#i want to reread before i go great or anything more solid

[delicatebluebirdruins]

so I had a thought and Seo in Guk the personification of Doom from Doom at Your Service might make a great Hunt (there is a great scene in the show where he breaks a child abusers leg and made every light and car in the vicinity go haywire)

now i am going to go back driving myself insane about what the heck doom is reading during the series (multiple books one of which is Les Miserables

[bookbitchx]

Blog Introduction.

Marhaba, Salut, Hello.

My blog is mostly centered around the Maasverse.

I don't claim to know what it's like or what it takes to write a successful series, let alone multiple, and I never will.

These are my opinions, mostly based on the ACOTAR series, soon enough TOG (a much needed reread before I can give my solid opinion) and CC (whenever I get to actually reading it.)

Heavily centered tags: Anti Rhysand, Anti Feyre, Anti Feysand, Anti IC, Anti Nessian, Anti Cassian, Anti Amren, Anti Mor.

Pro Lucien, Pro Eris, Pro Tamlin, Pro Nesta, Pro Gwyn, Pro Emerie, Pro Tarquin, Pro Helion, Pro Thesan.

Neutral: Azriel, Elain, Vassa, Jurian, Kallias, Viviane, literally anyone else left.

▪︎Anti Rhysand: I can't stand the guy. Plain and simple.

▪︎Anti Feyre: I liked her in the first book, even a few chapters into AF, where that Feyre went, I'll never know.

▪︎Anti Feysand: The most obnoxious rulers in all of Prythian. It would've been fine if they had anything to back it up with, but they don't.

▪︎Anti IC: This one is obvious. They're more like an inbred cult than a found family.

▪︎Anti Nessian: I deluded myself that the bond is Made, and I stand by that.

▪︎Anti Cassian: He's the worst mate ever written by SJM, and that's saying something since she wrote Rhysand.

▪︎Anti Amren: I could tolerate her in AF, but she's completely unnecessary after WAR.

▪︎Anti Mor: Could've been a great character, failed her miserably in whatever it is she is now.

▪︎Pro Lucien: Why wouldn't I be? Easily the best written character in the series.

▪︎Pro Eris: Everything is not as it seems. Maybe I'll eat my words later on, maybe I won't. We'll see.

▪︎Pro Tamlin: This is a tricky one. I don't condone/encourage/find what he did okay pre-petty Feyre revenge. However, he's more than made up and paid for it.

▪︎Pro Nesta: I also don't condone her actions in the first few chapters of TAR, some of SF, but again, she's more than made up for it.

▪︎Pro Gwyn, Emerie, Tarquin, Helion, Thesan: Obvious reasons.

▪︎Azriel: He's there, I guess. I'm disappointed with the way he was written, but yk. Waiting for his book to make up my mind.

▪︎Elain: She's also there. Idk. From what I did see of her in the books, she's alright. Hated her for not standing up for Nesta, but I'm over it.

▪︎Kallias and Viviane: I loved their story, at least the bits that we saw. However, I'll forever judge them for not hounding Rhysand about the 'other' Daemati's name. I'll keep believing he did it until anon Daemati's head is brought and shown.

▪︎Vassa, Jurian: Gave Lucien a place in the band of Exiles. Nothing more needs to be said.

I'm team Elucien all the way.

Iffy about if Gwynriel will happen, but I would love to see them together.

If these are not your things, it's totally your choice. Feel free to leave, or if you want to debate, I'm all for it as long as neither if us try to convince the other of something and try to shove it down the other's throat.

I do post other things, or I'm going to, mostly book reviews based on these genres: Romantasy, Fantasy, Mystery, YA, Dark Romance.

Also, English isn't my first or second language. If I make grammar/vocabulary mistakes, this is my sorry in advance.

Okay, I think that's it.

Byeeee.

[becauseicantthinkwritings]

Just wanted to say hi Chelsea! Welcome back. We’ve missed you a lot on here but so glad you prioritised yourself and took a break. I hope you’re doing well. Don’t feel pressured to rush back into anything but wanted to say that person defending you was totally right, you write about bb’s characters not him himself and on top of that you write au’s of his characters so it’s like twice removed from him so I hope you don’t feel bad or let anyone make you feel bad for writing. I’ve already said before your billy to me feels like a different person and I love reading him. It’s like it still had his essence you know it’s still him from the show but your billy always has so much more depth and character and Is just more interesting. The punisher is great and all but I actually prefer re reading your stories than watching it. You’re incredibly talented and have added so much to this community I know you won’t/don’t believe it but truly you are. Your writing has distracted me and gotten me through some rough times, like now for example I’m recovering from jaw surgery and I’m miserable and can’t stop thinking about food(im only allowed liquid and then eventually soft but will be a while before I can have solid) so instead of spending hours feeling sorry for myself I’ve been re reading all your stories again.

Sorry im rambling I just wanted to say I hope you’re well. Im so proud of you for taking the break, proud of you for going to Germany(that’s so cool!) Don’t rush into anything and don’t let anybody make you feel bad. It’s just nice to know you’re doing well and that you’re still hanging in there(like the cat poster Billy spoke about😂) and please take care of yourself, definitely get your thumb checked over at a hospital if you can also. Fingers have so many little bones and tendons it’s so easy to hurt them and never think much of it and later on have issues. Take care chels💗

I know this ask is old, but I kept it in my ask box to reread when I was sad and it's high time I finally thank you for your support.

It's no secret that I don't think highly of myself (and I fear I never might) but I want you to know that on hard days, hanging onto this ask helped me stay just a little bit more together.

Thank you thank you thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

[coldshrugs]

Self-Rec Tag Game

Rules: share five of your own fanworks (fic, art, etc.) Then, tag five more people to share the things they've made.

@ghostwise tagged me for this!! thank you, beloved!! it's so fun and i believe in self-hype so here we go. this is bound to get long, sorry.

i'll tag @syrcus @scionshtola @gefiltefished @rickety-goose @myreia @lilas @thevikingwoman (this is seven people BUT many of us have been struggling with The Block lately so i'd love to see you guys celebrate yourselves if you want to 💗)

✨ Something you absolutely adore ✨

in this state (FFXIV): a moment immediately following Ultima Thule's climax, in which estinien and alisaie sit with an unconscious io. i really loved having them ignore and then play off each other for this!

“You care for her, don’t you?” Alisaie asks. Estinien scowls at the very specific emphasis in the question. He cares about a great many people, Alisaie not least among them. He cares for their causes and their well-being. But that is not what she is asking. It hasn’t needed a name before now, this feeling. Most often, it is in his chest, unfurling softly each time Io smiles, or rests her head against his shoulder, or speaks kindness to a stranger, until he can feel nothing but her warmth. Other times it shoots up his spine, a radiant pride that strengthens his arm and steadies his aim. It is the knowledge he would follow her anywhere because there is no one he trusts more. And now it lodges between his ribs, sharp and stinging. He answers after a long moment. “Aye.”

✨ Something that was challenging to create ✨

vacation, had to get away (TWC): i attempted to write a spooky story because TWC is not nearly as unsettling a universe as it could be. lots of fun but ough, i was so far out of my romance wheelhouse.

Between the clutter and sightseeing, even under the blazing coastal sun, there’s always something dark shifting just at the edge of Rebecca’s vision. Faint shadows twisting out of view at the last second. The wound-wet itch of unease prickling her skin. Someone is watching—of that, she’s certain.

✨ Something that makes you laugh (or smile, if that fits more comfortably) ✨

oblivious (FFXIV): aymeric and estinien catching up and being besties. aymeric living for his friend having a crush. plus the groupchat decided this was the one (1) time aymeric is allowed to say "fuck."

“Mm, perhaps ‘friend’ is erroneous in both cases. Nevertheless, I am pleased you have someone like her,” Aymeric pauses, “for support, of course, as you adjust to– what was it again?– 'all these fucking academics.’ Though, I am confident they are thrilled to have you on their side.” Estinien leans back on his heels, chuckling at Aymeric’s weak-voiced swear. “Aye, they’re a hospitable group.” He glances up the stairs. Io and General Aldynn are inside now, and though his face does not betray him, there is a gravity to his pining. It pulls at him. He takes a step forward, clapping Aymeric on the shoulder. “I should go inside. It was good to see you, my friend. Give my regards to our brothers in arms, will you?”

✨ Something that surprised you (in how it turned out, how much other people liked it, etc.) ✨

praying that it waits for me (TWC): a fic about bumbling side character Douglas, which has had an amount of praise that still astounds and moves me, even two years later. i've read and reread every comment, tag, and little story folks have put on about accepting themselves and their queerness. i cannot tell you how much this piece means to me, and i am so humbled it resonated with so many friends and readers.

He starts gathering the threads. How this started, when he knew, why he hasn’t told his parents. Why he hasn’t told anyone. Where he plans to go from here. He knows the answers, but struggles to weave them into anything solid in his mind. He still has questions of his own, after all. His sexuality isn’t something he can put into bullet points, no matter how much easier that’d make this conversation. So he sits, swaying on the edge of his truth, still afraid of becoming.

✨ Something you want other people to see ✨

what i see in you, i hope you find in me (FFXIV): my favorite work for io and estinien so far tbh. io's shaky headspace during this portion of EnW was fun to navigate, and i am always pleased to write alisaie. balancing zenos and estinien as romantic foils during this part of her life is also 🥴

“He’s angry with me. I suppose that is his right. I shouldn’t have let them take you two.” Io grits her teeth, fighting against the knot of guilt that has resided in her stomach since the morning. Estinien is her friend, perhaps the closest she has here besides Alisaie. She understands him, so she can hardly blame him for being upset with her. They are family to him, Alphinaud, and Alisaie by extension. No less than they are to her. He has given Io little more than one-word responses since the twins were found. She may pretend otherwise, but his cold shoulder wounds her. “Oh, to hells with Estinien.” Alisaie waves a gloved hand dismissively in his direction. “He’ll get over it. Would he have you fire upon civilians while negotiating peace? He may love my brother like a… well, brother, but he must admit there was no ideal series of events to be had. We all did our best, and we all made it through.”

(spicy edition under the cut because i am 50% a smut writer after all)

✨ Something you absolutely adore ✨

flood (FFXIV): i actually really love this fic, it's spicy then it gets SO mushy. describing the position in a way that sounds hot and achievable was tough, ngl, but this is so so indicative of their intimate dynamic in general.

Already, the first threads of her climax quiver in her belly, pulled taut like a bow, like the curl of her back, as she anticipates the release to come. One move from Estinien, and she will shatter. He opens his eyes, hungrily surveying the twist of her body, enthralled by the lace framing her breasts. Io is so close, and can’t help herself. “You are adorable.” Estinien leans forward, arcing his body over hers. The ends of his unbound hair skim her shoulders and chest, featherlight touches in stark contrast to the stinging tug on her scalp. His lips brush Io’s in an intimation of a kiss, warm breath washing over her face and neck as he teases her with gentleness. “And you are already throbbing. When you come, I want to hear it, yes?”

✨ Something that was challenging to create ✨

too precious (blooming panic): uh. i wrote this out of spite because i hated the dom!toasty happenings LMAO. figuring out their sexual dynamic was a fun challenge. lots of blushing.

“I love how patient you’ve been, letting me take you in like this.” A real kiss, finally, and he sighs into her mouth. It kills him, not being able to rest his hands on her body, or run them through her hair. They twitch helplessly in the ties at either side of the bed, and Teddy kisses him harder to compensate.

✨ Something that makes you laugh (or smile, if that fits more comfortably) ✨

in the light i thought i saw you (wayfarer): just filling in the blanks of ephyra's time with veyer at the gala. they are both SUCH little shits in this, it makes me laugh.

She touches their clit. The hitch of their breath is felt more than heard, and it’s Ephyra’s turn to laugh. “Oh?” Veyer’s head falls forward, cradled between her shoulder and neck, and Ephyra’s head spins again. Veyer is… strikingly vulnerable, more than she expected for a Guild Mage. They’re so open, too close. It’s almost uncomfortable. Almost. They grind against her palm, their own touch becoming erratic for a moment, before gently, firmly pulling her hand away. Did she do something wrong? They tsk a couple times, and a fresh grin pulls at their lips. “Not yet, Ephyra. I need both our focuses here-” They curl their fingers inside her to emphasize the point. “Be patient, dear.”

✨ Something that surprised you (in how it turned out, how much other people liked it, etc.) ✨

alma.mp4 (TWC): i love writing self-love smut but i'm always shocked when other people are into the way i write it LMAO.

“How do I taste, Mason?” She lifts her fingers, dripping and slick, to his mouth. The smirk parts and he takes them in with no hesitation. His tongue slides over them, between them, and Mason’s never been good at savoring. He devours. Eyes half-lidded like he might be a little drunk on her taste, he presses a wet kiss to her palm. His lips come away shining. “Better than blood, sweetheart.”

✨ Something you want other people to see ✨

something to talk about (FFXIV): idk i just think io should be allowed to be bossy sometimes and i think estinien would like it.

He removes his shirt while she unties his pants, pushing them past his hips. Candlelight dances across his skin and in his mussed hair. Io bites back the urge to tell him how beautiful he looks, cast in orange-gold light, already panting, barely holding onto the leash of his restraint. She strokes him with a deft hand, as familiar with his tells as he is with hers. The hitching breath, the white knuckle grip. This was his game, was it not? Io slides the tip of his cock into her cunt, then cups his chin. She murmurs against his lips, “come on, then.”

[cabeswaterdrowned]

solace and jasico for the ship think im evil and shit

wrote this last month before I lost access from traveling here is everything I wrote then.

Solangelo

Why don’t you ship it? — I did ship it when I originally read BOO when I was in the seventh grade, because I wanted Nico to be happy and Will was presented as something that would help that. Then I remember liking them a bit less when I first read THO when it came out, not to the extent of hate or anything (and I wouldn’t call it a solid notp or anything now I’m just not particularly fond of it at this time) just found the timeline of them getting together to be rushed and I didn’t love their interactions (not going to speak on what exactly I felt about them because first time reading THO was a blur for me, my feelings on reread are more important to this matter anyway). In the time between then and my reread of the first two series + continuation of ToA this year I was mostly fine with them in theory, but occasionally was a little annoyed by how overrated the dynamic and Will as a character seemed to me from what I could see as I’m always very multifandom and keep pjo fandom on my radar as one of my formatives but was mainly focusing my energy on other media during that time.

When rereading Boo and THO I found their dynamic.. not very appealing in the scenes we get. I can like vitriolic banter when it’s done well but the way it was introduced for Will and Nico in boo came off more as Will being pretty bossy/condescending towards Nico and Nico reacting to that with annoyance + some of his usual becomes-attached-to-anyone-who-shows-any-signs-of-potentially-wanting-him-around thing which is IC for him, but it’s not an introduction I appreciate for one of my favorite chars ever’s endgame canon romance. Other people have made longer posts about this + the general solangelo canon dynamics and implications re: ableism but Will’s dismissiveness toward Nico’s feelings of being ostracized from the camp wasn’t endearing to me either. THO followed the same pattern of their ‘banter’ falling flat for me and reading more as two people kind of disliking each other and not in a fun interesting way like I sometimes go for, and to be fair I think the fact we first see them as an official couple from Apollo’s pov might contribute to this for me, because we don’t have Nico or Will’s narration to make the dynamic feel more lived in and Rick just generally isn’t great at writing couple dialogue for anyone but Percabeth/Fierrochase (and even Percabeth had some dud scenes aka. the Percabeth scenes in boo that are from Piper’s pov so.) And again, I just don’t like the condescension from Will’s end or how pushy he can be about Nico’s boundaries in some scenes. ToN was slightly better in that I think as a duo they were incorporated naturally into a plot (also was just so happy about the Nico and Rachel interactions I was like the the Solangelo here is fine it can be there too hebrew). However two books where I disliked the dynamic + a book where I was neutral + what I’ve seen of the fandom which.. yeah. Ultimately I just don’t enjoy them as a ship at

this time

2.What would have made you like it?

This is an interesting question for this ship in particular because there actually is a book coming out that if things go a certain way could make me like the ship.

I’ll start with changes that could have been made

to what’s already canon. This particular brand of grumpy one sunshine one dynamic is an idea/trope that I just have found less compelling the more time I’ve spent in fandom, so I would play up a subversion of that to start. There is something to Will being a bit more stubborn/intense than you’d expect I just wish that wasn’t presented in him bossing Nico around/telling him His perceptions of Nico’s problems like they’re fact, generally being very I-know-what’s-best-for-you. Maybe if their introduction in boo had them clashing over just different approaches to the battle at hand but not being able to help admire each other even though they’re so different, and then I think setting up them getting together as a slow burn over the course of ToA could’ve worked nicely and the antagonistically working together dynamic could’ve come off far better if they were written as two friends not yet together but with some tension kind of dancing around their actual feelings. Some scenes I had problems with also could’ve been better to me if this was the current dynamic ex: I really didn’t like the scene where Will comments about the kid from the Ares cabins arms and they again ‘banter’ but with what we know of Nico’s insecurities/abandonment issues it comes off (to me) as a scene where he’s genuinely stressed and Will either isn’t cognizant of that or is ignoring it which seems off for a couple who are together / annoys me on Nico’s behalf, but if it were a scene where they weren’t actually together yet it could

 make sense as Will testing to see how Nico reacts/if he likes him based on his reaction and I’d feel better about it. Things like that. And Rick clearly knew how to write this type of bickering dynamic in slow burn for Percabeth so I think maybe this could’ve turned out a lot better. 

Where we are in their story how I could be made to change my tune about their dynamic in TSATS:  will say I’d be a lot more optimistic about the book being able to make me like them if the premise was different, the fact that it’s (at least being pitched this way the actual book could obviously be pretty different) about Tartarus testing the strength of their relationship when we haven’t gotten a first hand experience of that relationship and it’s strengths and flaws other than what can be gleaned from conjecture (which ultimately is why views on the ship are so polarizing, they’re underwritten in canon so readers can interpret things a lot of ways depending on what’s there + how generous or not they are with it). That aside I think since for me the dynamic was a little better in ToN than it had been in the past framing some of their previous interactions as a beginning stage of their relationship they’ve since grown from and in the present Will is supportive in a way that’s less.. overbearing from my pov + we see both of them work for a good relationship (and the things Nico has to work on aren’t framed as ‘it’s Nico’s fault he doesn’t have that many good relationship ‘he needs to work on his people skills’ etc.) I could like it more. I also think seeing Will interact with more important parts of Nico’s life like Hazel or his father or Reyna could help add interesting interactions and conflicts. Another thing I disliked about ToA was how distanced Nico seemed from Hazel and Reyna / it seeming like he didn’t meet them after the war… *sigh* keeping myself from going on a tangent anyway. Ideally I would like the book to make their relationship interesting and compelling, I need it to show me how they work/are a good fit as partners and mainly make me feel good about Will’s place in Nico’s arc. Hopefully I get shippy feelings / emotional attachment from them in the book (I’m keeping my expectations low a) because I like to purposefully keep my expectations low for certain things so I’m not disappointed a habit I developed shortly after BOO was released lol, if it’s fantastic my low expectations can only lead me being more blown away so win-win b)like I said it isn’t a type of dynamic I’m very into these days even if tje execution is made to work now) but what matters most is that I feel good enough about it as a part of Nico’s arc since I don’t even concretely feel that way now. No Will-is-Nico’s-savior/solves all his problems trope. Hopefully no “doctors orders” bit either 

3.Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

I am here for the implication that Will has had a crush on Nico for a while before Nico noticed him, I think in a way it’s good for Nico to experience someone not needing to warm to him to see him as worthy of being into and just wanting him in general at the time he meets Will. If the relationship was presented as just Nico seeing what being in a relationship where he’s someone else’s Percy in a sense is like and not his canon-sanctioned endgame like it’s meant to be I’d be a lot less critical of it.

Not necessarily something positive more negative things that I’ve seen said about the ship that I disagree with: 1) It’s not an abusive relationship based on anything in canon 2) I’ve seen people say it’s ooc for Nico to be into Will/want to start a relationship with him so soon and that’s not my issue with anything, again it’s very Nico to latch onto attachments I just haven’t seen any evidence this relationship is good for him 

Jasico

What made you ship it?

I remember when I first read HoH and Boo there were scenes where I thought they had interesting chemistry/found something of interest in the idea but back then as a kid I really hated Jason so ultimately still didn’t want it to happen/invest more interest in it On reread I really started to become actively interested in it / feel things in the Jason pov section directly after the (ugh) Cupid scene section. The scene where they have that balcony argument / tense conversation about belonging/fitting in where Nico voices how Jason has never been unfairly reviled because of who his father is only idolized for it vs later when Jason reflects on this and actually envies Nico’s freedom of expectations as much as Nico envies the respect Jason gets, the more I’ve thought about it the more the ideas behind their arcs are interesting foils to one another which is something that automatically does a lot to appeal a ship to me. And generally this establishes something that really appealed to me which was Nico opening up more to Jason than he does to others and Jason being a lot more expressive/engaged in around or about Nico. Then after that the chalice scene is just.. really romantically coded like more than most scenes in hoo that are actually supposed to be romantic by a lot, and I’m a sucker for a display of trust that’s literally quite deranged (drinking poison because you want to be Very Good Friends with another man) in my ships too, so from there on I was gone and the more I actually thought about it the more reasons I found to be compelled but I’ll get into that more in part 2. Also Generally the way they describe each other at points in HoH and Boo is insane which is also worth mentioning.

2.What are your favorite things about the ship?The dynamic appeals to a lot of tropes or ideas/narrative markers I go for in ships in general, what I said about narrative foils is a huge draw for me so is characters going from disliking each other to comrades/allies to establishing more trust to friends, prep x goth ship. I love the care present in how they think of/worry about each other throughout boo, also easy to read yearning vibes into it especially from Jason’s side in pov. Honestly the fact that they’re both repressed as fuck but different ways is so fun to me because soo much potential for pining and slow burn and angst/insecurity all of my fav things lol and now that I’ve started reading some fics really respect how much writers go all in for these things w the pairing. As an opposites attract pairing there’s a lot I love about the idea of two people who are othered in different ways in seemingly opposite ways like Nico has been ostracized and underestimated and felt excluded or undervalued in relationships while Jason tends to be a put on a pedestal for who his dad is and being idolized in relationships can also be stifling/harmful, so there’s something very compelling about that idea combined with certain other parallels like they both have sisterly abandonment issues etc. for similar circumstances. I think a lot of Jason’s dynamics are hard for me to fully connect with and in general his POV is hard to connect with because he’s so passive in most dynamics/storylines, but the way he is about Nico post challice is very overexcited golden retriever energy, like very much the vibe of being oh so flattered that the cool mysterious boy has given the vaguest indication of ‘okay we can be friends I guess’ and then he’s just so over-the-top enthusiastic about Nico after that it’s so very funny, and I also do think it’s interesting to think about why that reaction exists. I said this before but I do like that Jason has to put in a bit of work for the relationship (specifying ‘a bit’ because the Cupid scene as a conduit for them to interact is lazy has a lot of issues (I was more willing to gloss over how that starts the dynamic on reread because on reread of this series in general I think most dynamics that weren’t pre-existing before the series or the Nico and Hazel/Reyna dynamics were jump started in lazy ways because Rick didn’t want to put thought into how they’d get to know each other, so it’s not a roadblock to me liking the ship like it probably was on first read, I see it as a featurebug of how the series was written rather than specific to the dynamic ) and Jason’s reaction was the bare minimum (but still would be important to Nico I think both things are true) so the ‘work’ I mean is mostly not giving up on reaching Nico afterwards) while Nico gets to be on the receiving end of support it’s not the role either of them usually take in a dynamic/storyline so I think it’s an interesting place for both characters. I think Nico would really benefit from being with someone that level of adoring and devoted to him who doesn’t overstep his boundaries (the bar is very low but I did also really like the difference between HoH where Nico snaps at Jason not to touch him without permission vs Boo where Jason really wants to hug Nico but holds himself back until Nico acquiesces verbally (and even being bare minimum I do feel a lot better about it compared to Will always telling Nico what to do grabbing his hand without permission etc. so lmao on that front) and getting to be the person who makes a very stoic buttoned-up person Worse/less sane, I just love how powerful he would feel thanks to making the golden boy worse lol. I think Jason symbolically sort of represents a lot of things Nico has always wanted, so I love the potential fulfillment for Nico’s narrative through this and like the validation of it 

. I also think the relationship from a story pov would have a lot of interesting ramifications for plot for being two big three kids and relationships with other characters like Reyna Hazel Percy Thalia Leo Piper etc. so I love thinking about that, and I think Nico would more naturally be involved in these dynamics if he was with Jason one of my gripes about canon rn is how Will is prioritized in ToA for Nico over all other relationships for no reason :/. Also the idea of Reyna shovel talking Jason is iconic. Really like I said I think on every level the more I think about it the more it makes sense and the more into it I am.

3.Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?we’ll just say that technically preferring Jasico to Solangelo is unpopular already. I do also think though that it being more interesting to me is partially just about Rick’s writing and how he tends to write relationships intended to be platonic as more interesting and having more chemistry than his romances that aren’t Percabeth and Fierrochase, and especially true for hoo pairings for instance the way Pipabeth or Pipeyna are developed as opposed to Jiper, Leo’s relationships with Jason or Frank as opposed to Calypso and Hazel etc. I do think that’s just a common feature in the way he writes dynamics.

Um. But also I felt much more passionate about all of this last month. I still stand by everything but after reading the tsats snippet in SoH that I read I’m kind of abandoning any of the optimism I had about it.

(Ship ask meme from a while back)

[bidgies]

3 & 17 for the book asks? 😊

Thank you for asking, Sae 😊

I already answered 3 but actually I just saw that I rated exactly 10 books with 5 stars, so I'll just put the rest of them in to order from 6 to 10?

3. What were your top five 10 books of the year? (continued from last ask)

10. The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski

I literally just put this at 10 because I don't remember what exactly happened in this one. I read the Witcher series at the beginning of the year, so it's all a bit muddied but apparently I liked this one a lot. I remember that I really liked Ciri though and I think she was in this one a lot

9. Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

I was very excited for this one because hey, a book about religious trauma and discovering you're queer! I think I must have somewhat liked it or I wouldn't have rated it five stars but it was a bit tedious to get through and not as relatable as I had hoped but there were some nice quotes that I picked from it

8. Legend by Marie Lu

Already talked about this one but seriously if you want to revisit your teenage YA dystopia phase this one and the rest in the series are pretty good, have great nuanced characters and solid world building

7. Der Scherbensammler by Monika Feth

This book is just deeply personally important to me and I didn't expect rereading it to be such a good experience but it was. I won't go into more detail here, if you want to know more, Sae, you can always ask on the mental health blog

6. Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

I got this one at a book festival by a book seller who swore up and down I'd love this book and if not, I should come find her at her bookstore and complain formally because she can't imagine I won't like it. I picked it up mostly because of her and because I read Zevin's Birthright trilogy when I was a teenager/young adult and liked that one. It's not my usual genre because it's about a group of friends in the 90s who develop video games together and it's focused a lot on their developing relationships and friendships. But it's good. It's very good and the characters really carry this one

17. Did any books surprise you with how good they were?

I already mentioned This Is How You Lose The Time War, right? It was recommended to me by probably the post that everyone on here saw but I did actually check out a short blurb of what it's about before reading and was like "hey, this is right up your alley with spies on opposing sides and time travel!" Like two of my favorite things. Plus, it's gay. Let's get this book. And I was prepared for it to be good. Everyone had said it was good. It was about literally three of my favorite things. I went in there expecting it to be very good. I was completely blown away. Like everything about it is so good, the characters, the writing style, the language, the development of their relationship, everything. I came away from this book wanting to reread it and analyze every word of it. Hell, I wanted to go back to uni so I could take a literature seminar on it and analyze together with others and discuss all of it and write a term paper on it. That's what this book did to me. It was so good that for a good three weeks after reading it, I couldn't get into anything else because this book had temporarily ruined me and everything else seemed bland next to it. High expectations completely surpassed

[stllmnstr]

How do you write so well?? Your writing is so so beautiful!!! Any tips?

Oh this is so sweet 😭😭 First of all, thank you! I don’t feel like I have any particularly revolutionary advice to give, but these would be my main points:

1. Practice!!! Write. A lot. I posted my first fanfic in 2017 and had already been writing a lot before that, including original stories, poetry, and just about anything else I could think of. From what I’ve seen, I definitely skew on the older side of enha writers on tumblr, so please remember to be patient and gentle with yourself, especially if you’re young and/or newer to writing. The stuff I was writing at 16 certainly doesn’t read like the stuff I write now, but all of that practice helped me to get there. Writing is hard. I think it always will be. But give yourself grace and keep at it, and you’ll only keep getting better.

2. Read!!! There are so many great authors out there that do amazing, innovative, exciting things with words. I always feel inspired to write after I read a really great book, and reading will also strengthen your vocabulary, grammar, and sense of personal style/voice.

3. Let your writing be “bad” !!!! I very rarely reread stories after I post them, because every time I do, I find at least twenty things I want to change. 😭 Writing and words are a living thing, and there’s absolutely a certain amount of subjectivity to what makes writing “good.” There’s always going to be room from improvement, and you’re always going to be able to find something to nitpick or criticize if that’s the perspective you take. Fanfiction in particular is great, because if your story is something you’re excited about, there’s a 99.99% chance that other people will be excited about it too. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Take that pressure off of yourself, and enjoy the process. Use the experience and the feedback and the practice to write something even better the next time around.

4. Develop a strong editing routine. This is probably the most technical and specific point, but I think it gets overlooked. My first drafts look a LOT different from what I post, usually. I don’t remember where I found this tip, but my writing changed for the better when I started rewriting all/most of my story as part of the editing process. Literally, once I finish a draft, I’ll open a new document and will retype most/all of it, changing things as I go. This helps me to catch little errors and also to improve the overall flow and pacing of a story. I recommend trying it if you haven’t! Like I said before, a lot of “good” writing is subjective, but editing is where you improve the more objective aspects. Making sure that things like grammar, word choice, sentence variation, and general plot are solid will absolutely strengthen your writing.

5. This last tip is actually more for readers: INTERACT!!!!! Reblog, comment, send asks, scream in the tags!!!! Do all of the above!!!! Writing is a long, difficult process, and it takes a lot of effort to post a story. It’s especially hard when you’re new. Like I mentioned above, I posted my first fanfic almost seven years ago, and the only reason I kept posting more was because people interacted with my work and took the time to tell me that they enjoyed it. If you want to read better writing, if you want to read longer stories, if you want more stories to read in general, give writers the incentive to write! I love writing. I really do. But it takes a lot of time and effort, and it’s a labor of love. Posting a story feels a bit like shouting into the void. At the end of the day, your interactions are what make it worth it for myself and a lot of others that publish in the fanfic space. If you’re a writer that is struggling to get any kind of interaction/feedback, a good place to start can be connecting with other writers and building a little community! It will help tumblr (or wherever you write) to not feel so lonely. Plus, having writer friends is a wonderful way to share your woes and get inspiration.

At the end of the day, I think that genuinely enjoying writing is half the battle. If you’re already there, that means you like words. You like stories. You like putting puzzle pieces together and making characters come to life. Liking those things is where it all starts, so keep at it, trust the process, and the rest will follow. 🤍

[bakughosts]

hellooooo! I hope I’m not bothering you but your writing inspires me! I really love your Bakugou fics because you characterize him well. I find myself rereading it over and over, finding details that went through my head the first time lol. It’s so difficult to find genuine Bakugou fics because every time I look through tumblr I sometimes find some… interesting fics who take Bakugous character and change him dramatically to the point where I don’t even recognize him, you know? Idk maybe I think too deeply about these things but it’s just something I noticed! But I have deep appreciation for your effort and care to place him in any story and keeping him himself as much as possible!

With that being said, I was wondering how you approach writing? How do you develop your characters?

I’m excited for your fics! Writing reallyyyy takes time and there’s so much thought that goes into it. I’m not a writer but I’m an artist! One day I’d love to draw you something when I’m more confident in my drawing skills. You’re doing great 🥺

Omg i have so much to say in response to this… i feel like this is gonna be a long ass response and i have just started writing it so omg sorry in advance (edit: IM SO SORRY YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ ALL OF THIS)

Also i was going to put this at the end to respond to things in your ask chronologically but i had no idea I’d write so fucking much on the topic!! But omg i would LOVE to see your art!!!!! It’s so sweet of you to want to draw me something that’s genuinely the sweetest thing in the world it makes me SO emotional omgggggggg please…….. no pressure at all but any time you want to share please stop by and do so i would love to see what you’re working on

Gonna put a read more because this got ridiculous dlkfkjdsfjdlkjsflkjdfslksdjlfksdj

But omg NO it is absolutely no bother it is very kind of you to say that!!!! I am very glad you think his characterization is solid it’s genuinely one of the things i worry about most when writing (not just him, but any character)!!! I think he is such a difficult person to characterize. You’re right there are many many interpretations of him and i think that there is validity to all of them to certain extents because they all draw on aspects of his character that he expresses outwardly. But there is so much inside him that it like…. Idk i think it’s really difficult to get his nuances right. (Not that I’m saying i do all the time—and def not saying that my characterization is like Better Than Others at all it’s just the way i interpret him!!!!!)

He is a harder character to develop than others because i feel like you have to be on three levels when you write anything he says or does:

1. What is his gut instinct? His knee-jerk reaction? This is always influenced by things that are harder to control for him, so like anger, frustration, pridefulness, proclivity for violence. From there,

2. You move on to consider where he is in his life/what he’s been through and apply that lens to those knee-jerk emotions. So the way i usually write him, he’s older, he’s been to therapy to some extent lmao, he knows techniques to bite back anger or tamp down frustration, this is going to affect the way he knows he /should/ feel (just found out my Ctrl key isn’t working LMAOOOOOOOO so please pretend those are italics) despite the way he /instinctually/ feels. So he’s going to apply this the best he can to how he reacts to things. The deeper the gut instinct is, though, the harder it is to cover up, so you measure how much control over his actions he is able to apply depending on how distressed/angry he is.

Okay brief pause before three because this is where the internality ends, and you have to figure this out before you apply it externally. You want to have an idea of what he’s feeling /exactly/ before you run it through his thought process and decide how he would express it externally.

3. So then the last part is the external level: what’s actually shown on the page in his dialogue, actions, and body language. So we have a man here who so desperately doesn’t want to show his vulnerable emotions to other people. He has an ‘image’ that he wants to portray because it’s how he wants people to perceive him (strong, unbothered, powerful, he doesn’t /need/ anyone because he’s /so/ strong and powerful, he’s embarrassed when his friends show him love because it’s in essence weak to accept/show love so freely—remember the lack of vulnerability here—and he’s the best at everything he does, ever, no question). With steps one and two, you have the gut emotion and how he knows the gut emotion should be handled. Now you have to ask: how can he express this and make himself look like the image he so wants to project?

This is fun to play with because, as we know, he often fails at portraying that image. He’s an awkward person. He was never socialized well. When he’s not feeling entirely confident and self-assured (think post-fight victory, when he’s doing his hero thing that he /knows/ he’s good at), he’s bad at hiding his more vulnerable emotions. You just have to decide from here how badly he fails at projecting the image/how well the character he’s speaking to knows him and can see underneath it.

So example: 1. kirishima and him are walking, kirishima puts an arm around bkg’s shoulders, he’s embarrassed but does feel the warmth of having his best friend care about him. Gut instinct here is to shove kirishima off because he’s embarrassed, but doesn’t want to show that he’s embarrassed because that’s ‘weak’ behavior > 2. Knows he shouldn’t shove kirishima off of him because he’s just innocently expressing affection for bkg because he cares about him, and rejecting that affection so vehemently could potentially hurt kirishima’s feelings > 3. The image dictates he doesn’t look ‘weak’, but his reason dictates that he doesn’t hurt kirishima’s feelings. So he rolls his eyes maybe, plays at shoving him off—to show that he’s not weak, that he doesn’t care about people caring about him—but lets kirishima keep his arm there because he really does appreciate his best friend caring about him and he never wants to make Kirishima think that bkg is actually angry because of the affection shown to him.

This is a really hasty example lmao i knew if i did anything more specific it would make the ask like six times longer lsdfkjdlskdfjdslkjf but you apply that and then to degrees, peel back how much the image means to him. So in in the dark of morning (hate being like oh look at this part of my fic! But that’s the best way i can use an example i know well) at the beginning when he’s driving her to his apartment, he’s hurting bc of all might’s health decline, hurting bc of denki’s death. But he can’t yet show that vulnerability, so he upholds the image of being a gruff n tough guy who doesn’t care about anything at all. But when they’re talking during the gala in front of the picture of all might and he’s worried that he could never mean as much to reader as denki meant to her, he’s able to claw past his need to project that image and is able to offer a form of vulnerability and openness, but it’s tentative and hesitant because he’s not used to showing himself as anything other than the image he’s created for himself.

God i know that was just how i approach writing bakugou. I am SO sorry it got that long Jesus Christ. I just have a lot to say about it dlksfdlskfjs but essentially that’s how i approach writing all characters to an extent. 1. What do i know about how they would gut react to things 2. What experiences/training/factors of upbringing in their life affect how they know they /should/ act 3. How do they want people to see them and how does this affect the way they finally act/speak/etc. Some characters the steps matter more or less for, but they’re always there somewhat. Like step 3 i think outward perception always shapes actions to an extent, but like. When i write Mina, if she’s just with her friends, step three has absolutely no bearing on what she does and says. She’s very open and is unapologetic about it. When i wrote wolfwood for this fic i just published step 2 was also barely a factor because even if he knows how he /should/ act, it means very little to him because he doesn’t care much about how anyone perceives him (except for reader). Bakugou is harder lmaooooooo he takes all three steps to the MAX and that’s why i think interpretations of him vary so much because there’s so many areas where you can decide that he would react/feel a different way to various external stimuli.

Anyway GOD sorry this is long as HELL but i really wanted to put all my words into thoughts. Thank you SO SO SO much for that ask….. like getting to talk about writing ever is so special to me and the fact that you wanted to know about my process is like…. Im like omg. So honored to be asked about it and so happy to talk about it. I cropped in my note about sharing your art with me earlier in the post bc this is ridiculously long but SERIOUSLY please share any time!!!!!

If u have read to the end thank u so much for bearing with me as i go absolutely insane sdflkjdslkfjsldkjflkdsjfdkljdslkfjds

[daincrediblegg]

2, 9, 11, 12, 22?

2. Do you read/reread your own fics? It really honestly kindof depends on the fandom on this one. Generally speaking when I put some creative thing out there of any kind I am loathe to re-watch or re-read it (with the exception of looking at my own fanart- unless it was especially bad I love looking back at some of my old stuff just for the sheer thrill of seeing how much progress I’ve made) BUtT!!!! There is the exception of when it’s like. I’m either in a fandom in which the character I like gets character assassinated in fics a lot of the time and I need enrichment from outside sources or my own. OR when I’m just in a fandom where people don’t write x reader fics that much for the character and I’m the only one writing them and I have to re-read myself bc that’s the only content out there (current predicament re; everything Jared Harris has been in and it’s a crime that I’ve spent the whole year trying to remedy lmao).

9. Do you write every day? If you wrote today, share a sentence of what you’ve written!

OK SO!!!! This was actually a couple of paragraphs I got down yesterday and it’s some of the more solid stuff I’ve put out in recent months, but I’m very proud of how it turned out:

Sinclair was never particularly fussy when it came to her appearance, which made changing for dinner a fairly brief affair. She had learned from an early age that there was certainly no room for such attentions on a ship, and in fact had great fun in witnessing first-time sea-faring ladies, passengers of course on The Demeter, who tried to keep their appearances in spite of the swell and sway of the high seas. She remembered fondly then, the laugh of Mrs. Rose Anthony. How she’d wished to hear it now and all these months gone past. She would have laughed to see Fitzjames on the deck this morning, with that ridiculous cloak flowing behind him like a peacock with his feathers at half mast. None of the men would see it as she did. Not that she was in too much want of friends among them. But fewer still would understand her sense of humor as Rose had.  Pondering this, Sinclair forewent her shirt and waistcoat- both of which were custom tailored, as it wouldn’t do for the navy to commission such a garment. But her father had, for her sake. One of his many parting gifts. The very same man whose picture Sinclair’s gaze drifted to as she buttoned the deep blue bodice that had also been part of the set he had purchased for her, this one long sleeved to match the deep blue flannel day skirt she kept on, and which had served her so well in the chilly climate. She’d missed too how well he’d been able to do her hair for an occasion like this, where Sinclair now only managed a bun tied fairly neatly to the back of her head (more than she’d dare to manage for her daily duties, she might add), but it suited her all the same for the impression Sir John, and indeed, most of the men had of her. Neat as a pin. Diligent. A fixture of a plain sort of beauty in the corner. Never the center of their attentions, but never quite ignored.

12. Do you have a playlist for your current WIP(s)? Share it!

As I said in the other ask I have like. Just so many. None of them coherent- but THIS ONE has been my instrumental inspiration for a little while so there you have it. Someday I will consolidate all my fave lady terror vibes into a proper playlist... but that is not today...

22. Do you know how your fic will end before you start writing?

I mean… sort of. Like in general I do like to have some kind of sense where something is going before I start it- if it’s anything I’ve learned from commercial failures like GOT and the Star Wars Sequels it’s that poor planning will fucking kill you because actually as it turns out narrative structure is important. But at the same time- I think this was a quote from George R.R. Martin that some writers are “builders” who have everything pre-conceived before they put anything down (in reference to Stephen King), and some are “gardeners” (like George) who let stories just grow as they go. For me personally I’ve never felt too tied to either camp, so I put forth my secret third option being: “chef”. I know what I want the end-product to be. I have a general sense of what it should taste like and how I should cook it-thematically speaking. But things still come up as I go. Sometimes it needs a bit more of one spice than another and I try to listen to those instincts when they tell me to add something to what I’m making. 

11 ANSWERED HERE

[universalfanfic]

A little oneshot inspired by a comment on AO3 (@hurniburn)

Teen Lex gets a drunk call from Peyton. She says some strange things.

Lex sat at the desk in his dorm room and frowned as he read one of his textbooks. His roommate, his friend, was gone for the evening so he had the space to himself. There was a party in the woods and Duncan had managed to get a pity invite from one of the socially anxious girls that trailed after Annalise and Peyton all the time. 

Duncan tried to encourage Lex to join him, claiming this could be their ‘chance to be accepted’, but Lex was a realist. At best he’d be ignored, at worst someone would find a way to humiliate him. Especially with Oliver there. Maybe this could be Duncan’s moment, but he wouldn’t have a chance if Lex came.

It wasn’t like Lex wanted to go to a party anyway. He’d study instead.

His cell phone rang as he reread a paragraph for the third time and he readily accepted the distraction. 

“Hello?”

A string of wild giggles answered his prompting and Lex cringed.

“Hi!” Peyton’s voice chirped back. Lex couldn’t stand the tone of voice she consistently spoke in. Like everything was a question.

“Why are you calling me?” He asked dully. He had half a mind to just hang up on her; still might if she started mindlessly rambling again.

“Duncan told me to call you,” she said. “They keep giving me drinks.”

“So you’re drunk calling me. Great.” 

“Annalise said great,” Peyton told him. “She said the drinks are good; they’re good.” 

Irritation bubbled up in Lex and his scowl deepened. Using the sparse clues from Peyton’s words, he could only guess that either Duncan was trying to use her to convince Lex to join the party, or everyone had grown irritated enough with her drunken state to try and pass her off on someone else. But she was their problem right now. They could walk her back to her dorm themselves. 

“Go back to your room and go to sleep,” he told her. Usually she listened, as long as there wasn’t another source of influence there to sway her. 

“I feel funny,” she admitted. “Did you know Orion has two faces? But I don’t know him.” 

“Orion?” Lex parroted back in confusion. “The constellation? What are you talking about?” 

She giggled mindlessly again, but the laugh cracked near the end and devolved into something more sad. Almost a choked back sob.

“I feel funny.” She said again.

Lex closed his textbook over a pencil and sat back in his chair as he gave her his full focus. These weren’t the normal sort of things Peyton said. For a split second, his heart skipped a beat as he wondered if she was back to being his Peyton. But, no. She wasn’t coherent enough. She still sounded too dreamy and nonsensical.

“Peyton,” he said slowly, “why do you feel funny?” 

Peyton hummed. 

“I feel funny because my head feels funny. Wondering feels bad.” 

That. That was a little interesting. She nearly made a solid, definitive statement, and usually she shied away from those, as if she was too afraid the smallest opinion would offend someone.

“What are you even wondering about?” 

An enthusiastic cry from the party crowd rose up in the background and cut off anything Peyton might have said. Annalise’s voice, loud and somewhere passed tipsy, came through the phone speaker. 

“C’mon girl! This party is killer; we’re having a blaaast!” 

“I have to go; we’re having a blast,” Peyton told him. 

She hung up, or Annalise hung up for her, before Lex could reply and he sat for a moment just staring at his phone. 

Peyton was definitely drunk, he decided. Clearly. She was normally kind of strange, but even that was a bit out of her wheelhouse. And didn’t drinking usually make people emotional and dramatic? Or particularly annoying.

Lex sighed and opened his textbook again to try and finally absorb that last paragraph.  Girls were weird and Peyton was weirder. He ignored the pang of disappointment that she was still her usual self.

[erysvoleil]

Claw update: it's still good. Honestly I think this is some of wildbow's best work in like. a fucking while. Obvs early pale was good as well and claw's still before the point where that one started going sour, but that doesn't change that I'm genuinely a bit sad/wanting more whenever I catch up with claw and there's no more to read.

I think the format, the switching viewpoints every arc is legitimately a great gimmick that plays to wildbow's strengths (most notably writing character perspective) while keeping the overall tension high, slowly spiraling out to characters who have less information and control over the Crime Drama as the stakes get higher and higher. It's quite nice! The tension is everpresent and seeing the characters whose perspective you occupied for entire arcs only secondhand as the story progresses, so you're not sure exactly how or what they're doing is great. Add to this to some pretty solid Nightmare World worldbuilding and like. Yeah, I'm having a good time, plot's progressing nicely and tensely, all that

There's always the worry of like. Wildbow Moments but I feel like they're a lot less standout here. Maybe I'm just blinder to them or maybe it's because I've been impulse-rereading worm (Wildbow Moment Central) but a lot of the ones here feel at worst like. eyeroll-worthy or flat-falling rather than, like, anything to do with the merchants/abb/e88. Or the way pale frames the oni war, talks about prison. Which is actually somewhat neat with claw being very fundmantally a Crime Drama largely about Criminal Organizations. Again, maybe I've just not got that great a nose but It's Something? ?

Side, quasi-jokesy note: if he makes mia Trans Gender let the record show I called it here (debatable, I think her mom actually referring to her as "my daughter" kinda shoots the interpretation unless we're going for the "I respect her pronouns but I still hate that she took my son from me" interp. It would also kind of make how frequently it's pointed out how large and muscular she is for a woman a bit of a retroactive wildbow moment butttttt)

[scaledgrey]

05/01/23 - april reading wrap-up

I read 7 books last month. Here are my ratings, and a couple reviews.

1. The Feeling Of Falling In Love - Deaver, Mason | 5/5

I picked this up because it was labeled as a t4t romance, despite it being young adult (which I am trying to read less of). Very quick, easy read; I love the author's writing style and have read books of theirs before. Neil, the main male character, was well-developed and interesting, with flaws that contributed to the story and plot.

Would I read again?: probably not, but not because of anything wrong with the book. it's just one of those that you enjoy the most the first time.

2. & 3. Fence, Vol. #1-2 - Pacat, C.S. | 2/5

Would I read again?: no. dialogue was boring & characters were under-developed.

4. Things We Lost To The Water - Nguyen, Eric | 4/5

Beautiful, beautiful book. Ending was a bit confusing.

Would I read again?: yeah. i think it would make a bit more sense on a reread.

5. Nevada - Binnie, Imogen | 3/5

I wanted this to be good, so bad. And it was, to a point. However, the ending just.. didn't do it for me. The characters didn't learn anything, and all the conclusions that were being built up didn't go anywhere. I think that was kinda the point but still not for me.

Would I read again?: probably not.

6. Chew On This - Schlosser & Wilson | 3/5

Would I read again?: no. read it for school, no interest in the topic.

7. As The Shadow Rises - Pool, Katie Rose | 4.5/5

I love this series so fucking much. this is the second in the trilogy, and is just great. While I did enjoy the book, I have to say that some parts dragged on, and towards the middle/end I only really cared about what was happening to Anton and Jude. Some of the romances felt unnecessary, but that may be because I wasn't enjoying them as much. All in all, solid book.

Would I read again?: honestly, i don't know. i'll see how i feel after i finish the series.

[mxpseudonym]

Great!

Can I please request a male reader x tommy Shelby where the male reader is a private teacher for Tommy’s children and tommy falls in love with him

It’s ok if you dont feel like it, no pressure 🌸✨

A/N: I hope you enjoy! This was very sweet to write and I even snuck a little Esme in there.

--

Charlie asked him what love was, and it took everything in Tommy's power to not splutter out, "I don't fucking know." But he didn't. He told his son to ask Polly.

For some time, Tommy thought it was finding someone to laugh with and cry with and talk to until dawn. But when he thought of that these days he grimaced. The truth was that he was tired. There were days when he crawled back to Arrow House with heavy eyes, teeth aching and bone marrow crying out for rest. The last thing he wanted was more. More talking, more needing him, more desiring his existence. He wanted stillness and he found it in the solarium. He'd fall back on the settee, fully clothed, and doze off.

He knew what an iota of peace was, but nothing of love anymore.

It was the fall when Tommy's routine encountered a strange addition. He'd collapse in the solarium then awake to his head resting on a pillow, his shoes off and legs up, and his coat on him like a blanket. In front of him was a single tray of tea. He'd wake up, take a sip, grimace at the over-steeped, lukewarm drink, and gather himself.

In early October, Tommy woke to the sound of tea pooling in a porcelain cup. His eyes creaked open to see a man in wireframe glasses moving smoothly through the motions as if he'd been doing this exact thing for weeks. His brown eyes met Tommy's, and he gave a soft smile before walking across the room and sitting in a nook by the window without a word. It only took a moment to see him sink into the space like he belonged there with a book in hand.

If Tommy hadn't hand-selected Daniel Peterson to be Charlie's live-in teacher, he would have had a dead man in his home. But instead, he had a raging curiosity.

"Thanks for letting me sleep," Tommy spoke as he reached for the cigarettes in his pocket.

"Well I'm always here first, so I really just go on my way," Daniel clarified. Tommy tried to think if he ever recalled another person in the space, but he always had one mission in mind.

"The tea is nice."

"Not when you get to it, it isn't."

"But you pour it anyway?" Tommy asked. There was a pause and the sound of the striking of a match was all there was.

"I do... pour it anyway. You're welcome."

Come November, Tommy understood the appeal of sitting in silence. He came to the solarium and checked for Daniel who was almost always reading. For a few hours, they existed in each other's presence with few words, just the pouring of tea. Tommy slept, but eventually, he began just sitting with his eyes closed and head tilted to the ceiling- the company being refreshing when the nap wasn't enough.

The day Daniel quietly came over and lit Tommy's cigarette when the man lost his own matches, was the day Tommy looked at him. He'd reread the studious teacher's file for reference, and then again recently like a good book. Daniel was a few months older than Tommy, but their lives were much different. He'd fought in the war but he was stable and bookish.

The day he was hired, it was how he spoke simply and straightforwardly, saying exactly what he could and could not do that made Francis and Tommy choose him. Now Tommy realized the teacher had a real steady charm about him. He was solid and responsible, or at least he didn't seem to need anything from him. And he had a nice smile, Tommy thought.

It was nearing December and the end of the school season, so Tommy checking in on more of Charlie's studies. He'd done it here and there before, but it was becoming a habit.

Daniel watched Charlie run off to play before approaching Tommy, cross-armed and leaning against the door.

"Light schedule today?" Daniel teased with a tilted head.

"I was just curious as always and when I'm working from home, why not stop by?" Tommy shrugged. "Since I'm here, do you want to have dinner with Charlie and I?"

"Are you sure? My silence is golden."

"Hardy har har, though I appreciate that too."

Tommy watches the man clean up and begins etching every bit of him in his mind. Shapely jaw, nimble fingers, a warm kindness and elegance. The lithe of his voice, his quietness and care. Tommy collected things one by one until his mind was filled with Daniel Peterson.

Dinners and silent solarium encounters were comfortable, pleasant even. Tommy was starting to think he didn't deserve it. This was peace, he thought, he just happened to be getting greedy about having so much more of it.

--

"What is love?" Charlie asked, this time to Daniel while he was supposed to be answering questions. Tommy stood at the door, watching, surprised Charlie was still on this. Daniel hummed and clasped his hands.

"Love is a shapeshifter and a mirror and disgustingly honest. You'll understand that when you're older. But for now, it's doing what you can to make sure someone is delighted, healthy, and well from the tiniest detail to the biggest things. But the most important thing is listening and respect. Unwanted consideration is not considerate. Good?" Daniel grinned at Charlie whose head was tilted.

"Ummm, alright, good." Charlie's nose scrunched when his teacher ruffled his hair, but he got back to work.

He could read a thousand books about love and each one would tell him something different, Tommy knew that much. And yet that brief explanation from Daniel stayed in his mind and seeped out of him. He started pouring tea and offering access to the Arrow House library. They shared lunches, breakfasts, and five-minute moments in each other's presence when Tommy wound up walking to Daniel's office in the middle of the day without even meaning to.

"Are you on drugs again?" Esme asked as she sat reports on Tommy's desk.

"Fuck off."

"Seriously, Thomas. They aren't good for you, and we can all tell," she scolded him. Tommy realized she was serious and he sighed.

"I'm not. So I guess you're all wrong."

"If it's not opium then you must be in love because you walk like a man hungry for something that's not at Watery Lane." Esme gave him a pointed look, and Tommy couldn't help but compare her to Polly as she left the office. She did seem to catch on quicker than he did. Tommy leaned back in his chair.

The harsh winter made Tommy decide it wasn't love, it was gratitude. For all the nights Daniel helped Charlie feel less like he was babysat and more like he was living. And when Daniel took care of the Shelbys in the house when they got sick at the same time.

It was more like, being impressed with him. He knew everything, it seemed. Not a genius per se, but an encyclopedia of a man no less. Even when it came to business, Daniel could point Tommy in the right direction.

Or even a natural closeness was a better description. Daniel wrapped his arms around Tommy on the anniversary of Grace's death and days that got rough. His touch became a welcome comfort that Tommy sought out again and again. It wasn't love, it was just greed. It was just wanting more of the kind of peace that only he could provide.

--

"Are you two in love?" Charlie asked. Daniel and Tommy turned their heartfelt eyes from each other to Charlie.

"What makes you ask that?" Daniel asked calmly, beating Tommy to speaking first.

"Dad said love was hard to explain and he told me to ask Polly. Polly said it was when you just want to stay by someone's side. And I asked Mr. Peterson and he said it was wanting to do what you can to make sure someone is delighted, healthy, and well from the tiniest detail to the biggest things," Charlie recited their answers precisely between bites of oatmeal. "Isn't that what you two do? You're always together when you're home, and even pour each other's tea. And you always look delighted when we all play together. You're in love, aren't you?"

Daniel tapped the table and leaned back in thought. His eyes turned to Tommy, deferring to him for once.

"Must be," Tommy said with a nod, then went back to his breakfast. Daniel's eyebrows raised at the confession, but both Shelbys had already moved on. When Charlie left for his piano lesson, Daniel turned to Tommy.

"What was that?"

"Charlie made excellent points. And it's been true for a while hasn't it?" Tommy flipped through his paper absentmindedly but with trembling hands.

"Well what are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean? I'll just keep loving you."

"How romantic," Daniel mumbled then reached for toast. Tommy's hand reached out and caught his.

"You didn't say your piece yet."

"I think I've loved you since I poured tea for you just in case you woke up in time to drink it hot. I just didn't think I'd be found out by a six-year-old."

"My sister-in-law found me out, so we're even."

Tommy wasn't convinced he knew what love was anymore, or if he ever did. But he did know the morning breeze quieted them, and the sunlight drenched the acres of Arrow House in a way that made his breath catch a bit.

Tommy knew peace, and he knew what he wanted more of, which was having more moments hand in hand with Daniel. And at the end of the day, he was beginning to think that was enough.

>> Tommy Shelby x Reader Masterlist <<

>> Tommy Shelby x OC Masterlist <<

>> Mx’s Peaky Blinders Masterlist <<

[tanenigiri]

Review #11: Seaside Stranger (Volume 1: Umibe no Etranger)

Japanese title: 海辺のエトランゼ (Umibe no Etranger)

Story and art: Kii Kanna

English publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment

Number of volumes: 4 in English, 5 in Japanese (ongoing)

A tidal wave of emotions.

(This review contains story spoilers.)

This is the third of three series in this project where I first watched the anime before reading the manga, the other two being Given and Sasaki and Miyano. This is a lot closer to the former in terms of what it aims to do, but even if I found Given’s tragedy to be heavier, I thought Umibe no Etranger was sadder? I don’t know if it’s because there’s a lot less humor and light-hearted scenes to go with the main plot - though those are definitely still there - but there was something about the movie that leaves you feeling emotionally drained by the end (in a good way, of course).

I got the same feeling while reading the first volume of Seaside Stranger, which encompasses almost everything that the movie covers. But more than anything, the manga filled in so many blanks about the movie that I ended up appreciating the story a lot more. There were some parts of the movie where I thought I didn’t have enough context to fully understand what was happening, and each of them made more sense here - and on that merit alone I already think this was worth the read for me.

But even without that, this is still a really great story about two characters who have different ways of dealing with their inner turmoil and how that ultimately affects their relationship. And we get this right from the very first pages, where we’re hit with the doozy of a reveal that Mio, a high school student, has already lost both of his parents. Since he doesn’t seem to be getting along well with his adoptive family, this leads him to spend a significant part of his day alone in a bench and staring out in the ocean, which catches the attention of a number of people in the island. Most notable of these people is Shun, a novelist who’s revealed to have moved to the island to live with his aunt after a falling out with his parents, which involved a discontinued marriage and his coming out to them as gay.

It’s with those inner demons where the two of them meet and develop feelings for each other, but it’s very telling that all of this happens within the story’s first chapter - when they both have these new feelings to contend with while still in the middle of dealing with their respective conflicts. While the rest of the series focuses more on Shun’s internal conflict, this first volume gives just as big of a spotlight to Mio’s own struggles. And while he’s implied to have made significant progress with his own battles in the three years he spends away from the island, I think the manga does a better job than the movie in reminding us that his conflict is far from resolved.

One of the reasons why I think that’s so is a manga-only scene that shows Mio actually fulfilling his promise of calling Shun once he’s settled in the new orphanage, but is instead seen talking to Eri, Shun’s close friend who has lived with him and his aunt for quite some time. As she is shown to be in a relationship with another woman, Eri and Shun share a solid connection even if they get on each other’s nerves, and it’s this friendship that leads Eri to warn Mio not to be hasty with his feelings, especially since Mio isn’t really sure with how to feel about being in a relationship with another man.

This was honestly one of those big “Aha!” moments for me, as it recontextualizes so much of what happens in the movie when I reread them here. While we get from Mio himself later in the story that he wanted to make sure he was ready to live alone and make his own decisions before moving in with Shun, the above conversation with Eri tells me that Mio also spent those three years away from Shun as he needed all that time to think about whether or not he was ready to be in a relationship with him. We actually get a sneak peek in the movie of what he does during this time - and I find out later on that this is taken from a future volume - but what we are revealed in Volume 1 is that Mio has slept with a woman, which I think happens within these three years. So when Mio says in the end that he does like women but finds himself being able to fall in love with Shun anyway, it’s a truth about himself that took him several years to figure out.

It’s also telling that Eri is the one who invites Mio to be Shun’s new roommate after she moves out, as for me, this implies that Eri and Mio have been in contact ever since their first call. I’d like to imagine that Eri’s been helping Mio about his feelings for Shun as well, as they’re shown to become pretty good friends in the few scenes they share together. And her funny reaction about Mio suddenly professing his love for Shun when the former moves in suddenly takes on a whole new meaning, as it also means that Eri now sees Mio as someone who’s ready to be in a relationship with her friend.

Of course, three years of soul-searching might have been good for Mio, but it took a toll on Shun. He is shown to be a lot more hurt about this specific issue in the manga compared to the movie, and I think that’s pretty justifiable. He is, after all, coming from a place where admitting he likes men has only brought him pain, and we even find out later in the story that Mio is the first man that he’s ever admitted his feelings to since he’s always scared of the repercussions that would come out of his confession. Mio ghosting him for three years (apart from a postcard) gives Shun the impression that he’s once again made the wrong decision, so to suddenly be hit with an “I like you too” from Mio after three years is something that Shun isn’t prepared to handle.

We initially see most of this struggle from Mio’s perspective, and while it seems to culminate with their night in the hotel room, it’s given another twist with a visit from Shun’s childhood friend and ex-fiancee, Sakurako. I was slightly dreading that this was gonna go down a “win him back” type of plot, and while we do find out that Sakurako hasn’t moved on from Shun in the same way that he has moved on from her, what she does bring to the table is much more interesting. Shun finds out from Sakurako that his father is gravely ill, and she encourages him to go home before it’s too late. This turns out to be an issue that Shun and Mio see from completely different sides, as while Shun is still very much hurt over his falling out with his parents, Mio knows all too well the pain of losing a parent.

What I didn’t expect to see from the manga, though, is how Mio is actually not as 100% supportive of the idea of Shun leaving to go to his family as I thought. While he still encourages him to accept Sakurako’s decision, the manga adds some dialogue where he does admit that he doesn’t want to be apart from Shun yet again. I think it makes his stand on the issue a lot more realistic, as while he still loves Shun and wants to make up for the three years he spent away from him, he loves him enough to know that this trip is a lot more important for him, even if the novelist doesn’t see it as so.

It makes Shun’s insistence of Mio going with him to the trip in the end a lot more meaningful, as it sees Shun come to terms with quite a lot of things he’s been bottling up at that point. He realizes that he does want to see his family and maybe even get some closure out of it, but he also realizes that he cares for Mio just as much - and, more importantly, he doesn’t want to run away from either of them anymore. So when Shun sees the opportunity to still have both of them by his side, he takes it.

While it may seem like I enjoyed Seaside Stranger more for how the manga executed things when compared to the movie - and I admit that’s a big part of it, specifically for this volume - my initial thoughts of it having a gut-punch of a story still remained, and it’s perhaps even amplified after reading this. It really succeeds in exploring Shun’s and Mio’s internal conflicts and eliciting a lot of emotions out of them, which makes the few moments where things do work out a lot more rewarding.

Random thoughts that I couldn’t fit elsewhere:

I also wanted to point out how Mio being ready for the relationship doesn’t mean that he suddenly has the relevant experiences for it, and I think the story did a good job in portraying that. While it was often played for laughs, I still noted it as something that Mio was actively working on, and this is thankfully a plot point that future volumes continue to address.

I should mention how unique the setting is - this is one of only two series I’m covering for this project that’s primarily set outside of a city, the other being Restart After Coming Back Home. There’s obviously the whole factor that this is somewhere that Shun escapes to after what happens between him and his parents - which can be compared with how this is somewhere that Mio returns to - but I think how quiet and laid back the island is makes for a nice contrast with how the story’s conflicts are anything but those two descriptions. It was also nice to see the whole “everyone sorta knows each other” vibe in the early chapters too.

Where is the Eri x Suzu spinoff??? I really want to know more about them and their domestic life. This is one of the few volumes I’m covering for this project that doesn’t have any bonus chapters, and I 100% believe that if it did, it would focus on the two of them.

Thanks for reading! This is one of those cases that makes me glad that I decided to go through with this project, as there were several points about Seaside Stranger that I only realized as I was writing them down for this review, which only deepened my appreciation for the series even further. While I do have copies of the first three volumes of its sequel, Harukaze no Etranger, I'm still deciding whether or not I should cover them for this project.

[gingersnappish]

KYLUX RECS 2020-2021

My Kylux Recs in the last year (Aug, 20 2020 - Aug 20 2021)

SO. MUCH. GOOD. FIC!!! We are really lucky in this fandom to have so much good stuff to read!

Fic is part of the lifeblood of fandom, in my opinion-it shares new ideas and AUs and fleshes out the characters and most of all it inspires and entertains us all and engenders all sorts of feels for the characters-it’s part of what keeps us shipping! So a big ‘thank you’ to all the fic authors out there who work so hard at their craft and are generous enough to share it with all of us!

The following list is by no means comprehensive-there are LOTS and lots more very good fics that have been published in the last year that I haven’t read. I just wanted to offer up a few recs from what I know I enjoyed so far! (I also have more than fits on one list to rec-I’ll try and do another list soon!) As always, I rec based on personal taste, and I highly encourage reading all the tags/warnings on any given work to make sure it’ll be to your taste! -

The Flirtation Of Flowers 

DaisyChainz

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29771553

Words: 5,917

Rating: Teen

Summary:Kylo runs his farm's stall at the Farmer's Market every weekend. He has a new customer, a gorgeous redhead that is curious about the meanings of his bouquets. Kylo doesn't know anything about that, so he makes stuff up to keep the man coming back every week.

My thoughts on the rec: This is the cutest slice of a modern AU kylux-it really nails Kylo’s personality as a (slightly awkward) flirt who is trying his best and just really likes the redhead who keeps coming to buy flowers. Just a sweet little fic all ‘round!

all i have to do is dream

kyluxtrashcompactor

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18709426/chapters/44373613

Words: 11,456

Rating: Teen

Summary:Armitage Hux has been going to the same bar every Thursday for the last year, nursing a crush on the gorgeous, unobtainable bartender, Kylo Ren. He finally gets up the courage to ask him out, only to find out he has some unusual competition: the memory of a red-haired boy from Kylo's past, who Kylo swears is the soulmate that got away from him.A fill for this SoftKyluxKinks prompt:Anonymous asked: Benarmie with young Ben (around 11 years old) having a huge crush on Armitage (16). Hux finds it adorable but mostly ignores him because he's a kid. Flash forward a few years when Ben is all grown up and Hux is the one with a huge crush.

My thoughts on the rec: This is another really cute young modern AU! I like the idea that Ren has liked Hux forever, but this deals nicely with the age gap and that Hux really wouldn’t notice Ren back until they are both appropriately older. And they make such a cute couple-it’s a great progression from just ‘he’s hot’-like, there is a lot more to them than that in the end!

Homecoming 

sigo 

(really, read anything by sigo, it’s all my favorite)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27150808

Words: 13,450

Rating: Explicit

Summary:“We’re off the next two weeks, you know.”“Yes, I know.” There was emergency construction scheduled to fix cracking asphalt too near a pipe in the center of campus. The buses couldn’t run, and that phenomenon was the only thing that ever cancelled classes. Halloween was dead center in the unplanned time off school, and every bar within a fifteen mile radius would be untenable as the students celebrated. Hux was planning on staying home, catching up on grading. He was rather looking forward to an opportunity to reread his favorite novels. They were already stacked by the couch in preparation.“My family always throws a Halloween party and they got word that I could come this year,” Kylo said, shuffling his feet. He looked almost bashful.“Ren, it’s midnight,” Hux sighed at his infuriating coworker. “Get to it.”“I may have informed my entire family previously that we were dating.”

My thoughts on the rec: One of my all-around fav fics from the last year’s worth of my reading material! It’s got the modern AU vibes down pat without losing their personalities or making them too OOC, it’s got the fake-dating trope done REALLY well, it’s got a wonderful creepy vibe strung delicately throughout for the Halloween haunted setting, it’s got plot and make-outs (and more). Can’t recommend highly enough!

Thaw

thesevioletdelights

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28557180/chapters/69982587

Words: 14,316

Rating: Explicit

Summary:They have managed cooperation - efficient cooperation, even - in these past months, which is more than enough. And already nothing short of a miracle for both of them.Still. Ren was a fool to think he could simply run off and keep Hux in the dark.-----When Ren goes missing on a mysterious planet, Hux sets out to find him. He doesn't yet know that he just might find himself.

My thoughts on the rec: This, like all of violet’s fic, is HOT! Like, scorching vibes between them! It’ll draw you in and not let you go ‘til after the boys are ‘done’! And, like all of violet’s fics, the character voices and personalities are also impeccable!

Rocks Break Gifts

elderbwrry

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25840237/chapters/62777839

Words: 16,706

Rating: Mature

Summary:The Rebellion has been crushed, a coup affected, and Supreme Leader Ren and his Grand Marshall Hux have settled into a domestic routine as the joint rulers of the Galaxy. Kylo wants nothing more, now, than to make his relationship with Hux official, but he can't seem to rise to Hux's challenge of a satisfactory proposal.Or, the five times Kylo proposes, and the one time Hux says yes.

My thoughts on the rec: Ahhhhh, the premise in this one is great! Like, I don’t wanna spoil the plot reveal at the end, so I can’t say too much, but there is a really good reason throughout the thing that this is a Five Times type fic and it works! It works so well and while we spend the fic ‘with’ Kylo, when we find out what Hux’s deal is, it is so satisfying! I Paint My Dreams

Marlon

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26685907/chapters/65090566

Words: 26,122

Rating: General Audiences

Summary:Kylo Ren is struggling to make a name for himself in the art world but as the grandson of the great Anakin Skywalker, a legendary pop artist of the 1950s and 60s, the weight of his famous family and his own expectations is a lot to bear.After he’s rejected from a prestigious exhibition because his installations “don’t fit the theme”, Kylo heads to the pub to drink away his disappointment. Later that night as he stumbles home, he’s set upon by some would-be thieves but before they can take what’s left of his money, he’s saved by a strange man with unbelievable Medusa-like powers. The ethereally beautiful man, Armitage Hux, is a visitor from Oweynagat and he has a simple proposition for Kylo - room and board in exchange for making all Kylo’s artistic dreams come true.Sounds easy - what could possibly go wrong?

My thoughts on the rec: Oh goodness, where to start? The Irish Mythology and Fae aspect of this fic is superbly woven throughout the whole thing and the author makes it work really well! Like, this is such a unique and original take on the kylux pair, I love them, especially Fae!Hux in this! And the plot is solid and you get invested really heavily in how they are gonna wind up-at least I did! There’s some beautiful language in this-descriptions and dialogue! And I have a soft spot for Artist!Kylo!

Dating a Monster

mysticmilks

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26703904/chapters/65139415

Words: 30,401

Rating: Explicit

Summary:Ben Solo was raised to be a demon hunter, as everyone in his family has been before him. He wanted nothing more than to prove that he was worthy to his family. He lied to them and went on an unauthorized mission to catch and kill an elusive incubus. His search led him to Arkanis University, one of the most prestigious schools in the country.He was sure the mission was going to be easy, before he met the cute freshman Armitage Hux. This meeting would change the fate of both of them.

My thoughts on the rec: Add another really good one to the slightly-creepy-kylux subgenre filled with demons and dark powers! This is a great depiction of Kylo as a very determined demon hunter and Hux as a very unique quarry! I love the tension in parts of this too-well crafted! The Green Ribbon

xzombiexkittenx, Lilander (art)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28630845/chapters/70176921

Words: 39,679

Rating: Explicit

Summary:When Ben was fifteen he left the Jedi temple and took extreme measures to prevent the shadowy creature that infiltrated his thoughts from dragging him to the dark side. What he did left him with a great deal of chronic pain and removed his most valuable weapon, but Ben got his stubbornness from every side of the family, even the adopted ones, and he was determined to find and kill the creature.Now Senator Amidala of Naboo, Ben uses his position to make the galaxy a less awful place when he can, but being senator also gave him very useful contacts in his search for the creature. When he met Major Hux of the First Order, Ben thought he could get game-changing information out of him, one way or another, but things rarely go Ben's way and it got complicated much faster than Ben had prepared for. It's never a good idea to mix sex and politics, but Ben takes his fun where he can get it.

My thoughts on the rec: I feel like this is a very original take on ‘Senator Amidala’ Ben, at least from the stuff I’ve read-many props to the author for such a fleshed out universe, filled with likeable, believable OCs, a wonderful plot, great character motivations and voices, and a take on our main man Ben that pulled me in from the get-go! He’s sorta magnetic (in universe and to the reader)! And the sexual tension and sexy bits are very well done! I’m rooting for Ben and Hux in this, on opposites sides though they may be! Comfort Zone

LydiaBSlade

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26783797/chapters/65338117

Words: 66,766

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Hux is running away. He meets a tall, dark, and somewhat annoying stranger at the airport.

My thoughts on the rec: Travel writing at its best; also kylux fic at it’s best! Young, modern them trying to find their places in the world and finding each other in the process is so cute and almost tenderly done in this! This is a gentle, friendly version of modern Kylo that I fell in love with, right along with Hux! And by the way, I’m not kidding when I say travel writing-the southeast asian setting is vivid and enchanting in it’s rich detail! Outnumbered, Outgunned, Outmanuevered, and Winning

Coriesocks, Ellalba (art)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28217253/chapters/69144672

Words: 80,372

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Hux’s plans for ridding the First Order of Kylo Ren are ruined when Ren discovers his deception. With no choice but to flee, Hux ends up in the hands of the Resistance. It’s not ideal, but at least he gets a break from Ren. Until he doesn’t.When Ren starts appearing in Hux’s dreams, Hux wonders if the stress of being a spy has taken more of a toll on his sanity than he’d previously thought. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he has to deal with constant pestering from Poe and a mildly inconvenient kidnapping. Of course, it’s Ren who saves him in the end. There’s clearly no getting away from him.

My thoughts on the rec: A really interesting take on something that is both a alternate rewrite of what could have happened instead of TROS and a TROS-fix-it of sorts! Hux is stellar in this, we really get a good look in his head and Coriesocks handles it masterfully! I really liked how their relationship develops gradually in this, it’s Enemies To Lovers at its best! Bloodlines and Brandy

EmperorsVornskr

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22989934/chapters/54963601

Words: 130,785

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Sebastian Hux is a native of the Deep South who loathes his origins, and seeks to pull himself from the stifling quagmire, but his bloodlines call him back to the property that has blessed- and plagued- his family for centuries.Unspoken secrets fill his inheritance, skeletons fill every closet, and a monster lurks in the shadows, tied to two bloodlines joined by fate, greed and hatred that has spanned across generations.As Hux learns about his family’s tainted legacy that has now become his burden, he discovers there is more involved than just having to be the curator of property that the locals shun with hushed whispers, that he has inherited more than an estate- he also has a terrible and loathsome horror tied to his very blood.When curious young locals come calling, and Hux’s past tormentors come out of the woodwork to simper and scrabble for a piece of the newly rich, the body count begins to rise, the smell of blood in the old slaughterhouse is getting harder to hide, and Hux realises that he will need to find a better way to pacify the hulking shadow that perches on his roof every night before his hometown’s tiny population is completely decimated.

My thoughts on the rec: This one is EPIC! Like, in length (which it needs every word of for the story that is going on here) and in the great portrayal of Kylo and Hux and their relationship! It’s super original too-not just the plot but the depiction of Kylo as something ‘other’ and the Southern Gothic vibes, and Hux-this is a wonderful take on Hux! He loses none of his edge, in my opinion and yet the reader is ‘with’ him all the way through, rooting for him! The descriptions are killer too-EmperorsVornskr has a felicity of expression that kept me reading (albeit in more than one sitting). Also worth noting that this is a wonderful and carefully handled depiction of trans!Hux, in my admittedly cis opinion. The theme of finding your tribe/your people/and your special someone in this, albeit in sometimes unexpected places is warming! I enjoyed every moment of this fic! Gravity Well

kyluxtrashcompactor

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13062495/chapters/29879001

Words: 176,421

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Snoke is gone, but his death has solved nothing between Hux and Kylo Ren. The First Order's trust in their leaders wanes as they vie for power over one another, and if they cannot learn to work together, they may both lose everything they've worked for.Forging that alliance after years at each other's throats will not be as easy as letting the past die, however—they will face subterfuge, enemies in the shadows, treachery, and being stranded on a hostile planet with creatures out of nightmare, barely escaping constant danger with their lives while having only one another to rely on.And that is just the beginning.

My thoughts on the rec: I realize this one is very well known by now, but I’ll rec it again for good reason! It’s quality long-fic! I love how competent Hux is in this surival-style fic, even without the Force to save him! And Kylo is a badass! kyluxtrashcompactor is a master of the slow burn here and we’re even lucky enough to be getting a sequel (although Gravity Well will also stand perfectly on its own). The writing in this will draw you in and not let you go!

----

That’s all for now! I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I did!  

[asamiontop]

hey!!

quick question/praise

i love your writing so so much, wtstu will always hold such a special place in my heart. do you have any suggestions or tips for people looking to start writing fanfic? writing tips in general as well as tips for fics in specific?

i’m having trouble writing a solid beginning even though i know where the story wants to go. any tips for that as well?

additionally, how to capture the essence of the characters if that makes sense?

sorry for the loaded ask!!

thank you!! <33

👋 hello and thank you!! It’s so 🥺 to get asked for writing tips I don’t even know what to say besides trying to get you something at least marginally useful.

I’m not anything close to professional at this, and since Where the Snow Takes Us was like my first ever long thing, the best I can do is share my experience and hope that it helps!

In no particular order…

What got me started writing fic was basically a whole lot of reading it. I read and read and read until I was blue in the face and found myself craving content that I couldn’t find. When the idea bunnies nagged me enough, I gave in and started writing that content myself.

Reading lots of fanfiction for your fandom also helps capture the essence of the characters. Reading their reactions to hundreds of unique situations builds up a cache in your head of things that make up who they are. You carry that inherent understanding with you always, so while writing you can ask yourself what you think they would do/feel in the situation you’ve created. It also helps me if I can correlate a character’s personality to a person I know in real life. They don’t have to be the exact same, of course. Even if you identify just a few similar personality traits between someone you know well and your character, then you can ask yourself what your reference person would do to inform the character’s reactions. Imagine and play out your character’s reactions, their thoughts and feelings, what they might think vs what they might verbalize, and everything that goes on internally before putting pen to paper.

Beginnings are hard. It’s just kind of an awkward situation in general bc you’re trying to rope someone into your brainscape from scratch. With fanfiction it’s easier bc you can assume your reader knows the characters and the basic tenets of the world from your tags.

Usually with beginnings I tend to think of a really mundane situation that will become unique because of the way the characters treat it or because of what I know will happen in the future. (In wtstu the beginning is really mundane - Korra is covering for a friend at work.) People experience things every day that are easy to write about and relate to - so if you start with something mundane that your readers can quickly connect with, that’s a decent place from which to launch the rest of your story.

Alternatively I have read and enjoyed many openings that are, for lack of a better phrase, “self-aware” in the sense that the story seems to knows it is a story and introduces itself as such. Beginnings like “it was an accident the first time they kissed. This is what happened.” Those are a very different style but really fun too!

Writing tips… there are so many to be given! Here are a few that I think about a lot:

Use a thesaurus! Great word alternatives abound and frequently you will find some that are a little more specific and a lot more expressive for what you want to say

Use action verbs. Specifically, edit out most uses of the verb “to be.” It may seem difficult at first, but I suggest writing an excerpt and then going back and replacing all instances of “is.” Then reread and see if it sounds more polished. (Some other examples of using action verbs: “befriend” instead of “make friends with” OR “felt” instead of “could feel” OR “attacked” instead of “was attacking”)

Focus on maintaining a consistent verb tense. Personally I find it really distracting as a reader when a story slips from present tense to past tense and back again. So I always make an active effort to check and recheck and make sure I stay in the same tense. Usually when reading thru my own stuff, I always end up correcting some unintentional tense changes—they can happen really sneakily, so don’t feel bad if you find it in your work!

Flow is key. I reread my stuff a dozen times (not sure if that’s healthy but I’m a perfectionist and can’t let things go) and avoid excessive repetition of words, names, or sentence structure — all of those things can render the story monotonous or repetitive. I often remove details that at first glance seem important but actually detract from the main story or scene. Extra details can feel like bumps in an otherwise direct road and break the reader’s focus. Keeping those details in your head as an author adds a lot of depth to the writing, but know that the depth will come through even if all the background knowledge doesn’t make it into the words. What “flows” for you will be unique, but I suggest (if you have time) reading through your work and evaluating if it flows smoothly and without distraction.

Write what you want to read (or write). Don’t write for other people or what you think will get the most attention—if you’re not into the story, it’ll come off flat and uninteresting (because your own interest isn’t there to shine through!) Fanfic is most often a hobby, so do it for you.

Lastly, there are writing tip blogs to follow on tumblr! I recently discovered this and have been enjoying them a whole hell of a lot. Like lyralit, whose top posts have a ton of concrete examples of some of the tips above. Go scroll thru that blog and other related posts like this.

Sorry for the long, disorganized answer lol… there’s a lot to this! Hopefully this has helped a bit!