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sunflowersandsapphires · 8 months

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The Sun Will Rise

Wake Up, Chapter 8

Series Masterlist Next Chapter

pairing: Matt Murdock x fem!reader

summary: In an attempt to stop the advances of an unwanted suitor, Matt Murdock accidentally condemns you to being his fake girlfriend.

warnings: sexual assault themes and descriptions, if non-con themes trigger you please do not read. other warnings: swearing, misogynistic language, violence

This chapter is very intense. I tried to keep the S/A stuff as not graphic as possible to avoid triggering people but it is very much there and the violence is more present than any other chapter.

a/n: Today has been a fucking DAY yall. My new cat got sick (he’s ok he just ate too fast and then got sick on me and my bed which was gross), I am having issues with pay equity at work, and trying to deal with utility issues in my house. I am very sorry for the late update. PLEASE let me know how you feel about this chapter, your comments and reblogs literally make my day every week.

w/c: ~4.5k

Four years ago, you’d been desperate for a change. Despite spending thousands on a fancy degree, you had gotten nowhere in the legal field and your job waiting tables at a diner in Queens barely paid the bills, though you were grateful for the work.

Pouring coffee and taking orders wasn’t the worst job you’d ever had and the majority of customers during your shifts were sweet. You played the role of “cute, friendly waitress” well, making even the grouchiest patrons appreciate your soft smile and quick response time. Maybe this persona you’d adopted in your efforts to avoid your crippling anxiety was the reason he started looking your way. Perhaps it was your obvious desperation to be liked. Whatever it was that drew his attention, it was your eventual disinterest that kept it.

The first day you met James Lannister was a shitty one. You’d worked a double shift, meaning you had been less than perky towards the end of it, leading to stupid mistakes and screaming customers. Emotions were running high when he took a seat in your section, so his calm demeanor and attentive smile drew you in.

He’d only made pleasant conversation with you the first few visits. Asking about your day, your week, your hobbies, your interests, your family, your aspirations. Anyone would’ve been eager to spill their guts to him, he was quite charming. The way that his green eyes pooled with fascination as you spoke was almost reverent. No man in your life had ever made you feel that way, like nothing else in the room mattered.

Which is why the red flags zipped right by you without triggering your internal security system. Day after day, he’d visit your place of work after his own shift at the Pro Bono Association. He’d ask his questions and encourage you to ask your own, which led to a standing invitation to sit with him when there was a lull in traffic at the restaurant. Your shared interest in the legal system and his willingness to share a slice of that life with you compelled you to take him up on the offer.

Next came the gifts. Little things, at first. Large tips, suggestions for weekend entertainment complete with a gift card or fully funded ticket, books to further your legal studies after work. It was strange, but the attention was divine. He wasn’t an ugly man, and you’d never felt noticed like this before.

Eventually, he’d goaded you into joining him and his wife for dinner at their house. Mrs. Lannister was beautiful and cunning. On the surface, she was always polite, reassuring, more than willing to host you or have you join them in public, but there was an ominous undercurrent that you never could place. The way she looked at you when her husband turned his back was almost murderous, but you were so caught up in the idea of being wanted that you glossed over the tension between the two of you.

You were lonely, sure, but you never wanted romance or…other things…from Lannister. To you, he was a mentor, an idol. Someone to live vicariously through while in a transition period in life. But after accepting all of his kindnesses, you’d unknowingly crossed a line.

Before it all fell apart, it almost seemed like universal intervention. During a seemingly mundane conversation, Lannister clasped his hands over yours with a giddy expression. It seemed that there was an entry level position opening up at the PBA office in Queens and he thought you’d be perfect for it. Not only would it be a substantial pay raise from your current position, but there were opportunities for growth and he would be your boss.

At the time, it felt like a miracle. Your ticket to the next stage of your life. And it was, but letting your guard down for that shark ended up being the biggest regret of your life.

Transitioning into your new role wasn’t seamless, but you took it in stride. Your eagerness to take on complex projects and expand the mission of the organization impressed the more seasoned employees. Lannister began taking you to lunches, galas, drinks, anywhere that he could introduce you to his network of attorneys. It was thrilling to be thrown into the world you’d always dreamed of and received with such open arms.

For a few months, it was pure bliss. Until the night you placed your first case.

Placing the case itself was unproblematic, you were happy that you fit into the role so well—and you expressed such sentiments to Lannister who invited you over to his house to celebrate. Arriving with a bottle of your favorite wine, it was immediately clear that something had changed. The once cozy house was in absolute disarray, riddled with empty liquor bottles and boxes of feminine clothes. And, although Lannister had implied there would be others there, you found him alone.

Lannister noticed your wandering eyes and explained that his wife had left him. He told you not to worry about that and to focus on your personal success. The two of you enjoyed some good food and cheap wine, the older man drifting closer by the glass. Eventually, you felt your eyes growing heavy and he insisted that you stay over given the late hour.

That night, you dreamt of a large shadow, looking over you while you slept, warm touch dancing over your clothes. You tried to protect yourself, but your arms wouldn’t respond to the commands your brain sent. When you woke up, you found your skirt unzipped.

It got blurry after that. Lannister’s very public divorce led to inopportune inebriation, massive hangovers in the office, lewd comments, and wandering hands. While you still accompanied him to events, he began claiming you in public in increasingly repulsive ways. Holding you by the waist, kissing your cheeks, stroking his fingers over your neck, using that disgusting pet name. My little Princess.

You only tried expressing your discomfort once before it escalated. You’d approached him in his office after lunch, when he was likely to be more sober, and hesitantly asked if he would consider pulling back. You’d been met with the most terrifying display of anger you’d ever seen. You hazily recall books being thrown, hits landing along your arms and torso, insults being hurled at you.

He had made you. You would be nothing without him. You were ungrateful and whoreish and conniving just like his wife. While the memories faded, the scars from your skin splitting over the hinges of his office door still shone in certain lights.

After that his actions were deliberate. His lingering touches scalded you. Being alone with him meant sentencing yourself to torture. When he was angry, he’d call you into his office to “talk it through.” To your absolute horror, these talks often involved a locked door and drunk hands groping your trembling form.

For weeks you endured his abrupt switches between calculated insults, physical abuse, emotional manipulation, and inappropriate contact. You were barely alive, going through the motions and slowly convincing yourself that you deserved it. You’d fallen out of contact with your friends, were so emotionally fragile that a stern look from a stranger could send you into a panic attack, and you found yourself so nauseous that the first few hours of each day were spent hugging a toilet.

It was clear you needed help, but Lannister was your boss and his threats terrified you. He’d made it clear that if anyone found out about his behavior, it would cost you your livelihood. As an incredibly well-known attorney with an impeccable record, there was no way you’d win in court, he had too many friends on the force or the bench. Not to mention how new you were to the organization. Despite his growing alcoholism, your coworkers were as enamored with Lannister as you used to be, the chances of them believing you were minimal.

So, you stayed, trapped in a nightmare of your own unintentional creation. Until a position opened up in Manhattan.

Applying on a whim, you’d kept your application a secret, not expecting to even get an interview. But, apparently the managing attorney across the East River had heard your name through the grapevine because she reached out within the week to schedule a lunch with you.

The heavy weight that hung over your shoulders like a shadow has lessened considerably in the days leading up to the lunch. The possibility of escaping the hell you were living in quickly appeared like the light at the end of the tunnel.

Manhattan was beautiful and the employees of the PBA office in Midtown were ecstatic to meet you. It was the best day you’d had in months, until you got back to your own office.

Realizing you’d forgotten an important file you needed for a clinic the next day, you walked briskly through the quiet building, hoping to get in and out without running into your supervisor. Unfortunately, the world was not that gracious.

As you rummaged through your desk, the overhead lights turned on making you flinch. Your hands stilled over the file cabinet, your breath catching on your throat.

“You little bitch.” Lannister was furious if the rage dripping from his tone was any indication. “Tell me, Princess, why did I receive a call from Midtown about how happy they were to have finally met my assistant?”

You couldn’t speak, your throat constricting as if wrapped with fabric. Frozen in place, you heard him approaching and you cowered.

“Thought you could go behind my back? Leave me high and dry without a warning? You owe me, little princess. After all I’ve done for you…”

Whether from fear or something else entirely, your brain blocked out the rest of his actions that night. You came to shaking on the floor, bloody and partially undressed, but you weren’t alone. Lannister had disappeared, thankfully, but your coworker stepped into your office with a shaky inhale.

Erica was a young attorney who’d started a few weeks before you. Your emotional state had made it difficult to grow close to anyone in the office, but she’d always seemed sweet. And, fortunately for you in the end, she’d heard the commotion your boss had caused before storming home.

As your wonderful coworker helped you clean yourself up, you tearily confessed the secrets you’d worked so hard to hide. Disgusted, Erica had encouraged you to speak to HR and you’d submitted a complaint later that day with her assistance.

You owed Erica a great debt. Over the period of the investigation, she’d become a fixture in your office, making sure to keep you at a distance from your abuser. Without your prompting, she’d offered the committee looking into the allegations her full testimony. You were quite certain that her statement is the reason Lannister was fired.

In the weeks following his termination, you felt like a new woman. You’d moved to a cute little place in Hell’s Kitchen and begun your new work as a volunteer coordinator. While you still struggled with crowds of lawyers and the taste of alcohol, a good therapist and a decent amount of time had helped you heal a considerable amount.

Enough to open yourself up for the possibility of a relationship, which you weren’t sure you’d ever want after everything you’d been through. Meeting Matt had changed that though, turning ‘never’ into a ‘not right now’.

Sweet, considerate, adorable Matt who had brought you more comfort than you ever thought you deserved. Who was probably still furious with you for falling for him, but you couldn’t help but plead with the universe to send him anyway. Please, Matty, please come for me.

As the muggy van rumbled over potholes and uneven roads, you pictured his beautiful face. The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. How his brow furrowed with concern over the most minor harm that had befallen you. The beautiful way his lips melded with yours as a single kiss made you feel weightless. You regretted not kissing him one last time before ruining what you had.

I’m sorry, darling. Please don’t let them take me from you. I’m not ready to let you go just yet.

As Matt neared the 4th floor, a knawing pit of dread grew in his stomach. He could smell your tears, newer than those that had fallen after he’d left, but your heartbeat was nowhere to be found. Frantically pacing the hallway, he quickly noticed your suitcase abandoned a few feet from the door to your shared room. Crouching down, he tilted his head, evaluating the scene. The scent of your fear coated the floor, walls, and fabric of your bag. You must have been terrified for it to penetrate your surroundings to that degree. Underneath your pheromones, Matt shuddered with rage as the sickly saccharine fragrance of Beatrice Snyder’s reached his sensitive nose. Mingling with her perfume was a different smell, smoky and dark.

You’d been cornered by Snyder and an unidentified man, he was sure of it. Fumbling to find the right end of his key card, he threw open the door and stripped out of his suit. Given that he’d intended to share the night with you, he’d intentionally left his body armor at home. A black long sleeve tee and scarf around his face would have to do tonight.

Stepping back into the empty hallway, he fled to the stairs. While the scent of your fear only fueled his dark anger, it was strong enough to leave a trail down the stairs and out the back door into the cool night air. As inconspicuously as possible, Matt navigated through the building, dodging employees and guests successfully until he reached the loading dock behind the kitchen. Your scent stopped here, replaced by the smell of gasoline.

No, no, no. Where are you, angel? What happened to you?

Matt growled in frustration, spinning around desperately searching for any sign of you, he ripped his phone out of his pocket and pressed your speed dial, hoping that you could still reach your phone.

Receiving nothing but your voicemail message in return, he felt his fists clench. “It’s going to be ok, my beautiful girl. I’m coming.”

Replacing the phone in his pocket, he took off in the direction of the strong scent of auto fuel, praying to God that the most recent vehicle would lead him to you.

The van jolted to an abrupt stop and you slid along the dirty carpet into a seat in front of you. Your back ached from the jostling you’d gotten on the ride to whatever destination you’d apparently arrived at, and you could feel the imprint of thousands of plastic carpet strands that had melded with the flesh on your cheek during the drive. The sound of car doors slamming and the heavy footfalls following made you strain against your binds one final time.

A large, rough hand snatched your ankle, yanking you towards the night air at the tail end of the vehicle. Kicking your legs wildly, you flopped like a dying fish along the carpet as you were slowly pulled outside. The fingers at your ankle moved to wrap around your throat, forcing the airway to constrict. Struggling fiercely against your captor, you heard a familiar, rasping voice from behind you snarl, “Shut her up, you idiot!”

Lannister’s goon pressed a sharp implement against the soft flesh of your stomach. “Keep movin’ and you’ll lose a lot more than your man, bitch.”

As your squirming died down, reality set in and tears began flooding down your face. It was over. He’d won. All of the efforts that went into putting distance between the two of you were meaningless. He’d found you, and Snyder was going to take Matt from you because of it.

You were roughly stood on your feet and forced to move in the trail of Lannister and his other goon. Eventually, you were forced into a cold metal chair, binds attached to the stiff bars of the furniture. Your blindfold was ripped off, though your gag remained. James Lannister’s ferocious grin appeared in your line of vision, making you flinch. “So glad we’ve been reunited, Princess. We’re gonna have some fun.”

The group had taken you to what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. There were broken wooden palettes and scraps of steel scattered around the floor. Holes in the sheet metal walls allowed cold, winter air to blow crisp waves of wind through the space, raising the hairs on your neck. A gaping hole in the roof above you showers you in moonlight, illuminating a small s circle around you and Lannister.

A knife glinted in your peripheral vision and you whimpered, squirming involuntarily. Lannister grabbed a fistful of your shirt, yanking you forward with a growl. “The more you squirm, the more damage I do, little princess. I’d hold still if I were you.”

With that warning, he slashed a jagged cut in your top, nicking the skin along your collarbone. A hand ran over your hair, grasping the strands and tugging so that your face was turned towards your captor’s once again. “There’s my obedient little pet. Was wondering where she’d gone.”

Bile rose in your throat as Lannister stroked his massive hands along your face, planting heated, bourbon-soaked kisses along your neck and down your chest. Prying away your torn clothes, he turned to face the goons. “Is it ready?”

“Yes, sir.” One deep voice responded from the shadows of the warehouse beyond your visible surroundings. “Before I have my fun,” Lannister stepped aside, revealing a tall dark shape topped with a blinking red light. “I’d like to record a confession, dear. For my sanity, and for the board to know the truth.”

Raising his barely slurred voice, he turned to the camera.

“State your name, for the record.”

“Please don’t do this. I don’t—“ Your pleading morphed into a screech of pain as the point of the blade ripped a gash in the exposed skin of your shoulder.

“Wrong answer, pet.” Lannister took a swig from a practically empty bottle of liquor that had seemingly materialized out of thin air. A trail of blood wormed its way to the cement floor, pooling at your feet. You stared at the river of red liquid for a moment before stammering out your name.

“That’s a good pet. What’s your relation to me, my dear?” Chucking the now empty bottle aside, it shattered at your feet, spraying you with cheap alcohol and pieces of glass.

“I worked with you. In Queens.” A smaller knife plunged into the meat of your thigh and you screamed in agony. The larger of the two goons shuffled into your wavering vision, smiling as he wiped your blood from his hands.

“More specific, Princess.” Lannister spat at you.

“You were my boss.”

“That’s right. Now tell us, how did you get me fired?”

You sobbed, “I didn’t, I wasn’t—“ Grasping the knife still planted in your leg, Lannister twisted it, grabbing your throat.

“Yes you did, you miserable bitch. You ruined my fucking life. I lost my divorce settlement, my job, my house, my reputation. All because I took an ungrateful slut under my wing.” Ripping the blade from your body, he hurled you to the ground.

“TELL THE TRUTH!” Lannister roared, sending a brutal kick into your chest and knocking the air from your lungs. “Tell them that you seduced me for months and then used me to land a promotion. TELL THEM THAT YOU TOOK MY ENTIRE LIFE FROM ME AFTER I’D GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING!”

Stomping over your body again, he stumbled backwards allowing you to cough out a response. “I—I took everything f-from you. I was un-ungrateful.”

Lannister cackled, pulling you from the ground by your uninjured arm. “Turn the camera off. They won’t want to see this next part.”

The goons stepped forward to follow your former boss’s orders, but a piercing sound from outside halted them in their tracks. A horrific shriek, the sound of metal grinding on metal, echoed through the warehouse. All three men froze, looking to each other as if expecting to find the cause of the noise at the hands of their fellow assholes. Dropping you hard onto your shoulder, Lannister turned towards the source of the creaking and your head lolled after him.

As the door to the warehouse slammed open, you cried in relief as your weak gaze made out the black clad figure against the night sky. Daredevil. Your devil. He came for you. Tears poured down your cheeks and your limbs tensed, Matt’s presence drawing you in like a magnet.

Lannister huffs out a laugh. “The fuck do you want, shadow man? Don’t you have robberies to stop?” At his sides, the other men shuffled nervously, knives gripped firmly as they awaited their next command.

Matt stalked forward into the warehouse, his body stiff as it held his rage back, visible tension like that of water building against a dam. Fists clenched, he prowled an arc around your three kidnappers. “Step the fuck away from her.” His deep timbre was pitched exceedingly low with pure fury and it sent ripples of goosebumps across your bare skin.

Drawing the handgun from the back pocket of his slacks, Lannister stepped towards you once more. “Do your worst, Devil. She’s not leaving here alive.” The world slowed, as if the air around you was suddenly thick as molasses. Your eyes were processing as much as they could as dread settled in your stomach. The barrel of the gun moved across Lannister’s body and pointed at you as his meaty thumb cocked the weapon.

Simultaneously, Matt’s athletic form rocketed forward, skillfully dodging the swings from both of your unnamed assailants and leaping at Lannister. A gunshot rang and you traced the bullet as it soared towards you. Suddenly, your vision went white as pain seared through your body following the pointed metal cylinder as it tore through your abdomen. Screaming in anguish, your ears rang with a high pitched tone, the flash of white across your sight fading to black. The only thing you could focus on was the burning agony as the puddle of your blood seeped into your torn clothes. Forcefully shutting your eyes, your inhales turned shallow, and you prayed to your beloved Matthew that he would get you out of here before you took your last breath.

Matt’s skin was alight with rage as he maniacally tore through the three brutes to reach your collapsed form. The head captor’s words barely registered in his ears over the deafening sound of a gun being pulled. No. Do not let it be her, take me. The safety was undone as Matt ripped one man’s shoulder from its socket, using the falter in his steps to knock him unconscious. He needed to be faster. He had to reach you. Planting a hefty kick into the next guy’s stomach, he brought his billy club up to meet the force of the man’s own body weight bringing him down. A hollow thud of a body on cement meant there was one attacker left. And then came the gunshot.

As the bullet escaped the barrel it was encased in, Matt roared, the devil inside him fully consuming his consciousness as tackled the shooter. Knuckles connected with a jawbone, then the softer cartilage of a nose, then the lumpy space of a rib cage. Matt poured every emotion he had into this criminal, each punch holding seeds of guilt and regret and desperation.

The smell of your blood cascading over the dirty floor broke him from his trance. Dropping the battered body of your captor to the floor, he dove beside you, hands hovering over your body as he assessed the damage.

Sobbing in relief, he cupped your face as gently as he could. “It’s ok, angel. You’re gonna be ok. They’re not gonna hurt you anymore. Just breathe with me, please sweetness, breathe.”

Your shallow pants stuttered as your hand weakly grasped his shirt. “Ma-Matty?”

“Yah sweetness, it’s me. I’m right here. Gonna get you out of here, ok? Just hold on.” Ripped a strip of fabric from his shirt, he pressed it over your largest wound, biting back a pained sound of his own when you hissed. “I know, I know, angel. I have to stop the bleeding.”

The soft smell of salt melded with the metallic odor of your blood. You were crying, holding on to the fistful of his shirt like it was a lifeline. “Y-you came for me? I’m—I’m so-sorry”

Stroking your face lightly before he dialed 911, he cooed. “Of course I came, lovely. I’ll always come for you. Always. Now you just focus on breathing. In and out, sweetness. Good girl, just like that.”

At the operator’s greeting, he spit out a rough command for police and an ambulance, giving a brief description of the events that had happened. Next, he pleaded for their help. There was no way he alone could get you to a hospital in time.

“They were holding her hostage. She’s been shot, stabbed too. Lost a lot of blood. She’s still alive but she needs medical attention, please hurry.” He spit out the approximate location, scrubbing tears from his face as he pocketed his phone.

Pressing his forehead to yours delicately, he whispered. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, my sweet girl. It’s going to be ok. I’m so sorry.” Your hand raised shakily to cradle his nape.

“Matty,” Your voice was weak, but determined. “I—I need you to know—“

“Hey, this isn’t one of those moments, sweet girl. You can tell me later, when you’re healing. You focus on—“

“No, please.” You begged, he fought back a choked cry so that you could say your piece.

“I love you. S-so much.” You heaved a breath. “I’m sorry that I ruined—“

“Shh, you didn’t ruin anything.” Matt chided gently, tears slipping faster after you'd confirmed his previous mistake. “I love you too, my wonderful, sweet girl. I won’t let them take you from me. I won’t.”

“I’m sorry.” You choked out, and then you fell out of consciousness.

Matt collapsed against your chest, clinging to the sound of your weak pulse as his body trembled with sobs. He planted soft kisses to your hair and cheeks, stroking lightly over your skin as he willed God to save you.

The distant sound of sirens forced Matt to pry his face from your pummeled body. As the sound of vehicles approached, he made sure to alert the paramedics to your presence before taking back to the shadows. Hearing the clamor of attendants around you, he made a promise. “I’ll be there when you wake, angel. I’m sorry.”

Taglist: @maladaptivedaydreamingbum @scoliobean @harperdoodle @mattkinsella @leikelle @sweetbee0108 @dark-night-sky-99 @fallen-angels2213 @will-delete-this-later-probably @cheshirecat484 @thornbushrose @vernon-dursley

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creepy-friday · 6 months

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Heyyyyy just wanted to say how much I love your blog and it may sound like asskissing for the request but I'm serious 100% 😭

I love how your headcanons aren't super soft and mischaracterizes (idk how to write the word 😭) or make them super edgy but you rather write them how they realistically they would be and there's barley people who can do that in this fandom and idk why is do hard, but thank youuuuuuuu loooord🗣️🗣️ 🎉～⁠(⁠つ⁠ˆ⁠Д⁠ˆ⁠)⁠つ⁠｡⁠☆

Can we get headcanons of Cody in a romantic and sexual (only if you are comfortable with writing nsfw ofc) relationship, there's barley content about him and even less accurate or realistic content about him, so can you write it pretty please ｡⁠:ﾟ⁠(⁠;⁠´⁠∩⁠`⁠;⁠)ﾟ⁠:⁠｡

Thank you so much!❤️💞I'm glad you enjoy my content!

Cody/X-Virus Headcanons

Where do I start with this guy.He's a little younger than Toby,in his early 20's.The way he acts,speaks and carries himself makes him look like an overly confident 19 year old,the annoying younger brother trope.

He didn't think much about romance before the life in the mansion

Sparking his interest is almost as easy as it is for Toby tbh.A few acts of kindness will get you a long way

Mf has a lot of issues.He uses his knowledge to make special viruses and sneaks them into you somehow,making you sick and letting him to take care of you.

A little yandere,but the obvious type.He always tries to be around you or to take you with him in his laboratory,treasures alone time with you above everything else,and you guessed right,his love language is physical touch

Extremely touchy,even if he is covered in blood he would still try to get a hug."I know this is..unwelcoming..but I can work with this,am I rite?" and would give you a hopeful smile

His ego gets to his head sometimes.The sudden power he got after a life of insults and constant bullying were enough to make him demand more respect,more motivation to keep on going with his little projects.

He puts on a sweet facade,but he enjoys the power dynamics in terms of knowledge in general.

He's a flirt and can pull the "doing this unintentionally" moves you know them

I can associate him as a mix between Steve and Billy from Stranger Things for some reason in terms of romance

#creepypasta headcanons #creepypasta x reader #creepypasta #y/n #headcanons #cody x virus #cody x reader #cody creepypasta #cody x virus creepypasta #x virus

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ryttu3k · 3 months

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BECAUSE I AM DUMB (and it is almost 2am) I sent you an astarion ask for the ship ask, but my brain meant wyllstarion! (apparently my brain decided that astarion is intrinsically connected to wyllstarion)

Haha, all good! <3

[ship meme]

Ship It

1. What made you ship it?

lmao it was a post about that clip saying that Astarion used to dream of marrying a man like Wyll. Just the thought of Astarion feeling like he's too old and jaded and cynical for this very pure romance, but Wyll still being young and idealistic and intensely romantic and, you know what, he's going to woo the heck out of this mysterious and charming elf he's crushing on.

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

Okay so. I have a List.

They bring out the best in each other. Wyll encourages Astarion, by his actions, to help people, to do good, to be heroic. Wyll so wholeheartedly believes in being a hero that it just... starts rubbing off on Astarion too. Conversely, Wyll can be selfless to a fault, and Astarion can sort of reel him back a bit, get him to think about himself and his own needs. I absolutely believe that left on his own, Wyll would agree to Mizora's deal and sacrifice his own freedom for his father, and Astarion is probably the one best positioned to get Wyll to think about his own future and reject the pact.

The contrasts and parallels in their story. The obvious contrast, monster vs monster hunter, starting out (more or less) chaotic evil vs lawful good, but eventually meeting somewhere in the middle (see: above point about bringing out the best in each other). And then the parallels - both of them are heavily under the influence of someone else, seemingly abandoned by the gods and any other important support structures (Astarion being cut off by Cazador from any kind of support, Wyll being disowned by Ulder who I still haven't forgiven, he was seventeen years old!!), and their main narrative arc is about breaking free from their respective tormentors, and working out who they can be as their own free people. Why not do that together?

The romance is so healing for Astarion. More one-sided here, in that it's more of a benefit for Astarion than it is for Wyll, but a slow courtship is exactly what Astarion needs, with this foundation of trust building, knowing that Wyll cares about him for more than just what he can do in bed.

The mutual attraction. They're so down bad for each other. Using your own post here, Astarion critically fails a charisma roll and Wyll is just. Lucky for you I'm into that shit.

The hands the hands. The hands!

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Honestly, I think they genuinely do work best as a poly ship (or like, a QPP thing) with Karlach. I love all three relationships individually, but I also love them together (there's a lovely post on their dynamic as a trio here, looking at them platonically, but it still holds out for a romance). Wyll and Karlach's storylines are intrinsically bound together, and indeed the only way for Karlach to have a happy ending at this point is with Wyll and/or a love interest accompanying her back to Avernus. I... can't really see Wyll being able to brush off not helping Karlach, leading to her death; I think if she does die, he'd be deeply depressed and feel a lot of guilt for it.

Astarion, too, really values Karlach. He's the most gentle about her if Tav is torn between them, there's just this very sweet dynamic between them. And Karlach clearly adores both of them too! She and Wyll become best friends, she's basically ready to go to war against Cazador to protect Astarion, there's just... so much love and care between the three of them that I can't see any one of them wanting to leave one of the others behind. My 'canon' ending for them would be all three going to Avernus (which Wyll openly offers to do and which Astarion is 100% willing to do as well), finding a solution for Karlach's engine and Astarion's sun issues, and then returning to Baldur's Gate to start working out a future - together.

So in conclusion:

Astarion/Wyll: Good shit.

Wyll/Karlach: Good shit.

Karlach/Astarion: Good shit (but please fix the Origin spawn Astarion ending, Larian!!)

Karlach/Wyll/Astarion: 👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀 good shit go౦ԁ sHit👌 thats ✔ some good👌👌shit right👌👌there👌👌👌 right✔there ✔✔if i do ƽaү so my self 💯 i say so 💯 thats what im talking about right there right there (chorus: ʳᶦᵍʰᵗ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ) mMMMMᎷМ💯 👌👌 👌НO0ОଠOOOOOОଠଠOoooᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒ👌 👌👌 👌 💯 👌 👀 👀 👀 👌👌Good shit

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 spoilers #wyll ravengard #astarion #astarion ancunin #the blade of frontiers #the pale elf #bloodpact #wyllstarion #and some mentioned #wyllachstarion

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rockitmans · 3 months

Note

Hello, I really enjoy your writing and you seem confident in writing smut. Do you have any tips on how to go about it? I find is so awkward!

Hey thank you 😊 I am just a guy with a laptop but I can try my best to tell you some stuff that helps me.

First of all! My number one tip that everyone should follow IS that you really don't have to write smut if you don't want to. Probably obvious, but there's very few fics that actually require detailed smut and if it makes you uncomfy it may not be worth it. BUT I'm sure you know that already and are here for some actual advice so here we go.

Gonna get a tiny bit nsfw but not graphically. All this is advice only, nothing is ever a hard and fast rule, especially in writing. Take what you like and chuck out the rest. Other writers feel free to add on 💖

What's the point of the smut?

Personally I think smut is always better if it is conveying something about the characters or the story. If the point of it is just to be pwp that is absolutely fine ofc but if it's within a larger story what are you trying to convey? Desire for each other that's finally bubbled over? Connection and trust? Playfulness and fun?

Whatever the angle, try and keep that motivation in your mind. If the sex is about connection, focus on the internal feelings, lots of affectionate words between them, a lot of eye contact etc. If it's about that "I must have you now" passion, maybe it's quicker, choppier, more desperate and less talking.

Smut doesn't have to be hot to be good and valid in the story. Maybe it's sometimes deliberately bad sex. Maybe sometimes it's soft and sweet rather than steamy. Don't get too stressed trying to make it titillating (if I may use that word).

Character first

Following on from that. Think about your characters, especially in the context of the AU you've put them in if that's the case. Who would instigate? Who would take charge? If someone is very playful and jokey out of the bedroom, they'll probably take that energy into it. If they're serious and passionate, likewise.

I'm sure as a writer you've often thought that the characters sometimes just do their own thing without your input because you're in their head so much. Let that energy guide you through sex scenes as well. (I very accidentally set myself up for wall sex in one of my fics once because the characters would not shut up about it.)

Write about what you like

Especially for your first few attempts, write about stuff you enjoy. Whether that be in real life, fantasy or you just have an academic interest in. I've been called out multiple times for liking subby Blaine 😂 And yes! I do! I find it fun to write so that's why I write it.

Think about what specifically you enjoy about your scenario and express that on page. This should in turn lead to an enjoyable reading experience! If you're not sure what you like, read some smut and think about what parts of it appeal to you. Avoid writing kinks that squick you out.

It's about the fantasy

I wouldn't get too bogged down in mechanics. Especially of anal sex. Fanfiction is sort of fantasy and doesn't need to be incredibly realistic to be fun. By all means make sure you're conveying a sense of how your characters are positioned and how they are interacting but don't get into the weeds of minutiae if you don't need to. It's not a how-to guide and being too mechanical can remove the spice.

Invoke the five senses

General writing advice is to get all senses involved but it's just as important for smut. A few examples.

Sight: how their partner looks, their body, especially if it's your POV character's first time seeing them naked AND how that makes them feel. Lighting is a good visual way of setting the mood. Soft, romantic lighting for their first time? Candles for romance. Just in broad daylight in the middle of the kitchen for spontaneity.

Sound: Gasping, sighing, moaning, their partners voice. Are they talking? Laughing? Why? Are things going wrong or are they just giddy and excited? Is there people nearby that they can hear that adds to the thrill? Do they play music?

Smell: smells on the other person they've never noticed because they've never been that close before. I tend to avoid talking about unpleasant smells because it kind of takes you out of the moment. But washing powder, cologne, shampoo, all that stuff is golden.

Taste: I'm sure you can use your imagination on this one! The taste of their partners mouths when kissing, the taste of salt on their skin, the taste of them intimately

Touch: This one is so key! Are touches deliberate or incidental? Gentle or rough? What emotion does a certain touch invoke? Capturing sensation and mood can be more effective than pure description sometimes. And the touch doesn't just have to come from each other. What about the feel of the sheets? Toys? Are they having sex on a surface that is hard or rough?

Write scared

Posting smut is intimidating and a lil scary, especially the first time but probably several times after that as well. As the well known saying goes: Feel the fear and do it anyway. We all start somewhere and we are all constantly improving. If you are very brave you can ask for con crit but otherwise it's just a skill to hone like any other. I believe in you!

#sorry this got long #hope theres something there you can use!#asks #writing tips #i suppose #although i don't feel qualified

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jeremywhitley · 1 year

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Julie Power, Queer Relationships and OTPs

Hey, two provisos before I jump into what I’m about to say:

1) My last name is not Marvel and I don’t own these characters. Before and after I write them, other people will write and/or have written them. Most of them. That’s what success in corporate comics looks like in this day and age - not that you get to write a character/group of characters forever but that other creators remember they exist and include them in new stories and they get to have a long happy life. That said, characters change and the valid interpretation is the one that leads to more stories. You, as a fan, are also interpreted to love whatever version of the character you like as long as you don’t hassle creators about it.

2) As always, I am not the perfect person to write this mini-essay, I’m just the one writing the comic and therefore the one that can explain the thoughts and feelings that went into making the decisions I did.

We good? Okay. Let’s continue!

Being gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual or wherever else a person falls in a spectrum does not make a person more or less than human. It does not make every relationship perfect. In fact, having a sexuality for which there isn’t quite as many years of literature and self-help books often leads to complications that you don’t know how to navigate. It is a rarely acknowledged but pretty obvious fact that this would go double or more for people who were also dealing with the complications of being a superhero in the modern era. A lot of those people have experiences with multiple apocalypse scenarios, a knowledge that there are parallel universes in which pareallel versions of them exist (like a version of me who types parallel the same way twice in a row, one can dream), mind control, reality manipulation, and time travel. Their life is complicated and relationships are difficult in a world where few of those things are commonplace.

In talking about Schitt’s Creek, Glen Weldon expressed a frustration and distaste for the central gay relationship in that show, not because it wasn’t cute and precocious but because it wasn’t realistic. You have a person who has been dating around and having several unresolved and unsatisfying queer relationships paired up with a freshly out, just admitted he’s gay, never dated another man love interest. It’s sweet. It also gives an unrealistic portrait of what life is like for a queer person. It’s hard to argue with people loving that relationship, but it’s impossible to argue with Glenn’s point. Dating is complicated and difficult. Adding queerness to that only makes it more complicated, not less. We often don’t know what we want or need and it’s more difficult to understand what you want and need with less context. Straight people have been struggling with telling their partners what they want and need even as their relationship has been a necessity of human species survival.

But we tend to push the idea of an OTP or “one true pairing” onto queer couples for a variety of reasons, but mainly two:

1) There are so few queer relationships in media that when one happens, queer audiences tend to hold onto it tightly in the worry that there will never be another one like it.

2) The idea that all or most queer relationships are the result of an undeniable love between two halves of the same whole reunited at last and it would be horrible to part them, makes queer relationships more palatable to straight audiences who are still growing in their understanding of the difference between same sex sexual attraction, same sex romance, and same sex fucking.

The end result is a pretty warped understanding of queer people and same sex relationships.

All of this is sort of preamble to say that in this week’s issue of Love Unlimited, I broke up a romantic pairing off panel that I created in Future Foundation a few years ago. In the last issue of Future Foundation, I had Rikki Barnes and Julie Power kiss. They had just been through an extremely dangerous prison break during which they had both almost died and saved one another’s lives. The moment was absolutely ripe for two Sapphic people to get swept up in the moment and intensely make out. It was a relationship I would like to have explored more, especially as they are two characters I care very deeply about. I think it would have been fun. I also do not think it would have worked out long term. Most relationships don’t and they are very different people.

I saw a post somebody made earlier today on tumblr about how Julie Power throws herself at every queer and available white girl in the Marvel Universe. There’s only one part of that I would prefer to not be true and that’s the white part. It is true about the comics as they have come out, but I don’t see Julie as the kind of person who wouldn’t fall in love with a person of color. In fact, to the point of that post, I see Julie as a person who is open to connection and cares a great deal about physical affection. She’s a hugger. She’s constantly taking people under her wing. She falls for people hard and loves hard. Not to get too intimate with it, but she’s probably a person who enjoys sex and physical contact and affection. Those things aren’t important to everyone or meaningful in the same way to everyone, but they are to some people.

But also, that doesn’t mean that every relationship those people enter into has to be THE ONE. We all enjoy our own OTPs and a lot of us have that same investment in people we know in real life. God knows, I have had that investment in queer friends that found love and there are people that have had that same investment in my wife and I because we’re a mixed race couple. Those facts about a relationship don’t make it work out without the same sort of effort, love, affection, and sheer luck as any other successful relationship. I think ascribing that same sort of mythological status to every same sex relationship is ultimately short sighted and harmful.

Julie’s way of finding love, like a lot of us, is to throw herself headfirst into relationships, love hard, experiences extraordinary moments, and get hurt when things don’t work out. She, literally, has a heroic impulse toward relationships. Is that healthy, maybe not. But hey, I kind of admire it.

So yeah, I broke up a relationship off panel that barely had a chance to exist on panel because that’s the way I see it going. On the bright side, she’s in another relationship now and we’ll see how that goes.

If there’s a thing I guess I want people to take away from this, it’s that it’s okay for your relationship not to work out and that you shouldn’t treat your queer friends like they’re characters in a Shakespeare play that have to love each other unconditionally and die together in a crypt if things don’t work out.

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lizhly-writes · 2 months

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hi there. this is absolutely not what i meant to post buuuuuut i didn't finish what i actually wanted to post, so have this (which I also didn't finish) instead. haaaappy late valentine's day.

“So?”

“...I don’t know why you want to hear this kind of thing.”

“But you’ll tell me anyway, right?”

“I’d rather not.”

“But...?”

“Yes, fine, whatever.”

...

Yang Haoran honestly wished that he had a less accurate recollection of how his first ten kisses went, primarily because saying that he remembered exactly how his first ten kisses went made it seem like he was the kind of person who sentimentally and obsessively kept count of every time someone locked lips with him.

It was, he felt, an inaccurate representation of how he was as a person. After all, it was easy to remember your first ten kisses if 1) they were all with the same person 2) they happened pretty much all at once.

...Well, in any case, his first kiss had gone like this: he had been studying in his room, the very picture of a dutiful high school student. At some point, Jiang Mingxi had walked in.

"Hi, Mingxi," Yang Haoran said. "Hey, do you know if --"

"Kiss me," Jiang Mingxi demanded.

...

"Seriously?" Chen Lihua said, in a way that would probably break her fans' public perception of her if they ever saw it. Her image was pure, sweet, wholesome -- there wasn't really much room for maniacal gleefulness.

"Seriously," Yang Haoran said dryly.

Chen Lihua leaned in, eyes bright, chin propped on her hands, the very picture of an eager gossip. "She really just said that?"

"It was the first thing she said to me all day."

"Wow. No lead in, no build up, no mood. Aren't you supposed to have some kind of romantic atmosphere for this? Ah, wait, you two were already engaged at that point, right? So were you already in a relationship or --"

"That would make sense, wouldn’t it."

...

Yang Haoran blinked. He blinked again.

But no matter how hard he blinked, Jiang Mingxi was still standing in his doorway, the echo of her words still lingering in the air. Arms crossed, jaw tensed, expression belligerent. She look like she was ready to kick his ass. She did not look like she wanted to kiss him.

And yet.

He marked his place in his workbook and closed it, since clearly nothing was going to get done with Jiang Mingxi occupying his attention like this. "I didn't know you were interested in this kind of thing.”

They were going to get married. That was a fact. That was also years in the future. Any romance in their relationship was hypothetical at best. Their current relationship could be accurately described as "childhood friends mostly because their parents were friends and kept pushing them together".

The most romantic thing Jiang Mingxi had ever told him was that his face looked "okay, I guess".

Yang Haoran thought about it. The obvious answer occurred to him near-instantly. "Did you lose a bet or something?" he said cheerily.

"No," Jiang Mingxi growled. "Why would you think I lost a -- am I not allowed to be interested on my own?"

"Interested in... kissing," Yang Haoran said skeptically. “You think about kissing people?” Jiang Mingxi had, to him, always seemed like she was gearing up to be one of those strong independent women who didn’t need men. Even that seemed like an understatement. Jiang Mingxi rarely showed interest in anyone at all, man or not.

“Who’s people, I think about kissing you,” Jiang Mingxi snapped, and then immediately looked like she regretted saying anything out loud at all. She was starting to turn red. On other people, this might have been cute. On Jiang Mingxi, it could be cute, but also probably meant she was going to commit violence sometime soon.

“... Me, in particular?” Yang Haoran ventured. “Regularly?”

I think and not I was thinking. The first implied a pattern; that Jiang Mingxi considered kissing him more than once --- that she apparently thought about it often enough that she had to bring it up with him outside her mind to excise it.

He was feeling...some kind of way about this.

Jiang Mingxi crossed her arms. "You're my fiance, am I supposed to be kissing anyone other than you?"

...Oh, well, now he was feeling back to normal about this.

Yang Haoran propped his chin up on one hand. "So you're saying it really could have been anyone, but I'm actually your only real option because I’m your fiance."

"That’s not--” Jiang Mingxi made a frustrated noise. “Why are you saying it like that. Why are you making it sound so bad.”

“I’m not making it sound bad.”

...

“You made it sound bad,” Chen Lihua said.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Yang Haoran said.

#my writing #transmigrated as the female lead's villain fiance #yang haoran #jiang mingxi #am going to have to reblog with part 2 at some point #...eventually #probably

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sitp-recs · 1 year

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Rarepair Tag Game

Thank you @danpuff-ao3 for the tag! This was really fun 😍

Rules: List the top rarepairs that you like outside of your OTP, and why you ship it! (Criteria for what makes a rarepair is up to your own discretion.) tagging anyone who wants to do this, maybe @lqtraintracks and @writcraft if you feel like it?

Harry/Teddy

This ship has been a long-standing guilty pleasure fave ever since I’ve read the amazing When It Alteration Finds by the Hardy champion @lqtraintracks, many years ago. Shipping Starker (MCU) in 2019 made my love for Harry/Teddy come back even stronger because I can trace so many similarities between both ships (besides the obvious age gap). Pretty much like Tony and Peter, Harry and Teddy are war orphans whose paths wouldn’t necessarily cross only they did, and the mentor/father figure combo can lend itself to so many interesting narratives, both tender and angsty which is my ultimate jam. This was my very first ship that didn’t have the antagonist component - on the contrary, this brand of romance is even more heartbreaking because they’re so so seriously devoted to each other. They could have been best friends to lovers if not for the whole godfather+ age gap problematique but it makes the ship even more compelling to me. I love the guilt, the want, the inevitability of them falling into bed then hurting through the complications before finally getting together. My favorite fics include (you guessed it!) everything LQT has written especially Beneath a Foreign Moon and Coming Up for Air, plus the stunning Surface Texture by @the-starryknight.

Ron/Draco

I would never have considered this ship if I hadn’t stumbled upon the brilliant A Fine Foray into Fashionable Fellatio by @wellhalesbells - a masterpiece that remains my all-time favorite Dron fic because it finally opened my eyes to their sexual and emotional potential as a ship on its own, outside of Drarry’s shadow. Ron is such a fascinating character, so very different from Harry in his strengths and vulnerabilities, which makes his dynamics with Draco very unique and 100% different from Drarry fics. It’s a delight to see him as a protagonist, I love his sense of humor and I find the idea of exploring what brings him and Draco together (besides being tall Purebloods with strong feelings for Harry 😏) and what pulls them apart when it comes to wealth/status difference very refreshing and compelling. Lokifan handles it masterfully! Now, I might have come for hung!Ron smut, but I stayed for the feels. In the past year I’ve become more emotionally attached to this ship especially as dragon tamer pals thanks to the superb Dreaming Skies by @sweet-s0rr0w and @tackytigerfic and more recently, to a Dronarry gem that’s really a love letter to Dron, The Sun, Shining Above You by @oknowkiss

Ron/Harry

Young Liv couldn’t care less for “friends to lovers” but now that I’m older and mellow, those dynamics are slowly but surely working their way inside my heart. Gosh, I’m so soft for Rarry! I love the idea of them experimenting together as young and traumatized teenagers, and there’s something poetic and right about Harry falling in love with his first and best friend. My heart aches when I remember that Ron was Harry’s most precious person during the Tournament’s 2nd task, being with each other just feels right. Love me some confused pining, domesticity and slight possessiveness /jealousy for them, especially in a scenario where Draco’s involved (yes I am also here for the Dronarry agenda). My first contact with this ship was through Golden Trio fics and the catharsis of comfort sex during the Horcrux Hunt; it was the easiest thing to slide into Rarry afterwards. Now I see them everywhere and am low-key spreading the word among my most skeptical friends (@writcraft is probably thinking “wdym you were shipping them in my Drarry fic???”). If anyone’s curious about this ship or wants a break from enemies to lovers I strongly rec the darling Sun Kissed by @static-abyss,the angsty Prelude and Fugue by shes_gone, this hot af Kinkuary by iota the exquisite Silhouettes by @sweet-s0rr0w

#tag meme #hp rare pair #I could probably go on #but these will do for now haha

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deng-yi-deng · 5 months

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Drama round-up 2023

This is one of the best drama years I've had since I started watching in 2019. I think I've finally learned when to drop and when to say - maybe another time.

there were some standouts, but for me the top three were:

Oh no! Here comes trouble

Ripe Town

Till the End of the Moon

reviews (in the order I watched things) under the cut

The Blood of Youth 少年歌行 (3.75/5)

2023 started off on an unexpectedly good note with a really fun well-done wuxia. It had lots of what I enjoy in a drama: ensemble cast of friends, good pacing, some humor, lots of fighting, and a fairly logical plot. Sure, there was a little bit of over-the-top silliness, but it's a wuxia, not a historical drama, so I enjoyed it. What it did not have a lot of was romance - which is fine - though there was a really sweet angsty sub-plot with two minor characters, one played by cutie Cao Yuchen, if that's your jam. Besides that sub-plot I personally didn't find any of the (many) other CPs had chemistry or added anything to the overall drama, and yes I am including those folks who ship the MLs.* Costumes, effects, and visuals were all great, and acting was ok. There was a mix of younger and more seasoned actors which I think helps. Ngl I immediately fell for Liu Xueyi as Wu Xin, and will be watching more of his dramas.

Weak points were the dubbing and (some) acting. VA was done by the donghua VAs, and it took me until 3/4 of the way through to get used to their voices with the actor's looks. Many didn't fit well, especially Xiao Se (Li Hongyi). Which brings me to the #1 weak point - Li Hongyi. His character should have been interesting, and thus was chosen as the main ML, but the man's face does not move. It really detracted from the whole drama, especially when the plot moved to revolving entirely around him and who would inherit the throne. I started to groan every time the camera focused on him and his unmoving upper lip and vacant expression. There were so many more interesting side characters - from the 'older generation' as well as the younger, that I wish we had spent time on instead of focusing on the imperial family power struggles.

*it is impossible to have chemistry with an inert substance

League of Nobleman - dropped

Grammar aside (yes, the English title annoyed the crap out of me) the production value and look of this drama was really good. The plot was fairly interesting but for some reason overall it didn't grab me and I dropped it around ep 10. I think this was because I had just soldiered through one lackluster male lead, and had to deal with one again in Song Weilong. Everyone else was good, and I heard that it got better towards the end, but I'll never know. The real problems for me were two fold: the lazy plot device of the water-hypnotism thing (this is supposed to be historical, not wuxia, so I am less tolerant of vaguely magical/occulty things that just happen to make solving the crime easier) and the fact that the drama was trying soooo hard to pretend to be a dangai and get you to ship absolutely everyone with the ML. If that's your thing, then you might enjoy it.

Under the Microscope 4/5

Dubious at first because of the slightly 'Rain man' treatment they were giving the ML. You also have to give it lots of drama leeway in terms of historical accuracy (w/r/t the role of the lawyer) which was done for obvious dramatic reasons.

If you can overlook those two things, it was satisfying - well paced, and well plotted. The look was much more realistic than typical costume dramas, and joy of joys, large portions of it used live audio (not dubbed) which gave it even more of a realistic feel. I wasn't completely sold on Zhang Ruoyun's performance, though I do think he's a good actor - it might have been the writing or direction, difficult to know. I'm fairly sensitive to portraying neurodivergent characters. All the supporting characters and their performers were really good which is what eventually won me over.

Till the End of the Moon 4.5/5

This should probably rate it's own post. I've defended the ending once, and will do forever - it is not a BE. It fit the themes of the drama perfectly. This drama will either continue to be divisive, or everyone will move on with their lives. It won't leave me though, I'm scarred for life. (the personal emotional damage is what earned it the extra .5 in my rating. I've never cried this hard over a drama ending.)

So far this is the only xianxia I've seen that manages to be about more than romantic love. Though it stuck to some familiar plot devices - the three arcs, destiny/fate, multiple cps - it was about so much more than the main cp and I hope paves the way for more like it, turning away from tired tropes and towards a literal xianxia - the story of Immortal Heroes - not just fairy-tale love.

The biggest flaws (outside of Xixi's inconsistent heavy makeup and an overuse of sparkly effects that obscured the action during fight scenes) can be blamed pretty squarely on the NRTA rules. Tantai Jin was a bit too whitewashed. Li Susu's character arc was difficult to follow because of all the many many cuts. I was very frustrated towards the end as the majority of really brutal editing seemed to be done in the last arc - it made the plot confusing and character motivations - especially for Li Susu - unclear. Overall, it was good but could have been even better if we had all the episodes and production had gone even further with the Dunhuang aesthetic and farther from typical xianxia/wuxia tropes.

Oh No! Here Comes Trouble 5+/5

I was worried I'd need to give up cdramas forever after the emotional beating I took watching TTEOTM. Luckily tumblr came through and kept putting gifs of this on my dash. An absolute gem. Funny and heartfelt drama about paranormal investigation, friendship, family relationships, death and grief, high school bullying - it really had it all. Twelve episodes were not enough!!! It's rare that I can literally say "I laughed, I cried" about any show but it was true for this one (and maybe the Good Place.) The friendship among the characters, and their really supportive families was so heartwarming. Which was needed since there were also lots of dark themes about isolation and loneliness, abuse, and death. The attention to detail in the sets and character names and backstories were so clever, it was obvious how much love the production had for the show. My only quibbles are that the first couple eps that set the characters were a little long to get through, other than that a practically perfect drama in every regard.

Mysterious Lotus Casebook - on indefinite hold

Not as good mystery-wise as Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty but mostly fun. Decent acting (this is the first time I've watched CY and he's OK, if not particularly compelling for me.) I should have liked this more because as a wuxia/mystery it's absolutely 100% up my alley but found myself falling asleep during some episodes - there is way too much exposition and not enough 'show' when it comes to the mystery solving aspect. I most definitely skipped all the tender scenes between CY and CDL's characters (🤮).

I ended up putting it on hold, but I might pick it up again for Xiao Shunyao's character. I think the main reason people went bonkers for this drama on tumblr was because they loved shipping the MLs, which - whatever.

Hikaru no Go 5/5

Finally watched this after having it on the list for a couple years and it was absolutely as good as people said it was. Touching and sweet without being overly sentimental. The child actors were fabulous - I was almost sad to see them grow up and be replaced by the main actors. Each character really feels like they're a complete person, their motivations and actions are individual and understandable. Who knew I'd love a drama based on a manga about Go?

Ripe Town 5/5

Everything about this short drama was absolutely top notch. It was like watching a prestige western drama or mini-series. I want more of these, please! Luckily I've heard that Tencent is making a series (like iQiyi's "light on") that will specialize in these shorter dramas.

The cinematography was gorgeous and set the mood so well. Acting was excellent from everyone. The plot was TIGHT. The pacing was ON. Direction was so good. Audio was live, not dubbed for most of it (aaaaaaaah my beloved ambient audio.) I looked forward to each new episode and lamented that there were only 12. The suspense built with every episode as we learned the backstories of our characters and what happened 20 years ago. There was even humor - dark, adult humor, not slapstick. The only slight failing for me was the very very end - there's an unnecessarily twist that, while it didn't ruin the drama, didn't really help it either, and in fact muddied some of the character motivations somewhat. Aside for that would have been the best cdrama I've ever seen.

Love is Panacea - dropped

Yet another modern drama starring my favorite actor that I simply could not get through. Sorry Xixi. He and Zhang Ruonan were both good (though her stiff faced kiss scenes were not) but the plot was a melodramatic mess that overshadowed a really sweet message about facing adversity. The direction made it look like a cheesy idol drama in spots, and the secondary characters (Dr. Gu's family) were beyond annoying. Please let him stop acting in these sub-par modern dramas. I have no idea why it did so well on CCTV8 other than the fact that he looked stunning through most of it.

The Story of Kunning Palace 3.75/5

Honestly not entirely sure how to rate this, but out of all similar dramas I've ever watched this was pretty well paced and generally well acted. I definitely looked forward to each episode but did eventually find myself 2x'ing through some of the slower scenes and romantic longing looks with the OST in the background (yawn.) The revenge plot was well done, and more interesting than the 'who will she pick' romance plot, though even I found myself rooting for one of our MLs more than the other (even though it was obvious who would get the girl).

The biggest downside for me was the directing - the spins, the terrible backlight - it was so dated and so noticeable that it took me out of the drama. Though Bai Lu did a good job, I won't say it was her strongest performance. Zhang Linghe was criticized for his performance and at first I disagreed strongly. His character was a little exaggerated but it's a costume drama, come on. Around ep 32 though I understood what people meant. His character was too unhinged to be taken very seriously - I mean, how many times can you stab yourself without the audience thinking you're nuts? His shouting and throat grabbing was just a bit over the top and was more like deranged stalker behavior than hopelessly obsessed lover. How much of that was direction (see my earlier criticism) I don't know, but at the end...he's all fine. Gets the girl, loves kitties, etc. etc. Ngl, I did not expect such a pat HE and it kind of didn't fit. Folks who love HE loved it though.

#what I watched this year #cdrama review #cdrama roundup 2023 #posting this early since I don't think I'll start and finish another drama before the end of the year

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walkingstackofbooks · 1 year

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DS9 2x05 Melora thoughts (rewatching; spoilers for future episodes possibly included) Admittedly, I'm Not Looking Forward To This, iirc it's pretty cringe... welp let's go

Ughhhh the "she's extraordinary" type of ableism, not a good start... And just Julian being weirdly into her from a medical pov, are these the same writers who wrote Geordie being creepily into Leah without ever meeting her?I

t is very, very good that she's allowed to be angry about microagressions though. She's not particularly likeable but that's not a bad thing, and he's allowed to explain herself to Sisko and to us. Evenif not intentional, I think this is a good way to challenge viewers and make us sit in some discomfort if that makes sense?

I get where you're coming from, Melora, but surely you must understand that working as a team is something important for all Starfleet personnel to have to do?

Not a fan of Julian just going into her room, and I don't know how to feel about the way he's taking to her - it kind of feels intrusive but it is also genuinely friendly and also very normal, he is just treating her like anyone else (that he has a crush on) (he has a crush on everyone though right?)

I can't say I'm a fan of the romance subplot, but I think that's because it feels rushed - which is honestly any Star Trek romance with a one-off character. She clearly likes getting to know him too, I do not think he's taking advantage in any way?

I LOVE her "I can't eat this Julian" *proceeds to rant in Klingon*. She played him well, she knew exactly what she was doing. 👌👌 She'd get on well with Jadzia

Ooh, interesting to hear Julian's backstory pre-augment-reveal. It really does mesh.

("I heard the ball go past me and I realised I wasn't good enough to play tennis properly" ...or you realised you wouldn't be able to disguise how good you were?)

She's so graceful :3 It is sweet they both get to laugh at how clumsy Julian is, I actually really like this scene and the role-reversal. It's obvious, but nice?

Honestly the real villain of this is Cardassion architecture. But also sucks that Starfleet have been here a year and it's not accessible yet? Some future utopia...

I really hope that information was told before she started the treatment, seems pretty important to only be telling her now?! I'm guessing for dramatic effect?

Yeah, I'm okay with them getting together actually, it's less creepy than I remember. If it wasn't a quick-one-shot-romance I don't think there'd be anything wrong with Julian being her doctor - he's everyone's doctor on the station. It's just more noticeable because her plot centres so heavily around having medical needs and the romance is side-by-side the treatment.

I know it's 'cause they have to fit it in an episode, but Julian's far too prone to rushing into medical treatment too quickly when he's excited to try it out. I don't think he's pressuring her exactly, I just wish we saw more of the explanations because it feels like everything is far too quick. A decision like this shouldn't be made straight away!

Ohh, at least he's checking in - "If you're not certain..." "I am." *doubt* "Tell me exactly what you're feeling." And it seems like the gravity thing *was* discussed pre-treatment I guess.

Hmmmm this feels very "disabled people need to be fixed and can't have independence if they're not able-bodied" idk...

I'm fairly certain she doesn't die? But I will be PISSED if she does.

Oooh, I was worried she was going to save the day by forcing herself to her limits within gravity, or not be able to save them and be like "if only my legs worked like a high-gravity humanoid". But no, she changed the fight to be on her terms! Nice!

"Maybe independence isn't all it's cracked up to be. I kind of like how it feels to depend on someone for a change." This is actually such a good ending though??

So it was a bit bumpy at times, but not NEARLY as bad as I thought it would be. Honestly, I like them as a couple. Most of my complaints come from it being a lots-of-time-needed-plot being squished into one episode - can you imagine how good this could have been over a few episodes with a regular character, and romance only starting *after* the self-acceptance?

#ds9 melora #andi watches ds9 #melora #julian bashir #WSB

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bookaddict24-7 · 2 years

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REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Books I’ve read so far in 2022!

Friend me on Goodreads here to follow my more up to date reading journey for the year!

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175. The No-Show by Beth O’Leary--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think the beauty of this book is the experience you get when you go in completely blind. I did this and I loved the twists and the heartbreaking moments. If you also want to experience the book like this, then stop reading this review and just experience the book! If you're still here, know that this book is more than it seems. I was wary at first because one of the obvious themes, but I kept going because I wanted to encounter that moment where everything imploded with the climax. Let me tell you, I was not expecting to get teary eyed. This was quite the story and I think I'll think about it for a while, just because of how well the author weaved these stories together and brought it all forward to that revelation. Also, there's a lumberjack-type guy in this. If you want a contemporary novel that follows multiple stories leading into one big conclusion, then you might like this one! I'm taking one star off because while I did love where the story went, I wasn't fully sold for the first few chapters.

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176. Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've seen this book on the shelves at work for years and always wondered what it was about. I never read the synopsis and I never fully looked into it. When I saw it on the library website, I finally decided to try it and I'm really glad I did. I had a young customer come in a week or so ago and he was looking for middle grade books about mental health because he wants to be a psychologist when he grows up. That got me thinking about all of the books that exist in that age category and when I mentioned this one (without having read it yet), he mentioned that he'd read it and that it was really good. So, really, that recommendation AND seeing it at the library did it for me. The main character of this book is an intelligent, curious, and unique child who does her own thing and isn't ashamed of it. When her parents comment on her first day of school outfit and how it would set her apart, she proudly responded with something along the lines of it not mattering. I think books with this message, especially when predominantly aimed at younger readers, are so incredibly important. We live in a time where kids are starting to be more aware of the differences between them and their peers (in a hopefully less toxic environment than when I was a kid) and books like this one help them understand that different does not equal bad or shameful. Especially in middle school, which most of us know is a cesspool of bullying and where "otherness" becomes a sign of weakness. I did find this book more tragic than I was expecting and I really appreciated the author's approach to grief because it can look different on everyone. But this grief also opened the doors for us to see that family isn't always a blood relation. Found families can be just as, if not sometimes more, important as natural family. The characters each had their own journeys to travel in this book and I was so grateful that I got to experience all of it. I highly recommend this book. I think the MC has a way of entering your heart and giving it the biggest hug, even if she would say that it's unhygienic.

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177. Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am on a mission to finishing this author's books. I finally got my hands (or my ears) on this one from the library and I have to say...this was my FAVOURITE one by her so far! The MC's journey is a fantastic experience of self-realization, the romance is sweet and hopeful, and the literal adventure aspect of this book was so much more than I was expecting. I went into this book SO skeptical, for some reason, and I ended up loving it. I love books where the MC goes on some sort of journey that will change their life forever...while their love interest joins them. Also, there's an age gap and a sort of enemies to lovers angle that I wasn't expecting (especially after that initial burst of chemistry). I highly recommend this for fans of hiking romance novels, age gaps, and the whole "my brother's best friend" trope.

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178. Aru Shah & the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've been wanting to read more of the stories from the Rick Riordan imprint because I've always been intrigued by different mythologies from other cultures. ARU SHAH did not disappoint! It genuinely felt like I was reading a continuation of a Riordan book and I half-expected his usual characters to pop up mid-story. This was my first time reading a story about Indian mythology and I am hooked! I'm excited to keep reading this series and hopefully pick up the other imprint titles in the near future!

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179. Book Lovers by Emily Henry--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have been hearing nothing but good things about BOOK LOVERS, so it became a little hard to go into this one without any expectations. Having read it, I can finally say that whether I had expectations or not, I thoroughly enjoyed this new book by Emily Henry. It's not my favourite of her more recent adult titles, but it's definitely up there fighting for the top spot with BEACH READ. One thing I did love about this one was the small town romance vibes and how self-aware the story was. I laughed a lot whenever the MC would describe the romance books and tropes that she's seen in popular romance books. Of all three more recent books, this one was the funniest--I would almost say that it was the closest to a romcom that Henry has ever gotten. I enjoyed seeing the romance blossom and that both the MC and the love interest had a lot of growth to go through before they had their HEA. Also, while they figured their lives and love for each other out, there was a great level of healthy communication between them. The sister was kind of...annoying and hypocritical. I understood where she was coming from with how everything went down, but I think her telling her sister to worry about her own life to be a little like the pot calling the kettle black. The communication and dependence both sisters had on each other was definitely something that I was glad to see explored. The situation also helped round out the story and giving it more filling, so it wasn't just a fluffy small town romance. I LOVED the commentary on publishing and editing. I never knew what editing might be like (other than the logical kind that I had in my mind before reading more thoroughly about the process book editors might go through). The way Henry always tackles grief is something that will always add to the emotional punch of her books. This one showed that grief can be incredibly complicated and that just because you miss and love a person, it doesn't mean that you can't still strive to not make the same mistakes as they did. Finally, Henry's spice levels are increasing. We've gone from that one sexy scene by the book case in BEACH READ to multiple O's in this one. I'm curious about the spice level of her next book 👀 Overall, this was a lot of fun. I was a little wary because PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION had a conclusion that kind of ruined it for me. But this was a fun book all the way through! I think I'm not giving this a full five stars because it didn't give me that sense of urgency I like to have sometimes when I'm listening to a book with romance. I do recommend it though, especially if you're a sucker for enemies to lovers, small town romances, and strong independent women who are badasses.

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180. Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don't know what I had in mind when I jumped into this one, but it wasn't what I encountered! This book was so strangely unique and out there that I couldn't help but be intrigued and curious about what would happen next. I wanted to see what the characters would do and how they would grow/learn from each other. I loved that although this was had some themes that were out of this world, it was almost like an ode to music. I'm no musician, but I thought some of the descriptions of how certain songs made some of the characters feel were beautiful. It made me wish I could hear the female young violinist as she played her music. I loved the representation in this book, even if it was oftentimes heartbreaking. I loved the acceptance, both from the people that were admired and the self-acceptance that came with the violinist's growth. That ending was wild and I really enjoyed it! I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants a story that's a little different, has great LGBTQ+ rep, and has an amazing trans character who grows more and more into her identity.

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Have you read any of these? Would you recommend them?

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Happy reading!

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bittergloss · 2 years

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I am in need of a good k/cdrama do you have rec for me 🥺🥺

id love to but if u were a bit more specific abt what kind of dramas u like or what ur in the mood for i could maybe be more specific with my rec? but i'll just list a couple of dramas i've watched recently (i think i'll have more cdrama recs than kdrama tho cos lately ive been in the mood for them also just more lighter dramas also u can check my rec tag.)

love all play haven't caught up with all the eps yet but afaiw it feels fun and sweet and im obsessed with the leads although ive heard that it gets reaaaaaally angsty in the recent eps. shooting stars good for if u don't wanna use ur brain at all and just watch something light and stress free (warning though there's a really stereotyped generalized portrayal of africa that comes up in the first ep and is constantly mentioned in every other ep so. yeah ). our blues weirdly i ended up sticking with this its not terrible or anything but also i don't think im gonna remember this in the long run like it tackles a lot of interesting, heavy topics/stories but idk why i'm just not invested in the drama as a whole. but it could work if u just wanna watch something u don't want to like, commit to since its an omnibus and u can just skip any of the stories ur not into. also the killer's shopping list for a mystery thriller-ish its kind of weak like, if u pay enough attention u can figure out who the killer is by the 2nd ep BUT it delivers on comedy and has an endearing group of characters and despite being obvious, manages to keep ur attention till the end (i did ff here and there tho towards the end) for a 12 ep drama it was decent.

my princess, the killer is also romantic, destined to meet you they're all minidramas (10 mins or less runtime for each ep) but somehow eat up full length romance productions these days with actual budgets its getting embarrassing. wanna also mention the queen of attack s1 and 2 i personally liked s2 a lot more but watching both seasons will give a better idea of the full story even tho maybe u could watch s2 as a standalone. make a wish super fluffy and cute, dine with love finally a good fucking ceo romance bonus this is good if u don't like ott corniness but still want something that falls into the tropes of the genre without sacrificing the romance, it has bad subs but i didn't find it too hard to follow it. love in flames of war might be the only "heavy" (lol) drama im watching rn and its Not Good but its fun in that soapy mess kinda way. also rewatched more than blue: the series recently if u want a good cry

#everyone seem to be obsessed with MLN rn and ive heard the king of pigs is good too if u wanna go for something a bit more moody/dark #sorry idk what to recommend without like a specific idea of what u wanna watch like ur better off just scrolling down my blog #rec

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kimbapmmbapbap · 3 years

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More k-dramas y'all should watch

So, at the end of 2017, I created a post going through my favourite dramas of all time. Obviously, I have watched more dramas since then so I have a few more dramas that everyone needs to watch!!

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

This is an obvious one, so if you haven't watched it, have you been living under a rock?? When I first heard of it just before it came out, I thought it was going to be a rip off of weightlifting fairy Kim bok joo. But boy, was I wrong!! This drama has the perfect amount of romance, comedy, thriller and crime, so it is a good all rounder drama!! The whole cast (not just the leads) had amazing chemistry. The only flaw with this drama is that it does queerbait a little. I wish they either didn't add it in the story or fully went with that the main lead is Bi.

The story surrounds a girl with superhuman strength who wants to be a video game designer. She has always hid her strength due to fear if hurting others and losing her power. She in a unrequited love with her childhood friend who is now a police officer. She then crosses the path of a CEO of a video game company and her starts to become more chaotic. With a serial killer on the loose, Do Bong Soon needs to decide if she will keep a low profile or use her powers for the better good while also falling in love on the way.

While You Were Sleeping

Again, an obvious one, but it has to be watched!! Like strong woman, I was a little apprehensive of this one. Mainly because I hadn't heard good things about Suzy's acting before this came out. But it really surprised me and I really loved it! I'm a sucker for anything crime related, so with a really cute love story as well, it was amazing!! It has really good chemistry and likable characters. The second male lead is also amazing!! I usually don't get second male lead syndrome, but damn I felt it even though I also really loved the main lead. I can't really find any faults with it.

The story surrounds two people who can see the future through dreaming. This includes good and bad things. When the female reporter about dying while on the job, she quite her job to try and changes her fate. A prosecuter move across the street from her, initially they do not get on and their bond starts to grow. Together, they use both of their skills and their power to help change the future and solve crimes along the way. They also soon realise that this is not the first time they have crossed paths.

Psychopath Diary

I cannot recommend this drama enough!! Honestly, it is so underrated!!! Yoon Shi Yoon's performance is incredible, he really embodies the role here. It is so funny, and sweet. You also see a serial killer low key but high key fall in love with the male lead, so there is major gay vibes. The only issue I have with it is, I wish there was a little romance involved. But it is a not a major want.

The story surrounds a pushover who is working at a stocks company. After a major issue arises, he becomes the Scapegoat of the company and is being blamed for it, even though he tried to prevent it. Due to this, he decides that he will end his life. On the way to do this, he witnesses a murder and accidentally picks up the serial killer's diary. While trying to escape, he gets hit by a car and gets amnesia. When he wakes up and reads the diary, he believes that he is the serial killer.

Honestly, please watch this drama, it is so so so funny, the chemistry of the whole cast is incredible. It also possibly has one of my favourite villians in any drama.

Your Honor / Dear Judge

Yes, I am a simp Yoon Shi Yoon. He is just so good and thus role just confirms it! His acting is incredible, king of the double roles! He plays twins and you really tell when either pop up on screen which one he is. This is a really wholesome drama that makes you cry. It has some really sweet moments in it, the leads have such good chemistry. This only issues with this one is that the ending felt rushed. I hate that the TV company changed it from 20 eps to 16 eps.

The story follows a set of twins. Twin A is a top judge in Korea, who is incredibly smart and is living a rich life. Twin B is a criminal who has been screwed over multiple times by the justice system and Twin A. Their mother always sides with A and will tell B not to bother him. When A goes missing, B goes undercover and takes his brothers place. He soon learns about the corrupt world of the court system and his brother. B meets a law student who is meant to be shadowing A. Like B, she has also been affected by the corrupt system and is wanting to be a judge to convict those who have wronged her. Together they fight the system while also falling in love.

Because This is Our First Life

This is a slice of life drama so will have some heavy moments in it. But on the whole, it is just so lovely and cute. The acting is incredible, they really take on the role. It also has one of the best female friendships which is not toxic, they all genuinely care for eachother and want eachother to achieve their dreams. It also has some true badass moments in it as well! I feel like all slice of life dramas have this, but it does have some frustrating moments where the characters are almost purposely making their life's difficult

The story focuses on a woman who is a drama script writer. Due to her patriarchal family who always favour her brother and being let down by her crush, she wants to move out. She ends up moving in with a friend of a friend of a friend. It is to her surprise that the person who she is moving in with is a man who is very much stuck in his own ways and likes to stick to routine. Due to their own desires to be on their own, they decide to get married to relieve the pressure that their families are giving them. This (of course) causes issues and both have to learn about their new feelings for eachother while trying to get through the struggles of life.

Thirty but Seventeen

This drama is the definition of wholesome and cute. I feel that while I was watching it, it went by so quickly and I always had a smile on my face. The romance is so cute and lovely and you could tell they really cared about eachother. The side characters were also amazing and sweet. Honestly, the acting is incredible. The female lead does an amazing job.

The story follows woman who as a child was involved in a bus accident and fell into a coma. She wakes up over ten years later and learns that her family have stopped coming to see her. While on the search for her family, she resides with a man and his brother who are now living in her old family home. The two soon learn that there are more connected than they thought. With the man trying to push her away, the more his feelings grow for her.

Introverted Boss

This is a revenge to love story. It on the whole is a really cute drama where you get to see the leads grow for the better. The acting is incredible and you really fall in love with the leads and the support cast (except for the second lead). It is not a perfect drama, but it is a really easy watch with an interesting story.

The female lead is a stage actress who quits her job to work at a marketing firm. This firm happens to be where her sister used to work. She is out to get revenge against the CEO of the company who she blames for her sister's death. She learns that the CEO is extremely introverted and becomes confused by how he was responsible for her sister's death. As the story goes by, she becomes more intrigued by him and focuses less on revenge and more on helping him open up.

Vincenzo

Ahhhhh, how do express my love for this one!! It is just amazing!! The story was so well thought out and the actors did a fantastic job. It was so satisfying to watch, I wanted to be a member of the mafia lol. The villians were also incredible, like I just love this drama so much. Like Your Honor, the only issue with this one is that the ending felt rushed.

The story surrounds a Korean man who was adopted into an Italian family and became the consiglerie of the mafia. After an issue with his adoptive family, he travels back to Korea in search an insane amount of gold bars which happens to be underneath an unsuspecting block of flats. He then gets involved with a major legal court case with a pharmaceutical company. As he delves deeper into the case, dark secrets start to get revealed.

#strong woman do bong soon #while you were sleeping #Psychopath Diary #your honor #dear judge #30 but 17 #thirty but seventeen #because this is my first life #introverted boss #vincenzo #kdrama #korea #k-drama #k drama #kpop #song jong ki #yoon shi yoon #lee jong suk #suzy

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