#and i'd be happy to get fic recs for any fics exploring any of these things

[steve-needs-a-hug]

some questions i have continuing to ping around in my brain after seeing Dune Part 2 a couple weeks ago...

How much (if at all) would the main Dune plot change if Paul Atreides was born a girl as the BG intended?

How old was Feyd-Rautha when the Baron took him away from his parents?

What kind of person could Feyd have been without the Baron's influence?

What happened in the deleted scenes with Thufir Hawat and Feyd-Rautha?

What happens to Feyd and Lady Fenring's daughter?

If Paul gave Feyd the choice to yield before landing the final blow in their duel, would Feyd have taken it?

[blouisparadise]

Upon request, today we have a rec list of fics where Louis and Harry have a one night stand! Of course, it often eventually leads to something more, but it starts with just one night. If you enjoy our rec lists, please be sure to like and reblog this post to help spread the word. Happy reading!

1) Let's Get Naked & Explore. | Not Rated | 3,185 words

"Hm, I'd be embarrassed if I had any real morals." Louis smirked and pushed himself off the door ledge he'd been leaning against, walking further into the bathroom. "Good thing, too, otherwise we probably wouldn't have had all that fun last night." "Unfortunately I only remember bits and pieces." "Well, it's also a good thing I'm extremely talented at jogging memories."

2) Please Master | Explicit | 4,344

“I was staring at you”, Harry says quietly, his fingers dancing on Louis’ heated skin, “earlier, on the dancefloor. I know you noticed me. But you’re used to people staring, aren’t you?” Though the question comes with a chuckle, it feels to Louis as though he is being scolded. Scolded, for he is desirable, and innocent, and untouched, and irresistible. Words, all of which were said to him by Harry as he requested his company for his endeavors for the night. It was the manner in which he said them, with a drawl so slow it reminded Louis of the way he liked to pour honey in his tea in the afternoon; through a spoon slightly tilted, each drop a triumph of its own. Most he had liked how the words had melted his mind as hot water did to honey; persistently, inevitably. And, much like he does his tea, it appears he prefers his company – sweet, steaming, and alone. “I think you enjoy it. The staring. I think you find pleasure in knowing you are wanted, a thrill in being chased. How boring”, Harry says, appearing indifferent to Louis despite the cruel nature of his words. “It’s a pity. You enjoy feeling like a slut, but all you need is somebody to fuck the seductive little brat out of you.”

3) If It Hurts To Breathe, Open The Window | Explicit | 4,406

Louis looks wonderful himself, in a muscle shirt reading The Stone Roses and showing off all his own ink. His jeans are tighter than Harry��s, and there are dark circles under his eyes and his hair is tatty and wild, and there’s a sex bruise on the bend of his elbow Harry didn't give to him.

4) Spark A New Flame | Explicit | 6,100 words

Louis is nineteen, Harry is twenty-one, and it's not all that hard to figure out what happens when they both go clubbing.

5) Let The Beating Waves Come Drag Me Down |Explicit | 9,447 words

“Just try it, the worst thing that could ever happen it’s that you won’t like it” Niall had told him. And there he was, on the way to one of these pubs created for perverts, willing to break up the routine to try something new, something that terrified as much as excited him. One night to get swept up in passion, one night to let the devil get in. "Tonight, I’m going to make you scream of ecstasy Louis,” he said with a raspy voice full of control, making him tremble with anticipation.

6) Night Out | Explicit | 9,741 words | Sequel

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Symphony hall was the first place Louis had felt at home in this city, and he always had the box to himself. Until tonight.

7) Make It Feel Like Home | Explicit | 10,587 words

Paris was supposed to be the city of love, who thought getting knocked up by your one night stand whom you're really figuratively never going to meet again?

8) Put It On Me | Mature | 14,890 words

Harry's bachelor party doesn't go as planned.

9) I Won’t Give Up So Come And Get Me | Explicit | 15,322 words

“I can’t believe you’ve roped me into this.” Liam sighs and looks at his best friend slash flat mate behind him through the mirror he is currently standing in front of. “What are you talking about Louis? How have I roped you into this?” Louis is lying sprawled out on his back on Liam’s bed, watching him try on his eighth top from a pile on the chair next to him. “You know perfectly well how. I was quite content spending my Friday night staying in watching Netflix with a takeaway and now I’m being forced to go on a blind date with some bloke while you make bedroom eyes at your new boy toy.” Liam turns towards him, hands on his hips. his face set in a deep frown. “That’s a load of shit. Firstly, I didn’t force you, you were perfectly up for it last week when I asked, you’re just getting pissy with me because you are nervous. Secondly, it is not a blind date. Zayn suggested that he meet you as you’re my best friend and then I suggested he bring along his best friend to make it a bit more even, who said anything about you guys getting together?”

10) Sweeter Than Wine | Explicit | 15,339 words

When Wizard!Louis goes to a muggle club for a change of pace, his one night stand ends up being much more than he bargained for.

11) Carried Away Like Butterflies | Explicit | 17,243 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

It was probably a huge mistake for Louis to let his former One Night Stand move into his spare room, especially when said One Night Stand doesn't seem to remember him.

12) Wait For Me | Explicit | 17,454 words

Moving to a new place always comes with a few challenges. For Harry, it’s trying to start over after his divorce, while still doing his best taking care of his son. Though just like every parent, he is not infallible, so some mistakes are bound to be made, settling into his new role as a single-dad. For his son, Davie, moving means he has to get used to all the changes happening in his life through no fault of his own. Discovering a secret passageway on their new property lets him form an unlikely friendship with the young man and his dog he finds on the other side.

13) I Put A Spell On You | Explicit | 17,525 words

A BBC/Secret Santa mashup featuring Captain Niall, our intrepid weatherman/amateur matchmaker, rather clueless sports reporter Liam, charming political analyst Zayn, and cheeky entertainment reporter Louis. Harry is the new fashion correspondent who prefers to dress like a flamingo. And pining. There’s a lot of pining.

14) The Wild Night to Memory Loss to Soul Mates Pipeline| Explicit | 17,628 words

“What the fuck are you on—holy shit,” Louis gasps, looking down at his own hand to see a white gold band wrapped his left ring finger. “Wh-what is going on?” “Sure is a conundrum,” the man muses, realization flashing in his green eyes. “I-I’m not married, I can’t be married,” Louis mumbles to himself, staring wide-eyed at the ring, heart racing a mile a minute.

15) Let's Make Christmas Merry, Baby | Explicit | 19,871 words

Harry and Louis have to play Mr and Mrs Claus at a frat party and don’t get on, but keep getting stuck under mistletoe until they do

16) Moonlit Reverie | Explicit | 20,961 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Louis has always dreamed of getting kissed under the Eiffel Tower since he was a child. After ending a long-term relationship, he decides to treat himself to his dream trip to Paris and finds a lonely handsome stranger staring at the Eiffel Tower surrounded by other couples. He never thought he would ask a complete stranger if they could kiss under the glowing tower without even knowing each other but there he was.

17) What Happens In Vegas... Doesn't Stay In Vegas | Explicit | 21,976 words

What should have been a fun one-night stand in Vegas turns into something a lot more complicated. Because getting married is easy but getting unmarried... not so much.

18) You’re The Light | Explicit | 31,285 words

Before beginning a new graduate school in the fall, Louis Tomlinson decides to spend the summer working in Chicago as an editor’s assistant for the Chicago Tribune newspaper and staying with his old college roommate. What he finds on his first day of work is a tall, gorgeous editor named Harry who has the most beautiful green eyes he’s ever seen—and who also happens to be his new boss.

19) Something Along The Lines Of ‘An Office Love Story At Christmas’ | Explicit | 43,148 words

Harry hadn’t planned on seeing Louis again, not after that night. When he finds out his only competition for a very desired promotion is Louis, he spirals into a mess of trying to be a better coworker and person right before Christmas in hopes that he can outdo Louis’ effortless effect on his office. If he manages to get his head out of his ass along the way, it’ll be a holiday miracle.

20) Love’s Truest Language | Explicit | 48,195 words

The first part was meant as a joke. He didn't really expect Harry to buy anything. It was just Louis’ way of softening the ‘get the fuck out’ blow. “Where's your order forms, then?” “I don't want your flowers.” Louis chided before directing all of his attention to the arrangement in front of him. Harry laughed under his breath as he stood to his full height, “Who said anything about them being for you, love?”

21) Waiting On You | Explicit | 76,584

“Vampires,” Louis says with disgust, glaring over at the vampire who is noisily slurping from the woman’s neck nearby. Zayn gives the neat fang marks on Louis’ neck a meaningful look. “Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” Louis finishes, ignoring Zayn when he rolls his eyes. Louis takes a long sip of his milkshake, presses his fingers against the marks on his neck, and definitely doesn’t think about the vampire who left them there.

22) Love Will Tear Us Apart | Explicit | 204,151 words

It was only meant to be a one night thing, but when the country goes into lockdown, Louis Tomlinson finds himself stuck in windsor castle, in company of his royal fucking highness, Harry, the prince of England.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 18 – CREATURE FIC

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: newtypeshadow

The sheer amount of creativity in newtypeshadow's fantasy universes is really impressive. I love all of the different types of magic and creatures that they explore, and the world building is off the charts. Plus, the way they write Bucky, Tony and Steve is just lovely, in any constellation they come in.

Here's some of their work that I think you should check out:

The Werewolf, the Witch and the Vampire

Pairing: Steve/Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 2,297 Tags: Urban Fantasy, Getting Together, Protectiveness

Summary: Whoever had broken into Bucky and Steve's backwoods cabin had used a key, Bucky's favorite mug, and was now sleeping in their bed. "This is feeling very Goldilocks, isn't it?" Bucky said.

Reasons why I love it: All of the dialogue in this is super fun and engaging. And the action towards the end even more so. I love the descriptions of Bucky's shifted form, and Tony's magic is super intriguing. I feel like I could read entire books about this 'verse and still not get enough. This fic is wonderful, and you should definitely read it!

Adventures in “Catsitting”

Pairing: Bucky/Tony/Winter Rating: T Words: 2,898 Tags: Symbiote Winter, Pranks, Fluff and Humor

Summary: Tony is stuck in flerken shape at the Tower, in the dubious care of Clint Barton—the Avenger who constantly mocks him for being an adorable little house cat. At least with the pet buttons Bucky programmed for him, Tony can tell Clint to knock it off. The problem is whether Clint will actually listen.

Reasons why I love it: Oh god, Clint truly has a death wish, pissing off the resident flerken. Not to mention the symbiote (and can I just say what a fucking cool concept Winter the Symbiote is? Because it's awesome). This fic is hilarious, and I hope you give it a read!

Little Red Running Witch and the Big White Wolf

Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Steve/Peggy Rating: T Words: 2,569 Tags: Werewolves, Hurt/Comfort, Soulmates

Summary: Tony, an unschooled witch, has fled from Ty, his sorcerer captor, only to attract the attention of a big white wolf. If the wolf catches Tony, he's dead. If Ty catches Tony, he won't be that lucky.

Reasons why I love it: There's so much to like about this one – suspense, action, BAMF Peggy, werewolf mates, Ty getting his comeuppance, it's all great. I love the hopeful ending, and protective Bucky is always a treat, especially when he's all wolfy and growly. Definitely give this one a read, if you haven't already!

Happiness: A Song in Three Parts

Pairing: Steve/Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 3,166 Tags: Soulmates, Kidnapping, Sharing a Bed

Summary: Tony's just a kid when he first hears the music. He's human, no one knows werewolves exist yet, and there's no sexy beefcake couple Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes coming out as werewolves and giving interviews to the press to explain the melody Tony heard sporadically during childhood is what werewolves—and the human mates of werewolves—hear when their soulmate is within a few miles of them. By the time he finds out what the music means, he hasn't heard a note in years. And when he finally hears it again, he's busy running for his life.

Reasons why I love it: Aaah, soulmates just warm my heart. I love the concept of a soul song, and the fact that Tony was already fantasizing about Bucky and Steve before ever meeting them is so cute. Plus, who doesn't like Bucky and Steve getting all protective over Tony? This fic is lovely, and you should definitely read it!

He kindly stopped for me

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: M Words: 2,789 Tags: Rescue, Wolf Bucky, Flirting

Summary: When Tony magically summons help to save himself from spider-goblins, he has no idea the "help" that comes will bring him face to pretty face with death.

Reasons why I love it: Oh my god, the world building in this is fantastic. I'd love to know more about the Death beasts and how the whole magic system works, it's so intriguing. And of course, the Winteriron romance is absolutely wonderful. I love this fic, and I bet you will too, so go ahead and give it a shot!

[shenanigans-and-imagines]

Fic Author Self Rec Game

When you get this, make a post with your favorite five fics you've written, then pass it on to at least five other writers. Let's spread the self-love!

Thank you @jo-harrington for the tag. I'm so sorry I didn't get to it sooner!

Tagging: @leighsartworks216, @kittttycakes, @can-of-pringles, @16boyfriends-and-me and @a-libra-writes

I'm really curious at what you guys pick! (Also if you have any original stuff you want to share, now is the time!)

In no particular order:

I Want it All : Astarion x Evie (Ace!Tav), Angst, Asexual Guilt, Happy Ending

A surprise to literally nobody who has followed me in the past year. I think this is some of my strongest work as well as my first dive into writing an explicitly asexual character. (You can probably read a lot into some of my other works, but that's neither here nor there). I still get comments on this one and it makes me happy to see it's at least made some impact on the fandom.

Welcome to Hellfire: Eddie Munson x Lucy Henderson (OC), Fluff, Awkwardness, First Meetings

I really need to get back to writing these two, specifically Lucy's first session, especially now that I've played a lot more D&D. Getting back to the fic at hand, I think I did a good job allow Eddie to still be kind of a dick while not making Lucy look like an idiot for accepting to still play with him. He's a deceptively hard character to balance and I think it's a solid introduction to Lucy as a character.

Shaking Hands: Hawkeye Pierce x Elizabeth "Doc" O'Neil (OC), Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Canon Typical Violence

Another couple of character I need to get back to writing. While "What's Up Doc: Part 1" would be the better entry to start with these two, I still haven't actually finished it and I feels wrong to recommend something that hasn't been touched in literal years. I've changed a lot as a writer and will likely go back to touch it up. This though feels more complete. I also think I captured Hawkeye's voice particularly well in his rant towards the end. I'd still want to expand this to pace it out to a full episode, but I'm happy with how it stands now.

More Than Sufficient: Thrawn x Captain!Reader, Canon Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Pining

Admittedly most of my earlier writing I low key cringe at, but this has held up well. It gave me an excuse to write more formal dialogue which is a rarity. I like the challenge of restraint and relying more of subtext. One of these days my obession will be stoked again. In the meantime, of all my Star Wars fics, the Thrawn ones in particular stand out to me as some of my best.

Rough Day: Doctor Strange & Ellie Jackson (OC), Mentor!Strange, Hurt/Comfort, Strange trying to understand a stressed out teenager

It was a toss up between this and another Astarion x Evie fic "For All I Care", but I ultimately decided this one needed more love. I needed some representation for the Marvel fandom, and Ellie really is one of my favorite OCs (even if I'm now thinking of converting her and Cassandra into an original work). I just like exploring Strange as a mentor/father figure if only because he's not very good at it, but he tries.

[spooky-spextre-arts]

Encanto Fic RECS (Part I)

(*REPOST due to some unnoticed file errors during first posting)

I've been wanting to do one of these fanfic lists for a while now, but never really got to finishing any. Today, however, will be the time I finally make and post my silly little thoughts on some of my favorite fics in the Encanto fandom.

My personal taste is big ol' mixed bag of different tropes, AUs, and (platonic) relationships. However, I'd say I'm usually geared towards your typical gen, hurt/comfort or angst with a happy ending (most of the time).

(OFFICIAL WARINING: Because this is mostly a recommendation list, there are a few fics that may contain upsetting or triggering subject matter. Those fics have been labeled with a little *** next to the title, followed by a warning of what themes they may contain.)

This is merely a Part I, only covering multi-chapter fics I've read so far. Part 2 will be out shortly, containing one/two-shot fics and the ones I'm currently reading or plan to.

With that said, let's get right into it!

To fall apart, to reunite [T]

- Ongoing | by ADabOfBlessings ( @adabofblessings ) & Wikluk ( @wikluk )

Set in an AU where Mirabel doesn't survive Casita's collapse, Julieta struggles the most in the midst of her youngest’s death, hoping against hope to getting her back. Fortunately, she might just have a chance.

This fic is absolutely heart-wrenching, but in the best way possible. I was never as much of a Julieta fan as so many other people were, but I'm pleasantly surprised how much more I grew invested in her since reading this fic. Reading (mostly) from her perspective really helps enhance her character - especially once the rest of the family and even the townspeople get some time to shine. (Just saying, the characterization of Mariano’s grandmother(?) quickly became one of my favorite details of any background character.

One Step Closer [T]

One Step Beyond [T]

Complete | by Breanna (on AO3)

Part of a Bruno-and-Mirabel-centric series, these two fics explore the (platonic!) relationship these two develop with one another and their family in the time set during All Of You (Closer), and even post-canon (Beyond).

I REALLY love the (second) father-daughter sense Mirabel has with Bruno (it will make a lot of sense later in Closer), which leads to some very well-written wholesome and bittersweet moments parsed throughout.

A Place For Crows (to rest their feet) [G]

Complete | by Acewithapaintbrush ( @acewithapaintbrush )

PEDRO LIVES HALLELUJAH!!

As the note above suggests, Pedro did indeed survive the marauder attack and lived for the past 50 years in a town far, far away from the Encanto. Fortunately, after he discovers the new crack in the mountain, he rediscovers his family and how they've grown without him. This fic also explores how much the family's all grown since All Of You, but where they still struggle in a post-canon world.

I really love this one, even as someone who's… not thaaat much into the ‘[insert dead character] Lives AU’. There are both some wholesome and awkward moments where Pedro re-connects with Alma, his children, and the rest of his family. (Let's just say there's one really funny scene early on involving Mirabel, Bruno, and a classic bloodline misunderstanding.)

Because of how long Pedro's been away from his family, there's obviously a heck of a lot he's unaware of (which the family doesn't seem all too keen on sharing with him hmmmm….?) This leads to quite a bit of delicious angst and hurt/comfort, especially towards the end, but I'm happy to say it all resolves quite nicely by the end.

Mariposa [T] *

- Complete | by cloudyencanto ( @cloudy-encanto )

*(mild cw: brief child abuse and violent moments)*

An Encantober series from 2022, writing (again, mostly) from Alma's POV, with each chapter topic centering around one of the main prompts. Starting from her childhood years as a triplet herself, to meeting Pedro, having the triplets, leading the Encanto, to becoming an Abuela.

All of this really culminates into a vast character exploration showing just how much Alma had grown from a mere Caterpillar to a powerful, headstrong Butterfly.

(**As a bit of forewarning, there are a few moments early on that might be difficult to read. **These include moments where Alma's mother verbally and physically abuses her children, as well as quite a few violent moments once the marauders attack the village, and Pedro and Alma are forced to leave.)

Encanto (Tía Pepa POV) [G]

- Ongoing | by cloudy_encanto

Like Mariposa, this one's told from the POV of another character - being Pepa and her side of the family (and a few others, like Isabela, sprinkled in here and there.)

Because this one's told over the course of the movie, there are a lot of new scenes that feature the warm-colored family and what they were doing when the focus was elsewhere on Mirabel or somewhere else. There are several tooth-achingly sweet scenes that really show how much these characters love and care for one another, as well as several tense, angsty scenes that won't fail in tugging on your heartstrings.

Tremors [T]

- Ongoing | by Missilestorm ( @missilestorms )

A post-canon fic where Mirabel receives a gift after Casita's revival. The downside, however, is that this gift causes literal cracks to form. Bruno acts as a much-needed supporter and anchor for Mirabel, who must learn how to keep her new gift under control.

Each character's emotional struggles are shown incredibly well - particularly that of Mirabel and Bruno. It's heartbreaking to see how much anguish this gift causes Mirabel, especially considering how much she's encouraged her family to see their individual values that are separate from tying back to their gifts. On Bruno's end, it's sweet seeing how much he cares about Mirabel, recognizing her struggles with having a potentially dangerous gift, and consistently providing support or an extra hand to grab on to when it becomes too much. This sentiment is also applied to the family themselves, who also reach out to help in whatever ways they can.

Old Habits Die Hard [M] ***

- Complete | by Missilestorm

**TW for SA/Underage !! **

Set just after Casita’s reconstruction begins, Mirabel is sexually assaulted by a rogue townsperson. With Bruno acting as her main supporter and confidant, this fic explores the trauma of the event itself and how past, unresolved familial trauma bleeds into it.

This fic is honestly one of my favorites. I'd say it's somewhere in my top-five favorites out of all the stories I've read thus far. This story is just so raw and heartbreaking - which always hits harder when it's happening to characters you love. Not to mention, the author's handling of the subject matter is done with as much respect and care as I would hope a story with content matter like this should require. I especially love how each character (except for the villain mf) - particularly in the family - is written and how they react to the devastating events playing out around them. Despite this fic mostly centering around Bruno and Mirabel, the rest of the family have time to shine (some more than others), and man, just reading how much they care and want to help Mirabel is - just -gah! I love it, man.

I definitely recommend checking this one out if you're up to it.

we see how brave you've been [G]

- Complete | by hearth_goddess | (Mirabel & Antonio-centric)

Set in alternating pre-canon and canon, this fic is kind of a character study told through the different perspectives of the triplets. The scenes from the triplets' perspectives are of sweet moments involving Mirabel, Antonio, and their friendship (or short moments of just them with Mirabel or Antonio.) These scenes include moments set pre-canon, in-between, and during canon scenes.

One of my favorite gen pairings in the Encanto fandom is the one shared between Mirabel and Antonio. They share an incredibly sweet, wholesome, and powerful bond, despite the... admittedly little time they actually share together in the movie. But this fic definitely fills in the unseen gaps in their friendship, particularly in the moments preceding Antonio's ceremony. Seeing the triplets' reactions to the loving bond the two youngest grandchildren share is just so sweet and proves that, despite everything that led to the cracks, this family never stopped caring about one another.

Cold and Numb [T] ***

- Complete | by Amisaurus

**TW for Self-Harm and Suicide (Major Character Death) **

This one's just sad. Like - very, very sad. Set sometime after Antonio's gift ceremony (and presumably before the cracks appear), Mirabel struggles a lot with her self-worth, believing she isn't wanted in the slightest. Unfortunately, this isn't helped at all with how terribly Alma treats her in this fic and, despite good intentions, how her parents, sisters, and cousins are unable to understand not having a gift. This leads to a devastating moment in the first chapter, with the second chapter showing just how much this action hurt the family.

(With that said, there is a hopeful moment in the second chapter.)

When The Bell Tolls One [NOT RATED]

- Complete | by BudBrock (Alma-centric)

We got another Alma POV!!

Written a bit like 'A Christmas Carol,' this is an ‘Encanto watches Encanto AU,’ where Alma is shown and reacts to the events of the movie after the scene where she begs Pedro to “open [her] eyes.”

What can I say? I'm a sucker for POV character explorations like these, especially for mixed characters like Alma. Out of any Alma-centric fics, this one's definitely one of my favorites. In between, there are some funny moments reading Alma's reactions to certain scenes. However, there are also several moments where Alma is given a bird’s-eye view into the harm she'd unintentionally caused for her family.

Sound of Silence [T]

- Complete | by JilyFirecracker

Also set in an AU where Mirabel dies in Casita's collapse, with the fallout told from the perspectives of varying characters (Agustín, Pepa, Luisa, Camilo, Antonio, and Julieta.)

Definitely a bit of a sad one, especially during flashbacks of each character's core memories with Mirabel. But I really liked Julieta’s part, especially with the note it ends on.

Shining [G]

- Complete | by Sokkas_First_Fangirl ( @sokkas-first-fangirl )

Since the grandkids (not including Antonio) were young, Bruno and his sisters spent their summers at a lake in the Encanto. After Antonio's birth and Bruno’s return, the family makes a date to spend a day at that same lake for the first time in forever.

SWEET SUMMER FAMILY SHENANIGANS! The entire family is written so well, and there are many scenes that show how much stronger their shared bond has become. This is such a wonderful fic to read at a lake or beach on a hot summer day.

That's that for the recommended multi-chapter fics I've read so far. It goes without saying that all of these authors are so incredibly talented and absolutely deserve all the credit for their incredible stories.

Part II will be out shortly...

[fraudulent-cheese]

Total Drama Fic Rec Week day 4 that im doing now so i don't forget!

Today's prompt is Favorite short fic (< 2000 words), and OH BOY DO I HAVE RECS!!!

I could've picked any fic included in the All-Stars: Behind the Scenes series since they're all oneshots under 2000 words, but i picked the Ex-Fangirl and the Ex-Con since it's a Sierra character exploration and i love those :p also Duncan is there and doesn't suck so bonus points for that 👍

Next, i'd recommend the fic Fairytales (to tell yourself), which is a pre-series character exploration of Ella and GOD i love it. We need more of this. I really like the specific take on Ella of her playing the princess character as a form of escapism or in this fic's case, a metaphor on the attitude she adopted to fit in. I want to give her a hug in this fic so badly

Here's another Pahkitew fic, a really short one called It Should've Been, an exploration of Jasmine's feelings on Sammy's elimination after A Blast from the Past, featuring Scarlett at the very end. It's pretty dang good!

Im super happy this one fits under this criteria, I wanna be your girlfriend is one of two heatheva fics on ao3 and definitely the one i like more! Basically, Heather includes Eva in her alliance arrangement as a sort of fake girlfriend. Neat idea, and im very glad to see one of my rarepairs getting a fic :D

Speaking of rarepairs i like, Concern is a justowen fic that takes place during action, and also includes Lindsay as a major character. I like how both Justin and Lindsay are written in it!

FINALLY (god this post is getting long), Drop the (Killer) Bass is a fic in @henke-penke's rewrite of Island which involves a friendship forming between their rewritten Sadie and Harold. It's really sweet, in general it convinced me Sadie and Katie would love rave music :p

@totaldramaficrecweek

[wistfulwatcher]

Hi I saw you reccing Truth and Measure and I loved that fic so much and was wondering if you could recs some other favorites? Any fandom would be awesome but I would also love some Emily Prentiss fic to read any pairing is fine if there is a good Emily. Thanks

For sure! I'll only do Emily recs for now because if we opened it up to any fandom fic recs I'd try to make it an exhaustive list and never get this answered akjfd;lakf. Here are a few that I remember having great Emily characterization. I'm slowly working my way through a massive to-read list, so maybe I'll add to this in a few weeks 😅 Most of these are adult/explicit and 10k+ because of who I am as a person:

The Boyfriend Experience by pagetfan; Emily/Derek. Fake dating trope, with a beautiful emphasis on their partner/friendship going into the fake date.

Love, Light, and Marigold Sounds by pagetbrewstersswife; Emily/Garcia. Great ride through their relationship, starting with early friendship.

Easy Love by blythechild; Emily/Hotch/Reid. This was written pre-CME, but the characterization of Emily has that CME!Emily biting vibe. Angstier overall than I usually enjoy but it was so good, and exactly the dynamic I look for in these three together.

Burning Chrysalis by Wildingflowers; Emily/Hotch. Note the warnings/tags on this one! The author writes the quiet supportive Emily/Hotch dynamic so well, and nails both of their characterization (individually and together). Incomplete, but ends at a very satisfying place so I have zero hesitation about reccing it.

Convenient People by blythechild; Emily/Reid. Emily and Reid getting to know each other by roleplaying as strangers. It works so well and is a very fun character exploration romance.

someone else's solid ground by eyesontheskyline; Emily/Hotch. A perfect post-Wheels Up fic where Hotch comes to check on Emily now that Scratch is dead. Flawless characterization of them individually and their dynamic, with such realistic romance and conversation.

A Risk Worth Taking by ShayScribbles; Emily/Hotch. WIP/series, but no cliffhangers. Beautiful dynamic between Emily and Hotch (sexy and poignant at all times!), and flawless characterization of them as individuals.

Where You Go by SequinSmile; Emily/Hotch. Fake dating trope (I'm predicatable!), with delicious mutual pining and the perfect smidge of misunderstanding. Beautiful little romance that puts emphasis on their friendship (without it seeming implausible as events happening off-screen in canon).

Falling For You by IndigoButterfly; Emily/Hotch. Episode-related scenes spanning S4-S7 (with a happy ending). I usually avoid these style fics for fear of them just reiterating canon dialogue, but I'm so glad I read this one. No unnecessary repetition, and the dialogue/characterization is spot-on from beginning to end. It's shorter but still a great slow build into getting together.

Happy reading!

[phaerlax]

you as the WolfBoyGuy and me as someone who has just recently seen the puppy light, do you have any tips or what you'd consider Required Reading to get a good grip on writing wolf boys? moreso karu than garu just because i personally have a hard time writing dudes with as much bluster and "doesn't tend to default to conventionally agreed on niceties". i have (admittedly mild) torments I'd like to put him through >_>

Anon is asking me about blorbo... I have been training for this for so long... behold now the ramblings of a man possessed by two wolves. I'll talk a bit about how I approach writing Karu and then include some curated recs.

It took me some time to really get going on wolfboy fics; I also found it challenging to handle Karu's characterization. Two big reasons why:

Tsunderes are just difficult to do if you're grounded in realism. It's a very 'anime' archetype and people don't behave quite like that. This makes it harder to naturally reach for reasonable/appropriate responses when putting the character in situations. The big want/think/say/do splits can also complicate straightforward scenarios (e.g. the character wants something and does what he needs to do in order to get it. This path is often closed to the tsundere).

The game gives little insight into Karu's inner world. NU: Carnival is very dialogue-heavy in its narrative. When we do get introspection, it's often Eiden-focused. This means we basically never get to see the thought process that leads Karu to act this way or that, except in the rare instances in which he talks to himself (like in some H scenes when he goes "ugh it feels so good but-").

The style that I ended up developing for my angry wolf boy writings follows these principles:

Keep him silly. This is because I fundamentally see Karu as a comical character. Yeah, his personality can be traced back to traumas and there's a lot of interesting stuff to explore in that regard, but I am not personally interested in that tbh. The reason I love him is the wacky nonsense and ridiculous behavior that we see in the game. It was at first sight for me. I didn't need depth and I still don't XD Any advice and references I provide are skewed by that. I have a preference for almost never taking him seriously.

Mind his 'narrativization' tendencies. Karu is comically very enamored by the idea/narrative that he's a mighty warrior with many great skills who will conquer humanity and who should be respected and served. On some level, he knows this isn't entirely true, so he will sometimes (try to) avoid situations that would bring attention to his shortcomings. But most often he's trying to prove himself and get others to share his narrative. When something or someone reinforces the narrative, he gets proud, pleased or happy-flustered. When something or someone goes against the narrative, he gets annoyed and angry-flustered. He is very good at ignoring reality, however. Even though he'll seemingly take exception to every little slight, he moves on very quickly and pretends nothing happened. And though he's stubborn, he's also willing to surrender, cut his losses and 'try another day' when he's foiled.

Mix his narrativization with the narration a lot. This kind of free indirect discourse is just my style in general, but with Karu I find myself using it more intensely, to such an extent that the narration can get quite dialogue-like in how it expresses his thoughts. When I want to portray a 'tsundere stumble' moment, I sometimes make the narration interrupt itself as Karu consciously aborts a line of thinking that would lead him to unacceptable conclusions.

Let him just be rude for no reason and with little consequence. Karu's default way of addressing and dealing with people (other than Kuya) is rudeness. At best, he attempts some form of condescension in which the reason he's doing something 'nice' is because you're so weak and he's so awesome or whatever. Most characters seem to simply not mind his behavior and, again, it's usually played for laughs anyway.

Bibliography of Karu Studies

Keep in mind that many Karu fics are kuyaru, and Karu in kuyaru is quite different from the core of the character, since he's uniquely eager to please Kuya. Still, even kuyarus can have some nice insight.

who let the dogs out has a lot of juicy Karu inner conflict, and it even explores the ways in which such hangups make him outwardly grumpier. Due to kuyaru, it ultimately leads him to a place of submission, but his initial thoughts are very in-character.

Baser Instincts is a kuyaru in which Kuya gets to see the pups in a new light, because they help him in a difficult situation. It's another great source of inspiration for Karu struggling to express his feelings.

Bow Down! explores how he might react to Eiden letting him top, in a very true-to-character way.

Lonely at the Top is Karu/Dante, which means you get to see Karu at his prickliest and most insufferable, and how that can be managed.

A Matter of Pride is a good example of the 'concessions' dynamic that can be done in Eiden/Karu.

Goshujin-Ai is an older Karu/Yakumo and a good example of Karu feeling comfortable and doing the 'attempts at condescension' thing I mentioned before.

Slave number one, rub my chest again is me speculating on what it might look like for Karu to ask Eiden to do things to him and try to control sex.

Warden slander wolf Commander is probably a good example of the 'fine I give up but I'll get you next time' potential of Karu, as well as the kind of bleed-heavy narration I talked about.

Master, do you have another wolf besides me?! delves into Karu's potential for jealousy as a way of expressing affection. It's pretty canon-compliant because most of it is adapted from NEON Carnival.

There are many other fics in the Karufic Archive, but I think the ones above are among the best for the purposes of thinking about the writing.

Please feel free to talk to me non-anonymously if you ever want to discuss wolf boy content! As you can see I am cursed with thoughts and need places to put them. I'm also always very happy to do anything that I can to shepherd and sponsor GaruKaru content; if you go ahead with your impulse to write about them (please do) and want a beta reader, don't hesitate to ask~

[chromatic-lamina]

Hi! You seem quite knowledgeable in this, so I though you might be the right person to ask: I'm trying to find some nice heart pirates fics with them as family doing shenanigans/general stuff. Most of the fics I've found in the Heart Pirates tag in ao3 revolve around a ship involving law and the hearts are just background characters who barely do anything, which isn't what I'm looking for. Do you have any recommendations? (I've already read some of your works, but if you want to recommend those that's good too!)

Platonic Heart Pirates Fics Rec List

Wow! huge compliment.

Yeah, I wouldn't classify myself as a Hearts Pirates writer, but I do write them. I think my best characterisations of them are in my multi-chaptered works, but they're super dark, and the Hearts aren't the focus (but boy do they shine when they get the chance!).

You've probably come across my Bepo's one shots and drabble collection. There's a few shippy pieces in there, but they're clearly marked. Most are just the crew, although focus on the main four. This was also done for the Hearts' Pirates Week, so covers all named crew members (up to that point). This one shot is surprisingly popular: Dark like the North Blue Sea (aka The Sea-Hill you Die On), and you might have come across the Straw Hat and Heart Pirates crews intermingling in this fic featuring Bepo and Chopper. I'm also guessing that you probably saw the piece I wrote for the op summer festival zine: Sun Path Ozoni. An earlier version of that is in Bepo's collection! There's also Bepo's Beptober, which features everyone, but I wouldn't really say explores them in depth!

Okay, RECS!

Any of the fics with the Hearts Pirate tag by @op-sheepy Here's a link to their AO3 dash. There are quite a few Heart Pirate drabbles on their tumblr page too.

@itsxandy 's work, stormy weather, is criminally under-read. That's 22,2221 amazing words on Law's dynamic with the crew in the polar tang in close quarters. Not necessarily happy families, but, oof, it's good. Even a very plausible theory put forward for the recruitment of Clione, I think! Or maybe Uni.

Dragon_in_a_Cypress_swamp has 6 amazing Hearts & Trafalgar Law fics too. Really good (I haven't read all, but what I have read just blows me away).

This is not a place of honor by Hyperbolic Reverie (I'm not guaranteeing that all the fics are sweet). And you've probably come across

the devil knows how to row by fab_ia, is set in Law Novel land, but with flashbacks to Law's time with the Donquixote Family. It's a work in progress. But very good. The author is keats on twitter, and I think one of the guest writers for the up coming Hearts zine. Their AO3 actually has a few Hearts' fics I want to pick through.

Dunno if this counts, but the Scrubs AU with Penguin and Shachi as Law's interns, and Bepo as a trusty nurse is both hilarious and poignant. @thegrimshapeofyoursmile

Cal14's recently been uploading some of their tumblr pieces.

@slashseeker (not getting their blog come up) has some platonic stuff on their AO3 page (their slash is pretty good too though!).

And that's about all I know for now. I'm sure you've read / been pointed towards the big collection: Tales from the Heart.

Almost forgot! If you go through @purplehairedwonder 's page, towards the start of beginning to write OP (so second page), there are about 5 fics that I'd classify as Heart centric, or the Hearts seen through Law's eyes. Not necessarily shenanigans though.

It is a ship fic, and it started before a lot of the Heart Pirates were named, but razbliuto's Methyl Nitrate Pirates really builds character and crew (and it's funny). @fablecore

Hope it helps! Sorry to anyone I've forgotten. Thanks for the ask! Let me know how they go.

Remember all, drop a kudos and comment if the fics strike your fancy❤️ Makes a Heart Pirates Heart loving Heart beat heartier.

[rmd-writes]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love❤

Thanks Michelle! Choosing five fics was like trying to choose a favourite child which is to say, it's impossible. Okay, that's a lie, my favourite child is the one who is not sucking the life from my soul at any given moment. Yesterday both of my kids got a turn - first my youngest, because he very sweetly packed me a little fun size Crunchie bar from his personal stash of lollies and brought it to the movies for me and kept checking whether I'd eaten it yet and if I liked it. But then later he was being so loud I couldn't think, so his older sister became my favourite child because she told him to be quiet. Anyway, I'm turning into one of those recipe bloggers who can't give a recipe without sharing their whole life's story, so here is my list of fics I'm proud of in which I absolutely cheat by sharing some fic series:

don't estop me now (RWRB)

(read to the victor, the spoils first and then the prequel, what, like it's hard?)

I'm really so proud of this lawyer AU! I had an absolute blast writing these fics and I think it shows in my writing - it's definitely some of my best. What, like it's hard? is the first really substantial long fic I've ever written and that in itself was a challenge but the snarky rivarly between Alex and Henry is just so fun to write! Whenever I see comments roll in on these fics it just makes me smile so hard to see other people enjoying them

Soon (Tarlos)

PWP but make it bite-sized (aka 37, 100-word chapters). This started as a drabble but then I got the slightly unhinged idea to continue the fic in drabbles (ie precisely 100 words at a time). Was it a challenge to write only 100 words and make sure each chapter told enough of the story in so few words? Yes. Did I have so much fun edging Carlos and the fandom alongside him? Also yes.

Feeling kind of sketchy (Schitt's Creek)

artist!David unwittingly helps Patrick find himself and finds love along the way. This one is a little different in style to my usual writing, and I really leaned into the slightly more poetic style in the second part which I actually structured around a poem.

Precious Love (Tarlos)

A 5+1 exploring TK's relationship with love and self-worth. I don't usually write much angst but I dove into it for this one and I like how it turned out! Don't worry, it has a happy ending, I'm incapable of writing anything else!

Do you even lift, bro? (Tarlos)

aka my Tarlos gym AU - each of these fics (Let's Get Physical, Let Me Hear Your Body Talk, I gotta handle you just right) stands alone as a one-shot but they are part of a planned seven-part series which contains an actual plot, despite the way they read like pwp. The thing I'm most proud of in these fics though, is the coding - with a big assist from @celeritas2997, I learned to code well enough to embed actual instagram posts and DMs with photos in these fics, which for someone who is absolutely not a STEM girlie, is a very big deal.

The Grindr Toolbox: A Guide to Getting Nailed

A Helping Hand (Tarlos)

This Is Not A Drill (David x Patrick)

Are You Screwing with Me? (firstprince)

I set out to write three fics for three fandoms based on one prompt, and while it was a tricky balance to set up three very different fics using the same loose structure, I like how these turned out!

[lola-andheruniverse]

⭐ Your Turn Sunday ⭐

I'd like to recommend It Takes An Ocean Not To Break by carolthequeen.

"Perhaps Daryl should care, perhaps he should feel self conscious about being so obvious, but honestly he’s done pretending that he doesn’t want to keep her close. To be as close to her as she’ll allow."

carolthequeen is one of the archive's hidden treasures 👑 Every upload is a gem 💎

I've chosen this fic specifically because I wanted Daryl to throw caution to the wind when Carol invited him to go on the boat. I knew why he couldn't say yes, but still. Carol asking Daryl to run away *with her*? That's huge!

Like last week's rec, this another very grounded and introspective fic. I feel like so many of my gripes with the show could have been solved if tptb had slowed things down, giving their characters space to breathe and letting Carol and Daryl spend meaningful time with each other. This fic does all of those things in an authentic and engaging way. Being on the boat doesn't solve Caryl's problems, but it does give them some much needed breathing space and the opportunity to say things which need to be said.

I think the way that Carol's vulnerability is depicted is spot on - how she'll hide behind a smile and trick people into thinking she's doing better than she really is. But she can't hide from Daryl, he sees through her every time. They have a conversation which should have taken place in the show and there's a beautiful parallel with an iconic Caryl moment.

Enjoy!

Hi, @notalkingbusiness! Two in a roll, dear! Thank you so much for participating one more time and sharing another fic with us! I can't express how happy you made me!

It Takes An Ocean Not to Break, one-shot written by @bloodlnthemoonlight, known as carolthequeen | kataurah is available both on 9Lives and AO3. Oh, and I totally agree, this author is hidden treasure indeed (I have How Rare and Beautiful lined up to rec on late october).

Summary:

He’d already known this whole sailing thing wasn’t for him before he’d even taken a step off dry land - had said as much after all - and being out on the water hasn’t changed his mind. But damned if he could ever really refuse Carol anything if she wanted it bad enough.

Post-10x01 fic in which Daryl takes Carol up on her offer to take a trip out on the boat with her.

Rating: G / General Audiences Word count: 2077 Published: December 03, 2019

I love this type of stories, that are a mix of 'fix it' and 'what if', because we can dive into these little moments, sadly lost on canon, and explore all their possibilities on fanon - we all know how things would be different if Daryl and Carol had been given the opportunity to talk, just talk, and give in onto their vulnerability, right?. nottalkingbusiness gave us a 5-star review, so I'll leave you with one of my favorite parts of this fic just to give you the final push to read it: "“I know you’re running…” He begins, and it’s only because he’s so in tune with her that he feels Carol tense ever so slightly. “That you don’t wanna feel any of it. And I get it, I do. But you told me once that I had to. Feel it. And you were right.” He closes his eyes and feels the phantom press of her lips on his forehead and so turns his head to return the gesture, brushing a kiss to her hairline and whispering words of affirmation into her skin. “You don’t have to do it alone. Wherever you are, I’ll be there too.” 

And on this heartbreaking/heartwarming note, week two of caryl fic recs is over! Hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did. Tomorrow we start all over again! Caryl on!

[oops-all-stephen]

Having just read your passionate post about how you feel about Stephen, and that he has a huge, loving heart (I couldn't agree more! and I believe that BC gets that about Stephen), I'd like to ask: what sort of shipping fics would be to your taste? Some of us out here might have some good recs for you.🦋

Omg hi!! Yes I, too, think Benedict is so crucial to Stephen’s depth and growth as a character in the MCU. And his beautiful heart, of course <3. I love how much he cares about his character and how hard he fought for him while filming MoM. I personally can’t imagine anyone else being Stephen; he’s just so lovely. (And I definitely can’t imagine any other actor fighting as hard for Stephen as Ben!)

Ah, but as for your question! Hhhh. Where to begin… I love all Stephen ships, I love the dynamic he has with any character and I so badly wish to see them explored more, I love any sexuality headcanon about Stephen so I don’t mind if he’s shipped with women, or men, etc….. It’s really just difficult to find fics that center on Stephen and not Stephen and someone else or…. just that someone else. Maybe I’m being greedy because I only have eyes for him, but really, any fanfic recommendations in which Stephen is loved and appreciated by any Marvel character and is the center focus of the fic is great and fun and I would love to see it <3.

Oh, but I ain’t new to this fandom, despite my rather recent account. I’ve scoured them tags on ao3 for a long while now, filtered them through hell and back, so believe me when I say that….

If you can find something Stephen-centric and shippy that I have not read, it would certainly impress me.

If you want to, of course. (Or anyone else.) No pressure. I’m just happy someone asked me things!! Speaking of which, anonymous (who I’m pretty sure I know), I want you to know I’ve spent all the hours since you sent this ask deliberating how best to answer you. Because I’m anxious and deranged and accustomed to happily lurking in fandom spaces instead of venturing out and conversing with other fans of my interests. Well. Anyway. Anonymous, I think I love you, thank you for the ask, and good bye!!

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 21 – ULTIMATES

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: valtyr

I feel like valtyr could write any genre ever and I'd just gobble it up. Their Ultimates fics in particular have been in my bookmarks for quite some time, because I constantly get the urge to re-read them. So if you haven't read all of their works already, I hope I can convince you to give them a go for yourself.

Here's some of their work that I think you should check out:

How Not To Build A Jetpack

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 3,749 Tags: Never Have I Ever, Smut, Sexual Exploration

Summary: The team play games. Tony and Steve exchange surprising truths.

Reasons why I love it: The first couple of sentences leading into this fic are a very accurate representation of how I believe Tony's mind probably works. I love the hopeful ending, and the smut is just amazing, it kept me hooked the entire time. Definitely read this one if you haven't, it's so good!

White Rabbit

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 1,717 Tags: Multiverse, Pining, Smut

Summary: Marvel Adventures Tony Stark meets Ultimate Steve Rogers.

Reasons why I love it: I like to think that after this, they both get their happy ending. I don't know why pairing up these two versions of them works so well in my brain, but it really does. The smut is amazing, and I love the emotional moments in between. I love this fic, and you should absolutely read it!

Art of War

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 1,297 Tags: Marriage Proposal, Surprise Sex, Scheming Steve

Summary: Steve Rogers has a brilliant tactical mind, and he's not afraid to use it.

Reasons why I love it: Oh my god, I can't believe Steve did that, but also, I totally can. Tony's inner monologue is so funny, he's completely in over his head. And I love how nonchalantly Steve swans right back out after. This fic is amazing, and you should definitely read it!

Tears Will Be Mandatory For This Event

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: G Words: 998 Tags: Same Sex Marriage, Humor, Fluff

Summary: Written for the Cap-Ironman post celebrating the NY marriage same-sex marriage laws - Ultimate Steve and Tony respond to the new laws.

Reasons why I love it: I love how matter-of-fact they both are in this one. It's funny and yet somehow still kind of sweet at the same time, even though they feel like that obnoxious couple that's already been married for 300 years. I love it! Definitely check this one out, it's awesome!

Pillow Biter

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: M Words: 1,129 Tags: Vampire Steve, Humor, Biting

Summary: Steve/Tony Vampire!Steve AU. Steve is out looking for a bite to eat, and Tony's just looking for a way out.

Reasons why I love it: Tony is such a little shit, oh my god, I love it! Poor Steve being subjected to the vampire equivalent of dad jokes, but hey, you can't argue with the outcome! I love this fic, and you should definitely read it, if you haven't already!

[die-schwanenkoenigin]

💗 Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love! 💗

I've finally gotten around to doing this. Weeee! Thank you so much for sending me the ask!

Shattered Remains | Ava/Deborah (Hacks) | rated T: I really fucking loved writing the prose for this, especially at the end of chapter 1. I think it turned out SO well. The thing is that, because I can't bear sad/unhappy endings, especially not in my own fics, I'll usually crawl back out of my hole a few days later and add a happy/happier ending. So guess what happened here? Exactly that. Lol. I couldn't stand them being apart forever. What I like most about this fic, though, is that I managed to refrain from making it too unrealistically happy. Deborah does confess her feelings, yes, but it doesn't undo what she's done. It will take a while. It will take a lot of work. That's, really, what I wanted to convey in chapter 2--that just because they're together, it's not suddenly all sunshine and rainbows. Ava's heart has been broken, and it will take a while for her to heal.

Talk to me (like lovers do) | Ava/Deborah | rated E: Partners made me realize how much I love humor, and showed me how fun it can be to just play around with dialogue. I genuinely think these two fics are some of my best works, and this one in particular taught me that it is very much possible to incorporate smut into dialogue-only fics. Lol. Granted, it didn't stay entirely dialogue-only in chapter 2, but anyway. I just love a bit of humor, a bit of fluff, a bit of honesty/communication, and a bit of dirty talk. All mixed together and stirred thoroughly--perfect. This is obviously exactly who I am as a fic writer these days.

Too Soon, Not Soon Enough | Miranda/Andy (The Devil Wears Prada) | rated G: Oh, I am SUCH a sucker for soulmate AUs. Always have been. Writing this felt sooo good!!! I got to dive into these relationships which just don't seem to be working for some reason; and I got to explore exactly that reason. I got to explain why. Why are Nate and Andy suddenly drifting apart? Why are Stephen and Miranda getting a divorce? Everything doesn't fall into place as soon as they meet--I wanted to avoid that specifically--but it happens. Eventually. Definitely one of my best fics!

Sensual | Miranda/Andy | rated E: Period sex needs to be talked about more and written about more. It needs to be destigmatized. And, just in general, we need to normalize talking about sex--our wants and needs--with our partner, which is why I try to incorporate the communication aspect into many of my fics. Now, I know I don't have any real influence on the world, but I still like to think I made a tiny little difference by writing and posting this piece. Because someone out there may have seen it--and they may have started feeling better about themselves/their relationship, or changed their views on the matter.

The Kink Series | Miranda/Andy | rated E: I guess including an entire series in this is technically cheating, but I genuinely can't decide which fic I like best. They're all good in their own way. I like that I get to do whatever the heck I want. I get to explore kinks I haven't tried my hand at before (like orgasm denial or the breeding kink), but I also get to go back to things I've done before and to feature them more (like voyeurism and spanking). I may not update the series regularly anymore, but there's still so much more out there that I haven't written about yet. I really want to do an omorashi fic at some point, for example. Now, if I did have to choose a few favorites from the series, I'd go with Four Play (a foursome fic), Pretty, Dirty Girl (a voyeurism/spanking/degradation kink fic in which they both get to top the other), Reap What You Sow (a breeding kink fic), and Breathless (a choking fic).

Thank you, again, so much! <3

[16woodsequ]

Thanks @skarabrae-stone for the tag!

Rules: Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass this onto other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖

sympathy, won't you come around?

“Oh god.” Steve turns, head on a slow swivel, looking around. He knows this alleyway. He knows this street, the buildings, tall and laden with clotheslines, running from fire escape to fire escape like veins bleeding life into the city. They’re in the wrong place. They’re in the wrong time. Steve ends up in the past with Tony and they both witness Mr. Rogers' infamous temper.

This fic I got to write with @turtle-steverogers and I am so happy with it! I really like exploring comic Joseph Rogers who was abusive but there isn't a lot of fics about that out there, so it was really fun and satisfying to write this idea together.

2. Do over

"T.A.H.I.T.I. was designed to revive a fallen Avenger. That's how it got started." Or, Tony is doing his best to live his life and settle down after the whole AIM thing...and then Steve Rogers shows up at his door, as prickly and uptight as always. Beyond that though... something just seems... off with him, something Tony can't quite put his finger on. And, you know, the fact that he and SHIELD are no longer on speaking terms is kind of a red flag.

This fic took me by a storm. I wrote the whole thing in like, three days. I am still impressed by this fic, the way Steve and Tony are distant but become friends during it and the reveal of what happened to Steve. It's just all very satisfying.

3. All Too Familiar

The man in the Helicarrier is Important, so the Asset stays with him on the bank of the Potomac. Soon agents come to collect the man, and the Asset realises why he must know him. Or, Bucky, fresh from Hydra, watches the interactions between Steve and the Avengers, and comes to the logical conclusion that Steve must also be an asset like himself.

This fic was inspired by a fic by @perplexinglyparadoxialperson. In their fic Bucky thought Steve was also an asset and that was such an intriguing concept! This is another fic I wrote all at once. I just like how Bucky's assumption really drives home how alienated Steve is in this fic.

4. Out of it

Tony and Steve team up to fix the engines after an initial clash on the Helicarrier. It's going well until Tony finds Steve dissociating after his near fall out of the Helicarrier fighting Loki's goons. It isn't what he's expecting, and Tony has to confront the fact that Captain America isn't what he first thought.

I love this fic because it was really fun to write a oneshot that focused directly on one traumatizing thing for Steve. Avengers goes so fast and doesn't have time to focus on all the things that happen to him but I always think of them when I'm watching the movie!

5. The Singer

Everyone knows that the Singer is a Seeker blessed by Primus to sing songs that predict the future and guide the present. It is too bad no one can seem to unravel his meaning. Or so Megatronus has been told. He is starting to suspect some willful ignorance on the behalf of his fellow Councillors.   "What was his name again?" he asks, his optics pinned to the fiery ones in front. The councillor next to him shrugs, hardly paying the song any mind. "Starscream." Or, Megatronus finds himself entangled in the mess of corruption that is Cybertron, and finds an ally in a bitterly fierce Seeker who can only speak in song.

This fic was quite an accomplishment for me! I had this idea brewing for years. It's not uncommon for me to be inspired by music and have story ideas where characters use music to express themselves. I never thought I'd write one of them since it sounded like a hard idea to pull off, but I am so happy with this fic! Very proud of it.

Tagging @fiction-vixen @jinxquickfoot and @turtle-steverogers if you wish to join!

[peppered-imps]

Oh wow, what a quick response! Yeah, Obidala and Star Wars related resources would be amazing. (Never ever thought I'd be trying to write anything in the SW universe. Lol. But I just adore the pairing that much.)

and heres a very late response! I hope you're still around, anon. so sorry it took me so long. this isn't an exhaustive list, but I hope it's enough to get you started!

for general star wars:

my favourite resource by far is Wookieepedia. it's just an online encyclopedia of nearly every single conceivable thing in the SW universe for both canon and legends. Most articles feature a tab that can switch between canon and legends material, which makes organizing info really easy.

I also love @gffa for their incredibly well-informed posts, especially under their reference tag. But truly, the whole blog is a wealth of information and thoughtful takes.

I really enjoy Fit For a Queen a lot. its an extensive catalogue of outfits and costumes (mostly Padme's, but there are a few others) and how they were made, what their background is, etc. If anything, I find it really interesting, and it helps when I need to reference a certain outfit for art, fic, or whatever else. It's also a great source of Padme concept art!

I haven't used this one yet but I'm excited to. I was recently sent this post which features a link to transcripts from every episode of The Clone Wars.

I also highly recommend @nabooro, which is ran by my very brilliant friend. it's not a source of canonical info, but it is a really fascinating exploration into the culture of Naboo.

for obidala:

again @gffa because they have a really great obidala tag, with art, fic recs, etc.

@your-dose-of-obidala is a great source for art, edits, and fic (original and recs) as well!

@shierak-inavva is probably my favourite obidala artist and I often find great inspiration in their work (ie this post inspired part of the premise to this fic of mine, as well as a concept in another WIP). they do lots of other art too, and it's all very lovely. here's their obidala tag.

I personally track the obidala tag here on tumblr you'll find tons of really wonderful creators in it as well. I have found so many artists, writers, and friends there. At the risk of leaving any out, I will refrain from tagging anyone else and simply recommend you explore the tag.

and I keep an obidala tag on my blog as well, if you wanna check it out!

for general writing (which I know you didnt ask for but I thought I'd include a couple things):

@writingquestionsanswered is a phenomenal source of writing advice

this really helpful post about some of the basics of tagging on Ao3 if you ever decide you want to share your work there

aaand at the risk of sounding too self-promoting: I keep a reference tag on my blog where I collect various references and sources on writing in general. I also keep an inspiration tag of quotes, poems, book excerpts, etc that personally inspire or motivate me. feel free to check either out or use them as inspiration to create your own tags to help you!

i also have other random sources I use (most of which are saved onto my devices and not anything I can link), so please feel free to message me any time you need some assistance or advice and I'll do my best to help you out!

best of luck and happy writing!! 😊