#director's cut ask

[thesweetnessofspring]

⭐your fairy tale lm montgomery fic!! :D

Thank you @batrachised!

For The True Name, I wanted to write a fantasy or fairy tale AU. That is my jam and how perfect is it for TBC when Barney is always called "gnomish" and Valancy is an elfin changeling?

I was particularly inspired by a book I had from childhood called The Rumplestilskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde, which was different retellings of the Rumplestilskin. In my favorite version, Rumplestilskin was actually a hero who helped the miller's daughter and the king was the worst, and she falls for Rumplestilskin. So the miller's daughter leaves her terrible husband to live with the helpful elf and raise her daughter with him.

Since Rumplestilskin is a gnomish character I liked the idea of Barney taking that role. But also I didn't want Valancy to actually marry Edward Beck and have his baby! So it's a very modified, inspired-by fairy tale retelling.

One idea I kicked around was for Valancy to not use Barney's true name, and so she still had to give him her firstborn and that would be resolved by Barney also being the father. But then I was like...hmmm...I don't want Barney to feel obligated to marry Valancy or like he was keeping her from marrying someone else or whatever. And the "I did give you my firstborn" is actually a joke between the two who decided to marry and have a family, rather than a magical contract.

One of the comments I got was that it reminded them of Gail Carson Levine's fairy tale retellings which was such a huge compliment as she was my favorite author growing up and I still adore her books!

[riddle-me-ri]

⭐️

Sending the star here since I didn’t know where else to send it to you :]

Pretty please do ramble about one (or more >:]) of your fics!! :D I’m super curious!!!

Awww omg thank you Dormy I appreciate the opportunity! For a minute I didn't think anyone would ask lol. Sorry it took so long to get back you! A lot of stuff going on right now lol Plus I was stuck on like which fics to talk about, especially with all the event writings I did. And omg thank you for the cookie I was starving *munch*

But I will say, I'm still pretty proud of my first Secret Six Mad Hatter fic; Sneak Peek

I mention it briefly in the author's notes but I was strongly inspired by a conversation in me and Finnie's Arkham Discord about voyeurism (a kink I've always found...interesting lol, as long as it was consensual, but never wrote for yet) and I can't recall if Secret Six (or any Hatters) were ever mentioned in the conversation but I couldn't get the idea of S6 Hatter out of my head. Just that panel of him poking his head from behind the door and just the fact he gives off kinky bastard vibes to boot lmao.

I was surprised at the reception, but I was more than delighted to see more requests for him! I was nervous, as I usually am when tackling any new character or new iteration and it's also a HUGE sigh of relief to see I did the character justice enough for readers to want more!

Thanks so much again for asking Dormy! So sorry again this took me forever lmao

Ask for a Director's Commentary for a Fic of Mine or Send me a Star ⭐ and I'll choose one

[curiositydooropened]

Amandaaaaa ⭐️

Bestie, where do I start!? I want to talk about ALL of it. I'd love to give my director's commentary on the whole damn thing, paragraph by paragraph!

For Wildfire: the conception was that scene in Steve's room where he was searching your back for Flayed marks. And the scene after where you get the call for a psych eval and think he called it in. I always knew I wanted them to be rivals to lovers. And I always knew he was in love with you from the jump.

I wanted to make the Reader tough, this hard exterior that Steve's trying to chisel his way into, but I think Steve realizes that the only way to get to you is to fight back, and I had so much fun playing with that dynamic.

And I just love that Steve is constantly casually dropping lovely things. Like after their ice cream midnight snack when he says "I'd do whatever it takes to keep you safe." Just so nonchalant. I love him. He's the love of my life.

Thanks, friend!

Send me an ask for a fanfic director's cut! ✨🎥

[creativenicocorner]

One ⭐ for you to go for whatever you want!

Thank you for the ask!

I don't really have anything I'm particularly dying to talk about at the moment, that I'm aware of - who knows maybe the right question will set off a chain reaction of Thoughts and Opinions. But as I sit back and try to think about what to write... I realize

since my starting writing and sharing fan fiction back in 2018 I realize just how much my writing has grown since then, how much it has improved and changed in all sorts of interesting ways. I'm forever grateful to the fic that sparked my love and desire to write again (Cultic Epithets) and the chain reaction it lead to meeting such WONDERFUL people. My life has changed for the better for meeting them.

But not only that!! I realize, as I sit back in my chair on this October afternoon in 2023, that my relationship with my own writing has improved.

I'm a little more patient with myself than I used to be, I try to be more mindful of what might set off me getting Burn Out, I try to give myself more grace and allow myself to be absolutely awful in my writing - that perfection isn't everything. Essentially, I find myself to be kinder to myself (which in itself is already something I struggle with, an ongoing battle that I refuse to loose).

And you know? It's lead me to actually actively reread my own stuff, even after it's posted! More than once!! More so than I ever used to do!!! I go back and read my self indulgent things and nod and smile and go "Im happy I wrote that, and I'm happy other people have enjoyed it too."

I'm unsure how to finish this reflective train of thought... but, to any writers and artists out there reading this: It's going to be okay buddy. Keep trying, keep failing majestically, keep learning, and trying again. It's a bit frustrating sometimes I know, like any work out it's bound to lead to occasional sore muscles and a lot of sweat - so don't forget to metaphorically give yourself rest days, hydrate, and as hard as it might sound, be kind to yourself - and others. History has taught us a lot of truths, one of them being that: people need other people. We're all in this together. ♡

[skateboards away]

[wulfhalls]

https://x.com/ellenorlok/status/1878513353061994695?t=X_pMHBEArgO2AgD0rjLypA&s=19

well well well

me when the gothic romance romances gothically

[stevie-petey]

oh also,,, whenever you wanna write. chap 6 steve & robin pov blurb because i am so sure steve would be going on and on about bug once she left so my soul needs that thank you <3

im kicking myself idk why i didnt include this scene in the chapter like its PERFECT for what i have planned later but ,,, for now all i can do is make it a blurb n tell people to read it lmao

enjoy <3

"it didnt matter that you were an ass. i was still... obsessed with you." robins confession hangs in the air. her back is pressed against steves as they lay on the floor, bound together. his eye stings and his nose is numb and crusted with dried blood. he isnt sure why shes telling him this.

"even though all of us losers pretend to be above it all, we still just wanna be popular. accepted. normal."

the rope around steves wrists tense. he clenches his fists and bites the inside of his swollen cheek. acceptance. he thought he had that, once. when he was sixteen with a crowd of people who wouldve done anything for his attention.

now hes eighteen and the crowds bruises still tinge his body.

"if it makes you feel any better, having those things isnt all that great. seriously." it took him a long time to learn that. to recognize that his acceptance was merely a precedence. it wasnt real friendship. he wouldnt learn this until he met you, until you taught it to him. "it just baffles me. everything that people tell you is important, everything that people say you should care about, its all just... bullshit."

bullshit. nancy taught him that, too.

"its all just bullshit, it was so obviously bullshit. i was an idiot for not realizing it sooner," steve bites the inside of is cheek again. somehow, his lips remained untouched when he was being beaten by the russians. your lips still linger on his. "you know, the only person who saw through my bullshit was y/n. one day, before we knew about monsters and russian lairs, she said that she knew i wasnt a bad person. it... it stuck with me. here she was, y/n henderson, telling me i wasnt so bad."

"and then...?" robin is almost too afraid to press him further. shes never seen him like this, vulnerable and open. she didnt know that his history with you went beyond just a summer fling.

steve nudges his head back and sighs. "i messed up. i... i hurt people. people she cared about."

robin frowns. you wouldnt forgive someone so easily for that. theres more to what steve is saying, she just cant figure out what. "she must really love you, then. if she forgave you."

"i dont know if she loves me, but i know that she believes in me. sees someone worth putting up with." he huffs, he cant believe he will never see you again. he hates that he will never be able to thank you for seeing a version of him that no one else could. "it wasnt until i messed up that i realized she saw something in me. its ironic, isnt it? but i guess you gotta mess up to figure things out, right?"

he had to mess up to realize that he loved you, too.

"i hope so. i feel like my whole life has been one big error." robin admits. its the least she could do, offer steve a piece of herself in return for what hes offered her.

an unattractive snort escapes steve. he laughs, and his shoulders shake against robins. he understands exactly what she means. "yup."

"god, i wonder how y/n does it."

"does what?"

robin pauses, worries that she might reveal too much. but its steve. if theyre going to die together, he deserves to know. he has to know. "shes always able to see the error in people and love them anyways."

steve is quiet. he lets what she said settle over him. its what he loves the most about you. how youve always managed to see the good in people, even in someone as cruel as billy. he hadnt known that robin noticed this kindness in you, too.

she seems to understand you in a way only he and jonathan do.

"you know, i wish id known you in clicks class." its a peace offering. an extension of himself to robin for caring about you the way he does. no one really seems to be able, despite how easy steve finds it to be.

"yeah?"

"really, i do. maybe you couldve helped me pass the class." he breathes out, the thought of all he couldve done differently will always haunt him. king steve is dead, but the persona is a ghost he will never be able to get rid of. "maybe instead of being here, id be with y/n on some romantic getaway. maybe you wouldve given me the courage to do what i shouldve done sooner."

robin doesnt say anything. she turns her face away, presses her cheek against the concrete surface.

"robin?"

she swallows. "yeah. yeah, maybe. you wouldnt have been stuck slinging ice cream with me like some smuck."

steve shakes his head. hes worried hes said the wrong thing. "hey, dont get me wrong. i enjoyed being your smuck. it was fun while it lasted."

bittersweetness creeps upon robins face. she smiles, though its a sad one. shes going to die with the understanding of why youve fallen so hard for steve harrington. "yeah. it was."

then the doors burst open and the russian find them.

[hotvintagepoll]

Oh no I missed coffee night!!!!

I wanted to ask you about Hitchcock 😔 If you're willing to answer, which movies of his do you think are overrated and which do you think are actually good? He's my most watched director (because film school) but I only genuinely like a few of his films and always disagreed with my classmates about which ones were the best

I feel like I'm holding up a Daffy Duck style sign that says "shoot me" because Hitchcock is so well thought of by cinephiles versus me, the basic horny mod who watches movies with hot people in them. With that said, I remember Rope, Dial M for Murder, North by Northwest, and To Catch a Thief all left me a bit flat, because I felt like he was prioritizing pushing technical limits or creating extravagant images over deeper characters and relationships. I love a good technical limit-pushing, but it needs to serve the story! And sometimes I feel like he has an idea he wants to try or an image he wants to show and puts so much focus on developing it that characters' reality and interest kind of falls by the wayside—they become pawns navigating his situations, instead of interesting characters in their own right.

To be fair, this is more a characteristic of his later work than his early work—The Lady Vanishes is one of my favorite movies, and I remember Notorious and Spellbound both being enjoyable when I watched them a few years ago. Again, basic film watcher here. Don't show this post to the Criterion collection.

[kalashnikovlobotomy]

nonsense au of a pretty good romanian movie about 6 people's lives intertwining before the communist revolution

[hogans-heroes]

⭐? 🥰

(From the Director’s Cut Fanfic Ask Game)

Oooh the star one is hard because I don’t know what fic to ramble about. I guess one thing I find intriguing in general is that a large majority of my fics are set in the stalag, without my meaning to, soI suppose there’s something about that setting that appeals to me creatively; Learning Curve, At The End (We’re Still Together), Branded and Glass and Bone.

I don’t know why necessarily, but 90% of my new fic ideas are also oneshots set in the stalag, I just have sooo many: Bucky gets drugged while in the cooler, Gale disassociates after childhood flashback when being accidentally locked outside, Gale getting whipped as punishment and trying to hide it from the others, Bucky developing touch-aversion from his experiences after being captured, Gale signing up for medical experiments in exchange for food and supplies for the men, etc. I could come up with a new one every day smh. I should start putting them out as smaller oneshots instead of feeling like I have to make them all big fics and then never writing it.

[greenerteacups]

Hi! First, I wanted to say that I’m a huge fan of yours and your work. I could list a million things I adore about your writing but one thing in particular that strikes me is the deep care and understanding you have of your characters. I just love when, after a great chapter, you sometimes give little insights on why you think a certain person said or did a certain thing. It’s kind of my favorite part :D.

Now, that being said, I have a very, absolutely, totally serious question regarding the deep psyche of your characters: who do you think would be the biggest swifty of them all? My money is on Daphne or possibly Ginny. I think Hermione would maybe deny it out lout and then secretly cry watching edits of Mirrorball or something.

Oh, Lavender. And her favorite album is Reputation, front to back, no skips.

[thesweetnessofspring]

⭐️

Thanks for the Director's Cut ask @mollywog! This will give me a chance to share something I'm quite passionate about.

In Sing You Back Home the rebuilding of District 12 and Panem post-war covers several subplots, including community home kids. The way I wrote it is based on my own experience with foster kids. Specifically, Peeta describing going to the community home and all of the kids fighting to play with him and swarming him for his attention. In grad school, I worked with kids on their behaviors and one of my clients was in essentially my area's "community home." Technically by my state's law, kids shouldn't be in this "community home" for more than two weeks, but if a suitable foster home isn't available and/or a child has behaviors that make it difficult for them to place, they will end up there for months.

Every time I went to see this client in the community home, I had at least five other kids running up to me and pleading for my attention, asking about the games and crafts I'd brought, begging to be allowed to join me and my client. And my client was very defensive, saying things like "No! She's my friend!" My client did not want to share my attention at all. I even had a kid interrupt a game I was playing with my client and got in my lap (which of course I addressed and had them get off). And the thing is...they didn't know me. I was just an adult to them, but that was all they were looking for: an adult's attention. But after all of their trauma of whatever brought them there--being removed from their bio parents, possibly given up by some foster parents--they were looking for any adult to take care of them. And that's why technically by law these group homes are supposed to be temporary, because children should be in a "family setting" and have a parental figure that they can rely on, that is theirs and not a rotating staff.

You can imagine how emotionally exhausting this was. I really liked going to see this client, but afterward, I was emotionally spent. This is also why I didn't have Katniss go to the community home. It was simply too early for her as she is still learning to navigate her own PTSD and seeing those kids would set off her guilt at Snow bombing 12 because of Katniss. Like Katniss says in the fic, it's not never and it's something that, with Peeta back, she does want to help, but she's not there. And I cannot emphasize this enough--it's okay that she's not ready!

I work with traumatized kids. A good portion of my colleagues have come into the the field because they were traumatized as kids and want to help. And here's the thing: for any therapist, they can only take the child/parent as far as they have gone themselves. So some of these Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) colleagues are some of the best I've worked with because they've walked the path to healing themselves. They have to frequently use coping skills when trauma reminders pop up. But for those who haven't gone to therapy themselves or are still working on maintaining their own regulation, they are honestly the worst I've seen. They get escalated along with the kid, fight the kid, forget to view the child's difficult behaviors as trauma and instead as a personal attack on them. And at the point Sing You Back Home is at, I think Katniss would be in a similar place, where she is still working on her regulation around certain trauma reminders, and the 12 bombing is one of the biggest for her. She knows her limits, but she's working on increasing them, but it's not the right time for her.

[shadowquill17]

End-of year Director's Cut ask game!

Aaaand this question is about my fic your fangs in my neck (like an anchor like a vow). This is for @nuttersinc who asked:

your fangs in my neck: how did you come up with the premise? And I loved it, it was so hot and also so touching ❤️

Thank you so much for the question! I'm so happy you liked the fic. 🥰

The way it happened was, I had been thinking about writing a vampire fic for Dead Boy Detectives very early on.

But, fun fact, at the time I had immediately decided I wanted to subvert the trope of "prim posh repressed white boy = vampire, rebellious fun angry bisexual = werewolf", and I wanted it to be switched. (I might still write a fic about that, actually. Just have to find the right idea for a smidge of plot... but also @jube-art has a whole bunch of AU fanart with vamp!Charles and werewolf!Edwin here and here, so if you like the concept, RUN! 😜)

Anyway, despite my best efforts to subvert the trope, my brain was apparently feeling lazy, because it just LATCHED onto the idea of vampire!Edwin. The repression, the starvation, the fear of imposing on Charles with his feelings/needs... you know. Some of the messages I sent @lolotr at the time said, and I quote:

"oh god vampire Edwin is so tastyyyyy"

"and I know I talked a lot more about Charles being the vampire but goddamnnnn Edwin being the vampire works so well with the themes, fuck"

Also I just looked it up and I'm pretty sure I also saw this fanart by @kazalmilk around that time, and I think it kind of encouraged a vibe of "Edwin drinks from Charles and H A T E S that he has to" (that's what it did in my brain, at least).

Then I agonized over what Charles could be. He could be a ghost, but then the conflict would have been about Edwin drinking from someone else, and I ended up rejecting that option.

He could be a werewolf, but I was still kind of mad at myself that I was writing vampire!Edwin before vampire!Charles, and I didn't want to give in FULLY. 😜 Also, werewolves are mortal, and I didn't like the idea that 1) they hadn't spent 30 years together, because I didn't want to reduce their long history to only a few years and 2) I didn't want their future to not be forever.

I also toyed with the idea of making Charles an angel, like in this gorgeous fic by @shanastoryteller (I'm oversimplifying, just go read the fic, it's excellent). But then there was some other issue with the concept that made me lean away from that as well. I think it was something about how I didn't want to separate them that much? Like I didn't want Charles to be Heaven-related with Edwin being a vampire, because then their whole history would have been changed.

I was still just playing with the whole thing, writing bits and pieces, absolutely not convinced it would ever be finished or that I even had a solid story to tell (well, beyond that thigh-biting scene 😁).

But THEN I wrote the pub scene. And completely without thinking about it, I wrote Charles turning around to snarl at that guy who was flirting with Edwin, and suddenly there was fire in his eyes and he had a sword and a CROWN?!

And I went, okay, that feels right. Of course Charles deserves a crown. What kind of entity could have a crown? And with a bit of research I found out about Devas from Hindu mythology. That gave the crown a shape, because suddenly it was a mukut, and it gave body to Charles' supernatural nature.

The more I read about it, the more right it felt, and from that point on I knew I had the fic. 😊

Thank you so much for your question @nuttersinc, I really appreciate it! I hope you liked my little rambly answer. Happy New Year! ❤️💕💖

[ragnarokhound]

Hi bb 🐺 can you choose a 500 word snippet from one of your published fics or wips and give us some director's commentary / insight into what you were thinking when you wrote it?

Hi bb! ^^ Sure, I'd love to!

I'd like to take the chance to talk about a scene from intricate rituals, my omegaverse Jaytim fic featuring beta!Tim being courted by alpha!Jason.

This scene takes place near the end of the rising action, at the tail end of the fifth time that Jason was totally courting Tim, and Tim still did not notice. Obviously, spoilers under the cut for anyone who hasn't read it yet, and I am a chatty mfer so this got kind of long, haha:

Tim dozes against Jason’s shoulder as he fiddles with the bedroom door handle, and does absolutely nothing to help when they reach the bed in the corner; so Jason dumps him on top of the sheets without fanfare. He bounces on the mattress with an offended chirp while Jason turns to look through his dresser for something. Tim whines obnoxiously at the sudden cold and wriggles around until he’s under the cool top sheet, his face firmly shoved into one of Jason’s pillows. He squints an eye open when Jason still hasn’t finished doing whatever he’s doing, only to see him standing over the bed. His face is unreadable in the darkness, but Tim can tell that he’s clearly dithering.  Why? He better not be getting weird about this. It’s only weird if Jason makes it weird. Tim is not nearly awake enough to puzzle through the why right now. He’ll think about it later. “Jason. Get in the bed,” he grumbles. Jason startles at the sound of Tim’s voice, but does as he’s told. The second Jason is under the covers, Tim invades the inch of space left between them with impunity. But then— Jason stiffens, so Tim stops about point five millimeters away from actually touching him. “Sorry," Tim says quietly. "You're really warm?" He says it like a question, trying to explain himself and ask permission at the same time and he can't really tell if he's accomplished either. Jason seems to get it though; he takes a breath and relaxes, then closes the remaining distance himself. He pulls Tim into the hot cave of his body, leaving an arm slung over Tim's waist and tucking him under his chin. Tim sighs, a purr thrumming softly in his chest as he tangles himself in Jason. He buries his face in Jason’s collarbone and quietly wonders to himself how he got here.  He's not sure he knows how he and Jason went from barely tolerating each other in the same room, the same city, (the same costume) to cuddling like packmates in the same nest. Yeah, a nest Tim basically invited himself into, and okay when he’s more awake he’ll feel a little guilty about that— but Jason carried Tim here himself. He didn't have to do that. He had every opportunity to say no. To think that he has Jason's trust now. That Jason would let him in this close, have him at his back, at his throat, have access to the vulnerable parts of him. It's terrifying. It's wonderful. It’s only marred by the smallest hint of apprehension still woven through the sleepy warmth of Jason's scent, that Tim only catches because his nose is practically shoved against Jason's scent gland. With a small, trilling keen, he tries his best to project calm-safe-acceptance. He’s had practice at it since becoming Robin, since joining the Wayne pack, but he's always been better at masking his scent than projecting it. A lifetime of hiding is hard to unlearn.

(you don't realize how long 500 words is until you see it right there on the page lol)

So intricate rituals is practically a study in denial. Tim spends half the fic justifying to himself (and to us) why Jason's overt alpha courtship behavior has a completely platonic explanation, and never ever even hints that he, himself, a beta, might in fact want a romance with Jason. Even though he really, really does.

So when I start writing out the prose for a scene, I try to keep those big guiding principles for the overarching plot in mind, as well as what I'm hoping to accomplish by the end of the scene. There's a few things I wanted from this scene in particular.

First: absolutely gag-worthy #married behavior. This is it! This is the final example of Jason's courtship and Tim's flimsy excuses (AKA the formula for each scene lol). So it has to be truly outrageous. It has to be over the top. The cream of the crop. And this time, it has to be Tim's idea in the first place. Get hoisted (from your own petard), idiot.

Second: it has to set us up for why Tim is in Jason's bed in the final scene. I knew all along how this fic was going to end - with Tim in Jason's bed, but comfortable there already; the tip-over from platonic to romantic that only happens because they're in such a stupidly domestic position that Tim is FORCED to realize that he might not be the only one pretending that This Is Fine.

Third: this is almost a step too far for Jason. But not quite.

In the first half of this snippet, we catch the end of the egregious courting behavior. Jason literally carries Tim into his nest/bed. He has to step away to get PJ's or something - Tim's not paying attention to that, so we don't really find out for sure - and when he comes back to see Tim whining and wriggling and getting comfy in his sheets, he has to take a second. For #strength.

Like usual, Tim clocks that something is bothering Jason; that Jason is Experiencing An Emotion. But also like usual, he doesn't clock what it is. Even though it's obvious to us, the romance pilled and dramatic-irony-aware audience. Even worse, he's so deep in his own denial (which hopefully we've picked up at least an inkling of by now, but it's not explicitly told to us until the next interlude scene) that he blames Jason for making it weird. He gets so close to making the intuitive leap about why EXACTLY Jason might be hesitant about sharing a bed, but he's too ~sleepy UwU (and ~afraid OwO). UGH, TIM.

(I try to balance action with introspection. Action -> reaction -> introspection -> action. Jason dumps Tim on the bed -> Tim whines and gets comfortable -> Tim wonders what's taking Jason so long -> Tim opens his mouth to ask "hey wtf is your problem". But preferably the action/reaction is described vividly enough and in the character's voice enough that we can, like, microdose on introspection along the way and keep the ball rolling lol)

When Jason is told to get in the bed, he startles - he was lost in his own thoughts. I like to think Jason was pondering his own version of what Tim sort of torments himself (and us) with every scene; wondering to himself how they got here, lamenting the fact that Tim isn't interested in him the way he would like him to be, and thankful that he gets to have him at all. Maybe contemplating what might happen if only he was a little braver. If this is it; if this will be Tim's line, and whether Jason's about to cross it. (Tim lies to himself about his feelings. Jason is brutally honest with himself about his.)

Tim moves in for the cuddle - Jason stiffens because he's still boggling at this whole situation, and a little afraid that Tim will realize exactly where they are and finally tell Jason 'no'. Again, Tim clocks his discomfort - "Sorry," - and again he misunderstands its source, mislabeling the motivations behind Jason's actions.

Jason makes himself open, and Tim takes happy advantage. Awww, they're cute, even if I do want to strangle them 'now kiss' style. Cue Tim's 'isn't it crazy how we're such good friends now' narrative monologue for the scene.

(🔥"HOT CAVE OF HIS BODY" MENTION🔥) (i can't resist this phrase OTL i'm weak for it)(it's about protection it's about warmth it's about the primal imagery of being nestled under the weight of something powerful that loves you)(<- werewolf pilled)

In this last half of the snippet, I wanted Tim to kind of show his ass here, re: being in denial lol.

"He's not sure he knows how" - Tim, we all just saw exactly how you and Jason ended up here. Yeah, we skipped some of that early stuff, but we just saw the start of your deeper friendship. It started with an omelette.

"When he's more awake he'll feel a little guilty" - Tim, didn't you just explain to Jason and to us why you shouldn't feel guilty? That it's perfectly normal to share a nest with packmates? Why do you feel guilty about this, Tim?

"He didn't have to do that." You're right. He didn't have to do that, and he did have every opportunity to say no. Why didn't he, Tim?

He tries to explain that it must be because Jason trusts him. That Jason's trust is a wonderful and terrifying thing to have. Huh. Interesting. Why does that terrify you, Tim?

Then Tim picks up on Jason's scent. Jason's own fears are the only thing that can cut through Tim's spiraling thoughts right now. Jason's made peace with having what he wants so close but still so far; and yet, he still can't help but ache.

Wanting to ease Jason's discomfort is what makes Tim bold. He tries to make Jason more comfortable by reassuring him that Tim feels safe here. That he feels accepted, and that he accepts Jason - which is true, regardless of his secret, presumedly unreciprocated feelings. Aww.

The last paragraph was a two for one - transitioning us into wrapping up the scene, but also, low key? The thesis of what we've seen so far. This explains at least one facet of Tim's behavior, prepping us for his breakdown and the emotional reveal in the next interlude.

Why is Tim in denial? Why won't he admit, even to himself, that he wants Jason? Sexually, romantically? That Jason could be courting him, that Jason could want him too? Because he's always been better at masking than projecting. A lifetime of hiding is hard to unlearn.

I really enjoyed writing intricate rituals, and my biggest hope was that everyone would be ready to strangle Tim by the end of this scene - but also hurt for him by the end of the next. When you get used to the idea that you are unwanted or undesirable, in any capacity, it's truly difficult to let yourself be convinced otherwise. But there's bravery and freedom to be found in finally allowing yourself to believe it. <3

[not-freyja]

For the director's cut, I would love to hear more about Legend's thought process and motivations once he met Hyrule in Adjuration! 🥰

Thank you for an actual scene selection everyone else had me pulling out a random number generator. Fucks sake. Love you guys. Also sorry this took like… a month, writing is hard.

This is going to be long. And though it might be analysis for chapter two, it will contain spoilers for the whole story.

Key: [quoted text in brackets] my analysis out if brackets.

[Time to deal with the strange Hylian. The same strange Hylian who came out of a now-vanished portal that also spat out a monster.

Link did not get this far in life by being the trusting sort.] Okay this sets the tone. Legend is immediately suspicious. He knows something fucky just happened, and that this person is involved.

[“So…” he says to the figure now sitting up on the ground. “Who the hell are you?”

There’s a faint mumble from the Hylain shaped pile of dirt at his feet.

Link sighs. “You need to speak up a bit.”

“I’m…” the kid's voice is raspy, as if he hasn’t used it in a while. He coughs, trying again. It’s a bit better this time.] Crying in Rulie-loving sorrow. This boy has such a hard life. I wanted to make sure the readers understood that without rubbing it in. I also wanted to make it clear that Legend was noticing these things. [“I’m no one. Just a traveler.”] Nick name establishment. Also secret world-building. I have so many thoughts about the world-building of each of their eras. And I was holding myself back chomping at the bit not to pull a Tolkien and overshare.

[“Bullshit.”

The kid’s eyes go wide. “No, really!” There’s an almost raw edge of panic to his voice now, and Link almost feels bad. “I’m not anybody important, I’m just passing through. I’ll be on my way now, thank you for the help.] They have known each other for about two minutes and Legend is already aware of a few things. This kid is involved with some kind of Dark Magic, he’s on the run, and he does not want to reveal his identity. This is ringing some trauma bells for Leggy. He is seeing himself, and he is getting sympathetic.

[And before Link can so much as laugh at such a pathetic attempt at a lie (and it is a lie, he’s been on enough quests to be able to tell a nobody from a somebody) the traveler scrambles to his feet.] Little meta joke here. We the player, we the reader can tell an NPC from a main character. Legend, who thinks in meta terms, can too.

[The thing is, Link is retired. He’s put in the work, done his time. He’s spilled enough blood and lost enough of his life to goddesses and princesses and lost wayward souls that this is the point in the story where he wants to take the guy at his word.] So… Link. Not Legend. Link. He is so tired, and so done. Its been four lifetimes of misery and he is done, thank you. [Link wants to shrug, turn around, and continue on his way home. He wants to turn and run through the woods, back to his house and slide the bolt in the door and have Ravio tell anyone who comes calling that the hero] This is the only time that Legend thinks of “hero” in the general lowercase noun and not “Hero” as a proper noun. Why? Well because a hero would do such a thing as to hide from a quest. A Hero would not. [is not home because he is not going to be answering any more calls to greatness. There will not be one more quest.] oh buddy. *sobs* Rulie’s “got one more in me” later down the road as the direct foil to this thought. Rulie’s death is the catalyst for the rest of Legend’s character arc, like his entrance into Legend’s life is the catalyst for the plot.

[He’s retired, by the Three.] Yeah man keep telling yourself that.

[But right before he can do just what it is he wants, the stranger goes to leave first. And the poor thing takes one step, yelps like a kicked dog, and crumples back to the forest floor.

“Fuck.” Link can’t help the curse] The sympathy is now at a boiling point. Legend cannot help but care. Cannot help but try to help. [and he strides forward, towards the kid, away from home.] OKAY so the “away from home” bit is both directionally in the scene and narratively in the plot. [It’s only a few steps, but it’s the wrong way, and Link has done this enough times by now to know that it really is those first few steps that count.

Those are the ones that you can’t take back. The ones that all the rest come after.

Link takes them anyway.] I can’t even start with this part. The repeated theme of Legend “going the wrong way” of him doing the dangerothing anyway, despite his well-earned survival instincts. I… listen, Legend was suicidal. From day one. He knows he can’t undo this. He knows that another quest will probably get him killed. He does it anyway.

[“Hey, easy there,” he all but whispers, dropping to his knees next to the filthy kid. “I’m not going to hurt you, okay, Traveler?”

Big eyes stare up at him. They are full of fear and distrust, and a painful glint of hope. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Link sighs, takes another deep breath. “Is it your leg?”

That gets a weird combination of a nod and a shrug. “Ankle, actually.” The kid smiles at him. And it really is a nice smile, soft, and a bit shy. “I got my foot twisted under a tree root.”

He can’t help but wince because, yeah, been there. “Well that’s not too bad then.” Link grins. “A brace, a red potion, and a few days rest, and you’ll be good as new.”

The traveler nods, some of the stress seeming to bleed out of his shoulders. “That’s what I thought too. Thanks.” He pauses, gulps before continuing. “Thank you for handling the moblin for me. I… I’m not at my best right now.”] This whole section is about deepening the sympathy. He is looking at Rulie amd seeing his younger self (I have Rulie at 16 and Legend at 20) and he just wants to help. (Time: “Let me help.”)

[“No need to thank me.” Link’s smile, previously genuine, turns bitter. “That’s what heroes do.”

Just as he was starting to loosen up, the stranger tenses again, every muscle going taut as a bowstring.] So they have different reasons for the same action (getting tense). Legend is a ball of angst. Hyrule is afraid if being recognized.

[“You alright?”

“...What do you mean ‘hero?’”

And that tone of voice right there? Suspicious and untrusting? Waiting for the other shoe to drop? Link knows that tone of voice. He uses that tone of voice on the daily. He loves that tone of voice. But only when it’s coming from him. Out of another mouth, it just sounds sad.] Here Legend is an inch away from self awareness. So close. But more importantly, his recognition if the self in Rulie is getting even stronger. Every moment is another moment that they are more alike in Legend’s eyes.

[But hey, in for a green rupee, in for a gold.] LOL.

[“That would be me,” he says with his most winning smile. “Link, Hero of Legend, savior of Hyrule, chosen by the Goddess… you get the gist.”] Here I have Legend give the titles of three out of five Heroes that Link will be. Chosen, Legend, and Hyrule. This was foreshadowing no one noticed because why the fuck would you? What I did to this boy was unhinged no one saw that coming.

[And the kid just stares.

And stares.

And stares some more.] Me too buddy. Legend is so pretty.

[This is getting ridiculous. Link shakes his head. “Listen, I’m not really in the market for any missions, or quests, divine or otherwise. Firmly out of the whole kingdom-saving business. And the princess-saving gig as well. So why don’t you just tell me where you’re heading, and I’ll make sure you get to the nearest town in the right direction in one piece and we’ll call it even?”] Last attempt to avoid the situation, and he is still trying to help. What a dumb bitch.

[Those deep green eyes staring up at him suddenly roll back, and the boy goes limp.] Baby boy! Also the green here. Yes it is Rulie’s eye color. But it os also Ravio’s eye color, and every single detail Legend notices about this kid gets him more attached.

[“Well, shit.” Link grumbles, running a hand through his hair. What could have been an hour-long detour on his day is now a problem with a capital P. Because as much as he might want to, Link isn’t actually capable of abandoning some poor homeless-looking teenager in the middle of the woods. Especially not one who fainted at the sound of Link’s name.

That thought makes Link pause. Did he faint? A monster was chasing him, it could be blood loss. It could be more than just his ankle.] Standard worrying here. He feels responsible for this kid now.

[He reaches out tentatively with a small brush of magic and almost sighs in relief.] OKAY BIG MISTAKE. Rulie is the Triforce. Legend loves the Triforce. And the Triforce loves Legend. They magically harmonized here. Imprinted. Zinged. From this moment on they were both attached. [The issue is clear now. There’s an empty well where the kid’s natural magic should be, almost drained but nowhere near dangerously so. The fainting wasn’t about Link at all, it was the adrenaline fading off and the strain the poor kid’s body was under finally catching him.

The memory of that strange portal flares in his mind. That incident coupled with this guy being certifiably drained of magic after falling through makes Link realize a couple of things real quick.] Smart Leggy. Good Leggy.

[First, this kid probably made that portal. Second, he came through it as a last-ditch resort. He was running from something, or someone. Third, this poor Hylian has a lot of magic at his disposal (not only did he make a stable portal but he and a moblin went through it before it collapsed), magic that still pushes out in a wave, nauseatingly strong despite its low levels.] Bitch that’s the fucking Triforce.

[Link is almost afraid to learn how much the kid will have after he recharges.] Again, the Triforce.

Now to fast forward about three paragraphs, because while I like those paragraphs very much they can be entirely summarized as: Legend is so suicidal. How did none of you notice?

[One arm slides under bony knees, the other behind the prone Hylian’s back. Nayru’s tears, he won’t even need a power bracelet for this, he’s so thin.] So… I’m not crying, you’re crying. Their first moment together perfectly mirrors their last, and that is fine, that is so fine. Nothing is wrong here, I am okay.

[The Hero rises, an unconscious stranger held delicately in his arms.] Here we go. The pivot to Hero as a proper noun. The acceptance of the call. The attachment is personal and magical, and our journey begins with Legend carrying Rulie to safety, when he knows it will kill him. (And kind of hoping that it does.)

…this is a loop. The beginning is the end.

[bitterclan]

how old is foxflit in the recent updates here? also glowcall ;__;..... how is she holding up after his passing?

Foxflit is 130 moons old as of the last update. As for how everyone's taking it. Well

[stevie-petey]

hii, I was wondering if you can do blurb base off the kids being interrogated by the police & the parents during episode seven while bug & the gang were in the upside down please? I can see Ms.Henderson being absolutely worried sick wondering where her daughter is at

claudia henderson i adore u im so sorry ur kids give u twenty heart attacks a year :(

words: 1.6k

enjoy !

“And what, exactly, were you all doing at the lake?” Chief Powell stares at the three teens in front of him, all with varying levels of guilt written on their faces.

Dustin looks at his friends helplessly, his mother’s eyes bearing down at him, and he has no idea what to say or where you are or how he’s even ended up in this situation. 

“We were just going for a walk.” Max responds cooly, months of lying finally being put to use. 

“A walk?” Officer Callahan laughs, mocking. “At 9:00PM?”

Dustin squeaks something out about taking a night swim, voice nasally and high and not at all convincing. He’s sweating and he really wishes you were here right now. You’ve always been better with people compared to him. A more naive face, innocent enough. 

“A little night swim…” He squeaks out again. 

The Wheeler’s living room is silent and Dustin can feel the disappointment radiating from Lucas and Max. He closes his eyes, barely suppressing a wince.

“Dusty…” Claudia steps forward, face stained with hours of tears and years of grief and worrying for her children. “Someone was just murdered at the lake.”

When she got the call from Hawkins’ police, somehow Claudia knew it’d be about you and Dustin. Every year you hide new scars from her, new broken limbs and shattered lungs. Every year Claudia has to swallow down her concern and anxiety and trust that her kids are capable, that they’re protecting the other the way she always raised them to do. 

Now, it’s only Dustin who sits on the couch with Lucas and Max. You’re nowhere to be found. Claudia doesn’t think she’s ever seen you without your brother. You were only three when he was born, and since then all you’ve ever done is take care of him.

“Where’s Y/N?” 

The tears in his mother’s voice cause Dustin’s heart to clench. He can’t look her in the eye. He can’t give her an answer. He doesn’t know where his sister has gone. 

“She’s with Steve.” Max’s knee knocks against Dustin’s, soft but firm, silently telling him that she’ll cover for you. She knows you and him hate lying to your mother. “They went to go make sure Mrs. Waters was doing alright. Y/N was worried about her, since, you know…”

“Random teens started dying?” Callahan crudely finishes for her.

Powell tiredly snaps his fingers at the officer. He looks at the teens again and sighs. “You’re telling me that your sister is conveniently taking care of an old woman while you’re actively being investigated for murder?”

“She’s always been an angel, hasn’t she?” Dustin grins wide at him, pink gum poking over his white teeth. 

The officer sighs again and Karen Wheeler looks pointedly at the teens. “Well what about Nancy? Was she with you at this night swim?”

“No,” Max says at the same time Dustin responds, “Yes.”

Max glares at him and Dustin buries his body deeper into the couch. They really should come up with a party rule to always say no to authority. At this point, they direly need some regulations when it comes to being interrogated by the police. 

It only goes downhill from there. Dustin makes up some vague story about Nancy being at the lake with them and then leaving. Max says she was dared to tell the police that they found the murderer. Lucas laughs a sterilized laugh and Dustin whimpers out his own, the police officers’ eyes scrutinizing their every little move.

“You’re lucky you didn’t get shot,” Ted Wheeler gruffs out, to which Dustin forces a smile on his face.

“Have you had any contact with Eddie?” 

Dustin scoffs at Powell. “That psycho freak killer?” He pretends he’s you, abhorring the idea of Eddie and his existence. “God, no.”

Max and Lucas join in on the lie, the three of them pretending that they haven’t spent the last few days harboring a fugitive, when Erica, who has been silently watching this entire time, shoves past the officers.

“Oh, that’s a bunch of bull!” She accuses them of lying and ignores her parents, who try and reel in her attitude and resolve. “Just the facts!”

Claudia’s teary eyes settle on her son. “Are you lying to these policemen, Dusty?” She places a shaky hand over her heart. “After everything Y/N and I taught you?”

“No!”

If anything, you should’ve taught Dustin more about lying and creating believable cover stories rather than which sugar is best for baking. 

His head starts to pound and Lucas’ parents start to interrogate him and Erica continues to point fingers at them and Mr. Wheeler opens his mouth about arresting the teens and suddenly it’s a cacophony of accusations and arguing and demands as everyone in the room starts to speak at once.

“Shut up!” Powell’s deep, commanding voice silences the anguished room. 

Everyone stares at the man, wide eyed and alarmed, and when he has full attention, he turns to Max. “We’re gonna try a more civilized approach. One at a time. You first.”

Max tries to protest, but then Callahan threatens to put her in handcuffs and all she can do is force her mouth shut and swallow down her pride. She follows the men out of the room, casting Dustin and Lucas one last look. 

Get this shitshow sorted out.

Lucas drops his head in his hands. “We need Y/N.”

“No kidding,” Dustin rubs his eyes tiredly.

Max is gone for a long time. Long enough for your brother to sneak into the bathroom and whip out Cerebro.

“Y/N? Y/N, I swear to God, where are you? We’ve been collared by the law and I think mom is one panic attack away from a coffin. Answer me!”

But all that rustles over the speaker is silence, and Dustin wants to scream. He angrily shoves the walkie back into his pocket and sneaks into the kitchen. He tries to ignore the conversation he overhears from the parents, the mention of lawyers and lawsuits unnerving him. 

“Do I need to call their father?” Claudia’s shrill, anxious voice only makes Dustin walk faster into the kitchen. He doesn’t want to think about what would happen if your dad got involved in everything. 

“Anything?” Lucas asks him when he gets back.

Dustin shakes his head. “Nothing.”

“You don’t think they went through…”

“Through Watergate?” Dustin is quick to dismiss the idea. “Without us? Without a plan? Without weapons? Y/N loses her mind every time I so much as even say the phrase ‘upside down’. No. No way in hell she’d let anyone be that stupid.”

Lucas nods reluctantly and Dustin tries to reason that your unusual radio silence is because somehow you found out about the cops detaining them. While you’d never just disappear out of Dustin’s life without any explanation, you’d also never jeopardize his life, either. 

You’re just laying low, waiting for the right moment to help. It’s what you always do.

Only Erica then walks in and mocks everything Dustin and Lucas are desperately trying to hold together. She demands to let in on what’s going on, always smarter than everyone else in the room. 

Knowing they’re cornered, Lucas threatens to smother his sister in her sleep if she so much as even mentions anything to her friends or their parents. He explains Lover’s Lake and Vecna and how your group suddenly disappeared, and in her Socratic questioning, Dustin realizes something. 

“Erica raises an essential question,” he turns to Lucas. “How did Watergate open up?”

And then, one by one, every question that has been haunting Dustin ever since he found out you’d been marked by Vecna suddenly falls into place.

Vecna isn’t just killing people. He’s making psychic connections with them in order to open more gates.

The realization sets Dustin’s skin crawling. You’re being targeted for a means far greater than their end, and he can’t do anything. You’re a pawn in a game much bigger than anyone could ever realize, and now you’re missing.

And now that Dustin knows that the Mind Flayer himself is the cause behind your impending demise, all he wants to do is hold your hand again. 

“I should’ve never let Y/N get onto that goddamn boat,” Dustin tugs at his hair, pacing the house as the weight of everything settles upon him. “God, the Mind Flayer wants her dead so that he can take over the world and we still don’t know why.”

Lucas nudges his shoulder. “We’ll find her, man. We last saw her at the gate, right? So all we gotta do is figure out what created it, and maybe that’ll lead us to her.”

Dustin’s heart beats wildly in his chest, but he nods at Lucas’ words. It’s all they’ve got right now. If they can piece together the connection between El and Vecna, then they’ll be able to find you.

They have to be able to find you.

And when Eric notices the flickering lights in the kitchen, their pulse beating out S.O.S., he’s drawn to them.

He can almost feel your fingers flicking at the brim of his hat. Your nails pinching his skin every time he says something crude. The smell of your perfume and the soft scolding of your voice that never quite hides the fondness for him anyways. 

“Y/N…” Dustin breathes out. “What did you do?”

The lights flicker above your brother and he knows you’re on the other side. Terrified just as much as he is. Desperate to come home.

-

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