Are There Any Aru Shah Fanfiction Romances?

A note on gender and the ‘renegade’ – traditionally a figure of a male, lone-wolf, emotionally complex and outsider-ish type, which Shah explores in the song. The song redefines what a ‘renegade’ could be like by incorporating traditionally ‘feminine’ traits and emotions of vulnerability, sensitivity and openness in a traditionally ‘masculine’ archetype, or even more so in how he ‘queers’ the concept of renegade in terms of also rebelling against the restrictions of gender. The song is about rebellion against the strictures of society, but the renegade is also fighting against the restrictions of masculinity. It’s interesting, because usually, showing weakness or even just being emotional is enough to be rejected by mainstream ideology, and to be mocked by larger male egos who view themselves as stronger and more masculine. However, in this context, these songs of sensitivity are a rebellion in themselves. They present an alternate model of strength and power, traditionally absent from mainstream representations of the hero, who are nearly always hyper-masculine and invulnerable to any form of human emotion. These songs show an alternative which is emotional, sensitive, human and above all nuanced and self-aware.

Recently finished ‘The Sialkot Saga’ by Ashwin Sanghi. Beautifully written love story amidst a historical epic. Author has done a great job of merging romance with the history of partition in a very new-school way. On the other hand, I’m stuck in Half Love by Shyam Selvadurai. The way he has written a queer romance set in the Delhi art world is beautiful. The tender and sensitive way in which he has portrayed closeted love to its utmost is breathtaking. Both these books are proof that in India, romance is no longer restricted to a bunch of saris and samosas. Both these authors are doing great work by breaking all sorts of stereotypes in these novels, page after page.

When I’m searching for quality Phan fanfiction (that’s Dan and Phil to those who don’t know) on Archive of Our Own, a lot of the time I have to dig through a lot of mediocre stories to get to the really good stuff. Most of the quality stories I’ve found have been through sorting the fic by kudos, bookmarks, or comments, and then browsing through tags such as ‘Dan and Phil AU’ or ‘Phan Fluff’ (for non-Phan readers, this sort of thing is typically pretty easy to find). While many writers in the Phan fandom do a great job of portraying the two, some individual stories are really, really good at capturing the pair’s relationship, whether that’s in an AU where they’re soulmates, in college, or even in a dystopian future. Many of these stories are hidden amongst others of far fewer hits, and are truly gems. Also note that lots of fandoms (especially this one) have curated collections of fanfiction on Tumblr or Twitter or even just lists of recommended stories. This is how I found some of my absolute favorite comfort fics – there’s a slow-burn coffee shop AU that I read at 2AM and beamed with a large, idiot grin on my face for the rest of the day. Comment and kudos, etc – writers in this fandom work SO HARD for their creative output and need all the love they can get. Many of these stories are actually better written than a published novel, and there is just so much creativity here. Good luck, and I hope you find a whole lot of feels on your new read.

I have always believed that when it comes to novels for teenagers, one can never be too careful when it comes to controlling the content access standards. Most teenagers and young people have not yet developed sufficient discernment, they cannot clearly judge whether the content they come across while scrolling on their phones or open up to read in a book is actually suitable for their age, nor can they assess whether that content will bring any negative impacts to themselves, and they end up engaging with it in a muddled state.

Sosiel’s portrayal of a healthy, adult relationship in a fantasy setting is just superb. Yes, there is conflict here: family, faith, war. But it’s all external. You and your partner are a team against the world, not against each other. There is no jealousy, no misunderstandings for the sake of drama. Instead, we see support. We see the one calm port in the other’s storm. We see him painting and she having a meal. This is a story of a couple sharing the simple things in life. And in a genre that is so often concerned with the terrible traumas that a character must have endured before they even arrive on the page, the happy (well, okay, not happy exactly, but contented) love story of Sosiel and his partner is a radical and very welcome shift. That a good story doesn’t have to involve angst is a wonderful thing to see realized. Simply watching two good people treat each other well is very engaging.

AU = Alternate Universe. Honestly, half the fics out there are AUs these days. People love exploring different scenarios for their favorite ships. Cant blame them.

Motorcycle romance novels are a subset of the romance genre. The setting of these novels are within the raw, rebellious world of biker culture, merged with the emotional depth of a romantic love story. While many protagonists in novels are isolated or part of an unusual group, the members of a motorcycle club live on the outskirts of mainstream society and consider freedom and danger to be part of their way of life. In motorcycle romance novels, not only are the heroes typically clad in leather, and the heroines tough, but their world is a unique and often dark place. Typical romance novels feature conflicts that stem from misunderstandings and from societal expectations that are extraordinary or irrationally restrictive. In contrast, the novels in this genre feature characters who are dealing with real danger as they battle rival gangs and seek to survive on the many battle scarred streets of this tough world. So why read a motorcycle romance novel? Many motorcycle romance heroes are what are called antiheroes. They are not perfect. They can be flawed and even be morally ambiguous in some respects. They may even have a less than pristine past. But when they fall in love, they can change. In many cases, it is the love of a woman that helps the man to grow and to change in very positive ways. He may have to learn to trust in order to get close to his love interest. A heroine can also find her own strength in a male-dominated world of motorcycle clubs and culture. She can be strong and independent, and many such females find that they are able to reach within themselves to find inner strength that they never knew that they had. In the motorcycle romance novels that are the best, the relationships can be very messy. But, that is also part of the beauty of them. They can also be passionate. And, yes, on occasion, even a little bit destructive. But, that is part of what makes them so interesting. Because you never know from one moment to the next what is going to happen. You never know when things are going to blow up. This makes for a very exciting read. Examples of such books would include Reaper’s Property by Joanna Wylde, which features a hero who is president of a motorcycle club, and Hell’s Knights by Bella Jewel, which features a post-apocalyptic world where a lone motorcycle-riding knight is on the road alone. So why read motorcycle romance novels? First, they’re about more than a bike. Motorcycle clubs are families and the heroes and heroines of these novels live in a closed community where codes and loyalties are everything. It’s not uncommon for motorcycle romance novels to explore the conflict between a hero’s loyalty to his club and his loyalty to his love interest. Because motorcycle clubs are made up of families, even the language and rituals of MC life enter into the novel. For example, the patches that members wear, their rides, their clubhouses — all of these become part of the fabric of the novel and so become characters in their own right. It’s a unique take on the romance novel and offers a thrilling, adrenaline-fueled alternative to the more traditional office romance or royal marriage plot. Instead of a love that conquers all, these novels portray a love that fights hard to exist in a world where things don’t always go according to plan.

All the deep emotions people are discussing are all well and good, but the AUs are really where the fun is at. Right now I’m really enjoying the modern no-curses, coffee shop AU where Megumi is a tired barista and Yuji is a very cheerful customer who orders bizarrely complicated drinks. I’ve also been enjoying a couple of fantasy AUs where their roles are reversed. The core dynamic of sunshine vs. shadow, of optimistic vs. pragmatic works so well in pretty much any setting, so I can follow this ship in lots of different contexts. After a long, grueling chapter of canon I can easily binge-read ten such AUs in a row and just enjoy the happy, argumentative Megumi and Yuji doing laundry or whatever.

Honestly, I think you have to start with 'The Heart's On Fire' on AO3. It’s not just a collection of sweet moments; it builds out their post-canon life in a way that feels completely plausible, with all the political tension and personal loyalty you’d expect. The author nails Kyoshi’s voice—that careful, heavy sense of duty—and contrasts it so well with Rangi’s fierce, focused protectiveness. They don’t shy away from the arguments either, the kind that come from two people who are utterly devoted but also stubborn as hell. Another one I keep going back to is 'Smoke and Stone.' It’s a canon-divergent AU where Rangi joins the Flying Opera Company earlier. The dynamic shifts are fascinating, watching their partnership develop in the chaos of a smaller crew, and the slow burn feels earned. Some of the fight scenes are written with such crisp energy, you can almost see the fire and earth bending in your head. It just clicks. For something shorter but incredibly potent, 'Ashes on the Wind' deals with a moment of injury and vulnerability. It’s less about grand adventure and more about quiet, desperate care, and it highlights a tenderness between them that larger stories sometimes gloss over in favor of plot.

Reading an author's notes on a high-kudos fic is really cool. Sometimes the author will even admit that they were surprised by how the story received, or thank specific early commenters for encouraging them to keep writing. It's really impressive to read, because it really humanizes the number and makes you realize that every fic starts with one person posting a chapter into the void, hopefully to get some sort of reaction from someone. The journey to get to that final number is way more interesting than the number itself.