#also this fic has my favorite characterization of Satine ever

[sewingmonster]

ㅤ“True pacifism is not passivity, but a deliberate choice not to invoke violence. Not to feed it. Not to commit to its cause. This includes not only thoughts, but actions. I must commit, so I commit. And I must weigh a balance on my philosophies and my ethics – to commit upon you a small harm, or to allow you to commit a greater one”

Satine Kryze from The Desert Storm by @blue-sunshine-mauve-morning

[timelesslords]

fic writer twenty questions!!!

I got tagged by the beautiful lovely gorgeous @tapemonkey21 who has written some of my fav star wars fics to date and who got me on the cody/obi-wan/satine train without which my current wip would not exist <333

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

55!

2. What's your AO3 word count?

812,034 😵‍💫

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Rn only star wars with Ahsoka in it, but I've written for TLOU and PJO too!

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Under Freezing Stars

have my back, yeah, every day

Violent Heart

invisible string

For Real This Time

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yesssss!!! I honestly love responding to comments just as much as reading them. I like chatting with people and hearing their thoughts and their theories and what they want to happen next!! I think it makes it more fun for everyone but especially for me hehe

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

and the waves come crashing down for sure. I'm really not an angsty ending kind of person except with that fic lol

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Roman Holiday has the cheesiest mushiest most ridiculous holiday fluff ending ever <3

8. Do you get hate on fics?

haha yea 😭 messed up some niche details in my star wars fic and got absolutely lambasted in the comments lmao i never wanted to post sw again 😭 but then i realized i just needed to find the gay people and it all worked out lol

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

I would say I'm retired from smut writing lmao 😭 but idk maybe something will change. i am not typing out the gory details of everything ive written on here I have no desire to get cancelled again

10. Do you write cross overs? What's the craziest one you've written?

No but I do write AU fusions <3 my favorite stupid insane one was a James Potter/Lily Evans Batman universe fusion fic it lowkey ate but I had to hide it because I was embarrassed at the quality and the very just-took-sociology-101 level of social commentary 😭

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so???? back in the day maybe lol

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No but I have had a few podfics of my fics made and that is my absolute most favorite thing ever ever 🥹

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

yes with my wonderful beautiful brilliant best friend forever who shares half of my brain @captain-jackson

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

all-time...,, whew. rn it's definitely Codywan. Idk if I have an all-time transcendent one that I always come back to tbh. I'm really more into platonic relationship dynamics than ships tbh

15. What's a WIP you'd like to finish but doubt you ever wilI?

God, I have one re-writing the Zygerria arc where Ahsoka sneaks onto the mission instead of being incorporated into it that i want to finish SO BAD. when the ties that bind is done I'm really going to hammer it out because I do love it but its kind of a monster.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I'm good with dialogue and characterization and, on occasion, plot twists.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I hate writing filler. I can't do it for the life of me, which means I also tend to have pretty poor pacing. im also bad at ending scenes which is why many times my chapters will end with my characters falling asleep 😭

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

jesus fucking christ it's so hard. doing it for Mando'a is hard and it's not even a real language. Usually I just go for the itallics but sometimes it's nice to have the immersion (which only works if you do it perfectly lol)

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I did not stake out the username "timelesslords" back in 2013 for the answer to this question to NOT be Doctor Who

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

cheating and doing my fav from my three main fandoms:

Under Freezing Stars because it was the first long piece of fiction I ever finished, and without it I would not have made three of my best friends in the whole world so its very special and important to me

if you never bleed you're never gonna grow is one where I feel like I did something interesting and innovative with form and perspective and I'm really proud of it. I feel like a lot of times as a fic writer you can feel like what you're doing is repetitive and this one felt really unique to me!

The Ties That Bind is still a WIP but I honestly really love it and have been loving the process of writing it a lot. it's the first WIP I started posting without having at least 75% of the fic completed and it's been really interesting to see what a different process it is pre-writing vs writing as you go! Also, I love the plot contrivance that makes up the premise, I love working out all the little butterfly effects of that decision, I love making it gay and poly and I love writing a million different perspectives!!!

this was so super fun I miss doing tag games like this hehe :3 low pressure tags @bbyannabeth @lena-hills @bookishjules @captain-jackson & anyone else who wants to consider urself tagged by me :3

[yellowocaballero]

Do you have any star wars fic recommendations? You and your fics started my spiral into star wars hyperfixation hell and I C R A V E substance

AH OH JEEZ

I've been reading Star Wars fanfic literally for the past ten years, I think the Prequel section just all around contains the best fanfic on AO3 as a whole, and I almost basically do not. Every one of my favorites is still on ffn, and they would be such a pain to find. Check out the TvTropes SW fanfic rec page, they have The Real Old Timer Favorites.

I will say that the reason that the lead of the recent story is Fox is because of Our Guard and pretty much Our Guard exclusively. I need to finish it but it's deeply funny.

Similarly, a big part of the reason for The Cody Love is False Dichotomy , which influenced a lot of the way I see him. Another super good Cody (& Obi-Wan & Luke post O66) is the No Choir Series, first I Gathered You Here. My favorite Dad!Cody would definitely have to be Edges, which is just super good plotty casefic in general.

My Leia characterization can be slightly blamed on the best Original Trilogy fic on AO3 is "no one can stop me, not even gravity or nasa". The best fanfic summary of all time belongs to Ad Utrumque Paratus which is also great and has a good Leia and whatever but, more importantly, "black-cloaked psychic cyborg sorcerer dad with a severe breathing problem throwing an old man down the Death Star reactor shaft." Literally I've never read another synopsis that ever compared, I think about it every damn day of my life.

For some reason I used to read a lot of fics set around the Jedi Apprentice era (and boy oh boy is it hard to find somebody who writes a good Qui-Gon these days why are people so bad at it, just make him a good person who is so fucking annoying), which is likely the reason behind all my teen Obi-Wan fascinations. Guy's life is just HILARIOUSLY fucked. I read so much Melida/Daan stuff it's just so funny. The best and most influential fic for me right now in that aspect is also Edges, so go read it. Despite how many I read I can't think of too many, sorry! Most Teen!Obi-Wan stuff these days have takes I disliked so much that I ran off and wrote reel to reel about it. I feel like such an old man grumbling about how Jedi Apprentice era stuff used to be good but now it's all woobie Mandalorian blah blah blah.

More generally and mainstream, Vod'e An is really really fun and intricate timeline nonsense that goes into backstories. Obviously anything esama does, but we know that.

There's a ton of others I can think of but they tend to fall into the "Luke and Leia roleswap???" and "time travelling Obi-Wan??" category and I couldn't possibly dig them up right now jalksdf. It's pretty telling that usually when people ask me for fanfic recs of whatever I'm currently writing for my answer is "I don't read any of it because I hate all of it", but I can think of so much for SW I can't even name it. But those fics have been floating at the top of my mind because they were big inspo for the fic.

There would be fics that are #mandalorianinspo if it wasn't for the fact that 90% of fics about Mandalorians had so much random Mando vocab in them that they're almost undecipherable grumble grumble. And nobody recognizing how interesting Satine can be as a character for favor of #hotdunks grumble grumble more nuances on Jango outside of shipping context please grumble.

But thanks for reading, this isn't a lot but I recommend them all highly! And also ignore my old man grumbling, anybody who's been reading fic in a fandom for 10 years has a 'good old days'. The old days were not always good. So much Obikin.

[sixstepsaway]

I also did fuck all today, so here's to Avoiding Responsibilities. Speaking of responsibilities, I finished that fic draft I was whining in your inbox about a while back. You made a great post about getting oneself to write, and I owe you thanks for it! So, thank you! Unfortunately I now view you as my lucky writing oracle, and I come to you again to consult you for your wisdom: do you have any favorite prose tips or resources? Of course the ultimate tip is "keep working at it until it sounds good" but I'm always on the prowl for the Secret Technique to make my description adequate. I'll, uh, write a couple hundred words of Izzy and daddy related content as an offering? If that's an incentive. -izzy's dd anon

Ooh, yes please on the content 👀

(although, with all seriousness: you don't have to offer anything up, I'm happy to help if I can)

Yesterday (or the day before? Time is fake, bruh) I was told by my lovely beta for my steddyhands fic (@darthameus): "Aaaa okay holy shit that was the best fic I’ve ever read for the blackhands pairing" and "I loved it so so much dude. You’re an absolutely incredible writer" which made me unreasonably happy but also makes me feel somewhat qualified to answer this, at least I hope.

To me, when I'm writing it's all about feel. So these are the things I try to feel out when I write:

Character

Tone

Voice

Rhythm

To break these down:

Character: I always write from a POV but in third person. I don't think I've ever done omniscient or anything like that, so my work is almost always third person limited, but I'm writing from inside someone's head. So even if I'm describing the room they're in, it's how they see it, rather than just how it is. Stepping into Stede's cabin for the first time, for example, an Edward POV would talk about the fine things and how awesome it all is. An Izzy POV would think it was a gross misuse of space and how much fucking satin do you need. If there's something the character wouldn't notice, it either has to be dragged to their attention by something else (Izzy notices a really nice sword, and that draws his attention to the pretty necklace beside it when it catches the light, he wouldn't have really paid it any attention otherwise) or someone else has to comment on it.

Everything has to fit the character, otherwise it's weird and jarring and out of place. I try to get in their heads and, I guess, body them a little. I am Izzy: what do I see? What do I feel? What do I think?

then i have to get back out again lmao

Character is the top thing that sets the tone for me, but...

Tone: If I'm writing a dark piece with danger and death, I'm not going to focus on the rising sun or the feel of soft satin, I'm going to hone more in on things to give a dark atmosphere. But, again, it depends on what Izzy might notice. So, if it's Izzy feeling dark, he might just describe the satin curtains blocking out the light, because that would feel dark to him.

Once you have the character and tone, there's my favorite...

Voice: I know not everyone can 'see' in their imagination? Like, some people have aphantasia and such and absolutely nothing when they try to imagine something. I don't know if that goes for imagining sound, too? I guess it probably does. But for me at least, when I absolutely nail a characterization, I can hear the voice in my head as I type or as I reread. I find that very telling and use it quite often to guide my characterization.

And finally:

Rhythm: I've been told in the past that my writing is lyrical, and I have literally never let that go because that is exactly how I want to write. One of the biggest tips I have ever read is to do with sentence and paragraph length. If you crush sixty short sentences into one paragraph, whatever is happening in that paragraph feels quick and full of action. If you eke those six sentences out, make them long and give them individual paragraphs, it makes everything feel like it's taking more time. So, a hot and heavy fuck or a fight scene might be six chunky paragraphs, but a slow seduction or a walk in the moonlight might be broken up into thirty short ones. On top of that, I use a lot of repetition in my work (you know, one of the big rules) because I find it sounds, as I said, lyrical, especially if used correctly.

Sometimes my repetition is solely because it's telling of a character (Izzy never refers to Stede as Stede in his own head in this fic, it is always Stede-Fucking-Bonnet), sometimes it's more because of rhythm. This is a bit from chapter 1 that shows what I mean about repetition and rhythm:

Izzy doesn’t get chance to bite back, either verbally or physically, before Edward is pulling away, removing his body from Izzy’s, leaving him in a deep state of mourning, donning the red robe once more and disappearing out of the cabin, leaving the little pot of flowery oil behind.

On the one hand, this leaves Izzy with a moment to catch his breath and really think about what he’s doing.

On the other hand, this leaves Izzy with time and silence to really think about what he’s doing.

Izzy is under no illusions that he’s a stand-in. He’s a replacement. When Edward is kissing him, it’s because he cannot kiss Stede-Fucking-Bonnet, who took off on him for fuck knows what reason, leaving Izzy to pick up the pieces of Edward’s shattered heart.

His shattered heart.

He hadn’t known. Izzy hadn’t known nor realized just how much Edward cared for Stede. He hadn’t realized until he’d had to crawl into a blanket fort to talk to him and had found Edward curled up, tear-stained and eating marmalade from a mostly-empty jar, miserable and torn apart by what Stede had done in abandoning him.

And he had; Stede-Fucking-Bonnet had abandoned Edward like he was yesterday’s dinner, just like a rich fucking toff would, the moment the dinner turned cold, while people like Izzy and Edward would scrape the plate clean in their hunger, appreciating every bite, no matter the temperature, no matter the damage, no matter if it was no longer perfect and freshly made, even if it had been chewed up and spat out already.

Like Edward.

Like Izzy.

They’ve been chewed up and spat out so many times in their lives, Izzy is surprised they can still call themselves people, rather than skeletons with human parts. He knows more about where Edward has been than anyone, but that doesn’t mean he knows everything about him, that’s perfectly clear now.

He didn’t know he’d lo— had affection for Stede-Fucking-Bonnet, not to the extent he clearly did. And he didn’t know that such a rough break, such a cruel, thoughtless act from Stede-Fucking-Bonnet, could bring Edward here and, more pertinently, could bring Izzy to Edward’s bed.

He is making a horrible mistake. Fuck.

What he should do is get up, get out of this stupid flowery bed, grab the shit that Edward was packing up having lived in a broken-hearted squalor for so long, and leave. He should go back to his cabin and not let this thing, whatever it is, happen.

He’s not a replacement for Stede-Fucking-Bonnet. He won’t be a replacement for Stede-Fucking-Bonnet. He’s watched Edward pine and mourn for days now and he knows, deep down, that this, this next development, is just another step on the chain of Edward’s recovery from Stede-Fucking-Bonnet.

Which, he supposes, is good? It’s good that Edward is getting over it. It’s good that Edward is moving forward and starting to clean up the place and leverage himself out of his dark hole of misery, but Edward getting (metaphorically) under Izzy to get over Stede-Fucking-Bonnet is not the way to do it.

And there’s the metaphorically part.

Hadn't known, hadn't known, hadn't realized - He's not a replacement, won't be a replacement - Like Izzy. Like Edward - On the one hand, on the other hand - Is good? It's good. It's good. etc etc

To me the repetition adds rhythm and tone to the piece, which is all I want out of my work really lmao

And my final, main point has to be: fuck the rules.

Lots of people toss all this writing advice around: show don't tell, don't repeat words or phrases, don't overuse quirky things like 'Stede-Fucking-Bonnet', don't be too on the nose about things, don't use adverbs, don't use filler words blah blah blah

Fuck all of the rules. Every last one. If you want to write something bland and disinteresting, divorced from all of what makes your writing your writing, stick to the rules. If you want to write something that sounds like you, your passion, your personality?

Fuck the rules.

Find your own tone, your own rhythm, find your own way of conveying your point and your feelings.

Reread your own work and find the pieces that make you go, "Oh, fuck I'm a good writer." Even if you're really down on yourself and that's only 100 words out of 100k. Even if it's less "Oh fuck" and more "Hey this ain't bad."

Find what sticks out to you and ask yourself: What makes this feel like me and what makes me go this is good? Is it the rhythm? Is it the tone? Is it the language use? Is it the emotions conveyed?

Once you figure those things out, it's a lot easier to let prose flow from your fingers and allow it to sound like you and be great.

I do not know if this answered your question, actually. Um, I hope it did?

Also, congrats on finishing the fic draft! I hope if you posted it, it got tonnes of feedback and kudos, and I hope even if you didn't post it that you enjoyed finishing it and are feeling very proud of yourself.

[in-a-cave-with]

So starved for Tony content I read that black widow books everyone keeps talking about, the five lines with Tony there are pretty good and very well characterized tho. Please, fo you have any fic recs with good Tony char

HAHAHAAHSJDFNVKJLSDJFD thats a mood....

i have a big comics tony fic rec list here, also some more comics fics ive found since making that post that i rlly like (also be sure to check out some of the other works by the authors here, i added the links to their profiles):

Hope of Morning by magicasen

Incursions. The Illuminati. Rogue planets and mindwipes, Dyson Spheres and Worldkillers. Ask Tony Stark to list all the wrongs he's ever committed, and he wouldn't even know where to begin.

But when the Watcher dies and the secrets of the entire universe come to light, Tony discovers his greatest sin is one he chose to forget.  

(AU from Original Sin #2)

You Can Stay by FestiveFerret

Tony dumped the box on his coffee table, the lid now safely closed. "Thanks for the save," he muttered at it. The world had the softened edges that alcohol gave it, but it wasn't gentle this time, like it usually was, it was numb.

He couldn't even summon the pain to feel hurt about Justine. It wasn't like it was a surprise. No one ever wanted to be with him for himself. No one just stayed. That, apparently, was asking too much of the universe.

not gruesome, just human by isozyme

“I need to crash on someone’s couch for a while.  Your couch.  I need to crash on your couch,” Tony says.

Steve’s mouth opens.  If he asks why Tony’s going to bolt, he can feel the certainty of it under his sternum.  He doesn’t have a sternum anymore, just a tangle of metal under his skin.  Too many things have punched through it to get to his heart.  There hasn’t been enough bone left to reconstruct anything made of flesh in a long time.

“There’s borscht on the stove,” Steve says.

blood, love, and rhetoric by isozyme

Something’s wrong with causality. Beyond the academic.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Steve/Tony style.

in another life (you and i) by isozyme

It’s a man, half-clad in silver armor. His face is covered by an angular mask, eyes glowing blue slits. The suit is a sick frankenstein of Captain America and Iron Man. Tony raises his palms, readying a repulsor blast.

The man opposite him raises a red-gloved hand which, like a terrible mirror, bears an identical repulsor.

The Civil Warrior makes it to Earth-616 six months too late.

on the health benefits of dying young and beautiful by Welcoming_Disaster

PI Steve Rogers is hired to investigate the mysterious disappearance of fashion designer Antonio Stark.

Every Me Loves Every You by foldingcranes

Steve tries to picture it: himself, laying on the Capitol’s steps, bleeding over cold concrete, previously bound and on his way to his own trial. Himself, over this gaunt and somber Stark, who’s been sober for six years, ramming his shield on him until his armor breaks.

(Two lonely strangers from different dimensions meet.)

Without the rusty music of my machine by Missy_dee811

"The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion." — Albert Camus

[Written for Lights On Park Ave - Round 11.]

Our Love Is a Ghost That the Others Can't See by Kiyaar

Post-Civil War, canon-divergent from Director of SHIELD.

In Tony’s dreams, he is back in the street, in a crater, the city on fire around him. Steve kneels over him and beats him to within an inch of his life.

It’s his favorite place to be, these days.

Satin in a Coffin by Crait

Careful. It's so heavy only I can lift it.

Time, it needs time, to win back your love again by lomku

“So what are we going to do about it?” “Now? Now I’m going to beat you bloody.”

Steve remembers, and he goes to Tony to confront him, but in the ensuing fight, a time loop is created, trapping Steve and Tony together. Will they be able to set their differences aside long enough to work on breaking the time loop?

When You're a Stranger by Sineala

Tony has made a mistake.

So Far Away From Me by Sineala

Captain America has a new hotline, and Tony is a frequent caller -- but for a very unusual reason.

Double Time by Sineala

Cassino, Italy, December 1943. Special Agent Tony Stark, former Marvels adventurer, is sent to investigate a Cosmic Cube found by the Invaders -- and it's the perfect opportunity for him to rekindle his secret romance with Steve Rogers. But when Hydra attempts to steal the Cube, an inadvertent wish for help leads to the appearance of a Tony from the future of another world: Director Stark of SHIELD. This Tony is a man with a lot on his mind. He refuses to tell them anything about the future, but he seems to know much more than he should about Captain America. And something's happened that's clearly killing him inside, but he's not talking. When Director Stark's failed attempt to return home leads to the unexpected appearance of another visitor from his universe, all the lies come undone. Now there are two wars to fight, and the second one could ruin all of them.

let none be content with me by Mizzy

After Detective Michael O'Brien learns Iron Man's real identity, Tony invites him to stay in the Avengers' mansion while he fixes the flaw in the Guardsman armor that led to Michael's brother's death, an incident that Tony still hasn't properly dealt with.

The Avengers take to Michael, and they might like him more than Iron Man, which Tony... isn't too surprised about. People should like Michael more than they like him. And when new threats and villains just start piling up, Tony has to seriously consider Iron Man's future. Or lack thereof.

through a passive landscape by Mizzy

The New York Times once described parking structures as "the grim afterthought of American design" and Steve couldn’t say he disagreed. The building they were searching was pretty damn ugly. But something uglier was about to happen inside.

[mahizli]

Creator Tag Game

So... I got tagged for this by two wonderful people : @stolen-pen-name23 and @tessiete - thank you so, so much. Please check out their works and also their post about their own work, it is worth it!

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 (ish) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

I know it is not the theme of that Tag Game. But for me, it is so very very important to tell all of you that what was most wonderful in 2020 for me was meeting people like @sirikenobi12 , @sandfordsmostwanted (AssassinOfRome on A03) and @mindmysimplesoul (lillianne1818 on A03). They were among the first who reviewed my work and... I don’t think I would be writing here without them. So I just want to thank them, and send them all the love in the world. If I could tag their reviews I would, because a lot of their analysis is really art as well.

Since this is about fics, though :

Night More Loving Than The Rising Sun was the fic that started this wonderful adventure. I had just watched S2E14 ‘Duchess of Mandalore’ and was completely in love with the Obi/Satine interactions. I found their arguing and their somewhat mirroring positions as ‘leaders’ fascinating... and I loved Satine’s tirade about Obi going on a “crusade” and the sad look he gave her. I just thought it deserved a conversation, as well as shared musings. It’s the first of a collection of one-chapter fics between Obi-Wan and Satine - one where they love but don’t get attached.

There Is No Pain (I Tilled The Sorrows Of Stone) was the fic where the responses and reviews I got just blew me away. I had never expected this and I personnally think that one of the most beautiful things in this fic are the reviews you can read below the chapters... It is the fic I wanted to write ever since I was eleven years-old, the one where Obi-Wan deals with the post-Phantom Menace events. What I loved here was : writing his knighting, writing the Jedi Council, writing Jocasta Nu and fleshing out Obi-Wan’s childhood friendships with Luminara, Kit and Quinlan. And writing how Obi dealt with grief, and learned to move on.

Blossoms In The Wind (Padawan Mine) is my favourite fic of mine ^^. It tells the story of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon coming together and finally chosing each other, in another universe than the Jedi Apprentice’s. I love it because it allowed me to write baby Obi-Wan... and Qui-Gon. I just love writing children’s mindsets, and here I especially loved trying to write Obi as he grew, while fleshing out the Temple’s crèche life. I also absolutely loved writing Ilum... and Dex. This fic also features an OC villain called Rose Cimber, that I had so much fun to create. And it was the first time I got some fanart as a wonderful gift : Little Robin by AssassinOfRome, “little robin” being Qui-Gon’s nickname for Obi.

Storms On Pijal is missing it’s final chapter yet, but if I’d say what I’m most proud of there, it’s the plot. Obviously, it’s not mine, as it is inspired by the few things about Pijal one can read on Wookieepedia, but still... Basically, Obi-Wan is sixteen and just came back from spending a year guarding Duchess Satine with Qui-Gon. He’s quite heartbroken but hides it, having chosen to remain a Jedi. And then Qui-Gon and him are sent on Pijal to help the Jedi Rael Averross to settle a conflict on the planet he was regenting for a Princess Fanry who started a rebellion and is now dealing with a civil war. Unfortunately someone attacks their plane and their crash - and Obi is on his own to discover what happened.

Sparks of Hope - A Star Wars Advent Calendar is my current project... as you can see we are December 15th and it only has twelve chapters, meaning I’m behind and late. But it’s a different character interacting with Obi-Wan every day, at various times of his life -- and the whole patchwork, I think, describes the different and many facets of this character I loved to pieces. The third chapter called Space Pirates received fanart from the amazing @thenegoteator I posted on my tumblr - please check out their works, it’s amazing.

The calendar is a gift fic for those three people I mentionned above : siri_kenobi12, sandfordsmostwanted (AssassinOfRome on A03) and mindmysimplesoul (lillianne1818 on A03).

Because they told me I brought them happiness, and brought me so much more in return : the joy to write knowing it means something to someone. That it can link people together, in those difficult times. So it is these people I want to tag, even though I also love @tessiete , @swbumblebee , @kckenobi and @katierosefun ’s works so much, respectively because of the Obitine feels (tessiete), the perfect Council characterization, the puns and Obi’s sleepwalking (swbumblebee) and, for kckenobi and katierosefun who are somewhat inseparable in my mind but each deserve praise in their own way : everything, words, poetry, subtext and character study.

You are all wonderful!! Take care, much love, Meysun (mahizli).

[spnfanficpond]

January Angel Fish Awards

Every month all of you fantastic writers work your asses off to post some truly incredible stories. Our Angel Fish Awards are the way for all of us, as a community of writers and readers, to lift each other up and give praise to those who have captured our attention and deserve a few kind words.

The monthly Angel Fish Awards are peer-nominated, meaning ANYONE IN THE POND CAN NOMINATE ANY POND MEMBER’S FIC. While the Pond was founded to support the Guppies, everyone in this community deserves to be showered with love and feedback, and we hope that by opening this up as a Pond wide system, we’ll be able to share the love as far as it can go.

NOTE: WE’VE BEEN HAVING OCCASIONAL PROBLEMS WITH ASKS GOING MISSING. Please use the Submit button when submitting your nominations and make sure you’re signed into Tumblr or your URL won’t show. (If the form asks for your name and email address, then you’re not signed in.) If you like, you can also send a message to Michelle or Mana to check and make sure we got your submission.

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE ARE THE FIRST ANGEL FISH AWARDS OF 2020!

Cabin Fever (a long oneshot) by @slytherkins​ was nominated three times!

I said all of this in my reblog, but this is FUCKING GOLD. It depicts life with chronic pain so beautifully, I read most of this with my heart in my throat. Have tissues, heed the warnings, but definitely read this! - @mrswhozeewhatsis​​

Tara is the Queen of Angst. She never fails to break my heart but this fic was something else entirely. I always feel like her stories could be canon and this is no exception!! Dean was exactly how I imagine he would be, Sam too. Without giving any spoilers: the scene setting - I was there, I could see them preparing dinner, sat around the table eating, I felt the coldness of the snow.

The raw emotions were sublime, I cried with Dean. I felt I could feel his pain, I was with him every step of the way, I felt his desperation. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love.  - @princessmisery666​​

O. M. G. I don’t expect anything less than incredible when I read Tara’s stuff, but this is on another level. The angst is painful (literally, sometimes), the detail is exquisite. She put heart and soul into this, and it shows. And as always, her Dean is spot-tf-on. Tara’s a brilliant writer, and this fic is amazing. ❤❤❤ - @risingphoenix761​​ 

Nominated by @manawhaat​

Satin (oneshot) by @wingedcatninja​

This fic has some out of the box, vulnerable, sexy, surprising Dean feels! I went into it expecting one thing and what I got was so different from what I could have imagined, but it was so wonderful and refreshing to read! 

Next Year (series) by @wingedcatninja​

Holy crap, the intensity and control in this fic is astounding. It’s so palpable from start to end and this is only the first fucking part. Seriously stellar and surprisingly reverential. 

Nominated by @mrswhozeewhatsis​

For Better or Worst (ongoing series) by @stunudo​​ 

There’s so much mystery and intrigue in this series and I just can’t stop wondering how it’s all going to work out! Sam made some kind of deal to save the world and the deal involved marrying this woman and getting out of hunting. But what was the deal, exactly? And where’s Dean? And who is this woman? What about Cas and Jack? I’m so freaking hooked and I can’t wait to find out!!

Nominated by @princessmisery666​

Love You To Death (series) by @negans-lucille-tblr​

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not into AU’s but this had me hooked from the beginning. I hate Y/N, I hope she gets whats coming to her, but I also so desperately want to be her, which is a testament to the wonderful writing of both Lisa and Bee. I can’t wait to see how this one unfolds.

These two together are a force to be reckoned with.

Nominated by @deanwinchesterswitch​

One And One Make Three (series) by @supernatural-jackles​ 

 This series was absolutely stunning, beautifully written, and an amazing rollercoaster of emotion. Jen handled some very sensitive subject matters with grace and wit. It has ALL the feels; I cried, laughed, and loved right along with the characters.

Nominated by @flamencodiva 

Skeptics and True Believers (series) by @d-s-winchester​ 

I love this story! It had me on the edge of my seat when I read through the master list. the way she wove the story together made me happy for the ending to the story!

Good Things (series) by @crashdevlin​​

This is Part one to four parts of writing GOLD! Cassie knows how to completely put you in the story and envision what is happening. 

How Do You Spell Forever? (series) by @kittenofdoomage​​ 

This is part one of a four parter and OMG! Can I say that this is sweet and cute and full of A/B/O goodness? because this is! and it should be read and shared!

Nominated by @girl-with-a-fandom-fettish​

Heathens (series) by @pink1031​ 

Why: I have been 1000000% hooked on this story since the first chapter was published. It’s a little bit twisted, a little bit wrong, a whole lot dirty, and a whole lot of amazing writing! At the time of this submission, the last chapter is in progress (don’t get me started on the fact that it’s ending D:). It is without a doubt, one of the few stories I stop what I am doing (life permitting) and read the new chapter when I get notified. READ THE WARNINGS CAREFULLY THOUGH, this is not a story for the faint of heart or those that get squicked out (is that even a term?). But if you like dark and dirty, this fic will absolutely be your jam.

Nominated by @risingphoenix761​

My Home (oneshot) by @kittenofdoomage​

Short and sweet, but it got me all choked up. To repeat what I said in tags, bless this fic and the hands that typed it.

Feels Like The First Time (oneshot) by @stusbunker​ 

This gets better every time I reread it. Sweet and sexy and kinda touching. Any time I need a Samwitch fix, I come back to this one. ❤

Nominated by @lovetusk​ ( @fictionalabyss​​ )

Turning Into Butter (oneshot) by @thing-you-do-with-that-thing

Lets be honest with this one, shall we? We’d ALL get that distracted by a half naked Dean. 

Please Don’t Go (oneshot) by @sorenmarie87​

Dawn tested out her Angsting abilities in this Adam x Reader fic, and I’m hoping we get to see more of it. Like why is Dean so angry? I NEED TO KNOW!

Someone You Loved (oneshot) by @ne-gans​

So glad ne-gans is now part of the pond because now I can nominate this beautiful thing that made me cry. 

Nominated by @impala-dreamer

Stupor (oneshot) by @dontshootmespence​

The hottest hot to ever hot in the hottest way possible - SOULLESS!DOM!SAM!! I ded. Very hot. Much smut. Very good.

Hurt So Good (oneshot) by @alleiradayne​

This was tasty. Pun intended. I have such a biting thing and Sam would be so amazing. Yes. Devour me, Winchester!! Loved it.

Nominated by @thegirlwhorunswithwinchesters​

Isn’t That My Line (oneshot) by @princessmisery666​

I went into this one intrigued by the concept and I got even more than I was hoping for. A little twist I didn’t expect here, a perfect ending there. Amazing.

Control And Release (series) by @thecleverdame​

I just needed to bring this one back. Started rereading the entire series and it’s still as amazing as the first time I read this masterpiece.

Photographs and Gasoline (oneshot) by @ne-gans​

Always gotta check the new pond member list when I’m making my rounds. Found this fic and fell in love. It’s absolutely heartbreaking but I loved every second of it. Guess if I have to torture myself, I prefer to do it with beautiful writing like this. 

Nominated by @thoughtslikeaminefield​​​

Smokes and Sex Toys (oneshot) by @wayward-and-worn​ 

This is delightfully fucking filthy. But that’s not all; Dean’s characterization is SO DEAN - flirty yet straightforward - it reminded me of the scene with the bartender in Defending Your Life, I love the simple yet creative premise, and I adore that it’s left open-ended. 

Sick Day - @fangirlxwritesx67​​ 

Viv wrote this for me - it’s true - but that isn’t the reason I’m nominating this; it’s because this is so warm and comfortable and just feels like Dean. Like I actually felt like I was in his lap while I feel asleep reading this. (Also, check out my girl’s other works. She’s fairly new but balls to the wall and bursting with ideas and words for just about anyone.) 

Nominated by @slytherkins​

Isn’t That My Line (oneshot) by @princessmisery666​

Short. Sinful. Sexy. It’s like a smutty snack that hits the spot. (And so does Dean.) 

Nominated by @kittenofdoomage​​

What Goes Bump In The Night (series) by @saxxxology​​

A phenomenal series, historic and dark, with all the fantastic detail you’d expect from Saxxy and more! Please heed the warnings though!

The World Doesn’t Know (oneshot) by @negans-lucille-tblr​​

A wonderful little smutty J2 fic, for those who enjoy that fantasy.

Marked (series) by @there-must-be-a-lock​

I’ve only read the first chapter so far, but hot damn! This is a spectacular start to a promisingly dark series. AND The Right Spot - a smutty smutty follow up to another oneshot that literally made me sweat.

Just Like A Pill  by @princessmisery666​​

The angsty sequel to In Spite Of What My Heart Says and you should totally read both parts, just keep tissues by you in case of heartbreak!

Nominated by @focusonspn​​

House Of The Rising Sun (series) by @kittenofdoomage​​

I’ve never liked BDSM themes too much but, OH MY GOOD!! This series is AMAZING!! It even has a sequel: The Ones You Love. Go and read it, you won’t regret it.

Yes, Sir (series) by @evansrogerskitten​​

Ash must be tired of me praising this fic but I can’t help myself, it’s one of my favorite series ever and deserves this recognition. This is a series that every John girl out there should be reading RIGHT NOW. It has everything! Smut, fluff and a tiny bit of angst and drama.

Good Vibrations (series) by @impala-dreamer​​

At first I wasn’t sure if I should bring this fic here because all the drama I heard it existed about it but, then I thought it twice, and I came to the conclusion that this fic definitely deserve to be part of these awards. This piece of writing was the first (after Dear John, I have to admit) that actually made me cry. It’s dark, it’s sad as fuck, it’s damn well written, and makes you easily get inside the characters and feel what they’re feeling. That being said, if you’re thinking of reading it, please HEED THE WARNINGS.

Take a Drunk Girl Home (oneshot) by @amanda-teaches​​

This fic is so beautiful and so well written that I promise you even can end up tearing up a little, but it’s so worth it that you won’t care a bit.

Nominated by @emilyshurley​​

His Property (series) by @negans-lucille-tblr​​

I freaking love this series to the point that i binged the series (and it’s sequel, Yours) in a single day.  

Just Me & My Baby (oneshot) by @deanwinchesterswitch​​

Can’t get over how adorable it is.

Guns and Ribbons (series) by @myinconnelly1​​

What can I say Dean Winchester deserves all the love in this world and so does this series.

I Can See Clearly Now (oneshot) by @katehuntington​​

I can’t. I don’t have words. This is perfection.

In the Heat of the Night (series) by @evansrogerskitten​​

Nominated by @impalaimagining​​

Goals (oneshot) by @atc74​​

Okay. It's been a long time since I've found Sam smut that really gets me into it. This though - it's a whole different level of wonderful. I love the way it explores a woman finding and embracing her own sexuality, and the frustration that can come along with it. It's obvious how much effort and research and actual planning went into this. My favorite kinds of fics are those that draw from real life experiences, which I think it what makes this one so special. And the end? Yes please!

Nominated by @fangirlxwritesx67​​ 

Everything (series) by @there-must-be-a-lock​ 

I can’t even talk about how great this J2 x reader series is without incoherent fangirl flailing. It’s wildly creative, sharply well written, and absolutely panty-melting filthy! And then just when you’re so hot and bothered that you can’t see straight, *boom*, it’s sweet and intimate and loving. I don’t think there’s a series out there I’ve read this many times!

Hark and Hush by @thoughtslikeaminefield​​

This is a luscious, dark and twisted fairy tale about Dean and the spirit of the Big Bad Wolf. It’s written so vividly that you can see and smell and taste the whole story. Sexy af, of course, and so intense- take the warnings seriously!

The Kind of Girl You Like (series) by @thoughtslikeaminefield​​ 

To me, MJ will always be the Queen of the Winchester threesome and this series shows exactly why. Smoking hot story about the brothers sharing a sub that quickly unfolds into something complex and beautiful. The last chapter especially is written with so much emotional depth- the first time I read it, I was swearing and crying and smiling all at once because it was so well done! Just the best!

Nominated by @supersassyprobablysad​​ 

How You & I Will Be (series) by @katehuntington​​ 

Hey so I wanted to do an angel fish award nom for Kate for her How You & I Will Be fic. In 5 parts she not only developed believable characters but by the end I was ugly crying (and I don’t cry a lot so that’s saying something). The ending feels totally necessary too, not like it was just done for shock value. Anyway I love it, it’s the best I’ve read in a long time.

Thank you all for the awesome work and great feedback!

As with the BFAs, these are not actual awards! This system is set up so everyone in the pond has a chance to share the love and promote a fic/author that has grabbed your attention. The more people that participate, and the more everyone remembers to submit their own fics after posting, the better this will be :D

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN, KEEP UP THE AMAZING WORK, AND AS ALWAYS, HAPPY WRITING!

[shadowsong26fic]

Writing meme question: 2, 7, and 9. (If it isn't too much) :D

Nope, not at all too much :D

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

...hmmmmmmmmmm...that is a good question, lol. Uh, I’m not necessarily coming up with anything specific? Although I guess there is some stuff that I mostly do in either RP contexts or very private self-indulgent nonsense that it might be nice to treat Properly, so to speak. Things like self-indulgent crossovers and/or AU concepts, random things like wingfic/bonded creatures/etc. (though only in certain contexts and usually fitting those into an otherwise-canon universe), certain H/C tropes...also, not really tropes, but there’s a couple of rarepairs that I’d love to see more of (for which I’d pretty much have to write it myself lol) but either because I’m not sure I have a handle on the character voices involved or just because...pairing-focused stuff is not really where my fic brain lives for the most part, lol.

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

Oooooh, this is a hard one. Uh. Let’s go with this, from a short story set in one of my original worlds, The Farglass Cycle (previously known as Feredar):

The Audience Hall, at least, seemed to be mirrored rather than clear, other than the dais ahead of her. It gave the impression that Queen Kesshare was floating, rather than sitting, when the light hit her right. As if chairs and floors were for mere mortals, like her consort beside her, not for the iron-hard desert Queen with her dark hawk's eyes and deceptively simple and soft-looking silver gown. She looked like a bronze-gilt statue of a harsh Goddess of the Dead, and Sheminne didn't have to be a performer to know that every aspect of the Queen's clothing, posture, Hall, down to her husband slightly behind her, in shadow, on a more-solid throne, the fact that the cavernous room, with its graceful columns and shimmering floor was entirely empty save for the three of them and a handful of silent bodyguards... It was calculated for exactly that impression of ultimate power and doom.

There are some things I would edit here--I know that my Main Writing Flaw is run-on sentences/overuse and abuse of commas, semicolons, emdashes, ellipses...you name it, I love it. [Hi, we’re the Neverending Sentences, and we’ll be here all night]

...anyway, I’m aware of that weakness of mine, and I think I’d do some more editing here (I wrote this...yeesh, nearly ten years ago; and it sticks out as particularly run-on).

But what I like about this is that...I’m also not super good at description? (Like, for example, the fact that I have yet to describe Dr. Naar in Precipice is not only because I still haven’t made up my mind as to whether he’s Human or Besalisk; it’s also at least partly because fitting in descriptions like that is Awkward and I Don’t Like Doing It, lol).

This is, I think, one of my better efforts at description. It tells you pretty much everything you need to know about Kesshare (who, fun fact, is Not actually the villain in this story; but if other events abroad hadn’t upstaged her, she would absolutely be the villain of another story). And it gives you at least a little bit about the nation she rules (the Kingdom of the City of Glass; usually just referred to as Glass or the City of Glass), and something of its wealth/power/relationship with other nations.

Also, see here for a picture I commissioned of Kesshare awhile ago, mostly using the above passage as a reference, lol. (Kesshare is the top picture; the bottom is Taz, another character from the same story).

((Honorable mention, because they’ve been in my head lately either because characters or topic: a bunch of stuff from our faces like a mirror; both in terms of a few key moments that made Bo-Katan into who and what she became when we the audience meet her in TCW, as well as some things about her relationship with Satine and their respective philosophies; a couple snippets of miscellaneous AU bits (like this one, lol)...but I like this one, and it’s nice to draw attention to some of my original stuff sometimes, y’know?))

9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?

Oooooh, good question. Uh. Different things are hard for different reasons? I don’t think any fic has ever been Super Easy (except actually maybe The Devoted; that one flowed pretty smooth once I really got going). So, I guess...I’ll cycle through some of my other SW longfic projects and quick answer because Why Not:

Precipice has its ups and downs, depending on topic and focus. Arc Six was I think the hardest (despite the fact that Arc Seven has taken For Ever to get out, lol), between I’m not good at Sustained Fluff and Saw is a pain in the butt even if I wasn’t using his POV. (I swear, the next/final chapter Will Be Out Soon; I have...like...3-4 hours of work left on it which I swear I’m not using this meme to procrastinate <.< ...of course, then I have all the sequel/interquel stuff planned lol I’m sure I’ll have more Ups And Downs to complain about in the future)

our faces like a mirror, which I mentioned in the last answer, I’ve been working on on and off for, like, three years; it’s hard to balance Bo and Satine’s points of view without vilifying either; also because there is like zero canon definition of the period I’m writing about, there’s a lot of whitespace to fill in. It’s almost closer to writing original fiction in that way--I mean, I don’t have to do the heavy lifting of worldbuilding, and I am focusing on fleshing out something we have a hint of in canon that drew my attention (i.e., how did these two end up where they were/with such diametrically opposite beliefs/what is/was their relationship as sisters; how did bo-katan survive the mandalorian civil war since she pretty clearly was not with satine and the jedi; how much do their separate experiences during that time affect them/inform their future behavior (spoiler: A LOT)); but a lot of the specific events/storyline and even some of the characterization of these two women is pretty much built from scratch.

Distaff, I got stuck on ‘cause I borked my timeline and also haven’t 100% figured out how I wanted it to end.

The Phoenix; getting into Luke’s head was kind of hard; also the ending feels kind of rushed.

for we are a woven thread; find the strand; figuring out what to do with Obi-Wan’s thread was a little hard, also just...getting through the super downer beginning, lol.

SW2021 big bang: finding the actual Story buried in how the three focal characters connect and what that means for them/the rest of the galaxy. AKA lol what is the Plot.

...I’m not sure that actually answers the question, but it’s something in the neighborhood, at least?

Ask me a fic writer question! (Or, frankly, any question, I like to babble about writing to/at people. My writing discord is pretty quiet but I do that there sometimes XD)

[aishitara]

Destiel Fic Recs - AU

Original post [x]

***additions to the list are found at the top, in bold***

Still not a definitive list because I am constantly reading new stuff, am a slow-ass reader, and am home with my kiddo all day, so.  I guess we’ll treat this list as ongoing. A reminder that these are complete AUs - set elsewhere/elsewhen, no monsters, no hunting.   One should assume that language is flagrant and cocks abound, btw.  When clicking through, please take note of the author’s warnings and tags. Favorite overall fic recs here. [x]

***

Party Like it’s 2014 by Teragram This is a deliciously angsty story with lots of - I’m going to say mutual, though it’s largely Dean - pining.  Dean and Cas hook up at a bar, Cas gives Dean a fake number, and through circumstances I won’t reveal because spoilers Cas and Dean end up making a deal wherein Cas must attend AA meetings with Dean for every hour Dean spends fixing Cas’ car.  Phew.  Please read the author’s tags and warnings on this one, I found it to be full of triggers.

Satin and Sawdust by @ltleflrt I feel like this fic is also one of those legendary destiel fics that everyone must have already read, but I’m including it because goddamn it is fantastic.  Cas thinks he’s straight, Dean is hella bi, panty!kink, sweet, sweet sexytimes and adorable fluffy cats abound.  This is a slow-burn, crazy long, angst-with-a-happy-ending masterpiece.  Jimmy shows up as Cas’ twin in this story and I positively adore the relationship between them, it is magnificent and exceptionally well-written.  Warnings for het but there’s not a ton.

Kiss the Baker, also by @ltleflrt I really like Kiss the Baker because it’s one of the rare fics in which Dean does not experience a total identity crisis when he realizes he’s attracted to Cas (like there’s a little but mostly he’s just like, nope, I’m bi, cool).  I have to say upfront that there are tags for abusive relationships and stalking, so beware.  A really sweet relationship between Cas and Gabriel in this story, in addition to some delightfully awkward flirting between Dean and Cas.  Plus, Cas is a baker and now I’d like a pastry, thank you.

He Came in Through the Bedroom Window by @bettsfic Pure sweetness.  One of the tags on this fic is “everything is beautiful and nothing hurts,” and that is probably the most accurate tag I’ve ever seen on a story, ever.  The kissing in this fic is glorious.  The sexytimes. Are. Glorious.  Go.  Read!  Smile!  And maybe make sure you’re either in private or have a solid poker face because this fic will light you on fire.

With a Wham, Bam by @remmyme Short, sweet, and incredibly fluffy.  Dean meets Cas at a baseball game and adorableness ensues.  I love this story because literally every time I read it I end up with a total shit-eating grin on my face.  The characterizations are excellent.  Sam and Dean’s relationship gets some nice sideline attention and is done really well.  Also, I am perversely pleased by the tag “dean has no chill,” lol.  In this case, it’s accurate!

A Brief Glimpse by cloudyjenn AU and time travel rolled into one!  The author’s summary: “Castiel is utterly convinced he can’t love anyone but Sam, so when a strange occurrence at a carnival shows him otherwise, he doesn’t know what to do.”  This story is just very sweet and is a rare treasure in that it’s from Cas’ point of view (though this is not BAMF angel Cas, to be fair).  

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Wedding Cake by sparseparsley I think this might have been the very first destiel fic I read.  It’s a longer work (30K+) and just a delight.  Bartender!Dean and author!Cas get caught up in what can only be described as a romcom romp.  Various characters make appearances throughout.  There is a monumental misunderstanding that resolves in the typical romcom way.  ^.^;  Some mild angst due to said misunderstanding, but it all comes out alright in the end.  Some very, very lovely kissing.

Forget-Me-Not Blues by noangelsinthegarrison Another long one (68K+).  Firefighter!Dean helps his brother Sam get ready for his wedding, but tensions arise when he finds out Jess’ best-maid-of-honor is Castiel Novak, his secret high school crush.  This one is also romcom-y and definitely has chapters that drag a bit.  Even so, I thought the ensemble characters were used to good effect and written really well.  The slow build between Dean and Cas is delicious, but be warned, the payoff is all the way at the very end.  Possible triggers for high school bullying. 300 Things by cautionzombies I debated long and hard about including this story.  For one thing, I think 300 Things must be one of those legendary destiel fic (like Twist and Shout, which I’ve never read), so, like, hasn’t everyone already read it?  And for another, the more I go back to read this story, the more I see unhealthy relationship stuff that at one time came across as spectacularly angsty but now just makes me shake my head and wonder why we as a culture romanticize codependency.  Still, something about it just keeps drawing me back.  Dean is a college student and Cas is his professor.  Sam is significantly younger in this story and is one of my most favorite versions of Sam.  His relationship with Dean is beautiful, heart-achingly sweet, and honestly one of the most compelling reasons to read this piece.  And, the smut in this story is pretty great.  Heavy angst, but with a happy ending.

[morrigan24601]

Storytime! (IN which I have a glowing fanfic rec)

And amazingly, it has nothing to do with Phantom. When I was a naive little 16-year-old girl some years back (jesus, I just realized that was almost half my life ago) I discovered fanfiction.net for the first time in the computer lab/study hall of my high school. I wasn't into POTO yet (it would be another year before the 2004 film came out and several months after that before I would discover it and fall headlong into the phandom), but I *was* into Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And as it happened, the first BtVS fic I ever stumbled on was this amazingly well-crafted, BREATHLESSLY sexy fic called Black Satin Voices by Eurydice11. And good god, that thing was essentially my crack for WEEKS, maybe even months. I never read it at home on the family computer, for fear my parents would discover me (I was raised pretty conservatively). Instead I took insane amounts of delight in reading a chapter or two each time I went to the computer lab and didn't have anything better to do during study hall. I owe that fic a great debt. It was an escape from my very mundane life at the time, and it's a driving force behind what got me into the world of writing my own fanfiction two years later. It was what made me learn and always remember how well-written and lovingly crafted fanfiction could be despite the author not getting a dime from its posting. Also, it was quite the eye-opener for a shy, awkward little 16-year-old religious girl who had never even kissed a boy (or for that matter, girl) at that point in her life. (And no, of course I didn't just trot out and start doing the things I read about in the fic. It took me a few more years to start discovering all that for real. But it definitely sparked my lifelong obsession with well-written literotica, which has pretty much always been my preferred porn.) Years later as an adult, I tried to find it, certain that it had been written such a long time ago (when FFN had movie-style ratings from G to NC-17, no less) that it wouldn't be on the site any longer. BUT IT WAS, and it still is, and if you are even a casual fan of BtVS, you should read it. It's literally like watching an alternate-universe season of the show in literary form, complete with spot-on characterizations, "previously on Buffy" snippets at the beginning of certain chapters, a few original characters, and Buffyisms galore (with the added bonus of I-need-a-cold-shower sexual tension that eventually explodes). It is a gem. A lustrous, beautiful gem. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It remains one of my favorite fics I have ever read, period, after all this time. I've reread it several times whenever the fancy has struck me, and it never loses its touch.

[my-nameless-bliss]

So, what inspired you to write the main four ALDNT fics, and then the fill in fics? I love your series, and it must have taken a lot of research and a lot of hours because everything is always written so beautifully,mans your characterizations are always on point. Love you!

Oh, goodness, thank you so much! I’ve certainly devoted an unreasonable amount of time and energy to this series, so it really means the word to me to hear that it’s appreciated! Thank you so much for saying this, it’s so sweet of you! 😊

Honestly, ALDNT has become such a major part of my life by now that it’s actually a little difficult to remember what was motivating me all the way back at the beginning! It was certainly never my intention for it to be as expansive as it is - or really even to be it’s own universe and canon. Way back at the start, I really just wanted to write one short fic about Alec using makeup for the first time. I’d never written any Shadowhunters content before, and when I first started writing “Beautiful”, it was very much an experiment to see if I could get a feel for the characters and the overall universe.

I’ve always been drawn to stories about characters who were instilled with strict gender roles deciding to break out of those constraints and discovering their own form of self-expression. I’m also very interested in stories where characters instilled with violence get to indulge in softness and self-care and all the things that I cover with the umbrella term ‘Nice Things’. “Satin” in particular is heavily influenced by some of my favorite Captain America fics, which explore similar themes with Bucky. It’s a concept I’ve always loved reading about, and Alec really seemed like the perfect character for that type of arc. He was raised in a militaristic society where violence is literally integral in his job, and nephilim society is highly traditional about things like masculinity and gender roles. Also, his relationship with Magnus is a natural way of introducing him to the rejection of toxic masculinity, and the normalization of men being interested in things like makeup and fashion. So really, I liked the concept first, and then realized Alec was a good fit for it.

And from there, it’s really come together piece by piece. Once I realized “Beautiful” worked as a cohesive story, I sketched out the ideas for “Satin” and “Purple”, and as I was writing those, the responses to the fics were so unbelievably positive and supportive that I expanded the series to include “Learning” - mostly based on things people had said they wanted to see. And by the time I posted “Purple”, I’d received so much support, and so much continued interest in the series, and so many suggestions for other stories people wanted to read, that I really couldn’t bring myself to leave the universe. The multi-chapter fic really took off because I suddenly had an excuse to both expand the ALDNT canon, *and* to explore my own long-standing headcanons about Malec’s relationship (some of those stories are ideas I’ve had since I first read the books). A lot if it is the natural progression of what I’d established in the four-part series, a lot of it is directly filling prompts readers send me, and, of course, a lot of it is me directly altering and ‘fixing’ things I dislike about Malec’s relationship in the books.

I feel like I’ve said this a hundred times by now, but it’s as true as ever: I never expected the series to become what it is now. I really never even intended for it to be extensive enough to be its own canon, but by now it’s a complete alternate universe, and even the characters who *aren’t* OCs feel entirely separate from their book and show counterparts when I’m writing them. I honestly never thought the series would end up here, and that is completely thanks to the support I’ve received while writing it. I’ve put in this much time and work, and kept it going this long, because I know there are people who are interested. Obviously I am deeply in love with this story and these characters, but the motivation has always come from the truly unbelievable support I’ve gotten from my readers. 💜💜💜

[aishitara]

Destiel Fic Recs - AU

Previous post [x]

***additions to the list are found at the top, in bold***

Still not a definitive list because reasons.  Let’s be honest, it will never be a definitive list, lol. One day I’m gonna put all this AU stuff into separate categories, promise. A reminder that these are complete AUs - set elsewhere/elsewhen, no monsters, no hunting.   One should assume that language is flagrant and cocks abound, btw.  When clicking through, please take note of the author’s warnings and tags. Favorite overall fic recs here. [x] A/B/O fic recs here. [x]

***

Clean Air by @anactorya I don’t even know what to say about this fic besides please go read it immediately.  It’s magnificent.  Exquisitely written, thoughtful and thought-provoking, well-paced, angsty, intense, heartbreaking... ugh, it’s just good.  Post-apocalyptic dystopian future where all that remains of humanity lives in an underground silo.  Dean thinks they’re alone until he hears a voice coming through on the radio.  A beautiful, well-told love story.  Minor character death, which would all be canon-compliant if this weren’t an AU.  Longfic, 100K+ words.

Party Like it’s 2014 by Teragram This is a deliciously angsty story with lots of - I’m going to say mutual, though it’s largely Dean - pining.  Dean and Cas hook up at a bar, Cas gives Dean a fake number, and through circumstances I won’t reveal because spoilers Cas and Dean end up making a deal wherein Cas must attend AA meetings with Dean for every hour Dean spends fixing Cas’ car.  Phew.  Please read the author’s tags and warnings on this one, I found it to be full of triggers.

Satin and Sawdust by @ltleflrt I feel like this fic is also one of those legendary destiel fics that everyone must have already read, but I’m including it because goddamn it is fantastic.  Cas thinks he’s straight, Dean is hella bi, panty!kink, sweet, sweet sexytimes and adorable fluffy cats abound.  This is a slow-burn, crazy long, angst-with-a-happy-ending masterpiece.  Jimmy shows up as Cas’ twin in this story and I positively adore the relationship between them, it is magnificent and exceptionally well-written.  Warnings for het but there’s not a ton.

Kiss the Baker, also by @ltleflrt I really like Kiss the Baker because it’s one of the rare fics in which Dean does not experience a total identity crisis when he realizes he’s attracted to Cas (like there’s a little but mostly he’s just like, nope, I’m bi, cool).  I have to say upfront that there are tags for abusive relationships and stalking, so beware.  A really sweet relationship between Cas and Gabriel in this story, in addition to some delightfully awkward flirting between Dean and Cas.  Plus, Cas is a baker and now I’d like a pastry, thank you.

He Came in Through the Bedroom Window by @bettsfic Pure sweetness.  One of the tags on this fic is “everything is beautiful and nothing hurts,” and that is probably the most accurate tag I’ve ever seen on a story, ever.  The kissing in this fic is glorious.  The sexytimes. Are. Glorious.  Go.  Read!  Smile!  And maybe make sure you’re either in private or have a solid poker face because this fic will light you on fire.

With a Wham, Bam by @remmyme Short, sweet, and incredibly fluffy.  Dean meets Cas at a baseball game and adorableness ensues.  I love this story because literally every time I read it I end up with a total shit-eating grin on my face.  The characterizations are excellent.  Sam and Dean’s relationship gets some nice sideline attention and is done really well.  Also, I am perversely pleased by the tag “dean has no chill,” lol.  In this case, it’s accurate!

A Brief Glimpse by cloudyjenn AU and time travel rolled into one!  The author’s summary: “Castiel is utterly convinced he can’t love anyone but Sam, so when a strange occurrence at a carnival shows him otherwise, he doesn’t know what to do.”  This story is just very sweet and is a rare treasure in that it’s from Cas’ point of view (though this is not BAMF angel Cas, to be fair).  

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Wedding Cake by sparseparsley I think this might have been the very first destiel fic I read.  It’s a longer work (30K+) and just a delight.  Bartender!Dean and author!Cas get caught up in what can only be described as a romcom romp.  Various characters make appearances throughout.  There is a monumental misunderstanding that resolves in the typical romcom way.  ^.^;  Some mild angst due to said misunderstanding, but it all comes out alright in the end.  Some very, very lovely kissing.

Forget-Me-Not Blues by noangelsinthegarrison Another long one (68K+).  Firefighter!Dean helps his brother Sam get ready for his wedding, but tensions arise when he finds out Jess’ best-maid-of-honor is Castiel Novak, his secret high school crush.  This one is also romcom-y and definitely has chapters that drag a bit.  Even so, I thought the ensemble characters were used to good effect and written really well.  The slow build between Dean and Cas is delicious, but be warned, the payoff is all the way at the very end.  Possible triggers for high school bullying. 300 Things by cautionzombies I debated long and hard about including this story.  For one thing, I think 300 Things must be one of those legendary destiel fic (like Twist and Shout, which I’ve never read), so, like, hasn’t everyone already read it?  And for another, the more I go back to read this story, the more I see unhealthy relationship stuff that at one time came across as spectacularly angsty but now just makes me shake my head and wonder why we as a culture romanticize codependency.  Still, something about it just keeps drawing me back.  Dean is a college student and Cas is his professor.  Sam is significantly younger in this story and is one of my most favorite versions of Sam.  His relationship with Dean is beautiful, heart-achingly sweet, and honestly one of the most compelling reasons to read this piece.  And, the smut in this story is pretty great.  Heavy angst, but with a happy ending.