#I’ve started rereading so many fanfics

[sidestaab]

I can’t keep doing this ITS BEEN 5 YEARS

[darkestcorners]

Hi guys👋🏼….It’s been a while hasn’t it? ( like 2 years give or take heh)

I want to start off by saying that I am in fact alive and yes, I WILL be finishing Polarity. If anyone still cares about it I hope? 🤞🏼 fingers crossed. I know it’s been so long and I’m sure lots of you have lost interest and I completely understand trust me, I did end up committing the old carnal fanfic author sin of falling off the face of the earth after leaving y’all with a cliffhanger 🙂‍↔️

But I just want to let y’all know that an update is coming this week! As for why I’ve been gone, to keep it short and simple, I went through something really traumatizing and I really didn’t have the headspace for anything other than getting myself together and my job . I quite literally haven’t logged into this account since 2 years ago. I’m overwhelmed by the amount of messages you guys have sent me and I’m in awe of how many of you have expressed your love for my works. I have been reading through them all day and I’m still close to being finished heh, it reminded me of how much I’ve missed your messages. ❤️

I want to also apologize to all of those who were genuinely concerned about me, I hope you can understand I didn’t mean to leave you hanging like that. I appreciate all the sweet messages you have sent me, I will try to reply to as much as I can. So much has happened, I had to reread my own work because of how much of a blur my life had become and how even this site felt like a fever dream. But I am also working on a new fic, which was what pushed me to ultimately come back and pick up this hobby that I had not even thought I would be able to fully enjoy again. I have such great timing dont I? considering it’s coincidentally Jungkook’s birthday lol.

But anyways, I won’t bore you anymore. Thank you all so much for being here and enjoying my stories. Hopefully you can enjoy the upcoming update of Polarity ! :) ❤️❤️

[emloafs]

so you think the mohawk kid stares at his best friend's lips a lil too long, now what?

HAWKMETRI FIC REC! here's a complete list of my favorite Hawkmetri/Binary Boyfriend fanfics for those who need a crash course into this niche brain rot (which no one asked for). Read below!

silver on your tongue, copper on your lips by HearJessRoar | 2k words | CMON YOU ALREADY KNOW! There’s a reason this one of the highest ranked fics in their ao3 tag. It’s so them. Fighting turned makeout sesh? Spectacular give me fourteen of them right now. Couldn’t tell you how many times I've read this...

The Cobra Effect by slrandomperson | 6.9k words | THIS ONEEE everyone knows this one everyone loves this one. This fic invented the ‘what if Eli DIDN’T break dem’s arm’ trope imo. This fic walked so others could run. Still the best of its kind.

Spoilers for My Valentine by Asphodelia ( @asphodel-storm) | 11.9k words | If you are going to read any fic, READ THIS ONE! Takes place around s3, but Demetri does his best to not only snap Eli out of his red-Hawk evil phase but also woo him by reminding him (and spoiling) of all the nerd shit he likes. It is as good as it sounds. I go back to this one ALL the time.

I don’t care what you call me (as long as you call me) by Anonymous | 4.2k words | I’ll say this for multiple fics, but this is my favorite hawkmetri fic. It’s so fun and fluffy and SO THEM. basically eli is like call me whatever and demetri finds the perfect opportunity to do something very funny and also some wooing.

this is our get along shirt by Anonymous | 3.8k words | Listen maybe I just like fics where Demetri successfully turns Eli back to the light side simply by reminding him of the good in the things he used to hate about himself/his life. In this fic, circa s3, Demetri wears all of the old clothes Eli left at his house to get his attention. Eli gets PISSED. It is everything to me. 

One Of The Finer Things in Life by Ithinkwehaveanemergency | 4k words | Eli basically being like “oh no he’s hot” after seeing Demetri shirtless. Fluffy and also hot and so well written. As always, this author captures them perfectly. It’s funny and it’s cute and I love it.

And I Will Not Fall Hard This Time by Ithinkwehaveanemergency | 12.7k words | Another one from this author!! Essentially, Eli and Dem become friends with benefits in college and don’t think that will end poorly for them at all.  Note: If you don’t like NSFW, this one is not for you, but i personally love a little spice when it’s well done. Everything about this fic makes my heart hurt. Like they’re so gone for each other but they SUCK AT COMMUNICATING. I’ve read this one so many times too. So many kisses for this fic. Like it has a chokehold on me I can’t explain

Always Thinking I Could Love You More by Ithinkwehaveanemergency | 6.5 words | Listen if you know me you know I love a fic that centers around Hawk’s hair. Essentially Hawk dyes his hair and Demetri is STARING. Bestie Yasmine is here to meddle. (can you tell i really like this author?)

lavender haze by youngervolcano | 3.1k words | This one is light and FUNNY. Classic everyone thinks they’re dating but them. Very cute quick read.

andisol by samemoon ( @carmendiazbian) | 25k (incomplete) | Don’t get me started on this one!!! The way my heart HURT reading it!!! Takes canon and changes it a little, but essentially a deeper look at Eli after s3, slowly mending Demetri and Eli’s relationship, and a look at how they got where they are now. I need to reread this one again because it is just one of the most well-written hawkmetri fics I’ve come across. It’s not completed, but I assure you it is still worth the read. 

Who You Are Inside by Asphodelia ( @asphodel-storm) | 4.9k words | I just think this one is neat! ‘His Dark Materials’ AU with daemons - I know absolutely nothing about that world, yet I still really liked this! Follows canon but with animal companions that are actually your soul/their shape reflects your soul. Childhood Eli and Demetri and falling back together with a dash of a soulmate trope. So fun if you love a tad of a fantasy element!!

Second Chances by Asphodelia ( @asphodel-storm) | 31k words | Is this one realistic in the slightest? No! But I loved it! Essentially this is what would happen if Pre S1 Eli swapped bodies with S3 Eli. Has some really strong parts and the premise is so silly but endearing that I love coming back to it. Good characterization too! Again, a nod to anyone who loves a little fantasy (another Asphodelia fic!)

Or you could read one of my fics if you feel so inclined.

Be sure to check ratings and warnings! Only read what you like!

[sqrkyclean]

PLEASE tell us about the fnaf x oc fanfic, im so intrigued

This is a better story than actual fnaf. It handles some pretty heavy topics (accidental transphobia, cannibalism, body horror, gore, gradual sanity degradation, etc) so tread carefully. But I’ve never seen another piece of art capture my own fixation on codes and patterns quite as well as this story. Riley is an intensely relatable and lovable protagonist who I want to root for so so badly, and I’ve seen so many incredible interpretations of the metaphors in play here.

I joke abt it being x oc but it is a gen fic, with an incredibly written friendship between the two main characters at the forefront of the story. Literally nobody is doing it like this.

It also has some of the most skin crawling jaw droppingly effective horror I’ve ever read. Before this story, I wasn’t sure I could be affected by written horror at all, but I was proven so wrong by this story. The way the author writes Chica specifically makes me feel true dread beyond anything the original games could possibly invoke.

For a piece of fiction built on the foundation of a franchise that’s begun to rot, this story shows true, earnest love for its source material in a way that I’ve never seen in other works like it. You can *feel* the time the author has spent in this world, caring for its inhabitants when even the company that made the games couldn’t be bothered to do so much as tell the characters in their code that they can walk around furniture to keep the game from completely breaking.

Even if you don’t know anything about fnaf at all, I would recommend this story. You don’t need to know anything more than the bare bones basics of who the mascot characters in security breach are, and the story justifies itself the rest of the way from there. Please please read this fucking fic I have nobody to talk about it with and I reread it whenever my life starts going bad for comfort. It’s like an old friend to me.

[autumn0689]

Lester Papadopoulos is a comfort character to me. I’ve been a huge Percy Jackson fan for years now, and I’ve loved many characters (Grover, Nico, Leo, Percy, etc) and when I first read TOA I loved it, but after rereading it…

I fell in love with Lester, this caring and complex character who had many layers to him, that came off as selfish, and yet just so happened to be one of the most selfless characters in the book.

He’s caring, he’s a former god, he’s selfless, he pees himself regularly, he loves his children, he drowned his ex that one time, he is a god of many things, he has had many lovers. He has so many aspects to him that makes him so interesting.

He has a redemption arc as he realizes that he has made mistakes, but also realizes that he has been abused by Zeus, that it most likely influenced how he view things, and how he may have picked up toxic behaviors from Zeus. He learns to be more human, which is such a beautiful arc to see him go through.

He cares SO MUCH about others. He grieves for Jason and Crest and Heloise and so many other people. He tried to sacrifice himself many times and has many heroic qualities, but he is an unreliable narrator and sometimes what he says doesn’t reflect what he does.

His and Meg’s relationship is one of my favorite friendships in the books. It feels like it’s the two of them against the world at times. Meg cares so much for him while also calling him out on his bad actions (like when they were on Sutro Tower) and Lester cares so much for her as he realizes that she has been abused, that she needs help, and that he wants to help her separate from Nero’s influence, that he is so proud of her for standing up to Nero. They both form such a strong bond with each other and I just- I love them!

He is also absolutely hilarious. I find myself laughing as he is just- so snarky sometimes? He also sometimes know random things? (Like the Goddess of Sewers Cloacina) He is also funny when he has no knowledge on how human things work (like not knowing the price of Tater Tot’s)

He also gets anxious and freaks out and cries and he just feels. He gets happy and laughs and gets sad and laments. He gets flashbacks and clearly has trauma but doesn’t let that excuse his bad actions as he feels guilt for his actions. He can also be quite harsh on himself, blaming himself often and sometimes projecting that onto others (like him saying that Piper is blaming him for Crest’s death??) He is such an emotional character and I love him for that.

I love whenever he gets his godly strength as it starts with small things and then it gets to the point that he can create fire with his hands just by simply mentioning cauterizing a wound and breaking Nero’s fasces and having enough strength to drag Python into the Underworld and is strong enough to hold on just enough to save himself from falling into Tartarus. He is such a strong person who has an incredible pain tolerance.

There are many other things that I love about Lester Papadopoulos/Apollo. I think I can positively say that he is my favorite PJO character. I often reread TOA more than the other books. I love the story and how dark it can get while also exploring the themes of how abuse affects you.

I just- I love Meg and Apollo. I need for fanfic of them!! I need more content of them! Their friendship is so underrated, so when I see people make fanfic of them I get so happy!

I also love the community. The fan-artists and the fanfic makers and anyone who just writes long posts, like me, are so talented and is honestly the best fandom I’ve been in.

I hope the PJO show becomes popular so that more people can read these amazing series. I hope there will be a day that TOA gets adapted, and even if it doesn’t, I still have the audiobooks to go back to.

Thanks TOA fandom, for still going strong, even years after the books ended and new books have come out and are still making fanfic about them. It feels like the books have never ended, like the TOA books are still going on and are still making posts.

I’m so happy to be part of such a passionate fanbase.

Anyways if anyone is willing to offer any good fanfics then let me know!

[purplepixel]

Hi I saw in your pinned post that you've read over 1,000 TMNT fics. Do you have a few really good ones you would recommend?

(don't feel any pressure to respond if you don't want to)

Oh boy this is...quite an ask. Especially bc fanfic recs are so personal? What I think is a good fic will be vastly different from other people. I have a really high angst tolerance, so please double check tags with these. Also keep in mind that I mainly read donnie-centric fics.

Here are my personal favorites! My hand slipped and I have more than just a few to recommend...what can I say there are so many good fics.

CRACK BUT READS LIKE CANON

Back To School by Em_H | 10,965 [FINISHED]

Donnie enrolls in April’s school and tries to juggle his packed schedule. A shrek play is included. Do I need to say more?

☆ In Volvunt: a RotTMNT Fanfiction ☆ by kittylittersmoothie | 27,082 [FINISHED]

In which the rest of the bros continuously try and fail to rick roll donnie. A war is started, alliances are made, betrayals occur, this is a hilarious feel good fic. It’s very in line with the show tonal wise and the dialogue is very rise

Mikey's Jam-Packed, Guaranteed to Get Donnie's Memory Back, Friendship Tour! By Eyse | 92,972 [ON-GOING]

Donnie wakes up with no memory of anyone including himself. Que his brothers trying to find ways to get his memory back. Has some of the most wacky adventures and scenarios I’ve ever encountered in a rise fic. Feels like you’re reading the actual show

YOU WILL BE EMOTIONALLY DESTROYED

Quiet Your Mind by daedelweiss | 18,081 [FINISHED]

Fusion Au with the disaster twins set in the bad future timeline. I don’t cry. This one made me cry. Bittersweet ending.

Telepathy (of a Twin Variety) by vosian_nightmare | 24,423 [FINISHED] 

My personal favorite twin telepathy fic. Character study on the disaster twins.

Something Borrowed, Something Blue by Cass_Phoenix | 31,963 [FINISHED]

A Donnie from an alternate reality kidnaps Leo. Or is he bringing him home? This one will fuck with your mind. One of my bookmark notes is “Reality existentialism” 

Firefight by remrose | 94,480 [ON-GOING]

What if donnie gets trapped in the prison dimension with leo? I’m usually not a fan of changing plot points in the rise movie or suicidal leo, but this fic is the exception. It is VERY well written and has some of the best exchanges between the disaster twins. You WILL be scared for the characters and your heart WILL be crushed. Proud to say I was here for this fic since chapter 1 bc that NEVER happens with me

THE CROSSOVERS

Familiar Places, Foreign Faces by Petra4President | 36,434 [ON-GOING]

Rise/2012 Crossover Fic. The Rise Donnie & 2012 Raph fic I didn’t ask for (I read this before watching 2012) but didn’t realize I NEEDED. Donnie gets sent to the 2012 universe and must find a way home. 

A Tale of Spirits by unorthodoxx | 168,344 [ON-GOING]

Rise/Avatar the Last Airbender AU. This one is pretty popular so I won't say anything else except its really good.

I WOULD BOOK BIND THESE

All I have to say about these fics is that they’re REALLY good and BOOK WORTHY

Monsters Among Us by DanzinoraSwitch | 86,136 [FINISHED]

Violet Hues and Holy Blue by SibillaScribbles08 | 115,752 [FINISHED]

I May Be Invisible, but I Still Look Good by Dandy | 124,862 [FINISHED]

MY PERSONAL COMFORT FICS

Things will never be the same (but that's okay) by Petra4President | 14,493 [FINISHED]

Post movie aftermath fic that focuses on the changes created by the events of the movie. Idk what specifically has me rereading this occasionally, but its really well written and a little different than most aftermath fics I've read.

Corrupted Upgrade by Dandy | 25,898 [FINISHED]

Donnie Villain AU with a twist. He really gives off megamind vibes. DO NOT BE FOOLED. THERE’S A REASON EVERYONE IS OUT OF CHARACTER IN THE BEGINNING. I almost slept on this fic and it became one of my favorites. It’s the type of fic that I can read over and over and over.

Turning Purple by Lizardstuff | 48,123 [ON-GOING]

Donnie slowly gets more and more sick post rise movie and the rest of the characters must find out what’s wrong and find a cure. THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, MEDICAL NERDS. Author has done research and any inaccuracies have gone over this EMT’s head. I reread this one every chapter update and every time I’m haunted by “the blueberry french toast paragraph” No I will not explain further, go read it.

MY TOP FIC RECOMMENDATION

Spider's Web with Strings Attached by CurlySwirly | 125,661 [ON-GOING]

Donnie and Leo get kidnapped and are forced to fight in the battle nexus. This is my pick for the most well written fanfic and most in canon characterization with ALL the characters. You will HEAR the characters not just through the dialogue but also through the writing itself. As the reader, you will be beaten down and have your heart crushed mercilessly which makes the pay off the most rewarding, satisfying experience that I've personally ever felt with a fanfic. This fic lives in my head rent free and I think about it at least once a day. It is my all time favorite rise fic and I highly recommend it.

[k-s-morgan]

hello!! Just did a reread of ATLWETD and I’m loving the dynamic between Tom and Harry so far. It’s kinda hilarious that Harry makes an impulsive decision to elaborately reimagine his and Tom’s backstory as a move, and then Tom goes ahead and tries to kill him in the next chapter before Harry changes his mind. Like, of course, Tom’s going to see Harry as a threat and as always Harry is going to weasel his way out of a near death experience. I can’t wait to see where these two are going to go from here and how the plots going to unravel as Harry’s secrets start to unfold. Speaking of Harry’s imaginative backstory, I wanted to hear what you would think would happen if Harry and Tom really did grow up together. I’ve read some Fanfics with this premise (Holly & Yew being one of my favorites) and most writers come to the conclusion that the two would be extremely close and Harry would ultimately have a positive influence on Tom overall. Based upon how you characterize your Tom and Harry, what do you think would most likely happen? Do you think it would mirror the story Harry made up in ATLWETD with them being close, but Tom making too many bad moves that lead to him becoming Voldemort or would it be similar to how Tom is in WHGTB with him being more mellowed out in terms of violence and desires to become a power-hungry dictator, but still makes morally dubious decisions when it comes to his relationship with Harry ? can’t wait to hear your thoughts and excited for the next updates ☺️

Hi! Thank you so much for your ask <3 I'm glad you're enjoying this story and the dynamic between Tom and Harry - the next chapter is my favorite one exactly because every single scene has them interacting, and I love it.

I love fics where Tom and Harry grow up together, and I adore Holly & Yew! Personally, the way I envision a dynamic like this, there are two most possible scenarios. The first one is close to WHGTB and what you described. Tom and Harry influencing one another since the beginning, with Tom turning out more balanced, having priorities other than 100% power, and going the path of becoming a Minister or something similar. Harry, in turn, would be less naive and noble, but he'd keep his core characteristics.

On the other hand, things could have had a darker twist, too. Canon Harry is lovely, but if he grew up alongside psychopathic and adoring Tom, in a dreary place surrounded by people who feared him - who knows what kind of person he could have become. Would he still be kind and righteous? Maybe. After all, his life with the Dursleys wasn't a walk in the park, and he still turned out to be a good person. But having Tom's attention and direct influence early on could be a big factor, so I can see Harry growing up more twisted, darker, and crueller. He'd still be stubborn, he'd have some set ideals, but he'd be colder, more selfish, more independent, and more accepting of Tom's scarier tendencies.

Either way, I'm sure that in both scenarios, he and Tom would be inseparable. Maybe Tom would see Harry as a threat and competitor at first, but he'd soon become greedy for his company, and his certainty of his own uniqueness would expand to include Harry in it.

[piebingo]

Young Royals fanfic recommendations, again

Like because, love despite | chaptered | completed | by cali-chan (girls_are_weird) / @girls-are-weird

Simon let out a huff. "For our plan! Remember? To get Englund and August to do business together so we can get them to cut us some slack?"

Wille frowned, confused. "Wait, I thought that was a joke."

"It was," Simon conceded. But then he leaned closer, conspiratorially, and lowered his voice, making Wille's traitor heart start nearly beating its way out of his chest. "But... what if it wasn't?" he asked, pronouncing the words very slowly.

Wilhelm and Simon are a pair of overworked, underpaid assistants who team up to gain their supervisors' favor by bringing them together for a joint venture. It might be the best worst idea they've ever had.

Based on the movie Set It Up, which I haven’t seen, but damn. What a good and fun AU! I had a lot of joy reading it as a wip but I’m excited to do a binge reread soon. If you love romcoms, this is for you.

The umbrella | chaptered | completed | by gulliblelemon / @gulliblelemon

Simon’s head snapped up and he looked behind him.

“Oh my God,” Simon muttered.

Wilhelm strode towards him and shook his head slightly. He stopped when he was a few paces from him.

“Hi,” he said, an incredulous look still on his face.

Meeting the Crown Prince once was weird, twice had been just bizarre, but three times?

A University AU in which Simon and Wilhelm meet by accident when Simon is working in Bjärstad and Wilhelm is a student. They continue to bump into each other until they start to form a tentative friendship.

This was a fun one based on an interesting premise. I liked how the relationship developed, and I also really liked the friendships.

Fuck the monarchy | chaptered | completed | by itsme_hi_imtheproblem / @iwouldnevergetintofanfic

Simon and Wille get stuck with each other when they both intern at the riksdag.

Wille is intent to just get this dreaded thing over with. Simon can't believe he of all people has to work not only with an old conservative but with the literal prince.

Both are surprised by the inexplicable and inevitable pull they feel towards each other.

Hot and sweet and interesting. I loved to watch their relationship grow. Their banter was on point and it was a real treat to read.

Obviously | chaptered | completed | by grapehyasynth / @grapehyasynth

In their final year of secondary school, Simon and Wille find themselves entering a potent, secret relationship that threatens to upend both their lives. It can't last, but neither can they stop being a part of each other's lives. Over the next few years, even as everything around them changes, even as they hurt and lose each other, they keep finding themselves drawn together.

Normal People AU

Obviously. No but seriously. This story broke me and then repaired me. I’ve never read/watched the source material but this AU is insane.

The Prince And The Popstar - Fuck The Monarchy And Other Hits | chaptered | completed | by @pagegirlintraining and @the-amber-fox

International superstar and chaos gay Simon Eriksson is more than surprised to find none other than Prince Wilhelm of Sweden in the audience at one of his concerts. Especially after he’s slandered the monarchy more than once in his songs (Fuck the monarchy - the album) and online (in excessively long burn threads).

His next decision brings together what shouldn’t fit. Can they overcome the forces trying to push them apart? Can their young love surmount the rising pressure?

What can I say other than this was delightful and made me feel all of the emotions? There’s many things I can say, I’d the answer. It was fun and had cliffhangers and I loved every part of it. Even the pain.

Other recs: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

[flightfoot]

ML Fanfic recs for 2023: Under 2K Words

So I’ve been going through and adding particularly good fics I’ve read throughout the year. Only Complete fics, of course. Enjoy!

Markov wishes to get to know the Alliance AI better, and discovers an unusual chatroom as a result, one filled with some very surprised creatures who wish for him to convey messages to the class...

After Hawkmoth and his accomplice Chat Noir’s defeat, Marinette wants nothing to do with Adrien Agreste - until she watches him at school.

After Pollen’s capture, Chloe’s feeling some inexplicable sensations - hunger, pain, and fear without cause. For some reason her sister is as well.

Financial advisors have seen it all. Which includes planning for a billionaire supervillain.

The universe is homophobic. It is very bad at it.

All this and more below the break!

Trust by @bisexually-finger-guns

They thought that because they believed Lila’s lies, they would not be trustworthy to Ladybug anymore.

They thought wrong.

I just love how sweet and kind this is to Alya and Nino, and how understanding Marinette is here. Neither Marinette nor Adrien are going to blame their friends for falling victim to Lila’s lies. They just want to help their friends heal.

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The Markov Alliance by CrochetJellybean

Slight spoilers for season 5!

Markov was excited to use Max's class time to learn more about the AI system within the Alliance rings. In his exploration, he accidentally discovers a chat room of 14 non-humans connected to the Alliance network, so he decides to join it.

This was hilarious and fun and heartwarming. Markov accidentally stumbling across the kwamis and them hinting as best they could about what to do and who to tell about them (as best they could without spewing out bubbles) was great, along with the Miracuclass’s reaction to finding out about them. 

Also their groupchat name is “plagg is oblivious” due to Plagg not figuring out that Nooroo was in the same house as him all this time, which is just perfect XD. I’ve reread this fic several times, it’s so good and bite-sized!

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oh, look now, there you go with hope again by @ladyofthenoodle

After the defeat of Hawkmoth and his accomplice, Chat Noir, Marinette is ready to return to her normal life, but she can't escape Adrien Agreste, who was sentenced to a fate many consider worse than prison: public school. Specifically, her public school.

Still, that doesn't mean she has to interact with him, does it?

Except, if she doesn't... who will?

I love a good enemies au, and seeing the aftermath of an enemies au... that’s rare. She’s wary of Adrien, but with how he’s being bullied, and how he’s just taking it in the hopes of being accepted, she can’t help but reach out to him.

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SCP-136: The Cheese Gremlin by Distraught_by_your_Love

The SCP Foundation was transporting a shipment of assorted cheeses for reasons relating to the study of an SCP.

Upon arrival at the European Facility, it was discovered that all of the cheese had disappeared somewhere along the journey.

A replacement shipment was requisitioned, this time with added security measures including closed-circuit security feeds.

This was when the Foundation became aware of SCP-136: The Cheese Gremlin.

Plagg has fun threatening the Foundation for cheese, and Ladybug is exasperated. And I have fun reading about it!

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It Started With by imjustabirb

When a kwami and their holder become close enough, the holder starts to get the instincts of the animal their miraculous represents.

I adore fics where the holders get animal instincts! I especially liked the Alya and Zoe chapters, with Alya being comforted by still having animal instincts after Trixx was kidnapped, and Zoe getting Black Cat instincts because she bonded with Plagg even in just the few hours she was his Holder.

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She’s Cheating On You! by MsSkywalkerWeasleyParkerStark

Lila thinks she finally has it. The thing that's going to break up Adrienette once and for all and allow her to finally get Adrien for herself.

She just didn't count on the love square.

It’s the classic “people catch Adrien and Marinette making out as Marichat or Ladrien while they’re dating as Adrienette and/or Ladynoir”, and it’s as funny as ever XD. They actually decide to play it up a little before revealing that they’re fine with it.

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Can’t Sleep Either, Huh? by EmeraldButterfly

Chloe gets up late at night. Turns out she’s not the only one who’s worried about Pollen.

(AU where former Miraculous holders have an empathetic link with their kwamis)

This is a very interesting AU. Chloe and Zoe are both able to feel Pollen’s emotions and even things like her hunger, and end up taking solace in each other to try and cope. It’s just really sweet.

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Alya Cesaire Should Be Allowed To Swear by @stripesandblossoms

Akuma attacks don't stop just because Alya is no longer a Hero, but that's fine, because she can still help clear civilians from the danger zone. Even celebrity-friends like Adrien Agreste.

Hey guys this is an amazing one-shot, even with as short as it is. I love how it goes into Alya's thoughts and feelings about why she doesn't swear (because you can't do that on-air as a journalist and she has little sisters that she can't swear around anyway) and her coming up with ways to suppress her swears when she's tempted.

Then of course, she finds out a secret that makes all of that go out the window...

Seriously this is really funny, please read it!

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Gabriel Seeks Financial Planning Advice by @uptoolateart

As Gabriel accepts his imminent demise, he decides to make plans to protect Adrien's inheritance and livelihood. This is the letter his trusted financial adviser writes to him, summarising the key points of that meeting.

This is hilarious. The financial advisor just takes all of Gabriel’s statements and aspirations at face value and writes up a letter to help work out what to do, no matter how ludicrous it all sounds.

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Tapestry by @hamsteriffic

Luka’s tattoos mark each milestone in his life, but none is more important than the one prepared for him by Grandmaster Su Han for completing his training.

I love the description of the various tattoos Luka has, it helps to develop him as a character, show what matters to him, and the fic even includes artwork of Luka and all his tattoos!

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Back to Life (Back to Reality) by @2manyfandoms2count

Toxinelle and Griffe Noire return to their world after their night in the canon timeline.

I loved seeing these two talking a bit more amiably, especially with Toxinelle commenting on how silent Adrien is as a civilian. That doesn’t appear to be something he really wants to dwell on.

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Here’s Hopes For Moving Forward... by allthingsasian

Gabriel finds out his son is Claw Noir.

Set just after the Paris Special...

I loved seeing Gabriel’s perspective here, finding Claw Noir broken down, crying on his son’s bedroom floor, and realizing what that means. How badly Adrien must have been hurting, how he’d been lashing out and hurting everyone he could reach, including himself, with the self-cataclysm. 

But now, Adrien and Gabriel are ready to talk, with Adrien getting the hug he’s sorely needed for a long time.

---

Where We Go Now by @trishacollins

After going to the other world, after his life-changing meeting with his other self - Adrien comes back to his silent room, in his silent house.

Just because he changed doesn't mean the world has changed to keep up.

Where do you even start?

I love the “What Now?” energy of this work, and Adrien and Marinette talking through things after getting back to their world. They’ve changed, but the world hasn’t. I especially liked the attention paid to how silent Adrien was as a civilian, compared to how chatty he was as Claw Noir. That seemed purposeful.

---

oh, no, not again by @bittersweetresilience

Félix doesn't want to broach the subject, but he won't be able to after they leave.

So this is a glimpse into a time-travel fix-it story, with various wielders being sent back into their younger selves. But Felix doesn’t think he’ll be helpful, because well... his backstory. He would be unable to step out of line. It’s pretty angsty and I love Chat’s reaction to learning about how bad Felix had it.

[gunophilia]

Hello! Not a question, sorry… Just wanted to say that Exposure is quite literally the best fanfic I’ve ever read, so thank you for writing it! And I’m sooo excited for the continuation! (Although don’t feel pressured or anything! Take your time!)

Also you wrote in a reply earlier that some people don’t like this fic since it’s so heavily “Nathan-centric” but to me that was the BEST part. And that’s why I’d always recommend this fic because I think Nathan deserved to be much more fleshed out in the game but for obvious reasons he couldn’t have been… However in Exposure I love that you did what the devs couldn’t: give Nathan an ACTUAL story, actual feelings and actual persona—and perhaps a chance at redemption.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that even though this is a Grahamscott ff the reason it got me hooked years ago was because you did such a fantastic job at writing Nathan—and all of the other characters. I feel like he’s so hated in the fandom, which I’ll just never ever understand—did these people not play LiS through the end? Yes, Nathan did bad things, however everyone seems to forget that he was barely even in control of himself, his actions. I personally never disliked him: if LiS taught me anything it was that no one is what they seem to be. And Nathan is so damn misunderstood in the fandom by so many people, it frustrates me so much…

Anyway (God, why did I write so much, sorry…) I finished my reread of it today and I still only have praise for Exposure. :)

Thank you so much! (I don't mind receiving long asks btw, they're fun to read)

Nathan's treatment in the narrative and by the fandom was one of the main reasons why I started writing this in the first place. I fully hated Nathan in my first playthrough of Life is Strange, until the twist in the second to last episode.

I find his character super interesting and multi-dimensional. It was really upsetting how he was written off by the devs after the reveal of Jefferson as the twist villain.

I wish we had learned more about him in the game, but alas. That's what fanfic is for. If he had been more fleshed out I may not have written Exposure, so in a way, it's good that they didn't say much about him. It opens the door to many headcanons and fanworks.

I just wish the general fandom was more receptive to works that explore his mindset and personality. People tend to assume that if you enjoy a "problem" character, it means you agree with them or think they did nothing wrong. I just think they're neat.

People assume that he raped Kate and are quick to point that out. I personally don't think he did. The game wanted the player (and Max) to believe that, so I don't blame anyone for believing it. The twist near the end of the game opened the door for me (and others) to question that assumption.

Sorry this got long. Thank you for reading my fic and writing this ask.

[kittenintheden]

As someone who loves your writing, do you have advice for writing ff - especially when it comes to how to do Astarion’s character justice? I’ve tried several times to flesh out the ideas that have been swirling around in my mind ever since starting the game a year ago, but I always get overwhelmed and discouraged. I wish I were as talented as so many other writers in the fandom (like you!), but I feel just so stupid for struggling with it that I don’t even dare to write just for self-indulgence.

first of all I would like you to come here so I can give you a virtual hug. bring it in. ilu. you're doing amazing. nothing about this is stupid <3

creativity is not easy! it's frequently treated as something that people either have or don't, but that is not true. like any other skill, it requires commitment, practice, a willingness to study, and all that jazz. so the good news is: you can do this! the less-fun news is: it will take time and require some work.

it is absolutely normal for people who are just starting out with writing to feel discouraged or like they're not good enough. I STILL FEEL THAT WAY, and to be totally transparent, I'm a professional writer with publishing history and have won awards. like, objectively I am not bad at this. and yet, the doubts, they persist.

so here's my practical advice: start small. try a one-shot. if you have a particular scene that's really calling to you, focus on that. it's a lot easier to create a short work and then try to shape it into what you want then diving headfirst into longfic if you've never done longform writing before.

more practical advice: if you read something that really resonates with you, reread it and try to pinpoint what the author is doing that makes you feel that way. is it dialogue? action? setting? language? that's resonating with you for a reason. your brain is responding to it. explore that and try to figure out ways to incorporate it into your own writing. again, this is a practiced skill and it will take some time to get right!

and also: be self-indulgent! THAT IS OKAY! literally every fanfic I write is self-indulgent. I want to take these characters and put them in situations that I personally find funny or sexy or moving. and sometimes other people do to, because ultimately we are more alike than we are different. there is NOTHING wrong with making self-indulgent art. fuck, friend, I improved my drawing skills this year purely because I wanted to be able to draw my blorbos kissing.

I'll close out with some advice on doing characters justice, since you specifically asked. characterization is a skill like anything else. you're figuring out how to convey a person's unique outlook and personality without resorting to a laundry list of description.

those things can be portrayed in many ways. how they keep up their appearance. the language and phrasing they use while speaking. how their actions are informed by their history. whether they were raised poor or wealthy. how comfortable they are with intimacy. all the things they're not saying out loud but showing in other ways.

with Astarion, it came down to character study (which I'm skilled at after years of practice). who he is as a person, how his trauma informs his actions and dialogue, his theatricality as a defense mechanism, how forced vampirism and being severed from his bodily autonomy have affected how he views the world, the effects of longterm starvation on a person, who he was BEFORE all that, and who he becomes after he meets Tav/Durge.

I spent a LOT of time just putting on headphones and listening to Astarion dialogue compilations because Stephen Rooney and Neil Newbon put so much thought into how Astarion is written and acted, and those things convey so much about his character. you have to train yourself to pick up on those things, but once you can clock them, it's SO informative.

for example: when Astarion is being duplicitous, his posture, facial expressions, and even the register of his voice change. it's notably different from the way he acts spontaneously, which (in the beginning) is more fearful, reactionary, self-preserving, and, honestly, bratty.

when I say that I knew 1) he was a vampire and 2) he was using seduction as a ruse during my first playthrough, I'm not flexing that I'm smarter than people who didn't. the reason I recognized those things is because I have learned over time how to pick up on characterization clues that other writers are dropping.

a good start is watching clips from throughout the game and making notes about how he acts at the beginning vs at the end, regardless of the outcome you choose. it's everything from the things he says, the WAY he says them, the movement of his body, his expressions, to his actions over time. that applies to any character.

okay I have rambled on WAY longer than I meant to but I honestly hope this was helpful <3

you can always drop me more specific questions at any time and I'll do my best to answer!

[suzyq31]

Hi! I said it many times that I adore your ff… but I reread your fanfic and understood that I have some questions about your Iris . We read about her through her relationship with Harry and Hermione. And you made perfect work as your Harry dad and Hermione-mommy bear are fantastic.

Unfortunately, I have lack of understanding Iris as a person, not daughter of Harry and Hermione.

But how do you imagine Iris by her own out of relations with her parents. What features of their character she has inherited? What will she be interested in? What complexes, problems will she have?

( add: as she is a Harmony child I imagine that she could look like Kaya Scodelario - my headcanon for Harmony daughter fancast)

Hi, that’s very nice of you to say. I wanted her to be like her parents: loyal, kind, smart and with a dry sense of humor, but also impatient at times, stubborn and insecure. I hoped that this would come across in the first few chapters as I tried to paint a picture of her life growing up, along with other things sprinkled throughout such as her relationship with her best friend from before, her experiences of being an only child to a young single mum, some of the bullying she received for not fitting in, but that she also danced and liked to read books and be creative. 

This is the first time I’ve written from the POV of an OC. So I’m sure there’s mistakes and inconsistencies. I’ve also written about her in several “universes” if you will. I’ve tried to keep the roots of her congruent, but it’s not always easy, especially trying to imagine her at different ages, and with different experiences with when Harry comes into her life.

In Found which is the story you are asking about, I think one of her most complex problems is figuring out what it means to suddenly have another parent (and a famous one at that), especially at an age where she’s starting to become more independent and figure out who she is.

Writing an OC is one of the hardest things I’ve attempted, I’m sure I’ve gotten things wrong. I sometimes worry that she is a Mary Sue, or that she’s too flat, or unrealistic for her age. It’s probably one of the reasons I’ve stalled in writing the story. I try to tell myself it’s good practice for writing Original Work in general, which is part of why I decided to pursue the story in the first place, and why I hope to finish it, even if I don’t share it online.

As for how she looks, I don’t tend to imagine any of the characters as actors, including Harry and Hermione. Daniel Radcliff and Emma Watson are just…not it for me. I have a clear images of them all in my head, but sadly no real visuals, the closest is a picture I found a while back that shared a strong likeness to the Iris in my mind. 

Kaya’s an interesting one, I really only know her from Skins which I associate with tons of drugs, sex and teen drama haha. Although I do remember trying to copy her character’s makeup when I went out as a newly minted nineteen year old. 😳

[skittidyne]

Hii!! I hope you’re having a great day/night! I’m rereading bbac for the third time (I think this is one of the few select fanfics I have to read every few years just to relive the first time I read it) and I never tire from how in awe I always get with each chapter. When I found out you had turned it into an original story, I was (and still am) ecstatic!! I’ll have to find a way to get my hands on it ><! I hope it’s okay to still bring up bbac after— wow, nearly a decade since it first got published on ao3 O.O

Maybe you had answered a similar or the exact question before, and if you had, please do direct me there! If not, I just wanted to ask: How did you plan this entire story? The plot is so rich in mythology and horror elements, especially from various cultures and countries, and you weaved them so beautifully into a harmonious picture with your own take on magic and witchcraft. I had commented years ago in the middle of my first read that bbac is the reason why I’ve come to enjoy magic/fantasy as a genre in fiction, and I’ve been dipping my toes into them since as a media consumer and artist. However, there’s only so much input and output that could happen and I do get overwhelmed by the info I find. So it boggles my mind whenever I wonder how you wrote bbac because it flows so naturally, especially for readers who are not familiar with such elements (it’s me, I’m readers). It’s literally the perfect example of show, don’t tell without excessive exposition.

Have you always been interested in and inspired by myths, horror and etc? How much research did you do before/as you were writing? If you’re comfortable with sharing your methods, that is.

Thank you so much! ☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

first off, thank you!! it's so nice to receive something like this - words cannot describe the !!!! my heart did!

also, i'm SUPER gratified that bbac holds up to rereads!

don't tell me how long it's been tho

so waaaaay back when, i started bbac with 3.5 things in mind (spoilers for bbac endgame!): necromancer suga, stop the apocalypse plot, kiyoko being the one responsible for the final god, and ensemble cast. actually, in addition to the ensemble cast (believe it or not i hadn't written multiple subplots like that before!) i did specifically want to NOT spoonfeed information, so i very specifically withheld myself from doing so. and it means i succeeded in the show, don't tell, so yaaaaay

but seriously, as to how a huge project like bbac (and originale, now!) came to be... man. it was a lot of vibes, a lot of "what if XYZ, that'd be funny/cool", and some very cool friends i made along the way. also, alcohol. i don't recommend that part as much as i recommend the others.

it was very much a case of "this is cool!!" and throwing it all into a big mixing pot and shaking it. which is technically what all writing is, i just did it with highly concentrated tropes like "goopy shadow demon" and "angels are monsters, too".

i've always been a fan of fantasy setting with a big, worldwide-feeling scale, plus i was living in america (in several different places) writing fanfic about a japanese creation, so there was already incentive to do grabby hands at all kinds of mythologies. also, like many writers, i'm prone to falling down the research rabbit hole. whoops.

i HAVE always been interested in aesthetic horror, though it was only in the last decade or so that i have been able to actually watch horror movies. (i've been able to read horror forever!) i also enjoyed using lesser-known mythologies and delving further into more widely known ones (I WAS BASICALLY FLUENT IN R'LYEHIAN FOR WAY TOO LONG), but it was very much a case of research as i write. so very, very little was planned out from the start, because i'm not a planner.

bonus fun fact: i also originally thought bbac would be like 100k. ha. ha ha.

bbac was also a case in "what i DON'T want to write" - as an example, i very specifically wanted to NOT write werewolves and vampires! they're ubiquitous in fantasy already and i already wrote my werewolf fic so while i did mentally plot out where/how they'd fit into that world, i wanted to explore other things instead. and i did! for a lot of words!

in reworking the fic into an original series (please partake! ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿) i did also rework some of the mythologies i dug into. some were minor fixes, some were more major. (for example, there is no longer a skinwalker in originale, as it's not my place to use those and i don't know as much about navajo/dine as i ought to. but now there's 100% more old norse and 50% more lakota!) but the broad strokes of the plot are still the same. there is still a dragon migration. there is still the dreamlands. (HALF OF LOVECRAFT'S STUFF IS PUBLIC DOMAIN COME AT ME) the gods are new but there's still 3 of them. (or are there) there is, somehow, even more french.

in an ideal world, i also rework the notes i've taken into a creature compendium type thing and also publish it, because sometimes writers DO like telling in addition to the showing, haha.

[la-muerta]

ao3 wrapped [writers edition]

Tagged by @bbcphile and @exitvelocities, thank you! <3

01. How many words have you written this year? my ao3 stats say I’ve posted 246,223 words this year but some of that is from two fics that I finished in the earlier part of the year and two collab fics, and of course doesn’t include the stuff in drafts. So I think it’s probably closer to 175k words. It’s a little less than my usual, but that usually happens if I’m in more of a giffing/vidding/art mood.

02. How many works did you publish this year? 15, two of which are collab fic. (Didn’t include the two multichapters that I started last year and finished posting at the beginning of the year)

03. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)? again and again we look up to the moon // 细算浮生千万绪 for Mysterious Lotus Casebook. I seldom do canon rewrites but it was fun trying to work out what bits of canon I could mix back in since this is set 10 years pre-canon.

04. What work of yours has the most hits? Definitely Not Haunted (Anymore) for Shadowhunters at 8,094 hits, but I started posting that last year. For a fic that was posted this year, again and again we look up to the moon // 细算浮生千万绪 for Mysterious Lotus Casebook at 6,788 hits.

05.  What work of yours got more feedback than you expected? I don’t expect, only hope haha. But I was pleased that readers had fun with Definitely Not Haunted (Anymore) since the SH fandom generally isn’t big on horror (which is a little ironic since the source material is hunting demons and supernatural creatures lol)

06. Favourite title you used? it ends or it doesn't // 奈何吟 for Mysterious Lotus Casebook

07. If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most? I had 5 titles from lyrics, all from different artistes. I tend to prefer poetry as my inspiration.

08. Pairing you wrote the most for this year? Di Feisheng x Li Lianhua

09. Favourite pairing you wrote for this year? Dihua, I’d say. 

10. What work was the quickest to write? Definitely now I've got you in my sights // 你眼里的一首情歌, I think I wrote it in half an hour.

11. What work took you the longest to write? I think again and again we look up to the moon // 细算浮生千万绪 because it was more plot heavy.

12. How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year? Too many lol

13. What’s your longest work of the year? can’t read my poker face at 52k+ words, but that’s a collab. For my solo work, again and again we look up to the moon // 细算浮生千万绪 at 41k+ words.

14. What’s your shortest work of the year? Probably 百年好荷 from variations on a theme // 主题变奏曲 for MLC week, at 537 words.

15. What WIP are you taking into next year with you? Definitely Dihua Infernal Affairs AU, MLC post-canon AU river crossing // 彼岸歌 collab, my fic for Dihua zine, a Malec casefic, and a couple of fics for Fangs of Fortune. I also have a RWRB fic that is half-posted, hopefully I have enough energy to finish it as well next year.

16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag? Alternate Universe - Modern Setting 

17. Your favourite character to write this year? Di Feisheng

18. The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year? Also Di Feisheng lol

19. What’s one pairing you want to explore next year? Zhao Yuanzhou x Wen Xiao x Zhuo Yichen OT3

20. Which work of yours have you reread the most? I usually re-read my fic when someone comments on an old fic and I need to re-read to respond to comments. I think this year it might be Monsters (posted in 2018 for Shadowhunters) because I made a fanfic trailer for it and that attracted some new readers.

21. How many kudos in total did you get this year? 3,010 for works posted this year but that includes the kudos for the two long fics I started last year. IDK how many kudos for older works.

22. Which work has the most comments? can't read my pokerface at 217 comment threads

23. Did you do any collaborative works this year? For MLC, can't read my pokerface and river crossing // 彼岸歌 both with @exitvelocities. For MDZS reverse bang, being a teenager sucks with @honeyedknife. For Shadowhunters, my reverse bang fic Lightwood After Dark with @moni26 and I’ve hungered for your touch with @cheezieball-blog. I also did some art prompts for the SH reverse bang.

24. Did you write any gifts this year? no sweeter taste // 特别甜 and the moon in the water // 镜中花，水中月 for Dihua exchange, and again and again we look up to the moon // 细算浮生千万绪 for sumeria 

25. Did you receive any gifts this year? no fic gifts, but I did get lovely art from @sumeriasmith and @greentealycheejelly! <3

26. What’s your most common category? M/M

27. What do you listen to while writing? I have some generic playlists for action or spooky fic, but this year it’s been mostly the OST of the respective shows lol.

28. Favourite work you wrote this year? I think again and again we look up to the moon // 细算浮生千万绪 because it gave me the chance to delve into the world-building logic of the poisons and neili of the characters.

29. Favourite line/passage you wrote this year? From the moon in the water // 镜中花，水中月:

The tide has passed its peak, the waves crashing on the shore dragging whatever they find back into an ocean that is still restless from the storm. He will never have another opponent worthy of his dao, and perhaps it's time that he faced that reality. He won't break it the way that Li Xiangyi broke Shaoshi, but he thinks that it would not be such a bad idea to tie the broken pieces of Shaoshi to his dao and let the ocean take them both.

30. Biggest surprise while writing this year? First time writing OT3 for Fangs of Fortune. I’m very much a OTP sort of person, and even if I find the idea of some OT3s cute, it usually doesn’t inspire me to write for it. I guess what usually attracts me is the 宿命感 (sense of destiny) or "it was always you for me" between characters, and it's rare to find a OT3 where it exists between all three characters, though perhaps less so for Wen Xiao x Zhuo Yichen.

--

No-pressure tagging if you want to play: @dragongirlg-fics @demy85 @yeliuxi @howdaretrashships @renshengs @moni26

[morningstarwrites]

I just want to say that your fic is supper amazing, it’s very interesting and enthralling. It has been what I’ve been looking forward to every Friday! You have been apart of some of my inspiration to start getting into writing Fan fiction. I do have a question, what inspires you, and how do you chose the word choices you’re using. I love the fic so much and I think your writing is amazingggg

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS! And ohhh, I love when people start writing fanfic bc of something I wrote, I am so happy you are doing that 🥹

I LOVE reading, and I LOVE the English language. I would devour thesauruses if I can. I also pay a lot of attention to writing conventions and grammar so that I can use 'em (and break 'em)! And - at this point, I feel like I've read millions of books in my life!

Here are some of my inspirations:

Fave Poet: E. E. Cummings. Just WOW. I get such a thrill parsing out his poetry. For example, his poem: l(a (A Leaf Falls with Loneliness). I never knew you could play with space in this way! Check out the analysis to get a full picture of his creativity.

Fave (Classic) Literature: Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Don't knock on it just bc you were forced to read it in school, okay, it is truly a masterclass in violence, the usage of metaphors, and how to write the most nail-biting tension! I've reread it many times!!

Fave Essayist: Tim Kreider from The New York Times. His words have affected me deeply, profoundly. He really knows how to WRITE! He's the one who wrote "If we want the rewards of being loved we must submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known." Which, by the way, it MAY have been a meme, but it rearranged my brain structure.

Fave Fanfiction: Of the Northmost Winds and Skies by @jjackfrost. For context: I stumbled upon this fic in a Twitter thread in 2022. I have never shipped these two characters. I am not a part of this fandom. BUT GOD, THIS FIC CHANGED MY LIFE! Since then I've reread it over and over again. I basically treat it as a novel! I have never seen anyone write a fanfiction like this. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS POSSIBLE! It is so intricate and written with absolute intention - like it was clearly well thought-out, and it wrapped up in a way that made sense. Also it had an agonizing SLOW-BURN romance that destroyed me, okay. I love it and will be rereading it till the end of my days.

Anyway, that was just a handful. I'm sure I have more but this was getting too long already!!

[flfverse]

hihi this might be a stupid question but I thought I’d ask anyways: did you come up with the bdsm AU?

If not, do you have any fic recs with the same ‘verse?👀

If you did, do you have plans to write more fics in the same verse, outside of the ones you’ve written?

Sorry if this is overstepping at all, I just adore this AU and am a curious fellow🙈 No pressure to answer🫶

not overstepping! i am also a curious fellow, and you’ve given me an opportunity to Talk History.

see, i did not come up with the BDSM AU, but i’ve read it for years and became fascinated with how people played with it. i love fandom history, so i eventually started to wonder where it came from and how it evolved.

the first BDSM AU was written by Xanthe (who has a website you can read all her stuff on, xanthe.com, and it also has an faq about her original world, super interesting) back in 2006. now, it’s possible that other people independently came up with a similar idea earlier than this (indeed, theres an early 2000s fantasy book series with a Vaguely similar premise), but everything i’ve ever found cites Xanthe as the first to do it in fandom and the one to popularize it, so we’re going with that.

the fic series was Stargate: Atlantis fic (john/rodney, for those familiar) with the basic premise of “alternate universe where being bisexual and kinky is the default.” no biological factor! just a different balance of sexualities. i only read part of the very first fic because they’re quite long and i don’t all the way jive with Xanthe’s writing style, so take this with a cup of salt, but they also lacked the dystopian edge many of the modern fics have. let’s be honest—like many fic tropes, it was mostly an excuse to write smut :P.

now, while Xanthe was quite a big name, and did have people spinning off and writing their own versions of her world, it might not have gone anywhere was it not for Helenish. Helenish took issue with Xanthe’s spin on the world and thought that she hadn’t fully explored the worldbuilding potential. she wrote Take Clothes Off As Directed, which i’ve recced on this blog and in the notes of Free Falling, because it is PHENOMENAL. it kept Xanthe’s premise and used it to explore a sexism allegory, very very similar to my stuff and other current popular BDSM AUs.

people began writing in Helenish’s ‘verse, some minor drama broke out between the two writers and their followers (presumably minor—much of this happened on Livejournal, which famously and tragically had many accounts wiped in 2007-2008, especially accounts that posted queer stuff or nsfw stuff or, in cases like these, both. so it’s difficult to figure out what exactly was happening in fandom around then, especially if you’re me and never used LJ and don’t know how to effectively navigate it)

annnyway, the thing took off, made its way to other fandoms, more and more people wrote their own versions, etc. over time, people began combining it with Omegaverse fics, since the two are pretty similar; when those fusions were pulled apart later, they affected one another; this is where BDSM AUs became more biology-flavored, and where we get certain Omegaverse tropes like “omega drop.”

if it wasn’t obvious, i’ve done a lot of looking into this, and i hope to do more soon and eventually put all that info to good use in some form of project—not sure what yet. i’m also not at allll biased between Xanthe and Helenish…..genuinely, Xanthe did a good thing and wrote a LOT of influential fic, we’re just…very different writers.

but ANYWAY, yeah, definitely not my idea, i’m building on the backs of thousands of writers before me. and it’s awesome.

i DO have a fic rec list somewhere on this blog, but i’m actually in the process of updating it! the goal is to get around 40-50 fics on there and i’m pretty close, so keep an eye out (it’s just taking a long time because i have to read fics to know if they’re good enough to rec….and then i just read fanfic for 6 hours….and then i reread some of them because they’re just really good….)

not sure what you mean by the third question—i don’t currently have any plans to write an AU outside of FLFverse, like a different fandom or plot or anything. i’ve thrown around the idea of what i affectionately call the SLSverse (that’s “seems like soaring,” get it, synonyms?), which would be what-ifs or AUs of the AU, but not its own thing.

within FLFverse, yes, i plan to write more fic XD. 2024 has been the roughest for my writing since probably 2019, which really sucks, but what can ya do. in truth, when i started writing Free Falling and Cross the Line and all those in fall 2023, i was hours from home/friends, unemployed, borderline flunking college, and like, big depressed—i had a ton of free time! and FLFverse was approximately the only thing i cared about. now i’m home again and have a job and am doing More Okay at school (academia and i are not friends), and i have other big fun projects to split my time between. i’m pretty determined to at least finish FF, even if it takes me another 10 years, and along the way i’ll write whatever oneshots strike my fancy.

so, yeah! that’s what’s up. thanks for the ask and giving me an excuse to yap about this AU <3