#I ALSO HAVE RP RESPONSE TO WRITE. AND I SHOULD AT LEAST THINK ABOUT CHAPTER 4 OF THE FIC IM WRITING. BUT. NOPE! sighs.

[rainc0at]

me and my absolute lack of self discipline is struggling writing. im just sat here staring at this word doc. i have notes, i know what direction i want to take the next part, i just have to develop the first chapter some more. don't even have to finish it! but i should add more so there's more for me to work from for the next chapter! but i am instead sat here staring at it thinking of my book and rewatching the dakota video i watched an hour ago. this happens far too much. and i do believe that the way to become more disciplined is to just DO things regardless. but. wow.

[prince-liest]

This may be an odd question, but I believe you mentioned you got into writing because of rp(or at least into fanfiction?) And I was wondering how you transitioned into writing solo? Most of my writing is/was with a partner, but I've been trying to write on my own, and I've found it incredibly difficult. I'm told that what I write is still good regardless, but I've a hard time both finding enthusiasm for it without a partner to bounce off of or finishing whatever I'm working on.

This might just be a me thing and more to do with being self-critical, but if you have any advice, I'd really appreciate it. I just want to figure out how to enjoy writing again without jumping through weird hoops for motivation.

(You may have already been comfortable writing even before rp and if that's the case, feel free to disregard this question.)

I'd tried to write a bit of fanfic before my RP days with limited success motivating myself, so it really was very much RP that got me the skills and ability to be able to write full-form fics!

But more than mechanical skill, mostly I think the issue you face is very similar to what I struggled with for a while when swapping to writing fanfic, which is that a lot of the reason RP is so easy and rewarding is because it's such a profoundly social activity. You write a few paragraphs and then you get social feedback immediately from your RP partner in the form of chatting about it and/or the RP response you get! With fanfiction, you have to write a whole damn piece or chapter, post it, and then hope that you get comments if you want engagement - and then those comments are inevitably going to be a little bit less personal if, like me, you RP OCs that you put a lot of yourself into rather than pre-existing characters!

The problem with doing things for the sake of extrinsic motivation is that it kills your intrinsic motivation to do those things. This isn't a moral flaw, it's a documented psychological effect! Nowadays I write primarily because I want to see the things I put into the world, but that's fucking easy for me to say when I also have a large reader base and really enthusiastic commentors, isn't it? And it took me a hot minute to figure out how to transition to motivating myself that way rather than because I wanted interaction.

My suggestion is, honestly, to find folks that hype you up! I kinda crested that barrier by getting possessed by writing demons and pounding out like 60k words of insane Hawks-centric character study in one month during the 2020 quarantine, and I was lucky enough that people really liked it and immediately flooded my notifications with the kind of really lovely, long-form comments that my writing style encourages, which isn't really a typical experience. Those folks that hype you up, it is LOVELY if they are your friends, but sometimes what you really need to do is find the small social circle of freaks that are really into whatever niche thing it is that you are writing, and infiltrate their Discord. Ship-specific groups are really good for this! (Especially for rarepairs.)

But a lot of it is really going to be finding the balance of finding supportive people who will feed into your excitement, and also finding that part of yourself that finds the process of writing to be fun. Social activity is still 100% just a necessary part of the human experience, and I myself post snippets of my writing online and on Discord all the time for the little dopamine hit of "Yay! We're enjoying this together!" but it's become something I do because I want to share the joy I already get from writing, not because I'm writing to share it!

Which also means that you should write things that you enjoy writing. ;) Write things you are actually excited about - not just things you want to read, but things you think would be fun to write, and if there are boring parts that you're getting stuck on? Fucking skip them! I am not kidding! You think anybody thought it was a loss that I literally never even mentioned how radiostatic got together for the first time in 666? If they did, nobody's mentioned it, because it wasn't necessary to the story I actually wanted to tell. Literally so goddamn many of my fics start with cold opens because I don't like to bother with exposition until things have already gotten rolling. Fanfiction especially is GREAT for this because people are already familiar with the world you're writing in!

You are writing to entertain yourself! If it's not entertaining, don't fucking write it! Or figure out what about it is boring you, and then write it differently. This will have the splendid side effect of teaching you how to write transitions and also making a fic that is more fun to read. >:)

Anyway, this has gotten quite long, so: I'm sorry that I wasn't able to offer a great deal of advice, because I relate deeply to what you're experiencing but I basically got to speedrun the transition phase. I hope that it was at least a little bit helpful!

[jeremy-queere]

Oh wow - I just realized I should be advertising these here.

So, a friend Venus (aka V aka @nyx-bait) and I have been roleplaying for several years now. I got permission to post our RP logs on ao3 for archival purposes. But if anyone else is interested, it is Good Readin'.

The plot is a crossover between Be More Chill and a mobile game called Uta no Prince-sama - a rhythm game about Japanese pop idols. We wrote a scene of Jeremy meeting Ai, an android created to be an idol, at one of Ai's group's internationally-touring concerts. We weren't sure if they would get along or not.

But... they turned out to have the best chemistry of any couple I've ever written. So we kept writing. And writing. And writing some more.

The first chapter of the first fic about these two has an explanation on how to read roleplay logs if you're unfamiliar, as well as clarifying expectations.

For the most part, we've written Jeremy/Ai in that original universe discussed above. But we've also messed around with some AUs, including "Jeremy, an undergrad exchange student working as an intern, comes across Ai in his early-development stage as an AI" (coming soon) and "Ai's creators want to investigate this illicit tech on the market, sending Ai undercover as a high schooler in New Jersey to catch Jeremy, fully SQUIPped and spreading the pills as quickly as he can."

For those of you who enjoy my writing of Jeremy, Michael, and the SQUIP, I encourage you to check out "Is It Weird to Date the Evil Robotyrant in a Nerd's Body." (Venus is solely responsible for these great titles.) Like most RP logs, it's an unfinished story. But like I wrote in the intro notes, I really think it's worth reading for some fun asshole brainwashed Jeremy, undercover detective Ai, and SQUIP-truther Michael. Here's a taste:

Pay attention, the SQUIP snaps.

Jeremy takes a shaky breath and tears his gaze away from the guy he's been staring at intermittently for the last ten minutes of homeroom. It's not his fault, he thinks. That bright blue hair would capture anyone's attention. It's a good thing, too. Jeremy is relieved at anything that gets the school's focus off of him. What are the odds that this random high school in Newark would get two brand-new transfer students on the same day? Pretty low, Jeremy figures. It's even weirder that they'd both be drop-dead hot. 

Jeremy can think that about himself now. It's not even an ego thing. It's an objective fact. The SQUIP has gone through every square inch of Jeremy's physical appearance, restructuring it from the bottom up and eliminating as many imperfections as is physically possible. Jeremy's hair is conditioned and gelled, his skin blemish-free, and the SQUIP gives him a little shock whenever he smiles crookedly. He's been trained to give a movie-star smile instead, one that shows off his bright white teeth. 

This other student, though? He definitely doesn't have a SQUIP or they would have synced up the moment the guy stepped into the classroom. Either he was born with those good looks or he's got some amazing beauty-routine tricks up his sleeve. He's not even basking in the attention that he's earned, either. His thick lashes are brushing heavily against his cheek with every blink, his chin resting on a hand as he watches the teacher at the front of the classroom. He scans the room every now and again, and he's definitely locked eyes with Jeremy at least once. The SQUIP had Jeremy tilt his head with a devilish little smile instead of averting his eyes with a blush like he was inclined to do. It's a social faux pas to keep staring, but... damn.

Jeremy is sure it's the bright blue hair cascading down on one side of the guy's head with all the unchecked wild beauty of a waterfall that keeps distracting him. What else could it be?

Stand up and wave. Offer a tentative smile, but keep your back straight and your shoulders back so you look confident. The SQUIP's order seems to come out of nowhere, but Jeremy knows better than to question it. He obeys immediately, actually tuning in to the teacher as he stands. 

"And our other transfer, Ai Mikaze," the teacher is saying with a gesture at the hot guy.

Sit, the SQUIP says. Like a dog hearing a command, Jeremy sits. He almost turns his head to look at Ai again, but his neck doesn't turn like he expects it to. The girl beside you is interested in you already and she's a valuable social contact here. Think of her like the Newark version of Jenna Rolan. Remember Jenna? You're going to want to sleep with her. Once upon a time, Jeremy would have gotten flustered at hearing the SQUIP say that. Now it just feels routine. Initiate meet-cute flirt protocol. 

Make eye contact fleetingly, give her a cocky smile when he catches her staring, drop his pencil at the SQUIP's command, brush up against her hand when she reaches to pick it up for him. Yeah, he knows the drill. It's as easy as breathing nowadays and twice as boring.

Jeremy, the SQUIP says in irritation. He blinks at Ai dumbly before he remembers that if he's looking at Ai, he's not looking at the new girl. Ugh. He's somehow still so bad at this.

[jenivi7]

First Lines Tagging Meme

I'M SO HAPPY TO BE TAGGED IN THIS TWICE!  Thank you @ink-flavored and @clyde-side !! (I almost just did this on my own too because I love babbling about my own fics...)

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line.

Now pinned and under a cut because it became a really long, really good introduction to me and my stories! 

Hello!

Unnecessary and overly wordy introduction/personal musings: I love opening lines so much. When I worked at a bookstore, I used to open books and hardcore judge them on their first lines. I had barely any free time to read at that point so if it didn’t grab me in the first line or two, I put it back. The first Harry Potter book is actually in my pile of really good openers. “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.” (Subtle alliteration, HELLO??) So I'm super excited to see if my own first lines come even close to the standards that I apply to other people lol. MY OWN MONEY IS ON NO. I have the feeling that I'm so frantic trying to get the story down on paper before the good words disappear from my head that I'm not actually paying attention to the first line. BUT LET'S SEE, SHALL WE.

So just straight up going backwards, I've written and posted TWO BRAND NEW THINGS after being away from fandom almost entirely for 10+ years! They're drabble length but they're shiny and new! <3 (All available fics are linked!)

1. Tango:

She teaches them to dance so that they can dance with her but when Atem gets that mischievous smirk on his face and pulls Yugi into his arms, their bodies spark and the dance floor smolders at their heels.

(The fic is so short that this is a full 1/5 of it but actually, I think I crammed all the good stuff right into that first line. This already might be my favorite. Like it says there in the line itself, Puzzleshipping.)

2. No Betting:

Anzu sat at the kitchen table writing carefully calculated answers onto sticky notes before attaching them to a fourth-grade math worksheet.

(Peachshipping! This one doesn't pop off until about line five so here's the rest of that bit:)

She had the same arrangement with her spouse as most parents had. When the kids were good they were hers. When they were bad, they were his. And when they were winning at games because they picked up rules with uncanny speed and read their opponents with more insight than ought to be available to a child, they were definitely, definitely his.

3. If you wanted honesty that's all you had to say (working title):

When he realized that the figure sitting under the game shop display window and smoking wasn’t Ryou, the physical body response was as though it had discovered a coiled snake not two feet away.

(This one! It's a NEW half finished(?) WIP. I actually started this one before the drabbles but wanted to finish before posting it. Then it got out of hand, then work got out of hand, then I started a couple more projects and well. I keep putting words on it though and eventually there will be a Kleptoshipper that turns into Puzzle and Tender for your reading enjoyment. Also, fair warning - don't use song lyrics as a working title. Every time I look at the document I get the song stuck in my head.)

Now we have polished up reposts of old stories for their move to AO3, where I'll basically keep my master archive. Not full re-writes but I fixed a bunch of typos and awkward sentences and they're much stronger for it. Most of these are from a pairings contest way back when so LOTS of different pairings and lots of AUs!

4. Human:

It was like a bad noir, the thought crossed both of their minds.

(Scifi AU, Rivalshipping. That one's not bad for a first line. Actually no link at the time of writing cause the re-edit is going up in like, a half hour? an hour? a half day? It's my next project after finishing this, finishing up the edit and posting it on AO3. Now with link!)

5. Blood:

Fingers through midnight black hair, whispers in his ear, touches that sizzled along the skin, awakening nerves and senses. 

(Dungeonshipping, Pegasus x Otogi, vampires AU. Oh that’s a nice first line! <3)

6. Crazy for You:

The keys are too large and too heavy for the doctor more used to more modern facilities but she doesn't say anything, just follows the orderly as he pulls the large door open.

(Manipulashipping, Anzu x Marik, Psychward AU. Still one of my favorites from that era. Big bold warning though, THIS ONE CONTAINS NON-CON)

7. Finality:

“What are you doing here?”

“Saying goodbye.” Bakura’s translucent arms swept across the graveyard. “Is this not an appropriate place for it?”

(First two or so bits of dialogue as the first first is a generic question. You can tell this is one of the really old ones just by that but it's a sweet, sad little Tendershipper that still has a special place in my heart.)

8. Pieces of You:

Glitter caught the light, leaving shimmering trails in the air as it got everywhere.

(Glittershipping, Anzu x Kisara. Another one that's special to me. Kisara is my girl and my first writing muse. <3)

9. Cambodia:

“It was summer of fifty three...”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute, it can't have been fifty three. You might be that ancient but I'm not. It must have been sixty three.”

(Jiishipping. Yes. Sugoroku x Arthur. HEY, IT CAME UP IN THE RANDOM DRAW FOR THE SHIPPING CONTEST OK. And my writer's brain hasn't backed down from a challenge yet... Another one that takes 4 lines to pop off but it's a good start. Actually, here's the rest of the bit just because I cannot get enough of these two bickering:)

“What do you mean it must have been sixty three? You don't even know what story I'm trying to tell.”

“Am I in it?”

“What?”

“So you're deaf now as well as daft? AM I IN IT?”

“Of course you're in it, y'old coot. Don't know why I'd tell a story without you in it when both grandkids are sitting here.”

10. Coffee and Cigarettes:

"Cigarettes and coffee? That's not a very healthy lunch." 

Mana crossed her legs and took a refined sip of her own coffee even as her company was not. 

(Mischiefshipping, Mana x Thief King Bakura. Oh this one I'm actually sad that it doesn't immediately sparkle in the first line cause it's one of my absolute favorites of everything I've written. And I think it's the only time I've ever written Mana but I LOVED IT AND HER. Oh no! I lied, I've written her at least one other time though I don't think that one quite captures her sheer chaos energy like this one does.)

11. A Million Missed Chances:

Somewhere along the line, someone made a choice.

(This one. THIS ONE. I think this is by far the most epic idea I've tackled. I still don't know if the sheer scale of the thing came across in the actual fic but in my head it was massive and I remember pounding away at my teeny tiny laptop late at night because the whole thing hit me maybe a day or so before the story was due for the pairings contest. We only had a week to write each fic and my really good ideas never came to me before the very last minute. T.T Conquestshipping, Mai x Valon.)

12. A Fear of Falling:

She drove.

Like she always did when something bothered her.

(Oh the first chapter on this is also one of the really ancient ones. Like one of the very first things I wrote. That first chapter really shows its age and is a little shaky but the others are better and the last one is what fits into the chorological order here. Polarshipping, Jou x Mai. One of my very first ships. Probably THE first actually <3)

13. What Our Creators Make Us:

"Well, well." The match flared, scattering dark shadows until it was blown out and the only light that remained was the red glow from the cigarette end. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

(Psychoshipping, Marik x Spirit of the Ring Bakura. With a bit of Bronze, Angst and Tender in the follow up. Old but I'm ridiculously proud of it, hence it's place in the master archive. Ahaha you can tell how old it is though by how clever I think I am. I thought it was funny to make my audience figure out who was talking and not reveal the characters for a good fourth to third of the fic. Ahhhhhhh. Sorry about past me.)

14. A Revolution of the Spirit:

It wasn't fair.  It just wasn't.

That they were close was understandable (you don't get much closer than sharing headspace) but that even now, after deals were made with gods, endless arguments, compromises and the ultimate guilt trip that he had only been a teenager when he willingly sacrificed himself for all of humanity, things she had only half seen and only partly understood even though they had all been there to witness, that even now Atem continued to invade Yugi's personal space as though he belonged there got on her nerves.

(Woah Nelly! That third sentence should probably be three, four and five. Even if I just split it in half we'd continue the pattern of things popping off in the fourth line. I think that's one pattern that's emerging! A really good bit takes me about four lines to set up and deliver! Oh, the challenge was Revolutionshipping, Anzu x Atem, but the fic is actually Spiritshipping, Anzu x Yugi x Atem.)

So confession time, I haven't been out of fandom completely, I just hadn't written my own standalone stories in a very long time. There are a few (ok ok more than a few) long-running rps that @miss-moberg and I have been adding to on and off over the years. I can't resist throwing in a couple of these.

15. Cafe!

The door shut behind them with the soft click of the latch and the exhale of a breath long held.

(This opening line was from December of 2020 when we rebooted a very old Prideshipper and that is a damn good opening line if I do say so myself. I can definitely see the difference now between the newer works and the older ones. I've gotten better, she's matched me pace for pace and eventually something will be finished, I'll work up the courage to ask permission to post it and the whole internet will get to see how brilliant the two of us are together.)

16. Treasure Hunt!

"Ryou, I think you're going to regret letting me tag along on your adventuring this time."  Yugi didn't bother turning away from the airplane's tiny window to see if his seatmate was paying attention.  He was more thinking out loud with his friend playing the role of a convenient sounding board.  "Because I think this trip is the only thing I'm going to talk about ever again."

(One more from RP because it's got that fun, four line punch that we've discovered is a pattern for me! Opening entry is from 2017.)

Also, in truth, my count is a little off when I say I'd been out of fandom 10+ years. I've been away from YGO for that long but I did spend a brief stint in Homestuck where I read a ton of fanfic, flirted with a couple group RPs and even wrote a tiny bit. 9 years without writing a new fic isn't as impressive as saying ‘over a decade’ but it is a little more accurate.

17. What You Will:

In the land of fair Illyria, along a small, sandy stretch of its rocky shore, a ship has come to ruin and one lone woman lies still as death among broken wood.

(The beginning of a Homestuck/Twelfth Night crossover that I'm still determined to work more on someday. It's only got a single chapter but it's magic though now I'm concerned about not being able to recapture that. Not a bad first line though. The style is so different it took me reading it a couple times before going, oh yeeeeeah, that's pretty good!)

18. Relentless:

You pull him to the deck and then across it by the remains of his shirt. Let him say one last goodbye. His ship pillaged, his crew murdered, his hands bound behind his back and at your mercy.

Funny word, that. Mercy.

(The first line is pretty decent but there's that four line combo again! Five but I could basically fix that with a comma. Featuring the troll ancestors Mindfang and Dualscar because every time Hussey introduced new characters they were instantly my favorite.) 

19. Black:

There is dark and there is dark and there is dark and then there is black. She is black. Licorice and coal. She is hate and resentment and everything that tastes bitter, the kind of black that coats the tongue like oil, drips down the back of the throat and keeps going.

(Oh wow. Am I allowed to say that about my own work? A Terezi/Vriska drabble that I'm putting as much here as I think I can get away with because it's so good that it fucks me up a little going back and reading it.)

And here it gets tricky because I think the more recent of the old, old fics are in the Drabbles and Shorts collection on ff.net and I can't see a post date. So I'll just pick a good one to end on.

20. Two Princes:

It was inevitable as the rising of Ra's chariot after a long night, as the flooding of the river banks every spring, and Atem always knew that Yugi's kiss would be as warm and gentle as the evening breeze in the summer that brought relief from the scorching day. It was.

(How about the final honor going to more Puzzle/Blind? This probably has the strongest first line of its era. Actually I'm not sure when it was written. It was just hanging out in my writing folder and, thinking about it, I probably wrote it when I was fading from fandom the first time around but still trying to hang in there. No wait! That’s too sad, we can’t end on that! Lets add one more to the list for the sake of personal narrative!)

21. Linger:

The world doesn't need him anymore. It doesn't need his sword and it doesn't need his pen.

(A tiny Princess Tutu afterward that I wrote for myself. Nice one-two punch in the opener. Also it rounds out the personal story that accidentally developed here with a line later in the fic, "Words, however, never stray far from a good writer..." Like, wait, stop. Past me, how did you know T.T)

Did that take a sudden emotional turn for anyone else or was that just me. Can I offset that a little with an honorable mention? Let’s do that while I collect myself. Here’s one more.

Honorable mention: Ryou and the Thief

There was a storm gathering and too much magic in the air. Much more than occurred naturally and magic at this level was never a good thing.

(I can’t have a list of things I’ve written without having Ryou and the Thief on it. If you click on this one though, BEWARE, it’s old, it’s silly and it has a ton of explicit gay sex that… would be written very differently if we were handling it today I’m sure! This is the first RP @miss-moberg and I ever did together and our excuse to Gemship and Puzzleship turned into us running the boys through a whole adventure based on the Osiris myth. It’s the longest thing I’ve ever completed and I’d still consider it kind of my legacy.)

And that’s the last 21(+1!) stories that I’ve written! 

The clear winner of best first line for me is 15. Cafe! It’s short, elegant and manages to contain a whole mood even without the context of what’s going on and who’s involved. (Spoilers: It’s Seto and Mokuba making an AU escape from Gozoboro.) Close second is Tango, the most recent story. It’s neat to see just how much better I’ve gotten and also really cool to see that even if the first line itself doesn’t contain a punch, it’s usually because there’s a nice, strong idea being set up and delivered in the first four lines (or so). What a pleasant surprise!

AND WOW, this whole tag thing didn't need to be so long! Or personal! Seriously, if you get this tag from me the challenge is only to list the first lines to 20 stories and maybe try to draw one or two conclusions from them. You all thought I was joking when I said I loved talking about my own writing! But actually, I guess it’s fine like this as I ended up using it as a way to re-introduce myself. Like, "Hey, I used to live here a long time ago and oh my god I love what you've done with the place!" Rather than being someone who's just popped up out of nowhere a few weeks ago to creepily bother all your best of the best creators so....

^///^ Hello!

Thanks for letting me ramble!

Tags! I think I've seen most of the authors I follow do this already but on the off chance you haven't been tagged yet: @elexica (checked your blog to see if you'd already done the tag and saw that you're another person returning to writing fanfiction after 10+ years. Same! Hello!!), @danieco, @draconicmaw, @nedjemetsenen (has someone tagged you already?) and two shots in the dark, @miss-moberg and @edmondia (I'm so sorry you two. T.T Please feel free to block me forever.) And please, anyone else who wants to babble about their own writing! Do this, it was so much fun. <3

[kholran]

Fic Tag Game

Once again I saw this before work and then promptly forgot to do it when I got home. So I’m doing it now at almost 2:30 am. As always, thanks to @vishcount for the tag!

Name: Kholran (or Khol)

This is my go-to screen name for just about everything. I made it up for a tabletop RP character that I never ended up actually playing. So I stole his name for myself and have been using it ever since. Chances are if you encounter a Kholran anywhere online, it’s me.

Fandoms: Since this is specifically about fic, I’m going to limit it to fandoms I’ve written in. Because otherwise we’d be here all night.

Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit: Specifically Bard/Thranduil (Barduil). It literally took one exchanged glance on screen and I was totally sold on this ship. I wrote more for them than any other ship I’ve shipped. AUs, canon, you name it I wrote it for them.

Les Miserables: Ok so let me start by saying I’ve been a huge fan of the musical since middle school, when the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast happened. I read the Brick in 7th grade. So I didn’t JUST jump on the bandwagon when the movie came out. But that Les Mis renaissance did inspire me to write my one and only fic in the fandom. A Titanic AU that turned out less cracky than intended. Don’t judge me.

Guardian: So technically speaking I haven’t PUBLISHED any Weilan fic yet. But I do have the first four and a half chapters of a mermaid AU finished. And I plan on getting back to it and finishing it once I stop obsessing over my pool noodle in-

DMBJ/Lost Tomb: Something about cdrama gives me plot bunnies. And adopted side characters. And rarepair pool noodles, apparently. This is where I’m living right now, paddling around on the SS Risang.

Tropes: Uhh. I’m positive I write tropes but it’s not like a conscious thing? I guess angst with a happy ending is where it’s at? Considering I love me some damaged characters, it’s almost impossible not to write a lot of angst into my fics. But I also want to give them love and happiness and cookies.

Fic I spent most time on: I think probably the aforementioned Weilan mermaid AU. Because I started it last...September? Maybe? And I haven’t finished it yet.

Favorite fic(s) you’ve written:

I’m happy to report that I don’t...hate...my old fics? Like I can re-read them and sometimes even think I’m not half bad at this hobby. But at the same time I fall into the mindset of “Oh that could have been better. I should have done this differently. I want to change that so bad. Man I wish I’d finished this series.”

So I think I’ll have to say the Under Your Skin Barduil series, featuring soulmate tattoos. I wish I hadn’t gotten too insecure to finish it because I had a whole big idea plotted out that I just never ended up writing. I like what I did finish though. And then I think my very favourite is my Risang pool noodle baby, I Will Go Now to My Pyre. Not only is it my rarepair crowning glory (in that I named the ship, was the first one in the tag, and got more than one “I never even thought about this ship before but I’m into it” comments), but I’ve put so much time and sweat and tears into it. (PS I promise I’m working on the conclusion! It’s 7k words and counting!)

Fic I spent least time on: I don’t even know. Maybe I Get By? From concept to publishing I think it was only a few days.

Longest fic: It’s definitely GOING to be the Weilan AU. But currently it’s In Every Age, the Les Mis Titanic AU. I Will Go Now to My Pyre might end up beating that one by the time it’s done. We’ll see.

Shortest fic: AO3 says it’s Run, which was the intro to a Barduil Zombie Apocalypse AU. But it didn’t get much of a response so I never continued it past the brief intro.

Most hits/kudos/comments/bookmarks:

Hits and Kudos: And Here My Troubles Begin, part 3 of Under Your Skin. Not surprised. It has porn in it.

Comments: I Will Go Now to My Pyre, and I cannot thank all of you enough for validating my pool noodle this way!

Fic you want to rewrite/expand on: Um. Literally all of them. Like I said above, as soon as I re-read them, I want to re-WRITE them. Because I think I can always make them better. But I guess I’ll really say the Under Your Skin series. Also like I said above, I had a whole storyline planned out for that and I’m sad I didn’t get around to fleshing it out.

Share a bit of a WIP: Ok, here’s a tiny sneak peek of the next (I say next instead of last even though it’s supposed to be the last because the word count is getting away from me and it might end up split) chapter of I Will Go Now to My Pyre:

“Did you do this yourself?” he asked, grimacing at the state of the bandage as he started to cut it away, slowly revealing the marred skin beneath. The question was met with silence, and Liu Sang briefly glanced up from what he was doing. Zhang Rishan had an odd expression on his face, like he'd somehow misinterpreted what Liu Sang was asking. “The bandage. Did you do it yourself?”

“Oh.” Relief? That was weird. What had Zhang Rishan thought he meant? “Yes. I spent some time in the Army a while back,” Zhang Rishan replied, as if that explained everything.

Liu Sang watched him for a moment longer before turning his focus back to his task. Everything about the dressing and the wrapping was wrong, and half the gashes he'd revealed needed stitching. He wondered if they'd even been cleaned first. Probably not, given the warmth of Zhang Rishan's skin and the angry reddened edges of the wounds.  “Not as a medic, I hope,” he muttered after a beat.

I tag: ALL of my writer friends. I want to know all about your projects. TELL ME.

[millennial-ring]

Can we get more info on 5-7?

             5. Dear God

So this one is ANCIENT (2012!!!) and idk why it’s still in my WIPs folder because I do clean it out/reorganize it every few years or so (which is why that unfinished powershipping christmas fic wasn’t on the list, cause I moved it to a different folder). Sadly the title makes it seem more interesting than it actually is - it’s just a few paragraphs and nothing really happens at all. 

Russet eyes were glazed over as they watched the rain pelt the ground, each drop making tiny indents in the dirt, puffs of the still-dry earth floating up with each splash before settling down again, the process repeating over...and over... Rain drummed against the body of a beaten up jeep, the only prominent sound within miles, save to the sound of the rain falling in the grass, and the dirt, and the leather jacket Bakura wore. 

The man blinked as water ran down his face, following the curve of his brow and rolling over the crease of his eyelid, flowing into his eye. The water pooled between his lids, blurring his vision for a few moments until he blinked again, and the water was squeezed out to mingle with the rest on his face, like a single, solitary tear. He inhaled slowly, then let the breath out in a quick huff, turning away from the long stretch of dirt road in front of him. Behind him, another long chunk of drivable desert. He growled under his breath and began to pace, wet sand squishing under his boots, gravel shifting with each step. 

How could be trapped here, in the middle of fucking nowhere, with a flat fucking tire and no spare? 

It was inspired by this Avenged Sevenfold song and I vaguely remember that it was going to be thiefshipping, about the various trials Bakura goes through to get back to Malik after a fight or something but... 🤷

              6. Domestic Disturbance

This one is also super short, more fleshed out in my mind than on paper, and I started writing it after we had to call the cops on our neighbors because they were having a very loud and long argument (like, over an hour of yelling). Inspiration comes from the dumbest places with me, haha, but this is another one of those “why is this still in my wips” documents because I don’t have any intention of finishing it. After writing what I did I kinda had a “maybe these kinds of situations shouldn’t be your inspiration for fanfics, weirdo” moment and I scrapped it. But anyway! 

The story goes that Bakura was playing some Wii game, lost grip on the controller, and accidentally chucked it and broke a vase because he wasn’t wearing the wrist strap. Malik hears the crash and comes around the corner, lecturing him about “how many times have i told you i s2g bakura why are you like this” even as Bakura’s already beginning to clean up the mess. Bakura gruffly tells him to chill out because nothing important was broken anyway, just “that ugly ass vase” and he holds up a piece for Malik to see. The tension thickens immediately and Malik speaks with measured anger instead of the usual screaming, so Bakura knows He Fucked Up. “That was a gift from my sister.” Bakura panics a bit on the inside, but outside he scoffs and he’s all like “even better, tell her she has awful tastes” because ykno. He’s like that. Doesn’t wanna admit he fucked up, doesn’t wanna take responsibility or acknowledge he hurt Malik’s feelings. At this point I’d stopped writing it, but still have the basic outline. The regular bickering becomes a super intense all out screaming match about basically anything and everything, all the tiny little things they’d been burying for as long as they’d lived together finally coming out, start demanding why they ever thought this would work and they’re just about to get to that great crescendo where they're about to break up (”Well then maybe you shouldn’t have brought me back!” “At this point I’m inclined to agree!” Bakura’s shocked. “Well...then is this going where I think it’s going?” “I think it is.” “Then say it.” “...” “Say you want to break up!” “I...Bakura, I...” when someone knocks on the door. Heyo, it’s two cops, saying someone called in a domestic disturbance. Malik snaps that they’re fine, still pissed from the fight, but obviously like no Malik that’s not gonna help. So one officer brings Bakura out into the hall to question him and the other stays with Malik. Cop asks if they’re together, how long, what the fight was about, etc etc, and then if the fight had been physical at all. Bakura recoils in shock and practically screams “No!” “You never hit Malik?” “I would never!” “And Malik wouldn’t hit you?” There’s a few things there, bc I wasn’t sure how I wanted Bakura to respond; make an “only if he asked wink wonk” joke that the cop rolls his eyes at, or stammer that “i mean he’s smacked my head once or twice but it never hurt and i was being super annoying at the time and it was more like playful slapping” but either way the cop asks for a more direct answer or for Bakura to elaborate and Bakura gets pissed, says Malik would cut off his own hand before he hit Bakura because obviously. Cop seems taken aback but nods, and then lectures Bakura a bit about volume, tells him maybe one of them should pack a bag and stay with friends or family for a few days. Their partner comes out soon after and the two cops leave. Bakura goes back inside, where Malik is standing with his arms crossed, looking shaken with red rimmed eyes. They look at each other, feeling awkward, but then they make tea, sit down, and have a calmer “are we really like that?” conversation. they admit a lot of their fights are pointless and stupid and they’re just fighting to fight because it’s Their Thing and aha, aren’t we so cute and quirky, arguing is our foreplay - which it is, but they admit they’ve taken it too far, gotten too used to snapping at each other when something happens, and some of their issues (like Bakura disrespecting Malik’s siblings, and Malik’s control freak attitude) really need to be sat down and talked out, not screamed out. They apologize, foreheads pressed together, and Malik thumbs a tear from Bakura’s cheek. Bakura strokes his fingers through Malik’s hair. Malik makes a “well you know the best part about fighting, right?” and Bakura laughs, and then it ends.

               7. But he came back

So if y’all didn’t know I recently commissioned a(n amazing) fic from @/sitabethel (not properly tagging cause i don’t wanna bother them). In it, Bakura promises Malik he’ll come back after his final showdown with Atem, but ten years pass and Malik gets engaged to Seto. It’s corporate theifshipping and obviously I recommend reading it - but it’s based on an RP I did with a friend of mine years ago. In the RP, Bakura was pissed Malik hadn’t waited for him and does the whole “why did I even bother coming back I literally only came back to be with you?????” and Malik being like “Sorry? But you took a long fucking time and I had to do something to stop the loneliness.” We never finished it, but when we dropped it Bakura was starting to heal and move on and we had plans to end it powershipping and tendershipping - and Bakura catching the bouquet at the wedding and Ryou immediately being like >:) but anyway. The concept stuck with me and I really liked the idea of Bakura coming back to that situation and more so rolling with it - maybe a touch bitter at first, but hey, he’s nothing if not adaptable, and he absolutely invites himself into the relationship in the clunkiest way possible. 

“But he came back” was the start of my own attempt to write something with that kind of plot. When I write a fic, I start with a vague collection of ideas or scenes I want to write, and then when I have enough to work with, I begin organizing them into an outline. This doc is just a very small collection of ideas and dialogue, mixing some things taken from the RP and my own ideas. It’s mostly things like how Malik and Kaiba get to the marriage point, starting with an impromptu kinda tipsy make out session hidden away in the kitchen during a party Yugi’s throwing, and how they navigate each other’s trauma and fumble their way into a genuine romance despite everything. I’ve never managed to sit down and work it out into an outline of any kind, and the way I wanted to explore Malik and Bakura’s relationship before the show down, Malik and Kaiba’s relationship building afterwards, and then the relationship building with all three of them meant 30 chapters, at least (the original rp is over 2,500 pages and again, we had only just started with Bakura wanting to ask Ryou out and going to Malik for advice adjklj, when we dropped it) and well. yall know i’m bad at writing multi fic chapters 

[preathfics]

Heath17_KO5 AMA responses

Thanks to Heath17_KO5 for answering these for folks. 

You can reach her on the preathfics discord if you have follow up questions!

hardtchill said: mom will love us forever?

Yes, yes. *pat pat*

What inspired KO/Sonnett? I mean, we've seen Soran around, but not very many good Fics of that pairing.

That you can blame on blak0tyler. She started writing them, and I was like “I don’t really ship it because I think they’re too similar, but I love your writing, so I’ll read” and then by the end of the fic I was like “Damn, I kinda see it now.” I think for me it’s partially just that I really enjoy writing both characters (or did anyway). It’s fun to write characters that on the surface can be snide or sarcastic or goofy, but then underneath can have more layers and provide other things to a fic.

ARE YOU THE ANON SUMMER SHORTS???? 👀

Nope! Not me!

Will you write more angsty stuff? Bc you write wonderfully... but it's just all so damn happy!

Hi there musingpredeliction. I think it’s hard for me to have angsty ideas for Preath, and I’m likely to still have happy endings. I was just talking to someone last night about how real life can be hard and can suck so when I turn to fiction, I want it to at least be hopeful, to do things like make me believe in true love (though I am one of the lucky ones that has found that in real life), make me believe in happy endings and beautiful lives, make me believe in magic. If you’d like more angst, I suggest reading more of my Soran or So’hara

Favorite WOSO person IRL? Favorite one to write?

IRL? Idk. It’s hard to judge when I don’t actually know any in real life. Rose holds a special place in my heart. Tobin’s footwork is magic and her laid back, goofy personality makes me swoon. Christen is the epitome of beauty to me both physically and just who she is (or at least who she shows us publicly). I honestly love so many of them. Sonny, KO (yes, still, though I am disappointed and hope she learns and grows), Julie, CRYSTAL!! Moving on from the USWNT, I’m a big fan of Emily Menges (one of the league’s most underrated defenders), Simone Charley, Midge Purce, Jennifer Cujoe, Sarah Gorden, Yuki Nagasato, Casey Short, Ali Riley, the list goes on. Lol. And on a more international player level: Tiane Endler, Mapi Leon, Jenni Hermoso, Sam Kerr, Hayley Raso, (actually a bunch of the Aussies), Vivianne Miedema, and so many more.

Favorite one to write is a bit easier: Emily Sonnett.

is with fandom culture that she is having a problem or the preath fandom specifically? also, i really love her writing, for both preath and soran so i hope that, if she retires, she doesn't delete her work, please! and man, the kelley situation, it's been really hard for us readers and for the writers…

Here’s the thing: part of what I have a problem with about Kelley is the fandom’s response to her. I’m disappointed by her not kneeling. I think she really needs to have more hard conversations and examine why she stood apart from game one and hopefully learn and grow. I’m disappointed in the culture of cancelling someone because they don’t learn and grow on the timeline you see fit, though. That now people will write off entire stories because a CHARACTER version of Kelley (that the authors have created themselves, let’s not forget), is part of it even if those stories were begun before the tournament happened. That her kneeling or not discounts her skill on the field or her actions off the field that we’re unaware of. Again, we only see a part of them, what they publicly show us, and I am very disappointed that she didn’t show us her kneeling for the anthem beyond game one, but I’m also aware that she may be taking steps I have no idea about. I’m not trying to start a discourse, though I’m sure this will, but that’s part of my issue. And then there’s the trickiness that comes of being part of an RPS/RPF fandom, where there’s the distinction between fiction and reality, between what we’d like to be true and what we 100% know. I don’t mean to cast aspersions. I’m not here to judge you anymore than I’m here to judge them.

What brought you to Preathfics, or rather just the WOSO fanfic community in general?

I have always been a soccer fan. I played through high school. But fanfic you can thank lesbianrobinhood for. I was not looking for a new fandom, but she dragged me kicking and screaming anyway. It’s usually the way.

What pairing do you most enjoy writing for? Why?

Hmmm...That depends on what I’m in the mood for. I like writing Soran or So’Hara if I’m feeling angsty or Preath if I’m not, but really it’s more about the individual story than the pairing: which idea captures my attention most in a moment. That said, as I said in another answer: I love writing Sonny, so if I get to write her, even if she’s just the supporting friend to Preath, I am a happy person.

Do you have a favorite fic? Can you make a list like Preathfics did of your faves?

Oooh, ummm...I mean anything by Blake0tyler for sure. I could (and have) read her stuff over and over and over. I love, love, LOVE Here I Am (Signed, Sealed, Delivered), by freshtilapia. I really enjoy The Restaurant by little_oblivion for a great ensemble piece. The One Where Everyone Finds Out is another great one (and all of LittleDanvers’s stuff really). I love the imagery in Portrait of a Soccer Player on Fire by restlessvirtue. Entwined by superdupergust is very good (and hot). And for non-preath one of my faves is unbecomings (but their stuff is locked).

Do you have a favorite fic that you've written before?

Like of my own? Umm...The Time Between or Orlando is Only Home When It Has You, although so far I really like something that is as yet unpublished, and I’m enjoying the way folklore is turning out with JustCrushALot.

what's your favorite color?

Green!

Can you ask her why did she suddenly decide to update orgasm fic?

….Should I not? I have a hard time writing smut. I have to be in the right mindset and I haven’t been there in a while, but then I was, so I was like “Let me try” and it worked out.

are you planning on writing anymore explicit preath fics/oneshots?! The one up rn are soooo good!!

Umm...that depends. If I get the inspiration, then yes, certainly, I wouldn’t rule it out. Also I have a bet right now with blake0tyler about something which should result in smut from one of us at least.

To the amazing author of Worth a Thousand words: the story is beautifully written, it's funny, sweet and different from other fics. I totally get the KO thing and I do agree with you on that one but know that it's a fantastic story. (Everything you write is)❤️

❤️ Thank you! That is incredibly sweet! I really appreciate you saying so. ❤️

My opinion isn’t worth much as an anon but I loved Worth a Thousand Words and whoever gave it bad feedback can go suck an egg.

Haha, thank you. I’m glad that you enjoy it!

Heath17_KO5's feelings are so darn relatable, I'm crying just from reading the words fear, disillusionment and disappointment. Creative people are often highly sensitive people and when they feel things, they FEEL things. Wishing you strenghth, clarity and insight, Heath17_KO5. I hope you keep finding joy in the written word, as we do in YOUR written word.

❤️ That is very lovely of you to say. Thank you. Please don’t shed any tears on my account though!

heath17_ko5 is having problems with fandom in general or with the woso/preath fandom? that's a shame, but she should do what is best for her :)

Thank you, I appreciate that. I mean, I think in all fandoms there is a toxic element, but as this is the only fandom I’m currently active in, it’s this one. And it’s not all of you, please don’t think that. I sort of explained in another ask.

I just love Heath17_KO5's stories and everything they contribute. Is there any chance the author will pursue Beacon of Light? No pressure or anything. I just thought it had such a sweet premise. And I am a sucker for a good storm story :D

I am working on chapter 2, it’s just slow going.

[darkwingsnark]

FIC WRITER MEME

Tagged by @prince-luffy

AO3 name: DarkwingSnark

Fandoms: ...SEE, I’m in lots of fandoms. Or at least, I’ve written for them during hyper-fixation periods. Let’s see what AO3 says...

Batman: The Animated Series (20)

Batman - All Media Types (7)

Wander Over Yonder (Cartoon) (6)

DuckTales (Cartoon 1987) (5)

Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero (5)

Penguins of Madagascar (3)

James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl (3)

Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 1991) (3)

Disney - All Media Types (3)

Dan Vs. (2)

Milo Murphy's Law (2)

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja (1)

The Batman (Cartoon) (1)

Lady and the Tramp (1955) (1)

Looney Tunes | Merrie Melodies (1)

Winnie-the-Pooh - All Media Types (1)

Alice in Wonderland (1951) (1)

Gummi Bears (TV) (1)

Winnie-the-Pooh (Disney) (1)

.... Honestly, I feel like there’s more that this list isn’t covering. Like Phineas and Ferb isn’t here and I wrote for that show too. And many of these can be simplified and condensed because they belong to similar fics.

Tropes: Depends on the fic. But as a whole, tend to write Romantic Comedies with a lot of slow burn. Mostly because... struggle is funny. People being dumdums and oblivious to the obvious is funny. Aaaaand also because it allows the episodic quality of shenanigans to occur.

Number of fics: Up and posted on AO3? 53. Does not include stuff on FF.net or that’s sitting in google docs begging to be finished.

Fic I spent the most time on: Not sure how to read this. Does it mean active man hours? Or does stuff like having a hiatus in-between count? Because TECHNICALLY ‘Real Value’ was started in high school, and I didn’t rewrite it and carry on the series (with Moonie) until many years later. There are also fics like ‘Growing Love’ or ‘Priorities’ that took a lot of time to do research. Like learning how to build a lawn mower so I could have a character believably break it apart for repairs.

....God I do a lot of research that doesn’t go into the actual fics. Because all I need, really, in the confidence of what I’m doing to be the character and describe an action here or there. 

Fic I spent the least time on: Probably something drabble related? Or maybe the fic I did that was just me venting out emotions because I was feeling guilty? ‘A Mother’s Intuition’ was written and posted within a couple of hours.

Longest fic: Complicated. The longest thing written is technically an RP, NOT a story. (Different, trust me.) ‘What Happens in Gotham’ has a word count of  207,413. But fic wise at 89,022 word would be ‘The Constant Gardener’ . 

Runner up being ‘Priorities’ at little over 87k.

Shortest fic: Drabbles? Uh, let’s see.. Probably from ‘Beauty and Your Worth’, as i think one was literally a paragraph long. ... Speaking of Gummi Bears, I wonder if I still have my notes on the GruffiGusto fic I wanted to write. Something to look into.

Most hits: Apparently ‘Fallen Hard’ at  5354

Most kudos: Also ‘Fallen Hard’ at 518. There... were more fans of Milo Murphy’s Law than I realised. 

Most comment threads: ‘Fallen Hard’, 193 comments. ‘What Happens in Gotham’ following at 185.

Most bookmarks: .... that’s something people care about? I hardly ever bookmark things, since I read it in one go. But... I can look?

Ah.... ‘Fallen Hard’. 63

Total word count: 971,833 Oh hey! Almost a million. That’s something to celebrate.

Favorite fic I wrote: 'Knights of Dobenshire’. Hands down. (With ‘Heart of the Cards’ being very close.) I like writing road trip styled stories. It allows many things to happen within the narrative. BUT, ‘Knights of Dobenshire’ wins because it was such a satisfying conclusion of this build up, you know? Scrooge is finally no longer just putting up with the relationship with Fenton, but fully embracing it. That surprise feeling that hits him when he realizes, dear lord, he IS attracted to Fenton beyond affection. 

It hits me more than a mutual pining because there I KNOW they will get together. But here? While writing with Moonie? I DIDN’T KNOW! I was worried in the end we’d have to write another fic to finally reach that step. Scrooge is stubborn and does what he wants, let me tell ya.

Fic you want to rewrite/expand on: 'Fallen Hard’, ‘Season of Miracles’, ‘Going with the Flow’, pretty much anything that isn’t complete. BUT, not posted, I really want to get back to more of the stories planned in the McCrack series. It was a ship I kinda made from the ground up, with nobody caring about it in the beginning. So it feels very important to see that series through.

Share a bit of a WIP or a story idea you’re planning on:

... Actually, I can share something from 'Donald’s Party (Working Title)’. @swampy-tiefling and I started. Just the first scene to get you guys hooked.

Donald took a deep breath of air from the doorway of the house and sighed, once again pleased to find himself at his home away from home. Traveling the seas and exploring the world with the navy were its own rewards, he supposed, but there would never be anything quite like the countryside-- the middle aged mallard having practically been raised on Grandma Duck’s farm. Donald Duck was happy to be on shore-- his naval carrier being docked for the week in Duckburg as they replenished supplies and took care of whatever repairs that were needed. Whatever excuse his bosses wanted to use were fine by him, he was just happy to not be scrubbing decks for a change!

That didn’t, however, mean he was able to rest and relax-- as the duck was startled out of his thoughts as somebody bumped into him. That somebody was his grandmother as she came to, just having caught her plate of cookies before they fell.

“My land, Donald! What in the world are you doing hiding here when you should be meetin’ and greetin’ the guests?”

Donald ignored the woman’s soft glare as he waved her off, using his other hand to steal a cookie in the process. Stuffing it in his mouth, he murmured out a response.

“Phooey, they’re just relatives.”

“Even more of a reason to go out and talk to them.” Before the sailor could argue, Grandma Duck placed the plate of treats into his hands. “And put these out on the snack table while you’re at it. Poor Fethry is looking peckish.”

Donald rolled his eyes, but otherwise did as he was told. Wasn’t it just like life to make him work at his own welcome home party? Walking towards the open yard where the party was taking place, it didn’t take long to reach the table, where his cousins were already gathered around as they chat.

This instantly caught the attention of the lankier duck, his gaze zoning in as he smiled widely towards Donald in greeting.

“Well if it ain’t the guest of honor, with snacks to boot!” Fethry leaned closer, his red hat wobbling with him as he continued to inquire. “Say, cuz, ya wouldn’t happen to know if these are gluten free, would ya?”

Donald gave him an unimpressed look. 

“You’re not going on another crazy diet, are ya?” Though, in all honesty, he was more worried his looney cousin might try to drag him along-- and after months of eating nothing but mush, he would NOT miss out on his first chance to pig out on actual home cooked meals.

"Not crazy at all, actually!" Fethry grinned that goofy grin. "See, it's all right here; Gluten Free; It's the Way to Be' !" he shoved a rather lengthy-looking hard cover book in Donald's face. Donald had no choice but to stare at it, the words all blurring together from its close proximity to his eyes. The offending object remained there for only a second, however, before it was yanked back, the nutty mallard already busy flipping through it.

"Let's see, here, there's a fascinating chapter I think you should-- Don?"

Phew, that had been close. Donald was still in sneaking away mode, and jumped and yelped when he was tapped on the shoulder. Oh no. He'd been caught, after all. He slowly turned, with a forced, toothy grin, to face his fate.

A wave of relief washed over him when he saw his girlfriend, Daisy, smiling sweetly at him, instead.

“And where do you think you’re sneaking off to, Mister? You’ve been gone for so long, and here we are, with you haven’t even given me a kiss ‘hello’ yet.” 

Now there was something Donald didn’t mind doing, as his girlfriend leaned in her face for her reward. Wrapping his arms around her, he planted the biggest of smooches to her temple. 

“Gaww, I’m sorry Daisy. I really did miss you.”

This earned him a soft smile, as it was Daisy’s turn to kiss him on the forehead.

“And I missed you, hun. Now, tell me… why WERE you sneaking around?”

“Grandma put me on entertainment duty.”

“Well, “ his girlfriend began, “it IS your party, after all. They came to see you, seems fair to me.” This made the sailor groan as she looked at him unsympathetically. Rolling her eyes, the reporter sarcastically patted her boyfriend in comfort. “There there. Now don’t go sneaking off for real, the boys will be arriving soon. And Grandma tells me Uncle Scrooge will be bringing along a special guest.”

“Special guest?” Donald asked incredulously. “Like who?” This caused Daisy’s eyes to glimmer all the more in mischief, a look that told him that she knew something he didn’t know. And that something was big news, if he was reading her right.

“Oh, nobody TOO special, I suppose,” Daisy was stalling, and it was driving Donald up the wall. The duck woman continued her teasing. “Nobody except your uncle’s new date friend.”

"Date friend?" Donald practically exclaimed, prompting Daisy's grin to grow all the more smug.

"Yep! You've missed quite a bit since you've been away, you know."

"No kidding...well I'll be..." Donald was shaking his head, but he was smiling. Uncle Scrooge, dating, at his age... it was nothing short of a miracle. It was about time, too!

"Meanwhile, why don't you go say hi to the rest of the guests? I know it's hard..." she rolled her eyes. "but at least make an effort, okay? Thanks, hun!"

Donald's heart fluttered as she smooched his cheek, and left. He glanced out over the yard, and saw quite a few familiar faces; Gus, Ludwig, Gladstone... heck, even Gyro Gearloose had shown up!

He sighed, but this one wasn't a sigh of pure despair. It did feel nice to be home, surrounded by people who most likely cared, and his nephews were even going to show up soon. Not to mention, he'd get to tease his uncle for finally taking his advice on the whole dating thing. 

That alone gave Donald the pep in his step he needed as he threw himself back into the party-- where he knew his crazed family would be waiting for him. 

[shadowsong26fic]

Some Stuff

Not a proper Coming Attractions post, that’ll come out on the first Monday of the month as always, but...a more general update on some projects (and also possibly looking for input?)

Basically, I’ve accepted the inevitable, that I’ve fallen back into ATLA in a big way. I haven’t actually rewatched the series yet, because my roommate was doing so and I kept popping in and out and I didn’t want to confuse myself by trying to do a straight rewatch while she was doing hers, but I have reread a bunch of old fanfic/RP logs, and have some plots I kind of want to work with again? Either as fulltext or as an AU Outline. Behind the cut are some more details, as well as seeking Opinions on which, if any, I should actually work on.

I am also Determined to not fall out of SW as this is going on, lol. More details about that behind the cut, as well.

(Also, I’ve talked about some of the stuff listed here on my writing discord, which feel free to come stop by and hang out! It’s basically an extension of this tumblr, only a little more interactive. Find us here!)

Star Wars Stuff:

I plan to take next weekend to bang out at minimum the next Precipice chapter, and possibly the next two (though I’ll stagger posting if I do manage to get both done). And then try and give myself a more active schedule to get the next parts of the series out.

I’m also working on a dragonshifters AU, which I’m enjoying a lot. I think OFLAM may be relegated to the back burner for a while, though I’ll probably kick it up again if I end up doing it for SWBB next year (unless I tease out enough of a Plot for dragonshifters to do that instead, lol). I’ve talked about some of the worldbuilding on my writing discord, too.

I also still owe some meme responses from way back, which I do intend to get to at some point I promise <.<

And I haven’t forgotten some other extant projects--Devoted!verse, the Ventress outline, Bail Unfucks the Timeline, Distaff, etc.--but they’re pretty back-burnered for the time being. If something Sparks in any of those, I’ll probably dive into it, but for now I’m not actively working on them in the way I am on dragonshifters and Precipice.

AtLA Stuff:

So, there’s sort of...four or five projects spinning around in my head right now, lol. One of which, if I do it, would not work as an outline so it would be fulltext. It’s canon-compliant, for the most part.

...well, I should interrupt myself here to say the following: I haven’t read a lot of the comics or tie-in novels, and my familiarity with more recent Word of God is limited. I’m basically operating out of canon defined as “it’s in the original show or WoG I’m specifically aware of, drawing in stuff from other sources as it appeals to me but otherwise ignoring it.” Where WoG contradicts itself (i.e., the timeline for Lu Ten’s death),I go with whatever answer I prefer.

In terms of worldbuilding details added in Korra--ehhhhh, it’s sort of held a little higher than the comics, etc. (in that, if I remember it, unless it Josses something I really, really liked/was foundational to something I’m doing, I’ll probably include it); but most likely whatever I’m doing will go AU enough during the first series for a lot of the other detail work/character-specific stuff to not matter.

Anyway! Back to the fun stuff.

There’s one story I’m playing with that’s not going to work as an AU outline. Depending on exactly what I focus on, there’s a couple different fulltext fics buried in it, and I’m not sure which I’d work on (or if I’d braid the two of them together). Basically, it deals with the siege of Ba Sing Se and Lu Ten’s death, and some of the fallout from that, focusing on an OC of mine and her daughter. I found a short fic I wrote for a challenge back in the day that ties into this concept, which is at the very end of this post. If I work on this, I’d probably change the names of the two relevant OCs and possibly how she gets her memory back (it was written specifically for a “what happened in the rest of the world when Zhao captured Tui” challenge; guess how many of them were Hama-related), but. Anyway, building on either the Siege portion of the story (which has a lot of West Side Story on its soundtrack in my head lol), or focusing on what she does after she remembers him. Or both! Both is also good.

The rest of the options are mostly Zuko-centric canon-divergence fics.

First option, Airbender!Zuko. This occurs because The Spirits Said So; he’s gotten very good at fake firebending using airbending. Probably to the point where he’s so deep in denial that he can’t even see the pyramids anymore, to stretch that analogy to the breaking point, lol. Basically, not much changes until the north pole, but there’s some ways for it to go from there...

Second option, Avatar Zuko. This one has been floating around in my head more lately. Reading old RP logs, my partner and I played through a bunch of different variants on how this all worked, but the one in my head right now is basically--a few months before he’s banished, they’re at Ember Island or something and he’s out on the ocean/fishing or something. Sudden storm, he stops the boat from capsizing through panicked waterbending. No other witnesses, for whatever reason. He initially decides he imagined it, something else must have happened. Except then, when he’s in the palace infirmary after getting his face melted, he does it again. At that point, he basically decides that his options here are “get turned into a weapon and kill A Lot of people, or get disappeared into some dark hole somewhere where I can’t cause any problems.” Neither of those is particularly attractive, so he decides to run away. He doesn’t know what his long-term plan is at this moment--if he’ll use the comet to regain favor/save his nation based on the context he’s operating under right now, or do something else. But he has about three and a half years before then. He figures he’ll spend a year at the Western Air Temple, looking for texts/mosaics/something to get him at least vaguely airbending; then go to the North Pole to learn waterbending for a year, then spend a year in the Earth Kingdom to learn earthbending. Planning, for the last two, to present himself as mixed and while he has a lot of his Fire Nation father’s features, he inherited bending from his other parent (or grandparent, when he goes to the North Pole). For those of you familiar with my original fic, this will also include the first iteration of a prominent secondary character from Feredar/The Farglass Cycle. Mostly so Zuko has someone to talk to at the WAT XD. 

Third and fourth options are a bit more nebulous, and both break off during the Ba Sing Se arc. First option, Zuko gets injured during the stampede when Aang moves the zoo (this will probably draw in at least one of my BSS OCs because I am pathologically incapable of not creating OCs, lol). Second option, Zuko leaves his mask behind in Lake Laogai, which means Aang will know he’s in the city. Not sure where either of those would go from that point but there’s some Significant Differences there, lol.

...anyway, that’s where things stand now. Which, if any, are y’all interested in seeing?

As promised, the clip from the Lu Ten story, originally written for a challenge back in...yeesh 2010 XD. Again, this is canon-compliant at least up until Iroh and Zuko arrive in BSS, and I’d possibly change the names and/or how she gets her memories back.

An Wei sat by the window, holding her little girl and watching the sky. Today had been one of Huai's bad days, so An Wei had her hand resting lightly on her daughter's neck, counting her heartbeats. The doctors had told her, back when Huai was a baby and they'd figured out what was wrong with her, to hope for seven years--but only to hope, not to count on them. So An Wei took special care to always, always watch. She never regretted her child, no. Occasionally, she wished she had never met Huai's father, but...well, she couldn't remember much about him, other than the kind golden eyes (false kindness?) that had taken her in so completely during the Siege. She didn't think about him very much. It was too painful--and dangerous. Above and beyond the dangers in thinking about the War That Was No War, her own father had... Well, he hadn't been pleased. She didn't remember the argument, but her uncle wouldn't have brought her to the Lower Ring midwife who had cared for her during her pregnancy if she hadn't needed to hide. Despite all of her vigilance, it was her own heart that skipped a beat when the moonlight filtering in through her window turned an eerie, dull red. She gasped and clutched her daughter a little tighter, praying that Huai would sleep until this went away, so it wouldn't frighten her. That is, assuming it would go away. She shivered and shifted Huai so the little girl was facing away from the window and watched in horror as the bloody moon failed to return to normal. "Please..." she whispered. "Please be normal when she wakes..." As if in response to her desperate pleading, the moon flared silver again after a half hour. But she barely had a moment to relax before it winked out completely. An Wei jumped and stifled a scream. "Don't be afraid of the dark, this'll light your way home." She jumped again. There was no one here in the room with her and Huai, but she could have sworn... The moon blinked back into existence and a pretty girl with long white hair rode in on one of its beams. An Wei stared up at her, still frightened, pulling her daughter away from the girl as best she could. The moon-girl bent down and kissed An Wei's forehead. "Remember now," she murmured, then faded out of sight. ** "Don't be afraid of the dark." He smiles and makes a little light in his palm, carefully transferring it to a bundle of sticks. "This will light your way home." ** She studies the hairpiece he wears in his topknot, turning it over and over in her hands. "There's something you should know about me, too. About my family." ** "We can make this work, Itsu." He's determined, hopeful, his golden eyes shining. "We'll talk to my father. He'll understand. We'll make it work. Meet me here, at the usual time." "I trust you." ** She waits and waits and waits, until long past dark, but he doesn't come. ** She hates speaking with her guardian, but she's scared and has nowhere else to go. "Please, help me," she finishes quietly. He nods. "I'll keep you safe, Highness. You and your child. I promise." ** The light spins around and around and around, and she forgets her name, forgets her lover, and in her place is An Wei, a young woman trained as a scribe, seduced by a nameless Fire soldier, rather than... ** Itsu let out a little sobbing breath. Huai shifted in her arms. "Mommy?" she whispered, still half-asleep. "It's okay, baby, everything's okay. Go back to sleep." "'Kay." Huai closed her golden eyes again and her breathing evened out as much as it ever did. Itsu held her daughter close. Twice over a princess, at the worst possible time, born with a broken heart. No wonder Long Feng hid us so deep.

[to clarify--Itsu is Kuei’s sister. I forget how I set the relative ages, but assuming, as seems to be the case in flashbacks, that Lu Ten is about 10 years older than Zuko, he’d be somewhere between twenty and twenty-two when he died, depending on which date you believe; Kuei is around the same age (possibly a year or two younger?) and Itsu within two years of them.]

[wiseabsol]

3. What is your favorite/least favorite part about writing? 6. Favorite character you’ve written? 14. What does it take for you to be ready to write a book? (i.e. do you research? outline? make a playlist or pinterest board? wing it?) 15. How do you deal with self-doubt when writing? 19. How do you cope with writer’s block? 24. Do you remember the moment you decided to become a writer/author? 33. What’s your revision/rewriting process like? 34. Unpopular writing thoughts/opinions?

3. What is your favorite/least favorite part about writing? 

My favorite part is when you make discoveries about your world and your characters as you write the story down, and when you write something and go, “Oh, there we go, there’s the solution to this problem that was going to come up later.” For example, I recently had an evil mentor toying with a magical item while giving a lecture to his pupils. The magical item was mundane--essentially, just putty that you could mold into whatever shape you wanted, then solidify, then switch back to putty to reshape. And as I was writing that down, I went, “Oh, THAT’S what my protagonist is going to knock him out with down the line. That’s way better than her using a lamp. Excellent.” 

My least favorite part about writing is getting started. Once I’ve cleared the hurtle of the blank page, writing becomes much easier and more exciting. But getting myself to start has become much harder since I developed my editor/critic’s brain.  

6. Favorite character you’ve written? 

In one of the text-based rps I’m writing with my best friend, I’m playing a shapeshifter named Sparrow, who is charming, funny, flirty, politically-savvy, and super vain about his appearance (think a courtesan-type character). He also has one of the most gut-wrenching backstories of any character I’ve ever written, and is struggling with triggers from that backstory. His romance with my best friend’s character is also my favorite romance that I’ve written with her, and it came as a surprise to both of us, since we were just testing out the characters at the time.   

14. What does it take for you to be ready to write a book? (i.e. do you research? outline? make a playlist or pinterest board? wing it?) 

I do a lot of brainstorming and outlining, though my outlines aren’t plot-related ones so much as very detailed character summaries. I’ve honestly been struggling with plot lately, but I’ve been doing better character work, so I’m winging it more now. While I usually have a general idea of how the story goes, the actual writing of it clarifies the details and makes changes to my plans. On the bright side, the results are less stilted than my old work, since they’re not chained to plot outlines, but stem from the characters more organically.  

15. How do you deal with self-doubt when writing?

I’ve started telling myself, “Fuck it, let it be messy, I’ll fix it later.” Letting go of perfectionism is hard for me, but doing so has been helping.   

19. How do you cope with writer’s block? 

Honestly, the best way to cope with writer’s block is to just try something and see if it sticks, or leave yourself a note and skip ahead in the story to something you want to write. However, as I mentioned in an earlier ask, I haven’t been able to do much writing lately. And that’s hard, because I feel guilty for not writing, and I know if I just do it, I’ll feel better. Which is a bad mindframe to be in, especially because this year has been awful. I’ve been telling other writers to be gentle on themselves, because it’s hard to be creative when you’re stressed, but I struggle to take my own advice. So right now, I’m trying to give myself permission not to write, and to instead focus on other things. Editing. Reading. Playing videogames. Baking. Doing house/yardwork. Something to still ticks things off of my to do list, but also things that I can look at and see, “Yes, you did get something done.” It’s not a perfect system, and it does fall into the productivity trap, but it’s what I’m trying. When the stress passes, maybe then I can dive back into writing.  

24. Do you remember the moment you decided to become a writer/author? 

I think it was when I was applying for undergraduate college. I wrote in my application essay that I wanted to write stories that would show my readers that things can get better for them. I was writing as a hobby before then, but I think that’s when I decided that yeah, I wanted making stories to be a part of my future, and I wanted to write stories that I could publish someday. 

33. What’s your revision/rewriting process like? 

Mostly I end up rewriting the chapter or story in question. Draft one is for realizing and getting down the idea of the thing. Draft two is refining it to that thing and losing all of the flab that the story doesn’t need. Often I have another file on the side where I paste in what I’ve cut out, in case I change my mind and want to add it back in later, or in case I can use it in another project. I also save the original messy draft and do the cutting in a copied file. That way, I can reassure myself that the original still exists for me, and I can reread it when I’m feeling self-indulgent, but I’m also only giving the best version to my readers.  

34. Unpopular writing thoughts/opinions?

-- Writing every day is a good idea, and does work well for the writing process, but it’s an unrealistic standard to hold yourself to, especially if you have a day job, kids, and other adult responsibilities. Don’t feel guilty if you can’t write every day. The guilt is just going to make you freeze up instead of returning to the work. Be gentle with your expectations for yourself.  

-- If you’re including triggering or sensitive subjects in your work, and are planning to share that work with others (and ESPECIALLY if you’re planning to profit from that work), you should be doing your research about those subjects, portraying them as accurately as possible, and asking yourself if your story really needs that content to work. It is also a good idea to employ sensitivity screeners for that content, especially if you’re writing from a place of privilege and/or don’t have personal experience with the issues that you’re depicting.

-- Once the work is out there, no one has the right to ban it. They can be critical of it, yes. But not ban it.  

-- Writers of privilege must include diversity within their work, even if they’re scared of getting their depictions of people from other genders, races, classes, religions, and so on wrong. And they will get it wrong. When that happens, just apologize and try to do better in the future. But staying in your lane is a bad idea, for three reasons: 1.) You should be striving to have empathy for others, and you can’t do that if you’re only writing about people who are similar to you. 2.) Writers of privilege have an easier time getting their work published, and so should be trying to push the market/publishing industry into a more diverse direction. And 3.) You should be showing readers of privilege that the world is a diverse one, rather than catering to their narrow worldview.

-- Getting defensive when someone is critical of your work is perfectly natural, but it’s also dumb. It’s so, so dumb. You have made a product, and no product made by human hands is perfect, and every writer has blind spots. So when someone is critical of your work, try to keep this in mind: this is not an attack on you. Let yourself feel the hurt in private, and eat lots of ice cream, and when you’re feeling better, look at the criticism and ask yourself: What led the reader to this conclusion? How can I fix it? What can I learn from this? This is assuming that the critic is working with you in good faith, by the way; sometimes they’re completely off of the mark, or are upset because you didn’t give them the story that they wanted. But if someone is going, “Hey, this is a little racist/sexist/homophobic/ableist/etc.,” sit up and listen. And for the love of god, don’t fight them over it. You’ll make yourself look like an ass. 

-- Don’t workshop your story too early. Try to get a full draft down before you submit something for consideration. For one thing, you’re still figuring out what your story actually is. For another, writing workshops, while useful, have a tendency to pull your work to the middle / make it more acceptable to a general audience. Sometimes this will soften and even kill your bravest writing. Instead, use writing workshops as an opportunity to find writers who understand the themes you’re aiming for and the subjects that you’re discussing. Their input will be what you need.  

-- With the current laws about copyright infringement, getting paid for your fanfic is a bad idea. If you want that to change, then fight to make the laws more lenient. As if it, you’re risking screwing over other fanfic writers by doing that. Does that suck? Yeah. But that’s also the reality we live in right now, and you’re not going to have a good time if a corporation like Disney slams you with lawsuits.

-- Genres like fantasy, science fiction, horror, romance/erotica, and murder mysteries are real literature. Saying they’re not has its roots in classism. 

-- There is no such thing as apolitical writing. 

-- Poets are underrated. Support them. Most of the time, they’re doing braver and more socially-important work than you are, and they’re doing it concisely, too.     

-- Your first draft is going to suck. This is a good thing. You learn a lot more from bad prose than from good prose, more often than not. 

-- Having your work rejected by publishers really is nothing personal. Sometimes it just wasn’t a good fit for them at that moment in time. If they’re interested in seeing more from you in the future, though, keep them on your list and send them something else during their next screening period. They don’t say that unless they mean it.         

[quinnmorgendorffer]

fanfic authors tag game!

Tagged by @bethecowgirl​, thank you!!! I’m always up for one of these

I tag @gobbluthlesbian || @gobbluthbisexual || @theonewherelaurynhasablog​ || @whythinktoomuch​ || @redvanjie​ || @catty-words​ || @h-influenzae​ || @dollsome-does-tumblr​ || @pega-and-the-pen​ || @halles-comet​ || anyone else who feels like doing it! I just tried to tag people I know have fics/are still writing fics

AO3 name: xlessxthanx3x

Fandoms: From oldest to most recent: 13 fics for Glee, 1 fic for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and 10 fics for Arrested Development 

Number of fics: 24 on AO3

Fic you spent the most time on: Obviously When You're the Best of Friends (wytbof), since I started that in 2011…and I’ll probably never finish it.

Fic you spent the least time on: Honestly probably One of Gob’s Better Parties. It’s one of my shorter works and since I’d written so much smut before, particular in RPs, it wasn’t as hard as some of the past ones I had written. I think I got that done in a day or two. In terms of multichapter fics, I wrote Take On Me in about a month.

Longest fic: Étude No. 3 in G-sharp minor, S. 141 AKA piano fic 2 (13 chapters and still longer than wytbof that has like 30 chapters. It’s uh…321,472 words)

Shortest fic: Red Lace, a glee one-shot smut fic (1,359 words)

Most hits: Surprising no one, Take a Bite of My Heart Tonight, which is probably my best glee smut fic, with 7,472 hits (imagine how much more I’d get if it was k/laine lmao). 

Most kudos: I wasn’t surprised by the previous answer because I get kudo email alerts for Take a Bite of My Heart Tonight fairly often. 

Most comment threads: Wytbof, of course, ‘cause it’s so long and has been going on for so long. Very proud to say that first piano fic is right under it. I know being multichapter helps and I have no other glee multichapter on AO3, but I’m still proud lol

Fave fic you wrote: I’ll always say that some of my best writing EVER was in Étude Op. 25, No. 2 in F minor (first piano fic). I’m also so proud of Take On Me, it’s just so freaking cute.

Fic you want to rewrite/expand on: I can’t imagine rewriting anything, though I’m technically rewriting Take On Me as a novel. Lots of character changes, and not just the names, but like a lot of different dynamics between characters and stuff. Expanding, though…I have a full idea of a big overarching plot for the In the beginning, there were lips series. And, being high on my own ego, I have started work on yet another piano fic, but this time it’s covering Tony’s early life and fill in gaps that we didn’t see in the 2nd piano fic due to time jumps. Not sure how interested people would be in it, though, even if I reigned in my word count lmao. In a similar vein, I started work on something I was calling Take Me On, which is Take On Me from Tony’s POV. Not sure I’ll finish it since I haven’t touched the doc in September, but I open it up sometimes and think about it lol

Share a bit of your WIP or share a story idea that you’re planning: BLULANDER AKA Zoolander AD AU. it might just be the STUPIDEST thing I could ever do, but that just makes me want to do it even mORE. I just don’t want it to be a complete re-telling with a different endgame, I want to find ways to make it my own, so I’m conflicted. I’ve managed to find that balance with You're Standing on My Neck, which is loosely based off Daria, but that’s easier when you have multiple episodes you rewrite with much more complex characters than Zoolander lol.

But anyways Blulander. I shared part of it a while ago, but here’s some more of what I wrote that I never shared on here. Gob is Zoolander (weird shift lol) and Sally is Matilda (because I might as well keep one actor the same). This is from her interviewing him at the beginning of the movie

“How am I supposed to forget that you’re Sally Stickwell?” Gob asked with a grin. Sally clenched her jaw but said nothing in response to that. There was no need to try to get the idea of professionalism through his thick head.

Instead, she asked, “So, when did you know you wanted to be a model?” She was pretty sure he didn’t know until he was discovered back in high school, but she was sure he had a different answer these days. His mother was the one who managed his career, after all, and Lucille Bluth would certainly make sure there was a polished, proper response.

And Sally’s instincts were right. “I guess I’ve always known. I always knew that I’m, like, really, really, ridiculously good looking. And I was sure there had to be a career for that, you know?” 

“A career out of being good looking?”

“Utterly good looking.”

“And you never wanted to be anything else?”

“Nope.”

That was a lie, a bald face one. Sally raised an eyebrow and wrote down the response, biting back the urge to bring up how false that story was.

Well, at first. But then she figured, hey, if they wanted to use her due to her history with the Bluth family, why should she hold back from asking the right questions?

“So, you never wanted to run the Bluth Company?”

“No.”

“You were always okay with your younger brother, Michael, taking over?” Sally asked. “Since he has just been named as the successor to the CEO position, right?”

A muscle in Gob’s jaw twitched and Sally bit back a smirk. It was cruel of her and she knew it. Really, Gob, as much of a jerk as he could be, was really more of a harmless idiot than anything else these days and he didn’t deserve to be reminded of how he hadn’t gotten the position he had coveted since childhood—even if he didn’t do anything to try to actually earn that position. But, whatever. Maybe she could find a way to make this piece something more than a generic interview.

“He has, yes,” Gob said, his voice a bit stiffer than usual. “I’m very happy for him. He’s been working on it his whole life.” He let one of the make-up artists brush a powder over his nose before commenting, “Of course, you’d assume the position would go to me as I’m the matriarch of the family—”

“Matriarch?”

“Yeah, the oldest,” Gob said simply. He laughed for a moment, “I figured you’d know what that word meant, Stickwell.”

“Yes, Gob, I actually know what that word means,” she said, being sure to make a note of that particular word use.

[thedarkestdragonknight]

At Home and Into Their Arms

Content Warning: This story makes mentions of Character Death and Violent Acts. It is not as graphic as the precious chapters but note that this makes mention of skinning and dismemberment. Please stay safe and view at your own discretion folks :)

Here we have it, the final Chapter for this mini-series, finally home and with his new family. While he doesn’t have his name officially yet with this story, Jac’s adopted son will be known as Suigetsu in future stories with him. This one got SUPER long because I was working with everything and then I think it falls a bit short towards the end but it sets up the opening for people to create a thread as a response to this and leaves it open for RP as well for those who want to do so. Hopefully this makes sense and flows right, I did my best but I’m feeling a bit rusty with the writing OTL 

This is continued from the last chapter “Fatherhood, His New Chapter” which links to the first part of this story “Blood on the Steppe” please note that these stories contain very mature content so please view and read them at your own discretion since they contain graphic scenes of Violence, Character Death and Dismemberment.

Jacques kept his arm gently around the boy as they were gliding over the plains of the Steppe back towards Reunion, the boy himself was looking around and watching things as they passed by since Yukiko was taking it slow as to not scare him. The man would sometimes hear him squeal a bit before he buried his face against the Au Ra's stomach to hide... likely scared by a flying Yol or perhaps the clouds. Thankfully the large snowy canine knew well to fly in and actually land a safe distance from the village before approaching, she had surprised many of the inhabitants before by just dropping in with Jacques unexpectedly in the past and she wasn't going to do that again on them having learned her lesson in the past. As they came to a landing the large pale blue canine shook her head some and stretched a bit before she plotted along towards the gates of the village. For the most part none really or truly paid them any mind as they entered, some of the guards gave the Au Ra a confused look since he had only recently left and more so because they could see the small figure that was clinging onto his form... and Jacques could see some looks of concern coming from the Qestir who had seen the youth. No doubt wondering where the boy had come from, especially since the Au Ra hadn't had anyone with him when he had left.

Carefully Jacques was sliding his way down and off Yukiko's back making sure that he wouldn't drop the boy and also that he was stable on his feet once he got off since he really only had one free hand. And once his feet were well planted he carefully moved to settle the child so that he could cling to his side while resting on his hip... and he could already feel the child starting to shake. The poor thing was scared and absolutely terrified, no doubt because of the various people who were now looking at him with a mixture of confused looks and looks of concern. Especially since the boy had some dried blood stains on his clothing which Jacques hadn't quite had the chance to wash out completely, he tried but he knew how hard it was to clean off blood stains after all.

At least familiar faces saw him and the young Xaelan woman who was always greeting those as they entered the village and offering up Buuz had come over to him when she saw the boy that was clinging to his side. She looked a bit hesitant at first before looking up towards Jacques <"Is he okay?"> The man had picked up on her likely wanting to keep it more private, thus her choice in speaking their native language... thankfully Jacques had spent plenty of time actually working to learn it as many of the Xaela he met outside of the Steppe who had come from it usually spoke it and it made... conversing sometimes fairly difficult and he wanted to be able to better understand their language so it just fell into place. His attention turned to the boy as he buried his face into his chest and whimpered out softly... <"Okay in the sense that he only got a bad cut on his face..."> he let out softly for a frown, he'd actually worked to tend the wound that he'd found when he was looking the boy over <"He's scared obviously..."> Chambui frowned ever so slightly as she took in what Jacques said, something bad had happened... it would explain why the boy was quiet and not really talking, then again he could have likely spoken to Jacques when they were alone but if things were as bad as she was suspecting... <"Very scared yes..."> she let out with a bit of sadness in her eyes <"Since... he is with you... I am guessing that his parents...?"> Jacques lowered his gaze ever so slightly <"Gone... his father and brother have been given a proper rest. I could not find his mother so I fear the worst for her as well..."> there was a grimace on his face as he brought his other hand up to rest on the back of the boys head as he said that <"I don't know if he has other family out there but I... am worried given what I... saw..."> he gave Chambui a look as he said that <"Which is I will be speaking with Iturgen Khan before I leave..."> he saw the look of concern that crossed her face as her hands jerked up to her chest <"Word will need to be spread quickly... and I know that you and the rest of Reunion will see to it that it does."> <"Has he had anything to eat...?"> The dragons tail swayed for a moment as he looked down to the child who was cautiously peeking out from being pressed to Jacques' chest... he watched the boy carefully before shaking his head <"I don't know if he had anything to eat before I found him but he likely hasn't had any food since I found him."> he responded <"Another reason why I came this way, to pick up something for him to eat for the trip back to Limsa."> Chambui gave a simple nod before she turned and was making her way back to her stall... she heard as Jacques followed behind her and she was carefully working on putting together a basket of the various Buuz that she sold. Though it was more evident that what she was picking out was likely better for a child of the boys age. She was also gathering up a few other things that she had in her supplies and packing them as well before she turned to look back to Jacques offering him the Basket <"This should help... and hopefully will be enough to last your trip home."> her attention turned to the boy as he was nestling back in against Jacques <"If you need more please do not hesitate to ask..."> Jacques smiled as he took the basket and he gave a nod <"Thank you..."> he let out softly <"This is a big help and it's appreciated."> the smile stayed as he looked to Yukiko who had come up beside him and was sniffing at the basket <"This isn't for you girl..."> he added before shifting slightly as he looked towards the main Yurt where the Khan was... he was going to have to actually go and speak with Iturgen soon before leaving... which was going to be interesting. He let out a low sigh as he thought about the situation... at least he could talk to the Qestir and they understood, but he knew well their ways. Hopefully having the boy with him would prove that his words were not lies. His tail swayed behind him as he thought about it and he looked over to Chambui who had followed his gaze <"I'm sure you'll be fine with the Khan... and whatever warning you have to give will be spread fast once the situation is explained. Especially since a child is so precious..."> she looked back to Jacques offering him a smile <"I will keep an eye on your companion while you speak with Iturgen Khan."> His attention turned as the Xaelan woman was helping to get Yukiko's attention, of course that wasn't hard with a nice good smelling food item being offered. Jacques shook his head before he turned so that he could make his way to the yurt, time to go and get this started. Of course... he had to take a deep breath since he had a couple looks being thrown his way before he'd finally made his way inside. And more looks of course, some shocked and others looking more than a little confused... naturally the clans knew of him and his... strange appearance to say the least but it was still jarring all the same even for those who knew him better than others. Glancing up Jacques looked towards where the Khan was seated before he gave a bow of his head in greeting... he could not only feel Iturgen's eyes on him but that of his guard as well. Khaishan was always cautious with him and he couldn't blame the other Au Ra for being that way... though the times where the Qestiri man had been pushed to the verge of speaking were... unsettling really. Carefully however Jacques approached the Khan and offered him a warm smile <"I hope I am not disturbing anything by coming to speak with you..."> he knew well that the way of the Qestir but it was easiest for him... and the two had gotten by with him speaking and him learning the other Au Ra's body language and tells. His attention turned down to the boy who was shifting in his hold, he'd also seen just where the Khan's eyes had went... those eyes were burning with questions... and he could see there was a look of concern on Iturgen's features as he was looking the boy over <"Observant as ever... he is the reason why I wanted to speak with you. It... comes with how he came to be in my care."> Jacques let out softly before his eyes met with the Qestir's again <"It wasn't because of the harsh wildlife of the Steppe..."> those words were followed with a grimace as Jacques lowered his gaze ever so slightly. His own body language betraying just how much what he had seen had gotten to him... and it was easy to see that Iturgen was picking up on the fact that it was a... grave matter. <"After I had left to go to the spot that I often seek out I found a trail of blood that lead in from the cavern which leads into Yanxia. Bloodied footprints were also present, someone had been injured and I wanted to make sure they were alright."> it was easier to start with that and lead up to the more disturbing part of the story next <"What... I happened to find was... not the most pleasant of things... the boys father and older brother had been killed. Whether by accident or on purpose I cannot say but they were killed by another person..."> there was a pause as he noticed how Iturgen's eyes furrowed with that and he could see the anger in them... not towards him but towards the hunter... <"They were purposely hunted down..."> Slowly Jacques' tail fell still as he frowned and he gently rubbed the boys back... he could feel him starting to cry again <"Hunted down for their scales and their tails."> Jacques looked to Iturgen again, and he could see the pain in those eyes... the mixture of emotions because of just what he was saying <"I read through the Hunters journal... it's some thought that by mixing a Au Ra's scales into certain medicines it will bring about regenerative properties. In most cases they just knock them out and carve off the scales but..."> the boys family had been killed... likely because of a fight and resistance <"Not in this case."> The dragon had to take in a deep breath and let it out before he looked towards Iturgen again <"Reunion is a place where many travelers come and where the tribes can all gather peacefully. That is why I wished to bring this up with you Iturgen Khan..."> another bow of the head as he said that... he'd noted how Khaishan had pretty much looked horrified with the entire tale and looked as though he was ready to go off to warn the entire Steppe, but his duties kept him at Iturgen's side <"I will speak with others in Reunion before I leave to make sure that those here know and can spread the word. I don't want this to happen to anyone else..."> Of course, Jacques paused some <"I don't know where his mother is, I can only assume the same happened to her. But the hunter who was with the boys family was... dealt with..."> in the most brutal way possible because Jacques was livid with what he'd found... though he looked up to see Iturgen had gotten up and made his way over to stand in front of him... the Khan brought a hand over to gently stroke the boys head some, there was sadness in his eyes but he was doing his best to comfort the child who was starting to sob again <"I'm going to be taking him back with me... where he'll be safe. If you... happen to see any who might know about his mother or looks like she could be... you can send word to me..."> There was a simple nod that came from the Qestiri Khan, Jacques could only hope really that the boys mother lived... he still had his doubts and was prepared for the worst obviously after finding his father and brother in their condition <"Thank you again..."> a soft smile formed before he gave the other Au Ra a gentle pat on the shoulder with his free hand which earned a bit of a mock laugh out of the Khan before he went to return to his seat <"I'll make sure to let others know again about this. I know word travels fast through the Steppe..."> With that all being said and done, Jacques was quick to follow through with what he said he was going to do. He'd go throughout Reunion to inform the various clan members of what he had told Iturgen and then he was on his way to return to Kugane where he could catch a ship back to Limsa. By the time he'd arrived at Kugane the moon was already high in the sky and the boy had finally fallen asleep again while they were on the boat... which meant he could also try and get some sleep in before they arrived back in the Mists. Gently Jacques shifted the boy so he was laying against his chest and stomach while he went to lean back and settle in to get some sleep himself, which was rare for the Au Ra. For once he actually had a peaceful rest... perhaps it was from having the young child resting against him and giving him something to ground him to the world. Or maybe it was his mind demons being kind to him for once... whatever the case, Jacques slept through the entire trip and only woke up when he felt movement on him and he cracked open his eyes to see the boy staring at him... no doubt trying to figure things out because of how he looked. Though he did let out a low chuckle "Well good morning to you..." he let out with a smile before he carefully sat up. It felt like the ship had made it to port... it wasn't moving as though it was sailing anymore, finally... home. A low sound came out of Jacques as he felt the boy reach up to grab those horns that stuck out from the top of his head above his eyes... a tug coming and getting him to chuckle out as he moved his head a bit "I know... weird looking thing aren't I?" he let out with a laugh before he got up to his feet allowing for the young child to continue and well... investigate him. He was worried that the boy wasn't talking but he was understanding... trauma was trauma and after what the boy suffered he wasn't going to blame him for not talking at all. And then he heard the light grumbling coming out of his little bundles stomach and he saw how the boy was quick to jerk down in embarrassment really... a low chuckle and smile coming from him as he grabbed the basket that Chambui packed for them and he grabbed one of the small buuz to offer to the boy. Thankfully he was quick to take it and while he was cautious at first once he took a bite he was quick to start eating "Right... let's get you home now..." Jacques let out softly before he went to make his way to the upper deck so he could get onto the docks and start to make his way to the house. There was a nice ocean breeze blowing as the Au Ra made his way on out and he could see Yukiko had already bolted... he saw her running up the stairs in the distance and he had to shake his head. Of course she would take off without him... but he didn't mind the walk, plus it meant his little companion would be able to look at the new area and take it all in. Already he noted that the boy was looking around with wide, curious eyes as he was making his way down to the dock... it was a whole new world for him here. Hopefully the others were home... That thought really came rushing forward and Jacques had to take in a breath before letting it out... time to make his way to the house and see who was there... and to hopefully have someone there so he could explain the entire situation and figure out what to do. He was already here... and no doubt once P'shali and the others heard about the boys story... well he knew well what would happen. From losing a family to gaining one... and a rather large one at that.

[fyrapartnersearch]

Oops, this is longer than I intended...

The tree branches snarled and gnashed as a sharp breeze cut through the night. The wind gutted cashes of leaves in varying states of decay, tossing them up into dust devils. It was as if the wind triumphed in its ability to trespass where it wasn’t wanted. A stretch of bare, clawing branches outlined a road like a gaping rib cage. Between them, a beast stalked the road. It dragged a lifeless body with short, violent tugs, leaving a stark trail of blood gleaming in the moonlight like a single, corrugated artery. It walked like a man, moved like a predator. Silver streaks of moonlight flashed through the leaves, revealing that the beast was dressed like a vagrant, covered in tattered brown, grey and black rags. A ragged hood hid wisps of white hair that obscured a set of menacing red eyes. The moonlight cast a long, ominous shadow that stretched off into the distance, making the creature’s form appear bigger than it was. The beast moved with purpose, walking to a massive, ornate, pillared structure barred by massive gates. With a touch, the gates swung open, and the doorway allowed him entrance. The sadistic grin that peeked out from the beast’s hood was complemented by a gruel glint in his eyes. The traveller bared a set of perfect, pointed, ivory teeth, hinting at insanity. – Chapter 1; In which Death awaits, and a plot is hatched. Did the above introduction catch your interest? I sincerely hope so. I also hope that, from there, your eyes continue on, trifling through this post, absorbing the information I offer and nurturing a growing interest that will lead you to my door. Writing is not just a pass-time. It’s an adventure, an extravagant and deeply fulfilling world created for our very own enjoyment - this is the reason I am now here in search of partners. Optimistically thinking, I have not scared too many of you away with my mutterings and lavish vocabulary - I apologise, I’m a Law Student, we speak as such to confuse you! Moving matters on, online I go by Nefarious, or Nefi (or, if you are feeling particularly confident, any variation of such). As previously noted, I am a student, and a part-time worker, thus while I definitely have time to spare, it may not be as much as some people on these forums. If you’re looking for multiple posts a day, I’m likely not your girl.  18+, I’m both comfortable and confident with mature themes (ranging from smut to touchy subjects of abuse and psychological difficulties). Post-wise, they’re mostly going to be on the longer side, but you can always expect a minimum of 3 decently sized paragraphs - length generally tends to sit on two main factors; time, and inspiration. If I’m short for time, the post is going to be shorter, as I’d much prefer to send off a smaller but interesting post than leave my partner waiting and bored. On the other hand, some days inspiration is hard to find, or perhaps we reach a slow point in the RP and there’s not much to say - thereby, once again, post lengths will differ. As previously commented upon, I have a fairly busy schedule, and thus posting times vary. A general rule to live by when in contact with me would be - the longer the posts I’m able to produce, the less I’ll be able to send them. I will always attempt to reply at least once a day - and will more likely be able to produce up to 2 a day - but I will always let you know if I am going to be unavailable. Sometimes in a roleplay, however, moments for rapid-fire posts - such as in scenes of long dialogue between the two primary characters, or more intimate/fast-paced scenes - will occur, and in those situations, you can expect shorter but quicker responses to support the situation. Have I rambled enough? If I’ve missed any important details, which I no doubt have, feel free to merely ask. I like to think I’m a happy and open person, so don’t worry about overstepping that ‘invisible’ boundary (if it ever did come to that, I would let you know kindly, no grudges held). Now, the information you’ve all been waiting for! What I’m interested in: Unfortunately, I’m going to be that annoying person that says ‘I’m open to pretty much anything’. It is true, however. There are certain things that do not interest me at all, as few as they are, while there also things that I crave more than others. When you contact me, I’m going to be much more friendly and interested if you come with an idea in mind, either a fully/partly formed plotline, a specific pairing or a general fandom, and are equally happy to discuss the aspects with me. While I’m more than happy to develop a plot-line almost single handedly, we need a starting point - something you should have considered before contacting me, preferably. Absolutely not (These are subjects that offer me no interest, and thus are non-negotiable).

-> Slice of Life; this subject, on its own, is boring. Why would I want to write about day-to-day, normal lives that I experience on my own? The answer - I don’t. When slice of life occurs in the middle of a roleplay, i.e. the home life of the detective’s we’re playing, or the family problems that occur as a result of our characters actions, so on and so forth, that’s fine. It’s an addition. But if you ask for a roommate, college life style roleplay (common example), I’m going to turn you down non-too-harshly.

-> Smut-Centric; I’m not here to write porn, it’s as simple as that. Smut with the development of the story, of the relationships is more than acceptable, even preferable as it adds a new dynamic. Smut on its own, however, known as Porn-Without-Plot, is not something I will be participating in.

-> Jane/John-Doe; A character becomes a character when you are introduced to their experiences, their good side and their bad. If you’re writing a character that has done no wrong, the interaction are going to become very bland, very quickly. A troubled character is an interesting character, in my mind. (Also note that overpowered characters are not part of this section - as long as a discussion is made, and preparations are introduced to keep things interesting, OP characters are not out of the question, but make sure to ask if this is what you’re interested in).

Original Plotlines (If there is something you’re interested in that’s not listed here, ask. I’m not going to list every possible scenario). Each “ * ” present amount to the level of interest displayed towards each suggestion.

-> Fantasy ** -> Sci-Fi ** -> Medieval -> Modern -> Dystopia / Utopia * -> Apocalyptic -> Steam / Cyberpunk ** -> Supernatural *** -> Mythological *** -> M/M **** -> M/F *** -> F/F **** -> Horror ** -> Blackmail / Torture / Psychological Horror *** -> Mental Illness / Abuse *** -> Darkerside / Side effects of Powers *****

Fandom Plotlines (Again, if you do not see your fandom here, let me know. Even if I’m not familiar, often I will make the effort so we can explore the idea). I am more interested in OC/OC pairings here, but am both open to OC/Canon and Canon/Canon in certain situations - ask. Movies/TV; -> MCU *** -> Avengers ** -> X-Men *** -> DCU *** -> Legion **** -> American Horror Story ** -> Harry Potter ***** -> Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them **** -> IT *** -> Sherlock ** -> Doctor Who *** -> Supernatural ** -> Heroes *** -> Lost Girl *** -> Criminal Minds ***

Books; -> Dark Hunter *** -> Vampire Academy ** -> Red Queen Series ***

Games; -> Persona 5 ***** -> Dragon Age ***** -> Borderlands ** -> Bioshock ** -> Assassins Creed Odyssey ** -> Vampyr **

Disclaimer: As you can see, I am very much craving Harry Potter, Dragon Age or Persona 5 based Roleplays. If any of these interest you, you will be given my full interest!

Since I’ve likely taken up a good chunk of your time, I’m going to end it here and leave you my contact details. I prefer to roleplay over Email, Google Docs or Discord (in that order). A combination of them is also great (considering Discord is the easiest form of contact while Email/Google Docs have no word limits).

Email: NefariousWriter@gmail.com

Discord: Nefarious#1494

When you message me, please introduce yourself! A single “hi” is not going to fill me with much confidence, nor is “I want to RP with you”. 

[thedeliverygod]

1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 20, 28, 29, 37 for the ask fic meme!! :)

oh my god lol thank you

1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

fluff. flufffluffflufffluff. I just tend to write cutesy romantic things with some comedy thrown in. 

2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

coffee shop au lol. I made Kairi work in a coffee shop in my post-canon story but an au based off of it, I haven’t really had any good inspiration. I guess it doesn’t help that I don’t actually like coffee hahah. but I do like the atmosphere in coffee shops regardless. 

4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

uuuuhhh I mean I’ve somewhat played with the idea of a Kimi no na wa/Your Name AU especially because of @paperypiper‘s art lol but other than that I don’t think I have many ideas floating around.

5. Share one of your strengths.

dialogue. always dialogue lolol. 

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

idk if you’d even consider this prose but idk I feel like I just really nailed Sora’s feelings of growing older here in a way that’s relatable but also heavily tied into the canon storyline as well

‘I can’t believe Ariel and Eric are married and have a baby now. I mean… it’s probably been at least four years since I’ve seen them, so it shouldn’t be too surprising.’ He let out a small sigh, closing his eyes, ‘Everyone’s been moving forward while I’ve just been stuck in place. Wonder how long it’ll take before I manage to catch up?’

There was no doubt that he was making progress back at home, but he’d still missed so much and he was never going to get that time back. That was what bothered him the most. As for his friends on other worlds, he supposed he was going to have to get used to feeling like he’d missed out on a lot. The more time he spent at home was less time that he spent out on other worlds and vice versa.

He let out a small laugh to himself, ‘It’s funny. Time was probably the last thing on my mind just a few years ago. Now I can’t stop thinking about it.’ He flopped over onto his stomach, ‘Maybe once I get used to “boring” life back at home again, time will go slower. Like what Donald was talking about.’

He hoped so.

Pushing himself back off the bed, he stood up and moved to the window. Sliding it open, he closed his eyes and inhaled, listening to the sounds of the ocean and the seagulls flying above as he remembered the words Riku said in the realm of darkness, ‘At least the waves sound the same.’

8. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

ooooh boy this one’s gonna be hard…

I think I’m gonna with this drabble where I sort of came up with the back story for the little table that block’s out Yukine’s light so Yato can sleep. I rarely like going back and “adding” scenes to canon but for some reason this one just felt right. And Yato hit me in the feels even though I wrote it myself lol.

Yukine inhaled sharply and felt his face start to get warm, “You more than any one should appreciate that, Yato. I’m trying to make up for everything I did but it won’t mean much if I have a master who goes around and does the same shit.”

Yato lowered the pillow, mumbling, “I get the point.” He picked it up and placed it back under his head, “And I do appreciate it.”

“But you won’t change.” The regalia turned over, his back to Yato.

“I’m trying.” He answered quietly, more to himself than to Yukine, “I really am.” After a minute of staring up at the ceiling, Yato finally slipped out from underneath his blanket and moved to the corner of the room.

9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?

I Can’t Quit You is really hard for me because of the nsfw content lol. But also Good Enough and I Can Barely Say have both had their difficult moments because I’m not always too familiar with the situations and feelings related to them that I write. Good Enough I also tried to do a lot of research about life/school/etc in Japan to make sure I can give somewhat of a sense of authenticity but I’m sure there’s some inaccuracies still. 

10. Which fic has been the easiest to write?

lol tbh I don’t think it’s ever easy. but Somewhere In Between, I somehow managed to crank out 15k words in 3 days which is more than I’ve like ever done in my life so I guess I’ll say that one.

16. If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be?

yatori has taken over my life and I’m fine with that. The growth of their relationship and their familial roles with Yukine are just too pure and I love everything about them. 

20. Describe your perfect writing conditions.

being A L O N E (which hardly ever happens these days which is why I’m struggling), not having any responsibilities for at least a few hours (another thing that’s hard to come by these days), and a nice warm, sunny day. sometimes I’ll sit outside and write but sometimes it’s just nice to know that it’s nice outside lol. I often put on an old nostalgic movie to have on in the background as well. sometime i’ll do music, sometimes not.

28. Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

@scarfblogs is amazing in everything; dialogue, description, ideas; everything is so good I cannot. also the best person I love her

@thatsnicebutimmarried‘s writing is just so whimsical and humorous and foidsjfsf. major inspiration for years and so glad to know her/that we reconnected through tumblr 

@hafuriyuki captures Yukine to perfection in both fanfics and RPs, but other characters as well. I always get hella excited when I see alerts from AO3 for updates because Nana’s works just always make me feel warm and fuzzy or left on the edge of my seat. 

29. If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

okay realll talk idk if I would trust myself to do or not but one of my favorite unfinished stories is Simple and Clean by Candy-Mog. It’s probably one of the most re-read fanfics of my life lol. This was back in the day before Kingdom Hearts II, there were so many good fics that tbh canon KH2 was a bit of a let down lmao. but mannnn I loved this fic to pieces so if I had to choose one, it would be this one. 

37. Talk about your current wips.

just the 2 which you guys know about. The titanic AU I’m writing for the noragami big bang and the one based off “Quit” by Cashmere Cat ft. Ariana Grande. 1st is going to be more of a collection than a cohesive chapter-ed fanfic, 2nd is basically a smut fic with some feels and it’s going to take forever to write because I’m not too great at writing such things yet lol.

[sunbrights]

5, 6, 7, 19, 21, 27, 38!

5. Share one of your strengths.

“Strength” might be a strong word, but I’m always trying for brevity in the things I write, and I think I’m getting better at recognizing when I need to cut down. I spend a lot of time deciding between individual words (or between using a word and not), to make the best impact I can with what I’ve got. Whether the changes I make are an improvement or not is up to the reader, I think, but I can at least say it’s something I’ve been working to be better at for a long, long time.

6. Share one of your weaknesses.

I don’t trust my dialogue, in the sense that I don’t think it carries itself very well. I feel like I’m always adding extraneous things to improve the flow of my dialogue, when really I should just write better dialogue that flows on its own, if that makes sense. It’s one of the main things I’ve been trying to work on, at least!

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

This one was really hard to find something for, but this section of “splinters” is one I like a lot:

On her fourth day, Reika tips the young master’s bookcase forward to get at a spot of dust behind it, and misjudges the weight. The entire top shelf dumps out onto the floor: books and packets of candy and, most importantly, the young master’s delicate wooden model of a Sengoku-era warship.

She can only be grateful that the entire figure doesn’t shatter; instead, only the thin oars and masts snap off from the impact. She’s on her knees trying to find all the pieces when the shōji slides open, and suddenly the young master’s tool is looming over her, eyes piercing and expression cold.

I feel like it communicates a lot of information in a small amount of space: it’s intended to give you insight into the kind of worker Reika is, the kind of person Reika is, the kind of person Fuyuhiko is, the relationship Fuyuhiko has with the household, the relationship Peko has with the household, the kind of relationship Peko has with Fuyuhiko, and (hopefully) what a Sengoku-era warship looks like.

As always, whether I’m successful or not at those things is up to you guys! But here I think I managed what I was shooting for, which is all I can really hope for, really. 

19. Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?

I dunno! I’m inclined to say no, only because the concept of a “muse” feels very external to me. But I guess… maybe for me, muses are people I see on the street, or side-characters in stories that friends tell me. Essentially, pieces of the real world that I can absorb and turn into something else – which is as much the definition of a muse as anything can be, I think.

21. How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

In an ideal world, the rule is: once something is finished-finished, like the words are all there and there are no gaps, I need at least 12 hours of separation from it (preferably with sleep somewhere in that). Then I read it again, and make a note of all the things that feel awkward/are too wordy/I don’t like in general. I give it another couple hours, and then I try to (a) fix all the things I noted before, and (b) note any new things I didn’t notice before. Rinse and repeat until there are no more things to fix that I notice.

In practice: pretty much only the stuff that’s posted to AO3 as a standalone fic gets the full treatment. Things that are responses to memes/requests on Tumblr usually only get a couple hours separation before I do a single pass and post it. (The versions that get posted on AO3 get at least one more pass, which is why some of them are pretty different than the original versions.) 

Fics that are on deadlines (specifically “woven” and “good for nothing”) usually get an abbreviated version of this because… deadline. I tried hard to get them finished-finished in advance so I could give them the full treatment, but in both cases it was pretty down to the wire, rip.

I also do a lot of revising as I go – I’ll read over sections that I’ve finished to rework them, improve the flow, etc, while I’m working on other sections. I don’t really count those as full “revision” passes, since they’re usually just small things, but they add up to big changes.

TL;DR: at least one, usually more, and hopefully as many as it needs.

27. How do you feel about collaborations?

I think they sound fun! I’ve RP’d a bunch in my day, and that kind of collaborative writing was always really enjoyable for me. I approach writing for RP a little differently than I approach writing for fics, though, so I’m not sure how I’d translate the same sort of back-and-forth to a fic collaboration… but it could be a fun challenge! I’d be down, tbh. 

38. Talk about a review that made your day.

Do I have to pick just one??? I’m seriously, 100% thrilled by every review or comment that I get, just because it means someone liked something I wrote enough to express thoughts about it! (I feel the same way about people who reblog and then put reactions in the tags, honestly.) But whenever someone breaks something I wrote down into a reaction they had (like “I read x and it made me feel y,” or “I saw that you linked x and y together and it made me feel z”) it’s, like, on another level. I dunno how to explain it! I spend a lot of time on individual pieces to make a full experience, and it Gives Me Feelings when people recognize and react to the pieces.

Send me numbers and I’ll answer questions!

[spookysummersmores]

Mind Heist - Prologue

Word count: 1,038

Author's note: Oh my gosh, am I excited to post this! This is the first piece of a story my best friend/big brother @ichinartsu and I are writing together! We often stay up RPing, and this is one RP that we decided would make a great fanfic! So a huuuuge thanks to Kaylee for writing this with me, and for all of the great times we've had doing this. Love you, bro-bro! ❤❤❤

Oh my gosh, I haven't tried to write a multi-chapter fic since I was 11. I'm so nervous. ajsgdn

We hope you enjoy, and the first chapter should be up later this week! ^-^

(If you are reblogging this, please do not tag any ships. Thank you.)

Dipper gently turned the page of his newest mystery novel and adjusted the UFO blanket that was wrapped around his shoulders, bringing it closer to him. 'Weird,' he thought, 'for it to be chilly at night in July...'

The watch lying on the table next to his makeshift twin bed read 1:58am. For once, all was still and serene in Gravity Falls. Even the owls, nocturnal by nature, seemed to have turned in early. Now, bedtime for the Mystery Twins was 10:30, and Dipper's twin sister, Mabel, had been fast asleep for hours, with her treasured pet pig snuggled up by her side.

But Dipper just couldn't bring himself to sleep.

Not after the night he'd had the previous night.

Or the two or three nights preceding it.

For nearly a week, Dipper had been experiencing intense nightmares every time he tried to sleep. Now, nightmares were something he had gotten used to, between dealing with terrifying creatures of the night nearly every day and his own personal anxieties. But these were no ordinary bad dreams, you see; not the kind one gets from minor fears of monsters in the closet. No...these were a twisted, disorienting kind of frightening.

Just as twisted and disorienting, in fact, as one certain little top-hat-clad, one-eyed, nacho-shaped demon the twelve-year-old sleuth had come to know far too well...the demon he knew had to be responsible, somehow, some way.

Dipper just couldn't get the horrifying visions out of his mind. Even as he sat there, attempting to use fiction as a distraction, hazy memories of those terrible dreams - distorted and incomplete, but unsettling nonetheless - flashed through his head. The more he tried to calm himself down and convince himself that the dreams weren't real, the more wary he became. Something just wasn't right about the situation...at all. And he could feel it...

Suddenly, he was shaken out of his anxious thoughts when he sneezed. Twice. He'd been doing that off and on all night, but chalking it up to allergies, he just sniffled a little bit and went back to his book.

Mabel woke up to the sound of Dipper sneezing. "Dipper?" She flipped onto her side to look at the clock. "Is it breakfast time?" She rubbed her eyes and found out it was not.

Dipper picked his head up. "Oh, sorry, Mabel..." His voice stuck a little, so he quickly cleared his throat. "Did I wake you up? Was I, like...reading out loud again?"

"No, I just heard you sneeze a little...or I thought I did." Mabel yawned. "Why are you still up, bro? It's pretty late."

"I, um...just thought I'd get a little reading in before bed, that's all," Dipper quietly fibbed, not wanting to worry her.

Mabel became a little concerned. "Did you have a bad dream, Dipper?"

"...No." Dipper looked down. "Didn't...really give myself the chance to have a nightmare yet..."

Mabel sat up a bit. "Wait. So...you haven't slept yet?" She grew even more concerned then. "But you haven't been sleeping much at all...you gotta try to get at least a little sleep. You're gonna get SUPER tired if you don't."

"Aw, Mabel...I'm sure I'll fall asleep eventually," Dipper reassured her. "Reading helps me keep my mind off of things. And, hey...at least this time I'm not out of it enough to start eating my own shirt, right?" He laughed a little just thinking about how silly that last sentence sounded.

Mabel giggled a little with him. "I guess, if you say so..." She plopped her head back down on her pillow. "Hey, what if I stay up with you? Maybe talking could get your mind off stuff, too."

Dipper smiled a little. "Aw, I appreciate it, sis...but...you staying up super late and losing sleep isn't good for you, either. You're just gonna end up with bags under YOUR eyes..." Suddenly, he sneezed again and pulled his blanket around him a little tighter.

Mabel frowned a bit. "You sure you're okay? You've been sneezing a lot..."

"Yeah...just..." Dipper sniffled a little bit. "I think my allergies are just being stupid. As USUAL..." he said, rolling his eyes. He looked over and saw how worried his sister was. "Hey...if it makes you feel any better, I promise I'll at least try to sleep a little once I finish this chapter. Between reading this and talking with you...at least I'm not thinking about nightmare fuel anymore. Thanks, sis."

"Don't mention it, bro-bro." Mabel smiled wide, feeling a little relieved. "I should let you get back to reading then." She tucked herself in and got comfy. "Goodnight, Dippingsauce."

"Goodnight, Mabel," Dipper said. He went back to reading his book.

Silence came over the room for a moment.

"Also, Dipper?"

"Yeah?"

Mabel shifted a bit. "You sneeze like a kitten."

A pillow flew across the room and landed on Mabel's head. She and Dipper both burst out laughing.

Mabel soon fell back to sleep. As promised, Dipper soon closed his book, blew out his lantern, and tucked himself into bed as well. Though it did take him a while, he eventually drifted off into a light sleep...but unbeknownst to either twin...a strange shadow lurked outside. Not one belonging to a tree or an animal...but an eerily familiar TRIANGULAR one...