Bleach recs
Posted on July 7, 2009
Filed Under anime/manga fandom, Bleach |
See my review of the Bleach manga and anime here.
Usual drill:
## means “loved to bits OMG!”
# stands for “liked.”
[] means “rather liked,” sometimes on the brink between “liked” and “not my thing.”
If you want my reviews of manga and yaoi manga that I liked, click here. Other fandom recs are here. Or use the nav bar above.
new Age of Innocence, by ElasticPink []
Gin/Kira, R/NC-17, novella. Warnings: dub-con/noncon. Summary: The story of Kira, and to a lesser extent, Hinamori, Renji, and Shuuhei in between Shinigami school graduation and the Seiretei arc: his growth from naivety and happiness into what he is now, thanks to his Captain. GinxKira semi onesided yaoi.
Sequel: Age of Ignorance, Gin/Kira, R/NC-17, WIP. Summary: Sequel to Age of Innocence. Starts a year before SS Arc and through. How will Kira & Gin’s relationship fare when only one of them knows its ending? Also follows Hinamori, Hisagi, and Renji. GinxKira semionsided yaoi, other implics as well.
Again, the story isn’t perfect but this is Gin/Kira relationship as I actually wanted to see in a fic; besides, the flaws are quite overlookable, as for me: light epitithus, which I by now believe to be a norm in animanga fandoms rather than a deviation, a few errors here and there, Western way of writing names and general wobbly naming (when somebody is called by their first name vs last name). Easy to put up with when you see something else you’ve wanted for a while, right? Anyway, this story is written from Kira’s POV which is nice because it lets Gin remain reasonably mysterious. He’s also wonderfully fucked-up, as well he should be, and fucks with Kira’s head (as well as his body) in a very Gin way, as for me. He’s a malicious and cruel bastard but we can see some small glimpses of humanity in him, not unlike feeding dried persimmons to a dying Matsumoto in canon. This is why I liked characterisation in this story. Kira is quite delightfully whimpy and, well, fucked-up by Gin :) I am a bit apprehensive about how this story will end because Age of Innocence did have the sort of non-ending that I disliked but was willing to swallow ‘cos there was a sequel where there story was picked up. In any case, it’s an engaging reading as it is and I wish it not to putter out at the end.
Best Worst Day, by Mosh (or here) []
Renji/Ichigo, R, 5,300 words. Summary: Renji misunderstands the meaning of Valentine’s Day, which leads to revelation.
I enjoyed this story, especially the moment when Renji explained what he was doing and the date, lol :) And it was hot! But mostly I liked that what was happening was intriguing enough to keep my attention. I liked the way Mosh ended it, too.
Brown Leafed Vertigo, by foxflare #
Ensemble. Main pairing is Gin/Kira, with side plots including Aizen/Gin, Byakuya/Renji, Ikkaku/Nemu, Shuuhei/Yumichika, Kenpachi/Unohana, and one or two others; R, WIP, AU. Summary: Following the deaths of his parents, 15-year-old Kira Izuru is sent to Pure Souls Foster Home, and attends its sister institution, Seireitei Academy. Neither, he will learn, are aptly named. Warnings: Language, allusions to child abuse, eventual depictions of drug use, violence, and adolescent sexuality. Non-explicit, but hopefully realistic.
Now this is something I would never expect myself to like! As I said above, I want to see the universe explored most. This, though, is a “Muggle AU.” A foster home for talented children, run by Aizen. The younger generation of Shinigami are placed as students, the older as teachers and other school stuff, with a few exceptions/distortions, most notable of which are Gin and Kenpachi. Most of the characters (at least the students) have lots of fuck-up and bad things in their past (abuse, abandonment, death). It all reads as one big metaphor: of Bleach characters and their relationships, both those existing in canon and those willed into being by the author.
I’m reccing this story in a Bleach set but I’m not sure how much it really has to do with Bleach. Nor do I care, to be frank. I stumbled upon ch.14 through a newsletter, got intrigued, decided to start from the beginning and as a result, spent two days reading it like addicted. It’s just interesting. Are they Bleach Kira, Gin, Kenpachi, Yumichika, etc? They aren’t and yet they are, as usual with AUs of this kind. Thing is, I’ve been reading it and not able to put it away for these characters’ own charm and troubles. Which is an achievement in and of itself, as for me. There are only two small things I — can’t even say disliked — noted: a light epithitus by the hair colour and the [yet] absent Hitsugaya. The story is vivid and somehow very emotionally affecting. I’ve been stalking the author’s LJ hoping to see a new chapter but yes, patience is a virtue. Go give it a try though! There’s a lot written already.
Byakuya: He or she? by Greenzaku #
Gen with a hint of Byakuya/Renji, PG, short. Summary: Yachiru has a burning question for Renji. What’s his captain’s sex?
Yachiru asks Renji if his captain is a boy or a girl. Why? Because he comes to the Shinigami Women’s Association meetings and that makes her wonder. Renji’s trying to answer Yachiru’s bizarre questions and counteract her circular logic, and especially the ending of the fic made me laugh out loud. I don’t think the writing is flawless (especially the author’s complex relationship with semicolons) but the sheer fun compensates any flaws I could have found.
Counting Clouds, by Sophia Prester (or here) []
Gen: Zaraki, Yachiru, G, short. Summary: She can even remember how many clouds were in the sky: Twenty things about Zaraki and Yachiru. Spoilers through recent chapters of the manga.
I have a huge soft spot for gen stories about Ken-chan and Yachiru. This one scratches the itch nicely. Oops, mixed metaphor. Sorry! But it’s a charming “20 facts about” kind of story, with a nice counterpoint of Zaraki’s and Yachiru’s POVs.
“Fingertips have memories, mine can’t forget the curves of your body!” by Neo (hydr0phobia) []
Renji/Ikkaku, R, short. Summary: This would be a dare. This would also be my April Fool’s Day gag. This would also be the sequel to the inebriated sex I will never, ever write. EVER. GOD WHY.
Very amusing. The fic shows us a most awkward morning after, not only after that but also after a drunken evening, apparently. Made me laugh with a few lines. “Doggy style” Lol I also liked the contrast in their reaction: Renji’s agitation and Ikkaku’s laid-back-ness, if it’s even a word.
new First Contact, Touched, Caresses, by peppermint quartz #
Three long R (NC-17ish) WIPs. Main pairing: Aizen/Gin, lots of other pairings, on screen and implied. Warnings for mindfuck, violence, dub-con and non-con, explicit slash and het, power games, more violence, BDSM. In other words, not fluffy (although weirdly romantic); proceed with caution.
A friend of mine once shared a very nice metaphor with me. We were talking fic and in particular some long co-written HP WIP and I was puzzling cum lamenting that while written quite brilliantly, it almost didn’t have anything to do with HP. She said about the authors, “Oh, they went on a journey together.”
You all have read fics like this. It’s usually a very long story, often WIP but can be finished too, usually written over a long stretch of time, think a year or a few years. When you begin reading this story, you recognise the canon settings and characters. You follow and follow and follow and some place in the middle or closer to the end, it strikes you suddenly: whoa! This Snape (Hikaru, Roy, Boromir, Aizen, insert name here) has nothing to do with canon Snape (Hikaru, Roy, Boromir, Aizen, insert name here). Canon!A (B, C, etc) would never do anything like this/react like this/say something like this. And it’s not just this one character. That one, and their friend, and the other one… they all have undergone some persona change, or upgrade. You think: WTF? It’s really out of character for A (B, C, etc) to be doing this. You try to pinpoint when the characters lost their resemblance to their canon selves and their selves reflected at the beginning of the story, but…
You never noticed when it happened. Because it wasn’t a single instance. It’s probably that the authors’ perspective, their view of characters, were gradually shifting, bit by tiny bit, while they were developing them, while they were creating lots of circumstances for the characters to act in, and so on. Bit by tiny bit. And you were following, step by small step. They spent so much time thinking about their beloved character(s), acting them out and listening to them speak in their heads, that in the end, who acts in their stories are their very own Snape (Hikaru, Roy, Boromir, insert name here) that a reader who’s familiar “only” with canon would be hard pressed to recognise.
It’s most visible in long-time co-authorships but doesn’t happen only then. I count several oldbie writers in the Harry Potter fandom whose stories, if you look at the mass of them, show you the same thing. You probably love those stories and those extremely writer-personalised versions of character A (B, C, etc) if you have been following those writers’ paths for a long time or if you like smooth writing more than canon characterisation. But I doubt a newcomer who’s into canon characterisation could get into them if they started with one of the later stories. As a side note, this journey syndrome usually happens to those who a) can write well and b) who write the same pairings or universe for a long time.
So now when I encounter it, I always say in my head, “Ah, this one went on a journey.” It’s a long journey. What’s happening during it is naturally brighter and more important than what’s happening at home, isn’t it? So they somehow lose touch, in some ways, with the home base aka canon.
This is IMO what happens in the stories I’m going to rec, too. That doesn’t make them any less addicting though :) Do try them!
It’s a huge universe centred around Gin and Aizen and their romance of the centuries, well, something of the centuries. It begins long before the major canon arcs, when Gin is in the Shinigami Academy — actually, even before that, when Aizen was considerably younger — but you learn that last bit from side stories.
The main arc consists of three long WIPs that tell basically the same story from three points of view (further POV): Aizen’s, Gin’s, and later on, Kira’s. Here are the links, with summaries:
First Contact: I will not say the words you crave. I will not break the spell you cast over me. Aizen x Gin. Companion piece to ‘Touched’. Aizen’s POV.
Touched: If anyone should ask why I loved you, it is because you are you, and I am I. Gin x Aizen. Companion Piece to First Contact. Gin’s POV.
Caresses: Kira had his choices, but the decision was made for him without his knowledge - by a certain Ichimaru Gin. Kira’s POV.
I accidentally read the Kira’s POV story first and this is what I strongly suggest you do, too, if you want to give it a try, because of two things. Firstly, if to arrange these stories from the least informed POV to the most informed, Kira is, of course, the most clueless of the protagonists. He’s a latecomer in the universe; Aizen and Gin’s story has been going on for ages before that. Also, he’s sweet and naive. You won’t spoil the other two stories if you read his POV first simply because Kira knows only a small piece of what’s going on on the large scale. If you read Aizen’s POV first… well, he’s a mastermind and the most mysterious figure here, so the other two stories will lose lots of their enigmas, at least in what concerns characters and their motivations, if not actions. Some of the actions would be completely puzzling though ‘cos they are explained in detail in Gin’s part. This is why I suggest you begin with Kira, go on to Gin, and then to Aizen, if you are willing to stay with them for so long.
This is what I wrote in my rec of the Kira’s POV story Caresses when I’d read it: This story is addicting! I spent a day following it. Because first things first, I like this Kira: how easily he gets confused and swayed, his inner voice, his bursts of strength and insight, and some innate goodness in him that shines through despite all his fumblings and the not-so-good things he does. I believe the author wrote a very attractive and bright character in him, and I dearly hope that he has a chance to change something in Gin. In any case, even if I can’t say I liked everything in the writing and even though some details left me less than persuaded (say, other countries’ soul societies, thankfully only mentioned, and other small things from Shinigami everyday life), I enjoyed the story. I’m not sure I’ll return to it if the updates are slow but I might.
After reading Gin’s POV story, my reaction was much more emotional and frankly flaily: Oh my god. Oh. My. God. Poor, poor Kira! Poor sweet Kira!
There’s such a tempest in my head now. I still don’t like Aizen. Nope, not even this Aizen, even though I admit he’s magnificent. I think I could change my mind about him if Kubo Tite took a sharp turn and made him a very-well-hidden hero who did it all to save Soul Society from [this and that, my mind refuses to supply scenarios at the moment]. In other words, if he turned out to be “Snape.” Although I doubt that will happen. But I digress. I don’t like Aizen. But somehow I like Gin, and I simply love this Kira. So now I’m sort of tearing myself in two: I’m totally addicted to the story but I’m afraid of the direction it will go. So I’m all flaily and whimpery and all.
There’s lots of mindfuck in these stories. They are themselves mindfuck of sorts. A young Gin, already ruthless but still pretty powerless and scared, decides to sell out his arse to a powerful Shinigami to get protection for himself and his best and only friend, Matsumoto Rangiku. He chooses Aizen-fukutaichou in whom he sees something other people overlook behind his congenial smiling façade. It soon turns out that he might have bitten off more than he could chew. On the other hand, he might be strong enough to swallow it and maybe even bite off some more. The story begins and develops as a train wreck, morbidly fascinating as such things usually are. More and more people get sucked into it, and OMG, it’s impossible to put away, for real. I don’t want to spoil it but later on, while keeping the train wreck aspect, it sort of gains another dimension, another perspective that makes it all look very different.
Of course I didn’t like everything in these stories. Two things I didn’t like were the other countries’ Soul Societies (IMO it’s developing canon too far, at least it read this way to me, even if it wasn’t illogical per se) and things to do with WW2. IMO in that case, the author was too visible through Gin. The placement of captains and vice-captains during and before the “Turn back the Pendulum” arc are wrong in a few instances but that might be because at the point when it was written, we didn’t know the precise details of who was the captain of which squad, so I overlooked it. There are also a few anachronistic details or — how do you call it when it’s not only a wrong placement of an event in time but also in culture? Say, surely very Japanese-based Soul Society of some 50-70 years ago wasn’t as obsessed with flossing as the modern-day America? But those are a few small details in a very long fic, so I didn’t mind them. I did like it that the author made the Gotei 13 Squads have clear specialisation, following the 12th, 2th, and 4th that we know from canon.
There are a lot more stories in this universe, and while I only like the three above (well, I like two of them better than the third, to be truthful: Kira’s and Gin’s), they cast light on some things in the main story line.
Over All Things, I Will Remember You, Kissing You
1) Aizen/Gin, Ichigo. PG-13, angst, shortish. The first in the Over All Things series. Summary: But over all things brooding slept, the quiet sense of something lost. Post-war. Ichigo is an observer in a relationship he never thought to be privy to, and he’s not sure what he thinks of it.
2) Aizen/Gin. PG-13, short. Summary: The second in the Over All Things series, written in Aizen’s point of view. All about Aizen’s thoughts and feelings after he enters the auditorium, knowing he will never walk away from his other.
3) Aizen/Gin. PG-13, short. Summary: The third in the Over All Things series, written from Gin’s perspective as he waits for judgment. Gin mulls over his fears and his memories, both fading away as the man he loved waits outside.This series of connected oneshots can be read as the ending of the Aizen/Gin story. Be warned it’s a huge tearjerker. Too emo and too “far away on that journey” for me so I didn’t like them.
Not About You
Urahara/Ichigo, R, novella. Summary: Set a week after the events of Over All Things. Ichigo and Urahara find themselves drawn together, but neither is certain of the other.Follows the oneshots above (and the main story arc) chronologically, set after the end of Aizen/Gin story. I didn’t like it but there were several speeches delivered by Urahara that cast light on Aizen’s history and explain a lot in his character and the events of the main arc.
Return
OFC het mostly, R, novella. Summary: Someone returns to Soul Society after a long absence. Some characters’ lives are turned upside down. Featuring Byakuya, Kyoraku, Ikkaku, Aizen, Gin and OC, among others. Rated M after reconsideration. A/N: My first OC-centric fic that featured AiGin, but doesn’t fit with the current First Contact/Touched timelines anymore.A sort of AU to First Contact/Touched/Caresses where one of the arc’s secondary characters plays a major part. I found it seriously annoying. Yeah, I know I could have skipped this one but I didn’t. It’s not that Kai Mizuki’s a Mary-Sue. She’s no author’s insert and the author isn’t stupid to make her all-powerful. But [white on white further]: she’s Aizen’s favourite creation, lover cum assassin cum pupil until he finds a better one in Gin; she’s Yamamoto’s great-grand niece and sort of adopted daughter of Ukitake, Kyouraku, and Komamura; she’s taken in her squad and protected by Unohana; she hooks up with Byakuya after Hisana’s death, and in the end, she hooks up with Ikkaku. Too much too good, eh?
Other related stories set in the same universe that I haven’t read: Damage, Beaten, Fifty Sentences. You can find links via the author’s profile.
Handicaps, by darklightshades []
Aizen/Grimmjow, NC-17, short. Warnings: non-con/dubcon. Prompt: Bleach, Aizen/anyone-but-Gin: dirty sex on the Bancouch (the massive sofa in Las Noches) - It’s good to be the king.
I clicked because I click any pairing that looks like it’s rare and whoa. Pretty persuasive, not to mention interesting and not badly written at all.
Infamy- 20 Myths and Legends about Zaraki Kenpachi, by Pero (peroxide_fic) []
Kenpachi, Eleventh Division; Gen, PG-13, ~3,000 words. Summary: The mysterious Zaraki Kenpachi.
Not “OMG wow” but it’s lovely and entertaining, even if (or maybe exactly because) it’s rather fanonish. I want to understand a character when I read fanfic, especially one as awe-inspiring and fucked-up as Kenpachi, not to read a number of words about how mysterious he is, even if underneath it we are still given some understanding of him. But this story is pleasant to read anyway and amusing. I enjoyed it.
new Insomnia, by SilverKytten []
Renji/Ichigo, R/NC-17, WIP. Summary: When you carry world on your shoulders, who’s left to catch you when you fall? RenjixIchigo. [minor spoilers throughout] Warning: Ichigo is underage; violence (as to be expected in a Bleach fanfic).
I wouldn’t say this story is perfect: there are some epithets (not too many) and errors — but it’s engaging enough and really hot. It also has a slow and believable progress of the relationship, which I was really happy to see. I don’t know how long the author is planning this story to be but it’s long enough already. And the UST and the first-time sex are delicious. The premise is: before the looming war with Aizen’s forces, Ichigo feels restless and worried for his friends’ well-being. He prowls the town in search of Hollows to relieve some tension. Renji, who’s freeloading from Urahara meanwhile, feels and does the same. One day their ways cross and Ichigo, exhausted from his continuing insomnia, falls asleep on Renji. Starting from this, their relationship begins a slow and gradual change.
A Matter of Mind, by Sophia Prester (or here) []
Gen: Kurotsuchi Mayuri, PG, short. Summary: Mayuri has his own, unique perspective on Aizen’s betrayal.
Mayuri deserves more fiction about him, yes, he does! So yay! I think it was a good look into how his mind works. This totally explains, as for me, why Mayuri who doesn’t care about anything but his research fights where and on the side he’s currently fighting.
The Meaning of Soul, by Antharyn []
Hisagi Shuuhei/Kira Izuru, PG-13, short. Summary: Kira…can shinigami die?
Original character POV, the other main character of the 2nd degree of interest for me (Kira), light epithetus, lots of emo stuff… and still I liked it. There’s something in the story that touched me.
The Monkey and the Moon, by imadra_blue []
Byakuya/Renji, PG, ~1800 words. Summary: “Let me tell you about the difference between you and me. It’s like the story of the monkey trying to capture the moon.” – Byakuya Kuchiki to Renji Abarai, Bleach Chapter 142. Notes: Takes place after Aizen’s theoretical defeat and refers to the speculated fates of a few characters. Will no doubt be rendered AU when Tite Kubo finishes the Aizen storyline.
Lovely and lyrical. The story is told via thoughts and small but significant gestures rather than grand action or talks. I loved how awe-struck and humbled Reiji is before Byakuya, how wanting and courageous at the same time, and how they don’t really speak to express it all. Works well here, as for me. Wonderful short story.
Red Pineapple Romance, by ldybastet (or here) to be rated later
Byakuya/Renji, R so far, WIP. Summary: In the real world, there is Valentine’s Day; in Soul Society, Byakuya gets a mysterious gift.
06.16.2009: As the title promises, it’s a Byakuya/Renji romance. Light-hearted and full of UST, where neither Byakuya’s nor Renji’s characterisation rubbed me against the fur (rare thing!). I found it a really pleasant reading and hope to see more of the story soon. Will add the rating depending on how the UST is resolved. But it looks very promising so far.
new There’s Something About Zaraki, by drakensis []
Gen, PG, very short. Summary: Hitsugaya has questions about Yachiru, but he wasn’t expecting the answers.
Very short and funny. Not a word from me because it would spoil everything, just… don’t peek at the ending, all right? It won’t be funny if you do. But funny it is :)
To Hell and Back, by furiosity and incapricious ##
Bleach/HP crossover. Harry/Draco, others, R, novel-length! Finished! Summary: Turns out that Dumbledore meant it when he said death was the next great adventure. Spoilers: Harry Potter — up to and including Deathly Hallows sans epilogue; Bleach — no plot spoilers, massive world spoilers, minor character spoilers. Warnings: violence.
I’m posting this rec in a Bleach rec set even though I’ve seen To Hell and Back on HP newsletters rather than the Bleach one. Yes, probably because it’s Harry/Draco. But the world of the story is the world we know and treasure from Bleach, and this is what I love best in fanfiction: the exploration and expanding on a canon universe. F and Incapricious do wonders here in this respect. I savour every chapter!
Harry and Draco die (not a spoiler; it’s a premise) and appear in Rukongai. Having being wizards on Earth, apparently they have Reiatsu now. That gives them lots of opportunities and problems. And wow! It’s simply wow! Rukongai and Seireitei, Soul cutters (Zanpakutou) and Kidou, Shinigami Academy and glimpses of the characters we love, traditions and customs, etc, etc. It’s amazing. Everything is really really amazing! As soon as I come up with a question on how this or that would be, the answer comes within the story, much better, more logical and interesting than what I could come up with. And Harry and Draco? Guh! So. Much. Love!
This is a story that you can read if you are into both canons or only one of them. It will make sense, promise. Anyway, it’s an awesome story. “Run, don’t walk” how awesome. And knowing both authors’ record, it won’t deflate or wither away. Go read!
new Trading, by raspberrydrink and Follow, by darklightshades []
Pokemon/Persona 3/Bleach xover, Pokemon AU, Shota!Shinji and Ninetales!Gin; dark(ish). Summary 1: Shinji learned certain things the hard way. Warnings: Weird AU’s inspired by 10 word memes, horrible things happening to cute things, Gin in any form being an evil bastard. Summary 2: It was the last time he ever tried to get rid of Gin too.
Weirder than weird, also a crossover with a universe I have no idea about but nice for a bit of perspective shifting. Really, really crawls into your head and refuses to leave. But also fun, in some twisted way.
Unveiled, by Gryvon []
Gin/Kira, R, short. Summary: Gin helps Kira home after a night of drinking. Contains slight spoilers for the “End of Hypnosis” arc. manga vol 20, anime season 3.
I would like this fic just for the ending. There are a few typos and too few pronouns (vs names) but I liked how the author showed the scene and, again, the ending. Whoa. Such a little thing, but how many accents it puts where they should be.
Winter War, by sophiap, incandescens, liralen to be rated later
No idea about future pairings and ratings but so far it’s PG-13, WIP, gen. Bleach AU: The war against Aizen’s forces went very badly. Nothing is sacred and no one is safe.
06.16.2009: Unrated because only four chapters are posted so far, so I can’t predict how much I’ll like the story in the end. But what’s posted is pretty interesting. It’s a dystopia. United Shinigami forces have suffered a defeat from Aizen and his clique. Now they are scattered all over the place, many of them dead, others lost. Each chapter shows us the current circumstances of one key character and through him or her, the part of the post-war world where they live and operate. No unnecessary explanations: you plunge into the world and try to figure things out, supplying some details from the context, as more and more of events and characters get shown. I did think that Ukitake’s part was a bit melodramatic and the opening part, a bit obscure, but overall, I’m intrigued and will be following the story.
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Hello,
this is pj's fannish place made with the goal to be a sort of public library of (or a gateway to) fanfiction. I read mostly slash, I love sex and various kinks, so if you are underage and somehow wormed your way here past net nannies and warnings, please surf responsibly and go somewhere else when you are asked to!
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Anime/manga fandoms:
Oh wow! You have *no idea* how happy it makes me to see that you’re still archiving and reccing fics- even if they’re for fandoms I’m not into.
Not only HP but anime, too? You’re a goddess. Well, IDK if you’re taking recommendations for this fandom, but I have a fic that I like quite a bit.
Normal by Zfirze
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4028021/1/Normal
Word Count: 12,871
Status: Complete
Summary: An Arrancar and a Vaizard don’t make a normal couple. Never ever will… GrimmIchi
Pairing: Ichigo/Grimmjow
Warnings: Major Character Death
Rating: M
And its sequel “Eternity” by the same author.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4236085/1/Eternity
Word Count: 54,479
Status: WIP
Pairing: Ichigo/Grimmjow
Summary: sequel to Normal! “He said forever, what a liar,” GrimmIchi…
Rating: M
Warnings: Lots of OCs.
=p
Not really my thing but thanks for the suggestion!
Thanks so much for rec’ing peppermint quartz’s stuff! I would never have given it a try if it weren’t for your wonderfully thorough recommendation, and that would have been a tragedy.