#lucien is a super sweet and just wants to take care of his shy wife and i adore him for that. hardworking king

[stinkrascal]

caspian and wolfgang literally own the same fuzzy jacket and they literally have the same middle name (its samuel) you cant tell me theyre not boyfriends

[gabolange]

DVD commentary: talk about writing sex scenes for character purposes. Specifically, we have "All the Means to Make Us One" and "Strange How Certain the Journey." Same couple, same rating. The first is hella hot, the second isn't, particularly--which is the point. Discuss. Not just the why (which is probably fairly evident) but the how. What makes these scenes work differently?

For the DVD commentary meme:

Ooooh, I love this question. Because I think one of my favorite things about learning to write sex has been learning to write sex the way people have sex – sometimes it’s hella hot, sometimes it’s super meaningful, sometimes it’s about making a point, sometimes it’s a little routine, sometimes it’s not all that sexy. So…this got long...

So, let us consider All the Means to Make Us One: what makes that story hella hot and super meaningful? The first thing is the way Lucien sees Jean. He is absolutely thunderstruck by her, full stop. He’s not looking at her as a woman of her age (as is an extremely familiar trope), he’s not looking at her in comparison to anyone else (that would be gross, but it happens in fic), and when he is looking at her, he sees not only the woman he’s about to make love with, but…the woman he’s in love with. He doesn’t actually care what they do, precisely (though his fantasies fill in a whole bunch of choices), he just really cares that she’s here, and he’s absolutely amazed she’s here. 

The fantasies actually serve a fairly important purpose, both structurally and to gird all of that emotion. They anchor a couple different points in the first half of the story–when they come into the house, when they step into the bedroom–and that gives us a way to step into these moments with a familiar structure and a whole lot of Lucien’s enthusiasm for anything and everything that might happen. But they also stop at precisely the moment things start to get real, because all of a sudden whatever he has imagined doesn’t matter at all. He’ll do whatever she wants now, and next, and he gets his whole life to try stuff out and wow, isn’t that the most amazing thing that has ever happened?

The other and arguably most important thing is the way we see Jean through Lucien’s eyes. She is…absolutely all-in. She’s not nervous, she’s letting him lead this dance but she’s completely in control, and she is 1000000% committed to all of this. There are a lot of tropes that you see in sex stories with characters like Jean–who were married young, or who live in a certain time period, or who are religious, or all of the above–where great sex is new and surprising. And I know why people land there, and there are versions of that I can get behind. But for me, this story was all about Jean being excited about all of this but not shocked or startled or shy. Part of what makes this story sexy is that she’s excited and into it and wants to be there as much as Lucien does.

The emotional center of the story is halfway through or so, when Lucien goes down on Jean. She’s mostly naked, and he’s mostly dressed, and that story has been written for a million pairings across a million years (including by me, not as well – practice helps). But the emotion, and the language supporting that emotion, makes it go. So you get verbs like prostrate, you get the way this is laying Lucien bare way more than Jean, you get Lucien’s wanting to learn about Jean, you get Jean’s enthusiasm as she holds onto his hair, you get Lucien being utterly bowled over by the part where she married him at all – all in five tight paragraphs of what could be pretty standard het sex…but of course is not. 

And with all that, it ends up being hella hot and absolutely true to my vision of the characters:

The fashion of the day, of the last fifteen years, but she hardly needs help to keep her waist trim and her hips slim. She has always been stunning, and knowing her more has made her more so. And–he forgets his thoughts about her foundation garments, because now he has removed them and unclipped her stockings and he was right about her knickers. “Bloody hell,” he whispers, strangled. White lace, the curls of hair between her legs pressing against it in dark contrast, and he sinks to his knees before her.

It is nothing to prostrate himself before this woman, his wife, his Jean, who tips his head back so she can look at him, green eyes flashing. He’s still mostly dressed, tie askew, straining the trousers of his wedding suit at the knees and the crotch, and he wonders what she sees. He could not hide from her if he tried–he’s never been able to hide from her, and so he does not bother now. Let her see how much he wants her, how much he cannot believe they are here even as she twists her fingers in his hair.

She smiles, so gently he might shatter, and strokes his face. “I love you,” she says, acknowledgement and encouragement at once.

There is nothing for it but to press his mouth against her sex through the lace, breathing in deeply. The smell of her arousal is sweet and deep, like fruit at its ripest, and he darts his tongue out against the wet fabric–he has to taste her, to find out what this part of her is like. He wants to know every piece of her, intimately, but this especially, what type of touch makes her writhe, what makes her moan, and he licks at her, tongue flat against the crotch of her knickers. He hasn’t even touched her clit and yet she rocks against him, holding him by the hair against her, seeking her own pleasure.

He can barely breathe for the smell of her, the taste of her, but he doesn’t need to, not with the tang of her sex on his breath. It sparks his wonder–will she like it when he curls his fingers inside her? Will she wriggle when he kisses the curve of her bottom where it meets her leg? What makes Jean Blake–Jean Blake–scream?

He licks her again and again, pushing his tongue deeper into her through the lace of her knickers, curling his hands around her bum. She’s his new favorite flavor, her hips thrusting against his face his new perfect sensation, and her voice is strangled as she pulls at his hair. “God, Lucien,” she says. “Later.”

So, if it is the emotion and language that make one story hot…well, it’s the emotion and language that make the other story not quite as hot. 

Which is entirely intentional. Not that it’s not hot, precisely, but Strange How Certain the Journey has two tired people using sex as a communication tool. And in Jean’s POV, she tells us this: 

She put on Lucien’s favorite nightgown, a sky blue satin negligee that rests low between her breasts and falls far above her knees. He had bought it for her in Rome with an intimate grin, and they discovered together how well he liked the feel of the fabric against his skin. Wearing it now, she isn’t trying for conciliation so much as emphasis: see what you have here with me? Don’t throw it away.

But more than that, throughout the story, Jean uses language that isn’t particularly sexy:

She likens the motion to forming dough, the push and pull with her hands, the occasional pinch, only this never fails to leave Lucien pliant and wanting.

And: “Jean,” he says, face still resting against the pillow. Perhaps this is just a pleasant dream for him–but it won’t be if he comes on the sheets and she has to rouse him for laundry.

This kind of sex is, by now, kind of routine. It isn’t like laundry or bread making, but it is as much a part of her life as those things can be. And that doesn’t make it bad at all–it is familiar and enjoyable and she wants to have it–but also a useful tool for Jean to make a point that she loves Lucien even when she’s mad at him. It is, in fact, her best tool.

As the story progresses, we get almost to the main event (so to speak), and of course they’re halfway to having sex and stop to have an argument. And here the physicality and the way it isn’t terribly sexy is incredibly important – she wants him, but she’s touching him in ways that are gentle rather than hot: she strokes his scar and his ear, she holds his cheek in his palm. Their closeness enables their discussion–they still aren’t good at talking to each other, and the part where they’re naked helps–but those are all things they could do if they weren’t naked.

Finally, they have sex. And it’s good, but it still exists in comparison to other times they’ve done this (This doesn’t usually happen this quickly. Usually he can take his time with her, tasting and touching, a pleasure they both enjoy.) and it’s good but a little too fast and satisfying way more in the sense that it is happening at all (and everybody comes, yay!) than because of what they are doing or how they feel about it.

So, yes. Writing sex successfully (I hope): all about choosing the emotion you want and figuring out what language you need to prop up that emotion. I don’t, for the most part, write deeply interesting sex – two straight people typically have kind of straightforward straight people sex with a side of affirmative consent – but that can be meaningful or interesting or really hot or not so much based on how it’s told and what is right for the characters in that moment.

[megatraven]

who’s your favourite LI from each series you’ve read? :o and why?

*claps hands together* ALRIGHT!!!! (warning: as i typed i grew more and more long-winded and i dont apologize for it but u should kno)

alright obviously i have to start off with Astoria, of which Alex is my favorite LI! I'm not gonna go into why because *gestures to entire blog* and i've made multiple posts about it

from Immortal Heart Society, it's definitely Emilio thus far. admittedly i havent tried reading the other two, but I like emilio a lot! he's really grumpy and weary it seems, but i find the grumpiness charming and the weariness feels like it's there to be driven away by mmc's fresh approach and excitability. he's fun so far!

from My Siren Crush, I gotta say it's Maxime so far!! he and Arianna only have 6 episodes each so it's hard to say, but i LOVE his personality and how sweet he is. I really like that he's shy and that he does a lot of different kinds of art, and how gentlemanly he is!

from Ever After Academy, it's definitely Arin!! Sure they've only got one season so far, but they were my favorite character almost right off the bat, before we even knew they'd be getting a route! I love how much they care about the people around them and ho they do their best to do the right thing, how they take on so many responsibilities and are willing to do so again and again, if that's what it takes to get a happy ending for everyone. they're so funny, too, and i just really am a slut for the dynamic they have with fmc, the HISTORY....... incredible

from Tales of the Wild, it's Bram!!!!!!!! my sweet bear boy, he's so kind and gentle and strong and Stubborn af..... i really really love bears so i knew i was a goner the instant we were able to vote for him to be a new LI. his route is really interesting so far, too, what with MC being a dinae whose animal form was stolen! he cares so much about her and just wants to keep her safe, to the point he makes a Very Important Oath to her... like......... he cares her....... its so sweet..

from Reigning Passions it's gotta be Xenia!!! :D i admit i have a Slight obsession with spider-people, and the moment I saw her i knew that I was gonna love her to death. when she got a route i was so overjoyed! she's just. so genuine in everything that she does, she does her best to truly do what's right and what's good for the kingdom, and for mc. she's incredibly smart and resourceful, her magic is SO COOL, and she's just really really gorgeous. i like her dry sense of humor and her blushing sprite...... i love that she slowly gives her trust to mc, and confides to her about personal matters such as her late husband, and how she clearly still loves him even whilst loving mc. she feels like such a unique character, i really just adore her <3

from Sin With Me, i've gotta say my favorite atm is Onyx! I love all the routes, but DAMN onyx's really went all out with making her a fucking DRAGON?!??!?!?!? queen shit. she was also a really unique route in that she dealt with a lot of trauma from past abuse and had to learn to open up about it and accept that what happened t her wasn't right, and that she wasn't a failure for it. it had such a strong found family feeling, even compared to the other routes. everyone just wanted her to be happy. they accepted mc into their ranks quickly because she made onyx happy, and that's all the troupe wanted. and she is so pretty and funny..... she's so CUTE...... and i think it's one f the few cases where the LI is shorter than the MC?? idk she's just. so badass, and i loved her route to pieces!!!

from Sweet Enchantments my favorite is Lucien! (with a shoutout to emeril for close second)! the character growth he undergoes in his route is just ASTOUNDING, it's written and paced so well, i can't help but love it and him!!! also one of my favorite colors is turquise and thats His Color(tm) so im a hoe for that. i just. really my big thing with him is that he grows and flourishes into such an incredible character, so sweet and humble. he's also a very very funny LI (imo), and i love seeing him interact with all the other sweets characters! his cgs are the most gorgeous things...... there's a scene where he takes mc into the human world, to a cafe so she can call her parents, and it's so sweet. there's another where he takes her out and plays soccer with her. he just cares so much about her and her wellbeing, and even when he gets afraid that she'll leave him (when she's feeling homesick especially), he talks it out with her and learns to move past those feelings. he promises himself to her before he's even out of Sweets, and i just.......... it's so romantic and precious ;O; <3

from Havenfall it's always gonna be Mackenzie!!!!!! she was my VERY FIRST lovestruck route so she is always going to have a very special place in my heart. plus i mean. LOOK AT HER. her cute face and her CUTE WOLF EARS <333 she's so cool and nerdy!!! she's so STRONG!!! her protective streak is so charming and endearing..... the way that she forgives annabelle and damien and accepts them into her little supernatural family is really precious <3 she's so strong and that strength comes not only from her, but from her bonds with everyone else, and it's...... magical. it really stole my heart and sold me on lovestruck!!

from Love & Legends my favorite (so far) is Alain! I've only read three full routes so far, but Alain is incredible despite the shortness of his route. afaik it's the only route where the mc actually has magic (which i like), and they're ACTUALLY childhood friends to lovers in that mc is a reincarnation across time and space of his childhood friend. he's so cool and sweet, he would do absolutely anything for her because he loves her so so much. which is definitely one of his faults and what led him to being one of the Witch Queen's generals, but when mc came around......... you could tell he was so broken hearted by everything, but that he couldn't bear to not love her, even when it made him bad. and you can see that love again, when mc is selfish, and he leaves her out of anger in chicago. he keeps an eye on her despite his anger and his hurt, because his love is that strong. at some point, this one god speaks and says that alain's route is the only one of his lifetimes that doesn't end in tragedy, where he gets to be happy. i lvoe that trope so much even though it hurts so much. in the other two routes i've finished, he can't leave the witch queen's side, because she's that friend he knew, who he's loved for so long. in his own route, he's only able to leave the witch queen because he finds mc- a glance into what the witch queen could have been. who she should have been. someone kind and strong, who would love him, too. i dunno. his route is just really amazing and so is he :)

in Starship Promise......... it's a hard choice, but i have to say Nav ;O;; whenever i think of nav i think of that one fucking scene........ the one that broke my heart and made me cry for like Days. Stop him. Stop him. Stop him. gods, that was an incredible scene, i don't think i'll ever get over how powerful it was. not to mention... SALAD BOY!!!!! nav is Also a very funny character. he's a secret sadboy who tries to hide it with his charm and good looks, which, A for effort bud. he ends up being unable to leave mc behind, because- even though it scares him- he's fallen for her. his story is really incredible, he's an amazing character and it was wonderful to see him get the justice he deserved.

for Villainous Nights, i'll have to say my favorite LI is Lorelei! :D i'd say renzei and juliette are super close seconds tho. but Lorelei!!!!!!!!! I think she was one of the first routes I read following mackenzie, and she was definitely the first I read from villainous nights! i loved how strong and silent she was, and how much she loves coffee, and how she can make the earth quake. i always loved how hard she tries, how much effort she puts into being in control of herself, how much she does to try making things right. she did bad things in the past, blinded by optimus' promise to do good. and when she realized it, she couldn't stay with them. she turned her back on them and did her damned best to make up for all the hurt she caused. she loves the earth and its people and its nature, and she wants to keep it all safe. she had a broken heart, but with mc by her side, she's finally able to heal and find closure that she couldn't get before, on her own. not to say every LI isn't unique, but lorelei's is another route that just really stood out from the others. her panic attacks, the way she goes mute when she's overwhelmed, how the earth trembles when she gets angry or afraid and how she tries to push her emotions down to stop it........ i havent any of that- especially her muteness- in any other LI in the app. (not that ive read every story yet). lorelei is really incredible and i love her lots my butch wife ;O;

for Queen of Thieves, it's DEFINITELY Nikolai! first and foremost he's demi!!!!!!!! which i was so excited to find out about!!!!!!!!!! that made me instantly love him, and i think that ended up being the reason why i finally started reading QOT at all. i'll take all the a-spec rep i can get, thanks. aside from that, his route is just..... incredibly well-written. everything about it feels like it has this quiet intensity, which matches him perfectly. his self-sacrificing bullshit..... his truly tragic backstory........ how he came to make the poppy........ ho much he loves his little family, how much he loves mc, how much he loves ELIZABETH......... there's nothing abut nikolai that i dont love. he's so smart, but so fucking stupid sometimes, it's the best. he's the best. that first night, in his last season i believe, when he didn't have a nightmare for the very first time ever........... i don't know if i have ever been so happy for a fictional character before. i was so overjoyed for him. he's an incredible character and so, so interesting and multi-faceted, i can't imagine anyone else taking place for my #1 qot character :^)

and last but not least.... Gangsters in Love! My favorite here...... changes a lot, i'm not even gonna lie. it's ALWAYS constantly changing between chance, rory, and ash. like. i just can't pick one. so i wont go into as much detail here as the other paragraphs, but chance is just so FUNNY and dumb like yeah he's a badass ganglord wh orides a motorcycle but also he wears a shirt with a stupid little frog on it i LOVE him. i love how much he loves his gang, how much he loves mc. and ash... who WOULDNT love ash? he's such a sweetie and his smiling sprite makes my heart stumble and he's a dog person???? dream man. he's so silly and cute, he does his best to protect the gang and find justice for his sister, it's so admirable ;o;; and RORY!!!! rory is so badass and cool, she's wicked smart and kinda reckless but in the most charming way. i always really appreciated that her route touched on her alcoholism and showed her growing past it. i loved her character growth in general, and i ESPECIALLY loved how she acted towards stella and how she grew to love her.

that's..... that's it, i think!!!! :0c thanks so much for asking!!!!