#i'm not even going to lie writing this was the happiest i'd been since the wedding

[somuchwhatever]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Got tagged by @somewhereapart, and I figured y'all may be sick of seeing me just post fic so here ya go.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

88

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

305,612

3. What fandoms do you write for?

AO3 tells me I've written for Battlestar Galactica, Buffy, General Hospital, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: OC, Lie To Me, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate SG-1, and The West Wing. And I honestly can't think of any others outside of just ficlets I've tossed into the wild over the years.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Flinktober 2022 (EO, SVU/OC)

i remember skies (EO, SVU/OC)

gala (EO, SVU/OC)

bizarre love triangle (EO, SVU/OC)

Chautauqua (EO, SVU/OC)

I did not include one that was cowritten with a bunch of other people because I will always assume the kudos are for them.

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

As often as possible. If someone takes the time to comment, I want them to know that i care enough to acknowledge and thank them for that kindness and effort. Especially when I write mostly for a fandom where I've seen people specifically state that they will read works but NOT comment on them as some sort of punishment for whatever random/imaginary fandom sins the writer whose free content they are enjoying has committed. That's just dumb and unkind, so I make the effort to let people know their comments are appreciated, even if it takes weeks to circle back.

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

Hmmm. There are several chapters in the first flink posting that would qualify, but I'm going to go with my largest Sam/Jack (SG-1) fic, Gravity Sings. It's hard to pretend it's not angsty when you've literally killed off half the planet.

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

Hmm. Not really sure. I'm a sucker for fluffy endings, so I tend to write them quite a bit. Maybe waltz or Chautauqua?

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Occasionally, but I shut it down quickly. If you come up in someone's space where someone is providing you free entertainment and be rude? Don't expect a pass from me about it. The scroll bar isn't difficult to use, and neither is the back button. I use it frequently on poorly-written works or things that may be well-written but just aren't my thing. What I don't do is sling entitlement issues around demanding things be written to my satisfaction (unless you employ my beta services, in which case, you asked for it!). :D

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

I never really did prior to the first flink experiment, and I created that experiment purely to practice writing smut. Well, I take that back. @rgrdsalxndra would be the first to remind me I'd often cockblock Elliot and Olivia by having them dream-smutting without real-life release. But I started that project with the express purpose of getting better and more comfortable with writing smut, so I'm making that the hinge point.

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

Because SVU and OC are different shows, I write them regularly. But if you mean out-of-universe crossovers, I've only really written one, R.E.M. (SGA, BSG, Buffy). It was based on a prompt from an LJ friend, "Elizabeth Weir, Kara Thrace, and Buffy Summers walk into a bar..."

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware. There are much better people out there to steal from. Also, I always assume if something is similar to what I've written, it's because fandom truly does become a hivemind at some point. Nothing new under the sun and all.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I'm aware. If I had to guess, I'd say Gravity Sings would be the most likely candidate since SG-1 fandom is probably the most global and that fic has been around much longer than any other likely candidates.

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

Wrote Wet Dream with much better smut writers than myself in a group chat, and a bunch of us in SG-1 fandom way back in the day once built an SG-1 AU loosely based on The Big Bang Theory called The House That Jack Built, and I have several entries in that little universe.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

How does anyone pick this??? I love them all for different reasons. I will say EO has a grip on me nobody else ever has, but then they have that 25 year slow burn that is just absolutely and sickly delicious.

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Glazed and Fired (SGA) was originally the first part of a 5 Things fic that got away from me, and I had always intended to go back and finish it but eventually just put it away for good. I fully intend to finish my others (Skies, I'm looking at you).

16. What are your writing strengths?

Grammar. Economy of language (this is also sometimes a weakness). Getting into the head of characters who are typically very closed off.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I feel my writing is way too mechanical. I'm also still not comfortable writing smut. I always walk around with a sense of imposter syndrome with my writing.

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

I'm literally one class shy of a degree in French, and I had to write many upper level term papers in that language, but let me assure you I have zero plans to ever write in another language. I sincerely applaud those of you who do.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Stargate SG-1

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Geez. It probably changes regularly, and I'm hesitant to say because my faves are never anyone else's. all i ever wanted (a rather dark Elliot-centric fic) holds a very dear spot in my heart just because of how my muse just grabbed a keyboard and churned it out. This is not a popular opinion, and hardly anyone read it, but I still love it a lot. And just because it was the first fic I wrote that was widely recc'd, I have a soft spot for Things Not Dreamed (SG-1), a Sam & Jack & Daniel fic written from Daniel's POV.

tagging in a no-pressure way (and sorry for any double tags):

@morethanwords229, @whatbecomesofyou, @samwrites99, @rgrdsalxndra, @shut-upjohn, and anyone else who wants to do it!

[autisticempathydaemon]

20 Questions for Fic Writers Game

Tagged by our gorgeous, real life Doc, @romirola ily~! Thank you so much for the tag, lovey; this was so fun!

Tagging @bratty-telepath @ejunkiet @k9rage and @caelumsnuff and anyone else who'd like to join!

1 - How many works do you have on AO3?

Fifty, apparently! Thirty-one of those is entirely Redacted-tober though lol

2 - What's your total AO3 word count?

45,673- five words off from a silly number hehe

3 - What fandoms do you write for?

Just RedactedAudio at the moment though I've been meaning to start writing some for Castleaudios!

4 - What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. Let’s get mischievous (and polyamorous) 2. fill my heart with song (and let me sing) 3. I won't cross these streets (until you hold my hand) 4. I had good intentions (and the highest hopes) 5. Baby, baby, baby (you're gonna set me on fire)

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

I do! I'm not gonna lie- sometimes it can take days, even weeks, as I respond to comments in big batches, but I get to them eventually!

6 - What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

"cuddles (yet somehow still you disappear)"! Heehee, I finished this and immediately went to the Discord girlies (gn) like "hey babes I just did something mean~

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

Hmmm, that's the majority of my fics, I'd say, but probably "bed (the brightest colors fill my head)"? It made me the happiest, at least~

8 - Do you get hate on fics?

Mmmm, depending on how you define "hate", then maybe? I've gotten comments that were not constructive or kind.

9 - Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes with an asterisk. Smut is so difficult for me to write, so when I do, it takes fuckin forever. I definitely have a penchant for the kinkier kind, since the two smuts I've written feature bondage and consensual non-consent respectively.

10 - Do you write crossovers?

Another yes with an asterisk? Claire of Castleaudios fame is a character in "teenagers (scare the livin' shit out of me)" if that counts!

11 - Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of, knock on wood!

12 - Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but gosh, that'd be cool!

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

Not yet, but Veau and Lexi and I have thrown around ideas!

14 - What's your all time favorite ship?

-siiiiigh- You know what it is. You know it's Alexis/Christian. I am going down with the ship, typing away at my laptop on the deck of the Titanic.

15 - What's a WIP that you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

fucking all of them but especially my planned, multi-chapter fics- I get hung up on the outlining.

16 - What are your writing strengths?

-fights the temptation to say nothing- Umm, I'm pretty proud of my dialogue actually. I have a fair experience in script-writing, so I think I've got a good grasp of realistic sounding dialogue that is in the voice of the character.

17 - What are your writing weaknesses?

Smut, angst, and actually finishing what I start lol

18 - Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

If I were knowledgable in that language or had a reliable beta who was, then sure!

19 - First fandom you wrote for?

Ummm... shit, was it Rise of the Guardians? It might have been, fuck... My self insert Cupid is flitting around somewhere on Fanfiction.net, smooching Jack Frost... and I didn't finish that multi-chapter fic either.

20 - Favorite fic you've written?

Hmm, that's hard to answer. I'm not super proud of it, but I think my favorite still has to be "Meet me on your best behavior (Meet me at your worst)". It's so OOC for Alexis now that we've canonically met her, but I adore the way I explore not just Christian with Alexis but also Christian with the pack.

[birdiewrites78]

The Four Seasons

Hi, I'd like to start by introducing myself. My name is Elle, and I'm a freshman in college. I'm trying to get back into writing, and this is my first attempt. I have written a Hotch X OC story that is part of a larger fanfiction. Aaron reflects on his year of knowing my original character in the story. It's been a while since I've written anything, so I would appreciate any feedback. Thank You!

Word Count ~ 1500

Summer

From the first day I met her, I knew that she was everything to me. My thoughts were overtaken by the smell of her perfume and the pleasantness of her voice. She greatly impaired my judgment, and that made me angry. I thought she was a plant from Strauss, which I would have preferred; at the time, I thought it would make things easier if I could just hate her. It felt like a sick punishment for my lack of faith—to make me fall in love with someone that I in no way deserved. We clashed because of our abhorrent combination of pride; she always questioned my decisions and found every opportunity to voice her opinion. I had to quickly reconcile the idea that she got this job through her own merits and that she was expectably good at public relations. She had this quality to her that she seemed to show everyone but me, and that just made people like her. I tried most times not to look at her, because whenever I did, I reverted into a teenage boy and lost all of my senses. The only saving grace for me was that she also harbored animosity towards me, which made swallowing my feelings easier—well,  at least for a bit.

Fall

In September, we slowly started to become friends, and I apologized to her for my harsh nature. We were somewhat similar in that way—passionate people who could be seen as abrasive. Our friendship really took off when she fainted in the middle of the field. I couldn't think about anything but her safety. I realized then how precious she was to me, how I craved to make her smile, and how badly I wanted her to at the very least see me as someone she could trust. I knew I wasn't owed her love, but I can't lie and say that I didn't want it. Towards the end of the month, I learned more about her when I picked her up one day when we were called in for a case. I was made for loving you; it was played on the radio, and I found out it was one of her favorite songs. From then on, I played it when I thought of her, which was so often how Jack remembered the song. Speaking of my son, I had never seen someone value him so much in the same way she did. She had a point of buying a puzzle for him whenever we went on a case, even though she had only met him once at that point. She just had a way of valuing people that I admired, and Jack constantly talked about her. During Thanksgiving, or a Thursday dinner with friends, as she regarded it, I had seen them interact. It was the happiest I had ever seen Jack, and while part of me felt envious of their connection, a larger part of me only loved her more.

Winter

December was the most crucial month for our love story. I was injured on the case, and she became frantic in a way I had never seen before. She insisted that I rest and tend to my wounds; her touch evoked a new spark in me that I never wanted to go away. It took away the pain of my injuries. She hugged me, crying after she cleaned me up, and stroked her back, just trying to comfort me. I was forced to consider the possibility that my feelings weren't as unrequited as I thought.

After that, I selfishly did what I could to be close to her again. I messed up my tie because I knew she would fix it, and I woke up an hour early to do my hair in the style she had told me that she liked once. Morgan commented on how I was whipped, and I couldn't care less. We started to sit next to each other on the plane, and after I found out that she hated the rain, I always carried an umbrella with me. The day that I knew for sure that she loved me was the day that I had saved her life. We were searching for a spastic shooter that seemed to target at random. Until we got a tip that they were going to hit the place where she was going to give a press conference.

I had only felt a similar level of panic the day Hayley died. I rushed there with the only thought on my mind: I couldn't let this happen again. I had tackled her, shielding her from the bullets scattering around us with my body. I'll never forget what she said to me: “I never noticed; your eyes had flecks of gold in the sunlight.” I was confused as to why that was her comment until I realized she thought we were going to die. It was her way of admitting she had noticed the little things about me. She touched the pieces of hair she could reach and started to smile at me, but I refused to let her die. I found us covered, started shooting back, and radioed to the others that we were under attack. Eventually, the shooter was eliminated, and I knew then that I had to tell her that I loved her.

It was at the annual holiday party when we started to date. It was a climatic night, and when I first saw her walk down the stairs all dressed up, I could swear for a few minutes that my heart stopped. The way I desired her was so dangerous. I was privy enough to hold her as we shared a dance together. I could feel her heart beating fast, and I knew she loved me. We retreated to the balcony, where we noticed it was the first snowfall we had seen for the year. She stared out over the property and confessed, She loved me. It was a night I will never forget. It was the first time she was truly vulnerable with me, and I finally learned why she hated the rain. I knew I couldn't help but love her forever, and I would do anything to make her feel comfortable with me.

Spring

We celebrated all of the major holidays together: Christmas, her birthday, which happened to be New Year's Day, and Valentine's Day. I was able to see her feel comfortable enough to love me, and after everything she had been through, I never wanted her to feel any pain. Spring was her favorite month, so after taking Jack to school once a week, I would bring her tulips because I knew how much she loved them. We had to hide our love from the team and especially Strauss, and while I wouldn't change a thing, it's not an ideal situation to date your employee. Well, it was hidden until May, when her life was put in danger. She walked into a standoff because she knew the man and wanted to help resolve it peacefully. The thing I loved most about her also brought me immense pain, and I understood how Hayley felt. I didn't leave her, though I proposed to her, because I realized how short life was and I didn't want to live with any regrets. To my surprise and pleasure, she said yes. It didn't feel scary, though I didn't have any worries about whether we would last or if this was the right decision because I knew it was. I wanted to show the whole world how devoted I was to her.

Summer

It was a rare day in August when I was able to sleep in. I woke up to her covering me in kisses. I could never get enough of her warmth and the sweetness of her kiss. Every morning, I wake up with a smile because I get to wake up next to her. What I wasn't expecting was what she would say next: "Let's get married." She whispered, and I was confused, so I answered, “We already are, honey." She laughed and clarified what she meant: "Let's Get Married Today.” I don't think I've ever smiled wider. She put on her mother's old wedding dress, and I put on the suit I wore to the holiday party. We made a stop before the courthouse so she could get me a wedding band. I had never seen her smile so much. I never wanted her to stop. I held her hand the entire day, and I never took my eyes off of her once; she looked so beautiful as a bride. I didn't understand how I got so lucky. After we were pronounced husband and wife, I picked her up and spun her around. I will never forget the giggle she let out in surprise. I kissed her like I would never be able to again. But I would, and I was able to kiss her forever. I don't know what brought her to me—maybe God, fate, or whatever you want to call it—but I knew that I wouldn't repeat my last mistake and I would never let her go. Well, she and our daughter are on the way.

[purple-iris]

20 questions for Writers!

been tagged by @sinvulkt in this awesome Tag game! thanks a lot!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently, I have a 19 works on AO3, working on making it 20 by the end of this month

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

Im at 131,179 words. Considering I have a few smaller works it makes sense

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I mainly write in the Star Wars fandom and Hetalia (but as of now solely fics that feature my APH Québec OC) But I have fics in the Good Omens fandom, Heathers the Musical, Five Nights at Freddy's Loki (TV), and I am currently writing a Harry Potter longshot

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Ring of Fire, the first part of my Deserter Darth Vader AU

What Are You Waiting For, a tragic Heather Chandler/Veronica Sawyer fic

Whatever's still to come, my Elizabeth Afton Lives au in the FNAF fandom

More beautiful than flowers... , a FrUK fic with lots of flower language.

Truth for the Daughter, where Leia finds out who Anakin Skywalker used to be in my Deserter Darth Vader AU

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

I always try to respond to my comments, since I don't get so many, they are always welcome. I enjoy the feedback and the compliments, and I always want to respond! <3

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

What Are You Waiting For is definitely up there, considering one of the character of the main pairing is dead from the start.

I also have two super short fics in french about my Hetalia OC Québec that I consider gut wrenching, but they haven't been read much

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

The World We Knew, my Good Omens fix it fic after the devastating season 2 finale. it definitely has a lot of angst in it too, but the ending is pure fluff!

8. Do you get hate on your fic?

It has never happened, but at the same time I'm not a big author either.

9. Do you write smut?

I tried once, didn't go through with it. It was for a FrUK fic, which I didn't really like and deleted.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Before posting on AO3, it happened, it was a Marvel characters in Hogwarts thing.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No, but once again, I'm not very well known.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I wish!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

Yeah, the Marvel at Hogwarts thing a lifetime ago. And also a historical fiction that never got posted anywhere.

14. What‘s your all-time favourite ship?

Oooh that's a tough one! It varies like each months or so. I think I haven't even written much for it directly, but Anidala!

15. What’s the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

My FNAF fic. I have a super long and detailed AU outline with complexe character growth and tons of family angst with the Afton and Lizzy eventually taking over Fazbear Entertainement, but I lack time. In the meantime, I made a few artworks of it under the tag elizabeth afton lives au if you are interested.

16. What’s your writing strengths?

I'd say the inner monologue and the highly emotional scenes. I love to delve on the psyche and add parallels that hurt just write and use gut wrenching metaphors.

17. What’s your writing weaknesses?

Highly action dense scenes. I struggle with the pacing because I picture it clearly in my mind and can't put it into words.

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

It can be nice, but considering that sometime I see it with my own language, French, and with considerable mistakes, it can be annoying. I'd avise to contact someone who speaks that language a bit to crossverify google translate, that's much more fun for speakers

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Surprisingly enough, BBC Sherlock. The fic was on Wattpad and I haven't reposted it, it was a bit mid not going to lie.

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

Not very controversial take, my favourite fic I've ever written is Truth for the Daughter. I've written it in the kitchen, with my own step-dad checking up on me as I struggled with some scenes. It may be full of father-daughter angst but it was written with a lot of father-daughter love. It is dedicated to my step-dad, who passed away last year because of that, and so is Interlude: A son and his father , which I completed not long before his passing. These parental fics just hold a special place in my heart <3

Well this was nice!

To conclude, I'd like to tag : @dreamingamongthestars @yaqamole @claralarmclock @phe-oh-no and any other author mutual I might have forgotten!!

[fishnamedsushi]

(Laughs/cries at how late I am)

Work has been so busy recently and I've been heads down working on my latest fic, but the amazing @lilredghost and @dark--whisperings both tagged me in this game!!!

How many works do you have on ao3?

Seventeen!

(Me: Wait, really??? That's awesome!)

2. What's your Ao3 word count?

188,000 words!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

My jam these days is Star Wars (Obikin) but previously I was involved in MCU verse (Stony, TaserTricks). I am also eyeing some potential fics in OFMD and Lokius...if I ever get the time lol.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

FML, Darcy Lewis Style (627 kudos) Loki/Darcy Lewis, AU

Forget Me Not (426 kudos) Anakin Skywalker/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Tatooine AU amnesia fic

If You'll Let Me (376 kudos) Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, A/B/O AU

A Different Sort of Knife (303 kudos) Anakin Skywalker/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sith Obi/Padawan Ani AU

A Perfect Distraction (243 kudos) Anakin Skywalker/Obi-Wan Kenobi, the lip gloss fic

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes! Comments are my favorite thing and I love reading and responding to them! They're honestly one of the best motivations to keep me writing...I've changed fics mid-plot just because of comments lol.

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

Hmm...probably Lie To Me or While You Were Gone, both Sherlock (Johnlock) fics. Both stories are very dark and gritty, especially WYWG, and I think I might have been going through *some stuff* when I wrote them that influenced how they turned out lol. I absolutely adore WYWG - it's one of my favorite fics that I've written.

For Obikin, the angstiest fic is probably Away From Me (Don't Fall) which is a post-Order 66 fic where Anakin's fall to the Dark Side caused Obi-Wan to fall as well. It's a recent fic and I've got a sequel half-drafted just waiting to be finished. There's a twist at the end that I won't spoil...you'll have to go read it if you want to know what happens 👀

7. What's the fic your write with the happiest ending?

Ohh..that's a tough one! I always strive for happy endings (no pun intended) even in fics that are literally just porn (in which case, pun definitely intended).

I think To Tell The Moon has a very sweet happy ending. It's a same-age AU where Anakin and Obi-Wan are both padawans and end up taking part in winter festivities on a planet during a mission. It's a very wholesome fic all around (though since it's me, there is some angst haha).

The next one would probably be Forget Me Not and A Perfect Distraction, which I linked above, if only because both of them feature Obi-Wan getting what he wants and deserves, which he never does in canon, and I want him to be happy.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not in a long time, thankfully. When I first started writing fanfic I did get some hate which was very demoralizing but eventually I just decided to tell those people to fuck off very kindly. I've been so lucky to be in fandoms where everyone is pretty accepting and supportive 💕

9. Do you write smut? What kind?

👀😉😎 Check my AO3. There's smut. I'm a big fan of dirty talk and D/s undertones. Obikin delivers plenty of opportunity !

10. Do you write cross-overs?

Not yet! I would love to try one day if the opportunity presented itself.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not yet, but I would love that if anyone every felt so inclined! Same with podfics.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I have not but that would be an interesting experience!

14. What's your all time favourite ship?

That's such a tough question haha. If I had to choose, I'd pick, in no particular order:

Obikin

Hannigram

Kylux

Dinluke

Spideypool

Geraskier

15. What's your WIP you like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I want to go back and finish A Different Sort of Knife one day. I had such a fantastic time writing Sith Obi-Wan and his catnip Padawan Anakin. I hope that I get the motivation to go back to it.

I just finished a WIP that I had started last year and ended up coming back to it after a hiatus (Forget Me Not), so there is hope!

16. What are your writing strength?

I like to think that I'm good at characterization. It's something I obsess over when I'm writing, to the point that I end up throwing out whole passages if I don't feel like I'm conveying the character correctly. I've been told that my descriptions and metaphors are good, which is lovely to hear ❤

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Probably that it takes me too long to write something haha.

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

I love reading fics with dialogue in other languages! It adds so much depth to the story and is very immersive.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

MCU (Loki/Darcy Lewis). Back when I thought I was straight, but Tom Hiddleston and Kat Dennings are both babes so I stand by it.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

Probably To Tell The Moon or Forget Me Not.

***

Phew, that was fun! Thanks so much for the tags!

To keep this rolling, I'll tag in @demon----dean, @nixie-deangel, @renlyslittlerose, @dreaminghour in case you haven't already been tagged!

[su-alteza-emia]

When he say I'm beautiful (no one ever) but i write that a fictional characters say:

"I can say i love you since we met, but that would be the biggest lie i ever told. I feel like I've been loving you even before i born, since i wasn't even a concept, I've been loving you forever and i think i'll never stop of doing it."

"You only have to say it and i'll destroy everything only for you, if you're angry with the world, if the universe made you feel bad, if something ever break your soul or spirit, that mean they don't deserve anything but punishment, you're the best thing ever created and you deserve to be happy. "

"I broke myself in pieces just to help you rebuild yourself, and i would do it all over again just to see your beautiful smile."

"I know we're meant to be apart, but believe me, if I'd been writing our story i would made us have the happiest story ever, I'd made us the happiest lovers and above all I'd never made us go to different paths"

[argylemikewheeler]

102 Peach Street

|| started by this ask. will and mike are married and very happy ||

On Sunday mornings, Mike always liked to spend the early sunlight hours pulling weeds out of the garden. He’d stand in the warm sunshine, feeling the morning breeze on his arms and through his hair– he refused to cut it above his shoulders in the early nineties. Will would often stand at the kitchen window, washing the dishes, and smile down at him and their full green country yard.

It was part of Will’s therapy to tend to something that would grow and thrive if loved and taken care of– just like he would. The summer they moved out of Hawkins and into a place of their own, Mike helped Will plant greenery all along the front of the house and by the porch steps. Will watered and fixed the soil frequently, but Mike always offered to do the weeding; Will’s knees had gotten bad in his early college years from a childhood of incorrectly running (for his life) and couldn’t spend the hours hunched over like he used to.

Of course, though, Mike didn’t mind. He lovingly got his favorite pair of worn and tearing jeans and knelt in the dirt, reminding himself what it was like to actually do something with his hands– he really had something going as a kid with all those Lego projects. Those days, he really only spent time at his desk shuffling papers. Mike would willingly trade paper cuts for all that dirt under his fingernails. He didn’t dislike his job though, let that be known. Copy editing was a joy and writing in his free time reminded him of planning campaigns, but Hawkins just never had sunshine like this.

Will and Mike didn’t runaway from Hawkins necessarily, but they did give their (unwanted) family a very short notice before packing their car up and driving east. They unpacked their boxes in their small cottage, faint sounds of the ocean reminding them they were far from their childhood, but had finally come home. They eloped– in the way that they could– in ‘95. Neither spoke a word, but quietly changed the single, default name on the mailbox to both. Will painted it on with his best attempt at a flower that seemed to have a face of some kind– but maybe that was Mike’s interpretation.

Will’s middle school art students seemed to like the plant’s “face” when he drew it on their work too, understandably so: Demogorgons looked cute when they had googly eyes and smiley faces.

“Good morning, Mr. Byers.” Mike stood up and turned at the sound of a young voice behind him. A girl was standing at the end of their front walkway, holding up her bike. Her hair was in two pigtails on the top of her head, wrapped in pink fuzzy hair ties.

“Hi. What can I do for you?” He couldn’t remember her name, but he knew she lived just down the road. Her parents made them a pie when they first moved in. He was allergic to it– but he didn’t hold that against them.

“Do you know where Mr. Wheeler is?” She asked. They’d traded names so technically they weren’t noticeably married, but could still enjoy answering to the last name of the other. Mike really liked being a Byers.

“He’s just inside, I can get him if you want. What’s wrong?”

“I messed up my bike.” She sighed, holding it out to him.

“Oh! I can help with that.” Mike wiped his hands on his jeans and used his shoulder to nudge some of his curls out of his way.

“It’s not just the chain– I fixed that myself. When I fell I scratched the paint up pretty bad… and I know Mr. Wheeler has good paints in his garage.” She looked down at her accident’s handiwork– a long scrape going along the entire length of the frame.

“Oh! You need an artist’s help. I understand– I’ll be right back.” Mike grabbed the banister and swung up the front steps. He made sure not to leave any smudged fingerprints on the door as he opened it and stepped inside. He kept his dirty shoes on the doormat. “Oh, Mr. Wheeler, the girl from down the street is here to see you. She has an art emergency.”

Will ducked and emerged under the hanging cabinets in the kitchen. He’d cut his hair above his ears, almost to balance out Mike’s, and finally started letting his hair swoop back and show his forehead. He was the most handsome man Mike had ever seen, and Mike thought it every time he laid eyes on Will. He knew he was lucky just getting out of Hawkins alive, but he considered his greatest luck finding Will all those years ago.

“Sara?” Will placed his dish towel down on the counter and walked around, coming toward the door. “What happened?”

“She crashed and needs some new paint.” Mike held the door open for Will, letting him onto the porch. “Here he is, Sara.” Mike was glad someone remembered people’s names.

“Hey, sweetheart! What happened!” Will gripped Mike’s arm and braced himself as he took the stairs. Mike could practically hear Will’s joints squeaking as loudly as the wood steps.

“A car blew a stop sign and I skidded to stop so fast it went sideways and slid right out from under me!” She groaned, rolling it toward him and exposing the scrape.

“Oh, God. Are you alright?” Will asked, squeezing Mike’s arm in response.

“Yeah, I had my elbow pads and helmet on. I’m fine.” She said. “But Sandra here really got it.”

“You named her Sandra?” Will smiled and braced his knees to crouch and admire the flaking paint. His knees popped as he sank down. “I don’t think I ever named mine when I was growing up– did you, Michael?”

“Nope. Me neither.” Mike shook his head. “If I did, I completely forget by now.”

“That’s fair.” Will muttered. He adjusted his weight on his feet and ran his hand over the exposed frame. “I don’t know if I have the same color as your bike, so how about a stripe? I can give you a racing stripe right down the side!”

“Can you?”

“Of course I can.” Will laughed, nodding. “I can even do a little design for you– Michael, you know where my really nice white paint is, right? On the–”

“Top shelf of your metal cabinet, just by the garage door? Yeah. I know where.” Mike touched the top of Will’s head as he stepped past them. “I’ll get your good brushes too.”

“Thank you, Mike.” Will grinned, somewhat shyly due to their audience, and watched Mike cross the lawn.

The garage was disconnected from the house and held all of Will’s art supplies as well as Mike’s old typewriter. Will’s easel was leaned up against the model bench and Mike’s old manuscripts were still in a bit of a mess on the lid of one of Will’s toolboxes. He’d clean that later, after he found that one passage he’d written ages ago and suddenly found a way to repurpose.

It was a short paragraph, maybe three sentences, about a brief memory Mike remembered having as a kid, but knowing he’d never lived it. It was a image of this figure– this boy– passing in front of his vision and drawing him farther and farther in to him. It had been a dream Mike had, knocked out and lying on his local mall’s floor. He’d thought he was being drawn to death then, but it turned out he was brought back to consciousness by the faint tug of his heartstrings.

He wanted to find it and rework it for an upcoming anniversary. The manuscript had never seen the light or day or the desk of any publishing house, but it had stuck with Mike since he’d buried it under boxes of old bike parts and vinyl records.

Mike grabbed the paint and Will’s brushes by the door before backpedaling and going to Will and their neighbor. Will was sitting on the grass by then, legs stretched out and hands gently patting his left knee as he spoke.

“– it’s supposed to rain soon too, so my knees aren’t any better. I’m okay though, Sara. Mr. Byers and I are just old.”

“You aren’t even thirty.” Mike quipped, placing the paint beside Will and gently nudging his leg.

“I’ve got old man knees though.” Will said, rubbing them slowly. “Sara was just asking my why bones sound like popcorn.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No! No!” Will laughed, reaching over for her arm gently. “It’s alright! It’s funny. They do, they really do sound like popcorn. I got it from an old childhood accident.” He used the back of a paintbrush to pop the lid to the paint. Mike held the can still, letting his already dirty hands get covered in the flakes of dried white paint.

“Did you play a sport, Mr. Wheeler? My dad said he hurt his knee back in high school playing football.” Sara asked, gripping Sandra tightly by the handlebars.

“No, nothing like that. I just fell when I was a kid. I was running inside– which I shouldn’t have been doing, that’s never safe– and I tripped over something and took this big spill. Rolled myself up into knots and really bumped up both my knees.” Mike didn’t remember Will getting so good at telling that lie.

In reality, Will was running toward Hopper’s cabin, deep in the woods, completely barefoot. The ground was uneven and Will’s legs were flailing out in unhealthy and painful directions as he forced himself to go ahead another inch. It was pitch black and the rest of the Party was standing on the porch, waving him forward and screaming to go just a little farther. In the last stretch, and last jump over a fallen tree, Will’s ankle caught on a branch and brought him tumbling down to the ground. The growling behind him grew louder as he tumbled through the fallen leaves and into rocks and sticker bushes. Mike didn’t remember leaving the safety of the porch, but he remembered pulling Will out of the foliage and dragging him the rest of the way to the house. He remembered crying too. That’s all.

“I’m fine, Sara. Don’t worry, I’ve got Mr. Byers here to help.” Will looked over his shoulder and winked at Mike before leaning back to the bike with his dipped paintbrush.

“Is he your helper?” Sara looked at Mike with such innocence and kindness. There was an instinct to feel guilty– like it would all go away if she only knew the truth. But Mike knew it was a false sense of guilt. Their marriage was the best thing in Mike’s life. He wasn’t ashamed.

“No, actually Michael’s my husband.” Will said, his hand moving steadily and making a clean stripe on Sara’s bike. “I’ve known him since we were kids.”

“Oh. T-That’s cool, I guess.” Sara said, obviously taken aback. She didn’t seem bothered, just wildly surprised. She’d lived next door to them for most of her life, and apparently it never occurred to her that young, happy men could be married too.

Part of Mike was pleased to be a surprise. Typically, that meant the person had never met a gay couple before. Mike was glad he and Will could be her starting example.

“I’m going to leave you two to your work, alright?” Mike said, wiping his hands on his jeans again. Sara had stopped staring at him, but had now moved on to Will. Mike was sure she had more questions. “I want to clean up the garage, Plum. I’ll be back.”

—

Mike sat down on the garage floor and started separating the loose pages and clipped manuscripts. Mike avoided reading any of his very old writing– it was still embarrassing to think he was published in his college lit mag forever with such sappy love poetry. At least he still had the work’s muse living with him. Helped him improve and write the same message again, far better: later, said embarrassing poem became Mike’s wedding vows so it wasn’t all a loss.

Before Mike could reach the bottom of his stack, the garage side door opened. Will placed his paint and brushes down on the floor and slowly approached Mike’s sporadic piles.

“What are you looking for?” He stood tall but squinted to try and read the pages below him.

“Something I wrote in college. I remembered it the other morning– remember when I stumbled out of bed for my notebook?” Mike laughed, turning to look up at his husband.

“When you tripped three times just getting across the room? Yeah. I remember. I thought we were being robbed. But it was just you having a stroke of genius?”

“If you want to call it that.” Mike held his arms out to the scattered organization with a sigh. “Did you fix Sandra up?”

“Sara’s already on her way home! Gave her a stripe and even wrote ‘Sandra’ on the side. Gave her flowers and swords, the whole nine.”

“Swords?”

“She told me she’s learning about Joan of Arc.” Will shrugged. “I thought it was pretty cool.”

“It is. And so are you.” Mike placed his unsorted pages down, frankly not needing their words anymore. His world was right there. Being absolutely adorable. Will placed his hand over Mike’s face and shoved him playfully.

“Help me inside, Mr. Byers?”

“That bad?” Mike’s tone changed in a snap, pushing off the ground and getting to his feet. “We should change out those stairs, Plum.”

“No, it’s just the barometric pressure. They’re fine.” Will took Mike’s hand. “A convenient excuse to keep you around though, have to say.”

“Don’t make me carry you again.” Mike jokingly went to sweep Will off his feet. Will yelped and jumped back with a giggle. “I’ll only hit your head on the doorway a little bit this time.”

“I love having to tell the story of ‘no the bruise I got on my wedding night was because my husband walked me into the doorway’. My mom thought we were idiots.” Will sighed, following Mike out of the garage.

“Babe, we are idiots.”

“Yeah, but she didn’t need to know that this late in the relationship. We’ve kept it a secret for quite a while, I like to think.”

"Will, for every monster we fought on a school night is another ten reasons we’re both idiots.” Mike reasoned. He stepped up onto the stairs first, letting Will pull up on his tensed arm for leverage. “You taught me that.”

Will grunted quietly as he pushed himself up the rest of the stairs. At the landing, he broke into a smile. “I know. I’m just testing you, Michael. Just testing you.”

“Shut up and get inside.” Mike laughed, swinging the front door open. “Make sure all the windows are closed before it rains, I’m going to make you some tea.”

“What? That’s not how that works.” Will laughed, shaking his head as he kicked off his shoes. “You know we didn’t open any windows last night.”

“Welp, looks like you have to sit down and let me make you tea.” Mike said, dramatically sighing and starting off toward the kitchen. Will shuffled after him, trying not to slip in his socks.

Their house was about the size of Will’s childhood home, maybe a bit smaller. They didn’t need much room, if Mike was being honest. All their childhood they’d practically lived right on top of each other, being able to do so as adults was a bonus. Between the foyer and the kitchen was only a small alcove with their round wooden dining table. It only held the two of them; they rarely had guests anyway.

Every time he passed by the table, he remembered that first month, sitting in the morning silence and staring out the window at the long stretches of trees. Will was sipping tea, careful not to slurp too loudly and get under Mike’s skin at seven in the morning. Under the table, Mike could hear Will gently rubbing his feet together: a habit of comfort Mike had learned to observe. Mike had been drinking coffee and eating a bagel, definitely getting crumbs everywhere. He’d placed his breakfast down and cleared his throat– twice– and placed his hand on Will’s. Will still made him nervous sometimes.

“Hey, Will?” Mike had said, careful to break his peaceful look.

“Yeah, Mike?”

The words were so easy to say. Mike couldn’t remember a time when they seemed so far off: “Will you marry me?”

“So, what stroke of genius did you have?” Will asked, easing himself down into his chair. Mike placed the kettle onto the stove with a furrowed look. “You said your old writing– a new idea came to you?”

“Oh! Right. I got confused when you said genius.” Mike teased.

He got out Will’s favorite mug and placed it on the counter beside his teabag. Originally, it had just been a random floral mug his mother had found at a thrift store, just trying to get enough mugs for when the entire Party– and monster hunting congregation– found its way into the Byers house. Will had been drinking out of it when they solved their last mystery; was steeping tea when he got accepted to college, and nearly spilled it diving for the phone to call Mike; and brought it to his dorm for his four years at MICA. And, obviously, it was the one he was drinking out of when Mike proposed– if you want to call it that. Mike considered it a waking up of sorts, of finally getting his shit together and asking Will the most obvious question.

“So, what’s the idea?” Will asked, placing his feet up on Mike’s seat. “You know I like hearing about them.”

“Yeah, I know. But this one’s boring.”

“Your ideas are never boring, Michael. I love them.” Will said sternly, although his smile ruined the effect. “I’m listening.”

The kettle began to whistle and Mike tried to use it as a distraction, but he could feel Will’s eyes patiently watching him.

“It’s an old something I wanted to fix up… it’s from college, but it’s about back from before we started high school.” He waved it off before pouring their water.

“You say that like it’s not any good.”

"It’s just about… this dream I had once.” Mike sighed. He rolled his eyes at his own preface. “It was when– okay, so do you remember that time in Starcourt when I was hit? I fell down and smacked my head really hard?”

“Do I rememb– yes, of course I do.” Will exclaimed. “I thought you’d shattered your skull right open in the goddamn food court while we were running for our lives.”

“Well, it’s just about that. The dream I had while I was completely knocked out for five minutes.” Mike tried to nudge it away with another shrug. He returned to the table quickly, still trying to maintain a feeling of nonchalance. Will took the mug slowly, narrowing his eyes but still thanking him. “What!”

“You’ve never told me about this before.” Will said, moving his feet up off Mike’s seat so he could slide under them. Mike always let Will rest his feet on his lap. “How is this new to me?”

Mike set his jaw, trying to defeat his growing smile. “It’s supposed to be a surprise! Don’t ask too many questions. It’s your anniversary gift, so don’t go poking around.”

“Michael, you don’t have to do anything for me!” Will reached over and grabbed both of Mike’s hands. “I don’t want you to.”

“You married me and let me buy you a house.” Mike said, like it was the simplest rebuttal. “I have to thank you every year. Afraid my luck will run out.”

“How many times have I told you,” Will said, pulling Mike’s hand up to his lips, kissing it quickly. “It’s not luck. That’s not why we’re together. It’s–”

“I know, I know.” Mike sighed, smiling. “It’s fate.”

Will grinned, his face lighting up; it was what Will had said in his own wedding vows. The moment Mike heard it, unprepared and already wonderfully weak at the altar, he started weeping. Before then, he’d never thought that everything in his life had all been for something. All of his past suffering could stop hurting, even for a moment. It wasn’t going to come back and haunt him; he had finally reached his own, permanent happiness. The one his family never said he’d have, the one he started to believe he was never meant to experience– only write about, growing envious of his characters.

But Mike’s happiness was there, sitting across from him and all around. It was 102 Peach Street, house of Mr. Michael Byers and Mr. William Wheeler. It was waking up to the same faint sound of even and slow breathing– the reassurance he’d still get to live his best dream another day. On the hardest days, it was the paint-smudged young man that would come through the front door, smiling from ear to ear, already somehow knowing that Mike needed extra love– and an overly dramatic mwah of a hello kiss. On Mike’s best days, it was just Will.

No matter what, it was always Will. Mike had found his happiness, run headstrong into his fated future, and nothing was ever going to take it away.

Mike blinked, tears suddenly welling in his eyes, and thought of his dream. The floating figure was one he had always assumed as an angel– a sign that death was closer than it had ever been– and it was an angel. It was just that this one looked a whole lot like his childhood friend. Looked like his husband.

“Why are you crying?” Will moved his legs off Mike’s lap in order to pull his chair in closer. Will cradled Mike’s face, his thumbs moving over his cheeks slowly, waiting for a tear to fall. “Michael, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” Mike laughed, sniffling. “I just forget how kind fate was to me… I got the perfect house, the most beautiful husband with the most extraordinary heart, neighbors that bake us pies for fuck’s sake… Did you ever think we’d get all this?”

“No.” Will said, shaking his head. “But I always knew I’d have you. And that was always enough.”

Mike hiccuped a short but loud sob, laughing wetly. “God, you’re making me cry more. I love you. So so much.”

Will didn’t speak– he often never did when Mike was in his moods of disbelief. He just pushed Mike’s hair back from his eyes, looking at him with a sense of wonder, before leaning forward to kiss him.

When Mike closed his eyes, he knew the vision was no longer a memory and it definitely wasn’t a dream. No, it was a feeling. It was this feeling. One of comfort and relief, of letting Mike’s whole body relax into the warm touch of another person– another man. Laying on the floor of the mall, in danger and unconscious, Mike had been given a glimpse into his own future– and it was gloriously simple, safe, and sweet. It was Will.

ao3

[that-wildwolf]

I was tagged by @crescentbunny and I'm not tagging anyone in particular because I never really have a good grip on who's already done a tag game and who hasn't...

Anyway! Here goes :)

How many works do you have on AO3?

I write lots of one-shots, so this should be around thirty... Yep, twenty-seven.

What’s your total AO3 word count?

Where do you check that? You can check that???

*spends approximately 10 minutes going through AO3 settings they didn't know existed*

Cool! A lot of features I didn't know about. Anyway, um. Yes. My total word count is, for the moment, 471,674 words.

Wow. I. Um. Almost 500K words. But—and this is extremely important—I feel like this graph contains some vital information:

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Wow. Okay. I'll do this in chronological order because I never really counted.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Inheritance, Assassin's Creed, The Wolf Among Us, The Walking Dead, Doctor Who, Star Wars, Attack on Titan, Fallout, Sarah Jane Adventures, Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect, Steven Universe. I don't think I missed anything...?

That adds up to 13.

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Of course I do! I thrive on feedback! Not implying that my entire self-esteem hinges on the approval of strangers on the internet, but comments are the best fucking thing ever! Instant serotonin for a whole day! Of course I'll reply! I love getting into little conversations with my readers, too!

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Wow. I'm usually more of a happy ending kind of person, but A New Quest (which I wrote at the super proud age of 11) did end with half of the main characters dead and a memorial service for them as the last scene, so... You know. If you consider that angsty, then sure.

Fun fact: Crossing A Line was actually originally supposed to end with Shepard dying! The last chapter (which to me still feels a bit out of place) was rewritten completely. I'm glad I changed it, though. I'm having a lot of fun with the sequel!

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

A month ago I'd have said Waiting Between Worlds without second thoughts—does it count as a happy ending when the whole fic is just a happy ending?—but it's just been going downhill the last three or four chapters. Pretty much every one of my one-shots in the When I Need You series. Also, Crossing A Line, I guess, now that it has a happy ending.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I... really don't. I'm wildly ace, all my sex knowledge comes from smut and porn and I'm pretty sure that if I were to actually write the adult stuff, I'd either go way overboard and make it too obscene to read or end up with something completely dry and clinical and unreadable too.

When there's sex scenes in my fic, I usually leave them implied. I say the characters had sex, but I never explicitly write the actual sex. I don't think I'd be good at it. (Actually, I've tried plenty of times and I know I'm not. It's the dirtiest, kinkiest filth you'd ever see and I'd really recommend against reading it.)

I do like writing the pre-chorus to sex, as it were, though. The sensual foreplay to the sexual foreplay. The soft or heated moments leading up to the act. I've even gotten comments about my lime being "extremely hot despite not being smut" and I'm more than happy with that description.

Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the strangest one you’ve written?

I used to write crossovers. Now I only sometimes write AUs based on a different fandom, like a Shakarian Kimi no Na wa!AU.

The strangest crossover I've ever written? Don't know if any of them were strange. I had The Wolf Among Us/The Walking Dead crossovers and Doctor Who/Sarah Jane Adventures crossovers, but both of those pretty much exist in the same universe already, so... No. No weird crossovers.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

God, I hope not. At least none that I know of.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yes. Plenty. A lot. I'd wager around 4 out of 5 comments on my Shepard Twins fanfic are negative. I haven't updated the fic in a while, but that doesn't mean I'm not writing anymore. I have around 50K words' worth of WIP of it. So no, the hate comments don't bother me. (A lie: they bother me a lot. They even make me cry, sometimes. But they're not gonna be the reason I stop writing a story I enjoy.)

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

My very first fanfiction writing experience, actually. In retrospect, I think that worked out great, because that kind of cooperation made it easier to carry the whole thing through, get it to the end, and was a very positive experience - which is probably why I've continued to write fanfic.

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Ahhh. Royai or Shakarian? Royai or Shakarian? Stupid, since they're almost the same relationship dynamic, but they're both amazingly written. I'm edging a bit more towards Shakarian, because interspecies stuff is always a bonus. Still, it's a close competition.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I wish! I've translated other people's fics, but I've yet to have someone do that for me.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I plan to hope to finish all my WIPs.

What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue. This is going to come off as boastful, but I think I'm pretty good at replicating individual characters' speech patterns.

What are your writing weaknesses?

According to my beta, I use elispses too liberally. According to me, I have trouble with transition scenes. I never write in order, so I always end up with disconnected scenes I need to join into a chapter. And the join parts don't even come easy to me.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Not a fan. (When I write fanfics in Polish, I sometimes use English, but that's not the same because everyone in Poland knows English anyway.) If it's a made-up language in the fandom, I like to include some words every now and then in dialogue - especially when it doesn't translate exactly. I love spotlighting cultural differences. I actually learned a load of Jel words for my Murkmire fanfics.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Good times. Damn, that was a long time ago. *suddenly gets the overwhelming realization that they've been writing fanfic for the bigger part of their life* ...Wow.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

Big Spoon/Little Spoon, a short Shakarian one-shot exploring the psychology of the Spacer background a bit. I also used lighting in a really cool way in this one! I'm really proud of it. Even when I call it "the Spooning As A Metaphor For Nationality Issues fanfic", I mean it in an affectionate way.

As far as non-one-shots go, I'm going with Crossing A Line. It's got it all: Enemies to Lovers, language barrier, interspecies awkwardness... Plus, writing from Garrus's POV is always a treat. I get to refer to humans as "aliens". What more could you want?