#looking through a few one shots that people commented on it wrote in the tags

[justafewsmallsteps]

I have a lot of one shots where some very kind cool people want to hear more. Sometimes that really inspires me to write, so thank you! Sometimes I wish I could write, but I don’t have the energy to commit to it!

But if you ever seriously want to know what would happen next, I will likely happily tell you if I have any ideas. Just ask ❤️

[rafedarling]

𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐲/𝐧

pairing: rafe cameron x reader

summary: y/n attends the wedding of her best friend, rafe cameron, and his bride sofia. In a bittersweet moment, she reflects on her deep, unspoken love for rafe as she makes a heartfelt speech during the reception. despite the pain of unrequited love, she stays strong, showing genuine happiness for rafe’s new chapter with sofia. | word count: 1,0k

warning(s): english is not my first language. your point of view, contains themes of unrequited love, emotional vulnerability, and heartache, no happy ending. based on ‘love, rosie’.

au: i wrote small drabble while watching ‘love, rosie’, i hope you’d cry with me, also listen to lost with you by patrick watson while read this. like, reblog and comment/feedback are much appreciated. discussion can be send through my ask box, please feel free to send in anything. taglist | tagging: @rubixgsworld @rafeyslamb @bisexualcvnt @tracymbcm @maybankslover @mileyraes @akobx @noobmazter69 @xoxohoneymoongirl @xoxosblogsblog @wearemadeofstardust0 @saviorcomplexrry @littlelamy @enjoymyloves

His wedding was perfect, or at least it seemed that way to everyone else. Crisp white flowers adorned every table, soft glow candlelight. Sofia looked stunning in her dress—elegant, poised, and radiant in the way brides should be. I could see why Rafe fell for her. She was the picture of everything he probably wanted. Everything.

I stood in the back of the crowd as they exchanged vows, a bittersweet lump forming in my throat. It was strange, watching someone you love pledge their life to someone else. But I had no choice. This was Rafe. He was my best friend before anything else, and even though I had buried my feelings for him for years, today they seemed to rise up like a tidal wave threatening to crash over me.

I should have told him. Maybe not today. Maybe not even yesterday. But a long time ago, when we were still reckless teenagers, when we stayed up all night laughing at dumb inside jokes, and he looked at me like I was the only one in the room. That’s when I should have said it. That I loved him.

But now, it was too late. Sofia was his future. She stood across from him, gripping his hands, tears of happiness filling her eyes, and all I could do was smile and clap like everyone else. Like the supportive friend I’d been for so long.

The reception flowed with music and laughter, the champagne bubbling like the excitement in the air. I was halfway through a glass of wine when the best man finished his speech, and the MC signaled for me to step up to the microphone. My heart raced as I stood, smoothing my dress and moving to the front.

Rafe shot me a look as I walked up, his familiar crooked grin pulling at the corners of his lips. He was happy, genuinely so. And even though my heart was heavy, I couldn’t let that ruin this moment for him.

The microphone was cool in my hand as I cleared my throat, looking out at the sea of faces, some familiar, some not. Then, I found his eyes—Rafe’s deep blue ones—and took a steadying breath.

“For the people who I haven’t had the pleasure to greet… Hi, I’m Y/n,” I started, my voice sounding steadier than I expected. “Rafe and I have known each other forever. We’ve been through it all together—good times, bad times, and some incredibly embarrassing times. Rafe, for example, can drink to an almost lethal alcohol concentration.”

A few laughs rippled through the crowd, and Rafe chuckled, shaking his head in mock embarrassment. I smiled, feeling the warmth of our shared memories.

“On my 18th birthday, he decided that the best way to celebrate was tequila. Lots and lots of tequila. And while I’m pretty sure we both blocked most of that night from memory, I can confirm that Rafe is, indeed, capable of not remembering an entire evening.”

The room filled with laughter, and even Sofia laughed along, her hand resting gently on Rafe’s arm. I swallowed hard, pushing down the pang in my chest.

“But in all seriousness,” I continued, my tone softening, “choosing the person to share your life with is one of the most important decisions we make. Because if you get it wrong, life can become… well, gray. We both know that well, don’t we, Rafe?” I smiled at him, and for a second, I saw the flicker of understanding in his eyes.

“Your friendship has brought color to my life, and I’ve been lucky enough to have you by my side in some of the darkest moments.” My voice wavered slightly, but I kept going. “I’m the luckiest person in the world for that. And I hope I haven’t ever taken it for granted, though maybe I have at times. Because sometimes, you don’t realize that the best thing that ever happened to you has been right under your nose all along.”

I paused, letting the words hang in the air. Rafe’s smile softened, but I couldn’t tell if he truly understood what I meant. If he’d ever understood how deeply I cared.

“And that’s okay,” I said, more to myself than anyone else. “Because I’ve learned something important: no matter where you are, no matter what you do, or who you’re with, I will always be here for you. I’ll always love you. Like a sister loves her brother, and like a friend loves a friend.”

I saw Rafe’s eyes glisten slightly, and Sofia squeezed his hand tighter, her gaze flicking between us as if trying to decipher something. But it didn’t matter. I couldn’t take back the years of silence. This was his day, not mine.

“I’ll always stand guard for your dreams, Rafe,” I finished, raising my glass. “No matter how far-fetched or impossible they may seem. So, let’s raise a toast to the bride and groom. To Rafe and Sofia Cameron.”

The room echoed my words as everyone lifted their glasses in unison. Rafe smiled at me, a genuine, heartfelt smile that felt like a dagger in my chest. But I smiled back, because that’s what friends do. They celebrate the happiness of the ones they love, even if it’s not their own.

As I sat down, I felt the weight of everything I didn’t say pressing down on me. The laughter and chatter around me blurred into background noise as I stared at my glass, running my thumb along its edge. I was happy for him, truly. But deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling of what could have been.

Maybe in another life, it would’ve been me standing beside him. Maybe in another life, I would have told him how I felt long before today. But in this life, I would remain what I always was—his best friend.

With music and dancing and stolen glances, I realized that sometimes… love isn’t about being with someone. Sometimes, love is about letting go, and hoping that they find happiness, even if it’s with someone else.

[spikershoyo]

I Don't Know You | Robbie Reyes x f!reader | smut | minors DNI!

Warnings and notes: Smut, one-night stand with Robbie, oral sex (fem), Robbie having bi panic, mentions of sex and drinking, Gabe's sleep being disturbed, wrote this on my phone and with very little editing so tell me if I missed anything to tag, this was inspired by the song 'I Don't Know You' by The Marias it's so good, listen to rn,

The sun peeking through the curtains of Robbie’s windows shine over his eyes. They flutter closed again when he’s hit with the light. He moves around a bit and slowly sits up, a hand making its way to hold his head, the steady thump of a headache starting to bloom.

He groans as he takes in his surroundings. He’s home. Safe and sound. He can hear Gabe’s soft snores from the other side of the wall. He looks over at his nightstand, the clock reading 10:14. That’s waking up late to Robbie’s standard on a weekday.

Robbie becomes aware that he’s not wearing anything under his sheets, he takes in the sore feeling of his neck, his back, and his legs. The fan from the ceiling of his room is on the highest setting, spinning around and creating a fresh temperature in his otherwise hot room.

A soft groan comes from him as he stretches out his back, his mind bringing him back to the party from last night. The annoying voice of one of the assholes from his senior year of high school telling him to ‘let loose’ is etched into his mind.

He really did let loose last night.

He didn’t do anything too crazy last night, he hopes, just a lot of drinks and a lot of eye fucking from both him and the people at the party. He remembered the string tequila they had brought out and the Don Q vodka. The most he drank was beer and the occasional shot of something.

What he does remember though is the people he talked to. The redhead who was drunk on mojitos blabbered to him all night, making a not-so-subtle comment on how hot he was.

A few guys he had known prior but didn’t really get a long with. This chick at the bar that was all over him and couldn’t stop reaching for his belt. Yeah, he didn’t let her get too far.

A man who was maybe a few years older than him said he liked Robbie’s jacket, he seemed cool. He was definitely cooler than most people at the party. What he didn’t expect was that the same man was going to have him blushing as he whispered soft words of praise into Robbie’s ear.

In no time, Robbie was stuttering out excuses and apologies, telling the man ‘N-nah, I don’t swing that way. Sorry.’ When it was clear that he had been thinking it over for the last few months after that stupid dare he had done between him and his friends. He won’t admit it’s still buried in the back of his head.

After one too many drinks and flirting here and there, he didn’t even remember if he went home with someone or not. But he found out soon enough when he felt a shuffle from beside him. He was so immersed in his memories of last night that he didn’t even take into account that there was a beautiful someone in his bed.

He lies back down when he sees the back of a girl, her shoulders have hickeys and bite marks over them. Robbie covers his mouth as he smirks a bit. Her hair a slight mess as it lays under her head. He puts his arms out and pulls her to his chest, a soft groan emitting from her.

You could feed strong and rough hands pulling you to a warm source. Not wanting to wake up yet, you just stayed still, lying in the comfy bed. Robbie’s hands snake around your waist, squeezing and feeling your sore body.

Once you do finally open your eyes, there’s a slight dizzying feeling in your head. Must be all the alcohol you drank last night. A soft stream of kisses starts being planted over your shoulders, the coarse feeling of facial hair on your soft skin makes you tingle.

When you turn around you’re both met with unfamiliar faces. Jesus, how much did you drink last night?

Robbie’s eyes widen at how pretty you are. He smiles gently and leans in to press a kiss to your forehead, which makes a smile of your own bloom across your face. He pulls you in for a hug and his hands wander down your naked body, feeling your curves and your skin.

You accept the warm and gentle hug, fitting into him like a puzzle piece. Your own hands came up and scratched his scalp, a low moan escaping him. You chuckle at the sound.

After a while of touching and re-exploring, you find the courage to use your voice.

“I don’t know you.” You laugh lowly, hiding your laughter in his neck. Robbie chuckles as well, his hands never stop touching you, now tracing shapes and words into your skin.

“It’s fine. I don’t know you either.” He pulls back and kisses your cheek. “But I like this.” “Oh, definitely.” You both end up laughing, relishing in the glow of the morning. “I’m Robbie.” You nod, telling him your name. “Y’know, one would think you’d remember my name after the amount of times you screamed it last night.”

Your eyes widen as a gasp leaves you, a laugh following after. “You! I had- well, we had a lot to drink.” Robbie agrees at your words. He pulls back from the hug and bites his lip softly. “God, you’re beautiful.” He slides down the bed a bit so he can be level with your chest. He presses kiss after kiss to your body, sometimes leaving wet spots as he licks over bites that he left last night.

“I should make your breakfast.” He sighs into your body, his fingers pressing themselves into your plush thighs, kneading any part of you that he found sore.

“I think I wanna stay here a bit longer. Maybe go for another round…” you whisper cheekily. Robbie laughs and shakes his head. “I wouldn’t mind at all.” He pulls you down to face him now, getting to see his pretty brown eyes. Your hand comes up and you trace the freckles on his face, connecting them like constellations.

He can feel his cheeks dusting over with pink, quickly becoming fond of your gentle and calm nature. He sits up and has you sit up as well, your back against the headboard.

He leans down and puts your legs on his shoulders, his face leaning down to your core. Robbie presses a kiss to your clit and you can’t help but shudder. He doesn’t waste time diving in and eating you out.

A whine escapes you as your hands bury themselves into his cropped hair. “Robbie-“ “Mhm, love the way you say my name, baby.” He talks into your core, some of it muffled as he licks up your wet cunt.

One loud moan from you is all it takes for a light knocking on the wall from Gabe. “Robbie, shut up!” His little brother groans as he shuffles in his bed. This makes you and Robbie end up laughing and having Robbie put a hand over your mouth as he pulls orgasm after orgasm from you.

[redroomroaving]

Fic Writer Questions

Thank you for the tag wonderful @graysparrowao3! I'm always delighted to see your name pop up anywhere at all friend :)

Gray already caught so many wonderful writers I'd like to see answer these questions - I'll add some no pressure tags for @n1ghtmeri @littlemisscactus @tavyliasin @ankhegs-in-my-salad @threerattsinatrenchcoat and @laserlope

Answers under the cut:

1) How many works do you have on AO3?

39 works.

2) What's your total AO3 word count?

649,420

3) What are your top five fics by kudos?

Sufferer, I shall - Abdirak x Donnick, complete (E) (48,733 words)

On Nights without much sleep - Halsin/M!Durge, complete(E) (26,639 words)

The Harper & The Tower - Geraldus x Rolan, complete longfic (E) (155,050 words)

Trusting, Trusted - Klaus x Kar'niss, one shot (E) (6,009 words)

Conductor Ringmaster - Klaus x Kar'niss, in progress (E) (86,451 words)

4) What fandoms do you write for?

BG3 is my bread and butter, but if you visit my Ao3 you'll find a few fics there for other things and at some point I'd like to pick up some more stories for other fandoms, too.

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

I'm terrible at this; one day I'll go back and respond to all the comments on my inbox - I went through a weird phase of feeling like I shouldn't because I a)couldn't distribute my responses evenly and b) didn't want to 'look' like I was padding out the comments on a fic, if that latter one makes sense? So I've responded rather sporadically to date. I ought to be better at this, and might start that tomorrow, even if it means replying to comments about 8 months later. Better late than never?

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

Hmmm this depends on your definition of angsty, I suppose - most of my endings land in the happy to bittersweet zone, and the angstiest ending I'll write is still on its way. For now, I'd say probably the ending of Communion of Shadows, my He Who Was x Shadowheart fic, ended with most sorrow. Fitting, given the pairing.

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

The Harper and The Tower is probably the winner here. When I started that fic it was out of a deep and powerful need to write about Harper Geraldus and give him a proper character exploration, healing, friends, family, purpose, and a supportive partner who could help him with where he ends up at the end of the game. 155k words later, I'd say he's got more or less all of that.

8) Do you get hate on fics?

If I do I probably don't see it, but, let's be totally honest my audience is so tiny if they're there, it's because they want to be and I'm sure that helps me a lot.

9) Do you write smut?

I sure do! I have almost no fic on BG3 that isn't smut anymore, which is hilarious as I'd not written a word of it before this time last year. I've grown a lot more confident as I've gone along and explored things I never expected to, and some of my favourite writing includes some of my smut. I don't particularly agree with the idea that it's unneccessary - it's played a vital role in both my Abdirak x Donnick and Klaus x Kar'niss pairings - everything you do in your life shapes and speaks to you as a person, everything. Inevitably, intimacy is part of that, and it's not a stone I'll leave unturned.

10) Do you write crossovers?

Not yet (for this fandom), but I would, if I could find a connection that spoke loudly enough to me.

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so? I write for about 5 people, I'd be amazed.

12) Have you ever had a fic translated?

I also don't think so.

13) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I haven't yet (unless my contribution to Volo's Erotic Library counts), but I'll be writing one with the incredible @librivore42 (please consider yourself tagged in this too!) this year for our tiny tiny ship Skoona x Waiter Jaymes (who, you say? You'll see!)

14) What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Outside of BG3:

Trevor/Alucard/Sypha from Castlevania

Alex/Jonas from Oxenfree

Terra/Kuja from FF6/FF9

For Baldur's Gate 3:

Abdirak x Donnick is my one true pairing, buuuuut I'd be absolutely lying through my teeth if I said that Harper Geraldus x Harper Bor hasn't lodged itself right next to them on the bench with force. If I'd found Bor a year ago I'd be sitting on a 300k Boraldus empire by now, sorry it took me so long, Bor!

16) What are your writing strengths?

I'd like to think I'm good at character voice and characterisation overall; I put a great deal of thought into every character and every dynamic I write and try hard to keep my characters internally consistent and distinct, and I never work against a character. I think I'm decent at environmental storytelling, too, and I've said it before but I'll say it again. You're the things you do, the things you surround yourself with, your habits, your spaces, your belongings - all of that matters just as much as the thoughts rattling in your skull.

17) What are your writing weaknesses?

Pacing, going on too long, getting overly caught up on the minutea of sensations when I need to let the dialogue sing a bit, starting 800 wips and letting my muse drown me, being deeply disorganised and not having any consistency in my writing habits, flying by the seat of my pants instead of planning. There's quite a lot.

18) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

I've used a few bits of 'fantasy' languages, such as writing a bit of drow where appropriate for my unpetrified drow fic A Disastrous Path but overall I'm not proficient enough in another language to feel confident I could do so.

19) First fandom you wrote for?

Final Fantasy 7, and not the remake, we're talkin' back in the day. I'm old.

20) Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

Sufferer, I shall is my favourite work and will probably remain so for a while. I'm not sure I'll write better so. I've said this a lot though soooo

I have a big personal spot in my heart for Communion of Shadows, which I'm also proud of but don't talk about much, and in terms of fics that haven't really had a lot of readership, I was genuinely really happy with my Geraldus x Bor one shot Stoke the Fire, which might be my favourite smut one shot I've ever written and a comfort fic for me.

This was a bunch of fun to answer, thanks again, Gray!

[thisliminalspacedaydreams]

Author Interview

thanks for the tag @veryinnovative you already all my life story but let's go at it again

How many works do you have on AO3?

47. Because I have no chill whatsoever.

What's your total AO3 word count?

818,546.

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes: Collars and Croissants 

Runaway Groom 

Le Mange Dieu et le Dévoreur de Mondes 

The Brew 

Goldeneye 

Do you respond to comments?

Not really… I don’t know, I feel like writing my story is my comment and the readers’ comment are their reaction to the work ? I tend to build friendships tumblr more so that ao3 (which I don’t consider to be a social media per se).

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

Heartless. It was not planned like this at all, but when it came to write it, that’s what needed to be done.

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

Most of my smutty oneshots I would say. It’s harder to have a happy ending when you put your characters through horrors…

Do you write crossovers?

Haven’t yet, but I’m not opposed. I love the idea of a Jayvik/Jegulus story set in Harry Potter where Jayvik from Arcane timetravel like in episode 8.  It just makes so much fucking sense. God I would like writing that so much.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

A few people strongly hate I am the moved on. 

Do you write smut?

I’m a theoretical whore 🥳

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not exactly.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yep ! The Dark!James one shot is available in Russian. And someone is working on Runaway Groom in French.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yas. Love a co-writing baby. I have co-written a few published ones, a few unpublished ones, and I am currently writing with 3 people, 4 different fics. I just love a cowrite. There’s nothing like it. With the right people, it just ✨makes sense✨.

What's your all-time favorite ship?

Nothing will ever beat Naruto/Sasuke. Although BKDK is really hitting something in me as of late.

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

Echoes in Eternity. I have been toying with the idea of writing a bullet point final chapter with what I had planned. But if I do then I fully give up… and I don’t know if I am ready.

What are your writing strengths?

My singularity. I don’t write traditionally, and people either love me for it or can’t stand it. I don't mind being a divisive writer. I don’t want to appeal to everyone, but I want a few people to stumble upon my shit and I be blown away. I want everyone else to think « wtf » and click out. The more I learn, the crazier I want to experiment. 

What are your writing weaknesses?

Description of people and things. I’m into the mental a lot, and I forget to tell people where they are. How they look. Mostly because it’s something I personally don’t care for while reading

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

I don’t have a real opinion. It depends on whether I feel like it’s necessary or no. But then I’m not really bothered either way.

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

Arcane and My Hero Academia. I wrote a really shitty mha start, but since then I had an idea so I need to rework it.

What's your favorite fic you've written?

They’re always my favourite when I’m writing them . But if I had to pick, then Heartless.  Which is also imo the most underrated one. I re-read it and I still think it slaps. It's not perfect but it's my baby. It's my fav. It's the one I would save in a fire.

I wrote it during a special time in my life and rereading it is always an emotional adventure

I don't necessarily know you all very well, but I enjoy you guys as writers, so....

@twisted-tales-told (I know you very well obvi, my couch has your name on it whenever, you know that right?)

@sophsicle (I don't know you, but your writing is very special to me)

@suixcausa (we have bonded over bookbinding (I swear imma send you your copy of SEMI, it's just cold outside and I have to go to the *post office* and I don't like itttttt)) and also mha dragon fucking... I mean what's not to like. Can't wait to physical meet you one day)

@majjale (we spoke on tumblr briefly but your immortal baku AU fic ended my life and re-started it, and I am endlessly curious).

Cheers

[darkhymns-fic]

A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening

Husk used to like dancing, once upon a time.

Amazing how certain people can ruin such things for you.

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel Characters: Alastor/Husk, Charlie Morningstar, Angel Dust Rating: M Word Count: 4421 Mirror: AO3 Notes: I caved in and wrote fic for the funny swearing cartoon. Please note that this story contains depictions of abuse and power dynamics, as well as implications of violence. More tags are listed on the AO3 mirror. Grumpy cat man does not have a good time here (or even a choice).

--

Husk raised an eyebrow as he processed the information that was passed to him. (No, he couldn’t have heard that right.)

He was still cleaning up a shot glass with a less-than-clean rag, but his movements slowed, keeping his eyes level with the princess of Hell who stood in front of his bar. The eerie glow of the wooden walls fell over her hair, coating it in a green sheen that reminded him of poison dripping down the strands. A bitter but familiar taste settled on his tongue.

“…A dance party?” he finally asked her.

“Yes! For everyone in the hotel! There’s gonna be balloons and camaraderie and so much music!” Charlie was bouncing up and down on her toes. If she got any more excited, she’d probably jump straight up through the roof. Not like it would’ve been the first construction hazard the hotel had, or even the last. “It was Alastor’s idea! He said it would be a really good morale booster!”

Not a whisker twitched on Husk’s face, but he could feel the cracks in the glass forming underneath his hand. Another one for the dustbin. “Of course it was.”

Too low for Charlie to hear him, not that he wanted her to. She was riding on cloud nine, which was an achievement for a Hell-born denizen. “I just gotta get all the decorations set up! Oh! And Alastor told me to invite you specifically! It’s going to be so much fun!”

Thankfully, Charlie turned away then—to check up on all those decorations, the bright balloons, and streamers, and what looked like a disco ball (?) up top that was just gonna break the beams of this shack of a building. Because by then, the glass Husk was holding had shattered to pieces.

With a growl, he picked away at the shards embedded in his fur, one by one. Just a few of them were stained in blood, their color gaining a sickly green hue from the glow of the bar.

What a painful way to start the night.

--

Before anyone had even hit the dance floor, Husk was already shit-faced. But he wasn’t blackout drunk, and right now, that was his ultimate goal. Cheap booze was hardly good for anything else.

He could barely care whatever music was playing—but by the way Charlie was twirling and shaking her arms like an excitable chicken, it must have been some of that new pop stuff Husk never took much of a liking to. Much of the scene was a blur to him, still staying put behind his bar, hoping to be forgotten for his boss’ new…interest.

(Awful to think, but some men craving for freedom, for anything, become desperate. He knew this too well.)

Alastor was doing all he could to encourage the princess with a bleeding heart; holding up his mic to comment on her dancing techniques, to cue applause at just the right moment, always telling her the same thing. “Wonderful! Just a wonderful performance!”

Even so, one could barely call this much of a party. Hazbin Hotel’s guests were so few—still only two total—but that Sir Pentious was also doing some of the dorkiest moves Husk had ever seen, and still falling face-first on the floor despite having no legs to trip over to begin with. Somehow, Angel Dust’s moves weren’t as X-rated as Husk would have expected on any other day. Instead, the guy was lending a pair of hands to Niffty, letting her lead yet still somehow controlling her rabid movements to pull him across the floor, also avoiding any sudden bites she would randomly decide to do.

There were times, also, when he would see Alastor reach out a hand to Charlie. He’d lean on his cane, mouth close to the mic head, humming a little ditty reminiscent of the jazz lounges back when their bodies weren’t made of fur and weird demon magic. It wouldn’t be the first time Alastor danced with the princess, but then an arm would reach out, safely guiding Charlie away from him.

Surprising that the same arm lacked a spear in it, one with a suspicious glint to it that Husk recognized but bit his tongue from ever mentioning. Vaggie’s one eye burned brighter than most firepits, and Charlie, innocent soul that she was, thought her girlfriend was just impatient for another close dance.

“Aw, Vaggie! Did you wanna try the Lindy Hop together?”

Another glare, her and the red demon’s staring contest looking ludicrous underneath the shifting lights of the spinning ball overhead. “Yeah, sure thing, hun.” And then she broke from that gaze, her expression changing to softness as she looked at Charlie in the blink of an eye and just that. It must have been love, not that Husk knew anything about it anymore. “I’ll follow your lead, if that’s okay.”

Alastor kept his smile as they both moved away, slowly pulling back his hand as his fingers curled. But a close listener could hear the static, garbling slowly in a crescendo. No, his boss didn’t like being denied his playthings.

And if he wasn’t being entertained this very second, then he’d—

“Hey, ya gonna join us? This dance party’s not half bad.” Angel Dust leaned on the bar, grinning as he took his usual seat. He hid it well, but Husk noted how his chest shifted with his heavy breathing, using his second right arm to discreetly wipe away the sweat from the fluff. It took all one had to keep up with Niffty, even from a guy who claimed to have amazing stamina.

Crossing one leg over the other, Angel kept up his smile, but it lacked the biting veneer from other times. An honesty that could be seen, even with Husk’s somewhat blurry sight. “I mean,” Angel continued. “If ya feel like sucking off that bottle instead of something with a little more taste.”

Husk didn’t take offense to such jokes anymore (just for show, which he also knew all too well) but he still didn’t move. This was the closest to safety he got. Besides, the bottle wasn’t even empty yet. “Nah, got two left feet. Wouldn’t work out.”

At that, Angel Dust laughed. “Didn’t stop our slithery friend over there! Or even Niffty! Though, uh…”

A quick look from them both showed the tiny Niffty now crawling along the walls, heading for the disco ball and then clamping it tightly with her entire body.  

“Yeah,” Angel nodded. “Think she’s got the hang of it now.”

Husk shrugged. He slid a glass to Angel that was half-full, a motion he could still do even with slightly trembling hands. “Don’t let me tie you down, kid. I’ve seen your moves.” He allowed himself a smile, one he could say he even felt.

Angel took the drink, one that could barely buzz a chihuahua, and gave Husk a smile back just as he stood up. All limbs, and a smile that hid back its usual gleam for fatigued eyes. “Alright, but if you change your mind, I bet I could teach you how to move it.”

Husk could barely count the minutes since Angel left and the party continued. The soundtrack for the dance eventually changed from the generic pop to a swing number—one that Husk could probably mouth the words to if he still had any hope inside him. And sometimes, he did feel it. Staying in this hotel was misery at first until the faces became more familiar, more concerned, and less like the eyes of something that hunted and searched for that moment of weakness.

The music was as grainy as his vision, so heavily textured and straining on the ears that he kept trying to pick it up, even as it changed. The vocals. The soft melancholic chorus in the background. It lacked the instruments of the previous songs. Weird choice for a dance. So much did he focus on it, all while holding a whiskey bottle with both hands because now he wanted some of the good stuff. He stared into the warped glass as he listened for so long that he forgot how there was no safe place for him. Just for a moment, but that was all it took.

A shadow fell over the bar. Over him. He knew who it was. Husk tipped the bottle to his lips and took long, long drink.

“Husker! My dear friend, didn’t you get my invite?”

It was a while before he answered. He slammed the bottle onto the mahogany surface, twisted his lips. Already empty, he needed another. “Yeah, I did. What about it?” Whiskey made him braver, but also careless. “Gotta keep serving the guests, don’t I?”

He heard the familiar chuckle, frizzled and slightly skipping, as if the vinyl had been scratched. “While it is good to see you still keeping to your deal, you have to understand it’s rude to RSVP and then not show.”

He wrenched the cork from his new bottle; wine this time, because this felt like as good of a time to switching things up as any. He watched the mist curl from the opening with all the fascination of a man pointedly avoiding the signals around him. “I am here to anyone that’s got eyes. Besides, I never promised Charlie I would actually dance.”

“Oh? You saying our little princess is a fibber?”

“I’m saying you only hear what you want. All the damn fucking time!” A hard grip, and then, he made the mistake of raising his head to see. (Never look into his eyes, you fool.) “Why don’t you take your dumbass musical project and just shove it along with that stupid mic of yours?! At least then I can just—”  

Something tugged him forward. Cold yet hot at the same time, just around his neck and clenched tight. He gripped the bar, claws digging in to keep himself from slamming his forehead into the wood.

Suddenly, his vision was crystal-clear.

The eyes burned into his. Red as the fiery sun over the sea, as the freshly split blood over a forest floor. A grin that was impossibly wide for a living thing, but neither of them were alive anymore, so all he could do was wait for when those same fangs would bite down on something else other than pride. Strange, twisting shapes curled from behind, appearing from behind the Radio Demon, like some demented crown of thorns.

“Silly Husker. That wasn’t a request and you know it.”

Oh, he knew it.

In the chaotic lighting of the room, from that fucking stupid disco ball, to the blinding streamers and balloons, and even a few rave sticks Husk caught Sir Pentious waving around, no one would notice the subtle green of the chains. How they burned into Husk’s neck, rubbing it raw until the fur would fall off, leaving him bruised beneath.

He shook again, keeping himself upright as much as he could. All to not be humiliated again, and this time in front a crowd. They would hate seeing him that way. They would demand Alastor to stop.

But the crushing indignity was too much to endure that.

“Fine,” he hissed out. “Do whatever you want.”

“Why, gladly!”

The chain vanished. Husk was left gasping, his fingers pressed against his throat to feel for any mark. (Just his property and nothing else). But he saw the hand now held out to him, palm facing upward. Those seemingly delicate fingers moved back and forth, and there was the familiar static, the usual dead air, but also…if one could turn the dial just so, the faint cacophony of screams that echoed in the distance, only to be drowned out by grainy noise.

“Shall we dance, dear Husker?”

Any choice he had once, he’d already made a while back.

Husk said nothing as he slid his hand into the other’s, claws carefully dulled to not scratch. He was practically pulled over the bar, his wings flapping in surprise. Red and black feathers circled around them both, and then he was tugged in close, looking up at the man with the smile that had now considerably shrunk—to look charming, almost. But always sharp and ready to bite.

“Now look lively, my dear. It’s as if your feet are encased in cement!”

The voice slid through his chest, like poison once more, carefully given to him in small doses over the years. A hand placed itself at the small of his back, his feet nearly lifted off the floor. An arm kept his wings closed in, so that they couldn’t stretch, like a straight-jacket forcibly put on him. Those wings were one of the few things he even liked about his form here in Hell, even if he sometimes found them to be an eyesore. But nothing else now could catch him from falling.

Nowhere to stabilize himself except in Alastor’s arms.

Anything to make him feel helpless. Vulnerable. Nothing more than a pet.

That’s all he was to him.

Alastor leaned in slightly, moving Husk’s free hand to clasp onto the taller demon’s shoulder. Husk sighed, but he followed through. Resigned. Better to be led through and survive the night without much damage. (Why even fight it?)

Just barely on his toes, and feeling the sharp nails dig just against his fur, they started their dance across the floor.

This wasn’t the first time they did this.

It was easy to fall into the motions. The thing that Husk had to begrudgingly admit was that Alastor was a pretty good dancer. He moved his feet with a grace that could be easily followed, and Husk did so. The trail of a footstep following the other, their hands joined together, leading him to the right or left with barely a pull. And with the grip behind his back, fingers circling into his fur, making Husk swallow hard.

Eyes started to follow them now, even with the awful-as-fuck lighting. He caught a glance of Niffty to the side, how she stopped trying to gnaw on Sir Pentious’ tail as she stared gleefully at her boss and co-worker getting close on the dance floor. He could hear Charlie make her excited little noises of happiness, commenting on just how sweet it was to see them demonstrate to everyone how to dance. Yeah. Sure. Anything to keep the princess oblivious to the rot beneath. At least Husk was sure Vaggie wouldn’t explain much more.

Maybe, just maybe, he thought he saw Angel Dust in the far back. Hard to tell, because the effects of all his drinking were slowly making its way back, his fear replaced by numbness. But seeing Angel’s expression, it wasn’t pity. It was an understanding between two losers at the bottom of the barrel, witness to another form of degradation. Sold souls that could do nothing else but share the pain from across the room.

And then he couldn’t see Angel anymore. Because Alastor suddenly dipped him, so low to the ground that Husk found himself clinging tighter to the demon. His fur stood on end, his hat dangerously close to falling off. But Alastor leaned in close, his sharp teeth just at Husk’s ear, his breath parting the fur as gentle as a caress.

“This is a lovely way to spend an evening. Can’t think of anything I’d rather do.”

Husk widened his eyes. The music playing in the room, its echoes finally reaching his drunken skull. Oh, this absolute fucker.

The guy’s face really was made for radio.

Alastor lifted him up again, twirled him with barely a thought for Husk, who could have vomited from motion sickness. Wings flapped open, desperate for freedom, only to be closed in again by Alastor bringing Husk close. Another lean, and the song played again, closer, on the speaker that was Alastor’s mouth, with a voice that wasn’t his but that age-old recording.

“A casual stroll through a garden, and a kiss by a lazy lagoon.” Alastor’s grin could be felt against Husk, and how so often was he told how soft his fur was, to touch and play with. “Catching a breath of moonlight. Humming our favorite tune.”

Husk bristled. His claws bent inwards, so close to Alastor’s neck. It would be easy to at least draw blood, right in front of everyone, to show that this demon, horrifying as he was, can still be wounded despite it all.

Except, Husk had already tried that once. Back when the deal had still been fresh.

Alastor turned to face him, his smile so manic, so very daring.

Husk did nothing, instead continuing to listen to the song that Alastor played, dictating their movements. The same song that Husk remembered hearing on the radio so many years ago.

“I want to save all my nights and spend them with you. I love spending all with you…”

--

It felt like centuries before the party was finally over.

Husk could barely stand to be back behind his bar, let alone in the hotel lobby. The balloons, which half were already deflated, were a fucking eyesore and that damn ball up top or whatever did eventually fall—on Sir Pentious. But if the guy could survive an attack from the Radio Demon absolutely demolishing his ship and half of his egg boys, then it was clear the snake was indestructible.

Maybe Husk was a bit jealous.         

He didn’t want to deal with seeing anyone, even when Alastor, finally, finally let him go. Still, their clasped hands lingered, and Alastor leaned down as if to kiss his knuckles, Husk frozen in place at the very thought. And then, fingers laxed in their hold, allowing Husk to pull back, his fur on end and his wings frazzled, the feathers out of place.

The song had long stopped playing but still he heard it, deep in his skull, as if someone had shoved a phonograph there, the horn of it directed right inside his ear.

A quick exit, before anyone could reach him. Hypocritical maybe, but he didn’t feel like voicing his troubles right now. Not when it just fucking happened right in front of everyone, with only one of them even getting a hint of what it was all about.

Alastor and his stupid games.

But even when Husk retreated to this room, he could barely relax. The room was just one in a hundred in this empty hotel, but one that Charlie had been so happy to lead him to that first time. She had pointed to each pillow on the bed and even to all the little mints that were stacked on top. She had even been hyped for the shaded lamps on the bedside table, despite the bulbs long weakening. Overkill, like much of what she did. But earnest, and genuine, and one that truly did see the good in everyone despite how each sinner had earned their keep here.

A complete difference from the Radio Demon that had just materialized at his side, a whisper of a soft, nostalgic melody his only warning.

“Oh, Husker. I didn’t peg you to be an early sleeper.”

Followed immediately by the door slamming shut.

Husk didn’t dare turn. Not yet, not until he reached for the cards in his pocket. They could be as sharp as knives, as strong as wire. He was drunk, and tired, and maybe he was past his limit at having himself played around with in front of everyone like it was all just normal.

But, before he could even pull back his arm, something held him in place. A blink. The lamp in his room flickered, and he caught the antlered shadow on his left wall, grabbing at his own. Of fucking course.

“Bad kitty! And after I let you keep your little toys.”

A quick squeeze and Husk sucked air through his teeth, dropping a flurry of his cards to the carpet. Then a violent turn, and the manacle appeared once more around his neck, the sickening green creating valleys and crevices all over Alastor’s grinning face.

Still, that godforsaken melody kept playing.

Then a pull.

Husk choked. He reached for the links, clung to it, even as they burned off his fur. His wings stretched wide, flapped once and then twice. All he could do to keep his ground.

Alastor leaned his head to the side at a painful angle—unclear if he even felt anything while doing so, or maybe he did because he could, relishing the crack of bone and the rupture of blood vessels. All while he held onto Husk’s leash, keeping it taut.

It wasn’t enough to make Husk shut up.

“You fucking psychopath. What more do you even want from me? I already danced with you! I even let you just… touch me like…” Husk could barely speak, but he glared at the Radio Demon with all the rage and humiliation he felt deep within whatever he had left of his soul. “I know you get off to this shit!”

The demon leaned in close. The sight of it was compressing, losing full shape, covered over with black marks and strange symbols that he had never understood. Antlers grew and took shape, their sharp points reaching out to Husk like an embrace. But, they stopped just short of his face, just over his eyes, making him terrified to even blink.

In corrupted static, the music garbled and off-key, Alastor whispered. “And so do you.”

Husk’s grip on the chain loosened. He gritted his teeth. Fuck. This was it. He was going to die, with his agony broadcasted all over Hell.

Another quick pull, and Husk lost his grip completely. The shadow from behind him had grasped at his wings, stinging in the pain as tendons snapped like twine, and suddenly he couldn’t extend them anymore. Another avenue of possible escape, already taken away from him.

Then he was pulled forward again to the real Alastor, a hand grasping his own, fingers interlaced. Husk trembled. Would the Radio Demon start by breaking his hands, going through each limb slowly until he couldn’t even move anymore?

Alastor pulled taut on the chain once more, straining the metal. But they would never break, no matter how much Husk wished for it. It was close to his face, and he wondered if Alastor was going to bound and gag him, burn off his tongue, so that his screams would have no words.

That is not what happened.

Instead, Alastor took the chain and wrapped it carefully, almost delicately around their clasped hands. Husk grimaced at the touch, burning yet freezing all at once. Alastor showed change in emotion at all. Still smiling wide, the antlers retracted back like tentacles. The discordant melody shifted back to harmonious, no longer warped and out of tune. The record played, undisturbed.

Husk blinked. His eyes moved to their hands, tied together by the chain, before going back to Alastor. “What…are you doing?”

A hand reached for his back, pulled him close until his nose was pressed against the front of Alastor’s suit. A finger pushed against a suspender in what could have been seen as playful, and a thumb rubbed circles into the fur, searching for the skin beneath.

“You’re just lovely when you dance,” Alastor said so softly, just against his ear. The teeth nipped just so slightly, tugging at his fur, at him. Husk shook, and he wasn’t sure if it was entirely from fear. “And the night is still so young.”

His wings still ached from the sudden clipping of his feathers, and his hand was half-burned from the links pressed against his fur. Even so, he didn’t step back. He felt his feet just almost leave the floor, their bodies pushed even closer than before in the hotel lobby.

He didn’t say anything. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

And he even used to like dancing, once upon a time.

Husk’s body felt like a rag doll, pushed and pulled to go wherever his owner wanted. The chain kept them bound, even if it was already connected to his neck. In the quiet of his room, they slow danced to what had once been one of Husk’s favorite songs as it played in its vintage soundscape.

It was nothing new at all. In fact, it was very much the usual. The playing of an old ballad or a jazz rendition when Alastor was near him. The subtle brushing of knuckles against his own when walking by. A quick pat over his head. A tug of his ears, done so lightly that Husk sometimes wondered if it was imagination. A patting of the shoulder, the hand lingering just a moment too long. A finger rushing down his side. Even a delicate pull of his tail. After all, Alastor would tell him, it was just so very soft.

Husk had pushed back at first. He had groused and cursed, hating to be ridiculed. He still did so now, like the fucking genius that he was, the current pain in his wings reminding him with glee.

Sometimes, Alastor would laugh and be on his way. Other times, not so much.

Husk forgot that he couldn’t pick his battles—for there was none he could win.

He gritted his teeth, letting his body be swayed, shivering at the hot breaths along his neck. The dim lights of his room swam in his vision, and soon, he was falling more against Alastor, pulled in by warmth that could turn scalding at any moment.

(Perhaps dancing was what cured the loneliness, in a way. He really was pathetic.)

He looked to their joined hands, engulfed in green that seemed all encompassing. Then he stepped in something wet, tracking it in the carpet. Too apathetic to the thought that they were dancing out patterns with his own blood.

“This is a lovely way to spend an evening,” sang Alastor, in that same recorded voice. But also, Husk could hear Alastor’s own, as if the demon was singing along in his own private booth for his loyal listeners. “Can't think of anything I'd rather do.”

Husk breathed carefully, letting himself fall quiet. When he made his deal, he was never promised he’d understand the Radio Demon or his motivations. He knew, in the end, that he didn’t want to anyway.

The night blurred, until the pain had all but numbed, and their song was all he could hear.

[bonos-grindcore-sideproject]

i was tagged by @breathinginthissilence to answer 20 questions for fic writers, thank you!

I should point out that I’m MissEllaVation on ao3.

1) how many works do you have on ao3? A modest 33.

2) what's your total ao3 word count? 143,353. That’s not even equal to one decent novel. Still, it’s something.

3) What are your top five fics by kudos? Beach Sequence All The Secrets And No One To Tell People’s Parties / Until The End Of The World Blue Ginger (Variation) Near The Island

4) what fandoms do you write for? I write for the massive U2 fandom! Well, it’s massive in the real world, like at concerts and stuff.

5) do you respond to comments? why or why not? I absolutely respond to comments. I love comments! It’s not like I can go to work and talk to my colleagues about how Bono and Edge are in a long term sexual relationship while still maintaining their marriages. Also, compliments on your writing are nice and I think it’s ungracious to not respond if you can.

6) what's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending Probably either You In Midair or Homecoming.

7) what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? A few! I like a happy ending (double-entendre, LOL). Um, let’s see: Beach Sequence, Les Croques Monsieurs.

8) do you get hate on fics? Not so far!

9) do you write smut? Nah. I write some “mature” scenes, sure. But I call myself “The Reluctant Pornographer.”

10) do you write crossovers? No. Closest I might ever get is having Bono and Edge watch The Mighty Boosh, a thing that has happened in real life anyway. 

11) have you ever had a fic stolen? Not to my knowledge.

12) have you ever had a fic translated? Not to my knowledge.

13) have you ever co-written a fic before? Well…some of the stuff on the legit U2 fansite I write for is almost fic, but I think my partner there would object.

14) what's your all time favorite ship? Look, I’m an elderly woman in Tumblr terms. I have one ship and it is Bedge. Bedge 4 Life.

15) what's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I mostly write one-shots but I’m considering adding another chapter or two to In The Shadow.

16) what are your writing strengths? Dialogue and setting the scene. I actually lived through the 80s and 90s and was very into postpunk and alternative, which I think gives me an advantage for writing about U2.

17) what are your writing weaknesses? What is a plot?

18) thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? I’m American. I simply couldn’t do it. Which, along with a lot of other stuff about being American, is shameful.

19) first fandom you wrote for? Looking back, I realize I was writing (and illustrating!) fics about bands and musicians that I liked many years ago, but there was no internet and I really had no concept of fanfiction or fandoms. I entertained a couple of my friends, but I thought there was something kind of embarrassing about being in my 20s(!!!) and still being so fixated on this stuff. Pardon me while I roll off my chair and laugh till I barf.

20) favorite fic you've ever written? I’m sticking with Boy.

I believe @likeamadonnau2 has already bean tagged, so I am tagging @alphabravohotel and I don't know who else because nobody writes U2 fics anymore. Sorry I'm so focused on one fandom. :) If anyone sees this and wants to do it, please do!

[tavyliasin]

2024 Writing Retrospect

Tagged by @jellymellydraws so I'll give it a go!

What's been your biggest learning point this past year? There are very few things I can't/won't write if I put my mind to it, I just need to find the right angle - I've found a lot of joy in writing crackships, one shots, and rare pairings. I do adore my longer stories, but digging in to new dynamics never fails to be exciting and I'd like to lean on that some more~

How has your writing developed this past year? I think I'm a lot more confident in writing, particularly kink, and I'm easing my way out of some bad habits like sentences that are far too long or being too vague when my mind wants to skip through the most exciting parts~

Bad writing habits? Hmmm I'm going to have to throw in getting distracted, not finishing WIPs, and definitely the impatience to post. I know works are better with a beta read, but that means waiting and editing and re-reading instead of just slamming it down, throwing the links into every corner of the internet, and running away in fear and horror that nobody wants what I just put out. Ah, there's another bad habit - the lack of confidence in finished works. I don't like looking at my stats, but I cherish every single individual comment and kudos like my entire creative career depends on it.

Favorite thing you wrote? Gods that's a tough one. I adore all of my works, and I wrote so much this year. It might be between the Raphael/Haarlep prequel pieces, and possibly Emperor x Volo "A Legend, Alive" which was a real experiment when I started it and it just developed so much depth and feeling as I took it entirely seriously~

Biggest win? Getting over 500k words published on AO3, over 100 works, and also finishing the 24 chapter speedwritten epic that was the Volo Kinkmas Challenge. Most of which barely a dozen people have even opened judging by the hit counts, but I shouldn't expect people to actively want to read 24 chapters of Volo smut without me begging them and yelling "hear me out, it's actually really good" about a thousand times a minute. (Seriously though I am proud of finishing it and I think I did a damn good job too, allowing myself that pride)

Goals for the new year? Write. The. Original. Novel. I did barely anything on it last year... I would also like to finish all 3 of my longfics, they've been going on too long without concluding, then I'll feel more free in starting new things or indulging in silly premise one shots~

Your favorite words of the year, aka the words you check each chapter for, making sure you didn't repeat them 788 times? "As". You can pry "as" from my cold dead hands, I need it, it works, I will use it plenty~ Otherwise I really just keep checking word repetition constantly. If I'm going over a piece and worry I've said a word too many times I will do a quick ctrl+F to highlight uses and see if I'm good or not. I prefer several paragraphs before a word repeats and open my thesaurus tab often~

What are you excited for in the new year? Creative events, finishing the other Zine pieces I've signed up for, and the release of Fan Zines I've been a part of - really excited to share those pieces with you all when they are released~

Tagging in - with no pressure, only if you'd like to - @morb-untamed @laserlope @khapikat222 @ineadhyn @redroomroaving

[4getfulimaginator2022]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

I haven't been tagged, but I saw @fandomsbyladymelodrama do one of these a few months back - so of course, I wanted to give it a try. 🙃 Also, I haven't done any personal posts on here in forever. Time for a change!

How many works do you have on AO3? I have 18 works so far. And when it comes to ships, it looks like I have a "type." 😉

What's your total AO3 word count? Oh boy. 660K+ right now and growing all the time because when stories speak, I write.

What fandoms do you write for? Mainly Once Upon a Time (starting in 2013), followed by Game of Thrones (2024, baby!) and then that 1 Greek myth collection thingy. I was a die-hard Once fan back in the day and watched episodes religiously, so all the canon lore was seared into my brain until season 6 (when I dropped the show because the writing was so off the rails). Surprise, surprise - I haven't watched GoT in its entirety. Everything I know is through my own research, watching videos, reading, reading, reading, and the contributions of the wonderful Jorleesi fandom.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos? All Captain Swan fics, in order from the most to the least: 1) Heart Bound 2) Only the Beginning 3) A Cobbler's Life For Me 4) Be My Angel, Be My Demon 5) Nevermore

Do you respond to comments? I try! I used to be less strict about replying to comments, but with my resurgence in fanfic after years of absence, I have replied to each and every one. Currently, I am behind on replies, but I will get around to it again. Soon.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Oof. I don't do angsty endings because I will die on the hill that is Jane Austen: “My characters shall have, after a little trouble, all that they desire.” Probably my angstiest ending is in Trader of Hearts, which is a really dark fic. I do have a one-shot that is semi-angsty, though: Thinking of You.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? *deer in headlights look* I make it my business to give my beloved characters the happiest endings I can. Seriously. I don't know how to rank endings against each other, since the characters always end up together. I currently think my happiest ending is for The Old Curiosity Shop, my Jorleesi fic.

Do you get hate on fics? I have, but these were readers telling me how I should write my stories "the right way." I also have gotten spam comments. Overall, people are pretty nice.

Do you write smut? Hoo-hah! 😏 Let's count: I have 3 fics rated Mature and 5 fics rated Explicit. That's half of my fic repertoire. And when I do Explicit, it's ❤️‍🔥. Enough said.

Do you write crossovers? No. Not happening, cannot do, end of discussion.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Well... There was a scandal back on FF.net in 2014 or 2015? Websites were copying all fanfics to scammy websites or selling fanfics as ebooks. Not cool. I used to have all my content on FF.net, but now only my in-progress fics are there. All my fics are up on AO3.

Have you ever had a fic translated? No, not that I know of.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Hey, if someone is offering... But again, no. No one ever wanted to co-write with me. 🥺 But maybe it's because I'm sooooooooo bossy!

What's your all-time favorite ship? Oh crap. All-time favorite?! WHAT. I have to cheat here and say there's a tie: Captain Swan and Jorleesi. Emma Swan and Killian Jones had a long journey to love and happiness, both in terms of their individual character growth and their relationship as a couple. The more I learned about them, the harder I fell in love with them. It helped that the CS fandom was HUGE as the ship became canon, and Tumblr was so active then that #captainswan was all over the place. We were one of the largest canon ships for that show. Now, as for Jorleesi... Jorah Mormont's loyalty and devotion earned my attention and respect from the first, and then when I found out about his love for Daenerys and her repressed love affection for him, I was a goner. My 2 OTPs: both women are BAMFs who are survivors and warriors, while their guys value love above all and are willing to die to protect them (*sobbing for Jorah because noooooooo* 😭)

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Heart Bound. This fic... I love this fic. This is my Jane Eyre/Jane Austen fix. It's my 2nd period piece and I adore some of my prose in this one. It. Needs. 4. Chapters. To. Be. Complete. Can I do it? Yes. Do I want to do it? *cries* Of course I do but it's hard...

What are your writing strengths? Hmm. Some would say it's my prose, while others would say that I know how to channel emotion into my writing. I like to incorporate literature and historical references into my fics (historical AUs or not), so I think I've done well with that. I've also been told that my characterizations are fantastic and unique. You do notice that I'm not claiming credit for any of these observations, right? Usually, I believe my writing is awful and I could have done so much better. I have a hard time acknowledging my strengths. You could hand me an Olympic gold medal for Writing and I would still insist that it's all lies. My self-belief and confidence have not improved over the years.

What are your writing weaknesses? Dialogue. It's always dialogue. I want it to be realistic but my vocab gets in the way and it starts sounding like prose. Not good. But I am getting better! No way to go but up.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Maybe I'd do it, but it would have to be necessary for me to put in the effort. I don't purposely bamboozle my readers. 🤣

First fandom you wrote for? Once Upon a Time (of course *rolls eyes*). One Against the Wind is my ultimate period fic - pirates, the Caribbean, my tribute to PotC and pirate novels I've read. I created character backstory when there was no canon backstory. It's also my longest fic at 147K words. So proud of it and it still holds a special place in my heart. 😍

Favorite fic you've written? Ugh, no no no! I always, always say I cannot have one favorite because that is BORING. But okay, I will say that at the moment, it's The Old Curiosity Shop. I just did a full read of the entire fic and my heart absolutely melted. Adorable, heartbreaking, angsty, and so romantic. Jorleesi, I love you and I will die for you. You own my heart a thousand times over. ❤️

Fineeeee, I'll tag 5 people (no worries if you don't want to do this - completely voluntary fun and games here 💕): @ser-jorah-the-andal, @rileypotter17, @houseofthebear, @clarasimone, @thank-god-and-you

[angel-of-whump]

Panic settled as Grace started organizing the files in her hands.

Just what the hell did Valerie tell her to do now?

She doesn't know why, but this felt wrong-

No. She had a clear idea on why this felt wrong. She just didn't want to stomach it.

As she walked down the hallway, she bumped into one of her coworkers.

And as soon as that happened, something quickly flickered in her mind.

"O-Oh! Hi! Uh, sorry. I can't talk. I'm in the middle of something." She tried to walk away, but her coworker stopped her.

"Have you got anymore dirt on that guy?"

"Uh... Nothing so far. Just the gambling story you guys have been cooking up."

"Okay, well, you know what Valarie said. Dig up any social media this guy has. We need this story by 5 PM, got it?"

"Got it..." She slinked away into the crowd, trying to ignore the whispers about the man Declan shot.

Grace sat at her computer, running her fingers through her hair. His digital profile was sparse. The only thing she could find on his Facebook were a few family photos and him and his wife. They looked so happy together...

She sighed and kept clicking. If she doesn't get this story soon, Valarie is gonna come for her neck. Then again, they could just make something up and everyone will believe it. No wonder Fox News has so many fans...

She was about to quit her search when she noticed something. There was someone commenting on Twitter about Matthew writing fanfiction when he was a kid? What does fanfiction have to do with this?

He didn't seem to be the kind of guy who would be into the fandom space. Then again, her friends were in some weird fandoms back in the day.

After a bit of digging, she managed to find Matthew's old page. And she... had to pause for a second.

Archive of Our Own? This guy has an AO3 page?

Clicking on the link, she could see an assortment of stories. All of them were last updated from the year 2011. Man, this guy had to be in high school around that time. Looking at someone's old work felt wrong to her, but she had to do this.

She looked at the fandoms he wrote. There were some popular ones like Stargate, Star Trek (A lot of them were about Star Trek) and a few on Star Wars. Huh, this guy's got good taste.

Looking at the tags, she yet again paused.

Whump?

Lab whump?

Non-human whumpee?

What the hell? What is this?

She typed the words into the search bar and it took her to a Fanlore page describing the term and her face turned white.

Oh. Oh no. What am I getting myself into?

----

Valerie tapped her foot, waiting for Grace to pick up. She was supposed to report back twenty minutes ago. What the hell is she doing?!

"Hello?"

"Grace, what the hell are you doing?! The story?!"

"Sorry! Um, can it wait? I'm... kinda busy."

"With what?!"

"Can you... check your computer?"

"Huh?" Valarie clicked on the link that Grace had given her and immediately choked. There, on the screen, was a description of someone being horrifically tortured, body parts being bent in ways that aren't humanly possible. "W-What the fuck am I looking at here?!"

"Someone's old fanfiction...?"

"Grace, you hit the jackpot!! People would see this and talk about how sick and twisted he is!"

"Umm, wouldn't it just cause a lot of arguments online?"

"C'mon, Grace! It's well known that people who write this stuff are sick in the head!"

"Isn't that what all books are like? You clearly haven't read a lot of them. A lot of authors tend to be pretty chill."

"Whatever. Just send the rest of this stuff to me. The press is gonna love it!"

"For a high schooler, it's pretty good... Sucks he didn't finish any of them..."

"Can you shut up about how good his writing was?!"

[scimitar-and-longsword]

20 Questions For Fic Writers

Tagged by @cactusdragon517 almost a month ago lol, I'm slow to get these done.

How many works do you have on ao3? 21

What's your total ao3 word count? 202,835

What fandoms do you write for? Currently? Call of Duty and I'm still hanging around the TOG fandom. But I've hardly posted anything in years lol. Someday when my toddler is a little older I'll get back into posting more.

Top five fics by kudos:

Share Your Address - Fencer!Joe/TA!Nicky College AU - Insta-love. So much texting. Everybody wants to punch Keane.

It Feels Like Flying - Joe/Pilot!Nicky AU - This is porn. Enjoy.

Brothers Fight - Joe & Booker working through their issues post movie.

Everything I Did to Get to You - Sequel to Share Your Address (my top fic by Kudos) - AU - A few years later Joe and Nicky spend the holidays with friends and family.

Collapsing Walls - Book of Nile!!!!! - Established Booker/Nile - Booker and Nile get caught in a building while trying to assist during an earthquake.

Do you respond to comments? Yes!! I try to respond to all comments for at least a few days after I post something.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I don't write a lot of angsty ENDINGS. I'll Never Love Another (Prince!Joe/Knight!Nicky) has a fuck ton of angst in it, and I know some people thought the ending was bitter sweet bordering on sad.... but idk (spoilers?) no one died and they're together sooooo that's a happy ending in my book lol.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Gees, idk lol Share Your Address?? It's so sweet you'll get cavities.

Do you get hate on fics? I never have. *knock on wood*

Do you write smut? Hardly ever. I mean I HAVE, and actually the most recent thing I posted was like straight up porn lol. But mostly if there is sex it is only hinted at/fade to black. Or buried in a 60k fic so you have to work for it!

Craziest crossover: Probably Book of Nile + Princess Bride (it's a WIP that I haven't touched in like 3 years *sweats nervously* I swear I will finish all my WIPs EVENTUALLY)

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I know of???

Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes!! A one shot I did was translated onto a Japanese website that I forget the name of lol. I've also had a podfic made of one of my one shots if that counts.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Ashley and I tried at one point lol it was a modern AU DinLuke fic.... it kind of fizzled out eventually. @ashleyrguillory we should look at that again someday lol

All time favorite ship? Obligatory "Just one??!!" ok but idk Charlie/Claire (LOST), Korra/Asami (Legend of Korra) and Derek/Stiles (Teen Wolf) are the most important to me??? I read the most fic for Ghost/Soap, [redacted controversial ship that you could not pay me to reveal #1], and [redacted controversial ship that you could not pay me to reveal #2] lol

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I refuse to give up on any of my WIPS!!! I have 4, and all of them are planned/outlined to the end... I even have multiple completed chapters for two of them. I'm not a quitter... I do take my time though lol

What are your writing strengths? Oh gees... idk someone else who has read my stuff needs to tell me this... I think I've gotten a lot of comments complimenting me on keeping characters true to canon?? idk guys! someone else answer this!

What are your writing weaknesses? I really struggle with action and sex scenes. Where are they? I, the person writing this fic, certainly don't know. (come to think of it this might be part of the reason that I don't write a lot of smut)

Thoughts on dialogue in another language? Whatever floats the author's boat.

But I personally have done it a few ways. My favorite to both write and read is just to write what they say and then identify what language is being used if the POV character can understand the language. something like: "Oh no," he shouted in Italian.

OR if the POV character doesn't understand the language I would write something like: Nicky shouted something in what Joe thought was Italian. OR Nicky said something in a language Joe couldn't quite place.

First fandom you wrote in? Supernatural lol

Favorite fic you've written? One????? You're getting 2!

I'll Never Love Another - Prince!Joe/Knight!Nicky AU - SO MUCH LETTER WRITING - This was my Big Bang in 2021, and I love the FUCK out of it. It's my favorite fic I've ever written and I reread it kind of often because of how much I enjoy it lol

Impelled by the Persuasion of Love - Canon verse Joe/Nicky and Andy/Quynh - Takes place in France during the 100 years war. I have an obsession with courtly love/chivalry and figured I should shove it onto our favorite immortals <3 - I wrote this for a TOG zine that came out in early 2021

=== Truly, IDK if I've got 20 people to tag but I'll give it a go!!

@innerslumber, @alloutofgoddesses, @ashleyrguillory, @stevethehairington, @sindirimba, @disregardandfelicity and anybody else who wants to do this, consider this your tag!!!

[look-i-love-u]

Tag Game Wednesday

Gone full week and arrived at Wednesday again. Oops.

This is totally last week's one.

thank you for tagging me: @vintagelacerosette, @jrooc, @shippergirl121fic, @energievie, @ian-galagher, @blue-disco-lights @michellemisfit

Name and A03 handle: Vey, miss_snowwhitepink

Current Location: on the couch, sipping water, trying to get better hydrated

Favourite picrew:

What's one thing you want in a picrew? more body types, more fantasy, more pets

Favourite thing you’ve created (or seen created) for the fandom?

Fuck-U-Up Mug

Why is it your favourite?

Painted this mug for the first gallacrafts theme and I still love it and use it almost daily. It's still looking as good as day one. And it made me write a little one-shot to go with

Did it come easily or was it hard to create?

It was the first time I tried to draw a lily. So that was a bit of an adventure. The baking of the mug to fix the colour was a bit nerve-wrecking too as I feared it would break in the oven. But it all worked out just fine :)

Last ao3 fic you commented on? It's been a while since I read ffs. I've been on a "sports guys hooking up and finding love" binge read lately, so I've read about ten books or so in the last few months and not a single ff. O.o

The last comment I wrote that got a reply was Evie's "When you say nothing at all"

Biggest WIP heartache you’ve ever experienced? I don't really read WIPs since my early fandom days and getting burned by them. But that's about half my lifetime ago and I can't remember a specific story.

So I'll say all the WIPs in my doc drafts and especially the three collabs that I was super excited about my writing partner(s) weren't and they never even took off or got abandoned quite early on.

Favourite trope or head cannon you like included in a fanfic?

Oh, so many! Any and all AUs - as I love to see them find each other in every universe.

Soulmate!Aus especially. Hurt/Comfort. Pining! Long burn! Yes! Give me all the delayed gratification and the good stomach tingles from it!

Least favourite? Break-Up/Second chance fics, probably. I'm all about them getting together the first time and then hopefully living their happily ever after.

Also sick!fics and character deaths. Real life got enough of that. I don't want to read it in my escape media as well.

Secret or surprising kink or trope?

From hand holding to monsterfuckery - I'm a pretty open book when it comes to my kinks, I think. No secrets to uncover here.

Describe how you feel after you’ve created something new?

Elated. Happy. Nervously excited. Eager to share it.

Top hype man you have that always helps you get across the finish line:

Time pressure and a sense of responsibility.

Works for my work writing, works for fun writing. It's also probably the only reason I still remember to write a Galladrabble each week. XD

And getting a good response to what I did. Serotonine works wonders for my motivation and creativity.

It's been a bad day, you turn to the fandom and you _____? Scroll through tumblr. Look at amazing pretty art and send my faves to people who I know share my love for it.

[aerodaltonimperial]

okay, are y'all ready? cause we got results from that smut poll, and it absolutely confirms everything i'd already discovered through keeping a stats spreadsheet of my own fics.

let's fucking talk about this!! first, almost 5% of people either don't read explicit fics on ao3 or don't read fics at all, so we can just sort of slide those results out of the poll entirely, since they don't matter for purposes of information gathering here. the big thing that i sort of KNEW would be a thing but was desperately hoping i had made up in my head is not that 5% of people, but the staggering 15.4% of people who say they won't even leave a kudos on explicit works that they liked (options 1, 2, 3, and 7).

now, interaction, at least in my fandom, is pretty shitty anyway. i've had people i considered friends in this fandom point-blank tell me they read my fic and i hadn't seen a kudos from them in 6 months. i will yell until the fucking world explodes that it's a GOD DAMN BUTTON that you CLICK and takes zero effort, and yet. here we are. that 15% of people? i am so fucking uncharitable towards. you don't deserve to read fic at all. you don't deserve to read a single explicit fic. it's an ANONYMOUS WEBSITE. literally nothing is stopping you from creating A SECOND USERNAME if you are THAT WORRIED about someone seeing that you left a kudos on an explicit fic, which, might i remind you, no one can fucking see unless they are on the fic themselves (or the author).

see, the thing about smut, is that for a lot of us, it's nerve-wracking to post. it's nerve-wracking to WRITE. and we are out here, putting our whole ass username on it BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES POSTING IT (unless you post to anonymous), and y'all can't even click a button at the bottom of the fic??? a ton of the tags mentioned that this is a devil's sacrament situation, and they're right. anyone who sees you in the kudos list either also read the fic or wrote the fic. all you are doing is hurting your chances of getting more fic. honestly, the not leaving kudos pisses me off way more than the not leaving comments does lol. it's the lowest of energy. it's a fucking button. you can click it with your finger, or your nose, or you dick, idgaf, but you click that god damn button. absolutely horrible lol.

but then you gotta look at the other options, where people leave kudos but not comments. a few people were like "oh haha my explicit fics get lots of interaction" well good for you, you must have a real dedicated group of friends who reads and comments on your shit lol, but most of us don't have that! we are out here worrying over, was this hot? did i do a decent job? did i get the characters right? because i find smut difficult not just because i freeze up trying to write the narration, but because i am so focused on making sure the characters still read like themselves! and we just wanna know if we got it right, if it was sexy, if it sounded good. 56.2% of readers will not leave comments on explicit fics that they like.

that leaves us with just under 20% of people who will leave a kudos AND leave a comment on the fic if it's explicit.

look. i knew this would happen lol. i keep a spreadsheet of my fic stats (one-shots only, as chapters skew hit counts). anything explicit will end up sitting at about half what the others are in terms of kudos and comments. a lot of reblogs mentioned that people re-read explicit fics more, but in a small fandom like mine (tiny! niche! very low fic count!) i find that ALL my fics get re-reads simply because there is so little of it available, and that all the fics get the re-read numbers by the end.

if you ever wonder, why don't i have more fic to read? this is why. fic writers are putting this out for free. we are creating this out of love. yes, we all know, and have been told about 5 million times by everyone under the sun, that we should write for ourselves, but that's not the point of FANDOM. fandom is for interaction. fandom is for finding community. and fandom ain't gonna get fic if people treat writers like content creators on tiktok.

my last huge fandom was livejournal based, and sometimes i'm struck by how much i miss that. there were no hit counts on LJ. no kudos buttons. the ONLY way people could interact with your fic was to reply to the entry. and people DID. that's how we all made friends. that's how we all connected. that's how we created our community. people commented on your fic, and the ecosystem thrived. and people just don't do that anymore.

anyway. for the people who, like me, said they would kudos and comment on explicit fics, thank you. you are keeping this whole place afloat. and here are some of my favorite tags, the ones that made me feel slightly better about how the results from this came down.

thank you all for being here and saying the things you did lol. you are why people keep writing explicit fanfics.

[malinaa]

2023 WRITING REVIEW

tagged: no one i just wanted to do this and i forgot about it soz </3 tagging : board of directors i'd tag u here but this is mostly fic-based so sorree... anyway if u have already done this my b.... i wld like to see ur post tho @evcndiaz | @brimay | @usignedupforthis | @seek--rest | @posallys | @dustorangeheartssnowman | @adhd-merlin | @queerofthedagger

number of stories posted to ao3: 34 ±1 bc i updated a fic from a while back <3

word counted posted for last year: 90k... a feat (i wrote more but it was ofic so add like maybe 10k to that)

fandoms i wrote for: alex stern series, merlin, house md, pjo, spidey, hunger games, doctor who, & the grisha trilogy

pairings: merthur / arwen / mergwenthur / mergana, darlingstern, hilson, percabeth, petermj, everlark, tenrose, malina

stories with the most KUDOS: jealousy, jealousy (house md) with 522 <3 BOOKMARKS: except my life (merlin) with 137 <3 COMMENT THREADS: rip current (pjo) with 38 <3 *technically the answer to all of these is tested with torment but that's a fic i updated so i don't reallyyyyyy count it

work i'm most proud of (and why): thread of gold (arwen, bbc merlin) because i don't exactly post 2nd person fic and tbh most people HATEEEEE 2nd person fic AND i got people to enjoy it. HA!

work i'm least proud of (and why): coffee drinker (gen fic, bbc merlin) because it was just a promptfic and i didn't even really feel like posting it but i wrote it so i might as well yk?

share or describe a favorite review you received: any review that quotes a line but this one from judas kiss (arwen, bbc merlin)...

THIS. IS. WONDERFUL ❤️❤️❤️ *creates bookmark with gusto* I LOVE that you dug into what it might have been like for Gwen while she was under that enchantment! It was so creative to have her past memories blurring with glimpses of the present during the enchantment. I *felt* her disorientation, and it *hurt*. I felt so bad for Gwen all over again! 😭😭😭 That aspect of this story could have been a fantastic standalone one-shot in its own right, but noooo, you raised the bar and KEPT GOING and made it even better!!! I love that you showed Gwen and Merlin staying friends after Gwen becomes queen, and I love how she confides in him and how he immediately drops everything to go look for the offending piece of jewelry. The bit about Arthur’s incredulity at Merlin’s method of testing the enchantment was a great dash of humor, and I love that you fleshed out the concept of the enchantment to be something the others could experience so that they could truly *know* that Gwen had been innocent. And don’t even get me started on how much I love Arthur’s “Forgive me.” I love how he doesn’t think twice about humbling himself in front of everyone because his focus is solely on Gwen, consumed by the urgency of doing the right, honorable, and loving thing in that moment. You write Arthur and Gwen’s relationship so beautifully. 💕 Well done; I hate you (/affectionate) for all these feels. 🥰🫂👏

a time when writing was really, really hard: august through october... idek why i was literally in agony not writing

a scene or character you wrote that surprised you: writing jj in spider-man: homewrecker because i've NEVER written him before (in my memory) and i was like. Hello .

a favorite excerpt of your writing: cannae lie i have a few favs so... killing is a love language (mergana, bbc merlin) Heartbreak snakes up his throat, constricting him at the sight of her. Morgana’s beauty is incontestable even like this, but her hatred wore her down to her bones. Gone were the full cheeks and rosy lips, the perfectly combed hair, the wardrobe that would put princesses to shame. Now, her face is sunken in, her hair a curled storm, her dress is merely black rags at this point. thread of gold (arwen, bbc merlin) Your father’s presence is larger than life. Larger than love. It looms. It casts shadows long enough to hide every hope and dream you’ve ever had for yourself. the boy and the girl (malina, the grisha trilogy) Memory fractures into shards. Real or not real? There’s Mal in the meadow. Mal buried beneath the hanging tree. Mal cold in her palms. There’s a sky darker than night. Her hands bloodied. A knife lodged in his heart. Her knife. His blood. Her fault. She killed him. She loves him. Her fault. Rest her head on his still chest. Her fault. No heartbeat. Her fault. No warmth. Cold light spilling from her palms. She killed him. The Saint’s only true worshipper martyred.

how did you grow as a writer last year: my hopes from last year was that i finally finish a multichap fic.... 😭 does a short 3-shot count. besides that i wrote more consistently and i'm finally Used to my writing style. i think.

how do you hope to grow this year: hell if i know if i could write something longer than 20k that'd be great 😭😭😭😭

who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer, beta, cheerleader, etc.): the board.... @rosesau / @bipercabeth / @stellwood fnh...... i'd tag katie but she absconded from tumblr smh. anyway hi freaks n geeks

anything from your real life show up in your writing last year: oh i don't even know. nothing ig

any new wisdom you can share with other writers: bro idek the more i write the more writing becomes fundamentally so hard to talk about ... sorreeee

any projects you're looking to starting (or finishing) this year: IF I DON'T FUCKING MAKE PROGRESS ON MY PLAY I WILL BASH MY HEAD INTO A WALL. THIS CAN'T KEEP HAPPENING. ATLAS AND VIVIAN YOU WILL BE WRITTEN ON THE PAGE INSHALLAH

[blood-on-the-phoenix-crown]

20 Questions, fanfic edition

Thanks for the tag @cawyden-gaming!

How many works do you have on ao3?

Between my two accounts, I have 22!

What’s your total ao3 word count?

between the two accounts? 358,888 words!

What are your top five fics by kudos?

Silver Ash and Bone is the top with Black Ice in second. From there, we get a big drop off to the old version of Roses Chains and Tears (hopefully the newer, better version will eclipse it in time) and She Who Fights Monsters, then another big dropoff to Failure.

What fandoms do you write for?

I think of Warhammer 40k (both Rogue Trader and general 40k) as my "main" fandom and specialize in eldar-centric stuff. I also either have or am currently writing for Warhammer Fantasy and Star Wars: The Old Republic

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always! Fandom to me is community and conversation and I love interacting with people who interact with my work, not to mention that if they take the time to write out a comment on my work, the least I can do is take the time to say thank you :)

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

Hmmm. Roses Chains and Tears ends with the protagonist realizing that yes, being a Drukhari makes you a monster and yes, that includes him, so that's probably it, although I'm not sure if it "counts" because it's really just an alternate PoV of a couple scenes from a longer fic, so that's not really the end of the story

She Who Fights Monsters is the other option, it's got a pretty downer ending (as is to be expected for the chronicle of someone going through Sith training).

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

Probably a one-shot I did for SWTOR called My New Home - it ends with a very young Jedi Consular getting over her homesickness and heading out to play with her new friends.

Do you get hate on fics?

Not really, no. I've gotten a few pretty nasty comments on some fanart I've done, but the worst I've gotten on my fanfics has been more weird than hateful.

Do you write smut?

Works posted under CleverMird are often erotic, but not smutty. All the smut goes on Falling_Phoenix, although tbh, I have found that I'm not super into smut in general. Often you can do more with implication than with direct explanation and while I plan to maintain the tone and style for the rest of Black Ice, I think I prefer the more restrained style of Silver Ash and Bone and will maintain it in the future.

Do you write crossovers?

No, although my writing is often inspired by outside-of-fandom sources

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I have not, although there was one romantasy novel I saw an ad for that I initially thought was someone copying SAB with the serial numbers filed off. A quick look further revealed that it wasn't the case (and it's not like it's popular or well-known enough to do that anyway), but the initial blurb I read was really similar, lol

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I'm aware of

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

My husband is involved in my writing to the point that he probably qualifies as a co-writer, but beyond that, I have not. Well. Nothing that's seen the light of day. I do remember co-writing a Star Wars Young Jedi Knights fanfic with my friend at summer camp when I was 12, lol.

What’s your all time favourite ship?

I write a lot of ocXoc and Elsewhere Fic, so I don't know that I have a specific favorite ship in the traditional sense.

What’s the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

She Who Fights Monsters is "finished" in that I have reached a stopping point and declared the fic "complete", but I do have more of her story to tell and was thinking of turning it into a series at one point. I have a few chapters of She Who Becomes a Monster written, but SWFM was getting very little attention and I'm not super involved in the SWTOR fandom anymore (although I still play on occasion), so the motivation to finish it is kind of lacking.

What are your writing strengths?

I don't know these kinds of things, so I outsourced it to a couple of internet friends who have read a fair amount of my writing and they concluded that I'm good at writing complex, believable character arcs, at building anticipation, and at the "flow" of prose.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I cannot do complex intrigue to save my life. My smut is kinda boring, IMO and so are my fight scenes. I tend to be fairly repetitive in terms of my character archetypes and plotlines.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

I'm not sure I understand the question .

First fandom you wrote for?

First fandom ever? The Boxcar Children novel series. First thing that was available for public consumption? SWTOR.

Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

Silver Ash and Bone, for sure!

Tagging anyone who wants to, I don't think I have many followers on this account and I don't want to weirdly tag people into a NSFW account that they don't want to be tagged in. @tatiletotesamaze, I know you're here!

[majnoonathelibrarian]

2024 Fic Wrap Up

Thanks for the tag @on1occasionfork. I was so happy to see the notification!  And shout out to @cheeseplants for starting this.

What fandoms do you write in?

Currently:

Doctor Who 

Good Omens 

How many words have you published in 2024?

105,318 (!) Wow, like 10x more than any previous year.

What is your greatest achievement this year?

Blowing away all my previous writing records! Next week I’ll pass 60k published words on one story, beating my old Nanowrimo record (and that was a lot of unreadable stream of consciousness drabble, not a coherent, researched, beta-ed, work other people are actually reading!)

What are your favourite top three fics you wrote this year?

I only wrote 4 so I guess I just have to exclude one?

Red Tape (Doctor Who (2005))  (1,276 words), G – this is just a fun one shot with 14 and a bad ass administrator Donna moment.

Before She Knew Me (Doctor Who (2005)) (17,442 words), 14th Doctor and Shaun Temple end up on a little adventure that touches on both their past and future. Guest starring River and Jack.

Good Works (Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Some Guy & Terry Pratchett) (currently 52,526 words) My 1980s political human AU.

What was your biggest pit of despair moment?

I knew I was going to take a break while travelling in October so I had spaced out publishing to make sure I didn’t leave things on a cliffhanger but I didn’t know I would get COVID on the flight back and then, just as I was recovering from that, get hit upside the head by a election-triggered existential crisis. There was a while where I wasn’t sure I would get it together to come back to writing but, six weeks later I got another chapter up!

What have you learned?

Long stories are hard – especially if you insist on publishing each chapter as it’s written. Because you will figure things out later in the process that you could have threaded through the earlier chapters. Knowing the whole story is pretty important if you really care about building towards a conclusion that is both surprising and coherently unsurprising because it all clicks together, as it should. 

I don’t know if I can write without the comments and kudos along the way, but I would like to try getting through a whole work before publishing just so I can see what it’s like to have the whole draft open and editable when it’s all worked out. 

What fic did you want to do but never made it off the ground?

I loved the Rogue character in Doctor Who and I made a few bullet points about having Ruby and Rogue run into River (and yes, all the “r” names get called out early on). It would have been a Doctor Light french farce in space. But the mood passed and I don’t think I’ll come back to it unless the character makes another appearance and I’m more inspired. 

Did you beta any fics? Any favs you want to shout out?

Only casually. I do want to look for more opportunities to ‘give back’ to the community in 2025!

I did get a chance to give early feedback on Headlong and I’m excited to see where that goes.

What three fics have you read this year that you love?

Haha, 3? Man, top 30 would be hard enough. 3 is comical!

I’m going to skip the BIG CLASSICS and shout out some less well known ones that really grabbed me and keep bringing me back.

Rearrangements by sheendav E, 60k, Human AU, the slowest burn possible (they don't even talk for like 30k)

always crashing (in the same car) by mayhawk 32k, E, Cannon time loop. Probably in my top 3 ever.

Seirbheis by Kalimyre 27k E,  mind the tags. Clear communication and consent is so hot. 

What ideas are percolating for next year?

Untitled Wine Mom AU for the Ineffable Wives – Recently divorced Angela moves to town and meets single mom Antonia. Can they figure out how to survive carpools and PTA meetings? And maybe some healthier coping mechanisms?

“Nobel Prize for Idiots in Love” – Two brilliant scientists vying for the prize and totally failing to discover what’s glaringly obvious to everyone around them. Tell me in the comments if either of those sound like something you would read!

Who do you want to thank? A huge THANK YOU to @on1occasionfork for reaching out to invite me to join GOAD (wow, just wow! it was a game changer for me) and for being such a kind touch with the copy edits and always ready with encouragement! And to @nosferatini and the whole @goodomensafterdark  crew for always being supportive and welcoming. What a great group. Gives one hope in grim times.