to jointly adopt a child. Taiwan has a tension-filled relationship with China due to disputes about Taiwan's independence, and we all know how China censors the homos. Therefore, I love Taiwanese BLs flexing its gay rights muscle all of the time. Other countries are fighting the good fight for their rights, but if it came down to my last little international dollar, I want to support the countries that support us and not those that are profiting off our community without investing in our community members' rights. So at the end of the day . . .

I love whatever Taiwan gives me.

So these are the reasons I know Kiseki: Dear to Me will be one of my favorites.

The show and the men are visually pleasing. It is giving us queer adult couples stacked on top of other queer adult couples then cameos of even more queer adult couples. We've gotten enemies-to-friendly roommates, where the attraction is obvious, so now we must wait for the lovers part even though they had already cooked, cleaned, and slept in the bed by the second episode. When we meet the families of these crazy little bastards, we are going to love them.

Oh, and there will be a proposal.

TAIWAN SUPREMACY!

#Taiwanese BLs #I love them because they are queer #Kiseki: Dear to Me WILL be a favorite #HIStory franchise needs to give me HIStory 6: Freed #RIGHT NOW!#Let my man be free

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my-cabbages-gorl · 2 months

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fave zukaang moment from the show? or top 3?

WOOO I am so sorry it took me forever to get to this, veggie!!!! but hiii thank you for this ask I will take any excuse I can get to talk about these two.

There are SO many haunting, gorgeous moments of connection between these two in the show I could choose! There are the obvious ones; fighting to protect each other's lives in the Blue Spirit episode, the "do you think we could have been friends?" moment, all the times Aang chose to spare Zuko's life, or when Zuko begs Aang to let him join their group and says "you know I have good in me" (that one is.. just ouch it's so gut-wrenching). But, I live for the moments when their irrevocable entanglement gets hit with a spotlight.

There are so many little scenes throughout the show that highlight how they are fated to be in relationship with one another. They're circling each other like Tui and La. Whether people ship them or not, their platonic relationship is arguably the core of the show. In the Seige of the North, Part 2- I think it's so symbolic that Koh the face stealer delivers his monologue about the moon and ocean spirit while in the real world, Aang (the incarnation of hope and good) is literally in bondage as Zuko (the physical manifestation of the war between good and evil) is choosing evil and risking the fate of the whole world just to save whatever shred of his own ego he has left.

When Aang asks about the moon and ocean spirits, Koh says: "Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull. And that has been the nature of their relationship for all time." Then later in the conversation he continues, "Tui and La, your moon and ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other, push and pull, life and death, good and evil, yin and yang." The fact that Zhao is attempting to capture and kill the moon spirit in order to make a name for himself, the same way that Zuko tries to kidnap Aang to deliver him to death (or at least torture and captivity) at the hands of his father to try and make a name for himself is a really nice parallel for what's being explored in their dynamic. It feels so clear (at least to me) that Aang and Zuko are a spiritual metaphor for this eternal dance- their past lives and ancestors disrupted the balance of harmony because of their broken relationship. And, now they're circling one another, mirroring one another, chasing one another in order to redeem the arc of their history- which the future of the world has always depended on. And, only when they enter into balance and harmony with one another will there be any hope for righting the world. That was SUCH a long winded way to talk about one of my favorite moments lol. And, I get that it might be a stretch but I live for the deep, convoluted metaphors of story. And Zukaang has plentyyyy of content for that sort of thing. Which is probably why I can never get over them hahaha. Honorable mention: in the final battle when Aang, the "enemy" that Ozai and his predecessors fought so hard to eradicate, spares Ozai's life when he redirects his lightning. It's so symbolic because he's using the technique that his OWN son- whom he abused and betrayed for choosing to nurture the shred of good in him- had a hand in bringing him down in the way that embodies the ultimate, humiliating antithesis to his character; 1) deep relationship and intimacy with the Avatar (the personification of good and hope) and 2) mercy.

#shit i did not mean to pop off like that #i just couldn't stop once i got going #zukaang #zukaang meta #zuko #aang #avatar the last airbender #atla meta #platonic zukaang

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miss-atena · 3 months

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I saw your writing requests and can I request Vil x Idia?

I always have to push my rarepair lmao

No rarepair is safe from us >:))

I love rarepairs, they've always been my faves on fandoms cof cof Floy'Nya cof cof

Ya didn't really gave me a prompt to work for, so hope you don't mind some general headcanons of them! If you ever want more, or something specific of them, you can request it away!

Cw:

Vil Schoenheit x Idia Shroud

No one at first believed or understood just HOW those two got together.

I mean, THE Vil Schoenheit, a famous model and actor, with a huge fan base and with products stamped by his face dating Idia? The nerd otaku dude who doesn't leave his room, like, ever?

Some were even concerned if Vil was under some form of course or potion effect, which he responded by an offended gasp.

"Do you think so lowly of me that I would ever fall for a curse like that? Dear Seven, you really underestimate me and Idia, don't you?"

The way they got together is... A rather uncommon one. Idia found Vil doing an advertisement for a game he really liked, and he got a tiny celebrity crush.

Ortho insisted Idia shoot his shot, because the chances of a parasocial relationship becoming unhealthy to someone are higher when there are no sort of communication between parties.

Idia went through the toughest boss fight in his life, which was pressing the send button. That felt like such a normie problem, he almost gave up... Until Ortho pressed for him. Great. This action will affect the main game forever.

Vil was... Low key endeared by the message. It was bold and talked in a lingo he isn't used to seeing. He felt generous enough to give some time to this gloomy samurai person.

They didn't even realized they were so close together until Ortho went thanking Vil for making his big brother so happy.

Cue to Idia's door being kicked open and Idia cowering in his chair almost crying in fear as Vil scolded him about not going to talk to him directly.

They became an odd pair after that. Vil makes sure Idia gets his needs taken, including touching some grass (much to his dismay).

And Idia teaches Vil about technology methods to make his career better. (He doesn't mention about the Vil x reader fanfic tab on his tablet though)

Vil found it obvious how Idia was head over heels for him, but he felt oddly calm about this. It didn't feel like other people crushing on him, where he needed to step on eggshells to maintain this pristine image.

Idia seemed to find him "having max charisma and appearance stats" even when he was a total mess, in his eyes.

It was a new thing for him, letting himself show his "uglier" side to someone, and not being the perfect Vil Schoenheit. And Idia seemed to not care in the slightest, although he did get flustered a lot whenever Vil shared a picture with his hair down. Vil learned from Idia's ling that that was "simp behaviour".

Idia... He never had so much attention from someone so different in his life. And for once, it didn't scare him. Actually, when Vil complimented him for showing up to class, he felt oddly proud and confident.

Ofc Vil was the one to confess first. I mean, Idia was going through the 19th mental breakdown over how to confess at that point, and Ortho was NOT a reliable source of advice on the matter.

Ortho is their biggest supporter, and says that Vil needs to take good care of his big brother, since he is very fragile and also very scared.

Rook was actually very supportive of Vil's choice. He is the biggest Vil fan, but he puts his dear Roi du poison's happiness over his. And to be fair... Their dynamic is enticing. It's unique. A beautiful form of art on itself!

Others were very much confused but grew used to it.

An odd pair, sure, but who said love couldn't be odd?

Their favorite pastime together is casual dates at Idia's room. Where Idia geeks about how this super rare character he summoned had such OP skills that his team two shot the boss, all awhile Vil paints his nails so they have matching colours.

Don't ask Idia why he is showing up to class so much, or he will run away and hide in his room. He is trying! He even wore his uniform 2 times this week!!

They are so silly, I think I got carried away lol. Hope you enjoy this!!

Have a great day/night!

#twisted wonderland fanfic #twisted wonderland #twst #disney twst #idia shroud #vil schoenheit #vil x idia #consumeroflemoans #thanks for the request!#tena writing

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jasontoddssuper · 7 months

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My Percy Jackson headcanons/rewrite

Percy's a femme trans woman who's strong admiration for the other female characters is half fueled by gender envy and her type of femmeness is very distinctively tgirl.She's pastel punk,has zero tolerance for 'boys being boys' and physically transitioning(via Persephone gifting her Metamorphose,food that's been blessed by Aphrodite to give the eater their ideal apperance)boosted her self-confidence big time and she was into skating as a little kid but gave it up as the trauma set it as she grew up but got back into it as part of her healing journey.Sally is the most supportive mom any trans person could ever ask for and Thalia is the reason she went punk thanks to her being transfem too and helping her settle into her gender and she chose the middle name 'Amelia' so they could match(And her full first name was changed to Persephone as a thank you to the og)

She's bi but dosen't wanna date and wants to just vibe instead

Sharks and cats are her comfort animals

She's autistic and her special interests are blue,video games and kidcore,she has meowing as a vocal stim(insert catgirl joke here),she loves legos to the ends of multiple dimensions,her safe foods are blue food and McDonalds,she almost never stutters when she infodumps no matter for how long and she never once thought she could be autistic despite the unbelivably obvious symptoms because she dosen't fall under any stereotypes

She hates Poseidon and once held Riptide to his crotch for trying to get mushy with her

Big potty mouth

Was almost a Special Ed kid but Sally convinced the teachers to not put her in it after Percy had a meltdown over her mentioning the posibility of it due to how bad her internalized ableism was already.She regrets it to this day,mourning the friends she could've made

She's scared of older men because of Luke and he was never the hero of the prophecy,it was always her,and she was the one to kill him to avenge everyone,including herself,and save the world

Nico's crush on her faded when his own transness made him realize she is too and they spent the year between BOTL and TLO becoming found siblings and they help eachother with their hair(he's black too)and he's the one who got her addicted to McDonalds and she introduced him to Mcr and him to her Animal Crossing but everybody thinks it's the other way around.Persephone asked them to ressurect Hazel because she'd be one of the best choice's for the Seven and she helped her settle into her new world and taught both of them how to skate and now they call themselves 'The Dead Sea Siblings'

She's built like a DC Comics heroine back when they knew how to draw women most of the time-That is to say,curvy and busty but also thick in build with strong muscles so it's realistic

Was almost viciously protective of Tyson when everyone started bullying him for being a Cyclops and showered him in hugs and kisses when he cried about their treatment

Thalia gave her a pastel blue patches jacket which has the trans and dominican flags and a mermaid to represent Sally and her loved ones gifted her an assortment of different pins

She's an eldest daughter without eldest daughter syndrome because Sally knows how to parent and a Team Mom because she was raised by the mom of all time

The gods call her 'Young Persephone'

She was a Cartoon Network and Nickeloden kid who's faves were always Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends and Blues Clues and she had no clue what the hype around Zuko crushing was but finds him peak relatability now

Her favorite Disney Princesses are Tiana and Brandy's Cinderella and she thinks the Ariel jokes the Stolls make about her are annoying as shit

Her gray streak faded to white so she dyes it sea blue to not raise suspicioun in the mortal world

She loves indie media,be it comics or shows or games

Her and Rachel are the definition of 'Girl Best Friends' but unironically.They have matching friendship bracelets with eachother's names on them,hang out at the mall,Rachel spoils her with her dad's money,Sally thinks of her as a third daughter,Percy brings her trinkets she finds and they go to protests and do charity work together

She never goes to college and instead just becomes a McDonalds employee to give her little siblings special priviliges because school is too hard for her and she's okay with that by then

She owns a pair of blue strawberry earrings with pastel pink leaves

Persephone and Sally fall in love over the course of Persephone's visits to her in Hoo to check up on how she was doing without Percy and this culminates in her plan to kill Hades succeeding and becoming the solo ruler of the Underworld with Sally as her consort and wife.Percy is now a junior and her,Nico and Hazel are siblings squared

Her,the rest of the Seven,Grover,Thalia,Clarisse,Nico and Reyna are known as 'The Second Argonauts'

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temnurus · 8 days

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Recent Wangxian Faves

It's been a while since I compiled a general rec list, & I've read a metric ton of fics already this year. Here are ten of my more recently read favorites, some of which I've even read twice already because they were just that good! Y'all know the drill with me and smutty fics, so I hope no one is surprised when all of these are rated Explicit, haha. Sex isn't the theme of all of them, certainly, but it is present in all of them to some degree. Please note that these are listed in no particular order. Now, without further ado, onto the recs!

heart notes by spookykingdomstarlight (E, 92,632)

Thoughts: This fic had the most unique jobs for them that I think I’ve seen yet, & it was wild how well suited they turned out to be. Lan Zhan as a perfumer is one of my new favorite things that I never knew I needed, but here we are. The regret hung so heavy throughout most of this fic, & my heart ached for both of them. As hard as I typically find break up & make up fics to read, this one was 100% worth the angst. The love that went into writing it was so obvious, & it was just beautiful. I reveled in Lan Zhan being a master of his craft, & Wei Ying wanting so badly to help him when he was in trouble & ultimately became his champion when he so desperately needed one brought me to tears. Read this. Plainly put, it’s a masterpiece, & I loved it so much.

as the sun will rise by vespertineflora (E, 125,858)

Thoughts: This fic rocketed into my top five the instant I finished it. Probably even before that, to be completely honest. I love Beauty & the Beast AUs, which this was even though the author just used the Fairy Tale AU tag instead of being more specific. There aren’t really tentacles, but it was fair to include the tags for comparison because the vines work the same way, basically. Well, minus ejaculation. The only one doing that until near the end of the fic is Wei Ying, not that anyone’s complaining, haha.

Do mind the tags because this did get a bit emotionally heavy, particularly if you’re sensitive to Major Character Injury. I thoroughly enjoyed Wei Ying & Lhan Zhan’s characterizations & their dynamic. The writing was superb, & there was an engaging & interesting plot besides the titillating monster-fucking going on. I’ve pretty much read this twice already, & I have zero doubts there are many more rereads in my future. I sincerely urge anyone to give this one a try. It was so, so good!

you'll always know me by anaphoricae (E, 127,006)

Thoughts: Oh, this was so, so good. I’m a delicate flower who wilts during break up & make up fics, & this one was no exception to that rule. It was so gorgeous though. We got glimpses into their past throughout the nonlinear narrative & got to see each of their points of view at different parts of the story. I was particularly enamoured of Lan Zhan’s side of things, but that isn’t too surprising at this point because his pining for Wei Ying is always so relateable to me, ha.

And on that note, his pain was excruciating & deeply felt during the parts that covered their separation. I cried more than once as a result. The awkwardness & tension of their reunion quickly gave way to the magnetic pull between them, & I was practically glued to my seat until I finished this fic. The feelings were all so intense, & I loved every minute of it. Highly, highly recommend it.

Cloud Nine by mssdare (E, 80,064)

Thoughts: I loveloveloved this! I’d seen Wei Ying as a YouTuber before but not Lan Zhan, so it was a very neat thing to see him doing. I didn’t think it would suit him at first, but the author made it work perfectly. The tags were heavy, but the fic was mostly about the aftermath of Wei Ying’s mental breakdown when he came out of treatment & was trying to adjust to life in the real world again. I felt for him so strongly in this, & I appreciated the author’s respectful but unvarnished depiction of living with mental illness, including the often difficult time one can have dealing with the side effects of medication.

All the people who cared about Wei Ying touched my heart in this fic, but of course Lan Zhan was his number one. Lan Zhan’s ASMR videos being so comforting to Wei Ying during his recovery made me want to cry, & the slow burn of their developing relationship was really beautiful, not to mention satisfying. It did of course earn the angst with a happy ending tag, but there wasn’t nearly as much angst as one might expect with the subjects the fic touched on, just in case that’s comforting for anyone.

With No Particular Affection by Chrononautical (E, 92,397)

Thoughts: I love me a good arranged marriage fic, & this one was particularly good for a modern day AU. The idea that Wei Ying must marry Lan Zhan in order to save his family’s business is admittedly a flimsy excuse, but who are we to complain when it gives us stories like this? I’m certainly not going to, haha. The misunderstanding in this one was agonizing due to an overheard conversation, & I literally wanted to cry whenever the title phrase popped up in the fic.

However, the author balanced it with adorable interactions between Wei Ying, A’Yuan, & Lan Zhan, particularly all the fantastic fluffy domesticity after their nuptials. It was definitely a bumpy road on their way to happiness, including some corporate espionage! This fic had a little bit of everything, & I enjoyed everything it had to give us, including a very satisfying (and happy!) ending.

Comfortable Silence by WritersBlock823 (E, 65,072)

Thoughts: Oh, this was such a satisfying read. It’s now easily one of my favorite college/university AUs. I loved the randomness of their first encounter & how it led to them becoming roommates. The angst surrounding Lan Zhan being deaf & how that affected his interpersonal relationships was handled with care & respect by the author, & Wei Ying respecting Lan Zhan’s autonomy & his thoughtfulness when it came to communication between them made me cry a couple times. They both had painful memories to work through, & those moments could be brutal & emotionally exhausting but in a cathartic way, at least in my opinion. The smut was super hot, & I was thrilled with their happy ending. They totally deserved it, but then they always do.

i'm the one for your fire by occultings (E, 42,931)

Thoughts: What can I say? This is yet another gem by occultings. It motivated me to watch the source material for the AU before I allowed myself to read the fic, & I’m so very glad I did. I would’ve enjoyed it without the context, but it undoubtedly let me enjoy the fic just that much more. The concept alone was enough to have me laughing, but the fic delivered on it even more. Lan Zhan’s thoughts were so compelling, particularly the dirty ones, but then again, I’m a huge pervert, so don’t mind me, haha. This fic was sexy & sweet & had a little bit of everything. I highly recommend it, as well as the BL drama/manga that inspired it.

Hanlong by Alexandra_Kreuz & micratus (E, 282,550)

Thoughts: This fic blew my fucking socks off. It was absolutely phenomenal. One of the best Modern Cultivation AUs I’ve read, & that’s saying something because there are some big contenders in that category. I found it very original while still having perfect characterization for all my favorite people. It even convinced me that Wen Ning & Xue Yang was a viable ship! (At least in a modern AU where XY isn’t the absolute worst, heh).

The slow burn was real, but it was so fun seeing everyone come together for the different lecture series held in rotating sect territories each year during their teens. The plot was superb, being both action packed, angsty as fuck, & full of the best romance on a low simmer until it finally flares into full on yearning in adulthood. I loved every single minute, & I very much hope you will, too.

backfire by spookykingdomstarlight (E, 115,570)

Thoughts: Please, please, please mind the tags. If any of them are triggers or squicks for you, I’d advise against this one. That said, I 100% loved it. No notes. The angst was heavy for sure, but the author’s notes clarified anything scary, & the major ouches were mostly off screen &/or not graphic.

Lan Zhan & Mo Xuanyu’s relationship was agonizing for me to read, but it was so obvious that Lan Zhan had been in love with Wei Ying all along (to everyone but Wei Ying, of course). I was glad Mo Xuanyu didn’t consider Lan Zhan’s feelings as infidelity even though Lan Zhan himself struggled with guilt over it. The author included the tag as a courtesy but clarified this in the author’s note. I can’t abide cheating, so I was grateful for it.

The slow burn was real, & I was mad with impatience by the time it actually got to any BDSM between Lan Zhan & Wei Ying. It was totally worth the wait, though. People who haven’t experienced spooky’s writing might be surprised by the depth of emotion in this work when it’s set in a world where BDSM roles are a biological trait, but I promise you this is a feature in ALL of their fics. They’re just saturated with feelings & absolutely gorgeously written. They’re my favorite Wangxian author for a reason, ha.

Caught in 4k series by KizuKatana (E, 184, 553)

Thoughts: This was brilliant & brutal at the same time. The sheer unfairness of the events surrounding Wei Ying’s expulsion from the Jiang sect was appalling. Yu Ziyuan was definitely villainized here, but it made sense & worked for the plot. It made me hate her even more than usual, but that was sort of the point, ha. Wen Qing was the real MVP with the way she went to bat for Wei Ying & basically adopted him into her family. It happened so naturally that no one even had time to question it or think about it too much. I loved his found family, as I always do.

Wei Ying & Lan Zhan butting heads so disastrously at first was rather dismaying after everything else Wei Ying had been through, but the way Lan Zhan fell for him so hard & so completely (as he tends to do, lol) more than made up for it. The social media aspects of this were both engaging & fun. I even enjoyed the extras, & sometimes I don’t bother reading those after a long fic if they don’t hook my interest with the summaries. I can’t recommend this highly enough. This author has quickly become one of my favorites.

#mdzs #the untamed #wangxian #lan zhan #wei ying #lan wangji #wei wuxian #wangxian fic rec #Temnurus rec list #bc what else do i have to do with my time #besides read fic of course #still drowning in the wangxian end of the swimming pool #but refusing to get out of the water #it feels fine

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simonnebethel · 1 month

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WIP Questionnare (tag game)

Tagged by @buffythevampirelover ^^ using A Chant for Blood to answer these! Answering them all out of boredom, but you can answer as many as you like ^^

What was the first part of your wip that you created? ...the first chapter 😅 but tbf the very first scene has changed drastically since then! it was a bit of a 'main character wakes up' cliche so I decided like right after writing chapter 3 it would be changed after the first draft was done.

If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be? oo! Possibly Nothing Else Matters by Apocalyptica. Prob my fave one out of the story's playlist.

Who are your favorite characters you've made? Why? Probably the makoth characters, like Gunilde and Oddvar. and idk 🤷 ive had a soft spot for orcish characters lately, makoth included. Can't forget Karliah, too! She's been with me since middle school.

What other pieces of media do you think would share a fanbase for your story? oooh. i dont know. possibly game of thrones? or any gothic fantasy novel. I actually don't read that much victorian fantasy, so I don't know many. However, Snow White and the Huntsman did influence me a lot, so if that movie has a fanbase I suppose it counts.

What has been your biggest struggle while writing? Creating the magic systems. It's like chemistry for me; my brain just can't work it out. the main magic system, which i have just called Spellwork, feels so underdeveloped, but the other magic system for the Makoth, Skvæla, is a little bit more fleshed out. At some point I have to sit down one day and work the whole Spellwork thing out before I lose my mind 🥲

Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them! There is! Maugr are native to Reyoarfell, and only used by the Makoth. Wolf-like beasts the size of polar bears, with thick fur and short legs to combat the cold climate of Reyoarfell. The makoth only use them for travel or to carry/pull heavy things, they are not suited for combat or racing. These animals are important to them, and are not allowed to be owned by anybody outside of the country.

How do your characters get around?(ex: trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.) Mostly by horseback or carriage, as trains haven't been invented yet. But also, the first book is contained in one city so they don't need anything else to travel long distance. However! Portals to travel between countries do exist, but they're rare and expensive to use.

What part of your wip are you working on? I'm currently editing the early chapters, getting it ready to look for beta readers. Adding more scenery and sensory descriptions, changing a few things about the characters, trying to find a way to make the plot twists less obvious before they're revealed 😅

What aspects (tropes, maybe?) of your wip do you think will draw people in? Hmm. victorian fantasy, knight lady, eldritch being, vampiric lizard man, body horror, corruption arc, and monster hunting are the ones I can thing of off the top of my head 😅

What are your hopes for your wip? That there's people out there that would at least enjoy reading my novel, and love the characters as much as I do :)

Open tag to whoever wants to join! No pressure ^^

#A Chant for Blood #writing #writeblr #writers on tumblr #my writing #fantasy #victorian #my ocs #ask game #writers

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aspoonofsugar · 1 year

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Have you seen Extraordinary Attorney Woo? Some of the characters have really great arcs. If you have seen it, who are your favorites, and why?

Hi!

Yes, I have and I loved it! I liked all the characters to be honest <3 Here are some thoughts on my faves...

THE HANBADA TRIO

These 3 are my absolute faves both in terms of individual characters and of their dynamic. I will talk about individuals later on, so let's now focus on their sibling dynamic.

They are a well written trio in how they are all different and complement each other. They follow the mind-heart-body pattern. To be more specific:

Young Woo is the mind - she is a genius and the one who knows the law the best. She always comes up with a whale an idea to solve the problem at hand by using intuition and creative thinking.

Su-Yeon is the heart - she is our "spring sunshine angel", after all :P She is a genuinelly sweet and kind person, who looks out for and helps Young Woo. She also challenges Min Woo to follow his heart.

Min Woo is the body - have you noticed how he is constantly shown eating? On a deeper note, though, he is a survivalist, who sees society and adulthood as a battlefield, as kill or be killed. This is a primary physical instinct. The body is also often not as much integrated as mind and heart are, which fits with Min Woo not being as close to the other 2 and joining them only at the very end.

At the same time, Young Woo is our protagonist, while Min Woo and Su-Yeon are used to explore different sides of her. Through this lens, they become:

Min Woo: mind, outside (job/society), challenge, rivalry

Su Yeon: heart, inside (personal relationship), nurture, friendship

In short, they are complementary when it comes to Young Woo's arc, which is why they are also such a good fit together. They reconcile all the series's opposite themes.

Let's focus on their thematic importance on WYW's arc by exploring some cases our protagonist shares with them.

Mind and heart

Wild Card vs Tactician and If I Were a Whale are episodes meant to be foiled. The former has Young Woo work alongside Min Woo, while the latter has her help out Su-Yeon. Both episodes are set up as a conflict between mind and heart.

Wild Card vs Tactician has Young Woo set up as the heart to Min Woo's mind. Their rivalry becomes a way to explore 2 different ways to approach a case. Do you pursue the truth (heart) or do you protect the client's interests (mind)?

If I Were a Whale starts with Attorney Jung asking Young Woo to calm Su-Yeon down. He thinks the young attorney is being too passionate about the client and wants Young Woo to be the mind to Su-Yeon's heart.

What's interesting is that in both episodes the set-up dynamic doesn't play as it is expected to. To be more precise, Young Woo ends up being more "tactical" than Min Woo and more emotional than Su-Yeon. On the one hand she takes a witness, who is clearly lying and gives him instructions on how to be convincing. On the other hand she decides her client should get a lenient sentence because she is a good mother. In other words she doesn't play the heart or mind to the other 2 in a complementary way. Rather, Min Woo and Su-Yeon manage to bring out extreme sides of Young Woo. This also highlights our protagonist's shortcomings.

In Wild Card vs Tactician, Young Woo wins in the sense she isn't overshadowed by Min Woo. However, she still gives in to his mindset and betrays the truth. In the end, the true conflict was never the one with her colleague, but the one within herself. Which kind of attorney does she want to become? An honest one or a competent one?

In If I Were a Whale, Young Woo wins morally in the sense that she manages to convey her feelings to the judge, who finds the way to help YW's client. However, she does so outside of the law and of her role as an attorney. In a sense, she and Su-Yeon fail as attorneys because they miss the very obvious solution to their client's problem. They lose themselves in overly complicated theories without drawing attention to the fact their client has confessed, which in itself shows she is repentant.

Children and Lovers

The Pied Piper and Holding Hands Can Wait can be similarly foiled. The first deals with society, while the second with personal relationships. Min Woo gets focus in the first, while Su-Yeon in the second.

The Pied Piper explores how society warps children by teaching them to "give up on the world". This applies to Min Woo, who is cinical and focused on politics. Surely, he is meant to be read as a victim of the same system criticized in the episode. This is why he is confronted by Attorney Jung and called out on his behavior. For all his claiming to be an adult, he keeps behaving as a child and asks an authority figure for punishments and rewards. At the same time, he clearly shows his most childish side this episode, when he jokes with the kids and is eventually entertained by the client's antics.

Holding Hands Can Wait delves into romantic relationships and asks important questions. What is love? Is it enough that a person thinks they are in love? Or what others and society think matter as well? And what does it mean for an autistic person? Su-Yeon parallels the protagonist of the case. She looks for a good person, but ends up falling for a crook only interested in her money. This is very similar to Shin's situation. However, Shin has a handicap, while Su-Yeon does not. So, Shin is stripped of her agency, while Su-Yeon has the chance to "fall in love with a bad boy". But then, what is the difference? Or is there even a difference at all?

In both episodes Young Woo finds herself in the same position. She wants to help a person the law can't help. Bang Gu-ppon doesn't want a reduced sentence and Shin doesn't want her bastard boyfriend to go to prison. Both want to be recognized as people by the system, even if it means the law would side against them. This means Young Woo must protect who they are and their agency, if she wants to help them. She succeeds with Bang Gu-ppon, but fails with Shin.

At the same time, both stories focus on a mother misunderstanding their child. Both Bang Gu-ppon and Shin are deep down trying to communicate with their mothers. They want their moms to recognize them and to accept they aren't crazy or strange, but adults in their own rights.

This is just what deep down Young Woo wants:

Young Woo to Tae Su-Mi: "Don't you recognize me?"

Deep down, Young Woo's arc is a coming of age story that has her turn from child to adult. This is true also for the other young attorneys (plus Jun-Ho), who accompany her in this journey.

WOO YOUNG WOO (2nd FAVE AND 2nd BEST ARC)

Young Woo is great because she is an autistic character whose arc is not (only) about her handicap. Sure, autism is a part of her, as it is her incredible intelligence. However, her story is broader and so it can be universal.

Her arc is about growing up, which means becoming independent from parents, so the mid-climax and the final climax are about Young Woo facing her estranged mother, Tae Su Mi.

In the first climax (A Tale About Sodeok-Dong), Young Woo meets her mother for the first time and enters a conflict with her father. She struggles to become independent only to realize independence is not something that is easy to pintpoint:

Young Woo to Tae Su Mi: "I wanna be a full-out adult, so I was ready to leave my current position at Hanbada and be independent from my dad. But there is not point in leaving my dad in order to join a law firm, where the CEO is my mother."

Changing law firms won't solve her problems and if she really wants to grow, she must learn not to run, but to live her life with all its contradictions.

The 2 episodes-case also sets up Young Woo as the Hackberry Tree:

"Have you ever seen a more beautiful tree, despite not being a national monument?"

Society might not see Young Woo as important, but she is still beautiful and worthy of protection. This idea grows within our protagonist until it blooms in all its beauty in the ending:

Young Woo to Tae Su Mi: "I think my life is unusual, peculiar, but it has value. It's a beautiful life."

This is the moment Young Woo grows and affirms who she is to her mother. Poignantly, their confrontation is not really about Tae Su Mi and Young Woo's mother-daughter's bond. The narrative is very clear about it. Tae Su Mi has not been a mother for Young Woo and this can't be changed. However, she can be a good parent to her son:

Young Woo to Tae Su Mi: "You have not been a good mother to me, but you can still be a good mother to Choi Sang-Hyeon."

Young Woo here does not act as a child asking her parent to love her, but as a big sister who looks out for her little brother. She plays the part of the adult and shows she is strong enough.

The second climax has also Young Woo face a case without Attorney Jung. She finds herself without her mentor, which pushes her to grow even more. Given all this, it fits she gets her contract renewed in the end, which shows her becoming a full-fledged Attorney.

So, the finale has Young Woo affirm her maturity both as a person and as an Attorney. I also find it very nice the title is referenced directly by Attorney Jung:

Attorney Jung: "I'm also curious about what you will do next and that's because you are not an ordinary Attorney."

In the very first episode, Jung calls her extraordinary because of her autism and promptly apologizes. However, in the very last episode he affirms once again she is not ordinary. What's beautiful is that he is not talking about her autism or her intelligence. He means she is extraordinary as a person. He doesn't pity her for the Asperger syndrome, nor admires her because of her genius. He is proud of her because of her heart, which is exactly what catches Jung's attention in their very first case:

Young Woo to Attorney Jung: "The defendand lives on the pension of her husband. The residence from which they collect rent is in her husband's name. Therefore, if the attempted murder is recognized, the defendant will be in a huge financial crisis after her husband passes. She won't be able to receive the pension or to inherit the house. Therefore, I'll try to get her probation for bodily injuries and not for attempted murder."

Young Woo is extraordinary because she manages to bloom in her own person and is always loyal to herself and who she wants to become.

MIN WOO KWON (FAVE AND BEST ARC)

Min Woo is the character who is challenged to change the most and his development is very thightly written, which is an automatic plus for me. Just like Young Woo, he is a kid, who wants to grow, but mistakenly believes growing up means becoming cinical.

This is why we keep seeing opposite sides of him, that really seems impossible to reconcile. On the one hand he is obnoxious, tactical and unfair. On the other hand he is a decent friend to Su-Yeon and Jun-Ho, he lives in a modest apartment and works hard for his parents' sake. This duality is well conveyed through his looks. At work he puts his hair up, while at home he wears it down in a simpler way. It is because he puts on a persona while working. However, his real self appears here and there through the cracks.

The struggle between Min Woo's 2 sides is explored through 2 different plot-lines:

The work plot-line, where he tries to best and ultimately to sabotage Young Woo. He keeps spiraling by thinking only politics and tactics can make him a successful adult. Ironically, he keeps pushing himself in worse situations and never gets a win.

The romantic plotline with Su-Yeon, which takes flight in Jeju. This is not by chance because Jeju is more than anything a holiday. So, there Min Woo can show a more relaxed and kinder self, who impresses Su-Yeon.

All of this comes together in the last case, where Min Woo has to choose between his mind and his heart, between tactics and love. Not only that, he also has to choose between Attorney Jung and Attorney Jang, aka his 2 mentors.

Attorney Jung is a lawyer, who tries to reconcile the interests of the client with the social good. He doesn't always succeed, but he tries and his performance in Jeju shows what an expert lawyer can do. This is what both Min Woo and Young Woo should learn to do. He is who Min Woo may become if he grows as a lawyer.

Attorney Jang is a lawyer, who has reached his current position through politics and networking. It is implied his talent is mostly in charming others, rather than in being a good lawyer. On paper, he is the mentor Min Woo has wanted for the whole series. He is someone, who is tactical, who can't stand Young Woo and who favors Min Woo over his colleagues. And yet, once Min Woo has to work with him, he can't stand it. Jang is arrogant, incompetent and would push his mentees under a bus to save himself. He is who Min Woo may become if he fails to grow and doesn't change.

Min Woo's finale is to choose between Su-Yeon (heart) and Jang (mind) and he is finally able to follow his heart for once:

Su-Yeon: "Can't you for once act as a fool? For a colleague. For something you think it's right"

He acts as an idiot and by doing so, he is recognized for the first time by an authority figure. The Judge is impressed by Min-Woo's statement and smiles. Min-Woo and Su-Yeon win the case and that is the first case they win as adults.

Similarly, Min Woo eventually refusing Tae-Su Mi's request to have Young Woo leave Hanbada seems to gain him Tae Su Mi's favor much more than his clumsy attempt to blackmail her:

Min Woo: "I'm stopping here" Tae Su Mi: "Why?" Min Woo: "From now on... I think I'll try living as a fool" Both smile.

By the end of the season, Min Woo starts to realize that he must follow his heart and act more like a fool, if he really wants to grow up.

SU-YEON CHOI (3rd FAVE)

Su-Yeon is a Queen and deserves the world. Her arc revolves around romantic subplots, but at its heart there is this message:

Seeing isn't everything. There is more.

Su-Yeon's growth lies in discovering there is much hidden under the surface, both when it comes to herself and to others. It is not by chance what sparks her friendship with Young Woo is this moment:

Here, Su-Yeon simply wants to be humored and to be called cute or a beauty. However, Young Woo gives her a deeper answer and praises Su-Yeon for her heart. It is her heart, which makes Su-Yeon beautiful, rather than her looks.

This theme of discovering the true heart of herself and others is at the centre of her quest to find "a good person". She starts by having a crush on Jun-Ho, who is the man of her dreams, but lets go of him, when she realizes he has feelings for Young Woo. At this point, she dates a bunch of men, she doesn't really like until she finds someone, who is perfect on paper. He is handsome, he treats her gently and is romantic. Little problem, he is actually a fraud, only interested in her money.

Here comes Min-Woo, who forces Su-Yeon to see complexity. If you notice, Su-Yeon and Min-Woo's interactions in Jeju are basically a mix of all her past love experiences.

On the one hand Min-Woo is surprisingly kind. He helps Su-Yeon with her bags, he goes with her to buy drinks and so on. It is important Min-Woo reveals himself as an inversion of Su-Yeon's previous scumbag boyfriend. The latter wears a kind persona to hide his rotten self, while Min-Woo fakes to be cinical, when he is actually quite kind deep down. So, we have the scumbag buying flowers and offering drinks to manipulate Su-Yeon. Min-Woo instead offers Su-Yeon a beer and buys flower with no malice at all.

On the other hand Min-Woo also challenges Su-Yeon by having her look at her privilege. When she goes on blind dates, Su-Yeon is annoyed people keep asking her about money and are impressed by her father. This is fair, but Min-Woo also points to her she doesn't have to be worried about money only because she is rich. Someone like him doesn't really have this luxury and she should be conscious of that.

In general, their relationship has a lot of potential and I am looking forward to see it bloom in a possible 2nd season.

JUNG MYUNG-SEOK (3rd BEST ARC)

Attorney's Jung arc is about finding a balance between worklife and personal life. He sacrificed everything to his work and when he discovers himself ill, he starts re-evaluating his choices.

However, his arc is not as simple as... I should give up working to truly live. The point is Attorney Jung loves his work and has grown into a formidable lawyer. He is so formidable he even manages to symbolically solve the ideological conflict between Young-Woo and Min-Woo on which kind of lawyer one should become. Attorney Jung proves to them sometimes it is possible to work for the good of both the law firm and of the people. As Young Woo states:

Young Woo: It's worth working so hard over the years to the poing of getting stomach cancer Attorney Jung: Really? So all this time was really worth it? Young Woo: Yes, I think it was.

It means no matter what Jung's life has value because he has managed to touch many people. First of all, his 3 mentees, who immediately imitate him by helping the noodle restaurant's owner. The scene is meant to be Attorney Jung's climax because he sees how much they have all grown and that they are shaping up to be good attorneys, each in their own way.

Jung's ending is ambiguous. Will he choose Hanbada or his ex wife? Will he choose mind or heart? Society or personal relationships? As you can see, this dychotomy is everywhere throughout the story.

JOON-HO LEE (A PUPPY)

I like Joon-Ho, but a little bit less than the others. His major conflict is about his relationship with Young Woo. Still, it is interesting because the nature of the conflict evolves with time

Initially, Joon-ho is focused on himself and his own insecurities. He clearly likes Young Woo, but is unsure on how to approach the matter. Once again Su-yeon and Min-woo help him by offering opposite advices. Su-yeon invites Jun-ho to be serious about the relationship, while Min-woo gives him the push to risk it all.

After Joon-ho and Young Woo end up together, he immediately has to face society's opposition to his relationship. This opposition escalates from just a bunch of university friends to Joon-ho's own sister.

Finally, the focus shifts on Young Woo, who challenges him to accept all of her. Not just her positive sides, but also her flaws in all their complexity. The resolution between the 2 is beautiful and it enforces their relationship is true love and not "compassion" or a "lesser degree love", like others say.

Young Woo and Joon-Ho love each other and have discussed their relationship, what they expect to ti and the compromises they are ready to do for it like 2 adults. Hence it is love.

Thank you for the ask!

#extraordinary attorney woo #woo young woo #choi suyeon #minwoo kwon #junho lee #jung myung seok #extraordinary attorney woo meta #my meta

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