#(In my defence: I tried folding laundry but it was still moist)

[capybaraonabicycle]

Would you please share excepts for the ask game?

1. that makes me smile

3. that encompasses my style

7. that i nursed in a daydream before finally writing

14. that was out of my comfort zone

25. that i consider a favourite

Feel free to skip one of them if you don't feel like answering! 🥰

Thank youuuu!

You said it was okay to use non-dw snippets, so I have put two of those now. But I added a dw snippet for good measure to those questions, hope that's okay 😅I also managed to include 3 actual WIPs, so yay :)

that makes me smile

Aww, the first fic that came to mind was Love is a four-letter word, which is a coming-out fic featuring the Penderwick sisters Skye and Jane.

Just - the whole series is such a feel-good story? It tastes like childhood comfort and the queer undertones are way too obvious to be screwed over in the last book. Anyway, headcanoning all the members of the family as queer is self-care and those girls are so soft and such siblings and the fic makes me smile without fail every time.

Skye sighed again, but this time it sounded less annoyed. "Listen Jane, I love you" she said and it sounded almost gentle. "But I don't think I am the right person to talk to about this. Romance and stuff. I don't really... do... that. Can't you ask Rosy? I am sure she would love to help you out." "Rosy does not share a room with me, though" Jane demurred. "Lucky her" Skye murmured. "Probably sleeping right now." "Skye!" Jane complained. "This is serious! People die from heartbreak all the time; I need to know what I am dealing with." "You won't die from heartbreak tonight; I can promise you that much" Skye scoffed. "Are you sure?" Jane asked. Her heart did feel a little clammy whenever she thought about Caroline and her textbook rim artworks. Or about what that weirdness might mean that always seemed to befall her when Caroline was nearby. "Dead sure" Skye answered solemnly. "You don't even know whether you're in love. I am sure it is scientifically impossible to die from heartbreak in that case." Jane breathed out loudly in relief. "Thank you."

(Jane is me and also Skye is me <3 (Skye has a math class the next day so enough sleep is vital bc you can't be tired for your favourite subject, now can you?))

But have a short dw snippet, too, because that might be more interesting for you. It's from the unfinished episode-fic that would come before The woman who kills the Doctor (- it's the lkh rewrite WIP):

“Left – sharp turn!” The car swerved around in one swift motion and Mels grabbed onto the seat backs in front of her to avoid being thrown about. “Now right!” “No, left!” “What?” Amy turned around the chart frantically at the correction while Rory started panicking. “Which one?” he shouted. “Left!” Mels repeated at the same time as Amy cried: “Right!...Hang on, no wait, she’s right: left!” “What?!” Rory was hitting the wheel in frustration while, this time in unison, the girls called: “Left!!” Only a little too late Rory yanked the wheel around, making them all lean involuntarily towards the right. Mels erupted in laughter. “If we continue like this, this is gonna spell ‘Dorito’ when we’re done” she claimed. “Shut up” Amy growled. “You’re doing great, Rory.” “Yeah, he is” Mels snorted. “Now listen here, little lady” Amy turned around, her eyes pulled to dangerous slits. “Amy!” Rory shrieked before she could continue. “Where do I go next?!”

Pond family drawing crop circles together <3 (No, Amy does not know Mels is their daughter yet, btw, that's part of why this makes me smile)

3. that encompasses my style

I don't knoooow. How do I know what my style is and what is representative?? Okay, I'll try, how about this from a WIP for my Division AU:

“Seriously?” Mels blinked. “You aren't even trusting me to get you a drink? I was kidding earlier when I said this would be a good exercise, but – I see that I was very wrong about your level of trust in me.” She tried to make it sound like a joke, but she couldn't deny, that stung. She would have expected herself to trust the Doctor more than vice versa, but a fucking drink? That shouldn't have been too much to ask. “Mels,” the Doctor was suddenly pressing the card into her hand, her gentle voice calling her away from her somber thoughts, “of course I trust you, love. I was making a joke.” “What?” Mels had trouble processing – and that was a little annoying because usually she was the one who got to make the Doctor malfunction with a well placed innuendo or affirmation of fondness. A smile was tugging at the Doctor's lips as she reached for Mels' other hand, closing it around the card. “You said I got to annoy you today,” she reminded Mels, “I'm just trying my best to live up to that role.” Mels let out a relieved laugh, grasping the card tightly and turning her upper hand so she could take the Doctor's and pull her in. “You are stellar in the annoying underling role, darling,” she promised, pressing a kiss to her lips. “It's like it was written for you.” The Doctor preened for a second, before the words properly registered. “Hey, now - “ she tried to protest, but Mels had already stepped away from her. “Find us a table, Doctor,” she grinned. “That's an order!”

I believe this encompasses my style, mostly for the way we move between jokes and heartfelt bits. I think I do that a lot - especially for this AU - putting in funny bits to even out the harsh reality and also putting heavy stuff into the lighthearted scenes to keep you on your toes.

Here, they've been joking around a little before, bickering (I cut that bc this is already too long a snippet - then again 'being too long' IS my style -), then Mels is hit by self-doubt, the Doctor turns serious to reassure her and they immediately go back to banter - and kissing.

The way dialogue is intercepted by introspection and a few descriptions of what is happening here is also representative of my style, I believe.

7. that i nursed in a daydream before finally writing

All my fics are results of daydreams, basically. But there are a few where I wrote down the dialogue as I dreamed about it and that didn't get changed much after. One of them is in Dance with Me (or: Selling the Cover for Gat) (part of the Division AU) and I know you have been meaning to read that anyway ;)

“Aww” Karvanista cooed mockingly. “You two are too cute.” The Doctor stepped back immediately, her hands leaving Mels’, and cleared her throat. “Just selling the cover for Gat” she said with a fake smile, smoothing down the sides of the fancy suit Tecteun hat gotten her for the occasion. “Right?” “Right” Mels agreed, but she couldn’t help a smile while she took a sip of her champagne. “Just that ‘selling the cover for Gat’ is not the mission, is it?” Gat’s snide voice sounded in her ear again and by now she sounded positively miffed. “That is only the very baseline of what you are supposed to be doing. You are supposed to be looking for the target. And you will find him neither in each other’s eyes like you have apparently been believing for the last 8 minutes, nor staring at cake decorations –“ The Doctor pulled an annoyed grimace and Mels bit her lips against a grin. “Nor eyeing up unsuspecting Malmooths” Gat continued. “Hey, she was definitely into it” Mels complained while the Doctor’s eyebrows raised to her hairline. “Literally not the point” Gat said. “Besides this is a married-only event, she was definitely here with someone.” “You spent your time without me flirting with other people” the Doctor inquired sternly, “and have the audacity to complain about me getting you a drink?! A fine wife you are.”

I spoke those lines (more or less) into my phone while taking a snowy winter walk <3 I should probably have paid more attention to the gorgeous nature than the Division team in my head, but no regrets :)

14. that was out of my comfort zone

Anytime I venture close to smut 😅 oh, also heavy angst. Which one do you prefer?

Let's go with the one leaning into smut. It's still mature level intimacy, I would say, but it was the first time I so much as brushed towards it, so, like, I didn't feel entirely comfortable writing it. I do think it is sweet, though (oh, this is from Somewhere in My Memory btw):

“Not here, Sweetie” [River] said with a wink. “I did not specifically order a bed to have you against a picture of my late husband.” “You ordered the bed?” the Doctor chuckled, slinging her hands around River’s neck. “Of course, you did.” “A lady has to be prepared” River said, kissing her again. “Come on then, jump up.” Without hesitation, the Doctor jumped, slinging her legs around River’s middle and letting her carry her towards the bed. “Oh, look at that, I’m taller than you again” she commented happily, leaning down to kiss River’s nose. “Now this feels right.” River rolled her eyes fondly. “Shut up, Doctor.” “Not a chance” the Doctor grinned. Then she yelped, as River squeezed her butt in retaliation. A devilish smirk played at River’s mouth as she lowered the Doctor onto the mattress. “We’ll see about that, Sweetie” she hummed, her hands cupping the Doctor’s breasts and immediately affirming her words in taking the Doctor’s breath away. “We’ll see about that.”

And like, that's literally it. The scene ends there. Still, that was daunting to write for me.

25. that i consider a favourite

Oh wow. I mean, choosing a favourite fic was already tough. A favourite SNIPPET? Impossible 😅 But, luckily, it is a favourite, so I'll just go with any snippet, I enjoy :)

Wanna read some lines in German about a ghost playing the piano? This is from Mary Shelley's Murder Mystery Invite Only Casual Travel/Journey For Friends Diary:

„Dann konzentrier dich weniger und lass dich mehr treiben“, schlug [Robert] vor. „Musiker denken nicht, sie fühlen.“ Mary wollte ihm nicht noch einmal erklären, dass sie einfach keine Musikerin war. So wandte sie sich resigniert wieder den Tasten zu. „Schließ die Augen“, riet Robert ihr. „Spür dem Gefühl des Liedes nach und lass dich fallen.“ Gehorsam schloss Mary die Augen, konzentrierte sich dafür aber umso stärker auf ihre Finger, mit denen sie die Tastatur streifte. Dann begann sie zu spielen. Sie merkte den Unterschied sofort. Hatte sie vorher nur einzelne Töne gespielt, hörte, nein spürte, sie jetzt die Musik, die ihre Finger wie von selbst in den Raum setzten. Sie lauschte der Melodie und merkte kaum, wie sie einfach die Kontrolle aufgab. Erst, als mit einem Mal die Musik verstummte, aber ihre Finger weiterspielten, erwachte sie unsanft. Sie riss die Augen auf und beobachtete entsetzt ihre Finger, die gerade wieder aus den Tasten auftauchten. Verdammt.

I do still prefer my German way of writing, I have to say. The fear of making mistakes is just less severe. With English, I am always convinced I have used at least one word incorrectly in every sentence without noticing.

But let's add another dw snippet from a WIP to this, shall we? I don't know whether I will ever finish this one, but I have started working on a very fluffy fugitive Doctor & River & Jenny piece called Family Outing (for now):

The Doctor made a move to hold her back but River intertwined their hands instead, pulling her in the other direction. “Stop fussing, Sweetie” she said strictly, smoothing down the Doctor’s lapels with her free hand. “And let her have some fun. Jenny is a clever girl, she’ll be okay. Besides, no one will suspect us coming here, so we’ll be in the clear.” Only now the Doctor took in her surroundings. They were on a spaceship, alright, a luxurious space cruiser to be exact. Aliens of all species and sizes were milling about, at least two thirds of them of the kind the Doctor did not want to see approach her daughter and at least half of them kinds the Division would engage. None of them were visibly carrying weapons at least and the Doctor knew Jenny had a knife hidden in her bigger-on-the-inside pocket and a blaster strapped to her thigh – in exactly the same spot where River was wearing hers. The evening menu of the adjacent restaurant was reading ��pufferfish flambé’ and ‘Sontar wings with roasted Adipose’ and ‘We’re always ready to prepare your tag-alongs in your preferred manner’ and suddenly the Doctor understood where River had brought them. “No” she breathed, stopping dead in her tracks. “This isn’t…” “…the Harmony and Redemption” River completed for her, apparently very pleased with herself. “Told you, I was good.” “River” the Doctor pulled her even closer and dropped her voice to a whisper, her eyes flitting nervously between Jenny and the surrounding mass-murderers. “We really shouldn’t be here.” “Brilliant, eh?”

I just love River being cocky and the Doctor staring incredulously like "Do you want us getting killed?!"

I also very much love the way what I have written so far ends midsentence, and the sentence is:

Before the Doctor could decide whether shooting Flemming here and now would cause too much of a scene or could possibly be considered an overreaction

(Flemming dared to look at Jenny, so, no the Doctor's not overreacting at all <3)

[pandoraimperatrix]

Two Names For Change

Gotham | BatCat | Four Names ‘Verse | Two Shots | Read on AO3

Summary: First he was threatening her all the time with a proposal and now she actually wants one he seems to forget he ever wanted to marry her in the first place. People say that women are hard to understand. They never dated Bruce Wayne.

This is an introductory piece for the actual sequel. The sequel will tell Jason’s story so you can expect angst, this introductory piece however will be pure sugar sprinkled candyfloss cavity inducing fluff.

It got too big so I had to break it in two parts which was nice since I used it to expose myself as a Fairy Tale nerd. Thanks to my mutuals on Twitter for the incentive and Lily for helping me with the title.

Enjoy.

 Two Names For Change

Part I – Restoration

 "When they found that she was a Princess born, there was another burst of joy, which was almost the death of them; but when she told them the names of the King and Queen, her father and mother, they recognised them as the sovereigns whose dominions they had conquered. They imparted this fact to Finette, and she immediately vowed she would not consent to marry the Prince until they had restored the estates of her father. They promised to do so, for they had upwards of a hundred kingdoms, and one more or less was not worth talking about."

 - Finette Cendron by the Countess d'Aulnoy

 Selina fell next to Bruce, her heart still racing, she was panting hard. She smiled when she felt Bruce taking her hand and raising their arms over them, the blue glow of the monstrosity that Dick insisted in calling the “Batcomputer” being the only source of light in the room bouncing on their sweaty skin as their fingers laced together.

“You drained me, Cat.”

She let out a throaty laugh.

“You are tired? I did all the work myself.”

“In my defence, you do it so well, can you blame for liking to just lie down and watch?”

She snorted.

“You are such a pillow princess.” Saying that she slipped her hand from his and stood up. Bruce watched with longing and affection as she tried to make sense of the mess her hair had become, her naked form looking surreal under the penumbra of the cave.

“Let’s go to bed. The sun will rise soon.”

She turned back to him, her expression bashful.

“Sorry, B. I have to go home.”

Bruce’s soft smile fell, his jaw tense. Selina winced.

In a quick powerful motion he stood up, pulling his hair up nervously.

“I don’t get why we’re still doing this. You and Helena are here all the time.”

Guilt left Selina’s face and was substituted by annoyance.

“I already told you. I like having my own place.”

“I’m not talking about giving up your flat completely, but it’s stupid that you keep insisting in pretend that you still live there when you’re here all the time. It’s selfish. Helena doesn’t deserve to be keep being dragged from home to home.”

“Fine. She won’t. Because for now on I’ll keep that in mind and remember where we actually live.”

And she turned to leave, when she felt Bruce hug her from behind.

“No, no, no. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” His voice muffled by her hair. “I know what having your own place means to you.” Selina relaxed under him. “And it was wrong to bring Helena up, even though I stand by what I said regarding to her.” Bruce couldn’t see, but Selina bit her lip to control the pang of guilt. “I just hate that we’re not living together.”

Selina sighed and turned in his arms, Bruce’s hands left Selina’s waist and went to her face, holding her curls in place tenderly.

“I know… I’m sorry too. But as you said, I, we are here all the time.”

“It’s not the same.”

“Bruce…”

“Please? Just consider. You don’t have to say yes…” His serious demeanour cracked. “Now.”

She slapped him weakly on the chest.

“You are so full of yourself.”

“I could say the same.”

Selina’s chin fell and she closed her eyes in outrage.

“Oh my god, Bruce! Gross!”

“And yet true.” He mocked.

He could see she was having trouble trying to control the urge to laugh, her lips twitching despite her whole disgusted performance.

“That’s it. I’m leaving,” she said as they picked the parts of their scattered suits from the ground “I’m gone.” She turned back dramatically from the stairs. “And I’ll never come back!”

“Don’t forget to bring the things Dick needs for his school project when you come to dinner.”

“Shit, yes, I forgot. Thank you.” A few moments after she was back, but sadly not naked anymore. She eyed Bruce who was sitting on his ridiculously enormous chair, dressed in sweatpants, mug of espresso steaming in one hand as he worked at the computer.

“Didn’t you say you were going to sleep?” She raid running her fingers through his moist hair.

“Didn’t you say you were going home?”

“Your shower is better than mine.” She bended over to kiss him scrunching her nose at the bitter taste of coffee. “Text me later to remind me of Dick’s stuff? What is he doing again?”

“Some flying machine I think. He won’t let me help him. Hardhead.”

“Yeah, I know someone like that. But will you?”

“I’ll do better than that, I’ll text Helena.”

Selina smiled and then kissed him again. This time lasting longer, Bruce put the mug on the table so he could touch Selina, wishing they were back on the floor, with her feverish and wanton all around him.

She purred softly as they parted.

“See you later.” She whispered.

“Cat. Promise me you’ll think about it?”

Selina sighed but nodded before leaving, this time for good.

 Bruce used the rearview to spy on his kids. Helena was drooling on her hand, her head on Dick’s lap, her legs folded against her body, very uncomfortable sharing the back sit with Dick who was also asleep and Bruce could hear the hum of the earbud that had fallen one of his ears but was still hanging on one of his knotted curls. The boy was in need of a haircut. They were coming back from a weekend in Metropolis, Bruce was investigating Superman and when the kids learnt that the was going to the city they used all sorts of blackmail and schemes to go with him, in the end it became a whole family trip. He eyes then, Selina, she was looking through the pictures they took on her phone.

“I talked to Lucius about the proceedings to recognize Helena as my daughter.”

“Hmm… And you didn’t think about talking to me about it?”

“I’m doing it now.” He sighed. “I don’t want us to fight about it. I just want to give Helena what is rightful hers, including the Wayne legacy and name.”

“I know… I know… It’s just…”She hugged herself. “I was so afraid someone would take her away from me if I told them she was yours too.”

“I understand, but things are different now. We are different.” He diverted his eyes from the road to Selina, picking her hand and lacing their fingers together, she rolled her eyes, but there was unable to stop her own fond smile.

“We’ll need to talk to her.” She turned briefly to the kids. “I’m not specially attached to my last name, if she wants to ditch it for yours I won’t mind.”

He let the words sit for a while before continuing.

“About that…” His voice an octave higher from his faux absent-mindness. ��

“Too soon.” She said dryly.

The car shook when he suddenly pushed the brakes the kids didn’t wake but mumbled annoyed.

“Meaning that eventually will be the right time?”

She bit back a smile at his excitement.

“I guess? I don’t know why you make such a huge deal out of this.”

“Because I love you, that’s why.”

She looked away shaking her head.

“You are so cheesy.” Her smitten tone brought a pleased smile to Bruce’s face that broadened after her thumb started rubbing his hand absently.

 Two years later, Selina had been sending signs that she was ready for what she feels like ages but nothing happens. And Bruce being Bruce she can never pinpoint when he actually is trying to create proposal settings to troll her or just being his usual sappy self. But after a while when a walk on the beach by the sunset when they took a trip so San Francisco for Dick’s fourteenth birthday was just a plot to convince her do it on the sand – and she found sand in weird places for weeks. All dinner dates in fancy restaurants were only PR appearances. And all special homemade desserts just because he liked to cook to her, it started becoming ridiculous.

She was ranting about that as she folded laundry and drank wine. Barbara was just drinking the wine. Heaven forbid her royal Kareness to help do any housework.

“But have you told him you want to tie the knot? I actually don’t know why the wait, how long have you been together since he came back? Four years?”

“Three. And no, but wouldn’t that be like proposing to him?”

“Well, kinda. I didn’t think you from all people would care about that.”

“It’s not like that. I don’t care about tradition, and shit. But have you any idea of how full of himself he’ll be if I’m the one to propose? I can see his already giant head inflating and flying him to space.”

Barbara laughed.

“Sorry, kiddo. I don’t know how to help you. Nobody proposed to me either.”

“Really? I thought Gordon did, back in the day.”

“He did. Sort of. We talked about it. Even thought all the shit that happen later I’m glad we never got to do the white picket fence, 2.5 kid scenario. That was no life for me. And as much as I’m grateful for how good he is to Babs, I couldn’t take five minutes of Lee’s life.” She shivered. Selina snorted.

“Would you have married Tabby? If you could back then?”

“I don’t know.” She chuckled. “Do you think she would’ve married me?”

“Oh man, imagine how extra that would have been. All rogues in one single place. I’d be the maid of honour, of course. Ivy providing de the décor with some poisoned flowers, Oswald throwing a fit because you were getting more attention than him. Do you think anyone has a minister’s licence?”

“I did something like that to punish Jim. Wore a dress and all” she snorted “I was one crazy bitch back them. Tabby helped.”

“Geez. I don’t even get to imagine a fucked up scenario because reality in this city is crazier.”

“We were so much worse before Tabby took you in. I sometimes wonder if you were what grounded us a little.”

“Really? Because you were such a bitch to me when I went to live with you guys. I used to miss vanilla straight Barbara a lot.”

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. I was jealous.”

“Of what?”

“Tabby. She gave up on me and took you as her new little project.” Barbara rolled her eyes dramatically. “And there was Butch.” She groaned.

“Now I’m very happy that I didn’t have the same destiny as him.”

“Oh kitty-cat, I was jealous but I loved you. I always did. I might even have been jealous of you too. You were my little project first.”

 Two weeks and a family picnic on the Wayne state organized by Alfred, regular post-coitus moon bathing on the roofs and a very interesting day on a boat only the two of them after, nothing changed, except that Holly was home and spread on the carpet with Selina. Her head on the lap of her surrogate mother as Selina played lazily with the strands of hair that were dyed in a fading blue. The girls were in Helena’s room playing videogames. And Barbara was coming from a kitchen a batch of something supposedly drinkable on a tray.

Selina wrinkled her nose.

“What is that?”

“My favourite, alcohol.”

“No thanks.”

“Why not? What’s the point of girl’s night without getting wasted?”

“My stomach is hurting. Bruce took me to that new Indian restaurant three days ago. I’m too white for that.”

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure I have seen you eat rock.”

Holly snorted, Selina pulled her hair not hard enough to hurt enough to send a message.

“Ouch, Selina!”

“I’m getting old, I don’t know Barbara, if I wanted a doctor I’d have called Lee.”

They continued their chatting though the night, Holly telling them all about college drama and they trash talked their mutual friends until they all fell asleep. Selina woke up feeling horrible. Everything was dark. Even Helena’s room was silent. She pushed Barbara’s legs off her lap and got up from the sofa, dragging her wobbling legs to the kitchenette. She barely made to the sink before empting her stomach.

Shit.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Fuck, Barbara! Don’t do that!”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She said is a shaky voice, wiping her mouth. “Maybe I should see a doctor.”

Barbara looked at her with one eyebrow arched and folded arms.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m just having a déjà vu now.”

Selina widened her eyes in horror.

“No…”

“You said that too back then.”

“Fuuuuuck.”

The wave of nausea hit again, but now there was just bile. She was still hiccupping when Barbara made her sit down.

“Is it possible?”

Selina just glared at her.

“Very possible, then.”

“I mean. We use protection, mostly. You know I can’t take the pill. But I had my period.”

“Did you?”

“Yes!”

“Did you?”

Selina shut up for a second counting and then she covered her face in realization.

Barbara laughed and walked across Selina returning to the living room. She shook Holly awake.

“Wake up Holly, dear. We have a baby shower to plan.”

Pleeeeeease reblog my work if you liked it. It really helps me out. Thank you.