#I did my best to incorporate pieces of their story over to the AU- keeping all the things confirmed by the author in mind
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fancifulflora · 2 years ago
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Headcanons for the modern au of the tale of crowns s/o's?
OH hoh ohoh youve done it now anon, I have so many hcs brewing for a modern!AU with these LIs and AUs give me a whole lot more creative freedom to go hog wild
Azad/Ashti
They'd come from a relatively well-off family, spending a lot of time at the public library with their mother when they were a kid
That is, until their father became sick, their mother forced to take on more hours and their elder sister and them put in charge of making sure their dad was alright
Even with limited time, during middle and high school, they found a lot of fun participating in musicals and plays- although when they grow older they'll vehemently deny it.
Their passion for reading and writing continues throughout their childhood, pushing them to major in English
It's during college when they'd meet the other LIs, first bumping into R at the library
After college, they'd find work as a writer, enjoying a pretty relaxed life off of the royalties
They'd dabble in poetry and might even write up a screenplay or two due to their background in theatre
Outside of that, they'd spend a lot of time with their family, taking care of their sick father when their sister couldn't
I also think there's a real possibility they may turn to teaching as a profession too
Being a professor or high school teacher for literature, they'd try to instill the same love for reading in all their students
Nothing embarrasses them more, however, then going out to catch up with friends just to see the latest novel or book they've published being passed around
Dara/Delal
Honestly the most 'normal' of the LIs in their childhood
They come from a military family, at least on their mom's side, so it left them with their other parent most days while she traveled.
Was a kid that kept themselves busy with different types of extracurriculars
They'd take on a sport or two, but find real passion in martial arts
Surprisingly, they also enjoyed choir, being a bit of a natural at it
Despite the family ties, they'd have little to no interest in actually serving, however, a free ticket to university is a hard offer to pass up for most families struggling financially
Still, seeing the effects that it had on their mom gave them second thoughts
Regardless of whether they get it covered through a military program, their athletic prowess alone could easily get them plenty of scholarships if they committed themselves to a sport
The first person they'd meet in college would be A, the two bumping into each other on the way to the gym
They'd probably major in kinesiology considering the career they take up
After college, they'd teach self-defense to others and be damned good at it too. They're strict, but it's more like they're particular over form- not wanting improper form to hurt their students.
They might even own a gym or a center that they'd teach in. They'd be a strong motivator for those wanting to get healthy, and an invaluable resource for those looking to find introductions to new interests like judo or rock climbing.
Though, sometimes they think they do their job too well- X constantly pestering them to spar or challenging them to beat a personal record whenever they stop by.
Rozerîn/Rêzan
Was adopted at a very young age so they don't know much about their birth parents
Since they showed a lot of promise when they were young, reading books far beyond their reading level in elementary and winning science fairs left and right- they skip grades
A handful of them
It also helps since they don't come from a lot, so their performances win them a shit ton of scholarships
It's a little surprising for those who see the teen in college, their first encounter with the other LIs being with X who assumed they were a high school student that had gotten lost
Due to their love for animals, they opt for the veterinarian path, majoring in biology with a focus on zoology
They may double major in the humanities or literature just to make the most out of their time at university
During college they'll find a great professor that quickly becomes like a mother to them, helping them find internships and job opportunities after college- even including them in research projects done over the summer
Unlike the others, being very young when they start college lets them spend more years fitting in classes that are neither for their majors nor minors
So long as have their funds covered, they're happy to explore and take classes that interest them
Hell, they probably have so many scholarships the school itself might pay them to attend
And once they're ready, maturing enough, they'll start their work with animals- keeping in close contact with the small handful of friends they've made over the years in university
Xelara/Xelef
Was raised by a single mother for most of their childhood, until a housefire left them an orphan, both emotionally and physically shut off from others
Bounced around in the foster care system until they were brought into a family in a rough neighborhood
Luckily, that's where they met two kids around their age, quickly becoming friends
Coming from a poorer family, they worked a few odd jobs here and there with their friends to make it into a good university
But instead of going down a direct path, they opted to attend part-time, continuing their work outside of that
It certainly helped pay for a lot of their classes, but was a way they could support their family, their tight-knit community back home
And make enough money to support a rather lavish lifestyle
Didn't really major in anything specific, but did take classes that offered them certifications that would help with getting the job they did want
To be a firefighter
It's actually where they met D, the two bumping into each other during their first aid certification courses
Even after their college days are over, they are certain to keep pestering the more intriguing characters they bump into
And besides, they'd have to keep in contact with their college friends- there were far too many jokes unmade, challenges unwon for them to do otherwise
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thunder-shadow · 6 months ago
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Finally got to read all the chapters of the Ghe fic (Heaven says (you’re in danger)) after much procrastination, despite how excited I was after reading the first chapter that was published. I LOVED it! just was a bit anxious of reading the next chapters of what would’ve happened next (coupled with me being busy with some wedding stuff).
Anyways, now that I’m caught up I can finally say my thoughts and I’m gonna go in detail. So Brace yourself this might be long and I’d probably ramble and repeat a lot, but you asked for it.
I have to say I just LOVE how you incorporated the actual lore of Ghe with your own ideas and hc’s without losing the plot, everything was just so well explained and written! Let me tell that I’m a Earth centric/angst lover, so I’d usually only read those kind of fics. I’ve only ever read all your your Earth centric/angst or stories (except for the paranoia au (Luna pov) and moon switch (Uranus pov),not that I’m against your other fics just not my cup of tea (As you can tell Earth’s my fave). This fic isn’t an Earth centric fic but it might just be my top 1 fic written by you so far, with hush being close 2nd. I loved the way you included all the characters in this fic and gave them a role, and that we actually got to see the effect of the Iris on the whole solar system. How the Iris was introduced, the multiple pov’s, The Iris’s moons and their appearance! The way you balanced the role of all the characters together was immaculate, it just felt so natural, realistic. (Excited noise’s)
The ability of Iris to regenerate is genius, which would make sense why his as strong as to take down whole star systems. His black blood being deadly or at least really harmful to celestial bodies. His his third eye, the claws and they way you described his ability to mind control and take over their bodies gorgeous. 
Love The Iris as a character, such well written villain. Hate him as planet, but love him as a villain. I’ve noticed his the only mentioned as ‘The Iris’ with word starting before his name, and it just sounds so much more sinister and Menacing that way.
The Earthling pov’s are just the best feels like I’m watching a horror, thriller, suspense movie. It’s hard to find a story which is this good. Honestly your description ability are magnificent, you’re not explaining too little to understand, nor are they too excessive, just the right amount. The camera zooms and movements in general in the 2nd chapter and the glitches that appears whenever they mention something important to keep the suspense and anticipation is brilliant. (Applaud)
Dr. Arke, I’m guessing she is a part of Iris’s mutated creations, or maybe she’s a piece of him in earthling form. I’d like to know more about her and what she left exactly in that meeting room, what type of mutated being- was it natures mockery, woodcrawl…?
I was curious about how the sun was asleep, but got that answered with the supernova gem. Though I wanna know can The Iris use any supernova gem to make a star sleep or does every star have their own gem that can be used against them? And how exactly did the Iris get it?
Man poor Neptune, but I’m glad his moons are ok or at least alive despite some being badly injured and others being traumatised. At least he tried protecting them along side Titania.
I wonder what’s causing Saturn to be so tired. I’m guessing it’s the new moon he got - Chiron’s moon bracelet was tight around his wrist so the mutation might have gone through it? His rings were thinning out too, this might have to do with him being a gateway or whatever, if you’re going with that lore from ghe. Though I’m not sure what him being a gateway means exactly.
The Iris finally got what is meant to be ‘his’. I wonder what he plans to do with Earth and the rest of the solar system?- aside from destroying it and leaving everyone dead (except Earth) once his done with it. Is this gonna be like a platonic obsession or like a one sided attraction. And why is he after Earth, is it because of his life or is that just a factor amongst many others?
Will this story have a bad ending or a good sad ending? Is the Iris gonna get what he wants or will his plans fail? I guess I’ll just have to wait to figure out huh.
I hope you get to answer some of my questions if possible without spoiling too much. Overall I’m rating this fics, and it’s a solid 1000000/10 from meh! Ik you might be disappointed by not getting as much written interaction for your recent chapter, so i hope this compensates for that. 
Anyways I’ve made this long enough. Take care, looking forward to the next chapter! <3
Finally getting to this 😭🙏🏼 I woke up at 3am randomly to see this in my inbox and I was so happy it was hard to fall back asleep so I wasn't extremely tired at work LOL
Thank u sm for the praise, I really appreciate it 🥺 Gonna save this ask and reread it so many times I already know :3
Okay, now into the meat of it!! I'm glad u like how I've worked the Iris into it, I wanted him to have these powers that made him such a threat and I'm glad it's working out like that :D I waffle between calling him the Iris and just Iris sm idk if you can tell in the chapters themselves ;-;
Dr. Arke is a sort of piece of the Iris (the way I view it, he can fracture his mind like infinitely many times so that he can more easily take over systems, because otherwise how could he control so many people at once?) sorta like the men in suits in the original GHE (i forget if that's what they are but yeahhh)
We've got one more piece of human lore to cover, and we're returning to Astrowife next chapter (as well as an Astrodude segment!!!); but I gotta be honest y'all the humans are fucked LOL like even in the actual analog horror itself it's kinda like... useless to fight back, the solarballs/ghe universe earthlings are just lucky the planets actually Can fight back LOL
We're not done with Neptune's moons, especially Triton (I luv Triton sm can you tell), they'll be more of them :DDD
can The Iris use any supernova gem to make a star sleep or does every star have their own gem that can be used against them? And how exactly did the Iris get it?
Supernova gems are meant to be used for any star, there's no like... tailoring application. Iris has used the same gem over and over again, which also means that sometimes it glitches ;) The Iris has had it for billions of years, and how he originally got it... well, still figuring that out ;)
I'm somewhat going with the GHE lore for Saturn? I have no idea what the gateway thing could mean either, so it's a little different in my AU. You'll see!
Iris and Earth - one-sided obsession :D LOL THIS JUST RANDOMLY POPPED INTO MY MIND it's like THIS
youtube
and it IS because of his life! you'll see something in the next chapter :D
and on the the ending - just wait and seeeeee <3 :D
sorry, this is so disjointed but thank u sm i literally love u random anon /p
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shivunin · 1 year ago
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hello!!!!! for the fic questions: 1, 30, 41, and 42!! because i'm greedy hehe
Well I am greedy to answer questions, so this works out perfectly 💗 Thank you, Zen!
(Zen, this turned out so long sdkfjbkasbkf)
(Fic Writer Questions)
1. What fic of yours would you recommend to someone who had never read any of your work? (In other words, what do you think is the best introduction to your fics?)
Oooh, either As Two Reflected Stars or To the Bone. I think they both have a word count that isn't too intimidating and between them they contain most of the recurring tropes I tap into a lot. Also, so much pining. Who doesn't love pining?
(But if someone was asking and they really like pain/angst, I will point you toward Wander the Drifting Roads and be here with tea and a blanket when you're done)
30. Have you ever written something that was out of your comfort zone? If so, what was it, and how did it affect your approach to writing fic thereafter?
Actually, it's not fic-related, but when I was in college I had an assignment to write a braided narrative (nonfiction) and it was sooooo hard. I had no idea what I was doing. But in conference with my professor afterward, we walked through each "strand" of the writing separately and then together and it really changed the way I think about linear narrative.
I mean, obviously (you've read my work haha) it's one of my favorite things to do now. It's most easily seen in Wander, but the Mass Effect piece I'm writing now utilizes this idea to some extent. I like the idea of the future and the past and memory existing simultaneously and separately at once. Especially when the plot is about memory to some extent (and, really, most of them are for me haha)
41. Link a fic that made you think, “Wow, I want to write like that.”
Oooh here's some that used really cool mechanics/techniques that I like (and, Zen, I mean this genuinely, not because it's you asking, so I'm gonna pretend you didn't write it while I talk about yours):
What to Do by Undomiel_Writes: This fic uses such a cool way of keeping time in the story and I love it. It's Garrus by Shepard's bedside and he's trying to keep busy, so there's this really cool reiteration of all the little tasks he gives himself and it is just. So so neat.
Scar Tissue by zenstrike: I am a sucker for the divide between someone's words and what they mean/think, and this fic has it in spades. I really like following Garrus's thoughts so closely, and the way dialogue is present/not present at the same time (because it kind of complements the sense that everything is only sort of happening to him/his thoughts and actions being sort of blurred). It's just! Really clever and it makes me think differently about the rhythm of speech and thought.
I couldn't pick just one by them, but Under Thorns and River Stone by loquaciousquark: The first because it made me rethink how an AU could work/how all the parts of canon could be reshaped into a different world (and also, I like. love the fairytale this is a retelling of). The second because when I first started writing fic, one of the reasons I did so was to learn how to write action sequences/fight scenes and the one at the beginning of this fic is so good (they all are, really). Also, I finished this fic and started it over again immediately, and when I was done reading it the second time, I thought man, I want to write something that somebody sobs over and them immediately hits the chapter one button again.
Experiments in Diplomacy by Dulcidyne: I really really enjoy the way the author fuses emotion and science in this fic; it is just so heartfelt and well-done and it made me think about how I could incorporate the things I love into my own writing.
A Man's Word is His Bond by howlsmovinglibrary: I adore the Surana in this fic and the character work with her is just. so delightful. Her personality comes across so strongly and consistently that when I first read this, it was absolutely something I wanted to achieve myself.
Oh shoot it said a fic. As in one. I meant to only do two, but I waded into my bookmarks and here we are. Sorry D: I'm gonna leave all this here anyway!
42. Have you ever received a comment that particularly stood out to you for whatever reason?
Yeah!! Honestly, all of the really specific and heartfelt ones stick with me. I think about them when I use the same sort of trope or technique again, especially if the comment itself was agonized. But here are a couple specific ones (and I don't want to embarrass anyone by pointing them out specifically, but if you wrote one of these and want me to I will tag you lol).
I was genuinely thinking about deleting Wander and starting over roughly three weeks after I posted it (I was never 100% happy with the ending) and literally the night I was driving home and mulling the pros and cons of doing just that, I received a comment on the final chapter that said, among other things, "I don't have the words to describe it. Raw? Real? As if you had torn out my heart and repeatedly squeezed it in front of my face. I don't know I wish I had a better vocabulary for what I want to besides that I am really hurt, I am haunted by the pain, and I thank you for it." It was just...so well-timed and so genuine that it completely changed the way I thought about the story and my writing as a whole and also....made me want to participate in the fandom in general.
The review that described Maria as a "radiant menace" and I loved it so much I had to change my blog title
The first comment I ever got (on Your Fate) complimenting my taste in music <3
Every time someone comments on a new fic like "go ahead, fuck me up, I'm ready," hahaa it makes me feel so seen and trusted
"Your writing is so good I want to eat it like a bonbon" I think about this literally all the time. When I finish a good section, I think hmmm yes like a bonbon
Actually fuck it, I was reading through my AO3 inbox to try to find something and I am crying now and I love everybody and I'm so glad I started writing fic I can't think of anything else to say T.T
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talpup · 2 years ago
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I just want to say first and foremost that I love your story! This is a really great AU premise that I feel doesn’t get seen a whole lot these days in most fics, especially not for fandoms like MHA. I love the way all the characters mythical forms match up with their cannon personalities so perfectly and the level of thought you’ve put into the world building really shows that you have an intense love of story telling and strong plots.
That being said though, I do have one piece of advice that I hope will be taken as constructive criticism, rather than just straight up criticism.
I feel like this fic could be greatly benefited by removing all of the glossary/index like chapters that info dump details about the world that should be naturally incorporated into the actual story. Rather than read about these topics and terms like we’re reading from a text book, we should be learning about them from the characters and their experiences instead. It could just be a me thing, but I personally felt that having to go through all of those really broke up the pacing of the story for me and while I pushed through because of just how invested I was in the story, I could imagine it might be a bit too much for someone else and they might not care or pay attention enough to read them and thus feel like they’re running into plot holes constantly if they only read the chapter chapters where this stuff isn’t as fully flesh-out enough.
Like I said, this totally isn’t meant to come off as anything but a reader trying to be constructive, but If my wording has in any way been rude or out of line, please feel free to point it out. I really love this story so far and just want to see it succeed and get the attention I think it deserves, because I don’t want to see it get discontinued.
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Thanks for this!  And no, I don't take this as "straight up criticism", it's helpful and therefore properly constructive.  I know the 'info dump' is something that can put some readers off, but that's why I do my best to keep them short.  While I totally agree that integrating the info into the fic would be best, like I said in the 1st 'Oblvi Facts', 'Lost Song' is part of a continuation of an original series based in the world of Oblvi (I've written three previous original fics set in this world, so there's a LOT of history and such).  The '​Oblvi Facts'​ are things that I took the time to properly integrate into those original fics; they're not things I've just come up with for this fic and put in the 'Facts'.  And though I know no one but me have read those original fics, it's still something I've done my best to seamlessly fit into a previous fic and don't want to have to go over again; so I did those 'Facts' as a sort of "compromise" so readers would better understand what's going on. I'm sorry to say that even if the joints in my hands weren't a degenerating mess that made writing a literal pain, I likely still wouldn't bother trying to fit those 'Facts' into the fic.  I'm a bit of a lazy writer, and since I write first and foremost for my own enjoyment, I doubt that I would get that much enjoyment in trying to fit info that I've already integrated and gone over in another fic.
I do understand that when bingeing 'Lost Song' the 'Oblvi Facts' can take a reader out of the story; and that even some of those that read whenever the fic is updated will ignore the 'Facts' and then feel lost or that there's plot holes.  And, I am sorry for that, truly.  But I hope you can also see where I'm coming from.  Having to integrate something I've already worked to integrate (albeit in another fic) isn't fun; more than that it takes time and energy (time and energy that are limited because of my health).  And then you add my serious consideration of ceasing to share my work because the lack of interaction isn't worth the time and effort I spend polishing and editing to post...  Well, I think you can then see why I'll be leaving the 'Facts' as they are.
That said, there might not be anymore 'Facts' because there might not be another update.  Other than my friend @inorganicone2230 only one person has commented on the update so far.  I know it's still early (me posting the chapter on Thursday), and I will give it 3-4 weeks; but I meant what I said, and it just may be that the next thing I post for all my fics is a courtesy, "I'm out".
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and trying to help make my posted work better for readers, it is truly appreciated.
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phoenixtakaramono · 4 years ago
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Hi! :) I was reading your post about SQH in TUT and it got me thinking. Since this version also wrote SVSSS, when he transmigrates does he realize his "dream" was real? Also, you hinted that he recognizes SY as the same person who transmigrated into SQQ, so now I'm wondering if he tells SY that, and how SY would react to learning he's the protagonist of SVSSS in another universe. I just love thinking about how meta this could potentially get, haha.
Can't wait to find out more! Keep up the good work!
(Follow-Up Post to: Part I, Part II)
@the-legend-of-chel 👏👏👏 Luv, good to see you in my Asks! I’m glad to hear that you’re looking forward to finding out more in The Untold Tale! And thanks for your support and encouragement. ���
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(TUT ch1 - Excerpt)
You’re right. There is a lot of meta potential with older!Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky being the MXTX equivalent in this AU—or, rather, I like to imagine him growing up to be the Stephen King equivalent of modern day China with a prolific portfolio of written works (novels and short stories, and extras). In canon, he churned out a great number of words per chapter and in a speedy amount of time! Do you guys know how miraculous that is, as a writer? I envy him so much! To be able to churn out that much content in a short amount of time, and in a scheduled regimen, is amazing! That’s basically my angle having written this into the prologue of TUT. That’s partially the reason why I wrote ch1. I liked the idea of paying homage to SVSSS and saying that it’s an actual book series in TUT universe that Airplane wrote (as funny as the idea would be, I wasn’t about to let SY be the one to write it, lol, for intellectual property reasons since the PIDW characters belong to Airplane, which would necessitate SY changing names and character appearances if he published what we know as irl SVSSS, so the best I can give SY is saying he wrote his own PIDW fanfic which basically launched his novelist career because he’d realized, hey, I actually have a knack for writing and the ever so spiteful I feel like practically every writer has had this thought before: fine, if I don’t see what I want to read, then I’ll write it myself!)
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(TUT ch1 - Excerpt)
We’re approaching TUT spoiler territory so skip below if you don’t wish to be spoiled.
TUT (Meta) Spoilers
I personally love meta. If I’m to be writing a lovestory to SVSSS, there will be attempts at meta thrown into TUT. And this is one of them:
Airplane did “dream” about canon SVSSS. He basically “dreamt” about his favorite black powder fan, Peerless Cucumber
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changing events of Airplane’s biggest regret Proud Immortal Demon Way. (As a writer, it embarrasses me to read my old writing. So I imagine it could be the same for Airplane.) As an author, Airplane recognized what he dreamt had potential to be a commercial success as a danmei transmigration story so basically every time he woke up, he would write pieces of what he remembers in a dream journal when the memory was fresh in his brain. It also allowed Airplane the opportunity to show his readers through the perspective of SY! Shen Qingqiu what Airplane had originally wanted to write, but integrated in a way that blends seamlessly into the reading experience. He would’ve thought it was a bit weird and strange that his brain dreamt about his past critic—whom he’d considered a small celebrity in the PIDW forums back then—aka his anti-fan-turned-accomplished-novelist in the writing industry, so he felt embarrassed that his unconscious brain must have thought very highly of the man.
So Airplane omitted any mention of Peerless Cucumber from the final draft of SVSSS (if he mentioned both “Shen Yuan” and “Peerless Cucumber,” then even SY would be like, Hey, wait one moment....). This detail will be included in a later chapter, but did you know the name “Shen Yuan” has come up in other works? Let’s ignore the variations on the Chinese written characters for the name “Shen Yuan.” There was the evil older brother character Shen Yuan from The Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage, a side character named Shen Yuan from a C-drama (I think he was an old minister?), and there’s even an irl visual artist named Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan (Shen Garden) is also a famous romantic garden in Shaoxing, known for the love story between Lu You and Tang Wan.
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(Shen Yuan Garden - Trip Advisor Review)
Basically “Shen Yuan” in itself is not a particularly uncommon name in China (imo I would not say it’s super popular either). So when SY saw his name mentioned once or twice in Airplane’s SVSSS—aka rebooted PIDW—during his read-through, he was like, Huh, what a strange coincidence. And then dismissed it as circumstantial and thought nothing of seeing his name come up in a cutsleeve novel as the new protagonist, haha. It’s like a book written by Anne Rice; one of the titles coincidentally has the same name as mine. Now, obviously the book and main character is not based or inspired by me; I just coincidentally share the same name. If I see books which have characters with my same first name, generally I like to read them and sometimes even collect them for my bookshelves. Because there’s something just so fun and interesting about seeing your own name in a fictional piece of work.
There’s also meta joke potential about Airplane dreaming of himself being transmigrated into the cannon fodder Shang Qinghua and seeing the romantic miscommunications between the younger version of himself (his self-insert essentially) and the fictional Mobei jūn character. I can certainly say seeing such dreams would make Airplane question his sexuality and awaken something dormant in him, haha. He’d realize he might not be not as straight as he thought he was, if his brain was capable of dreaming of SY!SQQ being crushed on by LBH, and SQH being crushed on by MBJ and essentially following MBJ around calling him “my king” this and “my king” that. He’ll be sweating bullets when he meets this world’s version of MBJ, because Airplane will definitely remember how the younger Self-Insert version of himself acted toward MBJ in the SVSSS world. (It’s the classic “Just because I dreamed about it happening doesn’t mean it’ll happen here, right? ...Right? Cucumber brother, you’re a fortuneteller! Please check our eight characters for me! I have to know my marriage compatibility with Mobei jūn!”)
In a later chapter, there will be the reveal where Airplane tells Shen Yuan that he “dreamt” of a universe where a younger version of Shen Yuan��having choked on mantou (馒头) (paying homage to the donghua) or just being transmigrated in general after raging at a younger ASTTS’s writing (paying homage to the books)—transmigrated into the Shen Qingqiu we know from SVSSS who married Bing mèi. Because I think it will be hilarious when TUT’s SY finds out about the true source of Airplane’s inspiration, and he’ll naturally freak out over the fact that this is the very same Bing gē from Airplane’s Bing-gē vs Bing-mèi extra and that he’s essentially somehow stumbled on the same path as the alternative younger SY!SQQ “from Airplane’s imagination.” I will leave this open to interpretation if this does show up (it’s just an idea I’m playing with) but I might hint that there might be a higher power at play which allowed Airplane a peek into another universe—which manifested as his dreams.
I very much like this dynamic (we might see this exchange, verbatim, in a future chapter in TUT):
SY/ LBH —> He gave him a disdainful gaze.
Airplane cried inwardly at the oppression and the feeling of being wronged.
Haha, none of this is really Airplane’s fault^ though. It’s a fun parallel and if I’m still motivated when we get to the wedding and consummation chapter, we might see an epilogue where SY and Bing gē from TUT meets SY!SQQ and Bing mèi maybe. Because I think it’ll be funny with the two LBHs getting into a shouting/ fighting match about who has the “superior Shen Yuan” while the two SYs just shake their heads at their silly husbands (and potentially TUT’s SY, as the older party, can impart his fortunetelling wisdom and advice to SY!SQQ).
Personally I can’t wait when we get to those chapters, because I know it’ll be entertaining to write, haha. Personally TUT is a fun project because there’s just so much meta potential that can be incorporated and I have a lot of fun imagining the scenarios.
*Note: like always, keep in mind that these are just my current thoughts. Details are subject to change; things aren’t considered official until they show up in the final draft on AO3. :)
The Novelists’ First Impressions
The first impression SY and Airplane will have of each other will be fun. Because in their perspective, written in my notes it’s essentially like:
(Airplane seeing SY):
His first reaction was shock. Shock because the mere mortal he used to be could not conceive so much charisma being emitted by this guy.
This is definitely a man who had put all of his stats into CHARISMA.
(SY seeing Airplane):
He's suspiciously good looking in ways that normal people are not.
Ah, the Cucumberplane friendship in TUT is going to be so much fun. Not only are these two older souls who transmigrated (both are mid-aged in this universe), they’re both accomplished novelists in their own right in the writing industry. Which means with these two being celestial beings, there’s so many clichés we can playfully poke fun at.
It also makes me laugh because imagine being SY, and seeing a guy (mortal!Airplane) who exudes the same energy as these two imperial princes GIFs:
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inkweaver22-blr · 4 years ago
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Welcome to chapter nine! This one was meant to just be another filler with one of my own AU’s, but Tang just had to be introspective and have a moment of character growth. Hope you enjoy!
EDIT: This chapter has been edited to include some new info dropped on the same day I originally posted this! More info in the End Notes!
AO3 Link
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Scattered Cicadas - Chapter Nine: Rocks and Roles
Tang knows how to act. That doesn't mean he likes to play every part.
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Tang liked to think of himself as a decent actor, at least back in the original timeline. He had been part of the theater class in high school and telling stories required a bit of a dramatic flair if you wanted to keep your audience entertained. Convincing Pigsy he was a popular food critic hadn’t been too hard back then.
The many cycles he had been through had certainly helped polish his skill into a genuine talent. That one time where he and everyone else had been professional actors playing the roles of themselves from the original timeline as part of a show had especially allowed him to hone himself to a greater degree than before.
Being stuck jumping through time had practically made it a necessity.
It wasn’t that Tang enjoyed what was essentially lying to his family. It was more for their protection. He had almost broken the “No Interference” rule a few times when he hadn’t properly reacted to events that, while shocking or upsetting to his family, were simply part of his routine by now. He couldn’t allow the repetitive nature of the cycles to make him slip up and potentially cause more harm by being confronted by his lack of surprise or fear.
So he acted. He gasped at all the right moments or screamed in fear when in danger. Every laugh, every sigh of exasperation, every freak out over something related to Wukong was perfectly performed so as to not to raise suspicion. So long as the proper reaction occurred in response to the correct effect, everything went smoothly.
It wasn’t too hard or taxing as he never needed to fake his enjoyment of being around his family. Luckily for him, he also didn’t have to act exactly as he had been in the original timeline, or he may have gone insane from the monotony of it.
The cycles where his background was entirely rewritten were blessings in disguise, really. They were new. Fresh experiences for Tang to have and not have to work as hard to realistically react to.
He treated them like a method acting exercise. The new memories as part of Tang’s new backstory was the motivation for the ‘character’ he was playing. He didn’t have to fully adhere to them, but they certainly helped him play the role provided to him for the cycle.
He still disliked playing the villain however.
It happened a few times before already. The most notable had been when Zhu Bajie was in the role of Sun Wukong as MK’s mentor.
Tang shuddered at the memory of that timeline.
Saying that version of him had been unhinged was severely downplaying the many atrocities he had performed on both himself and others. Committing suicide to erase his name from the books of the dead, killing demons to absorb their lifeforce, and cutting open his own chest to manually insert the gem holding that lifeforce into himself for power were simply the tamer actions he had committed.
He supposed that heartbreak, jealousy, and internalized insecurities could drive even the most benign people to madness so long as they properly justified their actions to themselves.
It had been the first time in quite a while that Tang seriously considered intentionally breaking the interference rule and just running off to live in solitude for the entire cycle. Getting “redeemed” had been one of the most difficult things he had tried to pull off.
Tang dodged a swipe from the Monkey King’s staff as he was brought back into the present.
He was the villain once again this cycle. Luckily though, he was much less of a threat to his family this time around.
He was replacing Red Son as the demon child of Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan.
Tang, Son of the Earth.
He wasn’t the only one who was switched around. Pigsy, who went by Bajie, was a human who had become Wukong’s successor. MK was a boar demon who ran the noodle shop. Red Son was a scientist and engineer who frequented the restaurant.
It was almost an opposite reflection of the cycle he had just been musing about.
“You’ll have to do better than that, noodle boy,” Tang taunted as he swung his arms to pull chunks of stone from the ground, his hands and the Earth he controlled both glowing with a golden-yellow light.
He supposed that it made sense for him to have some sort of elemental power if he was this timeline’s Red Son. Earth fit as he had certainly mellowed out over the course of the cycles, becoming more focused and self assured. His original self would have most certainly been associated with air with how flighty he had been.
Tang made sure to keep his full concentration as he attacked Bajie. Earth may be the element of the sturdy, but it had the potential to be much more volatile than fire. It was easy to let loose and cause a catastrophic earthquake. It took precision to control smaller pieces of rock without causing too much collateral damage.
Bajie batted away the earthen projectiles with ease and rushed into an opening Tang had intentionally left. He had to do his best to not rely on the fighting skills he had from previous cycles and use only what his memories knew when playing a villain. Otherwise he’d easily beat the fledgling hero and that certainly would be treated as interfering.
Tang winced as the staff connected with his ribs and sent him flying. He coughed as he pulled himself up, holding his injured side as he glared at the now smirking Bajie.
“How’s that for better!”
“This isn’t over,” Tang cried out dramatically. He activated his powers, this time summoning a whirlwind of sand to teleport away.
Another scene as the villain successfully played out.
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Tang sat in his workshop, calculating the specific size of a rune circle he would need.
It seemed that similarly to how Red Son was a genius that incorporated magic into science, this version of Tang was one who incorporated science into magic. Not a big distinction, but important in how the process worked. It still took an impressive amount of knowledge on both subjects to work them together in the end.
Setting his pen down to take a break, Tang looked around as he stretched. He caught his reflection in a nearby piece of metal machinery he had been fiddling with and examined himself once again.
He didn’t look too different from his human self, his face remaining the same. His hair was now a dark brown with yellow highlights and his glasses were much smaller. The biggest difference were the bull horns sticking out of the side of his head.
He didn’t mind them too much, but having to give up any pull over shirt for button downs was a hassle.
Looking at his horns lead the demon scholar to think about his parents in this timeline.
Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan.
Tang frowned as he recalled the less than comforting welcome he had received after returning from his defeat. The disapproving dismissal from his father and scathing taunts from his mother had been demoralizing. It would have hurt more if he hadn't had the years of time jumping behind him.
If this was how Red Son was commonly treated, it was no wonder he worked hard in everything he did just to gain a scrap of approval and praise.
And yet he knew they loved each other. The moments he noticed didn’t happen often, but he could tell that his parents held some affection for him, and he obviously cared for them. He just didn’t understand why they acted so cruelly to one another.
Was it a demon thing? Were they afraid that by showing their love they were showing weakness?
That was certainly possible, but Tang disagreed with the sentiment. He had been through enough cycles to see that love made one stronger. It wasn’t the weakness their enemies thought it was.
Tang was already planning on becoming redeemed in this cycle. It hurt to think his parents would disown him, but what if that didn’t have to happen?
He thought about that one specific cycle and how he had become so twisted. All of it could have been avoided had his past self simply let go of his long held beliefs and went with Bajie.
Now he just had to make two powerful demons do just that.
Tang was an amazing actor.
He also had many years of watching the people around him and knew most of them almost better than they knew themselves.
His current parents were no exception.
He could see the potential for a loving and healthy family, buried just beneath the surface.
It would take some work, but he was sure he could unearth it and polish that potential until it shined.
With renewed energy, Tang pulled out a blank scroll and began planning.
He had a family to save.
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Welcome to what I’m calling the Noodle Swap AU! It is named that way because the only change is that the pairs that make up the two most popular noodle ships (SpicyNoodles and FreeNoodles) swap places!
Shout out to @winterpower98 for their amazing Actor AU and Dad Swap AU mentioned in this chapter! Go check them out!
Yes, yes, I know I’ve basically made Tang here Terra from Teen Titans. Most people would give him Air as an element, but 1) we already have an Air user in Princess Iron Fan and 2) Tang has changed quite a bit since the start of this Time Hopping experience, as he states himself in the chapter.
I do genuinely believe there’s a loving family hidden somewhere underneath all the cruelty the DBK crew throw at each other. It’s already been hinted that Red Son will get a redemption arc in the show, but I want one for his parents too.
That’s all for now! See you in the next chapter!
:IMPORTANT EDIT!!!!:
There's been a few paragraphs changed and added to include the new canon lore for Tang in the Dad Swap AU! Go check out @kitkat1003's absolutely ASTOUNDING work, When the Tide Pulls Away and the Earth Sharpens to Steel! It is INCREDIBLE and if it was finished, you'd absolutely know there would be an entire chapter dedicated to it here.
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maxbegone · 5 years ago
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IT’S FINALLY HERE!
In an effort to spread some love to the fanfic authors in the Schitt’s Creek community, this post is a compiling of some of our favorite fics! Thank you to every single person who decided to participate in this dedication of love! And to the fanfic authors out there - thank you for being so wonderful and sharing your stories with us! Here’s to many more countless hours of reading - day or night! 
There are repeats! I understand that may seem a little redundant, but I wanted everyone who participated to share their favorite fics regardless of repetition, author, pairing, AU, size, etcetera. 
A very special thanks to everyone who participated! 
@bestwisheswarmestregards // @brighter-than-sunshine  // @danieljradcliffe @darnitdraco  // @imargaery  // @justwaiting23  // @leopxld-fitz // @lickrustdavid // @loveburnsbrighter // @oceanavinfinity @poorguysheadcanon​ // @ratchet // @roguebabyinyourstore @stuck-on-your-heart // @thisbuildinghasfeelings​ // @vulcantastic​ @wlwbaudelaire​
I’m going to go ahead and put everything under the cut, because this should be quite a long post! 
**If there are authors on tumblr whose handles were not properly added, please send me a message!
@bestwisheswarmestregards​
Fic 1: Ace Of Hearts by loveisallyouneed21
Why I like it: It is just really sweet and made me really happy. Plus I like seeing Patrick as an asexual being one myself. I don’t see a lot of ace characters in the media so seeing someone portray Patrick, a character I love, as one makes me really happy. 
Fic 2: An Unexpected Arrival by @justwaiting23​ 
Why I like it: It was one of the first fics I read in this fandom and I fell in love with it. Plus the Brewers are in it and I love anything with the Brewers. 
Fic 3: Hammock by @maxbegone​ 
Why I like it: This fic makes me so fluffy inside. Early morning and snuggles are one of the best combinations. 
@brighter-than-sunshine​
Fic 1: Your Wings Prepare To Fly by @icmezzo 
Why I like it: I’m not the biggest fans of AUs/ Fantasy takes on fics, but the characterization of David and Patrick is so good here. It’s such a beautifully written fic, and I just couldn’t get enough of it when I first read it! A definite reread.
Fic 2: Today and All the Days that Follow by @unfolded73​
Why I like it: This one is one of my all-time favorites, because it explores so many of the relationships between all the characters… I especially love the bits including Stevie and Alexis. 
Fic 3: Little Reminders of our Love by @justwaiting23​
Why I like it: The whole idea of David and Patrick leaving each other notes was too adorable not to recommend this fic!
@danieljradcliffe​
Fic 1: Watching Through Windows by @helvetica-upstart​
Why I like it: Some fandoms have those fics that just inevitably change the game and define what fanfiction can be and for me, this is that fic for Schitt's Creek. It is a staple that everyone's read and continues to talk about and recommend a year after it was published; I'm sure we will continue to talk about it for years to come and to recommend it as new folks come into the fandom.
Fic 2: Until Now Gives Way to Then by swat117 
Why I like it: I just read this one-shot recently thanks to your (feel free to edit this how you need for your post) recommendation of their other fic, 'Exposed Brick.' This is a fic that (for me) completely captures why David and Patrick fit and work so well together and how their pasts have made it possible for them to be who they are as a couple in SC. I haven't read another fic that resonated with my own interpretation and appreciation of their relationship as much as this one. This author truly and completely sees them for all that they are.
Fic 3:  Red White and Blue Jays by @grapehyasynth​  
Why I like it: I saw this fic published earlier this year and wanted to read it so badly but figured I should read the source material (Red, White, & Royal Blue) first so I did and absolutely fell in love with that book (who wouldn't?). I attribute this fic for inspiring me to read Casey McQuiston's book and so when I went to finally read it, I had extremely high expectations and even still, this fic exceeded them. The author does an amazing job of incorporating aspects of the original book (RWRB) while keeping the story true to the characters and relationships we know and love in Schitt's Creek. I read the entire fic in one sitting and then instantly, read it again. It is laugh out loud funny while being romantic as hell and keeps David and Patrick incredibly in-character throughout.
@darnitdraco​
Fic 1: Red White And Blue Jays by @grapehyasynth​
Why I like it: this fic is the reason I bought Red White and Royal Blue. Going into the fic, I didn’t know what the book was about so it was all new to me but it was great nevertheless. Now that im almost finished with the book, I love this fic even more. I know its an AU but I think the characters are written well and I pretty much love any fic when Rachel isn’t made out to be the bad guy. Its 13 chapters and I will 100% be rereading it after I finish the book. 
Fic 2: Nothing Burns Like The Cold by @wildxwired​
Why I like it: This is a one shot and definitely Patrick Centric. I thrive on Angst and Hurt/Comfort. I personally feel like it is Patrick coming to terms with a things he didn’t have control over and him getting closure on things of the past. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot but please read this guys!! 
Fic 3: sometimes good things fall apart by @blueink3 
Why I like it: I have reread this multiple times and it gets better each time. Its only 4 chapters but it isn’t rushed. As I said above, I THRIVE on angst and hurt/comfort. This has both, AND protective Patrick. It is a spin on what could’ve happened after the barbecue and it has a happy ending so don’t worry.
@imargaery​
Fic 1: Dodgeball is f*cking stupid by alldaydream
Why I like it: This is a one-chapter piece that comes in just under 6k and yet the author manages to build a super rich AU experience and tell a complete story that is at once heart-wrenching, sweet, sexy, and thematic. If you want angst that doesn’t last too long, that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy, this is the one-shot for you. I go back to it as much as I go back to some of my favorite D&P scenes from the show.
Fic 2: if not for you by goingmywaydoll
Why I like it: When it comes to fanfiction about our boys, there’s almost nothing I love more than a high school AU. This is that. But it’s also a ROAD TRIP. What better scenario is there for a slow burn, mutual pining, dialogue heavy love story with plenty of bed sharing and nobody bothering them?
Fic 3: Beneath the Winter Snow by Distractivate
Why I like it: Can you tell I love a good AU? This one’s about the Olympics and it imagines a world in which Patrick and David have already fallen in love, had a relationship, and have broken up. This is a story about them finding their way back to each other--which isn’t hard because they have to be around each other all the time and work through their issues. It’s written with grace and thoughtfulness, and walking with Patrick and David as they learn to communicate with one another and work on healing makes the reunion that much more satisfying.
@justwaiting23​
Fic 1: hit me with your best shot by @ignisgayentia​
Why I like it: This is a bit of a random one but it has stuck with me ever since I read it. It’s a short little AU about David and Patrick meeting at a baseball game where Patrick is one of the players. It’s really sweet and does such a great job of keeping the voices in character, especially with the flirty teasing and awkwardness and is one of those fics I go back to over and over again.
Fic 2: Spills & Thrills by storieswelove
Why I like it: This is one in a series of ‘Meet-Uglies’ that the author has written which I adore but it’s my favourite one out of them. It has the perfect mix of awkward interactions which make you cringe and also really sweet and fond moments between the two of them.
Fic 3: You Can Plan on Me by odofidi
Why I like it: This is a sweet little piece of marital fluff about the first Christmas after the wedding. It fits exactly with my idea about what married life would be like for them and is really sweet, plus I always love it when the Brewers are able to see Patrick so genuinely in love with someone like that so it’s definitely one of my very favourites.
@leopxld-fitz​
Fic 1: best wishes, warmest regards (sent with confetti effect) by reymonova (costiellie)
Why I like it: This fic is just pure fun. The character voices are always perfect, and it’s such a nice addition to the series. This story is full of incredible one-liners and I think about “th*nk y*u” at least once a week. A must-read for anyone who loves a good Stevie-David friendship moment. 
Fic 2: Going Down by @concannonfodder​
Why I like it: This is a perfect AU. Rich David? Check. New York? Check. Patrick’s gay awakening? Check, check, check. This fic feels as real and in-character as any canon events of the show, and the author does an incredible job at lining up a love story for the ages all over again under completely different pretenses. Plus, who doesn’t love a “stuck in an elevator” trope? I would watch 10 movies based off of this.
Fic 3: I’ve Never Liked A Smile As Much As I Like Yours by hagface
Why you like it: I live for college AU’s, and this one doesn’t disappoint. I love how the author repositioned characters and events for a new setting, and David as a picky art major is all I ever could have hoped for. Character interactions are pitch perfect and there’s a true “paint me like one of your french girls” pining moment that was truly glorious. A great read!!
@lickrustdavid​
Fic 1: Tonight I’ll Drift in A Dream With You by torakowalski 
Why I like it: It’s rare to find such a well-written fic with a great family dynamic that makes you feel like you’re almost just reading a script for the actual show instead of an idea. There’s something soft and comforting about reading cohabitation with Alexis and David and Patrick doing there own things on separate sides of the motel room. 
Fic 2: A Week with the Brewers by @justwaiting23​ 
Why I like it: The dynamic with David and the Brewer’s is genuinely authentic and it’s made me flash back to some of my own experiences with partners parents. The fact that Patrick’s totally willing to have sex while his parents are there while David is mortified at the idea is also great and realistic. I feel like this fic also shows how partners grow and learn to communicate with one another and trust them. 
Fic 3: Welcome to Cabaret by @vivianblakesunrisebay​
Why you like it: The concept of David being more included in the whole Cabaret experience was something I definitely appreciated, since during the show I was kind of bummed with the lack of him. Stevie is wonderfully written in my opinion, and I really liked Patrick going on dates with the choreographer and watching David figure out how to cope. 
@loveburnsbrighter​
Fic 1: Small Projects by GCLane
Why I like it: My ultimate comfort fic.  Soft relationship feels and loving, passionate discussion of fiber arts, plus nuanced discussion of coming out and fitting in and what it means to be queer.  Also David trying new things and doing his best, which is also fun (he learns to knit!)
Fic 2: You and Me and This Temptation by @leupagus​
Why I like it: Another comfort fic!  Musician Patrick/manager David.  It's funny asf and super sweet at the same time.  Plus it does justice by Rachel, and made me totally love her.  Also, I was never sold on AUs of any kind and this is the fic that converted me.  I re-read it when I need cheering up and it never fails.
Fic 3: The Moment I Touched Down by rockinhamburger
Why you like it: Patrick learning about David's past and being the sweetest most sympathetic bean :(. This one is full of tragic backstory and good emotional hurt/comfort.  Super cathartic to read, and it makes me want to wrap David and Patrick both in big hugs and protect them from the world.
@maxbegone​
Fic 1: my heart was broke, my head was sore by @blueink3
Why I like it: This was the first fic I read since coming into the fandom. It’s canon-divergent, which, as it turns out, I kind of love. It’s so beautifully-written; a story about David meeting the Brewers much sooner than he anticipated, under unforeseen circumstances that take Patrick back to his hometown - and David is right along with him. And just like in every universe, Marcy Brewer is an angel.
Fic 2: Cleanser by @cypress-tree​
Why I like it: Hello and welcome to my comfort fic! This is just the most soothing story. It’s my wind-down fic, and every single time I read it, it makes me want to do my own in-depth skincare routine (that I already do morning and night). But it’s not just about that - it’s about Patrick taking a look at his identity as well. It’s all so tender and sweet, and so intimate in its own lovely way. David pampers Patrick a little bit and shows him that “femininity” and “masculinity” do not have rigid divides. And the first time I read this, I was wearing a mask from LUSH.
Fic 3: keep my spirit strong, you do by fishypots
Why you like it: Content warning; eating disorders, food issues. This hit me square in the chest. It resonated with me in a way I knew it would but struck so much more within me. By the end of it, I was smiling because of how represented I felt. I know this is a difficult topic for some, but I needed to share this fic. As someone with dysmorphia and struggles with disordered eating, it was such a comfort to read about David, who is a character so vulnerable and his partner who doesn’t pester him with questions. Instead he listens, he does a little research (it’s Patrick, of course he does), and remains by him. It’s all written so realistically and tenderly, and without any jabs or awkward nods toward body image. This will forever be at the top of my list.
@oceanavinfinity​
Fic 1: I Carry These Heart-Shapes Only to You by ladyflowdi, ships_to_sail
Why I like it: It is a work-in-progress au set in Paris during WWII. Patrick is a soldier on leave, and David is a gallerist who sailed to France to help Alexis (as usual). The characters are so, so true to canon, and the world building of Paris in that era will whisk you away from your current place. I love it.
@poorguysheadcanon​
Fic 1: bright lights by falconeggs (series)
Why I like it: my favorite schitts creek fic is definitely the series “bright lights” on ao3!
@ratchet​
Fic 1: In the Temple of Artemis by MoreHuman 
Why I like it: This story has Stevie exploring (with some help) the identifier of Aromantic after navigating what she thought were her romantic feelings for David. Really sensitively written, with a scene that almost perfectly puts into words my feelings about David & Stevie’s soulmate-esque relationship.
Fic 2: David Rose, Your Husband Is At Guest Services by @patricksdavid​ 
Why I like it: Husbands! At Costco! Giant muffins and comically large bags of doritos! 2071 words of pure domestic fluff! What more could you ask for?!
Fic 3: Fifteen Hundred Miles by MoreHuman 
Why I like it: Okay so. This is very new as part of the Reel Fic Fest, but I needed to include it. I love Wild, both the book & movie, and I am very much a “deal with my problems by hiking/biking in the forest” so this spoke to me immediately. Patrick and David meet as strangers hiking 1500 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. There’s nature, pining in nature, tent shenanigans, tent emergencies! Stevie being an excellent friend from afar, a cribbage board, journaling, secret trail register entries, David in flannel, and an ever-present toque. It’s just a really satisfying and calming 30k words with literally 2 characters. I read it twice in 12 hours.
@roguebabyinyourstore​
Fic 1: Fifteen Hundred Miles by MoreHuman 
Why I like it:​ I like a good AU as much as the next person, but this one is just STUNNING. The descriptions of the pain and struggle endured by both men, both physical and emotional, was vibrantly visceral. David and Patrick’s relationship bloomed organically and you are hooked on their journey through the wilderness as they grow closer and eventually fall in love. Plus it’s Patrick’s POV. What’s not to love?
Fic 2: Getting Over Getting Older All The Time by Distractivate  
Why I like it:​ You’ve heard of slow burn? Well meet glacial burn. This masterpiece takes us through 10 years of friendship, of missed opportunities, of pining and heartbreak. But most importantly it shows what we all knew - David and Patrick will find their way to each other regardless of time and distance. Also Patrick’s POV, I sort of love Patrick Brewer.
Fic 3: You Could Be The One by bigficenergy 
Why I like it: ​I have a soft spot for early relationship David and Patrick. But almost no fic does it quite like this. This fic highlights points from our boys’ developing relationship scored by the incomparable Carly Rae Jepsen. This fic is so true to the characters, their voices and their story, that it’s all one giant headcanon for me. This fic is part 1 of a larger series and I highly recommend all of them.
@stuck-on-your-heart​
Fic 1: a kiss from a rose by mihaly ( @davidroseshusband​ )
Why I like it: This was the first multi-chapter fic I read when I joined the sc fandom, and I hadn’t read fic of any kind in over a year. It’s a brilliant story where Alexis stars in a reality-dating show. All the characters are portrayed so perfectly in this fic, and you can hear their voices in every piece of dialogue. It’s sweet, it’s hot, it’s everything you could want in an AU. This story helped me fall in love with fic again so it has a very special place in my heart. 
Fic 2: Rose’s Eleven by leupagus
Why I love it: This story honestly feels like a movie. I know the concept is based on a film franchise, but the writing in this fic is truly exquisite. It’s so complex and gripping, and there’s a heist which is always a good time. Despite the very different world these characters are in, they are still true to themselves, so it’s very exciting to see how they interact with one another in this universe. This is such a fun read from start to finish and just thinking about it makes me want to go back and read it again.
Fic 3: Simply the Vest by orphan_account
Why I love it: If you couldn’t tell, I’m obsessed with AUs. This fic is such a satisfying AU because it incorporates several tropes that we all know and love. In this story, Patrick is an FBI agent, and he has to go undercover as David’s boyfriend. So right off the bat there’s fake dating! And then it has pining because our boys are dumb! AND THEN it has a little smut if that’s your cup of tea. And while all this is happening, Patrick is being capable and looks very dashing in his FBI vest.
@thisbuildinghasfeelings​
Fic 1: Happy to help by @vivianblakesunrisebay​
Why I like it: This was the first Schitt’s Creek fic I fell in love with when I started exploring what was out there after bingeing the show for the first time. It’s basically a deep dive into Patrick’s POV from Motel Review through Grad Night. It really helped me appreciate Patrick as a character when I was fairly new to the show. I think I formed a lot of head canon regarding Patrick’s life and backstory based on the things I enjoyed in this fic. And it’s just incredibly well written.
Fic 2: turn down the lights, turn down the bed by @hudders-and-hiddles​ ( @wild-aloof-rebel​ )
Why I like it: I love this take on David and Patrick remaining just business partners until Rock On. I can be a bit of a canon purist, so I’m really picky when it comes to AU fic. However, there are actually quite a few I enjoy in this fandom. My favorite thing about this one is that it has the exact right amount of angst, to the point where it’s almost physically painful, but in the best possible way. Especially because you know how it’s going to end. This is angst with a happy ending executed perfectly. And it’s so good that it holds up to multiple rereads.
Fic 3: my heart was broke, my head was sore by blueink3
Why I like it: Another canon divergent AU that I love. This one diverges from canon after Grad Night, at which point Patrick has to go home for a family emergency and David goes with him. What I really love about it is how it puts Patrick in a position to be truly vulnerable and gives David the opportunity to kind of be the strong one and really take care of Patrick. This is something we don’t get to see to this extent in canon until maybe Meet the Parents, so it’s nice seeing it here so early in their relationship. Also, it’s just so beautifully written.
@vulcantastic​
Fic 1: no other version of me i would rather be tonight by wardo_wedidit
Why I like it: I’ve always enjoyed the concept of love languages, and it was so sweet watching David do so much for Patrick to show he loves him. Of course, it stems from fear and anxiety that David isn’t doing enough for Patrick (especially with Alexis egging him on), which reads very realistically to me. I think we as the audience tend to forget that David  has never had anything like this before, has never experienced the love of someone like Patrick. He’s still learning how to accept that love and return it, in his own unique ways. This fic does a great job of examining that.
Fic 2: Exposed Brick by swat117
Why I like it: To me this is the perfect “Patrick and David visit New York” fic. Patrick is characterized so beautifully here; we not only see how he aims to please throughout his relationship with David but in his interactions with Rachel and his family as well. I imagine there was a lot left unsaid on the show regarding Patrick’s uneasiness about moving to New York and David’s ultimate decision to stay with him in Schitt’s Creek--this is explored wonderfully here. Plus, as a new New Yorker, it was really nice to read about all the iconic places in and around Manhattan.
Fic 3: we’ll take the world together by sonlali
Why I like it: I am a sucker for stories that examine David and Alexis’ relationship before the start of the show. This fic in particular is heart-wrenching, touching on the trauma both siblings likely experienced before we as viewers knew them. I love the idea of David as protector of his younger sister, and to see that sentiment returned by Alexis now that they have grown (physically and emotionally) while living in Schitt’s Creek is beautiful to read.
@wlwbaudelaire​
Fic 1: you’re my peace and my quiet by chocobos
Why I like it: This fic is just so soft and sweet and always puts me in a good mood whenever I reread it. It’s wonderfully written and I can truly see this as an actual scene in the show. 
Fic 2: Terrified But The Truth is This by ryry_peaches ( @loveburnsbrighter​ )
Why I like it: As someone who’s had a headcanon that David is autistic since I started watching the show, this was the first fic I saw pertaining to it. I was happy to see how well it was portrayed, especially giving how poorly I’ve seen fics portray autism in other fandoms, and it even made me see the episode “Girls' Night” in a completely different light. 
Fic 3: Putting Down Roots by @this-is-not-nothing​
Why I like it: Absolute domestic fluff is my jam and this fic delivers it and then some. It gives me everything I could want in a post-canon fic where David and Patrick are happily married and living in their cottage.
Again, thank you to everyone who made this post possible! I am so happy we were able to spread some love and cheer to the fic writers of this community! Sending so much love to each and every one of you, and I’m hoping this provides some new material for the community to discover as well! 
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mustlovemustypages · 4 years ago
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Yuletide 2020 Letter
Dear potential writer,
I truly hope all is well with you and yours. No matter what state you find yourself in, my wish is that Yuletide boosts your spirits and gives you the extra jolt we all could use to usher in the new year. 
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and thank you in advance if you decide to write anything for me!
Below are my desired fandoms and pairings along with story ideas that I would love to see written. Please don’t feel stifled by my prompts; I’ve also listed my general likes and dislikes at the very bottom of this letter if you decide to go a different route.
Little Women (2019):
Characters: Amy March and Theodore “Laurie” Laurence”
The main reason I adore this adaptation is because it made me see why Amy and Laurie ended up together. They had very similar worldviews and fit so well what the other needed. Both deserved to be with someone that valued them for who they are. With Laurie, Amy was not just financially secure but with someone who encouraged her to express herself creatively, politically, or however she chose. With Amy, while she grounded Laurie in reality and challenged him to be the best version of himself, he didn't have to fundamentally change to make her happy.
Story ideas:
These quotes really show how Amy's perspective on life was different than her sister's: "You are your family's hope." (Aunt March) "I’ve always known I would marry rich." (Amy March) That's a lot of pressure on someone so young. We heard some of Laurie's thoughts, mostly that he didn't think Amy should feel ashamed for wanting that. How would some of that pressure continue even after she got married, and what would Laurie say to make her realize they were in life together as a team and she didn’t have to suffer the weight of the world alone?
The conversation between Amy and Laurie in the painting studio showed just how level-headed and intelligent she was. Laurie, while not wholly agreeing, was respectful and didn't discount her thoughts. It would be interesting to see the impact on their story if Vaughn hadn't arrived, and this had played out more. Would the proposal have happened earlier and/or how would later scenes be altered as a result of further conversation?
What did the other characters think of Amy and Laurie's relationship, and how did it change after seeing them interact more as a couple? It would be interesting to read about Meg, Marmee, John, or some of the other characters realizing they were genuinely a good match for each other.
Post-canon, I'd love to get a glimpse of what kinds of conversations they had. Did Amy encourage Laurie to pursue a career and find what he was passionate about (music perhaps as Laurie mentioned writing an opera)? And similarly, did Laurie encourage Amy to pursue her art? Did they continue to have in-depth conversations about societal pressures and expectations of gender in certain economic classes?
Tenet:
Characters: The Protagonist, Kat, and Neil
Tenet is the first movie I've seen in theaters since Star Wars IX. There have been some mixed reviews, but my love for Christopher Nolan sci-fi films combined with the experience of stepping foot in a theater again made it a wonderful experience for me. Sure, the plot could be confusing at times, but it was fun trying to fit certain puzzle pieces together and oh so thrilling when things just clicked into place in the most satisfying ways.
I adored the dynamic between Neil and the Protagonist. The easy friendship, the banter, the suits... everything. I also loved the relationship between the Protagonist and Kat. It started off as each using the other but transformed into one of genuine care on both sides. Ever the romantic, I definitely saw something more than just friendship between the two and was slightly disappointed the movie didn't explore that aspect more.  
For pairings, I’m interested in friendships between all of the characters. I’d be interested in seeing a romantic relationship between Kat and the Protagonist if you’re up for that, but not between Neil and Kat, nor Neil and the Protagonist. If you really want to give a romantic partner to Neil, I'd be fine with Laura (or an original female character if she’s not the focus of the story), but please, no slash. While I’d be ecstatic to see all three characters together, if you can only find a way to fit in two, that’s wonderful as well!
Story ideas:
Even though Andrei Sator is gone, there are still other players in the game, some like Priya, who want to eliminate Kat or even abduct her with the delusional idea she can continue her husband's work. The Protagonist (and Neil, if you so choose) ensures no harm comes to her, and he realizes that keeping her at a distance may not have been the best idea.
I personally don't buy into the fan theory that Neil is Kat's son Max; however, I do find the idea intriguing and would be up for reading about how that worked. The Protagonist breaks his rule and sees Kat, helping to raise her son Max/Neil and eventually teaching him about inversion.
The Protagonist doesn't have to wait quite as long as he'd thought to see Neil again. It can be the Neil who had already met him and knows about Tenet or the Neil who knows nothing about inversion.
What conversations did Neil and Kat have while the Protagonist was asleep after almost freezing to death? Maybe Neil explained the finer workings of Tenet and inversion more in-depth. Perhaps they discussed the Protagonist. 
Clueless:
Characters: Cher Horowitz and Josh Lucas
This movie set the bar high for teen romantic comedies. How can anyone ever beat 90s Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd? Plus, the relationship between their two characters is fantastic. Josh and Cher just bring out the best in each other. Cher shows Josh that he doesn't need to be so serious all of the time and that people are more than their outer appearances. Josh makes Cher want to be a better person, and he believes that she's not just a pretty face. Their banter and playful moments always make me smile.
Story ideas:
Knowing Josh and Cher end up together, this brings a heightened awareness to rewatches. They have so many casual touches and exchanged glances (when did Paul Rudd's eyes get so blue?) that it's hard to miss their natural chemistry. It may take quite some time for Cher's dad to notice anything has changed because they don't act all that different from before. Is there something that makes him finally take notice? How does he react?
Sort of related to the last prompt, there's a moment where Josh decides to go to the dance to keep an eye on Cher and Christian, and you can tell by Mel Horowitz’s smirk he realizes Josh has a crush on Cher. Does he do anything to push it along or play matchmaker just like his daughter?
I've always been curious about whether or not Josh believes Cher's story about being assaulted in the car by Elton and then held at gunpoint. We skip over Josh pulling up to the phone booth and go straight to Cher already being in the car. How did Josh react when she reiterated the story, and does he instantly believe her, or does it take some convincing? I'd like to see if he comforts her and if they both go together to tell Cher's dad what happened.
Cher is obviously very intelligent socially, if not always so much academically. When it comes time to apply for college, what does she major in? And how is Josh a positive influence in Cher's life, encouraging her to be ambitious and not letting negative comments from guidance counselors or teachers dissuade her?
Things I don’t like:
Alternate Universes – For the specific fandoms that I picked, I really like the universes as they are. I’m definitely okay with deviations from canon, but please don’t make Little Women into a supernatural werewolf story or have Tenet take place in a mundane coffee shop setting. (I don’t mind Soulmate AUs or something similar because those can be incorporated into canon with little change to worldbuilding).
Non-Con/Rape/BDSM/Sexual Violence/Graphic Sex – I like my characters to be happy and everything within ships to be 100% consensual, no question about it (mentions of non-con if it occurred in canon is fine). I also prefer plot over porn, especially with one-shots.
OT3s – Two people per romantic relationship, please. Any more than that makes me uncomfortable.
Character Bashing - Unless a character is a bad guy in canon, I don’t want to read hundreds of words about how awful they are, especially if they are one of the characters that I requested. Don’t take it out on the characters. If you hate my pairings, just write gen.
Things I love:
Hurt/Comfort – There is nothing I love more than one character comforting another. The hurt can be physical, psychological, or both.  
Happy Endings – I’m all for the realistic endings… but if they could be plausible AND at least happy-ish, that would be amazing.
Expanded Scenes/Contorting Canon – Feel free to expand scenes and change up the canon to your heart’s content as long as it makes logical sense.
Humor/Banter/Snark – I thrive on this stuff.
Bonding/Building Relationships – Whether it be a friendship or a romantic relationship, I adore reading about two people growing closer together. When characters know each other so well that they can have conversations with just their eyes or anticipate the person’s next move (especially if it’s to the surprise/confusion of everyone around them), my shipper heart is thrilled.
Dark to Light – Seeing a character come out of a bad mindset or situation and get better is so satisfying.
Happy writing and I hope you get the Yuletide gift of your dreams!
- Maddy @mustlovemustypages (on Tumblr, Ao3, and FF.net)
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essayofthoughts · 4 years ago
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🎤fave line in a fic you wrote, 💎 fave trope to write, and 🌍fave type of au to write? :D
🎤fave line in a fic you wrote
Man, that's a hard one. A lot of my favourite lines are ones that hit the best in context, due to repetition or how they’re used in that story.
But all in all, if it came down to it... probably not what anyone would expect. If it came down to it, my current absolute favourite line I’ve written across all of my fics would be from Another’s Hand:
The arm is this to Bucky: A tool. A thing not his own. A thing given to him, yes, but it doesn't belong to him any more than he does.
Which ties and mirrors to a later line:
(It was never his, even as they bolted it into his bones. Another man's arm controlled by another man's will to serve another man's purpose.)
Another’s Hand is one of my three Bucky-centric short study fics, of me playing with the lines between Bucky and the Winter Soldier, the violation and trauma of it and the knockon effects. The fics are in specific: Another’s Hand, a patient etherized, and Puzzle Pieces and I am very proud of them. In this specific case, it’s Bucky’s questions about what the metal arm is, given it’s place in the trauma and violation visited on him. It is hugely representative of all that, but it’s also useful, and it has, over that time, become a part of him as well - it informs who he is in the present. It’s not unlike how our experiences, good and bad, become parts of us, and we have to find ways to reconcile ourselves to the the changes those experiences have wrought on us.
If you want a runner up favourite line, it’d be this, from one of my more recent Critical Role fics:
There’s a twinge in his back - he probably pulled something in his fitful sleep - but he stretches his arms out, feels everything click into place like the bolt and barrels of his guns.
This is from even his worst, which is a Percy character study set immediately after Crimson Diplomacy. My friend @chamerionwrites most accurately pinned why this is one of my favourite lines - I love analogies and like them, I especially like analogies that reveal something about the character. I use a lot of structural analogies in my Maximoff fics when talking about mindscapes, but Percy’s a much more mechanical individual - there’s a reason why that balance may return talks about carriage springs as a comparison for tension - but this allows you to infer much more about who Percy is and how he perceives himself and I’m very proud of it for that.
💎 fave trope to write
Oh well all know this. Pain! Of some kind. I like emotional hurt/comfort as a means of character study, or just character hurt as a means of character study. Geode method of writing - to see what a character is made of, first you must break them. Hence: angst.
Also I just... I really like seeing how people respond to pressure. We’re all very different people in the world and where pressure encourages some people to strive, in some cases it breaks people, or twists them into a terrible, painful shape. It creates something new out of them you wouldn’t find in other circumstances and I enjoy writing the struggle of that, as well as a final recovery and... coming to terms with the changes the world puts you through. I like doing it for characters I relate to and characters I don’t much relate to, characters I like and characters I dislike, and even sets of characters I like but which don’t much like each other in the source canon. 
Mostly because I think it’s worth while to look at all of these different perspectives and different ways people respond and accept that they’re all allowed to have these complex and very different attitudes to things - that there’s no one perfect way to do things and that sometimes, through no fault of anyone, people may fall apart or come together. Sometimes someone clicks with someone in a way they didn’t before, and sometimes they become so different they no longer click as they once did. That doesn’t mean either person is terrible for it - just different. And that can be hard to accept with IRL people, but fiction is there as a trial run for reality, in a lot of ways. It’s a safer space for us to explore uncomfortable emotions, so I try to offer that opportunity in my fic - cases where no one is right but no one is wrong either.
Or... or sometimes, another favourite: where someone is wrong, terribly so, but you can understand why they’re doing and/or believe the terrible and objectively wrong things. 
We’re all capable of terrible things. We’re all capable of justifying or excusing things. And I deeply like leading readers slowly towards something that horrifies them but that the story allows them to completely understand the motivations of. It’s a tricky path to tread but I firmly believe reading things like that, learning to see how people justify those things to themselves, allows you to better catch yourself in the act of those things and keep yourself and your actions in line with your morals.
🌍fave type of au to write? :D
Okay, this is going to be terribly specific but: I like AUs where I change a very small thing which doesn’t affect plot or overarching, externally-caused events so much, but still allows me to really dig into the meat of a character’s personality, nature and problems, as well as the themes they pull at both in canon and in the context of the fic. 
This is what I mean when I talk about using meta in fic - I’m not talking about writing meta and posting it as fic (that’d be mistagging, bitches), I’m talking about using what you read in what you write. Using what you learn to make your creations better. There’s a lot of observations you can find in meta that it’s worth trying to incorporate into your fic to give the characters and the story a greater degree of nuance and depth - to make the story overall more interesting and engaging.
Send an emoji from Here to have me answer questions about fic!
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draggingthedregs · 5 years ago
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suffocating | grisha kaz
A/N: ah! its finally finished! it took me awhile to settle on a plot that i liked and that i felt did the au idea justice but, once i did, i was really happy with how it came along. i also had way too much fun finding ways to incorporate little bits of ravkan language and nods to the actual books in her as well. i will say, it is a bit longer then i originally anticipated. i wanted to give proper background and information and when i considered cutting it or shortening it, it just didnt feel right! and there is a bit of kanej because i am incapable of writing anything soc without it.
PS: thank you to the lovely @kingnikolaiofravka for the original idea! and thank you for being so cool about me falling in love with your idea and running with it!
Word Count: 4373
~~~
When he was a boy, Kaz was told stories of Grisha. 
Depending on who you heard them from, you received different tellings. Though, all stories were, by nature, the same. They told of men and women who could heal any wound, who could bend wind and water to their will, could reshape metals with a simple wave of their hand. Some stories were darker; the Grisha could kill with a single blink, could set your body ablaze and simply watch you burn, could render you helpless with nothing but gasses and powder. 
Like most children, he was afraid of the unknown and the magic they seemed to possess was foreign and strange. It wasn’t until he saw one of them work that he truly understood. 
The man was an Inferni, working in the fields near the Rietveld family farm, burning the soil to help improve the harvest. Kaz had been running through the fields before supper and gotten turned around in the expanse of golden stalks. He had just begun to panic when he heard the sound of footsteps, a soft warmth emanated from his left. 
Kaz walked closer, peeking through to see a man in the clearing up ahead. He was tall and thin, wearing clothes about as clean as Kaz’s. Fire flicked around his wrists and hands, the flint never far out of reach, as long streams licked at the ground, burning away the remnants of dried crops. Without even realizing, Kaz had started walking closer and the man took notice. His arms fell and the fire ceased, as he spoke, his accent was odd and difficult to understand. Kaz was ceratin he wasn’t from Kerch. “Who are you? Where did you come from?”
“I-I-” Kaz stuttered, feeling as though he had been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. 
“Well, Otkazat’sya?” The mans tone was short and though he couldn’t understand the word he had used, Kaz didn’t think he heard anger. 
“I got lost. I was just trying to get back home- I didn’t mean to-” 
“What is your name?”
He was tentative but was certainly not trying to anger the man who could create fire. “Kaz.”
“I am Alik.” Alik tucked his flint into the pouch worn around his belt and crouched in front of him. “Where do you live, Kaz?” 
“On a farm near here. The Rietveld’s.” 
“Da, da. Come with me.” Alik patted Kaz’s shoulder as he stood and began walking back through the way he had come in. Kaz scrambled after him, keeping a short distance between them as they walked. To him, it felt as though he had been gone for hours. The sun was orange on the horizon and the last bits of the summer day were fading quickly. Kaz was glad to have Alik with him. 
With a sudden rush of confidence, Kaz felt a question bubble up . “How do you do it? The magic?”
“The fire?”
Kaz simply nodded, quickening his pace to walk beside Alik. 
“It’s just there. But it isn’t magic, it is a science.”
For some odd reason, Kaz understood what he meant. It wasn’t learned or taught, it just was. It helped make the shapes of him, like blood and bone. Kaz had always felt as though he was the problem, never fitting in, never making friends, but maybe it was just who he was. It was just there all along. 
When they approached the Rietveld farm from behind, Kaz breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Alik.”
The man waved with his thin hand, dismissing the thanks. “Just be sure to know where you’re going next time, da? It might not be me who finds you.”
Kaz tilted his head a bit, going to speak, but Alik had already walked through the high stalks, disappearing into the moonlit darkness. 
As he walked back toward to house, Kaz felt a new sense of surety settle in his chest. He glanced over his shoulder at the backdoor, then spun to see in every direction, ensuring no one was around to see him. He stuck his arms out and focused all his energy on them, calling toward something, anything, to respond. His cheeks grew hot and he realized he had been holding his breath. Kaz let out a huff and dropped his arms to his sides, clearly disappointed. 
“What’re you doing out here?” Jordie’s voice sneered from behind. 
Immediately, his cheeks flamed. “Nothing!”
His brother laughed. “It was obviously something.” “Leave me alone, Jordie.”
“Oh come on. Don’t be a baby!”
Kaz spun on him, his eyes narrowed. “I’m not a baby.”
“You sure are acting like one.”
“I said leave me alone.” The sense of surety from before remained, now flowing through his arms and legs, bouncing back and forth in his ribcage. As he clenched his fists at his sides, he seemed to grab hold of it. It was no longer ebbing and flowing, it was constant. 
Jordie’s eyes went wide, with what could only be fear, and his hands scrambled to his throat; he coughed and sputtered, never breaking Kaz’s gaze. 
“Jordie?” 
His brother gave no response, only gasped for air. 
“Y-you’re just playing, right?”
Jordie’s eyes began to roll and his legs buckled. He fell hard to the ground, landing straight on his knees, still clawing at his neck. 
“Da!” Kaz shouted, finally breaking his gaze and uncurling the fists at his side. He ran to the backdoor, throwing it open, and racing to find their father. 
“Da, please! Hurry!” He tugged hard on his arm, pulling to where his brother lay outside. Jordie’s chest now rose and fell in short, rapid pulses. He had turned to lay on his back, gulping down air in a panicked manner, like he was afraid it would leave him again. There were red marks on his neck from where he had been desperately scratching, as if trying to force the air through a new way. 
“What happened?” Their father commanded. He crouched down beside Jordie, helping him sit up before examining him further. 
“He couldn’t breathe!” Kaz replied. “We were talking, and then- and then he started coughing!” 
Jordie turned to Kaz, correcting his description of the events. “We were arguing,” his voice was ragged and thin, he had to stop to take long breaths. “And then Kaz got angry, and I felt like someone was squeezing my throat…”
Kaz began to defend himself. “It isn’t my fault, Da! I didn’t do anything! I couldn’t have!” And it was true. He hadn’t even laid a hand on Jordie, only thought about how angry he was. He hated when Jordie called him a baby, and it happened often. Whenever Kaz cried, wouldn’t share his toy, begged to play with Jordie and his friends in town… Kaz had heard it one too many times. 
His father said nothing more on the subject then. Only lifted Jordie up and helped him inside, telling Kaz to come in for dinner as well. 
Kaz stood there alone for a few moments more, staring at where Jordie had just been. He replayed everything in his mind, trying to remember what had happened. Had he missed something in his memory? Had he seen it all differently?
As he thought, he realized the feeling in his limbs remained. It was a pleasant hum through every inch of him and he found it oddly familiar, like it had always been there. He didn’t need to reach for it anymore, it was simply there; but he wasn’t sure what to do with it. An unpleasant idea crossed his mind. Maybe it was me. Maybe I did hurt him. Maybe the feeling hurt him… 
Quickly, Kaz scurried inside, pushing down those thoughts, trying to force himself to forget them entirely. As they sat down for dinner that night, there seemed to be a cloud hovering over top of them all. His father kept looking between the boys, as if he knew something they didn’t. 
***
In Ketterdam, Grisha were closer to property than people. 
They were bought and sold, like they were nothing more than a piece of machinery or an ornament in a merchers collection of treasures. The indentures were common, as they were a pretty way to make slavery sound more appetizing, to both the government and incoming, desperate Grisha. 
Even as a boy, Kaz had been instructed to keep hidden; his ability was to be used only when most necessary, for everyone's safety. When they moved to the city, there were times when he’d go weeks without it. His skin would go pale, shadows formed under his eyes and cheekbones, and his clothes hung off him more so than before. Jordie would worry when he wouldn’t eat, would say he looked more and more like a ghost everyday, but Kaz didn’t care. All he could think of was the hum he felt beneath his skin that wanted more, he wanted more. After Jordie was gone, Kaz quickly learned that it was the best weapon he could have ever asked for. 
When the alleyways of Ketterdam were swallowed by shadow, Kaz would strike. He waited for an unsuspecting victim to walk by, so long as they looked promising, and dropped them unconscious with a wave of his hand. He’d then scurry out of the dark, picking away at their persons, leaving nothing on them but their clothes. With a quick run back to the comfort of his hiding spot, he’d bring them to and let them ponder on what possibly could have happened. 
After Kaz joined the Dregs, he grew more careful. He saw the same people everyday, walked the same routes, did the same jobs; he couldn’t risk anyone finding out he had been harboring such an profitable secret. Still, to keep himself well and, quite frankly, entertained, he found ways to use his power that raised little attention. It started with a few girls. 
Kaz would catch them staring across the busy streets, curling their hair around their fingers and batting their lashes at him. The glance he gave in return was always small, just to keep their attention long enough to do his little trick. He’d ball his fist at his side, raising their heart rate and pushing a rosy blush up their cheeks. He could always tell by the looks on their faces how they’d responded. Some felt betrayed by their own emotions, others felt lovesick, their goofy grins constantly comical to him. 
That grew into something different, a similar trick that proved more efficient with the Barrel’s uglier inhabitants. Whenever Kaz came up against a rival gang or the occasional lone thief who fancied themselves quite the criminal, he would spike their heart rates. His fingers now tapping once against the cane to trigger the change. He urged their hearts faster than the girls; they needed to be afraid, not in love. Sweat would bead upon their brow, sometimes with his help and sometimes without; their speech would stutter to a slur or even a stop, and Kaz would know that he had them. 
All of these people had something in common; they were easy to fool, maybe even wanted to be. They all came for a show, for the preceding reputation Ketterdam carried. Kaz was only ensuring they all got what they came for, and in return he got what he wanted as well. They would remember the unexplainable sense of panic Dirtyhands had caused and he reveled in the reputation that began to build itself. The stories they told of Kaz Brekker, who made your heart pound with simply his gaze, reverberated through the city and beyond. 
Good, he thought, let them talk. 
His habit of wooing women dwindled as the years went on, realizing he preferred the look of fear in a mans eyes rather then the look of lust. But, after one chance encounter at the Menagerie of all places, he began to feel it for himself. 
The way she sat in his windowsill and fed her crows, the way she watched the stars when she thought it was too dark for anyone to see her, the way she never shied away from telling him exactly what she thought… It all made his heart thump and, had he allowed it, he probably could have conjured a goofy grin himself.  
The thoughts of her made him sick, though not because of the icy cold nightmares, but because then he’d have to admit that he cared for her, admit to himself that he wanted more than the Wraith simply sitting in his window. He couldn’t stop seeing her in his sheets, her inky hair swirling against his pillows, her hands running up his arms… Yet even still, he promised himself that his trick was never for her. She deserved better then him and certainly better then a cheap guise of affection. 
Kaz had hidden his ability from even her. After so many years of secrecy, he found it impossible to even consider uttering the words aloud to anyone. Until, one night he was left without a choice. 
It had only been the two of them on the canal that night. Inej was settled on top of a rickety apartment building, watching as Kaz waited for their target on the cobbled streets below. The man they were looking for was Harold Kerjach, an employee of Halleen with shifting loyalties. He had offered Kaz information, requesting a specific sum of kruge for his troubles. Though it was suspected that Kerjach wouldn’t come alone, neither of them felt too worried about needing more power then Dirtyhands and his Wraith could provide. 
Inej caught sight of him coming in from the right. She nudged a pebble over the edge of the roof with her toe to alert Kaz of the man’s presence. With a little nod, he turned, looking both ways like a child crossing a bustling street before making his way forward. Inej carefully shimmied down the brick siding, clinging to a drainpipe. The next row of apartments couldn’t simply be leaped to as she would have liked, crawling down left her vulnerable. As she prepared herself for scaling the next building, eager to follow alongside Kaz, she felt the point of a blade jab the side of her throat. 
A husky voice with hot breath crooned in her ear. “Look what I’ve caught. Brekker’s little spider.”
Her mind raced and with barely any time to think, she reached for the knife in her sleeve. The hilt had just graced her fingertips when another set of hands grabbed her arm. Inej nudged the blade back into place before it could slip free and clatter to the ground. Suddenly, she became keenly aware of the fact that she was surrounded. Three men stood around her, her front still snuggly against the brick wall of the second building. She was trapped. 
A different voice spoke now, this time, coming from her left. “Come with us, pretty girl, and you won’t hurt too much tomorrow.”
Inej snarled, his words forcing memories of a gilded cage and blue silk into her head. She shoved her elbow toward him, praying the jab would land, and thanking her saints when it connected with his gut. Quickly, her other elbow did the same, freeing both of her arms. One leg kicked backward as she spun towards them, hitting the man across the knees, causing him to stumble back. Finally, she allowed for the comfort of her blades to slide into her palms. 
Inej heard the cock of a gun from the dark. 
Kaz had been given useless leads before but this was almost too pointless. Harold Kerjach may have worked for Halleen but he didn’t even seem to know the combination code for the building lock. It had only taken one look for Kaz to realize something was wrong, but he couldn’t pick out a plan, couldn’t see where the hole was. Not until he heard the scrape of boots against pavement and the muffled struggle coming from the alley behind him. 
Kaz cocked and raised his pistol in one motion, pointing it straight between Kerjach’s eyes. “You chose the wrong man to pull one over on.” 
He needed the attention off of him and onto the barrel of the gun pointed at the mans head. Kaz gripped his cane tighter and the breath left Kerjach’s body in one swift gulp. He collapsed onto the pavement and, with a definitive tap of Kaz’s thumb against the crow’s eye, his lungs closed in his chest. Kaz held his gaze only until he was sure Kerjach lost his last breaths of life. 
Kaz ran quickly in the direction he had come, turning the corner to a small alley, where he saw Inej struggling against three men. She had been pressed against a wall, lifted off her feet by the collar of her shirt. The other two pressed her wrists flush against the brick, leaving only her legs free. She kicked and scrambled, struggling for any blade she could grab and bucking her legs in an attempt to kick the man holding onto her collar. The one pinning her right wrist, the shock of his white hair nearly glowing in the moonlight, seemed to grow tired of her thrashing and pulled out a knife, slicing a thick line down the side of her neck.
Inej let out a hiss that nearly bordered on a whimper.
It felt as though time slowed for Kaz as he walked forward and grabbed ahold of a heart with his free fist. The man holding Inej’s throat froze, his eyes widening. Kaz squeezed again, this time harder. The man dropped her as he stumbled back, allowing Inej to catch a second wave of strength. She drove her knee upward, connecting with one of the men’s groin. It was this frantic moment that she finally looked toward Kaz. Her gaze was wild and, if he had to venture a guess, frightened.
Kaz lifted his hand in the air, slowly clenching his fingers as the man with the blade seized in his grip. The bloody blade fell to the ground with a clang, ringing through the alley. He walked around, making sure he would be the last thing this man saw. His arm twisted, left and right, slowing his heart with every turn. Then, with a quick shove, he sped it back up. 
The stress the irregularity was causing was apparent. The blond coughed and sputtered, breathing heavily. Kaz’s vision tunneled, the world went quiet, and his fist closed tightly. He felt the mans heart burst, like a balloon with too much air; the sensation reverberated through him. Blood trickled out of his mouth, a crimson trail falling down the side of his chin before he slumped forward, hitting the ground with a thick thud. 
As Kaz lowered his hand and remembered his place, he realized the eerie silence in his head had blanketed the entire alleyway. Inej stood a few feet away, staring at him with an unreadable expression. The other two men lay dead at her feet, one with his throat slashed and the other with blood pouring from his eyes and ears. Kaz wasn’t entirely sure what he had done and what she had, his panicked memory blurring most of it together. His gaze fell to the thick covering of blood down the side of Inej’s neck. It flowed down past the collar of her shirt, now torn and stretched, staining the fabric.
His voice was rough as he spoke. “Your throat.”
She didn’t respond, only stared, looking up at him with gentle eyes and stepping closer.
“Inej -”
“You’re a Heartrender.”
Kaz let out a breath and nodded. His response was matter-of-fact, knowing there was no way out of this now. “I am.”
Inej considered him for a moment longer. The confusion and curiosity in her eyes was crystal clear, like this was the first time she was truly seeing him. “Can you do what Nina can? Can you heal too?”
“Not as well.”
She gently unstuck a few strands of hair from the blood coating her throat, scraping the messy braid over  her other shoulder. Inej knew that Kaz normally would have suggested that they go find Nina, make her deal with the slash in a quick and orderly manor, but she didn’t want anyone else to see her like this, she wanted him. “What about this?”
Kaz had watched Nina work on different members of the Dregs on multiple occasions. He payed careful attention to the way her hands moved, the way she held their limbs, the look on her face… Late at night, well after everyone else had gone to sleep or left the Slat entirely, he’d sit alone in his room and dwell on his own body. Scratches, cuts, gunshot wounds, whatever the ailment, he’d sit by the dim lighting at his desk and try to piece himself back together. The scars were always thick and ugly, the cuts sometimes looking worse than when he’d first began. He had never truly gotten the hang of it; never felt as though healing suited the Bastard of the Barrel. 
He considered her wound before carefully peeling the glove from his hand. Kaz forced a deep breath. Had the person in front of him been anyone else, he would have laughed in their face at the ask. Would’ve told them to find a medik before they lost too much blood to walk themselves home. But not with Inej. He would have done anything she liked, anything she asked. 
His fingers were nimble and pale, shaking as they gently brushed against her. The nausea arose, like it always did, but this was different; it was a manageable feeling. He focused on the long cut, focused on her beneath his touch. This was the closest they had ever been. Kaz could feel her heart beat beneath his fingertips, the warmth of her shoulder that was nearly pressed against his chest; he listened to her deep breaths against the silence of the alley, hearing the hitch in her throat as he began working away at the thickest part of the cut. 
After a few moments, Kaz had closed the edges of the wound. He wouldn’t be able to prevent a scar but it didn’t matter. He was fairly certain that Inej wouldn’t care about looks, she had only wanted to remain upright and conscious. He lingered a second longer, despite having finished, he couldn’t help but revel in having her this near. Eventually, he forced himself back from her warmth, swallowing down the image of his bare hand trailing up to her cheek, his lips gently meeting hers. 
Inej hadn’t taken her eyes off him and even now, she remained determined. Kaz could see  a question pulling at the edge of her lips, one dark brow raised high on her forehead. Her way of making silence palpable and, quite frankly, loud, irked him. He quickly grew impatient. “What is it, Wraith?”
Inej didn’t jump at his snap, she never did, if anything she moved closer, studying his face. “Do you do it on purpose?” 
“What?”
She looked down at the concrete, in deep thought, then she looked back up, meeting his gaze once more. He saw the conflict in her eyes, the regret creeping in as she asked what she had been thinking. “Do you steal my breath everytime I see you on purpose?”
Kaz felt the world spin, his lungs seemed to give out all on their own. He couldn’t have heard her right. His trick wasn’t for her, it never had been but- had he done it without realizing? Had the feeling creeped into his hands without him letting it? A quick vision of Jordie clutching his throat flashed through Kaz’s mind. 
Inej waited for his answer, appearing as still as always, though her eyes were stormy and filled with apprehension. 
“No,” He began and, before he could think better of it, his next thought fell out of his mouth, hanging in the air between them. “But I feel as though I could ask you the same.” 
She stood a bit straighter, a drop of hope running down her spine. Inej didn’t respond to his remark, simply stared at the boy in front of her. Somewhere, deep down, she knew that he wouldn’t have played a game such as that, not with her. Yet hearing the words come from his lips, made her heart thump even more. Kaz had not changed from earlier in the night, walking in along the canal to now standing among bodies in the alley, but Inej couldn’t fight the feeling that right now, she was seeing something new. 
With a nod of his head, Kaz gestured toward the way they had come. “We should be going. Before someone sees us here.” 
Inej followed alongside him quietly. 
The moon, high in the air, reflected pretty ripples in the canal beside them. Kaz fought the urge to watch her as they walked, glancing down once, then twice, before giving in. 
The light touched the bridge of her nose, the soft curve of her forehead and lips, her eyes shimmering with sparkles. Despite the blood now dried on her throat, she looked picturesque, like an oil painting that seemed a little too good to be true. It didn’t take long for her to feel his gaze, glancing upward with the gentle turn of her head. Kaz felt his heart thumping quickly in his chest. Once again, he felt like one of the girls he’d met on the street, his own grin bubbling under the surface. 
He couldn’t stop hearing her voice in his head, asking if he had dug around in her chest like so many others. Without even realizing it, Kaz had once again given her the choice. She would always get to decide for herself, whether she stayed or went, loved or hated, touched or didn’t. Inej would always receive the best from him, the best of him, because she hadn’t given him the same choice. 
Kaz would always be bound to lose his breath and feel his heart pound at her mercy, and as much as he hated to say it, he enjoyed it. 
fin.
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sheliesshattered · 4 years ago
Text
This Isn’t A Ghost Story - Chapter 5: The Present
Whouffaldi non-canon AU. 8 chapters, will be about 32,000 words when complete. Rated Mature for heavier themes, including in this chapter, please contact me privately if you’re worried about triggering topics. Clara Oswald/Twelfth Doctor. Mystery, pining and angst with a happy ending. Available on AO3 under the same username and title. Updates every Friday.
This Isn’t A Ghost Story
Chapter 5: The Present
Clara woke slowly to the sound of birdsong and the blue light that preceded dawn, feeling surprisingly well-rested, despite the night she’d had. Opening her eyes, she found the Doctor stretched out on the bed beside her. In the first of the daylight he looked pale but not yet translucent, a reminder that the hours in which she was able to touch him were quickly coming to an end. When he saw she was awake, he smiled at her softly, his gaze tracing across her face.
“Morning, sleepy head,” he said quietly.
Humming happily, Clara stretched against the pillows. “Good morning, Doctor.”
His smile widened. “It’s good to hear you call me that again.”
“Why do I call you that?” she asked curiously, rolling onto her side facing him and propping her head up in her hand. “The journal referenced it but didn’t explain. Why do I call you Doctor instead of John?”
He made a face at the mention of his given name. “By the time we met, most people I knew had been calling me Doctor for years. It started as a joke on my first archaeological dig — that with a name like John Smith, the most distinctive thing about me was my newly acquired academic title. The nickname stuck, and I’d never been particularly attached to John in any case.”
“Is that what your doctorate is in, then? Archaeology?”
“With a special emphasis on Egypt and its ancient languages,” he said, nodding. “That’s why I was at that party at the Cairo museum, the night we met in 1921, I was part of the team that discovered some of the artefacts that were on display in the new exhibit.”
Clara let her mind drift to the hazy memories of her previous life she had uncovered the night before, trying to will them into sharper focus. “I wish I could remember it better...”
“I’m glad that you remember it at all,” he told her. “It’s more than I’d hoped for.”
She hesitated, then said, “About the other memory, that nightmare—”
“Later,” he said, rolling away and pushing himself into a sitting position. “There’s something we should do before the sun is properly up. I hid another box, besides that one in the attic, buried it in the garden out back. If we get started now, I might even be able to help you dig it up before the sunlight makes me useless again.”
“What’s in it?” Clara asked, also sitting up.
“It’s, ah.” The Doctor shot her a sidelong look, not quite meeting her eyes. “What’s in it is yours, and you should have it, even if...” He trailed off, chewing at his lower lip.
Something about his tone chilled her. “Even if what?”
“Clara, I don’t want you to be tied to a dead man,” he said carefully, gaze on the bedspread. “You know the truth now, but you still have your life ahead of you. You should live that life, even if it’s without me.”
“We are not having the ‘land of the living’ argument again,” she said, her voice quiet but firm. “I just got you back. There is no version of my future that makes sense without you in it.”
He turned to look at her. “I’m still a ghost, Clara,” he said, a note of self-loathing making his tone harsh. “That hasn’t changed.”
“But in the dark you’re as solid as I am!” she objected.
“And now that the sun is rising, that’s quickly going away.” He reached out one hand and ran his knuckles across the curve of her cheek, his touch faint and cool.
She resisted the urge to take his hand, worried that her fingers would pass right through his. “The sun will set again, it always does. It’s better than nothing. At least we’ll be together.”
“So you spend each day counting down to sunset?” he demanded. “What kind of a life is that? What sort of a life can I give you, as a dead man?”
“You don’t have to give me any sort of life!” she shot back, trying not to be offended at the old-fashioned notion. “I’ve done quite well constructing a life all on my own, thank you very much. All I want is for you to be part of it.”
“As a ghost,” he said derisively.
“Yes, as a ghost! I’ll take what I can get when it comes to you.”
“You deserve to have a real life, with someone who won’t literally disappear on you during daylight hours.”
“I have lived almost twenty-eight years only knowing you in daylight. Every moment I’ve spent with you in this life, that has been the deal. And even then, no one ever managed to measure up to you. I have loved you my whole life, Doctor, and that’s hardly going to change now. I want a life with you, whatever shape that takes. I meant what I said last night: I am not going to give you up. You promised to stay, and I am holding you to that.”
He dropped his gaze, looking away and fiddling with the ring he wore on his left hand — his wedding ring, she realised abruptly. “I’m not going to win this argument, am I?” he asked in a low voice.
“No,” she told him firmly. “Not unless you take away my say in it.” She didn’t add again, but she knew they were both thinking it.
He winced. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
She softened, watching him fold in on himself. “Don’t be sorry,” she said gently. “Make it up to me.”
He looked up at her sharply, hope hidden in the fading blues of his eyes.
“If you keep your promise and stay, you’ll have years to make it up to me,” she said, smiling at him. “Decades, even. The rest of my life.”
“And you’re sure that’s what you want?”
“Very sure.” She stared at his familiar face, the face she had loved for so long, watching him become fainter as the sun began to rise outside, rendering him back into the incorporeal presence she had known all her life. “Our story, Doctor... It isn’t the tragedy you think it is. This isn’t a ghost story. It never was. It’s a love story. And if I know one thing about love stories? They always have a happy ending, one way or another.”
“Clara, my Clara,” he said fondly, raising his hand to sweep his cool fingertips across her cheekbone with feather-light pressure. “How can I argue with you when you look at me like that?”
“Then don’t argue,” Clara said softly. “Promise you’ll stay.”
“I promise,” he murmured. “And that’s all the more reason for you to have what’s buried in the garden. Come on, I’ll show you where, while you’re still able to see me.”
They went downstairs together, and he waited as she pulled on her shoes and her coat, then let herself out through the kitchen door that opened onto the garden. He led her confidently to the base of the old maple tree at the back of the garden, its branches clinging to the last of their autumn leaves. She had to sidetrack to the shed to find a spade, but the sun was still low behind the roofs of the nearby houses, and in the shadow of the maple tree the Doctor had enough form to pick up a crimson leaf and spin its stem between his fingers for a moment before letting it drift back to the ground.
Clara dug in the spot between the roots that he directed her to, relieved when she hit something solid only a foot or so down. Reaching into the shallow hole and brushing away the last of the dirt, her fingers found a metal jewelry box about the size of a paperback novel, and she carefully lifted it out with both hands. The silver surface was tarnished, throwing the raised geometric designs into sharp contrast, but it appeared to be in good condition. She glanced up at the Doctor, who was looking more translucent in the gathering daylight, and he nodded at her.
“Go on,” he said when she hesitated. “Open it.”
Taking a deep breath, she thumbed open the latch and pulled up the lid, the hinges squeaking slightly. Inside, resting against the crumbling blue felt that had once lined the box, there was a black velvet ring box and several other pieces of jewelry, the largest of which was a wide silver amulet on a delicate chain necklace. Her ghost brushed his fingertips over the ring box, and she looked up to find his gaze fixed on it.
“I’m split between wanting you to have it right away,” he said softly, “and wanting to wait until I can put it on you myself.”
“We could go back inside,” she suggested in a matching tone. “The west side of the house should still be shadowy enough.”
He shook his head. “It’s best appreciated in the sunlight, anyway.”
Clara grazed her hand over his, feeling only the chill of his daytime insubstantiality but hoping he took it for the affectionate gesture she meant it to be. Setting the jewelry box carefully on the ground, she picked up the ring box and lifted the lid. The ring inside was small and delicate, a white gold setting holding an oval cabochon sapphire flanked on each side by narrow tapered diamonds. In the indirect light, the smooth rounded surface of the sapphire was a dark indigo blue.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.
“It’s your wedding ring,” the Doctor replied. “Not very traditional, perhaps, but then, we never have been, either.”
She looked up at him, her heart in her throat. “May I?”
“Of course,” he said, raising his eyes to meet her gaze. “It’s yours.”
Carefully pulling it from its velvet box, Clara slid the ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand, where it settled naturally into place as though she had worn it there every day for years. “We really are going to have to go inside,” she told him when she had control of her voice, “so I can kiss you properly.”
He smiled at her fondly. “Go look at it in the sunlight, first. I’m looking forward to seeing your reaction to it all over again.”
She glanced at him curiously but did as he asked, putting the ring box back into the jewelry box and then pacing a few feet away. The early morning sun was casting long shadows through the garden, and she turned her hand until the ring caught the light. Clara gasped. As if by magic, a pale six-rayed star appeared in the depths of the sapphire, clearly visible against the luminous dark blue of the stone.
“It’s called a star sapphire,” the Doctor said, and she looked up to find him standing beside her, his form a faint wispy outline in the dappled sunlight. “When you found me in Thebes in ‘21, I took you to see the excavation work going on at the Temple of Hatshepsut, and you were particularly fond of a section of the ceiling that was painted with stars against a dark blue sky. I was immediately reminded of that when I saw this ring.”
It wasn’t a memory, exactly, just a quick surge of nostalgia and images she couldn’t quite hold on to. “Our first date, sounds like,” she said, smiling up at him.
His answering grin was warmer than the gathering daylight. “I suppose it was.”
Despite his spectral appearance, Clara felt herself swaying towards him, overwhelmed by the need to kiss him in this happy moment. She shook herself, squaring her shoulders. “Alright, mister, inside with you, before the neighbours catch me talking to myself in my pyjamas in the garden at dawn. The last thing we need is more gossip about how strange this house is.”
She quickly refilled the hole she’d dug and returned the spade to the shed, then led the way back into the kitchen, the Doctor trailing silently behind her. Pausing only long enough to set the jewelry box on the table, Clara continued on towards the large walk-in pantry just off the kitchen, casting her ghost a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure he was following her.
“Clara, what are we—” he started to ask as she closed the pantry door behind them, plunging the tiny room into complete darkness. The rest of the question was lost when Clara pushed up onto her toes and kissed him soundly, steadying herself on the solid line of his shoulders. She felt the reassuring pressure of his hands at the small of her back and hummed in happiness, deepening the kiss.
“See?” she said when they separated, her smug tone somewhat ruined by the breathless elation of a woman well-snogged. “No need to spend each day counting down until sunset when there’s a world full of darkened rooms.”
“You make a very good point,” the Doctor agreed, and kissed her again.
The growling of Clara’s stomach eventually forced them out of the pantry and into the daylight, and with it came the realisation that there was very little food in the house, and absolutely nothing resembling coffee.
“I should shower and change into real clothes, too,” she told him as he followed her into the foyer, the jewelry box again clasped protectively in her hands. “All the more reason to get back to my flat.”
Her ghost nodded. “Will you come back later today?” he asked, voice carefully neutral. “Or do you need to spend the day doing human-y things, preparing for the work week or shopping for groceries or whatever it is you do when you’re not here?”
Clara shot him a disbelieving look. “I do, in fact, need to do all that stuff today,” she allowed, watching as he nodded and glanced away, fiddling with his wedding ring. “But I just assumed you’d come with me?”
He looked up at her in surprise, his expression tinged with hope. “Seriously?”
“Of course, Doctor. When I said I wanted you to be part of my life, I didn’t mean here in this house. Our future isn’t here, it’s out there,” she said, nodding towards the front door and the world beyond. She hesitated, a thought occurring to her, and added, “You can leave, right? You’re not tied to the house?”
He nodded, his hands still nervously occupied with his ring. “It’s been a long time since I last left, but... No, it was never the house that I was tied to.”
“What is it, exactly, that you’re tied to, then?” she asked softly, almost afraid of the answer, of the power it held over their future. “What’s kept you here all these years?”
“What do you think?” he said, looking at her like he thought it ought to be abundantly obvious. “You. It’s always been you, Clara.”
--
After a none-too-brief detour to the small and blessedly dark coat closet, she finally managed to get them out the door and on the way to her flat. The Doctor sat in the passenger seat as Clara drove, faint and ghostly in the daylight, but with enough form that she could clearly make out his expression. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning at the way he stared out the window in wonder, angling his head to catch a passing skyscraper or an airplane flying overhead.
“First time in a car?” she asked, only mostly managing to keep the amusement out of her voice.
He shot her a sour look. “We did have automobiles by 1927, you know. And I’ve left the house since then, back when Margot used to travel. It’s just— been a few years, is all.”
“I can see how it would be jarring,” she said levelly. “I’ll try not to tease you. Too much.”
“Clara, my Clara,” he said on a sigh, shaking his head. “We both know that’s a lie.”
She shot him a quick look, finally letting her grin break through, and tried to keep her attention on driving and not on how unreasonably happy she was.
--
By the time they arrived at her flat, it was still early enough in the morning that not many of her neighbours were about, and Clara silently led the way up the flights of stairs and let them in through her simple front door that matched all the others, such a stark difference from the grand Victorian house where she’d always known her ghost. He trailed in behind her, looking around in interest at her clutter and her framed pictures, the dimness of the windowless hallway making him look almost alive again.
“Left it in a bit of a mess when I rushed out of here last night,” she said with a wince once she’d closed the door behind them, setting down her purse and keys and the jewelry box on the tiny table next to the door. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had company over, let alone someone whose opinion mattered to her as much as the Doctor’s. “It’s not much, but it’s mine and I’m fond of it,” she added, trying not to sound defensive.
“It’s intensely you,” he replied, leaning in to examine a photo from her travels after university. “If I wandered in off the street I’d know it was yours.”
Clara directed a bemused smile at his back, oddly touched at his first impression of her home. “Thanks, I think,” she said as she hung up her coat on the wall rack and toed off her shoes. “Come on, I’ll give you the tour, it’ll be quick.” She led him down the hall, indicating each room as they passed. “Kitchen is in there, that’s the loo, my bedroom, and the sitting room,” she said, pausing just inside the doorway and surveilling the chaos left behind from her late night efforts to make sense of the box they’d found in the attic.
“When you said you couldn’t sleep last night...?” the Doctor asked, looking at her sidelong.
“It looks worse than it is,” she said as she crossed the room and pulled the curtains closed over the door that led to the balcony, blocking out as much sunlight as possible. “I sorted everything into piles, maybe later we could look through it together? See if any of it sparks bits of memory for me?” she added, turning back to him.
The journal was still sitting on the coffee table, open to the scrawled final entry, and as she watched the Doctor leaned down and used what substance he had in the dim room to carefully close it, his fingertips lingering on the embossed cover. “I would like that, my Clara,” he said quietly, lifting his gaze back to hers.
She stared at him for a breathless moment, still trying to come to grips with their new reality, like something out of her teenaged fantasies come to life. “I should— I should shower, and eat, and all that,” she said, shaking herself. “I won’t be long, feel free to peruse the bookshelf or whatever, make yourself at home. Which,” she laughed, her nerves catching up with her, “if we sell the house, I suppose it is, or will be, at any rate—”
“Clara,” he said gently, crossing towards her. “This is just you and me, same old, same old. Nothing’s changed, not really.”
“Right,” she murmured, looking up at him.
He watched her, his expression concerned. “This doesn’t have to be anything more than you want it to be,” he said. “I can go back to being just your ghost, if that’s what you want.”
She realised she was twisting her wedding ring around her finger and dropped her hands. “No,” she assured him. “No, I want a future with you. I want... I want long evenings and sneaking into coat closets and waking up with you beside me. It’s just a lot to adjust to so quickly.”
“Take your time,” he said easily, grazing her cheek with his cool fingertips, “I’m not going anywhere.”
--
After her shower, Clara carried her coffee and her breakfast down the hall to the sitting room. She found the Doctor camped out on the sofa, a rag and the wide silver pendant from the jewelry box in his hands, and a bottle of silver polish and the jewelry box open on the coffee table in front of him. At her inquisitive look, he said, “I thought I’d clean these up for you. I noticed it’s all looking a little tarnished — not too bad, considering they spent the better part of a century buried in the garden, but no reason not to treat them to a good cleaning.”
“Why did you bury the jewelry box?” she asked, settling into the empty space beside him and taking a sip of her coffee. “And when?”
“End of November, 1928. A few days after you— after you’d gone,” he replied, not looking up from methodically working at the tarnish on the necklace. “I wasn’t really thinking straight. I’d just lost you, and I didn’t want to be there, but I couldn’t leave Margot.”
“Your duty of care,” Clara said quietly.
He nodded but didn’t elaborate. “There were strangers in the house, including your parents. Your former parents, I mean, not Ellie and Dave, obviously,” he clarified, gesturing with the polish rag. “I couldn’t stand the idea of them touching your personal things, not after how they’d treated you the five years or so prior. I reverted to some sort of archaeologist’s instinct, I suppose: bury the evidence and let someone in the future piece together the true story of what happened.”
“Not realising, of course,” she said, “that the someone in the future would be us.”
The Doctor glanced up at her then back down at the necklace. “I couldn’t have imagined something like this at the time. I know I wished for a miracle, when I buried this. Wished for a way to see you again, without breaking my promise to watch over Margot. But it just felt so...”
“Impossible,” she finished for him, thinking about how hopeless her love for him had seemed, even just twelve hours earlier.
“My impossible girl,” he whispered, gaze on his work. “I should have known you would find a way. Here,” he said more briskly, turning towards her and holding out the necklace. “Ready to wear again. If you want.”
She carefully took it from him, turning it in her hand so the details caught the dim light. It was a single piece of engraved silver, heavier than she’d expected, about two inches wide and maybe half an inch tall, with the necklace chain attached at the far ends. Now that the tarnish was gone, she could clearly make out the shape of long, finely feathered wings extending from a circle in the centre, and what looked to be a snake’s head flanking each side of the circle. In much the same way as her wedding ring, it felt familiar, both the design and the weight of it in her palm, but she couldn’t quite summon up a memory that fit with it.
“This was a favourite of mine?” she asked, glancing up at the Doctor. “It looks Egyptian.”
“It is,” he said, his attention focused on removing the layer of grime from a narrow bangle bracelet. “It’s a winged solar disk, based on an image found in many ancient Egyptian temples. It symbolised their concept of the soul, which they believed to be immortal and capable of rebirth.”
“So it’s ancient, then?”
“The design is, the necklace isn’t. I suppose it’s an antique now, but it was new when I gave it to you in 1925. Part of the Egyptian revival movement, Tut-mania and all that.”
Clara frowned to herself, thinking over the dates covered in her great-grandmother’s journal — her journal. “It hadn’t occurred to me that the discovery of King Tut’s tomb would have been right around the time we were in Egypt.”
The Doctor shot her a quick look then said, “Somewhere in that pile,” he nodded at the stack of photographs on the coffee table, “there’s a photo of you and me and Howard Carter, taken just outside the tomb in 1923.”
She tried to imagine it, but her mind snagged on the memory of finding the Doctor at the dig site in Thebes in 1921 instead. “What was Egypt like, when we lived there?” she asked, running her fingertips over the engraved surface of the necklace.
“Hot,” he shrugged. “Though I seem to remember you complaining more about the weather in England when we came back in ‘25 than you ever complained about anything in Egypt. It was an exciting time to be there, an exciting time to be a field archaeologist. There was plenty of excavation work still to be done, but the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb had caught the public’s imagination, and there were more tourists than there’d been since before the war. You were far more swept up in it than I had expected, especially given the sorts of places I dragged you around to.”
She smiled in bemusement. “I read the journal entries from that time and she— I sounded happy. Even drew some of the little cottages we lived in.”
“‘Cottage’ is far too flattering a word,” he said, making a face. “Most were barely more than workmans’ huts, smaller than this flat, and a few didn’t even have indoor plumbing. And every time we moved into a new place, stepping into it for the first time, I’d think, ‘this is it, she’s definitely going to leave me now.’ But every time, every time, you would look at me with this sparkle in your eye and say—”
“‘Well, this will be an adventure,’” Clara said, quoting the words along with him.
The Doctor shot her a surprised look. “I didn’t think you would remember that.”
“I didn’t, not until right before you said it,” she replied. “But it’s like we’ve opened the door, now. It’s getting easier to remember little details like that.” She looked down at the necklace in her hand, running her fingers over it again. “Doctor,” she said slowly, keeping her gaze on the necklace, “we need to talk about that other memory. That nightmare, and the events that inspired it.”
He sighed loudly, and she looked up to find that he had closed his eyes, his hands gone still. “Why can’t you just leave it alone?”
“We can’t pretend it didn’t happen,” she said. “We can’t will it out of existence.”
“Why not?” he demanded, turning to look at her. “It’s the worst thing that ever happened to us, and you want to relive it? I can’t understand why!”
“I need to know what happened. It’s like it’s hovering at the edge of my consciousness, all undefined and foreboding. I have pieces of it but there’s still so much I don’t know.”
“I should have burned that damned box when I found it,” he said, scrubbing at the bracelet in his hands with more force than necessary. “I should have burned it years ago, as soon as I realised you were you.”
“You really think I would have been better off never knowing? That we were better off without this?” she asked, gesturing between them.
“I’m glad you remember me, but the last thing I ever wanted was for you to have to remember that night!” He tossed the rag down onto the coffee table and dropped the bracelet back into the jewelry box, his agitation evident in his movements.
Clara closed her hand around the silver pendant, grounding herself in the immediacy of its feathered edges biting into the skin of her palm. “I don’t want to remember it either, Doctor,” she said. “But if you tell me what happened, I won’t have to go digging for the memory. Please, I just— I have to know. Not everything, just the basic facts of what happened.”
“And what if telling you those facts opens the door to that memory, too?”
“Then I’ll be grateful I won’t have to sleep alone tonight,” she said, holding his gaze. “Or any night.”
The Doctor stood abruptly and paced away, bracing one arm against the bookshelf, his eyes downcast. “Why do you have to be so stubborn and headstrong?” he said in a low tone. “Why can’t you just let it be?”
“I know you’re trying to protect me—” Clara started, her voice even.
“Of course I’m trying to protect you!” he burst out, turning back to her. “I died trying to protect you, so you can see how it’s a bit of an important topic for me!”
“How would I know that?” she demanded, pushing to her feet as well. “If you won’t tell me what happened, how the hell am I supposed to know that?”
“You already know,” he said harshly. “You know everything important. But you have some morbid desire to revisit all the gory details that I frankly cannot understand.”
“I have to confront this,” she told him, sharp with honesty. “I’m not sure I ever did, before I died. I don’t want this unknown, half-seen thing looming over us. I want to be able to go into our future together with all of this firmly behind us.”
“Then just let it alone! Don’t go looking for trouble!”
“I didn’t go looking for it last night! That nightmare, that memory dredged itself up all on its own.”
“That’s just the house,” the Doctor said, shaking his head. “You’ve never slept well there.”
“Since I was a baby, you said. Last night you said you worried it was because I knew something about the house. Well alright then, here’s what I know: You died trying to protect me, so that means we’re talking about the twenty-third of November, 1927, yes?”
He turned his face away, seeming intent on not answering her.
“Someone broke into the house,” she went on anyway, “broke a window and came inside, the noise woke me up in the middle of the night.” She curled her hand tighter around the necklace, trying desperately to keep her mind in the current moment, keep it away from the memory of breaking glass. “And I woke you and asked you to go investigate. I heard your voice from downstairs, then a gunshot— ”
“Clara, stop,” he snapped, looking up at her. “I don’t see what good can possibly come from this.”
“I need to know. And if you won’t help me, I’ll piece it together on my own!”
“I am not going to indulge you in your self-destructive urges!”
“You said you would tell me! You said you would give me the basic outline of what happened that night. Why are you being so difficult about this?” she demanded.
“Because if you’re angry with me now you’re not thinking about what happened to you then!” the Doctor said, the words seeming to explode out of him.
She stared at him, flabbergasted. “What happened to me?” she repeated. “He shot you! I heard it! I saw your blood on the—” She stopped abruptly, the memory flashing through her mind in vivid colour, the chilling implications close on its heels.
“Clara—”
“I saw your blood on the floorboards,” she went on over his objection, her voice sounding far away. “I heard the gunshot and I came downstairs, and I saw... There was so much blood.”
“Don’t do this to yourself,” he insisted, “don’t think about what happened next. Not that memory.”
She shook her head. “Whatever it is you’re worried I remember, I don’t. There’s nothing after that. I came downstairs, terrified for you, I saw the blood — and then I woke up in hospital, and they told me you were dead. I’m missing that whole chunk of what happened in between.”
The Doctor was staring at her, his expression closed off and his gaze searching. “You always told me you didn’t remember it,” he said, his voice low. “But I was never certain if that was the truth. Or if you were just... trying to spare my feelings, I suppose. My guilt and my worry.”
“What did happen? Why don’t I remember? Please, Doctor,” she said softly. “I need to know.”
He sighed, and she could see the instant he relented, the shift in his expression and the way his shoulders dropped. “The man who broke in—” He cut himself off, shaking his head, then tried again. “He hit you,” he said, pushing out the words like each one took a monumental effort, “with the butt of the gun. He’d tried to shoot me a second time, but it had jammed, so he hit you with it instead. You were in and out of consciousness after that, for what came next.”
“I really don’t remember it,” she told him, searching her memory again and coming up completely blank. “Whatever happened next, I don’t remember it.”
He studied her face for a long moment. “Then that’s a small mercy,” he said quietly. “When they examined you in hospital, they said you had a concussion, along with all your other injuries, everything else that monster did to you. I’m sorry,” he added quietly, “I shouldn’t have doubted your word.”
Clara intentionally eased her grip on the necklace, letting the ache in her fingers ground her in the current moment, safe in the company of her ghost, home in her familiar flat, far away from that night in 1927. “But you remember it,” she said, not really a question. “You know what happened to me.”
Nodding, he turned away. “I saw it all,” he said softly, his back to her. “I was bleeding out on the floor of the home where we’d hoped to build our future together, but I fought to stay conscious, for you. I couldn’t just... leave you with him while he hurt you. I saw it, and if I can carry any part of that pain for you now, I will.”
She hesitated, then carefully approached him and touched his shoulder, grateful that he had substance beneath her fingers in the dim room. “You’ve carried it alone long enough, Doctor,” she said. He looked up at her, his expression anguished. “Let me be an equal partner with you in this. What happened next?”
“Clara,” he said, shaking his head, “if you don’t know, if you don’t remember, maybe we ought to keep it that way.”
The answer formed in her mind, even in the absence of first-hand memory, the pieces of the mystery fitting themselves together. The hints in the journal entries, the secret of Margot’s parentage that she’d asked the Doctor to keep, his insistence that she was better off never knowing what had happened to her that night. It all added up to only one possibility, one horrible truth. The realisation was jarring, grim and ghastly, and she found she couldn’t quite make herself think the single little word that would encapsulate what had happened to her.
“The man who broke in...” Clara said in a small voice. “He was Margot’s biological father, wasn’t he?” she said, avoiding that word and sparing the Doctor from having to say it, either. “That was the night she was conceived.”
“Yes,” he replied, his voice a harsh whisper.
“Oh,” she said on the breath that rushed out of her, dropping her gaze to the floor as she struggled with the enormity of that revelation. She had no memory of the man’s face, this stranger who had broken in and ruined everything. And perhaps that was a small mercy, too, that she had never had to look at her Gran — at Margot, her daughter — and see the resemblance to the man who had attacked her and killed her husband.
“Clara,” the Doctor said in a gentle, worried tone, drawing her attention back to him.
She looked up at him, blinking away her tears. “That’s what you didn’t want me to know,” she said. “That’s what you’ve been trying to protect me from.”
“I couldn’t protect you when it mattered,” he murmured. “I’ve spent the last eighty-seven years trying to make up for that.”
“Is that why you stayed, after you died? Because you felt guilty?”
“I stayed because I had to be sure you were alright!” he said, raising his hand to her face, his fingers cool against her skin. “Because I couldn’t stand to leave you.”
Clara stared at the Doctor with tears in her eyes, finally understanding the depth of his love for her, everything he had gone through to bring them to this moment.
“I don’t remember it well,” he went on, “my death or what came immediately after, but I know I could have moved on then. That that’s what I was supposed to do. But you needed me, so I stayed. I sat by your hospital bed, even though I didn’t yet know how to make myself visible to you, or even that I could. I just... I couldn’t bring myself to leave you.”
“I am so selfishly glad that you couldn’t,” she said, her voice breaking. “That we get this second chance.”
“My Clara,” he said, wiping a tear from her cheek with the pad of this thumb. “All I ever wanted was more time. We were supposed to get more time. It shouldn’t have ended like that.”
She smiled at him tremulously, and reached up to lay her hand over his. “We get more time, Doctor. This, right now, the rest of my life. We’ve stolen this time, and it is ours. We have our future back.”
--
Chapter 6: The Future
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seijorhi · 4 years ago
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asks :)
once again i am bad at answering things on time, so have a bunch of asks below the cut
logically speaking, if devil kuroo and fallen angel reader had a baby...
*BD chanting* Hellspawn! Hellspawn! Hellspawn! But no, that would be a big yikes 👀
the fall was SO GOOD!!!!! so in the story we are a fallen angel? and we had witchy friends hide us? also is kuroo jealous of witchy friends for being close with us as just friends or👀👀 also what happened to readers wings if kuroo wasn’t the one who took them?
Thank you, bby! So yes, it’s kinda vague in The Fall because i didn’t want to bog down the fic with backstory. But yeah essentially after being cast out from Heaven, Kuroo stole the reader, who later escaped. It ain’t easy to hide from the Devil, so she find a witch to help keep her hidden from him with the wards - flash forward a hundred or so years and Kuroo finally finds the witch and your other friends, tortures and kills them in his hunt for the reader. He would have killed them regardless for helping the reader, but jealousy is what drives him to take his time, to be cruel.
Also, the reader had her wings ripped off by the other angels after they find out she fell in love with the devil (even though she didn’t know that)
DEVIL KUROO HAS ME RUNNING LAPSHSISBSUS im curious, how did he meet the angel?
 DEVIL KUROO IS SOME GOOD FOOD!! I wanna know how he tricked us and then I want devil kuroo smooches
So I’m gonna answer these two together because they kinda go hand in hand. First of all, thank you, bbies! I’m glad y’all are as horny for him as I am! Basically, without going into the full backstory that I worked out in my head - Kuroo meets her on her first time on earth. I like to imagine that she was all soft and innocent and perfectly naive and caught his attention. He comes to her as ‘Kuroo’ and pretends that he was an angel cast out from Heaven (which isn’t technically a lie 👀) in order to manipulate her. At first it’s more of a game - he’s not as interested in her as he is in corrupting something so pretty and perfect. He wanted her to choose to fall for him, to take something from heaven and ruin it - before casting it aside and leaving it to suffer, but along the way he became a little too invested and caught feelings. Not healthy, good feelings, but feelings nonetheless.
Of course, it’s only a matter of time before the others notice you keep slipping away down to earth, and when they realise who it is you’re with (not nearly so easily fooled by the devil’s tricks) it doesn’t matter - they tear off your wings and cast her out, leaving Kuroo to come and sweep her right up.
The Fall was such a tease, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I totally pictured Kuroo in his JVA outfit when you described him, with volleyball shoes and all 😂 - @itadaklmasu
Lmao I am snorting at the image of Devil!Kuroo wearing volleyball shoes
lol i saw that ask about the person saying they don’t even watch bnha or haikyuu and i’d just to say, same. Idk how i came across your blog but even though i don’t know anything about the characters, your writing absolutely hooked me and i’m so invested in your blog
Sehfblvehjrwkl bby this is so sweet, thank you so much!! Tbh you probably don’t even need to watch the series to read my stuff - just trust me when I say that they’re hot lmao
Okay, first off, I legit check your page every day, and I’m totally in love with your writing. Second, I’ve been simping for Tsukki lately, and I think as a yandere, he would be so good at gaslighting. Like telling you that you aren’t good enough to mean anything to anyone and that he pities you enough to care about you and that he’s the only one that does. Idk how accurate that is, but I feel like he would just be super mean. Don’t forget to rest and take care of yourself!!
💕💕💕 ahh thank you sweetheart!!! Honestly Tsukki would be a really scary yandere to have because he’s cold and mean and super into degradation. Don’t get me wrong, that boy is obsessed with you, loves you - in his own little way - but you’d never know it from the way he treats you. But yeah, he’d manipulate the absolute shit out of you. 
Hi I just wanted to say that you are literally my go to for soulmate Aus. Honestly your pieces are some of the best writings and I adore them soooooo much. I love how they have a lot of depth and emotion behind them and how you incorporate how reluctant the reader is to even want a soulmate sometimes lol. This is my nth time rereading all of your soulmate fics and I swear they get better over time so I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to write them!
Bby, keep talking like that and i’m gonna melt!!! I do have a soft spot for my soulmate au’s because there is just something about that whole concept that just gets to me - especially when you throw jealousy, obsessiveness and a whole bunch of possessive vibes on top. It’s my happy place 😌
Not a request, but I just read Untouchable and I was wondering, how would Aizawa punish the reader now that he has her back?
I don’t think he’d be super into the physical punishments - though he might break a leg to keep her housebound and reliant on him. He’d take away all of her ‘freedoms’ - lock her in the basement with barely enough food and water to survive until she remembers how good she had it before. Of course, once he did let her out, he’d fuck her nice and rough - marking her up so she doesn’t forget who owns her, mind, body and fucking soul.
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likealightsw1tch · 4 years ago
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17 & 20 for the fic ask thing? i absolutely love your work :)
Awww thank you! I love that you love my work & always have such kind things to say about it.
17. Describe a fic that is still in the ‘ideas’ stage.
I do have a plot half-laid-out for another WIP but I’m gonna keep that one under lock & key for a little bit, bc I just need to focus on my CURRENT multi-chapter stories that desperately crave my attention.
Instead, I’ll list off some of the (many) partial drafts of one-shots that live in my Google Docs library that may one day be published:
- A high-school!Kevin piece that goes a little deeper into my headcanon that he was kind of a lonely teenager who pushed himself full force into his religion and kind of created a cycle of isolation. It also touches on the smallest hints of his being closeted. But he was VERY deep in there.
- One-shot (or possible incorporation into The Longest Night of Rain) of Kevin & Connor’s first night in their first NYC apartment. It would be maybe the fluffiest thing to ever come out of me, right before it turns to smut.
- Again, smut, where Connor comes home from a run and Kevin notices how those strength & conditioning classes for his theatre performance major are paying off in the best way :)
20. Do you have a favorite fanfic or author? If so, tag them/post a link and share the love! 
OH GOD YOU’RE REALLY DOING THIS TO ME HUH. I’m always afraid of leaving someone out because I inevitably will. But I’ll give you longtime favs along with the works of theirs that stand out to me most. (in no particular order)
Mirimea - I’ve talked before about how this author blows me away, but by far her best and most haunting work in my opinion is Bricks. I think her versions of the characters are very different from anything I’ve read in recent years, but she sells it so beautifully and I love everything she’s written. I am still holding onto the hope that she will resurface after 5 years and finish her work lmao
xoxoxo (@warrengabrielzuko) - Forever a stan of literally everything she writes. Literally all o fit. I hang on every word. She came into the fandom like a wrecking ball when I was craving some good dark content and blew my expectations out the water. And then continues to do so every time she posts something new. It’s really tough to pick just one story of hers to highlight as my favorite, because I really love them all and genuinely feels like her writing is tailor-made for my interests as a reader. But I’m going to go with Hello. If you haven’t read that... fuckin’ brace yourself. 
@elderkevinmckinley - Absolute queen of producing high quality content at such a high volume and always hitting it out of the park. Her writing is laced with such a tangible love & respect & understanding for the characters, it’s difficult not to fall in love with it. Once again, it’s so tough to choose a favorite, but I am really digging her new story The Way We Live Now. But you should give it all a read. 
lolamit (@sprinkleofharries) - This person is nearly singlehandedly responsible for selling me on the enemies-to-lovers trop. I don’t typically read them, and I didn’t typically read AUs either, but I defied both of these rules to read A Pizza My Heart but I’m so glad I did. It just feels so... full? Like everything was so well thought-out and her take on the characters was so great. Also the balance of humor and drama is impressive.
@e-sawyer - Look, we have a common interest of projecting all of our sadness onto Kevin Price and making him as miserable as possible in the process. I love that she enables me in this. I’ve said it before (and to her a million times) but the piece of hers that stands out to the most to me is Miraculous, which did accomplish the rare task of making me cry real life tears over a fanfic. 
@afterafternoons - Hers was some of the earliest work I read when I first joined the fandom and was in my absolute frenzy of consuming all the content that existed on the internet, but I remember even back then that her work stood out as some really clean, insightful, beautiful writing. I really have had a renewed appreciation for this since she started writing her newest piece What Did You Think When You Made Me This Way? I just love it so much.
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t100ficrecsblog · 4 years ago
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an interview with @queentheea  (she/her)
what are you working on right now? I’m currently keeping my DM’s etc open for fics for the Bellarke for BLM initiative which is an absolutely wonderful cause with a bunch of amazing writers on board! I’d encourage anyone with a little extra money who has been thinking about getting a prompt written by one of the amazing people in this fandom to submit to this cause!
what’s something you’d like to write one day? Man, I just put out a post on tumblr seeing if anyone would be interested in reading a World Traveller!Clarke and Local! Bellamy fic that I can’t stop thinking about, I’m hoping to write that this summer! It would definitely be the longest work that I’ve ever written so I’m still trying to find the energy to actually sit down and commit to it because I’d want to do the idea justice
what is the fanwork you’re most proud of?  Hmm, I’m just getting back into writing fic and I don’t think I can really be proud of something I wrote when I was a teenager, so I’d probably have to say I realized I need you here, as desperate as that sounds, which is a Bellarke modern AU ex’s fic that I wrote for Bellarke Bingo. The title comes from Jon Bellion’s song Woke the F*ck Up, which is amazing if you’ve never heard it. I’ve been thinking about extending that one for a while now since (spoiler) the ending was left so open, so if anyone wanted to request a part 2 for Bellarke for BLM I’d be more than willing hehe.
why did you first start writing fic?  It’s been so long now I can’t quite remember, but I probably started writing fic because the shows I was watching at the time ended/were cancelled and the endings were unsatisfactory for me. I’ve honestly deleted pretty much all of my early fics because I was 14 when I started writing them and they were embarrassingly bad.
what frustrates you most about fic writing?  Probably the feeling that everything has been done before. It’s honestly my biggest frustration with writing in general. I feel like I don’t have unique enough ideas, and everything has been done at this point. Unless I’m hit with a brilliant idea at random, I really rely on prompts to actually be able to write something in order to make sure I’m actually writing something people want to read, if that makes sense? 
what are your top five songs right now?  This is a really hard question because I LOVE music and I’m always listening to it and every song is my favourite song, but my faves right now are probably Cool by Dua Lipa, 3 AM by HAIM, Park Bench by Valley and Spinning by Mark Ronson and Ilsey (which I’ve been trying to tell everyone is a GREAT Bellarke song, so check it out).
what are your inspirations? RE: the above question, I love music so it’s definitely a huge influence when it comes to fic writing. I don’t necessarily put in a specific playlist but I’ll listen to whatever I’m loving in the moment and if there’s something in the lyrical content, etc. of the music I’m listening to at that moment in time I’ll definitely let it inspire my writing. I definitely want to push myself to incorporate more themes in the songs that “speak to me” so to say in my writing.
what first attracted you to Bellarke? I mean at first I saw them both on my tumblr dash in passing and the bisexual in me thought “that is a good looking pair. Must watch show”, but it wasn’t until a friend and I watched the show a while later that I actually was like huh. There’s something with these two. To be fair, like I’m sure most, I didn’t really like Bellamy at first because it was season one and he was a dick, but I grew to love their relationship as it developed through to mid-season 2 (which was airing when I first started watching the show) and was pretty much a goner after that. 
what attracts you now?  Man, I love everything about their dynamic now. The open trust, the ability to be two sides of the same coin despite the distance. I didn’t realize this was an unpopular opinion until recently but I actually loved season 6. Bellamy was the ONLY one to pick up on the fact that Clarke wasn’t Clarke, despite having known her just as long as the others, despite Madi having spent those 6 years with her. The idea of having a person that knows you on that deep of a level and actually cares enough to pay attention to the small details is so attractive to me and just *chef’s kiss.
Besides Bellarke, what character or pairing do you like best on t100?  I loved Linctavia (and just Lincoln in general, RIP), Memori, Marper. Anyone Miller has been shipped with. Murven (Raven is hands down the show’s most shippable character). I really liked her and Wick even though they had super short lived development because his actor ended up being a douche oops.
why did you decide to start writing for bellarkefic-for-blm?  Honestly, just because it’s such a great reason to write fic and I felt like I wasn’t doing enough to support the movement. People are so fake on social media these days. Everyone shares that post to their story and doesn’t actually follow through with actions that cause lasting impact and I really didn’t want BLM to be a passing trend and I wanted to do what I could to help behind the scenes without being a performative activist.
what’s your writing process like (esp for prompts, chopped!, etc)?My writing process is a little all over the place honestly. Sometimes I can bang something out in a couple of hours, sometimes it takes days to figure out where I want to take something. There’s a meme or something going around about writers having the beginning and the ending of their fics all planned out but the middle isn’t even a spec in the universe and that’s honestly so true for me. I know how I want to start something and I know where I want to take it but I never know what to put in the inbetween. I love prompts that are more specific because it helps me fill in that middle piece! 
what are some things you’d like to recommend? Mentioned this above, but definitely listen to Spinning by Mark Ronson and Ilsey! Fic wise, the first recommendation that comes to mind is Bury a Friend, Try to Wake Up by @talistheintrovert / theinvisibledisaster on AO3 because it’s one of my fave fics I’ve read in a while and the first one to come to mind hehe. Season 6 AU for all of you canon divergence fans.
The best place to find @queentheea is right here on Tumblr. You can also find her on AO3 here. Request a fic written by her via @bellarkefic-for-blm.
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giranswife · 5 years ago
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Heroine of My Dreams - Self Ship Weddings
Hello hello! Today is the day to celebrate the wedding between Violet and Nemuri. Below you’ll find info about the ceremony, plus a little about the reception, wedding party, maybe a few hcs mixed in! I’m super excited that it’s finally here, and I can’t believe that she’s going to be my wife. Help us celebrate this joyous occasion, and if you have bnha f/o’s you’re all invited!!
Venue: The idea was for us to have an intimate ceremony that was a little bit more on the private side, trying to keep it as lowkey as possible not to attract too much attention. But we knew that obvious there would be chances that we’d have curious eyes of the public, which we definitely welcomed when it came to the after celebration. This meant that we chose for a romantic spot in a botanical garden/conservatory for the ceremony. Decorated in beautiful flowers filled with our soft summer color scheme of peaches, turquoise, and white throughout.
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And for the after party, it would spill out into an outside area that was still the same theme and colors but a lot more of a beachy vibe! Especially since Sea Melody adores the beach and the water, Midnight really wanted to give her that feel as if they were there on the beach. (which they will be for their honeymoon of course). With curtains draped overhead, there would be plenty of room for seating and lots of oceanic decor and fairy lights scattered along with gorgeous flowers.
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Attire: Both Violet and Nemuri chose to wear white dresses, with their own styles incorporated through! The first one is mine and the second is hers!
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The ones that were deemed to be “wedding party” or more likely just important people in the ceremony wore peach colored accents or peach dresses if that’s what they chose to wear!
Wedding Party: There isn’t specifically a wedding party at all, rather than just us and our friends not really wanting to pick and choose! But I do have a list of a few people that are there and helped greatly in the planning and preperation and just being so supportive of us!! Sayeko ( @self-shipping-angel​ ), Haru ( @wispy-selfship-eden��� ), Aizawa, Toshi, Hizashi, and many more amazing platonic faves as well!
( And as far as invites go we kept it a majority of close friends and such. Nemuri wanted it to be only adults, but since Sea Melody is like class mom to a lot of the kids, she really insisted that they be invited. Just for the ceremony bit, and then the after party would be adults only! )
Bouquet: They’d both have similar style and color of bouquets, wanting to match as closely as possible but having different ways of standing out. Mine would have more turquoise flowers while hers would have more white and peaches.
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Cake: The cake would, of course, be beach themed just like most of the other decor. And our Sea Melody just freaking dies over it.
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Headcanons:
Before the ceremony, Nemuri was more than confident and excited to be married to the love of her life. Given that she had loads of time to think of this, she was just ready to be hitched. Though, her bride on the other hand was nervous and anxious. Just because she wanted things to be perfect and wanted the day to go well, and the several eyes on them did wonders for her emotions.
But the second that Violet stepped out and saw her lovely bride to be, it was like all of that stress melted away. Nothing else mattered but getting married to her and getting to call herself her wife. Her heart was glowing, and she was incredibly happy. They both were.
Nemuri isn’t much for words like Violet, but she still pieced together some vows to read. They were short and sweet ( and a little sultry) to get her point across. How lucky she was and how she never imagined standing here today to be married to such a wonderful woman, but it was all that she wanted. There was not a dry eye in that room that day.
The after party was... the funnest night that they would have (aside from their honeymoon of course!) and it was all made possible because of their friends. Violet felt incredibly blessed and grateful to have them all, making sure it was perfect and moved without a hitch. Even so much as to force a few pro heroes to stand watch to make sure that no press got in where they weren’t supposed to.
Nemuri pretty much couldn’t keep her hands off of Violet, keeping her arms around her and smooching her to her heart’s content. Which, of course, never bothered the woman all that much. Violet was red pretty much the entire night, but never wanted her to let go.
The speeches were the best part of the night, because there were lots of laughs and tears and fun stories. It was a night of reflecting, but also being grateful and letting go of the stress of the world for a while. Many of Violet’s friends had such kind words to say, while few only had very little. But none of that mattered, because it was more kindness than they could have ever expected.
Toshi’s was probably the best one, wishing them well from the bottom of his heart. Seeing as him and Violet were such good friends, this was to be expected. (in this au of course lol)
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dokuhebi · 5 years ago
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THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; Mun & Muse - Meme.
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fill out & repost ♥ This meme definitely favors canons more, but I hope OC’s still can make it somehow work with their own lore, and lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. Multi-Muses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm.
My muse is:   canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless /
Is your character popular in the fandom?  YES / NO / 50/50 (people either adore or hate them)
Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom?  YES / NO / 50 /50 ( again it is either adoring or hating)
Is your character considered strong in the fandom?  YES / NO
Are they underrated?  YES / NO
Were they relevant for the main story?  YES / NO.
Were they relevant for the main character?  YES / NO /
Are they widely known in their world?  YES / NO.
How’s their reputation?  GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL.
How strictly do you follow canon?  I take canon in to consideration and incorporate it mostly. If there was something sloppily handled by canon, I either veto it or try spin it in another direction to make more sense. There was some fantastic writing in Naruto/Boruto and there was some very lazy half-assed writing. I adhere to canon up until a point.
SELL YOUR MUSE! Aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutuals.  —  They are one of the most versatile and unique characters to ever grace the stage. There is nothing predictable about them other than their unpredictability. Through out the show, they have managed to remain this perfect ethereal paradox and enigma. Everything they do is a combination of being on both sides while also walking the line in the middle. You can not deem them merely ‘bad/evil’, you can not deem them merely ‘good/heroic’. You can not deny the way they are akin to an all knowing deity, but you can see the clear humanness in them too. Even the minor stuff, they will be wearing the most traditional kimono you have ever seen while tapping away at the most modern technologies the world hasn’t even invented yet. They can be the daintiest and most regal looking person, then shift in to the most fearsome monster. Let’s not even get started on their gender freedoms. They play all sides at their leisure and they do it well. They embrace every aspect of the world with this undying curiosity. They are so strictly ‘themself’ and untouched by any world/social standard, they just do not conform. Greatness and madness have never been harder to tell a part as it is with Orochimaru. They are complex in a manner that is so captivating, so very set on constructing pillars of individualism. And this is simply speaking on one aspect of their very intricate personality. It is not even touching on the feats they have made, as a shinobi, person, parent and scientist. Nor the unspoken story that is looked over, the abilities they possess, the fact that they have a hand in absolutely everything, and have formed part of nearly every group. Nor does it speak upon their ambitions and just how interesting those were to begin with.
Now the OPPOSITE, list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?).  — The main and most obvious point of conflict is their crimes. Their freedoms can dabble in places that should come with clear lines and boundaries. So while it is a marvel to watch when their inquisitiveness and innocent decisions take form so wonderfully together, it is a horror show to see that inquisitiveness and maleficent combination rise up instead. A prime example being their human experimentation. They have committed countless atrocities that overstep the mere boundaries of shinobi warfare. While they may think killing in the name of science should be more excusable than killing in the pursuit of pointless war, they do manage to step on everyones toes by conducting their research on human beings. In the exact same fashion as the wars they fought in, they do not discriminate on who they kill/use by age either. That is highlighted the most by people who dislike them in the fandom, with ‘corrupting’ Sasuke as a close second. 
What inspired you to rp your muse?  —  Orochimaru themself was the only inspiration. Everything about their character was appealing to me. I enjoy someone as versatile as them, and someone who challenges the worlds views. They are not always correct, and they can sometimes be too extreme, but they are truly fascinating to me. Often raising questions that need to be raised and setting the stage of some very unique interactions. They are truly fun to play around with from psychology, to abilities to personality.
What keeps your inspiration going?  —  It’s still Oro being interesting to me, and a healthy combination of muns on here that bring out their characters with equal enthusiasm. Being able to meet wonderful people who delve in to their characters and bring out all the details from big to small really keeps the rp alive.
Some more personal questions for the mun.
Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.
Do you think you give your character justice?  YES / NO.
Do you frequently write headcanons? YES / NO.
Do you sometimes write drabbles?  YES / NO.
Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day?  YES / NO.
Are you confident in your portrayal?   YES / NO.
Are you confident in your writing?  YES / NO.
Are you a sensitive person?  YES / 50/50 /NO.
Do you accept criticism well about your portrayal?  — Yes, I do. But only from those I feel have an understanding of the character too, and for so long as it is a valid critique and not one based on the other person wanting Oro to be a certain way. I live for the discussions about my muse, positive or negative feedback is most welcome. I want to do better, I want to write better, I want to ensure what is in my head is being reflected on to the page. However in this fandom there is a trend where people forget portrayals are unique and that is what makes it enjoyable. I won’t take criticism to heart if I can tell the other person is only trying to ‘change’ how I play my muse to better suit the needs of their muse. That happens frequently sadly. But valid, insightful, wise corrections? I appreciate those a great deal. It is still someone taking the time to view my work and evaluate it. I am not sensitive to criticism. 
Do you like questions, which help you explore your character?  —  Oh yes please. I adore those questions. It really helps to explore my muse more and add to my headcanons and understanding of them. It is loved on this blog.
If someone disagrees to a headcanon of yours, do you want to know why?  —  Sure! I accept readily if someone does not agree with my headcanon. We all have different takes. For so long as my views are still respected, I am happy to hear out why someone else is not favoring mine. In fact, it can help to continue to grow my muse and develop them further. To adjust the headcanon perhaps should it have been presented in a way I did not intend.
If someone disagrees with your portrayal, how would you take it?  —  simply put, we should not follow one another. There is nothing upsetting about someone not fancying my take on a character. It would be futile to remain mutuals or interact, since I am not changing my portrayal for someone elses preference, but there would be no bad blood.
If someone really hates your character, how do you take it?  —  I just use the blacklist button liberally to be honest. Sadly, the hate Oro is often subject to is childish at best. It reflects no understanding, and drops them in the villain trash pile. I do not have much care for senseless hate of any character if I am honest. Mine or those who I do not rp.
Are you okay with people pointing out your grammatical errors?  — Be my guest haha, Language has never been my forte in general. So I assume there are so many mix ups. More so than just grammar, I have this horrible habit of mixing words and phrases. My brain just hates computing stuff sometimes.
Do you think you are easy going as a mun?   —  I do not know if I am easy going, I have some hard lines I will not tolerate people crossing. I try to be easy going, and to keep myself in check however. I prefer to keep conflict to a minimum, so I will speak my piece in the most diplomatic manner possible. That said, I will speak my piece. I have never been the best at keeping my mouth shut if I feel wronged, or if I feel something may be headed down an undesired road. I will say what I feel needs to be said. I will however, ensure I am being fair, rational and objective to the best of my ability with any topic. I just want to know that there is common and mutual respect. If there isn’t, I will politely excuse myself from that narrative. There isn’t a great deal that can ruffle my feathers, I am naturally quite relaxed. But I am inclined to voice my opinion as diplomatically as possible if I am caught up in something I feel is unjust. 
That’s about it, congrats for filling out!
Tagged by: @shikkotsunin​ (thank you!) Tagging: @peepingtoad​ , @shattered-by-sparks​ , @fcrgiivn​ , @likexaxdoll​ , @shatteredxlookingxglass​ , @thatsneakymedic​ , @super-kame-love​ , @dobujutsu​ , @chidorikiller​ and you!
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