sashayaweh

[sashayaweh]

Why'd you call me? They played this song, man... Moonlight (2016) | dir. Barry Jenkins

[sashayaweh]

Must-read Destiel fics - my superduper Nov. 5th rec list

Three years ago, on the blessed day of November 5th, 2020, I had:

never seen an episode of SPN,

only had a vague inkling of what the two pale coconuts were on about,

and I hee-heed and ha-had with the rest of Tumblr about the love confession scene and the Internet errupting in an unparalleled craze

At first I thought, that's it.

Then ... I got curious. I watched some YouTube Destiel supercuts. I read some fic (I think @andhumanslovedstories beautiful Cas/OC fic was my entry point?). I read meta. I watched some more YouTube scene packs. I read even more fic. I watched some of S4, some of S1, some random fan fav episodes. And then Destiel lodged itself so deeply, thouroughly into my brain that it took over and hasn't relinquished control in the last two years. The most tenacious, pervasive brain worm to date.

This ship got it all, and this fandom got it all, and there's such delightful, powerful, batshit crazy, romantic, expertedly crafted fanfic out there, it's like being a starving child in the world's biggest candystore.

So without further ado, here's some of my very favorite fics from this infinite trove, with all my thanks to the wonderful writers who keep delighting and awing me with their dedication and craft. There'll of course be some recency bias at play but you can browse my bookmarks over here to chose from over 100 excellent and well-curated SPN stories.

💕CATEGORY: SWOONWORTHY💕

Wildly romantic fics that warm you up from the inside.

It Won't Be Perfect by someonetoanyone (10K words) Summary: Dean daydreams about what it'd be like to let himself love Cas freely.

Why I love it: the humor, the spot-on characterizations, and the quintessential late season Destiel-ness of being so deeply love with your best friend that it's too big to actually do anything about. Just. So warm.

Rock Lobster by Ginger Fail (13K) Summary: Cas decides that the lobsters Dean planned to cook need to get back home. Impromptu beach vacation ensues!

Why I love it: This road trip story is fresh and invigorating like a sea breeze! Fun, entertaining and full of deep, deep fondness.

Seek to Know You Better by ahurston (32K)

Summary: On a road trip, Dean and Cas play the 36 Questions That Lead To Love.

Why I love it: They’re so deliberatedly, carefully starting a relationship here. They try so hard to bridge the gaps and meet each other halfway. A very mature take on love that feels nourishing.

☢️CATEGORY: BRAINWORMS GALORE☢️

Fics that make you go BARK BARK BARK.

samson went back to bed by piesexuality (9k, @twoheadedcas) Summary: Cas strikes a deal with Chuck - keeping his family together comes at the price of their free will.

Why I love it: What if Cas got his revenge for the Mala'ak box? What if love came at the price of everything you've been fighting for? What if a story twisted the knife oh so sweetly? Each word of this one lands a punch. Made me insane in the best of ways (cue pinned fanart).

In sickness by @saintedcastiel (41K) Summary: S4 redux but Castiel has a fetish: giving Dean the sniffles.

Why I love it: This one is soooo. Can barely find words for it. It taps into Cas' early season alienness and psychosexual obsession with Dean, brilliantly demonstrates Casdean vs Samruby parallels, and each word is just. Perfect. ARGH!

so much smoke in a hall full of mirrors by AreYouReady (6K, @autisticandroids ) Summary: Godstiel is losing his heavenly war. Crowley provides a compliant Dean-doll for him to release his frustrations upon.

Why I love it: Urgh, this one is sooo dark. Taps into the scary, intimidating and alien aspects of Godstiel so well. Gore, consent and psychosexual issues galore. Delicious.

Special mention: In a Parked Car, Exhuming Ophelia by @an-android-in-a-tutu (17K). Still need to comment properly ;)

💣CATEGORY: EMOTIONAL WRECKING BALLS💣

Angsty fics that tear you to pieces to remake you better.

What Used To Be Mine by someonetoanyone (48K words) Summary: Dean never makes his apology prayer in Purgatory - Cas dies, Dean mourns.

Why I love it: Oh god, this is a heavy hitter. Just, straight up insurmontable grief, packaged in poetic, raw language to make you shed tears and tears. Loved it so much.

Ignite your bones By ilovehowyouletmefall (67K, @angelinthefire) Summary: Dean accepts Chuck's deal: killing Sam to save the world.

Why I love it: Cruuuuel cruel premise for a story that doesn’t pull its punches. It gets dark in Dean’s head and everyone around him suffers. Wonderfully written. The ending set my brain on fire.

Right Where you Left Me by outdean (93K, @armandgender)

Summary: Cas comes back from the Empty after 10 years to find Dean married to another man.

Why I love it: This one is a riiiide. When grief has become a part of you but your love comes back… When you return from the dead and have to carve a new space into the world for yourself... nothing is easy here, but the emotions are INTENSE. Also, autistic!Cas for the win.

Special mention: Who Ya Gonna Call? by saintedcastiel (50K) and Clear skies in spring by enochianprayer (WIP)

💥CATEGORY: EPIC RIDES💥

Expansive, wild adventures with lots of ups and downs

Spirit of the West by teen_dean (140K, @urne-buriall)

Summary: An 18y old Dean grew up on a horse farm – cue veterinarian Castiel. The summer of a lifetime ensues.

Why I love it: So this is one of my very favorite stories, ever ever, and I cannot recommand enough to immediatedly suscribe to the author’s Substack to be able to follow it in „real time“ next summer. It’s cinematic, rich, full of darkness and light, it’s everything a story can aspire to, I’m just. I just really love it.

Second Verse, Same as The First by LaLaCat1 (135K)

Summary: Endverse!Cas is sent back to the start of S1 and is determined to make things right this time round.

Why I love it: a desperate and badass Cas, unfridging everyone, a thrilling plot, moments of awesome for the entire cast, gripping action scenes, a romance for the ages… this is a genuinely amazing story.

back road, black road by eden22 (167K)

Summary: 18y old Sam gets kidnapped by Hell on his way to Stanford. Dean tries to deal.

Why I love it: So this one’s not Destiel-centric but does have wonderful Destiel moments. It’s also very heavy on the gore and the angst (NOT for the faint of stomach), but expertly crafted, fascinating and frankly it deserves more love. Held my breath for half the read and never knew where it’d take me.

Special mention: It's The End Of The World (As We Know It) by tiamatv (140K)

🤪CATEGORY: DESTIEL INSANITY🤪

Uproariously funny stories about the intricate rituals these two weirdos get up too.

Life Skills by ilovehowyouletmefall (26K)

Summary: Dean teaches a newly human Cas how to be „a real man“.

Why I love it: Dean coming to Big Self-Realizations while trying to have platonic threesomes with Cas is so perfect. Very endearing, tender and funny. Also, smoking hot sex.

the cheapest room in the house by biggaybenny (89K)

Summary: Dean downloads Grindr for Cas

Why I love it: Just. Late season Dean being deranged about Cas’ sexuality while everyone watches on in utter confusion. Equally hilarious and deeply moving

according to all known laws of life by @sobsicles (29k)

Summary: Cas comes back from the Empty to a Dean who won’t stop playing gay chicken.

Why I love it: They are both such petty, insane weirdos in this one. They said „can every situation be turned into a squabble“ and didn’t wait for an answer. So funny, so tender

Special mention: Wedding Vows and Negotiations by GingerFail (6K)

That's it, enjoy and leave your writers some much-deserved love!

[sashayaweh]

Writing Masterpost

My Fics

Passing Stranger  🌃

Mature - 83K 

There’s more than one way to be in hell. There’s more than one way to be lost. Sometimes all it takes to change a person’s life is meeting a stranger at the right place at the right time.

Dean Winchester is a brother, a son and a man without a purpose on a short road to nowhere. One night in a rundown diner off a Kansas highway he meets a hitchhiker in a tan trench coat with his sights set on anywhere but home. The two decide to head there together.

Be Not Afraid  🌻 

Mature - 136k 

The man was dead, and it was wrong.

A lot can happen in a day. A hunt leaves Dean broken, bleeding and clinging to life. In the days that follow, he finds his typical life of mundane monster-hunting turned on its head, as he is trailed by blue lights and radio static. To make matters worse he worries he might be becoming the very thing he’s spent his life hunting.

Castiel is an angel with a mission. He needs to keep Dean alive, a task which is more difficult than he had anticipated. To rub salt in the wound, he might be falling from grace. Angels aren’t meant to have human emotions but he is beginning to want things.

My Poetry ✨

SPN Poetry Month Complete Collection 

[sashayaweh]

sheerahr

[sashayaweh]

Dan Tribe   Ivory Coast    National Geographic July 1982     Michael and Aubine Kirtley

[sashayaweh]

[sashayaweh]

I get why people are talking about the whole submarine titanic thing.

It's awful.

But I'm here to address a different boat related tragedy.

One that absolutely breaks my heart.

Where a boat of migrants sank off the coast of Greece.

This boat had 300 Pakistanis and more than 500 Syrians.

The boat was carrying migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Egypt who were fleeing their countries dire economic conditions.

And we're trying to reach relatives in Europe.

What happened with the submarine is a terrible thing.

I just wish this story got the same coverage.

One is about billionaires the other about people escaping economic disasters.

Both about people losing their lives.

[sashayaweh]

Let's get our priorities straight.

[sashayaweh]

Let's get our priorities straight.

[sashayaweh]

[sashayaweh]

this is probably the best take I’ve heard so far on the debate of people being told that they aren’t having enough ‘compassion’ for billionaires making bad decisions and paying the obvious consequences for it

[sashayaweh]

This Weeks (Feb 27 - March 6, 2022) On-Air works:

RAINBOW PRINCE | S01E08

EP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

OUR DAYS | S01E03

EP 1 2 3

YOU’RE MY SKY | S01E09

EP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

CUTIE PIE | S01E03

EP 1 2 3

FIRST LOVE, AGAIN | S01E04

EP 1 2 3 4

THROUGH THE DARKNESS | S01E08

EP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

CHERRY BLOSSOMS AFTER WINTER | S01E02

EP 1 2 

KEI X YAKU: DANGEROUS PARTNERS | S01E08

EP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

SEMANTIC ERROR | S01E06

EP 1 2 3 4 5 6

SOMETHING IN MY ROOM | S01E07

EP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

OH! BOARDING HOUSE | S01E02

EP 1 2

GEN Y 2 | S02E11

EP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

LOVE STAGE!! | S01E05

EP 1 2 3 4 5

PHYSICAL THERAPY | S01E05

EP 1 2 3 4 5

MY RIDE | S01E05

EP 1 2 3 4 5

NOT ME | S01E11

EP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

SECRET CRUSH ON YOU | S01E02

EP 1 2 

BLADE MASTER | S01E05

EP 1 2 3 4 5 

[sashayaweh]

[sashayaweh]

Newly released in China only Bromance drama (justice in the dark)

[sashayaweh]

Me, re-surfacing with my bromance review business because I just learnt today that, after a longgg longgg time, this drama’s English subtitles are potentially coming to completion (or so I really hope).

This is a light-hearted, lesser-known drama starring Xiao Yu Liang (whom many of you likely know as Zhang Qiling / Men You Ping in Ultimate Note) with a certainly noteworthy storyline and applaudable acting. And definitely, loads of bromance.

So, time for a signal boost!  (๑✧◡✧๑)

Anti-Fraud League (C-Drama)

Genre: Suspense, Investigation, Mystery

Synopsis (taken & modified from MyDramaList):

A drama revolving around a team comprised of flippant (with a sketchy past) investigator Fang Yuan, aloof genius Mi Ruo, animated hacker Luo Xin and charismatic lady boss Niu Meng, who run an insurance investigation agency which tackles all sorts of insurance fraud cases. 

Length: Completed - 24 episodes, 40 minutes each

Personal review:

+ Specifically for this drama, the first thing that catches my attention is the beautiful cinematography, which consists of very diverse angles and eye-pleasing colour palettes. Of course, it also helps that Xiao Yu Liang is handsome and looks so pretty amidst the scenery xD 

+ Surely the combo of investigator + genius strategist + hacker is a familiar formula, and this drama proves to be a decent take on that. The team dynamic is adorable, and I actually like all 4 members. The cases likely won’t be the sorts that blow your mind or keep you awake at night, but I’m of the belief that they will satisfactorily retain your attention. Not to mention, the show doesn’t step on the mistake of outrageously illogical or slippery deductions (which is very important, at least to me. It’s difficult to sit through a show that is tagged as ‘Detective’ but brushes off logic or attempts to simplify things T_T). Better still, we are presented with an overarching plot and villain to connect the cases together. 

+ Now, on the acting, it’ll be unfair to not mention how great male lead Fang Yuan’s actor was. As for the other male lead Mi Ruo (by Xiao Yu Liang), in all honesty, there’s room for improvement, but he definitely didn’t do a bad job. In general, for a watcher who gets easily irked by C-dramas’ horrendous acting (yeah, let me just admit that I don’t watch C-dramas all that often, mainly because of the acting and the CGI), I find the show’s overall acting really acceptable. 

+ Moving onto, of course, the bromance - Ah, precious, precious bromance, and this show has lots of bromantic moments too, to the point that people are asking whether it’s a BL uh-oh (☉_☉). Personally though, this is one of those rare shows that I feel zero need to ship the male leads together LOL, or I should say, I view their relationship as #StrictlyBromance. Probably because Fang Yuan and Mi Ruo have quite a big age gap, it’s somehow easy for me to see them as brothers. With Fang Yuan’s cheeky yet big-brother-ish attitude, his dynamic with the taciturn Mi Ruo is a very amusing one to watch. They didn’t like each other a lot at first, but through the cases and a couple of near-death situations, they’ve grown to be each other’s trusted confidante.

That said, I’m compelled to mention that they quarrel a few times in the show, and whenever it happens, the BGM turns into a LOVE song hahahahahaha (I see what you’re trying to say here, editor  (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧). 

A notable bromantic scene in the show beside the famous embrace-in-a-freezer-truck scene *which I won’t include here, because no spoiler :P

And by the way, let me just give a heads-up that this show has no crappy romance that destroys the plot, at all (I know I know, you see 2 male leads - 2 female leads and are thinking whether they make 2 couples. Nah, they don’t).

- Like I said above, this show likely won’t blow your mind, so don’t set your expectation too high. I suppose they could’ve taken on a more serious direction and raised higher stakes. Treat this as a rather light-hearted show sprinkled with a pleasant team dynamic and some great bromance, then you’ll be in for an enjoyable ride.

- Surely another negative thing must be the open ending? Without any indication that there might ever be a second season T.T 

———-

Also a quick announcement that I’ll be combining this Tumblr with my Bromance Recommendation Tumblr since I have no time to manage 2 Tumblrs T.T To those who follow me because of a specific fandom, I’m sorry that my blog will be a hot pot of many things, although they should actually surround either theme: Daomu Biji or Bromance (and perhaps very occasionally, BL). So, if you’re in for random bits and pieces and reviews and recos on anything under the sun that has to do with the above themes, welcome welcome ^_^ 

[sashayaweh]

Pledge of Allegiance (2023) - 山河之影 - Whump List

List by StayDandy Synopsis : Li Wu comes from a lowly background but due to a misunderstanding, becomes a member of the Imperial Secret Police. On the outside, he appears to be selfish and well-spoken, but deep down he’s honest and treasures brotherhood. Lu Zheng is an original guard; aloof and lacks good speech. But through their meeting, they find the friendship both have been looking for and evolve together. Together, they are pulled into many cases and hatred that runs deep in the court. Will they be able to solve all of the puzzles without becoming targets themselves? (MDL) AKA : Brotherhood of Blades: Shadow of Mountain and River

Whumpee : Lu Zheng/Song Zhen played by Chen Ruo Xuan (center right) • Li Wu/Fake Li Dong Fang played by Leon Zhang (center left)

Country : 🇨🇳 China

Notes : This is a Full Whump List • Adapted from the films "Brotherhood of Blades" & "Brotherhood of Blades 2" by screenwriter Chen Shu

Episodes on List : 20 Total Episodes : 24

*Spoilers below*

02 : Li Wu's arm is wrenched … briefly locked in a trunk … kicked to the ground

03 : Arm wrenched … thrown to the ground, arm wrenched (how are his arms still in their sockets? lol) … tied up with a rope around his neck … Lu Zheng is in a fight, stabbed … Li Wu is buried in grain

04 : Lu Zheng is arrested … tied to a post in the middle of a hot courtyard … untied from the post, too weak to stand, retied up

05 : Li Wu is tied up & hooded, forced to run behind a horse-cart by a rope around his neck … Lu Zheng is still tied to the post in the yard in the sun … Li Wu's arm is wrenched (orig. note : seriously, they're gonna fall off at this rate — side note after finishing the drama : I did not realize this original thought was a prediction 😅) … Lu Zheng's legs are kicked until he kneels, beaten, hands stepped on, flogged, coughing up blood, passes out … barely conscious, tied to the post … choked

07 : … continued from previous ep. ... Choked … assisted to walk … limping … drunk … Li Wu is passed out drunk, carried

08 : (at end) Knocked out

09 : Lu Zheng is hit in the head & knocked out.. tied up

12 : Li Wu is tied up … Lu Zheng is caught in a rope snare, hung upside-down, knocked out, tied up

13 : (near end) Li Wu is stabbed, collapses, carried, coughs up blood

14 : Weak … beat up … drunk, trips & falls … limping, walking with a cane … arm wrenched (comedic)

15 : Lu Zheng is shot … bandaged … Li Wu is drunk

16 : (near end) Pretends to be stabbed & collapses

17 : Cuts his own hand … captured, sword held to his neck, cut during a struggle, spitting up blood, passes out, carried … coughing, passes out briefly (faking)

18 : (near end) Lu Zheng is punched

19 : Li Wu is flogged until he passes out

20 : Lu Zheng is poisoned, dizzy … tied up … Li Wu is stabbed … Lu Zheng is stabbed, passes out … fights despite his wounds … (as part of a ploy) tied up & hooded … Li Wu & Lu Zheng are in another fight; Li Wu's sleeve catches fire

21 : Li Wu is imprisoned … tortured; stabbed by a metal hook in his stomach (this made me cringe, not much does these days but this did) … has to reside over a trial despite his injuries, very weak … Lu Zheng is stabbed in a fight … Li Wu is again tortured; dragged by a hook in his stomach

22 : Lu Zheng's wounds are cared for.. jumps out a window & falls 2 floors … Li Wu & Lu Zheng are both weak & stumbling from their wounds … Li Wu's hand is cut off

23 : (near end) Sick for several days … the back of Lu Zheng's neck is cut

24 : Li Wu is drugged into unconsciousness … trapped in a burning building.. Lu Zheng lifts a burning beam to save him

[sashayaweh]

Remember You - Ep. 16