#I’ve read fics with these premises and they’ve particularly stuck with me

[lynsstrange]

would anybody. be interested in a wolfstar reincarnation au where they constantly end up together across the entire timeline of existence with each other being the only thing they remember

or

a soulmate au where they can feel each other’s pain (following canon)

[constitutionalweasleymonarchy]

hi!! so glad i found your tumblr, i read your fics and loved them! especially "one of arthurs boys' im obsessed :) For some reason I really loved the scene with charlie and the girl!! just a question: do you know any writers like you? Im basically searching for more weasley family and especially percy stuff haha

Hi! I’m sorry it took me a while to reply -- it’s been a busy week. Thank you so much for your comments. I’m really happy to know you’ve been enjoying Must Be One of Arthur’s Boys -- it’s become very dear to me.

So, Weasley fic recs! Here are several, and if I know myself I know I’m inadvertently leaving out a lot of wonderful writers and fics, but I’ll do my best to recollect my favorites. (Percy recs at the end because I have a few specific ones.)

MOLLY/ARTHUR and NEXT GEN:

First of all, one of my OG inspirations and fave writers is the author startwearingpurple+ on AO3 (but she went by momotwins and WeasleyTwinMom on the old HPFF site). Many years ago she wrote a novel called The Unsinkable Molly Prewett+, which blossomed into a whole Molly/Arthur series+ that includes not only Molly/Arthur fics but also some wonderful stories fleshing out her OC’s from Unsinkable. Molly/Arthur is a woefully underdone ship, but to be honest it’s hard to compete with hers! I have basically accepted her Molly and Arthur as canon, and it made my own Arthur-centric fic that much more challenging because I had to make sure I wasn’t just co-opting her headcanons. Unsinkable is fabulously fluffy, and its sequel and other associated works are a bit more mature but also delightfully romantic. I swoon so hard for her Arthur, I love the depiction of 1960′s Hogwarts and magical Britain, and her OC’s are beautifully characterized as well.

Startwearingpurple also writes a bunch of next gen Weasleys as part of her Rose Weasley: Bounty Hunter series+, and I recommend those, as well! (Dad!Percy makes a few appearances in her Molly- and Lucy-centric fics.)

AND, bonus, since you like Arthur’s Boys, she has written a missing moment/ companion one-shot to my Ginny-centric chapter in that fic -- her one-shot is titled Permission+ and it’s lovely!

ALL WEASLEYS, including PERCY and RON:

I would be remiss if this list didn’t include FloreatCastellum @floreatcastellumposts, who has authored an impressive number of canon-compliant fics, many of which are Weasley-centric -- especially their Slice of Life One-Shots+, which concern the lives of canon characters, post-canon and into the next generation. But they also have a Missing Moments series+ set during canon events, and they really nail the characterization of (as far as I can tell) everybody. I haven’t read all of them, but I particularly enjoyed a couple of Ron-centric one-shots, Envy and I Have Seen Your Heart. They’ve got a couple of Percy-centric fics, as well. Their writing retains the style and charm of the source texts.

MOAR RONNIEKINS!

Cambangst+ is an exceptional writer, and his stuff isn’t necessarily Weasley-centric, but what I do want to comment on is his fantastic treatment of Ron. Specifically, I have been following his most recent novel After Destiny+, which is only published at HPFanficTalk. It’s about all the main characters -- most specifically the trio + Ginny -- moving forward in the immediate aftermath of Deathly Hallows. Let’s be real, canon Ron can be difficult to write, and so many people make him into a caricature of himself (even if they mean to portray him positively), but cambangst is not only fair to Ron by respecting his character and acknowledging his strengths -- he also recognizes and depicts Ron’s flaws and weaknesses, but not in an overblown way. He retains that sympathetic and relatable quality that always endeared Ron to me. Cambangst also writes a fantastic Bill.

WEASLEY TWINS:

1917farmgirl+ is a lover of the Weasley twins, and I’d recommend taking a look at any of her stuff, but especially The Ungrateful Dead+ and Passports Required+, which are wonderfully clever and original and will leave you with the best kind of Fred-related heartache.

PERCY (my love, my life, perfectly imperfect in every way):

As for Percy, I’ve come across a few specific works that I really love. Right now off the top of my head I can’t think of many other writers who have a large body of Percy-centric work, but I can definitely get you started with a few specific fic recs (I also must admit to you that I don’t read nearly as much fic as I would like, especially when I’m on a roll with writing, so I myself am always down to receive Percy fic recs!):

Percy Take the Wheel+ by KittySmith @corwynnasmith -- I hate to say that I am not nearly as far into reading this as I would like to be, but the chapters I have read, I’ve loved. It’s a sad premise, but a wonderful portrait of the Weasley kids and their dynamics, featuring a three-dimensional Percy solidly based in his canon characterization. The love and respect the author has for Percy really come through in this.

Scorose+ has written a few Percy/Audrey fics, and I especially adored An Old English Tradition+, which features a lovably dorky Percy stuck under some mistletoe.

Reflector+ by Calebski -- Okay, I’m a Ron/Hermione shipper deep in my soul, and this is a Percy/Hermione, but damned if it isn’t a gorgeous romance (more gentle, quiet romances, please!) and a thoughtful, compelling characterization of Percy in love and finding his way in life.

Sinnersandsapphics has a series featuring (among other characters) bi and poly Percy, called the Polyverse+ on AO3, except over at HPFanficTalk she has posted additional Percy-centric fics and renamed it Percycule+. Her fics are thoughtful and funny, and her Percy is delightful and shipped with both Oliver and Audrey. He features in What Landon and Peters Missed, Odd Weasley Out (on hiatus but hopefully she’ll update soon!), and The Healing of Alicia Spinnet.

I’ll reblog and add more recs if any others come to me! Thank you for giving me this opportunity to shout about wonderful writers and spread the Weasley love. <3

[the-nysh]

Bkdk fic recs? Not any particular genre/setting; just stories that you fell in love with.

Ohoo!! *___* Yes, do I have a handful of them! Time to go through mypersonal notes and share what I’ve saved!

First up are some of my fav prolificauthors (and their well-known, must-read fics), whose attention to detail, emotionaldepth, and characterizations I trust and therefore I would read anything they write of the pair:

 @atomicblonde/lalazee (Blood Moon), for writingsome of the most riveting emotional roller coasters, whose power with words anddialogue can both raze mountains and completely swoon you asunder with theirintensity. All her fics are worth reading (and there are plenty!) But I thinkthe one that particularly touched me most was Ugly Beautiful. :’)

@driftingglass (Before Midnight), forwriting some of the most immersive stories coiled with gripping and buildingtension, both plot wise and relationship wise. Also has one of the mostdescriptive and intense voices. And for writing a Deku with thedetermined/defiant agency he deserves.    

@soulestring/soulstring(Falling, I feel you), for some ofthe most emotionally raw & vulnerable scenes of feelings realization I’veseen. Through all the extensive denial, fear, reluctance, and passion towardslove. Chronic emotional constipation at its crippling worst and most beautifullyrewarding. Oho, I’ve reread these many times for just how strongly they stuckwith me. (Also features Kiri as a valuable mvp, oh thank goodness

@osakakitty (Make Every Moment Last,Like the Moon), mmm,for a finesse with sweeping/honest tenderness with enough resonance to make oneweep. I know many readers who have fallen victim to it. Not from sadness, butfrom just how thoroughly touching and profound her stories are. :’) What ablessing, indeed.  

@kanaevr/Kanae_vR(The Space Between), forwriting with an awareness and careful handling of both the characters and plotthat I could best describe as sincere.The detailed realism and slice of life aspects are both relatable and fun, which contribute towards a whole,well-rounded package that is thoroughly engaging to read.  

Next, aside from the many works available from the authors above, are some fav individual fics that I’mparticularly fond of:

In the Eye of the Storm by @cheshirebutton,THE iconic naga au. If there’s one fic in the fandom I’d consider my fav, I think it’d be this one. Which I’ve read 5+ times, and would definitely reread again. 8D Ilove it that much. Everything is handled with so much impressive quality and care;almost anything introduced has a purpose that will become relevant again later(which is why rereading is so fun). From the impeccable world building to thecharacterizations, the absolute stakes and peril involved that drives them towardsbelievable, life-altering decisions (the weightthey must consider between duty and personal feelings)…from the wedges thatkept them stubbornly apart, towards a curious magnetism and blooming/meaningfulsolidarity that brings them closer together even stronger. :’)) This is classicenemies to reluctant allies to lovers done beautifully, and has me convinced oftheir mutual feelings 1000%. Omg, they feel somuch. ;A; Whenever there’s a ch update I have to immediately dropeverything because it’s just thatgood, ahhh.

Hunting the Past by Justaperson1718, theassassin and blackmailed!bodyguard au! 8D Which happens to be my fav actionfic. It’s so smart and fast-paced, from all the convoluted planning and tensesteps involved to set things right, damn! We have these expertly specializedpros, extremely capable in their respective fields…but who are also fumblingdorks unaccustomed to sorting out their feelings and properly communicating(esp after all the conditioning/exp they’ve been through). It’s so fun to watch them executemissions and then transition to the domestic (yet still very muchliving on edge) down time with them learning to bond while taking care ofKouta. Unexpected surrogate action parents due to dire circumstances, aha!  

The Mummy by Spectra, my favadventure fic. A retelling of the classic movie, but done so well and with style. Probably some of the most genuine fun I’vehad reading fics in this fandom, ahaha what a riot. XD From the crazyshenanigans they get caught up in to the wholesome heh copious amount ofbonding from their time together. Truly, all scenes are extremely well paced andallotted for the type of ‘meat’ readers are in for. Kacchan is so comically (andseriously) overprotective of Deku, omg I love it. (Considering the endlesstypes of human & undead enemies after them, ahh!) Bonus, Kiri is such a goodaccompanying bro, what a delight.

Some Read It For The Articlesby low_commotion,for some of the nerdiest awkward dork bonding, from their shared seriousinterest in hero mags, to their more hands-on practical applications in the gymtogether (ayyy!! ;D)…all while everyone else in the class assumes it’s over‘something else’ and blows it out of proportion (oho~ but things ARE slowlyhappening!) It’s such a hilarious and witty slow burn scenario where they helpeach other improve, but I think what really shines are the faithfulcharacterizations. Deku has such a distinct rambling headspace, and while thepov is limited, the respectable merits inherent to Kacchan’s character stillshine…like ahh, that’s it; that’s why he’s a fav. A very fun and unique ficindeed!  

Just Like The Comics by brichibi,oh man!! The angst and feels truly got me in this ‘what-if’ scenario where Dekunever earned ofa, never went to U.A., and slowly became so jaded/bitter athaving to settle for something other than his dream, his growing envywitnessing Kacchan achieve his burned too much to bear. It’s such a fascinating and segmented Deku characterstudy where he has to discover what he really wants in life, with plenty ofmeta jabs at canon that had me going whoa!!! :O Plus Kacchan is as patient andaccommodating to Deku’s pace as he can be. :’) (Which…became another point ofcontention for Deku, to not hold him back from becoming the best…yet I love the counter, ‘I don’thave everything; I don’t have you.’ fuufjgkgh!!! ;A;)

And now even MORE fics that I like/enjoy, which have caught my attention, orthat I’m currently eagerly waiting for more updates:

warm hands and shipwreck on the red sea byflowercafeAHHHHH!!! Warm hands features my most fav headcanon: heated quirk musclemassages. (Omg it’s so tender/intimate; I’m so weak ;A;) While shipwreck featuresshark mer!Kacchan! 8D I love the realistic attention to detail/descriptions andpenchant for marine biology, ohh it has such an immersive Life of Pi feel. (Pluswelcome room for spice, oho.) Actually, all this author’s works are great withtheir extremely strong starts, definitely keeping watch!

under a hollow sun by umbrage, probablymy personal choice for the classic fantasy au most faithfully adapted (YESSfinally one that matches what I’d been searching for 8’D with a fun supportiveKiri too! *grovels at author’s feet*) Many classmates are incorporated in a fun way too! (Authoralso wrote another fic featuring funny accidental quirk misfire during certain…activitiesand dang, I wish more authors would make use of that too, ahaha! XD)  

springtime of youth by claimedbydaryl,I’m extremely fond of the last chapter, for how realistic and awkwardly naturalthe approach is, definitely left a lasting impression.  

Incandescent Snow by Chicory, acarefully crafted au and scenario that is gorgeous and tentative, with well-madeoc’s who contribute their unique pov’s of the boys’ growing relationship.  

Collision by stardustacademia(cosmiclarents), one of the most thorough and in-depth looks into Kacchan’spsyche and angst I’ve seen, but it’s unfortunately been deleted. :’(( Noting itanyway for remembrance’s sake.

Ambivalent by bakuboi ohdang this was such a unique approach to Kacchan’s pov and source of his anger I’veseen, and impressive writing insight for being anime-only too.

A Haze of Crystal by semiautomatichearts,ooh I really enjoyed the emotional depth in this one; the author has anotherhanahaki story I’m keeping an eye on as well.

how he should’ve known (andhow it turned out) by vannral, theirapproach to the classic fake dating trope caught my attention, but all theirworks are fun and worth checking out too! :D Def keeping an eye on their stuff.

The Devil Blues by iknewamantheir police detective au is so fun and well done; oho those sparks fly! They’vewritten more stuff with unique/interesting approaches I’ve enjoyed too.

Map of Scars by Celestialgunfireopera,ohh :’)) a very touching and vulnerable moment, through particular intimacy andacknowledgment of past actions previously left unsaid. That type of meaningful tendernessand skinship really hits the spot.  

By Design by EtherealBeing(also author of Bluebird), this one is such a unique idea/premise I have not seenbefore! :O Extremely fascinated to see where it’s going.

Izuku’s Home for Wayward Petsby glamour_weeb,wolfdog-hybrid rescue and rehab au, omg it’s so charming and wholesome. :’3  

Shadows and Gold by Sonday, thedesert prince/servant au, whoa!!  

Fireflies for the Moon byBestTankTopist (Keyade), the historical samurai au! Definitely got my eyes onit for more.  

Lunch on Tuesdays by @rironomind,and of course, I have to rec my buddy for her casual, slice of life take ofthese disaster dumbasses that is both fun and surprisingly bold (for tackling that topic in a way no one else has)with authentic Japanese flair (only rom could think of the meaningful gesture ofDeku sitting in seiza, like wow why have I not seen anyone else incorporatesuch behavior before, dang). Thanks so much, rom.

And there we go! Hopefully that’s a big enough handful of fics toappreciate, as I’ve read plenty more where these came from. :’D There are somany talented writers and amazing fics in the fandom worth all the support!  

[toloveawarlord]

The Little Fox (Chapter 1)

A/N: I was going to work on and post Solitary Confinement, but this happened...

You can find all my other works here!

              The moon lit my path as I slipped in and out of the rooms in this mansion. There weren’t any valuables in the bedrooms so far. It’s almost like someone doesn’t actually live here. There are plenty of guards around, so that isn’t true, but it feels like it. Being so small made it easy to keep in the shadows whenever they stomped by. Whoever’s mansion this was, they weren’t on the premises yet. This room, the study, had shelves lined with important looking books and scrolls.

              Too bad I can’t read to see if they’re valuable.

              Rifling through some drawers, however, proved to be very lucrative. Jewels, coins, and even an expensive looking dagger. I stuffed the jewels and coins into my satchel and held onto the dagger with both hands. The handle had a crest on it, one that I didn’t recognize. It hadn’t been that long since I came to this region.

              The door suddenly slammed open, and a tall man with brown hair and an eye patch was rubbing the back of his neck. “I am excited about the news that the Tiger of Kai and the Dragon of Echigo are alive, but the waiting is—” He stopped mid-sentence, noticing me. The vassal following him had nearly ran into him.

              Time to go!

              There was a small window that was easily accessed by climbing up a step on the shelf. It helped to have a small body and quick reaction time. Neither of them had the time to move before I was gone. The shouting of the guards and the running of their footsteps echoed through the hallways, giving away where they were. Avoiding them was easy. I had escaped into the forest in seconds.

              Running as quickly and quietly as I could, the only place to settle down for the night was a large cave near the river. Carefully slipping inside, my eyes scanned the dark area. Hopefully… there are no bears. I kept toward the entrance, just in case. Leaning against the damp rock, my eyes slid closed. Resting for a little bit will give me enough energy to make it to the market in the morning to sell these items.

              No bears attacked during the night. The sun peaking over the horizon was what woke me up. It stung my eyes with how bright it was. Rubbing them with the sides of my index fingers, a long yawn escaped. It’s been a while since I’ve had a place to sleep in that wasn’t in a cave or on the forest floor. After I move on from this place, it should be alright for me to find an inn to stay in. No one will recognize me if I head east.

              My stomach growled loudly. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll feed you soon,” I muttered. Climbing to my feet, I checked for any unwanted strangers lurking around before making my way into the town. Sticking to the small street alleys, I went straight to the person that had bought my items a few days ago.

              “Back already? And where did you acquire these things this time, hmm?” The store owner asked, examining the items as I gave them to him.

              Glancing around anxiously, I frowned. “I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t ask any questions,” I replied. Just hurry up and give me my coins.

              He laughed, nodding his head as he counted out some coins.

              I stared at the pile. “This is less than last time, and I brought a lot more things.” He’s cheating me out of money! Doesn’t he know how hard I worked last night to get them?

“You’re clearly stealing these items, little lady. You should be grateful that I don’t call over a guard to arrest you,” he replied, sliding the small pile towards me. He leaned over the countertop. “Either accept this or go back to whatever little hole you crawled out of with nothing.”

Asshole.

Swiping the coins into my little satchel, I stuck my tongue out at him. “Cranky old man,” I said, turning on my heel to leave. Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw that he had left the dagger on the counter. His attention had been drawn to an actual customer. A little revenge wouldn’t hurt anyone. Tiptoeing back over, I swiped it off the counter, and then bolted back towards the outskirts of town.

His shouting was drowned out by distance and the crowded street chatter. A victorious laugh escaped my lips as I kept moving away though all the people. The little bit of money that he had given me for the goods bought me some red bean buns and a bowl of rice. Tucking my prized dessert into a cloth in my satchel, I returned to the safety of the woods.

The stream filled my canteen easily. I fell back into the grass, savoring the taste of the bun after devouring the rice. “It’s still warm,” I hummed happily. Stealing things to sell had been scarce as of late, so swiping food from vendors had been my only option. By the time I got away, all the food would be lukewarm at best. The sun soaked into my skin, making me one happy girl.

“Found you, little thief,” a familiar voice came from behind me.

I titled my head back to see who it was. Though the man was upside down in my view, who could mistake that eye patch? It hasn’t even been a day yet! How did he find me? Scrambling to my feet, I watched him lean casually against the tree. My satchel was right by my feet, and though I prefer not to get wet, my best escape route is to cross over the stream and lose him in the forest.

He smiled at me, folding his arms. “There’s no where you can run that I can’t find you. You had quite a few witnesses in the town, and some tell me that they’ve seen you in other towns as well. A traveling thief, that’s rare.”

“I’ve already sold all the jewels,” I said, debating whether or not to run now. One wrong move and I will be caught. He might even kill me! I might be a worthless street kid but dying was not on my list of things to do anytime soon.

“Return that dagger in your bag and I’ll forget about the rest. The jewels and trinkets are worthless to me, but that,” he pointed to the dagger that stuck up out of the bag. “That is a family heirloom. I’d very much appreciate it if you gave it back.”

Who is this guy? I took a bite of my red bean bun and glared at him. He just wants me to give it back? Like that’ll happen. An idea struck me as I swallowed. A sly grin grew on my lips and I said, “Okay, what are you going to give me in exchange for it?”

He tilted his head a little, like a predator intrigued by its prey. “Ever the negotiator, aren’t you? How about I let you live if you do.” For the first time since he arrived, he’d finally moved to threatening me.

“Lame,” I replied, sticking my tongue out at him. “I could sell this for a lot, in the east.”

The man was a little shocked at my words, but he still stayed leaned against the tree. A taunt, in a way, to show me that he felt in control of this situation. “Alright, what is it that you want?” he asked, pushing off the tree with his shoulder.

Hmm? What should I ask for? This is an opportunity, so I shouldn’t waste it! Money? No, too simple. Surviving in this world would only become much tougher the more known I became from stealing. “Your house.”

He faltered mid-step, clearly not expecting that answer. “A house for a dagger?”

I laughed and nodded my head. “You’re the one who said it was a priceless family heirloom. In exchange for the dagger, and me not stealing anything else in the future, I want a promise that I can come and go from the place for as long as I want, with free meals.” This would be perfect. I could stock up on coins while not having to pay for a place to live.

“You want a home, then?” He asked, softer than before. The pity evident in his voice. All grown ups are the same.

“Ew, no. I want a free inn and free meals for a while. That’s it,” I answered with a shrug of my shoulders. No one actually cares for us. We’re a nuisance that most would kill if they had the opportunity. They pity us for our situation, but never act to change it. That would be too much for them to handle.

The man smiled. “What’s your name, lad?”

Lad? Oh! He thinks I’m a boy. That’s usually the case, as my hair had been chopped off by the last shop owner that caught me. My attire was some black slacks and a blue loose top. My features weren’t particularly girly, either. Only a moment passed. I’m not going to tell him. “I don’t have one. But the other kids call me Kitsune.”

“Kitsune? Like the fox? That’s very befitting of you,” He mused, laughing at the thought of it. He looked me over once again and then extended his hand. “How about Kitsu for short? My name is Masamune Date, and I’ll agree to your price.”

Sliding the dagger from the sheath, I put the sheath in his hand. “You can have the rest after I have a contract stating those things,” I said, hugging the metal against my chest. Adults can’t be trusted. But… a written agreement would be hard to refute.

Masamune couldn’t contain his laughter this time. “You’re an amusing lad. We can return to the manor now and write out exactly what you want, okay?”

I grinned, excited that things had turned out this way. Slinging the satchel over my shoulder, I struggled to keep up with his long stride. It almost felt unreal to me. Who knew stealing from this man would result in me having a secure place to live for a while? I basked in my victory the entire way back to the manor. That is, until I’d signed something without realizing the extent of what it was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, that... happened. I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of this new ikesen adventure!

Fic requests are still open! :D

[kassandra-lorelei]

I know you're on holiday (so, whenever you get back and can get to it), but wondered if you could write a N/CC fic where they get married by accident? Like, maybe after spending the night hanging out together on one of the sheffield family vacations or something. Whatever you decide. Ha ha Just thought it sounded like it could be hysterical and don't remember reading one like it before. Have you? Thanks! Love your stories!

Hey there, Anon! I apologise that this took so long. I have actually written another story like this before (I adore the premise), that’s probably been lost somewhere in my tags, but I felt like writing another one in a similar vein, so here we are. :-) Enjoy!

@missbabcocks1 @holomoriarty

“God, what does a woman have to do to get a drink aroundhere?!”

“You mean you’ve run out of your usual methods?”

She should’ve known it’d be him she was carping off aboutthe lack of a bartender to – the biggest carp of them all. But in the dim lightof the place C.C. hadn’t noticed who she was sitting next to, and quite franklyshe hadn’t cared. Why Nanny Fine had insisted on a long weekend break in Vegasshe’d never know, and why Maxwell had agreed was an even bigger mystery – thekids were too young for anything in the city, so they were practically confinedto the hotel room at night, and somehow that only increased their capacity tobe annoying during the day.

Luckily the whole family going meant that Niles had had togo along as well, so she’d been able to get that one over on him. That was,until he’d reminded her that it was his job to be there, and she’d come alongof her own free will.

Remembering that little titbit of information only made herwant a drink more, which it seemed she was, ironically, about to get from thebutler, as he waved his hand and immediately caught the attention of thebartender.

But, whatever; it was strong, and it came in a glass. Andshe had time to get her own back as the barman poured it.

“At least my methods are legitimate,” she countered. “Idon’t go filling up from Maxwell’s liquor cabinet when I think no one’slooking.”

Niles’ eyebrows raised as he picked up his drink to take asip, “No need – we could wring you out and fill up all the bottles.”

C.C. had been frowning deeper in preparation to retort thathe knew something about filling up the bottles (with water), when the butlersuddenly spoke again.

“Truth be told, after this week so far, I can understandyour need for a little release.”

It caught her off-guard – both the sudden change fromzingers when he could’ve had her on the ropes, and the claim that he understoodhow she was feeling.

Well, maybe not that last one entirely. She at least had herown home to go to, he had to be around the Sheffields all the time. They wereprobably getting on his last nerve as well.

And for some reason, that made C.C. want to share more.

“That’s putting it mildly,” she told him, getting irritablejust thinking about it. “If I have to hear one more time about how the boytried to sneak into the casino with a fake ID, I think I might drown myself inthe pool.”

Niles joined in, “Or about how Mr Sheffield is bored ofhaving to sit around the pool all the time because there’s “nothing going on”during the day.”

The producer groaned and nodded in agreement.

“Unless you want to gamble,” Niles then added bitterly,before taking another sip of his drink.

C.C. could tell what that tone meant. She’d heard it before,when they’d been in Atlanta that time.

Of course, she wasn’t going to make the same mistake she hadthe last time.

She took a gulp of her drink, “They took your wallet again,didn’t they?”

The butler turned a low scowl towards the bar, “They’ve beengiving me an allowance for drinks and the buffet.”

It was funny, but something about that made it hard for C.C.to want to laugh at him. She eventually managed a half-assed one, but it onlyhelped to fuel his next insult when he accused her of getting soft.

Then they were back in familiar territory, and theyrefreshed their drinks to keep on talking and laughing (together and at eachother) well into the evening.

That was, until Niles downed the rest of one last drink, andtossed the last note he had down onto the bar.

“Well, that’s all my money spent for one evening,” hedeclared, slipping out of his seat. “I think I should probably go up.Goodnight, Miss Babcock.”

He turned away, and something struck C.C.. She knew whyshe’d found it hard to laugh at Niles just then – whether it was the alcohol,or the heat, or something else entirely, she didn’t know.

But she felt sorry for him. And they’d been having such agood time without the Sheffields, she didn’t want to call it a night just yet. Theyalways ended up having fun when they were out like this, and just because hedidn’t have money didn’t mean he had to go.

She slipped off her stool after him, “Niles, wait.”

Luckily, the butler turned around. He seemed to wonder whatshe could possibly be wanting to say to him.

C.C. undid her purse, and took out her credit card to showhim with a smile.

“Next ones are on me.”

………………………………………………………

“Oh, God…”

Between the blinding headache, the overall sense of weightedfuzziness going on all over her body, and a dryness in her mouth that could putDeath Valley to shame, C.C. thought that hangovers could kiss her ass.

Shifting a little in the bed but without opening her eyes,she tried to reach up and wipe at her face. But she found it…difficult. Therewas a warm, heavy something pinning it down. And she couldn’t move it.

It felt…like another arm?

She opened her eyes, and even without being able to seeherself, she knew that all the colour had drained from her face.

The other arm (as indeed it was) belonged to Niles, and itwas…holding her naked body against his naked body! Her leg was snugly securedover his hip, and…well, there was certainly now an explanation for why she feltso strangely warm down there…

It was all coming back to her.

The smatterings of laughter echoed down the corridor as theymade their way towards her room – hers was safer, it was further away from the family’sthan Niles’. And they couldn’t keep their hands off each other the whole way.

They barely made it through the door before her dress wasunzipped and pooled at her feet. She kicked it away somewhere and got straightback to business ripping open his shirt.

She’d already decided that night was going to be special,and it was going to be fun…

C.C. tried to swallow, “Oh, God…!”

Her words, as short and quiet as they were, were stillenough to rouse the butler. He shifted, as much as he was able to, and startedto wipe his own face.

“Hm?” he wiped his eyes, blinking them open. And that wasthen he saw C.C. staring back at him. “Oh, God.”

C.C. had a feeling that those words had been said a lot overthe course of the last eight or so hours.

But she didn’t stop to think about it for too long, beforethey both simultaneously sprang apart and flew out of opposite sides of the bed,each trying to grab a sheet to cover themselves.

“We slept together?!” C.C. scrambled to pull her bedsheetaround herself.

Niles had nearly given up trying to cover himself with hisown grabbed sheet – he was busy staring at his hand.

“I’ve got news for you,” he eventually said, apparently inshock. “I think we did a bit more than just that.”

Shakily, he lifted his left hand to show her.

A gold band encircled his ring finger, and C.C. felt herheart leap into her mouth.

They…they couldn’t have gotten…

But it had to be true. When she looked down at her own lefthand, an identical ring glittered in the light coming through the window.

The producer nearly dropped her sheet, “M-Married?!”

Niles could only stare at his ring, “It would appear so…”

It was so. The longer C.C. looked at her own ring, the moreit all came back…

The chapel was small, and ridiculously tacky. But to them,it felt just perfect. Just the two of them, finally about to get hitched afterhaving convinced the registrar that they were sober enough to know what theywere doing.

They might have put on a little bit of a show during theceremony – all beaming smiles and giggles, cuddles and holding hands.

It had clearly been enough, and had probably made theregistrar want to get them the hell out of there as soon as possible…

Niles certainly was a great actor when it came to feelings. C.C.felt that she was better at it when she was sober.

She’d been thinking about him far too much in that light inthe past few years. Her fearing for his life after his heart attack, and therelief at him waking up. Attending his friend’s wedding together, and dancingthe night away as they talked smack about the other guests. Even the kiss inthe Sheffields’ living room, which had sent her back home with a vague smirk onher lips and a more than pleasant shiver creeping up and down her spine.

Her resolve was weakening, and she couldn’t let it. She wasa Babcock, for crying out loud! Her family had never mixed with servants!

Especially not servants who had always been their enemy, andhad hated them for the past twenty years that they’d known each other.

Not that part of her particularly blamed him, though. Sheknew how she was – a moody, selfish, stuck-up rich girl who didn’t know how toappreciate a good thing when she saw it. Of course, that didn’t mean she alwaysdeserved the things that he did, but the self-deprecating side to herpersonality could see where he was coming from.

Of course, to preserve her dignity and retain her pride, shehad to get angry about it.

“I can’t believe this!” she started to snatch her clothes upfrom the floor, hastily trying to slip them back onto whichever body partthey’d been slipped off. “As soon as we get back to New York, we’re going to mylawyer and we’re getting this thing annulled.”

Niles, who had been grabbing his things as well, stopped andlooked at her.

“As…soon as we go back?”

He’d looked so happy at the wedding. His eyes had shone, andthat lopsided grin had never once left his face as she’d stumbled and giggled herway through the pre-set vows the chapel had let them pick out just before.

It was a very different picture now. When he knew what hewas doing, the resentment was back.

“Well, yeah!” she told him, knowing it was the better option.“We can’t stay married!”

There was a deathly silence, and the butler glowered.

“I see,” he said sharply, throwing on his shirt and roughlystraightening it out. He couldn’t button it up. “Of course we can’t. That wouldbe ridiculous.”

Why did he sound so angry? He of all people knew that thiswas the way things had to be! They might’ve thought they’d known what they weredoing (agreeing to get married because screw it, they were there and lookingfor fun, so why not, her brain oh-so helpfully reminded her), but it wasobvious they hadn’t!

“Jeez, what’s got your panties in a knot?” she asked. “Ithought you’d’ve been the first out of the two of us to suggest a get outclause!”

“And why the hell would you think that?!” Niles snapped.

That astounded C.C. to the point where she dropped theclothes she’d still been carrying.

“It’s me, Niles! C.C. Babcock, your archnemesis, remember?!”she gestured to herself. “You don’t want to be attached to that for the rest ofyour life!”

“Who says that I don’t?!”

What was he saying?!

C.C. could feel her pulse and breathing speeding up, but shekept them under control enough to continue the argument, “Now just what thehell is that supposed to mean?!”

Niles threw down his gathered clothes, and stepped towardsher, “It means that I love you, God damn it!”

He dropped his bedsheet in the process, and so did she. Butneither one of them noticed.

The producer stepped backwards, stunned, “Woah, I’m sorry –you what now?!”

Niles glared, “You heard me.”

C.C. let out one single, humourless laugh.

“Heard, but didn’t understand!” she cried.

“What’s there to understand about the phrase “I love you?””Niles shouted. “It can’t be put in any simpler terms than that!”

“Try, because I’m failing to see how you can claim to loveme!” C.C. folded her arms over her chest. “You haven’t acted like it, or even saida word about it, in the last two decades of us knowing each other!”

Niles marched towards her, a stormy look on his face.

“Would you haveaccepted it if I’d just opened up and told you, rather than played those pranksto get your attention?!” he asked. “Would you have even spoken to me if I hadn’tinsulted you first?! Would you have given me a chance if I hadn’t?! And behonest with yourself when you answer that last one.”

She was brutally honest with herself as she thought. Andwhat she found was so sobering, it cured the rest of the hangover she’d beendistracted from.

She would have laughed in his face if he’d told her. Shewouldn’t have spoken to him before, or after, and would’ve expected him to geton with his job, no matter what had been said. She wouldn’t have considered hisfeelings, or what he was like as a person…

But because of their pranks and insults, she’d had to payattention. And when she did…well, that had started off something ratherspecial, if she really thought about it. Far more special than anything she’dever tried to have with Maxwell. With Niles, it wasn’t all just about wit and fun,even though they had those by the bucketload. There was also a sense of quiet camaraderiewhen they weren’t arguing, and they shared more than a few interests.

And he was a good man. Talented, and polite (when he wantedto be), and he cared about people deeply.

She would’ve let go of all that, all of the good things about him, because she was rich, andhe wasn’t.

Struck by the thought, C.C. sank back down onto the bed.

“No. I wouldn’t have given you a chance,” she said, shakingher head sadly. A few tears were starting to mist up her eyes.

“So it’s just as I thought, then,” Niles grumbled irritably.“I’m a servant, and I’m not good enough for you.”

She wanted to yell at him that that was a lie, but she suddenly didn’thave the strength. So instead, when he tried to turn away from her (and possiblyleave the room entirely) she grabbed him by the wrist.

She still had enough energy to speak.

“All my life, my mother told me never to mix with servants. Shetold me all I had to do was find a rich man and bring him home, and then livemy life however it played out after that,” she started to explain. “And theworst part of all that is that I believed her! But…she was wrong. I was wrong. What’sthe point of going after money and power if you already have it? What’s thepoint of looking for someone your parents accept if they don’t make you happy?What’s the point of going out somewhere to look for someone who is wealthy,good looking, and has superficial charm when you already know a kind, witty,genuine man right where you are?”

She looked up at him, holding his gaze when he blinked downat her. Was he shocked? In awe? She didn’t know, but she had to finish what shewas saying, no matter how much pain it was causing in her chest.

“It’s not you who’s not good enough for me, Niles. I’m the onewho’s not good enough for you,” her lip began to wobble, and she started tocry. “I’m sorry I treated you how I did, and I know it’s all too late! But Iwas born a snob! I was raised a snob! And now…now, I’ll die a lonely snob!”

The very words broke her own heart, because she knew how truethey were. Who’d want an old, bad tempered witch like her?

She buried her face in her hands, imagining going throughthe rest of her life alone. Getting up to live only for her work (somewhereelse, there was no way she could work at the mansion after this!), going throughher day not letting her mind wander to what she couldn’t have, and coming home toan empty penthouse. No dinner waiting on the table, already prepared. Nofriendly conversation to while away the hours. Just a frozen microwavable meal,a television, and a bed that she’d later have to warm up by herself.

She was wallowing so deeply in her misery that she didn’t noticeNiles moving to kneel on the floor in front of her. The first she realised ofit was when she felt her hands being taken away from her eyes, and her (watery)sapphire ones met his bright blue pair.

“Not if I have anything to say on the matter,” he saidgently. “You know, it would take the both of us to sign those papers, Babs. AndI’m not planning on putting my name to anything that says you’re not goodenough for me, when I still believe exactly the opposite.”

That caused C.C.’s heart to lift, and she sniffed as sheblinked away some of the tears.

“You…you really mean that?” she asked hopefully.

She didn’t understand how she could still have a chanceafter all this, but Niles was starting to grin at her.

It was that special lopsided grin, too.

“For better or worse,” he told her, bringing a hand up totenderly cup her cheek. “And I’m sorry I insulted you for so long, and that I playedso many childish pranks on you.”

C.C. managed to choke out a small laugh.

“Some of them were funny. Some of the time,” she told him,hesitating only a little before reaching her own hand up to take his. “Sorry Itried to get a divorce as soon as I found out we were married.”

Niles let out a chuckle at that.

“As long as it doesn’t happen again, I think I can forgive,”he told her, stroking her cheek with his thumb, which made C.C. relax into his palm.“Besides, I’d quite like to see about taking you out on our first proper date.”

A proper date. He’d probably do all the little things tomake it special, too – flowers, maybe candlelight and a romantic walk…

It was so much like something out of a storybook, C.C. couldalmost feel her eyes shining.

But for once, she didn’t care. This was the end of the story– the time when dragons and monsters had all been beaten or banished orwhatever, and the prince and the princess got married and lived happily everafter in their castle.

And who cared that her prince wasn’t rich? He made up for itin love, and companionship, and all the witty zingers that they could now teamup and use against other people.

She nodded, “I’d like that very much, Butler Boy.”

They both sat there for a moment, just relishing in thehappiness that was blooming between them, before they both ended up leaning in.

C.C. couldn’t currently remember their first kiss as husbandand wife, but the one they shared then had the same meaning. It was a promiseof love and togetherness, and it came with the added benefit of them both beingsober.

She knew they’d definitely have more like it in the future.

When the need for air eventually took over, she ran one handthrough his hair, ruffling it.

“Breakfast is probably being served by now,” she said. “Maybewe should go down?”

Smirking, her husband raised a cheeky eyebrow, “Hm. Well, ifyou lie back, I can-”

She shoved him playfully in the chest, “Niles!”

But after a moment of playful laughter shared between them, shedid end up lying back.

And before she could suggest that they renewed their hasty,accidental vows somewhere more tasteful, she was lost in a blissful haze.

[roksanalyasin]

Long personal rant about female agency in fiction below. Mostly venting.

This comment was left on my True Blood fanfic, and I wanted to take a moment to talk about it.  I’ll preface this by saying that this is not a call out for hate because, although the first line seems to be a complaint, it’s not, and I actually really appreciated this feedback.

Way back when I started writing fanfiction in 2008ish, I chose to write OCs.  I like them because it’s a fun challenge to create a character.  There are so many considerations that come into play: how do they fit in the world? Who are they? Why are they important? Who would they get along with? Who would they hate?  Now, I also write romances.  They’re fun, and (in my case) it’s nice to fantasise about formidable, attractive men doing wicked things.

As I’ve progressed in my fanfiction journey I’ve continued to write OCs, developing female protagonists and letting them loose in the fandom universe of my choosing.  The comment above and my recent experiences with popular fiction have made me realise that my motivation wasn’t just to write a badass lady character.  I'm tired of stories, romances, in particular, being centred on the male character even when a female character is supposed to be the protagonist.  In so many romances that I read by authors (outside of fanfiction) that I adore, they're so intent on making the romance work that the woman's personality/identity, desires, and even choices are neglected or forgotten entirely to suit the man's desire.  For the sake of this discussion, I’ll use ‘agency’ to describe this.

I’ll start with an example from a book I was reading today, the first book in a series called Bewitched and Bewildered.  Now, I can be very critical about what I read if only because I’m critical of my own work, and personally I didn’t find that it was a particularly well-written book but the premise was interesting enough, it was sent to me by a friend, and I was stuck in a boring seminar and needed something to do.  The thing that was most frustrating, though, was that the main female protagonist, Meryn, loses all of her agency within the first 1/4 of the book.  Here’s a brief outline of the events:

Meryn is kidnapped and detained by the main male, Aiden, because she is his mate. She is not given an explanation for this until after her kidnapping and detainment.

She has to resort to ambushing him with a toilet block to escape.

She doesn’t make it out, and he throws her in a car.  When she makes too much noise and kicks at him (I’ll note here that he’s an immortal shifter over 6 feet tall and she’s a tiny human), he puts her in the boot because he’s “not going far.”  His friend protests about this but doesn’t actually stop him.

Aiden drags her to his parent’s place, where rather than freaking out, they look at her apologetically and say that “he’s a good boy.” 

Oh, and then she kisses him because he takes his shirt off, and she apologises for hurting him.

Then there’s this line: “She felt conflicted. This man was a growly, horrible brute who had manhandled and kidnapped her. But he was also gorgeous, pouted adorably, and lit her body on fire. To call the police or not call the police: that was the question.”

His mum is too sweet for her to get him arrested, apparently. 

This is the first 10 percent of the book.  There’s hardly been time to form the personalities of each character, and already Meryn’s entire characterisation is being neglected in favour of meeting Aiden’s desires.  By 47% through, when they’ve spent two days together, she’s ‘in love’, and the Meryn that was introduced at the start of the book – fiery, independent, headstrong – has ceased to exist.

This happens in almost every book I read, even in books by my favourite authors.  I was incredibly disappointed the latest book in a series called Immortals After Dark.  I loved the concept of Lila, the female fey protagonist.  She was independent, headstrong, intelligent, witty, and inventive, but while she keeps many of those traits when it’s useful for the story, like in the previous example, they are slowly broken down.  

Here are some of the key events:

Lila is kidnapped and imprisoned for a ‘crime’ her previous incarnation committed.  You read that right: the male love interest, Abyssian, exacts vengeance on Lila because her previous incarnation, of which she has no memory, broke his heart.  

She is locked in a place in which she faces repeated injury.  At this stage she’s not immortal, so she is in danger of serious injury or death for most of this time.  

She is emotionally and physically manipulated and abused by Abyssian (demon overlord of the Hell plane), and this continues throughout the novel.  

She hates him and states this repeatedly.

Guess what happens by the halfway mark.  If you guessed ‘getting kinky’, and ‘falling in love’ you’d be right.  Don’t even get me started on the 10,000 year age gap.

I’m not guiltless in this. The original version of the fic that was commented on is almost 10 years old, and I’ve changed and grown a lot since I wrote it.  I have kept a lot of the main structure of the original fic, but I’ve been addressing a lot of the ideological problems I now have with it and I’m working to strengthen and, in some cases, restore the female protagonist's agency.  For example, the female protagonist, Sarah, is arguably held against her will for a brief time.  I say arguably because there is a mutual attraction between her and Eric, and after she’s seriously injured in an accident he’s concerned first and foremost for her health.  They also both know she has the ability to fight back should she choose to due to her own powers, and her anxiety about the situation stems mostly from low self-esteem and her desire to contact her brother, in case he is worried about her.  Even when Eric asks to drink from her, she reasons that it’s a fair request because he had to give her blood to revive her.  Her agency is tested but she does not allow it to be taken away, and she sets her own terms first which he must comply with.  When things get heated in the moment, and they both lose themselves to their attraction, she remains in control of the situation. 

Now, I’m skipping over a lot here because I could ramble for days on this, but I’ll jump ahead a little and get to the point.  Eric is a possessive, horny vampire by his own admittance, but even when Sarah and Eric begin to date – after a formal face to face apology and explanation by Eric in which he does not expect to be forgiven, and acknowledges his failings, rather than blaming her for his actions, as seen in both of the books I mentioned above – it is on her terms, at her pace, and she retains her agency in their developing relationship.  It is only her low self-esteem (which is steadily explored throughout the fic) that makes her initially regret some of her early actions with Eric, and even this is rooted deeply in her personality and she is the one to break this down and later look upon events in a different light, with the understanding that, had she been more comfortable in her own skin, she would have happily indulged in Eric’s offers without hesitation - they were attracted to each other, and she is an adult who is not afraid to admit that she has her own needs and desires sexually.  Thus, her perceptions about that rocky first encounter change over time in response to their developing attraction and friendship but, importantly, she doesn’t magically forget about Eric’s initial transgressions, and he doesn’t dismiss the significance of them either.  

As the comment writer stated: “It jumped out at me in the previous chapter when Eric tried to make plans to get together but Sarah said she already had plans with Sookie. It’s refreshing to see that she’s crazy about him but that she hasn't lost her identity in him. So often it's like the main character suddenly has no friends/family/job/hobbies and only the love interest and the other stuff gets thrown in only during the inevitable fight/cheating/drama etc.”  The chapter this refers to is very self-indulgent in a lot of ways, but a romance doesn't just form in a vacuum, and while it’s reasonable to argue with paranormal romances that there are different social and moral conventions that factor into the treatment and development of a romance even that argument has limitations: I know that even if I was immortal, if I had been kidnapped, thrown in a car boot, imprisoned for long periods, or emotionally or mentally abused by my partner in the ways that the books above represent their characters as being treated, we would not be in a relationship.  So, in regards to Sarah and Eric’s relationship, its important to me that I make it clear that 1) Eric regrets his actions and even when he is forgiven, the actions themselves are not and he acknowledges this, 2) Sarah retains her agency over the direction, pace, and existence of their relationship, and 3) Eric will personally terminate the relationship if he even suspects that he has failed to respect her boundaries.

I guess, to cut to the chase here because I’ve rambled a lot, the whole point of revamping this particular fic was to allow me to really delve into Sarah's character and to also explore some of my growing issues with recent representations of female characters in fiction and popular culture more broadly.  It’s so important to me that, to the best of my ability, I make substantial female protagonists, and sometimes that means a night with their bestie is just as important as date night with their man.  And I’m tired of authors telling me it’s romantic to be abused and kidnapped, that men should be automatically forgiven for actions made in the name of lust or love without any effort to repent, and that women should sacrifice their identity for the sake of ‘love’.