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#mind ya biz
motochiri · 3 months
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i hate when im writing a dumbass personal post and somebody comes over asking who im texting bitch my BUDDIES
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drmonkeysetroscans · 13 days
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Nosey fuck.
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truthcakes · 7 months
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Very different stances on what they are to each other
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k-wame · 2 years
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lmao wanted to see if i can find some sensible takes on the mulaney/chappelle shituation & i had forgotten that i had blocked mulaney’s name long time ago
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inventorsdaughter · 1 year
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the world at large might never cease to talk of the wonderful adventures of beauty and the beast / 21+ / adored by persephone / ©
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doozclops · 2 years
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are you just now getting vaccinated? /gen
No you plum this is my 4th dose.
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hellishjoel · 9 months
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blue collar man
4.1k /  joel miller x f!reader
← masterlist
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Summary: Your boyfriend Joel is up to his ears busy with his contracting business. Tired and sore, he comes home to learn you’ve made the rest of the night all about him. 
Warnings/Information/Heads-Up: Fluff, mentions of sex (but no actual sex), mentioned age difference, fluffy fluff fluff because blue collar man Joel Miller deserves it! He’s running a biz-ness! 
A/N: based on this lovely request! I hope I could bring your request to life, I breezed through it so fast because I love him, he’s baby. 
“Thank you for today.” He murmured into the pillow. You barely hear it, but even if you didn’t, you feel it in the way he holds your hand and keeps your arm settled around him.  “Thank you for everything you do, Joel.” You whispered back, your forehead on the top slope of his back as you take in the smell of his body wash combined with the lotion, his body falling slumped in your protective hold. 
Joel had found a lot of success with Miller Contracting over the summer months. Business was booming and his early mornings until late nights were dedicated to working on multiple projects to get things done on time for his clients. Joel worked on referrals mostly, so when he finished a client’s remodeled hill country home in late winter, the client had raved over Joel’s professionalism and hard work to their friends and now he had a list of upcoming projects. 
Truthfully, you didn’t know much about contractors until you started dating Joel. You quickly began to understand the vastness of his duties. One day he could be working on home renovation projects where he was doing demolition like removing the walls or floors, electrical and plumbing work, flooring installation, even down to the last coat of paint. 
Other opportunities were commercial like on a small office building downtown where he did site preparation, set the foundation, worked on the beams and columns, all the way up to finishing the roof. Whatever he couldn’t do himself that was a bit more specialized, he hired subcontractors to work on like heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. 
What he hated the most was landscaping projects. He’d have to do the design layout of a large backyard garden and plant trees and flowers or work on seeding grass if it was a particularly hot Texas summer. Then he would add irrigation systems like sprinklers, pathways for people to walk on, pergolas for outdoor hosting, finishing it off with pretty and unique outdoor light fixtures. God forbid the client wanted a pond. 
“Do you know how annoying koi fish are? They just… stare at ya while you’re tryin’ to work.”
You had grown to love the handy man that Joel was. Before you were moved in to his place, your shitty little apartment needed so much love that your asshole landlord never took the time to come and fix. But Joel would. That was his form of romance. He didn’t bring you flowers or chocolates on the first dates. Joel was replacing your leaky shower head and tightening your jiggly door knobs. He also managed to match the paint color on your walls so he could cover up the scrapes he made after he railed you into your mattress so hard that the frame made a few chips. 
You were so happy to see his business getting the high recognition it deserved, however, Joel was taking quite the beating from it. You could tell by the way he slinked back into the house at the end of the night, his frame hunched over and walking with a slight limp. 
He was sore, muscles aching and knees screaming at him. His joints were swollen by the end of the day and his sweaty, sticky skin ached for a refreshing shower. 
The hardest part was always trying to shut off his mind when he got home. He was already thinking about the next day. What didn’t get done on time, what shipments of supplies were expected, how the delays would set the project back. He needed a break. 
“Can’t take time off right now, baby. I’ve got deadlines to meet.”
There was this one specific project that was giving him hell. He called it the Astor because it was on Astor street. Every night this week he had come home beyond late because of the problems with the Astor. First it was that the project was exceeding the client’s budget, so they were giving him grief about that. Then it was labor shortage stuff, not being able to get people out there which then in turn caused timeline delays. With the client out of the country most of the time, Joel was receiving little to no communication from the owner. He was fighting permit and regulatory issues with the city, every day it was something new that caused a headache behind his eyes. 
His dedication was admirable, but you knew that him being so physically and mentally clouded wasn’t good for him or for Miller Contracting. 
You didn’t know shit about contracting, but you did know Joel. 
You had texted him earlier in the day to drop whatever he was working on no later than 5 o’clock in the evening. You never did that, never told him to leave work early. But the last thing he wanted was for him to come home and have you upset with him. That was worse than any project issue. 
Tonight would be about Joel. Anything you could do to make the stress melt away, you would try. 
Joel pushed open the front door once home, a heavy sigh leaving him as he closed the door back in place and set his lunch box and keys down on the entry table. 
“Joel?” Your voice echoed from the kitchen. 
“Hi, baby.” His voice was low from the lack of energy.
Joel slowly moved down on one knee, a heavy breath exiting through clench teeth as his kneecaps throbbed while he untied one boot, then the other. They were covered in dust even down to the creases, steel toe covers making his feet sore. 
“Hey, how was your day?” You asked as you grabbed a dish towel to wipe your hands with before tossing it on the counter, greeting him halfway as he made his way through the living room. 
You were up on your tippy toes for a kiss, not wanting him to have to bend over and exert himself. He hated when you treated him like an old man, but with this job, you always teased him that it was coming sooner rather than later. 
He kept his hands to himself, knowing they were a bit greasy and sweaty. His overgrown beard hairs tickled your face as you peppered him with a few extra kisses, one of his eyebrows playfully raising. 
“Was fine. Did you see what I texted you?” He asked as he looked down at you, watching as your fingers grabbed the hem of his shirt, helping lift it off his head. 
“Mhm. The HVAC guys didn’t show up until noon even though you scheduled them for nine in the morning. Did you see I texted you back? Five hours ago.” Your teasing tone made him crack a smile. 
Joel was bad at texting. Typical guy thing, typical older guy thing. He said he wouldn’t even have a phone if it wasn’t for work and if Sarah didn’t insist on how texting was the new way of communication. Even though you texted him ten minutes after his initial one, his phone was already back in his pocket and he had long forgotten about your conversation as he returned to his work day. 
His response came out in a chortle, a heavy breath through his nose since he was too tired to chuckle. 
“Sorry, baby. Just wanted to complain, I guess.” He said as he watched you fiddle with his Miller Contracting shirt that had a worn in hole by the neckline. He went to reach for it, wanting to toss it into the dirty clothes bin, but you were quick to hold it to your chest. 
“I’ve got it.” You said as you went to give him a soft kiss to the open plane of his chest, smiling at the salt and pepper chest hair he was sporting. It looked so good on him. You walked off to the bedroom and did it yourself, grabbing him a fresh shirt for the rest of the evening, a pair of boxers, and his worn dark plaid pajama pants he liked. 
Joel’s curiosity had gotten the better of him. A heavenly smell was drawing him into the kitchen, his eyes lighting up at the sight before him. You had green beans in a frying pan and a gravy softly bubbling in a sauce pan. Then in a skillet was the most perfect looking chicken fried steak, the coating coming to the perfect crisp. He pulled the oven handle open just an inch to see golden biscuits rising. 
“I put clean clothes on the counter in the bathroom, go shower, handsome.” You said before returning to the kitchen, frowning as he found his dinner before you had a chance to plate it. 
“Joel.” You playfully scolded, pinching at his hip. “You’re ruining your own surprise.” You teased as you shooed him out of the kitchen, hearing an audible grumble in his stomach. It made you sport a proud grin. It was his favorite meal, said it reminded him of his mom’s cooking growing up with Tommy. 
“I’m making mashed potatoes, too.” You said as you drained the water the potatoes were soaking in, putting them in a new bowl and getting out some milk and butter. 
“You’re makin’ me hungry.” He hummed with a small, tired smile as his hands came up loosely on your hips. 
His hands on you instantly made you grin, gently shaking your head at him as his head came to rest by your own. 
“You’re distractin’ me.” His low voice carrying the weight of his day. 
“No, you’re distracting me.” You made clear as your elbow playfully dug into the core of his stomach. 
“Go shower, please. You smell like drywall dust… and paint.” 
He rolled his eyes with his smile still lingering. 
“Yeah, okay. Thank you.” He said as his lips dropped down to place a sweet kiss of sincerity at the base of your neck, a shiver rolling up you as you let out a huff and returned your focus to your five-star meal. 
You heard the water hit against the shower wall and his small radio crackled to life, finalizing the last touches to Joel’s favorite dinner. 
Joel came back to the living room in the clothes you had set out for him, his hair slicked back wet from his shower. God, he looked so good. 
“Here.” You handed him his plate, seeing his lips part in excitement. His stomach let out an audible rumble. He probably didn’t have a spare minute to eat his lunch today, poor thing. 
The two of you settled on the couch, Joel expecting you to turn on one of your shows since a new episode came out today. 
“Do you uhm.. Maybe wanna watch one of those movies where they’re flying the jet planes? You said you wanted to show me it a while ago.” You offered, glancing over to see him already inhaling his food with the fork scraping across the plate to not let a single bit of gravy escape him. But your offer made him pause. 
“You wanna watch Top Gun? You hate Tom Cruise.”
“Well, yeah, he seems kind of like a douchebag, but it’s okay.” His eyes narrowed on you as he thought about your offer but ultimately shook his head, shrugged, and kept eating. 
“‘t’s fine, you can put somethin’ on.” He said as he stabbed a green bean, smeared some mashed potatoes on it before putting it past his lips. 
You took a deep breath and issued him the remote control. 
“You pick something tonight, honey. It’s your night.” 
That caught Joel’s attention. His head whipped a little to fast towards you, his thick eyebrows furling at the concept. 
“‘t’s not my night. It’s a Thursday.” 
The look you gave him set him straight. 
“Okay, okay.. It’s my night.” He declared in playful defense, taking in a deep breath through his nose and opted for some old Western show he liked. You didn’t care much for it, but Joel did. 
Once you two finished dinner, plates stacked on the coffee table and discarded, your head was on his shoudler and your hand ran slow, soothing circles over his chest. You could feel him breathing deeply, relaxing with you. 
You asked him questions about the main characters, showing genuine interest. Even going as far as to add a dramatic gasp when a shot was fired from a cowboy’s revolver which made him let out a hearty laugh. 
“You’re so full of it.” 
He was talking with a huge grin, you could hear it in how he spoke, and it warmed your heart. 
Towards the end of your night, your hands were in yellow dish gloves as you washed your plates from dinner, sliding the clean ones between the dividers of your drying rack. 
Joel slipped his strong arms low around your waist, his burly shoulders pressing into your own as you nearly toppled over with his presence
“Thanks for dinner tonight. Hit the spot.” He said as he kissed your cheek then on a spot where your jawline met your neck, right by your ear. His beard hairs tickled. You could feel that they were freshly trimmed now, he probably felt a lot better.  
“Night’s not over yet.” You hummed, a playful smile on your lips that he was quick to take notice of. 
“Oh?” His voice dropped an octave, rolling your eyes a bit as you dug your elbow into his stomach for the second time tonight to put some space between you. 
“Okay, cowboy. Relax. How about you go to the bedroom and take your shirt off. I’ll be there in a sec.” Your choice of words were still leading him in a different direction, you almost felt bad. But it was funny watching him get worked up. 
After finishing the dishes and blowing out the eucalyptus scented candles, you peaked into your bedroom. Joel was still cautiously removing his shirt, moving slow as to not disturb his aching muscles. You hated seeing him come home every night like this, as if his body had just been in a fight and taken a brutal beating.
Joel undid the clasp of his watch, the band and watch face dirty and making digging a  bruise into his wrist, but it told the time. He felt better after his shower, having made it a steamy one to relax the stinging in his upper neck and shoulders as well as his lower back. 
His belly was good and full, happy to have something homemade rather than a quick pizza in the oven or just a cold bottle of beer before bed.  
You were taking care of him tonight. Not that you didn’t every other night. He was actually giving you the time to take proper care of him. It felt off at first, taking on all the attention he usually reserved for you after long days. But maybe it’s what he needed. 
His head turned as he felt a warm pair of arms circle just above his plaid pajama pants, your soft fingers undoing the knot he had tied in the front of them. 
“I would’a taken my pants off for ya if you’d just ask.” His tone taunting, stepping out of the soft material before spinning in your arms and attempting to scoop you into him. 
“Lay back, goofball.” You said with that gleaming smile of yours. Made his stomach twist. Whatever you had planned, you obviously wanted the lead on. 
He did as instructed, happily falling into the comfort of the mattress with ease. 
“Close your eyes, please.” Your voice was sweet like honey. He’d follow it into the shadows, into hell, more likely into heaven since it’s where Joel thought you belonged. 
He could already fall asleep, though it was no later than eight. He felt the bed dip first at his legs, your body shifting up to sit by his hip. His hand naturally felt out for you, his warm palm holding you at the curve of your lower back. 
When Joel was given the okay to open his eyes again, he was surprised to see a few candles lit around the room, the golden glow adding a bit of ambiance. 
He watched as you squirted a few pumps of a lotion in your hands, circling it up in your palms to make it a little warm before you started to lather it into his calves. 
The sensation made his breath hitch. You were giving him a massage? He sat up on his elbows and watched the white-ish cream get all wrapped up in his dark leg hair. 
“Darlin’-”
“Shh.”
He tightened his lips, feeling a bit futile all of a sudden. There was a pause before he spoke again. 
“Don’t have to do this for me.” He insisted, his eyes on yours, but you were focused on adding subtle pressure to his calf muscles. 
“Know I don’t have to. I want to. Lay back down.” 
You wanted to. You wanted to take time out of your evening and bathe him in attention. You had cooked one of his favorite meals, and to perfection he might add. You also let him watch a show he wanted to watch, something he knew you didn’t have a taste for. But you were intrigued anyway, to show you cared. 
He was so comfortable and at ease, the problems of today didn’t seem to matter much anymore when you were here to greet him so lovingly. 
Your fingers kneaded gently into his skin, Joel’s eyes dipping closed as he began to sink deeper into the mattress. Of course he couldn’t just do nothing. He had his warm palm splayed on your back where the shirt you were wearing was riding up a little bit. You smiled at the gesture. No matter how much effort you tried to dedicate to Joel, he was still showing his care even when he was dead exhausted. 
You worked the lotion up into his thighs, the slight tug on his hairs making his face crinkle a little. You dared not to get too high, again, not to give him the wrong idea of where the massage was heading. It was okay to be just attentive to his needs for tonight. You could relax him in other more sensual ways another time. He needed something a little deeper.
You leaned down and peppered sweet kisses up his torso and over those salt and pepper chest hairs you admire so much, stopping just at his lips with a small smile. 
“So handsome.” You praised in a whisper, kissing him with a grin on your lips.
He hummed softly and moved his hand to gently cup the back of your head, keeping your kind presence in his proximity just a moment longer. 
“I’m getting too old for you.” He whispered back in a teasing tone, making you bubble up a laugh in your shared space. 
“You’ve always been too old for me.” Your thumb gently glided over his chin and admired a small white patch just at the base where his neck sloped down. “But I’ve never minded. Because you’re a good man. A hard working, blue collar man. It’s very sexy.” You teased with a smile, happy to see one blossom on his lips as well. 
“Thanks for treatin’ me so good tonight. This week’s been…” he let the sentence die before shaking his head. 
“I know, Joel.” You said with a small nod before pressing a gentle kiss on his lips again before sitting up straight. 
“Wanna roll over and I’ll do your shoulders?” 
He let out a breathless laugh as he looked up at you. “Please.” Like you had to ask. 
He wasn’t used to this sort of treatment, but boy, maybe he should start asking for it. 
Joel moved to lay on his belly, letting out a short groan in the process that made your chest flutter. 
You let out a short huff before you straddled his back, topping yourself right on his butt after getting a short groan from Joel for being on his tailbone. 
More lotion was squirted into your hands before you started to apply it across the landscape of his back. 
“We should do a skincare night.” You said, feeling his body shudder at the cold lotion. 
“Uh what?” Joel’s voice muffled against the comforter, his head to one side so he could see you just out of his peripheral.
“You know what skincare is, you see me do it every night.” 
“I don’t know what the he-ll you’re talkin’ ‘bout.” He said, his words stuttering as you pushed particularly harder in his lower back. Jeez, it was knot after knot under your fingertips. 
“Ugh, Joel!” You whined as your motions paused. 
Joel had a habit of doing this. Declaring he had no idea what it was that you were talking about, making you tirelessly explain for several minutes, before he goes ‘Oh, why didn’t you just say that? I know what that is.” It made you roll your eyes each and every time. 
“You’re handsome, but you don’t listen.” You hummed out before cupping your hands at his shoulders and doing circles with good pressure, your upper body weight being put into his stern muscles. 
“All I heard you say is that I’m handsome.” He moaned into the sheets, a blush creeping on your cheeks at his comment, but also his heavenly moan. 
“It’s.. where you apply skincare to your face. You know, using a cleanser, applying an exfoliator, moisturizer..”
This was when Joel started muffling random nonsense into the sheets and you playfully pushed into his crying shoulders harder until he let out another long groan of discomfort. 
“Okay, okay, I know what you’re talkin’ about. Skincare. I don’t need it.” 
You tutted, shaking your head as you held in a laugh. 
“Everyone needs it. Every. One.” You said as you leaned down and kissed the back of his head where his curls were starting to form. 
“Especially you, Joel! Your pores are so big, you’ve got dust and dirt getting all in there. And it’s been so hot outside, your skin’s drying up. Gotta take care of your skin baby.”
“Why? So I’ll look young agian?” He teased as he reached a hand back and squeezed your hip as well as he could from his position. 
“Because it’s good for you. Makes me feel good after a really long day.”
You could feel his eyes on you, a throat hum leaving his lips. “Thought I made you feel good after a really long day.” 
A huff left your lips as you were back to doing circles into his shoulder with your thumbs. “Shut up.”
The last of the lotion had sunk into his skin, the massage hopefully healing more than just his dry skin. 
Night’s like this with Joel were rare, but exceptionally special. He had energy to talk to you about everything under the sun, something you didn’t expect to transpire with your age difference at first. You discussed your mutual plans for the weekend, a barbeque at Tommy’s house. Joel was insisting on you wearing your new bikini, green to match his beautiful eyes. He could be such a horn dog. 
He wanted to stay up as long as he could, but the long day he endured couldn’t help but put weight on his eyelids. His words turned to mumbles, his arms snaking around your waist in his silent gesture to fall asleep with you. 
You shook your head with a small, tired smile, your hands planting themselves on his forearms to put a stop to his motions.
“Turn around.” You whispered, the notion making his tired eyes pop open with a “huh?” leaving his parted lips. 
“You heard me, old man. Turn around.” You said as your hand roamed over his warm hip. 
Joel assumed you didn’t want to cuddle tonight, maybe he was too warm for your taste despite the fan running above the both of you. 
Joel’s chest tightened as he felt your warm body return right behind him, a bashful grin on his face. 
“Are you tryna big spoon me?” His southern accent was dripping heavier than usual with the tiredness stringed in it. 
The question erupted a giggle from you, Joel feeling you kiss over his taut shoulder blade. 
“I don’t know how well I can big spoon you.. You’re so long.” Your arm tightened around Joel’s waist anway, his big hand finding yours as your fingers interlocked. He felt grateful in this moment, albeit a bit shy about the position. He was used to being the big spoon, it was different for him to be on the receiving end. But it was warm and settling, he couldn’t deny that. 
“So I’m uh.. I’m like the ladle to your big spoon?” Joel asked. He could feel your grin on his back, your legs tangling with his own. 
“Yes… you’re the ladle, but even the ladle needs a big spoon.” Joel’s blinks slowed until his eyes were closed, heavy with sleep. 
“Thank you for today.” He murmured into the pillow. You barely hear it, but even if you didn’t, you feel it in the way he holds your hand and keeps your arm settled around him. 
“Thank you for everything you do, Joel.” You whispered back, your forehead on the top slope of his back as you take in the smell of his body wash combined with the lotion, his body falling slumped in your protective hold.
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semisolidmind · 5 months
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i know it's all about the lion's den AU rn and as usual I am FEASTING on the content (excuse the crumbs) but there's an idea that won't leave me alone-
what if Peaches was not human, but an immortal from the beginning? How much would change? I know the whole appeal of these AUs - I mean, that's why I love them and I absolutely love this lil corner of the fandom. but I've been kinda diving into the whole immortality biz in Chinese myths for my oc, so now I'm curious.
Peaches could be someone cultivating and practicing Xian (i hope I'm using that right) for years, or consumed pills/elixir of immortality somehow, or a demon who is oddly very kind and empathetic - would the bois still love her just as much? How different is the dynamic now even if Peaches retains her core personality traits?
love your work! and hydrate before ya diedrate
ive been thinking about this, and i kinda like the idea of immortal reader being an attendant of the heavenly peach orchard.
not super high up the ladder, but not at the bottom either. her powers are limited to helping plants grow just a little bit, creating temporary barriers, and being able to float the way all celestials can. the higher-ups figure that since no one is bold or stupid enough to steal from heaven, they don’t need any extra security in the immortal peach groves.
you can take a guess as to how reader meets the monkeys.
they show up to the orchards, ready to fight their way to the peaches, but instead of some overpowered celestial soldiers guarding the orchard, it's....one immortal maiden. just the one. but she doesn't seem all that powerful, soooooo...
...maybe she'd agree to let them take a few without too much trouble?
the monkey bros go the "oh don't mind us we're just a couple of cute lil monkeys, here to cause adorable and harmless mischief" route in their approach to getting reader to let her gaurd down.
they approach her while she takes a break from pruning some dead branches. she's understandably surprised and suspicious about these two seemingly normal monkeys who've snuck in, but... they are pretty cute. and tame; they let her pet them and give them scritches. perhaps they're one of the heavenly official's pets. reader supposes that they can stay for a while.
wukong and macaque play their parts, get reader's guard down, and steal a couple dozen peaches each. reader notices, but there's not much she can do beyond shooing the monkeys out with a broom (and her soft heart barely allows her to do that). she knows that if she reports it, those cute lil monkeys will be hunted down and killed.
she supposes she could put in a request for higher walls around the grove, or more barriers (she still wonders how the boys managed to get through the first ones), but with how slowly things get done in the bureaucracy...it'd be a very, very long time until it was even brought up in court.
besides, even then....they're monkeys. animals. she won't place blame on them for being what they are. those little cuties probably had no idea that the immortal peaches were any different from the ones on earth.
she could never stay mad at their adorable lil faces anyways.
---
reader, despite what you might think, has a pretty laid back job. once all her chores for the day have been completed (those magic trees don't really need much beyond the essentials to do their thing), she has a good amount of free time to sit and, you guessed it—read.
macaque (because of course, he has to be the first one to fall in every au) decides, on a bored whim, to go visit that nice attendant they stole from not too long ago. perhaps he'll collect some intel while he's up there.
he finds her after a bit of searching. reader sits in a secluded corner of the grove, leisurely turning pages and enjoying the shade. macaque, still disguised, sidles up to her. reader notices, seeming surprised to see him before her face morphs into... a rather adorable pout. perhaps she thinks she's being intimidating.
'damn, no wonder the bureaucracy didn't think they needed any more security,' macaque thinks sarcastically. such a fearsome maiden they've chosen to guard the immortal peaches.
while reader takes a minute to admonish him about stealing, it isn't long before she sighs and gives up on her lecture in favor of scratching him gently behind his ears. he churrs low in his chest. her whole demeanor is as soft and sweet as the peaches she guards (her hands as well, he notes, pressing into them).
macaque laughs internally. a fearsome maiden, indeed.
macaque manages to wiggle his way into reader's lap, pulling her attention from her book. she knows she should be trying to scare him off, but...just—just look at him! he's so cute, and she's too pulled in by how cute he is to notice the oddly powerful aura he seems to exude (far too powerful to be a normal monkey). he enjoys her touch for a while longer before he hears the far-off call of his annoying brother, wondering where he is. he bumps his head into reader's hand by way of goodbye before running off to shadow away more secretively.
reader watches him go, sighing. she really should shoo him away next time.
---
macaque keeps coming back. and reader continues to be unable to kick him out.
with very few visitors and no one else to talk to, reader begins to tell him everything that she overhears during the day; the officials don't think anyone is listening when they air out their gossip as they walk by the orchard. she doesn’t know it, but she’s saving macaque the energy of using his powers to gather this intel on his own.
the six-eared demon makes a habit of showing up to the grove to laze around with his favorite maiden and listen to her read, using “spying” as the excuse he gives his brother for why he's been running off so often. reader seems to have accepted that he won't be leaving her alone any time soon, and he takes full advantage. macaque comes to think of reader and the secluded corner of the grove as his own little peice of heaven.
of course, sooner or later, wukong joins in. he's a bit angry that macaque didn't just say he was visiting the peach orchard and it's attendant; he wouldn't have minded, he would've come with! macaque doesn't bother trying to explain that he didn't want to share.
but share he does, seeing as wukong greedily takes all the attention from reader he can get. the monkey king finds himself enamored with the maiden who's hands and heart are as soft as the fruits she tends to. he won't admit it (it may hurt his carefully crafted "ruthless demon king" image if he did), but wukong is a cuddle bug when it comes to reader. everything about her is just so soft, and she's so kind, and she always smells like peaches—he could spend hours laying on her chest as she reads.
he just feels so...peaceful, with her.
the boys are entangled in reader's life, visiting whenever they can and butting into whatever she happens to be doing. they see her day to day happiness (brief conversations with the lower maids she's friends with), and her struggles (the two monkeys bore witness to the officials taking their anger out on reader over something trivial, their rage towards heaven growing stronger). the two grow more and more attached to her as time goes on.
and so they begin to work a small abduction into the grander scheme of their plan.
---
sooner or later, the monkey warlords properly raid heaven. they and their demon army storm the jade palace, murdering servants, footsoldiers, and as many officials as they can. the monkey king and the six-eared macaque lead a massacre so bloody it stains the palace walls red. wukong especially holds back none of his rage, getting caught up in his hatred for heaven and zealously continuing to shed as much celestial blood as he can.
during a lull in the chaos, macaque, covered in vicera, makes his way to the immortal peach grove. with the battle coming to a close and the demon forces being driven back, now is as good a time as ever to snatch up a special “peach” for himself and his brother.
he finds said peach preoccupied with a gallant attempt at protecting herself and a few lower maids from a demon soldier, using a series of barriers. the soldier breaks the barriers almost as fast as reader can make them, rapidly pushing her and her companions into a corner. reader puts up a brave fight, but she's a celestial attendant, not a celestial warrior.
macaque calls out to the soldier, halting their attack and telling them to regroup with the others and prepare to move out. the soldier complies, crassly assuring the women that they’re about to be nothing more than bloody pulp on the garden wall. no one has ever gone against the shadow general of the demon army and lived.
macaque waits until the soldier is out of sight before leisurely approaching the still quivering group of maids and their determined, but exhausted looking guard. reader tenses as he steps closer. she feels a horrible sense of dread crawl down her spine when she gets a good look at him.
the dark fur, the shape of the mask marking on his face...reader feels tears start to bead at the corners of her eyes.
this entire time, she'd been petting and coddling the six-eared macaque. the second in command of the dreaded demon army has been sitting right in front of her and she had no idea. reader can barely keep her breathing steady.
and if this is her dark-furred companion, then the lighter-furred one must be…oh stars.
…she let the monkey king in.
she practically threw open the doors for him. she didn’t report them when she should have, she knew there was something strange about them but she was so sure they were just normal animals—oh stars above, if the jade emperor ever discovered this, she’d be executed.
but…but reader steels herself. she can deal with that later. her friends are counting on her.
now, she’s certainly not expecting the blood-covered demon general across from her to be open to bargaining (he could just kill all of them now, but reader gets the feeling he wouldn't be merciful enough to end it quickly). and he knows exactly what leverage he has over her, she can see it in the smug look on his face.
but she tries anyways.
“let them go, please,” she begs breathlessly, arms shaking from the strain of maintaining her magic. the least she can do is buy her friends a moment more. “do whatever you want with me, but they are blameless.”
macaque chuckles, the sound reverberating lowly between the trees. whatever he wants, huh? oh, sweet peach. she should know better than to give him so much leeway.
“that is tempting. if that’s the case, then perhaps you’ll go with me willingly,” he muses, tail swaying slowly. his fangs glint dangerously when he smirks.
“don’t fight, and no harm will come to them. that, and your secret will be safe with me. honest."
reader doesn’t believe him. she can’t, but she and her friends are so low priority that calling for help would be useless. if the demon army has been as effective as the screaming would lead her to believe, the celestial host has much bigger problems than rescuing a gardener and some lowly maidservants. and with the chance that she’ll be seen through and blamed for every gory death that's happened beyond the walls of the peach groves...
she doesn’t have a choice.
reader slowly, cautiously lowers her barriers, despite the worried cries of the maids behind her. they cower closer together as reader takes a slow step closer to macaque.
with a flick of his wrist, reader is struck by a sleeping spell so potent she falls into macaque's waiting arms like a lead weight. the demon gathers his beloved into his hold with a gentleness that doesn't fit his gory visage.
he sinks into a shadow, leaving the maids to clutch each other and cry at the loss of reader and the near loss of their own lives.
---
reader wakes up days later in the royal bedchambers of the stone palace. she startles at seeing the monkey king and the six-eared macaque laying on either side of her, stripped to just a loose pair of pants each. she herself has been changed to a comfortable silk robe, her own clothing nowhere to be seen.
reader feels a cold sludge in her gut. she scrambles out of the pillow pit, kicking a few into the face of one of her captors as she goes. she checks herself over, looking for bite marks, claw marks, anything to indicate the two demons sharing a bed with her had violated her in any way. she looks, and breathes a heavy sigh.
she finds nothing.
"we figured we'd wait until you were awake to start marking territory," the tired, yet still somehow smug voice of the monkey king chimes from behind her. reader turns to see the demon leveling an amorous look her way. his gold and crimson eyes burn like fire in the low light.
reader ignores him in favor of falling to her knees and burying her face in her hands. now that she has a moment to think, her failure has decided to take centerstage; she was the one who let the monkey king into the jade palace, she let him steal the immortal peaches, she's the one who carelessly shared all the gossip that told them when the best time to attack would be, she's to blame for all the lives lost—
"hey. y'know we would've raided heaven even if we hadn't met you, right? it's not your fault," macaque says, propping his head in his hand to look at her. he doesn't have the decency to hide how he's sizing her up, poison purple eyes glowing whilst tracing her curves. reader shrinks into herself a bit more.
"yep. don't feel too bad, peaches. i was never gonna spare any of those bureaucrats in the first place," wukong adds. "and besides, none of those guys cared about you anyway, so why feel bad?"
reader sobs, pressing her hands to her eyes. she knows. she knows how callous the officials could be, but that doesn't mean they deserved to die. it doesn't mean the servants and foot soldiers who were only following orders deserved their fates.
she hears movement, then feels a set of strong, furred arms wrap around her. wukong rests his head on her shoulder. he nuzzles his nose against her neck. she feels his warm breath and the glance of deadly sharp fangs when he speaks.
"they didn't deserve the mercy you seem to think they did."
---
wukong places a seal on reader's powers. what little defense she had against them is gone with the placement of a brand-like marking in between her shoulder blades (and a few more along her shoulders made with his teeth).
reader can't do anything. wukong won't let her leave, and even if she could, the heavenly court will have her executed if she goes back. so, she remains on the monkey king's mountain.
she didn't think she'd share a fate with the precious fruit she'd failed to protect.
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aquaquadrant · 9 months
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So catching up on your htp writing and I’m not if I understand which hels is to their overworked doppelgänger? Would you mind clarifying?
hmmmm i suppose it’s been a while since i posted an up-to-date list so here ya go. every single helsmit that’s appeared or been mentioned in the HTP au. overworld players on the left, hels players on the right.
Bravo (Bravo Biz) - Tango (Tango Tek)
Jimmy (SolidarityGaming) - Timmy (AnimosityGaming)
Grian - Scáil
MumboJumbo - ClearCut
GoodTimeWithScar - BadTimesWithScar
Etho (ethoslab) - Patho (pathoslair)
Bdubs (BdoubleO100) - Dbubs (DboubleI011)
impulseSV - instinctEV
Renthedog - Rendthewolf
Keralis1 - Alisker0
xBCrafted - bXMiner
Scott (Smajor1995) - Sean (Sminor1559)
Joel (Smallishbeans) - Jones (Largishlegumes)
PearlescentMoon - OpalescentMoth
Welsknight - Helsknight (canon ofc)
bonus helsmits that haven’t appeared or been mentioned (and prob won’t ever) but i have names/concepts for anyways:
Zedaph - Zephyr
GeminiTay - CapricornSlay
ZombieCleo - HellionCloe
joehillssays- joekillsslays
iskall85 - eldrig58
VintageBeef - FreshMeat
Xisuma - Evil Xisuma (maybe?? not sure yet if hels or something else entirely)
bonus ocs:
Axis Co - Atlas Syn
Coil - Claw
Zane - Z
special cases:
falsesymmetry - a pair of twins who are each half overworld and half hels, go by false (hermitcraft!false) and sym (empires!false)
Docm77 (aka Docmonster77) - doesn’t have a hels, is an artificial player
Stressmonster101 - doesn’t have a hels, is an artificial player
if u want more deets on any of these guys, there should be some info in my ‘characters’ tag on the pinned HTP directory 💃
edit: I FUCKING FORGOT JEVIN.
iJevin - iHelvin
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midheavenastrology · 1 year
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🧠Astrology Observations🗣
18+ 🫦 cus it’s spicy 🌶
🫦 all air signs, heavy air sign placements LOVE oral sex. Like no joke; I used 2 be a sugar baby and the air sign daddies always preferred oral/kissing. Their mouth is their love language lol💄oh and u better believe they LOVE dirty talk lmao 😂 this applies to Venus+Mars in air sign placements too 💋
🫦earth sign mars=big dick 🍆 energy (maybe not so much Virgo..sorry y’all, the mercurial energy makes things a little smaller and daintier haha) mars is super happy in capricorn 🍆 it’s in its exaltation, so it doesn’t skimp out downstairs for natives with this placement. For feminine energy with these placements …well let’s just say, ur a badass and u know it. 💯💯💯 *bonus if u have sag placements as well because sag is ruled by Jupiter and it expands anything it touches lol
🫦Scorpio Mercurys are so comfortable talking about the nitty gritty details of their sex life. Like I’ve talked to some peeps with this placement and they’ll just get right into it and I’ll sit there uncomfortably trying not to sweat 🗣💦
🫦if you’re water dominant, seriously consider who you share your sexual energy with. Like y’all are HELLA sensitive to energies, vibes, etc and you absorb it like nobodies biz (water soaks it all in) leaving u drained if ur sleeping with misaligned energies. 😢 I love ya babies. Be mindful.🧿
🫦but on the other end of the spectrum, fire 🔥 dominants, y’all GIVE life literally. Like your energy is hella electric ⚡️ and powerful. That’s why I believe synergistically water and fire work better than fire and air. Water 💧 calms the fires, while the fire ignites the water to action. I won’t even talk about fire and air- that’s just a WILDFIRE in the making 😂 ! pure chaos mode !!
🫦Aquarius is THE DADDY energy. More so than Capricorns because they’re the masculine energy of Saturn 🪐 I’ve never met one Aquarius placement who isn’t secretly into domination during seggs. Whips, choking, hair pulling….lol but u best believe they’re gonna be nice about it 🤣
🫦Libras and Taurus’s aren’t opposed to fake titties, lip fillers and plastic surgery ngl.. after all..their planetary ruler is Venus and the lower vibration of Venus makes one quite vain 🪞
🫦If you have a seggsy voice, a Gemini will go gaga for you. Why ? Because Gemini is ruled by Mercury- planet of cummunication lol
That’s all 444 now 🧚 stay tuned for synastry observations 😘
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drmonkeysetroscans · 2 months
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None ya.
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leslovesfatties · 29 days
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Might wanna take your guy for a physical
Might wanna mind ya biz. Even at his (incredibly sexy) size he has no medical issues, not that that’s anyone’s concern but his (and mine cuz like I care about him or whateva). Keep that same energy for thin people too
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absolutebl · 1 year
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10 Sunshine/Sunshine AKA cinnamon roll couple BL
A note: usually one half of the sunshine is a bit more quiet and introverted than the other, but they are both still sunny sweeties. Side dishes not included. 
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1. My Ride
Thai 2022 Gaga
Thai BL grew up with this pulp - a truly lovely and special little show featuring mature explorations of relationships using one of the softest, sweetest and most innocent friends to lovers vehicles. Kindly, overworked doctor meets broken-hearted motorcycle taxi driver in an “other side of the tracks” slow burn romance. The support cast is excellent, making for great friendship groups and family dynamics. With honest queer rep that adds to, but doesn’t impede the story, and genuine conversation about the nature of class, wealth, and classism, not to mention communication, honesty, and respect for boundaries, you can’t go wrong with this show. In other news, I am a sucker for a single dimple. Full review here.
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2. Vice Versa
Thai 2022 YouTube
Jimmy is insanely charismatic and takes up all the air in (the proverbial cinematic) room, but I warmed up to Sea eventually. As a couple they read as more teasing and brotherly than sexy, but that’s GMMTV’s brand for you. I enjoyed the concept of this show (I’m big into magical realism and skewed reality - see my adoration for Color Rush) but JittiRain’s plot was contrived and weak (normal for them). Look, here’s the thing, flaws and all I pretty much spent this entire show smiling.
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3. My Only 12%
Thai 2022 iQIYI
Y-novel adaptation (author Afterday - Bad Buddy) and strong little BL romance (tailor made for SantaEarth) about holding onto first love and childhood, but it’s buried under waffling family drama and formless side characters so that it took a lot of digging to get to - still I recommend it for the killer softly domestic couple chemistry.
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4. About Youth
Taiwan 2022 Gaga
A truly lovely little coming of age high school BL with a classic YA low drama but high angst and an earnest depth. I didn’t even mind the singing, and that’s saying a lot. A weak seme/uke dynamic but tons of BL tropes (both rare in a high school setting but common for Taiwan) makes this one feel both sweetly and colored by an almost real world authenticity and grit. Full review here.
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5. Ghost Host Ghost House
Thai 2022 YouTube?
This is light horror combined with family drama built around a well executed BL trough-line that felt honestly queer with fantastic chemistry from the lead pair. (I hope that we see more of them.) Pluem delivers the softest most seductive krap ever, Tod Techit (Kewin) is one of the prettiest humans on the planet, and watching these boys flirt over noodles is an unalloyed pleasure. Use of I/you pronouns is super interesting and cute as well. For me, personally, the surrounding cast, premise, and story didn’t resonate but if you like a touch of gothic in your BL this might appeal.
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6. Dear Doctor, I'm Coming for Your Soul
Thai 2022 iQIYI
This is a romance between a doctor trying to save his patients and a reaper who is both his enemy and (eventual) lover (basically the genius premise of a gay Doom at Your Service). High concept looks good on you, Thailand. It’s lovely to see KarnNat back on screen together and they are still great, and Karn is just as painfully beautiful as ever. I enjoyed this one more than it’s ending deserved, and the best I can say is that it’s not strictly HEA but if you’re okay with Life: Love on the Line, you’ll be okay with this BL. It’s set up well, there’s no surprise unpleasantness like HIStory 3: The BL that shall not be named. Full Review here.
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7. Secret Crush On You
Thai 2022 YouTube
Formerly call “The Stalker” for a reason. Highest cringe factor in the biz mixed with flashes of unparalleled genius and insanely good representation of multiple different kinds of queerness makes this entirely unique content we’ve never seen before in BL, the opposite of sanitized gay, like a naked glittery hello kitty doll having kinky sex. I was ALL OVER THE PLACE about this show. SCOY drove me nuts and made me bush but had flashes of unparalleled genius. It had a ton of things I really did not like (e.g. the humor was crass and awkward, and the whole stalker thing was extremely stomach churning, I suffer from bad second hand embarrassment). It also had things that really worked: (e.g. all the queers are INTO each other, it very Taiwanese feeling - in that there was no doubt that the characters want to bone). Honestly, if you can make it through the first half and survive the never ending cringe-factor that IS this show, the second half is entirely unique and kinda special. But I, personally, could never really like this show for all there were bits I loved. Full review of mixed feels.
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8. The 8.2 Second Rule
AKA 8.2 Byo no Hosoku
Japan 2022 microfilm YouTube
Very short JBL about a schoolboy who makes magic candy for a series of handsome classmates, questing for a soulmate. Each ep is a new love interest and while the sweets help others, they keep failing to bring our sunshine the love he wants. Of course, he’s overlooking someone. The lead was very good and the theme, cooking, and eventually romance were charming, but it is a series of BL vignettes not really a cohesive story, no kisses or anything. Japan doesn’t give us sweet BL this short very often, so it’s nice to see them try out the style.
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9. Ai Long Nhai
Thai 2022 iQIYI
Look, this show was just a typical Thai BL university pulp about a confident gay and a clueless manic pixie dream boy. It had potential, chemistry, and earnestness going for it, but no plot and not enough attention side dishes. In the end, it was boring and you know I always rate boring lower than hot messes (because at least the hot mess TRIED). That said, Ai Long Nhai is better than your average Thai pulp, nothing happens but at least the nothing was mostly shirtless and there were GREAT gay dads (IRL husbands Arm & Porsch). 
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10. Coffee Melody
Thai 2022 Viki
Stars Pavel (my love) as a cafe owner (Forth in 2 Moons 2) and Benz as a composer (Call it What You Want). This should have been my kind of BL - on the fluffy end of the spectrum plus honestly queer. Unfortunately, the slow pacing, manufactured angst, odd secondary story arcs, and a selfishly immature unlikeable wet dishcloth main character, Yi, meant its flaws outweighed its charm. Jean (flame on snark fairy) is MINE, I love him so much but in the end neither he nor Pavel in an apron could save this show for me. It’s not bad. It’s not good either. Ultimately so forgettable I’ve probably already forgotten it.
BONUS Strongberry 
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Please Tell Me So
AKA That's my Mr.Right!
Korea 2021 microfilm YouTube
Cute barista (played by Han Hyun Jun star of Love Class) has a crush on his customer, musters up the courage to ask him out.
Every list should come with a Strongberry bonus, like a cherry on top... 
This lists dated Dec 2022, not responsible for keeping it updated. But if you have more to add or ones I have forgotten please comment or repost with additions! Keep the dream alive. 
(source)
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slimeybee · 19 days
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Anyway I met Ben on Friday and it was everything so if you see me hyperfixating even more mind ya biz!!
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jlf23tumble · 1 year
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here i am requesting your much fuller year-end fic list 🤲
And here I am, givin' it to ya! I was gonna link to my earlier top 10, but someone messaged me that one of those fics was stolen, so BOOOOO ON THAT "AUTHOR," behold, a full list of my faves from One Direction land in 2022--minus that one--under the cut!
H&L drabbles series, onlylearsfool, 1k, Please @god, let this series continue!
Hanging Around, @homosociallyyourss, 1.4k, Nesting alpha/alpha 4 life!
makes me wanna try her on, @mercutionotromeo, 1.6k, Sexting!
isn't it delicate, stretchmybones, 1.8k, FISTING, in this economy!
Open for Business, onlylearsfool, 2.5k, Frat house glory hole!
I love it when you do it like that, @likelarryfics, 2.5k, Fuckin' in the KFC parking lot!
Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs, yeah_alright/ @uhoh-but-yeah-alright, 2.6k, Boob squeezing in the kitchen like it's a dancefloor!
Heat of the Moment, anonymous, 2.6k, Trope city, this whole series!
she makes you want her love, enbyharry/ @non-binharry, 2.7k, BLs cry over it!
Blinding Lights, @lhhomefics, 2.8k, Angie!!
desperate times, anonymous, 2.8k, Addicted to lactating and stuck in an elevator!
Only Gonna Touch It, @lovingstheantidote, 3k, THE hottest bath in the world!
Feel my breath upon your thighs, cuckootrooke/ @larrydoinglaundry, 3k, This happened in this interview, I just know it!
I Can Be Your Vice and With Just One Look, @littleroverlouis, 3k and 4k
strawberry daiquiri, @justanothershadeofblue, 3.2k, Canon AND watersports AND gender!
brothers? @thedevilinmybrain, 3.4k, Liam's faux pas --> fun roleplay!
as if life were invented for love, daffodilsforlou/ @polaroidlouis, 3.5k, Harry is a MILF and MILFs are tops!
I Like Different Places (Nobody Calls It a Sin), YesIsAWorld/ @louandhazaf, 3.7k, Polyamory comin' out!
see or touch or use, @jishlerfics, 3.7k, Tender BDSM from the best in the biz!
Did You Ever Feel Like a Fire Hydrant (And all your friends are dogs), anonymous, 3.8k, Is as it says!
Patterned with Love, amistillthatgirl, 3.9k, Age play CANON, shout out to Harry Lambert!
honey, that's alright, enbyharry/ @non-binharry, 4k, Mommy likes to get high!
in the shallow water, you can swim around me (i won't mind), enbyharry/ @non-binharry, 4.6k, Put two fingers in your pussy, mommy!
seven hours behind, justanothershadeofblue, 4.8k, Phone sex and nostalgia!
Desperate series, anonymous, 4.9k, The kind of filth that reminds me of 2013!
Southern Comfort, @kingsofeverything, 5k, A girl direction GREAT from the wankfest!
complicated freak, @likelarryfics, 5k, Gang bang fantasies DO come true!
Compound O, anonymous, 5.3k, Hormones and humiliation!
Top of the Tree, anonymous, 5.3k, The 2013 polyamory/orgy energy--off the CHARTS!
The Referral, @disgruntledkittenface, 5.4k, Tom Hardy threesome, yeah boiiiiii!
Copy of a…, nonsensedarling/ @absoloutenonsense, 5.5k, Triumphant, SEXY return of the clone a willy!
Santa's Good Boy, wellington28, 5.7k, Is as it says!
Worth the Risk, @lhhomefics, 5.8k, Louis's crush on Lando IS canon!
right where you are, that's where I am, etherealbliss/ @givesuethemoon, 6k, Painfully on point current canon!
Your Skin on Mine (I'm Losing Control), livelaughlovelarry/ @loveislarryislove, 6k, Birthday kinks, activated!
fuck a titan, save the world, rainblou, 6k, Fave crack author alert!
sweat, @bluestgrey, 6k, Old-school PWP, snowballing even!
come my love be one with the sea, cuckootrooke/ @larrydoinglaundry, 6.4k, Mermaid Harry!
Down to Be a Distraction, quickedween/ @becomeawendybird, 6.5k, Always weak for footie!Louis/model!Harry!
with love on the line, @disgruntledkittenface, 7k, Polyamory negotiations!
Almost Easy, crimsontheory/ @ireallysawanangel, 8k, We're strangers meeting for the first time!
some time to borrow, everysingleday/ @sun-lt, 8.8k, The way this feels so real on every single level!
no one's gonna know, jishler/ @jishlerfics, 9k, All tied up!
Every night, I've got you in my arms., @monamourstyles, 9.5k, Should we just keep driving!
I Just Wanna Taste It (aka the Waffle Fic), larry_hiatus/ @larry-hiatus, 10k, Vibe = OT5 filth from 2013!
it's enough (to make a girl blush), @bluestgrey, 10k, Sundresses and public sex!
Larry Omo series, larrsyh0me, 12k, Omorashi, let's gooooo!
cut through the static, bellaritess/ @clumsyclifford, 14k, The sheer BANTER of this!
On Thin Ice, @neondiamond, 16k, Olympic hockey AU!
Medicine series, anonymous, 20k, WHEW, every installment, its own gem, especially no. 7!
thinking about you (little freak, jezebel), abaddxns/ @momrryrights, 21k, We love canon muffing!
You Can Lay Your Hands on Me, abaddxns/ @momrryrights, 37k, Part II, baby BDSM steps!
yeah, he's a looker (but i really think it's guts that matter), @thedevilinmybrain, 40k, Oli runs sex errands, jealously!
Golden Rose series, MushroomMushroom28, 120k, WHEWWWWWWWW, everything in these tags!
Of Mates and Men, @bananaheathen, 630k, Fic of the goddamned YEAR!
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librarycards · 11 months
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im glad that my mom died anon back to explain myself:
well, honestly i keep thinking about this book in terms of it’s popularity and my opinion about it after reading it was - „it is popular to say anything”. to me, the most popular works are usually bad because they’re easy to digest and boring - so i’m stuck on No Opinion about igtmm - also with the argument of „i never read book like these (mental health memoirs/trauma memoirs) so i don’t have anything to compare to” and „i liked it only because it was relatable to me” and yet i keep thinking about it a lot. idk i think i’m just surprised that someone who reads as much as you do thinks that highly about the most popular book of 2022. maybe things sometimes get popular for a reason
no, I completely get that! i generally agree (and also generally avoid mainstream/popular books about disability, especially psych disability and ESPECIALLY disorderly eating). my curiosity about this book was mostly fueled by 1) an interest in some of the other topics mccurdy discussed, including religious abuse and sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, and, of course, 2) having grown up with icarly and loving/admiring miranda and jeanette as a kid, and also wondering "where jeanette went", especially in the wake of the news about schneider's vile abuse.
the centrality of mccurdy's experiences with anorexia and bulimia were actually a surprise to me, and initially made me worried to continue, and it was the sheer quality of mccurdy's writing and storytelling that compelled me to keep going - she is just a genuinely good writer, and a clever comedian in the style of hannah gatsby, able to exercise the full gamut of emotions in a reader without abandoning them/us to despair.
in terms of the actual depiction of ed-related stuff, I think that mccurdy has an exceptional sense of her own internality. her acting and dance training is undoubtedly an influence on this - she is able to coordinate her bodymind such that the internal experience she expresses are meaningfully readible by outsiders. that is to say, she doesn't write psychiatric disability as i do, and as i would, because she's different from me! she doesn't engage ideas of opacity and illegibility, rather, she highlights moments she is able to share with her interlocutors, and pulls on a shared script of lived experience. i value her depiction for its genuineness and intimacy. i think audiences broadly tapped into her ability to manage particularity and universality. we see ourselves in her work, while also understanding the sheer uniqueness of her narrative (and, as a result, respect her as the authoritative teller of her own story, which is kinda the whole conceit of the book!)
so, that's a longer-ish answer to my own admiration / love of the book! i also thought about what other "popular" books do this –– pretty much the only ones that came to mind were True Biz by Sara Nović, In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, and (for disorderly eating stuff) Milk Fed by Melissa Broder.
if you're looking for a more opaque // Mad depiction of psychiatric disability, try My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki (disorderly eating), The Fast by Hannah Weiner (disorderly eating), and, broadly, A.S. King, one of my all-time favorite authors who writes Mad and narratively experimental YA books (and really deserves more love!!!!). She's best known for Ask the Passengers, but my all-time favorite of hers is Still Life With Tornado.
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