#my first real mclennon fic

[good-to-drive]

Paul’s reflection was like a film strip cast onto empty, black air, and he watched it, spellbound, wondering who exactly had created that shimmering image.

An encounter with John in front of a mirror brings up strange feelings for Paul about image, reflections, and the parts that usually go unreflected.

[fishfingerpies]

Fav mclennon fics?

This is my favourite ask ever omg I have so much to say about this! There are so many fics out there that I adore. If I HAD to pick a few absolute favourites, these are the ones that come to mind that I always come back to:

The Birthday Party by @merseydreams: This is one of the first fics I really fell in love with when I started reading mclennon, it has everything and is imo the perfect post-beatles era (1980) fix-it. IT'S SO GOOD. If you like mclennon and haven't read this fic what are you even doing honestly, like, get it together, hello??

Ways to love you by @zilabee: I cannot express enough how phenomenal this fic is. I've read it so many times, it's so wonderfully written, it always makes my day to read it. The love between John and Paul is so palpable and beautiful. This fic is genuinely a masterpiece.

i can only speak my mind by @revollver: True story, I almost missed a plane flight last summer because I couldn't bring myself to turn off my phone and go to the airport until I finished reading this fic. It wasn't even my first time reading it, either, that's just how indescribably engaging and enjoyable of a read this is. The emotions feel so real and the pining is so intense and well-written that it makes me CRAZY.

Knowing that the sun is there by @orphanbeat: I don't even have words to describe my love for this fic, holy fuck. I don't think the words exist. It, like, gives me therapy reading it. Serotonin injected straight into my brain. It's so beautiful. Actually life-changing istg. Read it. Read it, if you haven't omg I just can't express enough how strongly I recommend you read this. Please.

Also! There are a ton more amazing mclennon fics and writers that I adore, pretty much every fic in my bookmarks on ao3 are some of my absolute favs that I love and would highly recommend.

[crepesuzette2023]

Hi! Because someone just asked me, I'd love you hear your Top 5 favourite McLennon fics!

You made my day! Nothing could have made me happier than this ask.

I'm not going to evade your question. I will post my top-five, even though it hurts to choose. But you inspired me to finally write a longer (okay: very long) post about some (not nearly all!) of my favorites, which will be under the cut.

(Sorry for not knowing every writer's tumblr, by the way. Please feel free to let me know, so I can tag authors where appropriate. Thank you!)

My Top 5:

MIRACLE WORKER by @scurator. What can I say. Every time I need my heart broken and to feel an inkling of what grace truly means, I go to this masterpiece about Paul and Robert Fraser finding each other again at Cavendish in 1981.

COAST STARLIGHT by bookofapril is "Miracle Worker's" cosmic twin. The sun to its night. Paul and Robert Fraser on Fire Island in 1974. Nothing I can say will do it justice, so I won't try. This is the "other world" conjured in "Tug of War," so powerfully and joyfully imagined, it's real. (I'm always thinking of this story, but I did so extra hard when I came across a prompt recently: 'They aren't each other's first love, but they're each other's true love'.)

SAME AS IT EVER WAS by RedheadAmongWolves. My favorite Outsider's POV. An ageing newsstand owner from Liverpool remembers John and Paul as boys and young men. There's something magical about the relationship coming alive in these glimpses. A story filled with tenderness that reminds me to always look closely.

AN ORGASM OF SOUND by @pauls1967moustache. The insanity of John and Paul in 1967 got the tribute it deserves. I sleep easier since I read this story. It feels cosmically right that it exists.

PLANT A SEED by @eveepe. Paul in his slutty sailor outfit in Miami. He and John are into each other, and happy, and fuck slowly. Afterwards, Paul has an idea for a new song. That's it. Tender, glorious, hot perfection. Apply at least once a week for best results.

For more thoughts about some of my favorite stories, sorted into very much defined-ad-hoc categories, read under the cut.

Young Love:

I love the myth of their first meeting, and stories that speculate about the sexually loaded creative fireworks/gritty jealousies/tentative hand-holding/topping and tailing during the first years. Here are some faves:

Paul finds music, and John, and his life is changing. In STREETS OF OUR TOWN (@with-eyes-closed) you can taste the upheaval and promise of first love and growing up. Deeply sensual, even without on-page sex. The shaky, sweet, and all-consuming fire of John and Paul’s first kiss is immortalized in ALL I KNOW SINCE YESTERDAY (RedheadAmongWolves). In NON NOBIS SOLUM (@downtothe-lastdrop), art student John simply has to know how far grammar school boy Paul will go to please him. But Paul matches him play-by-play. In THE CAST IRON SHORE (@m1ssunderstanding) Paul earns extra money through music and sex. John finds out. They fall in love, and hide their mutual pining behind transactions—but in the end, they man up to pair up, and get their band back on track. (The first part is finished; I can’t wait for part 2.) John and Paul’s ’61 trip to Paris has been honored in fiction many times; WHEN YOU ARE YOUNG THEY ASSUME YOU KNOW NOTHING (@lilypadd23) is a slow-burning, blessedly long story that blossoms sweetly. DON’T THINK ABOUT IT is the concept by which Paul measures both his pining for John and their deeply satisfying (but surely not really queer?!) sex life. Perfectly realized Paul POV by @merseydreams. Finally: I NEED YOU DARLIN’ (verse) (by @beatlessideblog) would have fit many categories, but I put it here, because in the end, it’s about young John and Paul becoming friends, making music, having sex, and falling in love. No more, no less. Embedded in a late 50’s/early 60's Liverpool omegaverse in which there's a place for their bond. But, surprise (?!): It’s still complicated. I can’t overstate how charming and satisfying and funny and hot this work is.

Old John and Paul:

Is there anything as lovely as imagining John and Paul growing old together?

In HERE TODAY (@herspecialagent), John and Paul found happiness with each other in Scotland. On 8th December 1980, they invite friends for a party, and fight an inexplicable sense of doom. A reminder that our other lives can be closer than we think, and to keep our loved ones even closer.

GROW OLD WITH ME (@inherownwr1te): Old farmers and husbands John and Paul enjoy domestic bliss, deal with a broken arm, and make sweet love.

HAVING COFFEE (@feathersandblue): John Lennon and Paul McCartney, “one of the most iconic gay couples in history,” look back on their early love, the Beatles, and being outed in the 80’s, in this oh-so-glamourous, well-written 2020 portrait…

Magical re-tellings of J/P and/or the Beatles Story:

No matter where you come down on the blessed vs. cursed continuum—they were living through something magical.

In KISSING THE BLARNEY (@zilabee) the Beatles draw love and music from kissing Paul, and each other, until the stupid world interferes. But fear not, all ends well. How to tell the truth through whimsy: this story demonstrates it.

In WE ARE ALL TOGETHER (also by @zilabee), John and Paul switch bodies. It helps.

I WAS A YOUNGER MAN NOW (THEN) (POST HOC) BY @fingersfallingupwards: Paul is a time traveler and braids his life together with John’s, out of order, through the years. And yes, they do grow old together—but not without losing each other first. I’m in awe of this story.

A darker time-traveling story is A MATTER OF TIME (D12Fan), in which John and Paul love each other, over and over, and never manage to make it work—but Paul won’t give up.

FOR THOUGH THEY MAY BE PARTED (@downtothe-lastdrop): The misery of the 'Get Back' sessions and memory-stunting technology imported from “Severance” are not enough to kill off John and Paul’s attraction and longing for each other. Again, this is basically what happened, so.

John and Paul without the Beatles?

Yes, please! Sometimes, the best way to dissect and celebrate (and fix?) this mesmerizing and exasperating partnership is to lift it from its context and drop it elsewhere. Anything goes.

WHATEVER FATE DECREES by @dailyhowl: A gorgeous, finely spun, securely handled, self-contained vision of how John and Paul could have worked as artists in love, without a band to 'legitimize' and constrain their bond. I love this homage to their deep and complicated love that needed trust and breathing room.

1967 by @walkuntilthedaylight: What if John and Paul had gone to Spain together and not come back? This story not only explores their relationship layer by layer, it also dives into the the feelings of those who knew them 'before' and who now meet them again, as a couple. A fascinating alternate history. Not a fluffy one.

TOMORROW I'LL MISS YOU (@pauls1967moustache): Paul abandons John in Hamburg—or John stays behind without bothering to write, depending on who you ask. This "Before Sunset"—AU reunites them, years later. They ride a bus and write a song, and the love and tension are sweet and painful.

DOUBLE FANTASY (by @javelinbk): Modern AU in which John and Paul meet at John's flower shop and manage to ignore and creatively re-interpret their feelings for one another for a surprising amount of time, before fate has mercy. I love how their sweet, well-matched eccentricity makes the world a warmer place for both of them.

WE ARE STARDUST (Unchained_Daisychain): AU. John and Paul meet at Woodstock, fall hard and fast for each other, and have to decide what to do with it: Paul's life is back home in England...except...

Angst, darkness, and courage:

Pain, fear, grief, and other dark emotions are part of the real J/P story, so it makes sense to honor and harvest them in fiction. One of my favorite brands of McLennon angst is the one triggered by their feelings for each other, and the thing they become once they're together™. When they're scared of how much they need each other, and of what will happen next.

ONE AND ONE AND ONE IS THREE and MANAGING EXPECTATIONS (both by @pauls1967moustache), for instance. The first is a terrifying threesome with Yoko (at John's instigation, of course), in which trust is never rewarded and sex resolves nothing. The second is Paul wondering, in thoughts both messy and crystal clear, whether he exists independently of John. He turns to Brian for answers. They fuck. It feels like a human thing compared to what is going on in Paul's mind. Just astounding.

SUNDAY DRIVER (@boshemians) dives into the theme of Paul and John being afraid of themselves in the aftermath of Paul's accident (moped, sexual) with Tara Browne. This one, like "Managing Expectations," ends on a lovely grace note.

MACABRE (@dovetailjoints). Lennon and McCartney go too far.

OPEN HEART (@paisanas). Paul drinks John's blood. John lets him. But Paul starts to hate himself for how much he needs John, which John feels as rejection. I love how this story ends on Paul embracing his need. You can see the painful, bare bones of their malnourished love under the lush sensuality of the vampire sex. Raw and rich.

SILENCE (@ohjohnnysblog). Short and piercing. If there is someone you love—tell them. Don't wait.

THE LATE, GREAT JOHNNY ACE (@midchelle). Reeling with grief, Paul is recording an album in 1981. George and Ringo are there. John is not. But in the end—he is. And they touch. I've always admired Paul's resilience in the face of having to perform or "prove" his love of John in public, and this story showed me, without sugar-coating, where this resilience comes from.

Light, hope, and fixing things:

There is also much lightness and brightness in McLennon, because John and Paul were ridiculous, and horny, and weird. And also: they deserve a laugh. They deserve the fluffiest of happy endings. They deserve high-quality, life-affirming smut. They deserve silly, because silly is what they were. You know their names, look up their number.

1980. John is in BERMUDA (@scurator), Paul visits. Paul comes prepared, John just comes. Sometimes, it can be this simple. This story always leaves me in such a good mood. Paul is the (more) experienced one, and it...really works for me.

GOT TO GET DOWN (@eveepe): In praise of John's obsession with Paul's...precious. His small and perfect prick.

ADVENTURES IN TOTAL HONESTY (@merseydreams). Pithy and sexy, and, I quote from the tags: #Excessive Margarita Mixing.

ANINUT (@pauls1967moustache): The Beatles heal, together and separately, after Brian's death. Once more, I quote the writer: "The Beatles did not follow any of the Jewish mourning traditions, and frankly, they should have."

The unhinged weirdness of the Mad Day Out, with John and Paul escaping and Francie, Yoko and Mal not missing them...much, is rightfully celebrated in one of the insaner stories I read: JOHN, I'M ONLY DANCING (@skylikeaflame)

FAIR'S FAIR (@javelinbk): John and Paul are being silly during a press conference, resulting in acute arousal requiring John's skilled intervention. I love the unexpected care and tenderness in this one!

WHERE THE POETS WENT (RedheadAmongWolves): Tender and enchanted story in which Paul and John go to a bookstore, where they're not as famous as everywhere else. As delicate as the chiming doorbells and the pages murmuring around them.

TAKEN AWAY (@crumblingcookies) Extraterrestrial Intelligence intervenes to reunite John and Paul.

CAN I TAKE MY FRIEND TO BED? (manhattanvalleys). Paul fucks the band in sequence and gets off in the end, as is his due. This is a story like Prince's KISS. No filler, all effect.

THEY SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY (@ohjohnnysblog). Warm and nostalgic phone sex in the 70's.

KEEP THE LIGHT WE'RE GIVEN (@backbenttulips). Amidst the rise of Beatlemania, Paul and John expect their first child. This is Paul's 1962 diary.

More Outsider POV's:

STILL MATES (@pauls1967moustache): in 1968, Peter Asher takes the leap to act on his feelings for his sister's spiraling ex fiancé. This isn't about Paul as much as about Peter, and who he wants to be. Gutting character study. It made me love Peter.

ANOTHER GIRL (@boshemians): Astrid reunites with the Beatles during the making of AHDN and registers their words and deeds with the same stark objectivity as her camera. I love how she seeks the shelter of obscurity while they are being dragged into the limelight. But she sees them, wherever they are. J/P in this story feels incredibly real to me.

WHY BUY THE COW (RedheadAmongWolves). The milkman sees everything on his early morning rounds: the arrival of a nice new family, the McCartneys, the mother's illness, the sadness after her death...and the arrival of a new love in the older son's life. He shouldn't approve—should say something, in fact. But a small inner voice holds him back.

SLEEPLESS IN WALES (thinkpink20). Mike overhears Paul and John whisper in bed. He doesn't understand everything they say. I do. Adorable.

Not each other's first love, but each other's true love

THIS YEAR'S FOR ME AND YOU (@skylikeaflame): After a long life, after deep and loving partnerships with other people, John and Paul, encouraged by their grown-up children, finally meet their mutual love head on. A festive story about waiting the perfect amount of time.

THERE ARE ALWAYS FLOWERS (tarenas): The Beatles are in the past; John and Paul's love is in ashes. Paul, who is fragile and bereft, lives with George, who is content. The four ex-Beatles unite for the second wedding of Mike McCartney. At times, the aching grief in this story is almost unbearable. But the love between George and Paul is unusual and real. This is unfinished. I'll keep waiting for the final chapter.

Beyond J/P

WANT ME WHEN I'M NOT THERE (@backbenttulips): Linda catches Paul cheating on her with John. She divorces him. Finally: a story that puts her most likely reaction front and center, with no mercy for the messed-up geniuses.

In the Rebecca-AU LOVE LIKE GHOSTS (@backbenttulips), Yoko becomes Mrs. Lennon. Soon, she discovers that her husband is haunted by the ghost of his first love. It's pleasing how well this re-telling matches the events as they (alas) (almost) happened. The ending is chilling. Genuinely horrifying. I love seeing Yoko as the sensible one and as the focus of empathy.

THE BASS LESSON (@aquarianshift). Paul and Stu fool around without letting go of their mutual resentment for even a moment. And it works. "Let's never do this again." I don't think so.

TELL ME ALL MY LOVE'S IN VAIN (@midchelle). Forget about quote unquote platonically obsessed male rock stars: This about about Maureen and Patti through the years. The web weaving continues.

SPOTLIGHT ON JOHN AND STU (@dailyhowl) A love story in letters—too brief, like Stu's life, but sounding as if the writer transcribed their dictation. Some of the best descriptions of what it must have been like to play on stage with the Beatles during the mania are in NO I IN THREESOME (@with-eyes-closed). George finds himself in the beam of attention between John and Paul, and nearly loses his mind. But he's determined to stay and become part of them. Paul is daddy and "fucks like music" as seen through George's eyes. The whole story is vicious and hot and uncomfortable—until there's the love and quiet at the eye of the storm.

Not for the faint of heart! WHAT THE CIGGIE CARTON SAW (@waveofhand): Paul McCartney having his way with cigarettes.

This is getting out of hand...but I'll stop here. There are so many more stories I love. And I can think of many other categories that would deserve their own post.

So, who knows: To be continued?

[menlove]

any introductory beatles (just mclennon tbh) fics? 🤲

LORD OKAYYYYY i'll try not to go too crazy and just stick to my alltime faves.....

first of all anything @forthlin (milaway on ao3) has written literally ever. i am going to eat them one day. they are the yin to my yang and also the best writer this fandom has ever seeeeen. um. anyway! like i said, all their fics. but i'd Particularly rec your lucky break which is an au where john is a 30 something rockstar and paul is an up and coming musician in the 70s. and well! what can i say about this fic except it's sooo in character, hot, and also the reason i started talking to the best person on this earth so whatever

also completelyyyyy selfish but hey i only wrote half so i'm counting it but we also have an ongoing series: i want you, i need you, i love you where they're writing john's povs and i'm writing paul's! it's just basically our take on their timeline & relationship, but the third installment's going to be a fix-it

now onto me not being gay or selfish here's some of my favorites that i think are Must Reads.

Boy, You've Been A Naughty Girl

explicit. 49k. John makes Paul a bet. Paul takes him up on it. Crossdressing shenanigans and angst ensue, and ~feelings come out in the wash. 1961. rec notes: okay look. this one is just a classic. it's great. esp love it bc it's right up my alley with its "paul isn't an oblivious moron" takes. also.... hot.

I Still Miss Someone/I Know That I Miss You but I Don't Know Where I Stand

explicit. 64k. It's 1976 and Paul keeps showing up on John's doorstep with a guitar. Eventually John turns him away and Paul goes off to sulk in his hotel room the night before his flight from New York. Based on real events. rec notes: aaaaugh this one haunts me there's one scene i think of literally every time "i still miss someone" by johnny cash comes on, which is one of my fave songs. it's not a fix-it, but it's so so so good for the Vibes of their 70s relationship :(

Like Love, The Archers Are Blind

explicit. 22k. He wants to push Stuart out of the way, not even with a violent yank of his collar like he sometimes imagines. Just to melt into his place like butter sliding in a pan. Have it be an effortless breath of fresh air when John looks up at him and sees it all reflected back in his eyes. It’s you. rec notes: this one is just... soft. and so good for a snapshot of the hamburg vibe.

i was a younger man then (now) (post hoc)

mature. 27k. John’s twelve when a bloke appears from a flaming pie and says, “From this day forward you are Beatles with an ‘a.’” The bloke is Paul. Or: paul and john meet at all ages and eras and john is the time-traveler’s wife the way only john lennon can be rec notes: literally my favorite mclennon fic everrrrrr ever ever. other than your lucky break. this is everything. this is it. like it nails their dynamic even though it's a magical au. it explores their relationship sooooo fucking well. i think about it like weekly.

John My Beloved

explicit. 33k. They've always loved each other, in their own way… rec notes: OTHER FAVORITE EVER it broke my heart it changed my fucking lifeeeee it changed my world. major character death warning but fuck man. i think about this literally constantly. this fic haunts me. i think it changed me. i had to stare at a wall for like 30 minutes after finishing it. i got choked up.

two of us (burning matches)

explicit. 6k. It won't stop raining. Paul doesn't know what his feelings are doing. John's practising his right swing. Somewhere along the way, they fuse together. rec notes: this one is just cuuuute and perfect for the Early Days Vibes.

Grow Old With Me

explicit. 8k. fix-it. Paul breaks his arm, and John panics. rec notes: SOOOO FUCKING SWEET. this is what they deserved and i like to live here in my mind when the reality of what actually happened gets to be too much.

1967

mature. 11k. canon-divergent au. In 1961, John Lennon and Paul McCartney left abruptly on a trip to Spain, via France. In 1967, they finally come home to face the consequences. rec notes: the style of this one is INSANE. it's so unique and i love it sososososo much. also the plot? is super unique???? basically it's an au where they never came home from paris and it's.... so fucking good. i love the way it looks at their dynamic like fuck. it's just perfect.

Way Up Top

explicit. 12k. Falling out of the sky, together. | Snapshots of the Beatles in Greece, July 1967 rec notes: LOVE this one for its portrayal of all non-mclennon parties. it fleshes everyone out, especially jane and cyn, in ways a lot of fics just skip. just sooo well written and melancholic in a great way i think.

When You Are Young They Assume You Know Nothing

mature. 26k. But Paul knows John. There’s something about Paris, though... rec notes: THE paris fic to me. this is soooo good and so fucking soft and it just. augh. it killed me.

a brief interruption, a slight malfunction

explicit. 12k. During the rooftop concert, John remembers why he used to find Paul so irresistible after a show. One more time won't hurt, right? rec notes: perfect breakup era fic. my rec notes on ao3 were "this was devastating :)" so. god. this fucked me up.

aaand honorary mentions to the two non-mclennon fics i've read but !

Knocking at Your Door

george/paul. explicit. 6k. It's easy enough, this time, to lean in and touch their lips together. A firm press of his mouth to Paul's; first at the corner, then right on the centre of his yielding, expressive lower lip. Paul and George: a few meetings over thirty-six years. rec notes: the opening sentence to this made me sick to my stomach and then the rest of the fic destroyed me permanently

Where The Sailors Go

ringo/paul. explicit. 5k. A drunken German mistakes Paul, alone in Hamburg's red light district, for a rentboy. Ringo, the Hurricanes' terrifyingly adult drummer, intervenes. Things happen, but Paul can't stop thinking about John. rec notes: PRINGOOOOO. with background mclennon. this was so real to me. also in the same universe as this fic is (It's Just) Another Day which is a transfem paul mclennon fic that rooocked my world. it's still a wip but holy fuck. made me rearrange the way i see paul tbh.

[therealsaintscully]

Thank you for the tag, lovely @crepesuzette2023! It's been nice to take some time to think about my fics!

How many works do you have on ao3?

20; 18 are Johnlock (BBC) and two, the most recent ones, are mclennon.

What’s your total word count?

306,378 (I was stunned to see this, I had no idea).

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

All are Johnlock: Mark Your Calendars, my beloved Erosion, Detours, Plus One and Turned - Part I : Queen and Country.

Do you respond to comments? Why/why not?

I try to be very good about it and respond as often as I can, but the truth is I'm a bit of an emotional wreck so when there's a rush of comments I get overwhelmed and over emotional about them, and tend to put it off for a while. I read them ALL, and I often go back and re-read them.

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

I had to refresh my memory but it's def Every Other Universe ("What if in every other universe John Watson leaves?"). It's one of my very earliest ones and I cringe a little reading it, but it's a very neat idea. Gretna Green Waltz, a mclennon fic, is very devastating if I may say so myself, and was written as such knowingly. It only reflects reality, though, and that's just as devastating.

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

I think Mark Your Calendars has the happiest ending, judging by the numbers of kudos, but for me as the writer, the cosiest, most joy-bringing ending was that of Simon (or: Love Calls You by Your Name).

Do you write crossovers?

The sadly abandoned Turned series is a crossover with Homeland.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not hate, but some less-than-considerate "when's the next chapter???" comments. I don't bother with them.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes I do :)

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Don't think so!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I remember being asked, but I'm not sure what happened with it! Some of my fics got podficced, though: Mark Your Calendars is available as podfic, and so is I Have not Lingered (thanks to the lovely @helloliriels)

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, I'm so neurotic and particular I don't think I'm cut out for that.

What's your all-time favourite ship?

Mulder and Scully are DEFINITELY the mothership and always will be. I still sigh about them in a special, exasperated way about three times a week. I'm still here with Johnlock of course, but I'm pretty sure mclennon has been in the back of my mind for decades, but I was too haunted by other ships to fall down that rabbit hole. Look at me, though, here I am.

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

Turned, very sadly. So much so that I've considered taking it off AO3 but I'm so proud of what I did achieve with it.

What are your writing strengths?

I think my best writing moments are the ones that hook unto my real, personal experiences, not just a general idea of life situations. Erosion is based on my own personal grief and family losses, and Gretna Green Waltz is a retelling of my biggest heartache. I have noticed readers can tell when you're really putting your heart into a story.

What are your writing weaknesses?

English isn't my first language, which means I have to rely on betas which for me sadly slows me down - I want to be able to just write them and post them otherwise I overthink. I'm also a screenwriter irl, and I noticed a pattern that is another weakness - I always have banger openings, or first acts to my stories/screenplays, but sometimes I don't know the ending and I get lost and hesitant. That's why Gretna Green Waltz was SUCH a surprise - much like Junk, the song that haunts Paul throughout the fic, came to him in one piece, GGW landed in my head as a full story. I wrote it in TWO WEEKS! That NEVER happened before!

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

It really depends on how it's done. If it's 2-3 sentences and they're simple I assume the readers will Google Translate it. Jinglebell stands out as someone who did it really well in multi-chapter fic that's all about Sherlock discovering that John is a polyglot, so it can be done well.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Johnlock (for which I started writing during covid in 2020), although as a reader it was TXF, back in in 90s and early 2000s.

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

The X-Files. I've had a Scully character study in my head for years that I just can't get right.

What's your favourite fic you've written?

With Johnlock it would have to be the now-abandoned Turned, and mclennon it would be Gretna Green Waltz. I am very proud of both.

Tagging @menlove, @discordantwords, @saint-mona, @totallysilvergirl @m1ssunderstanding @slippinmickeys @kettykika78 @agrlsname @arwamachine @calaisreno @aggressivewhenstartled and anyone who sees this who wants to participate :)

[fkajohnlennon]

I was tagged by @faulmccartney! 😌🫶 thank you so much!!

I think mostly everyone has been tagged, but five people I want to get to know better: @goldslick @dumbcloud @adriennefrombrooklyn @gangstersgish and @forthlin 💞

Three ships: oh Mclennon, of course! My other top two ships on my AO3 are Hannigram and Spiderman and…well, most men

First ship: omg, dating myself here but my first real fandom ship I got into was L/Light from Death Note in 2007

Last song: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton :3

Last TV show: I’m currently watching the 1960s Batman show! It’s actually wonderful, I love it so much. It’s silly but so entertaining.

Currently watching: as above!

Currently reading: I have @javelinbk‘s fic Heart of Glass pulled up and ready to read tonight!

Currently eating: I just finished having some tomato soup 🥫

Currently craving: mmmmm more soup 🥣

[yonpote]

i think an interesting opposition to rpf that ive heard quite often over the years is people claiming that they've had friends who were a bit too invested in their relationships and had fanfiction written about them which they found weird or invasive. in that specific case, it makes a lot of sense to feel uncomfortable with any art or stories of real living people in sexual or romantic situations that they didn't consent to being in and then being shown said art and fic. rpf (at least before youtube) was always incredibly niche and considered generally weird, all the way back in star trek fandom days, but it's also kinda always existed. the 1960s mclennon fics dan joked about in his now deleted video about shipping culture WERE A REAL THING! one could argue shakespeare participated in rpf! (its on the wikipedia page about real people fanfiction i am not joking go check) or perhaps even the bible!!!!

but obviously with more historical tales, people don't really find a problem with that because they were all written so long ago and we've greatly mythologized a lot of the kings shakespeare wrote about for example where they may as well be fictional characters since we dont have any way of knowing their true personalities anymore, and with kings in the 15-1600s there was definitely no direct line of communication between royalty and the common people the way a modern day celebrity can easily just tweet to their fans about their everyday life.

i think the dawn of youtubers and internet fame and social media was the first time that the people being written about were actively discussing the stories that were being told, and the first time that people were directly sending them links to fics or art of them making out. (but correct me if im wrong! maybe paul mccartney has an interview out there where talks about having to sign a girl's beatles fanfic zine lmao.) but thats the first time anyone was actively talking about it outside of "oh, thats just a weird thing that some people do, lets just leave them in the corner" and it was the first time that this was being brought to people's attention at a much larger scale. even just in the phandom, a lot of comments under the reupload of dan's shipping video were like "this is the video that actually taught me what shipping was" (lmao @ dan accidentally creating his own beast of burden)

so it's just this unprecedented moment of this (being fully honest as a fic writer myself) Pretty Weird Thing That We Do coming into light. but it didn't just start with pretty boy youtubers or even boy bands.

and i could probably somehow tie this in with my whole thing about yaoi/slash as a genre created primarily by and for women not really being about gay men necessarily but rather a way for women to express parts of themselves that are generally repressed by using characters they can't project onto so they don't have to imagine themselves in more taboo scenarios that they secretly want to explore. but i think thats enough yap from me today lmao

[ram-on]

whenyourbirdisbroken asked:

Hi ram-on! Thanks for your tags on that fic rec for Carry That Weight, I've never read that fic but your tags made it sound very interesting! What are other McLennon fics you like, if you don't mind sharing?

Hello there, @whenyourbirdisbroken! Thank you for my very first Beatles related ask and sorry for the late reply!! I discovered fanfiction through the Beatles fandom, I had never read fanfic before! But I'm still too bad at bookmarking things, so I'll certainly forget some I loved. Still, here's a list of those I can remember now:

Carry That Weight and its sequence Hello Goodbye by @waveofahand It's a massive work by a massive talent and it has a very special place in my heart. @idontwanttospoiltheparty described it very well in their recent post about it, and I added a bit of my commentary in the tags. Don't worry about the length, you don't have to read the two parts to enjoy it, but also if you start from the beginning and it's your cup of tea you may soon discover you never want it to end!

 Mums, Yur Boys are Crying by waveofahand. If you love hurt/comfort, this fic includes both John and Paul suffering - John's mom dying and Paul helping him go trhough the funeral, etc, and then Paul himself getting into another situation, and John worrying about him too. The boys are young but there's kindness, maturity and wisdom in it and the typical picturesque, novel-like features of waveofhand's prose. A special bonus are the very charming scenes between Mimi and Paul which may colour your perception of the interactions between those two forever (I always expect them to act like that in other fics). It's also a delightfully finished fic, it has a beautiful ending and conclusion.

Everything by merseydreams . As you may notice, I'm mostly a fan of drama and angst, but @merseydreams are my favorite exception. They're a comedy genius, their fics are romantic, charming, witty, very vivid and enjoyable both on story-buld level and micro-sentence level. I've often told them they should write scripts for sitcoms and romantic comedies/dramedies and other good things. Also good thoughtful characterization, relationship study-ing and dialogue too (so there's seriousness in them too! They're ultimately happy but not fluffy.). I love all their fics but I guess The Birthday Party is the best by being the longest, if you somehow missed it go read it ASAP! 

i was a younger man then (now) (post hoc)  by fingersfallingupwards.  This fic is so touching, that I don't know how to describe it. It's a very poetic, imaginative and unique story about John&Paul-forever and time travel. About the connection of their souls in a fantastical but poignant sense that somehow fits them so much. Might make you cry but it's worth it. Also, completely finished fic as well, with a thrilling emotional twist towards the end. Might be the most complete fic I've read. The fic also provide very good context for the flaming pie anecdote :-)

On our way back home by Kathleenishereagain. This one is also about time travel, but in a different way, basically about old Paul getting back to being young again and how he'd do things differently. I think it's quite popular so you probably all know it. (Funny thing is I never thought I'd care about time travel, but ultimately it's just a writing vessel and aren't we always time travelling when we fantasise about the Beatles?) 

Close The Door Lightly When You Go by RosalindBeatrice. Set in 1979 when Paul comes to visit John in the Dacota, who acts like he doesn't want him there. It's awesome, one of those fics, in which they have real tension and problems which makes it all more real. It's mostly inner-thoughs and dialogue-driven but very intense nontheless, great characterisation, great attention to detail, just fantastic for lovers of post break up relationship studies and excellent writing.

The Wild Horses trilogy, from which I especially love the last part, Son of a Shining Path. It's about young Paul and John and Paul being abused by his father, and the first part might be a bit too dark for some. But I love the writing, and especially in the third part (which has no abuse but other suffering) I just love how well being worried about someone you love and being unable to show it is written in the end there. It's subtle, very realistic in its details, I love it.

I'm Looking Through You by @idontwanttospoiltheparty That's the only fic in this list which is still a work in progress, still updated. If you follow the author on Tumblr you know how smart they are, and their fic is just as thoughtful and attentive to the Beatles history, the music and the psychology of it all. The story gets more exciting and rich whith each chapter, I fell in love with the last three. It also pays attention to all four of the Beatles and their human sides and motivations in a way that rarely happens. Last chapter included the best incorporation of the Manila adventures I've read in fic. Just many emotionally packed and thrilling scenes all around (also that thing I just wrote about being worried about someone and being frozen about how to help them which I love being written realistically in fics -- is here too.) Go read it if you haven't and let's read the next update soon together!!

Widow by abromeds on LJ. This story is more than a decade old, but it's no wonder it still appears in fic recs. It's about death and grief - not John but Paul dying like John did - so it's truly dark, not like fun angsty, but truly deeply dramatic and real. So you might think why read something sad, but maybe you should, because it's so good. It's also serious writing on meaningful topic and I think the fictional element (Paul dying and not John) somehow helps it being more bearable and at the same time makes you think about the actual reality and we kinda avoid doing it, don't we? And it's just very well written, there are also very plausible-sounding flashbacks of their history and relationship through the years (the one about why John actually climbed the fence in Cavendish is my favorite!), so it's not really all about death. And my absolutely favorite thing in ''Widow'' is the very ending, the last sentence even. It's the most perfect, most poignant ending this story could have had, an ending any good fuckin literature could have. Sometimes I walk on the streets and think about that ending. 

-------------------

This fic rec is got too wordy, so I'll end this here, although there are other fics I've enjoyed just as much, but I'll add them some other time!

Always feel free to recommend me some fics too (or to share your thoughts on the already mentioned!)

[oldmanfuckerbrigade]

9 People You Want to Know Better

thanks for the tag @wizardpink!!

tagging: @phyllistines @pansyfemme @builtfxrblame @muzaktomyears @menlove @beatlesbabytrapping @undying-love @monkberryfields @paul-mccartney-official

Three Ships: mclennon, devils minion, coffinshipping

First Ship: oh christ i actually do not even remember. erm…let’s go klance ig?? that’s the farthest back i can remember.

Last Song: You May Be Right - Billy Joel (the goat)

Last TV Show: Just started showing my mom The Fall of the House of Usher (because mike flanagan owns my soul)

Currently Watching: 4 hr video essay about Saw traps (my one true love)

Currently Reading: any DM fic at this point let’s be real. Currently awaiting an update for the incredible “the spiral is unspooling” by reedroad on ao3

Currently Eating: Italian sub from a roadside cafe on my way home from vacation. solid 7/10 sub.

Currently Craving: caffeine although i’m kicking it FOR REAL this time guys i SWEAR

To make it easier to copy/paste on mobile:

9 People You Want to Know Better: Three ships: First ship: Last song: Last TV show: Currently watching: Currently reading:Currently eating: Currently craving:

[veidelon]

Tag nine (9) people you’d like to know better

Thanks for the tag @boshemians!

Last song: I Will, Tonight by The Brobecks. My average workday consists of me listening to Dallon Weekes’s entire discography for 8 hrs.

Currently Watching: Not watching any shows… last thing I truly watched was AMC’s Interview with the Vampire series. I highly recommend the first 4.5 episodes and highly advise against watching the rest. I also tried watching How I Won the War yesterday and stopped at the first instance of John being weird about a man (5 minutes in), but I haven’t closed out of the tab yet so it should count.

Currently Reading: Last book I read was Enduring Love a few months ago. I suppose I’m technically still mid reading The Charioteer. And, most importantly, I’m still in the middle of a 1M+ word mclennon fic. It’s absolutely insane on many levels but I can’t stop.

Current Obsession: I truly hate to say this but I just started my first real full-time job, so the obsession part of my brain is on a low simmer while I get fully acclimated. I do want to watch through Xavier Dolan’s filmography (now that he’s sworn off making any more films lol) so maybe that’ll count, if it gets off the ground.

I feel like everybody’s already incestuously tagged each other, but I’ll tag some people I haven’t happened to have seen yet. No pressure of course.

@louiselux, @redlegotwobyfour, @m1ssunderstanding, @thestarsarecool, @beatlessideblog, @pie-of-flames, @goldslick, and @laurieodell if you wish lol.

[recallthename]

Hey, hello! I'm sorry if you've answered this question to others before, but in case you read fanfiction, can you recommend me some? I was reading until recently ''Carry That Weight'' by waveofahand (and then its continuation ''Hello, Goodbye''), and it was long and exciting but I reached its last written chapter and I'm sad. I decided to ask you, because you like Paul, me too, and maybe you'd know some good Paul focused (though they don't have to be entirely) or at least Paul-respecting fics. They can be Mclennon of course. I love them angsty... but I'd be curious to check any recs.

i do read fic! i'm pretty picky about it though, so i don't feel like i have that much. but i'm always happy to rec!  especially cause it seems like we have similar tastes.

first off, there are two wips i'm reading that i am deeply into. which is saying something since i normally stridently avoid wips.  these do both still have chapters regularly coming out, so i feel confident reccing them (which i wouldn’t if they seem abandoned)

Going Nowhere by inspiteallthedanger - When Paul gets the news, he rushes out to New York and ends up bringing an injured John back to England. Once there, they try and figure out how to find their way back to one another. A post-1980 fix-it that includes flashbacks to some major moments in their past and an exploration of where John and Paul might have ended up if John had lived.

(It's Just) Another Day by obstinatrix - Cavendish, 1974; The stars, it seems, have aligned: the rare weekend has arisen upon which both Ringo and the McCartneys will be in London at the same time. This is lucky, because Paul has something to tell Ringo — something nobody’s sure how John would react to if he were ever to find out. Or: they’re lesbians, Harold. Eventual John/Paul with lots of other stuff along the way.

the rest are all completed fics.  i also tried to only include longer ones.  partially because they’re my preference and partially cause i’m more likely to remember them well lol.  maybe some day i’ll make a proper Long Post with every bookmark i have on ao3.

The Wild And Windy Night by tikk - 26k words - After the Beatles split, John and Paul's relationship deteriorates hard and fast. John grows more and more reckless, and Paul doesn't know how to reach him. Until suddenly Paul is broken apart, just as John starts to pull himself together.  if you read nothing else i rec, read this one.  probably my favorite in the fandom, i still think about it all the time even though it was one of the first i read.

Throw The Wine by savageandwise - 51k words - "But you realise that you're in real life, and you don't split up a beautiful thing with a beautiful thing." -Paul McCartney Or do you?

i was a younger man then (now) (post hoc) by fingersfallingupwards - 27k words - John’s twelve when a bloke appears from a flaming pie and says, “From this day forward you are Beatles with an ‘a.’” The bloke is Paul. Or: paul and john meet at all ages and eras and john is the time-traveler’s wife the way only john lennon can be

metered by fingersfallingupwards - 44k words - "The bloke said something just the same as you did, about floating off unless tied down, or maybe it was the other way around, getting tied down to float off, y'know.”- OR: Canon-era John and Paul haphazardly invent BDSM, and learn a few things about power, surrender, pleasure, and themselves along the way

You're a Dream Lover by thisbirdhadflown - 44k words - "John had once mused that reality leaves a lot to the imagination. Christ, don’t they know it. But what you don’t dare do in real life and what you don’t dare imagine leaves what you dream. It’s the closest thing to truth he’s ever had. And then there’s John, reigning above everything. Emperor of Eternity." Paul and John start sharing lucid dreams together in the summer of 1967.

We'll Always Have Paris by bunnoculars - 22k words - John and Paul go to Paris. Part 1 is set during their trip over John's birthday in 1961, and Part 2 is set during their residency at Olympia Theatre in 1964. The last part would've been set during their impromptu visit in 1966, but I have no plans to write it.

if you’re a paul fan and not a strident mclennon, i recommend checking out what (unfortunately little) there is of paul/omc on ao3.  there are a few great ones with robert fraser, downtothelastdrop seems determined to hook him up with everyone and i’m obsessed with it.  also i’m not 100% if my privacy is open (i think so?) but here’s my ao3 bookmarks, which has all of the shorter/incomplete wips i’ve loved that i neglected to list here.  again i will probably actually make a rec list on tumblr eventually, but just for in the mean time.

hope you find some stuff you like!

[crepesuzette2023]

I know this is a broad question, but if you had to pick, what is the most angsty Mclennon fic you’ve read so far ? You have some amazing recommendations and I’m looking to hurt my own feelings lol

Hi st-john!

Thank you for the ask! This made me think about some of my angsty forever-faves in general, sorted from subtle to savage. (Under the cut.)

If you want to skip straight (do we use this word around here?!) to the fics I personally find the most angsty: they're at the bottom of this post. I also included some dark/angsty stories here, but I didn't want to repeat any recommendations.

Your ask helped me understand what it is I find the most angst-filled in mclennon, so thank you for that. I was surprised to see so many canon-adjacent stories on my list, and I think it shows that, to me, the most potent angst doesn't come from outside threat but from their minds, as evidenced by events that actually happened. The two of them being scared of (and turned on by) the big fat x they mark on their shared psychosexual map is one of the most attractive aspects of mclennon for me—followed by the two of them taking x for granted, and being permanently damaged once they realize they lost it forever. I also like stories that show their mutual resentment, even as they're into each other (sometimes literally). Anyway, under the cut are some of my favorite angsty fics in three handy categories:

1.) Carry That Weight/Love is Strange: Their relationship is deep and doomed and addictive. These stories are all set during the Beatle-years. I'M GONNA HAUNT YOU (sexysadie): 1968. John and Paul talk about women, but really, they talk about each other. A brief story about longing in the absence of hope. WALKING CLOSE AT HAND (harmonising): John and Paul as pair of broken mirrors, haunted by death in all things. Their love as beautiful magic-turned-curse. LET ME ROLL IT (@downtothe-lastdrop): The 1968 NYC Apple Launch Divorcemoon from Paul's POV. Lively and detailed, and drenched in what it must feel like to drown in unspoken words. I THINK OF THINGS WE DID (J_deandra_j): 1965. John and Paul fuck in Austria during the filming of Help! There is something intangibly upsetting about this story: anger and frustration; lust and sex with little room for softness—but it's so good and real and raw while it lasts. This one is impossible to forget! John POV. HOW YOU WERE DIVERTED (candle_beck): Paul handles John. This is about sex as one of the things that is "just them"—an urgent and rough emergency intervention. 2.) Tributes to the Canonical Breakup. To me, the break-up is an angst-filled nightmare. Not to mention the looming day of John's murder. I love stories that explore the break-up and its aftermath with compassion. And, as painful as it is, I especially love stories that make me feel that the love was there, always (even though it wasn't enough). THROW THE WINE (@savageandwise). This one is such a classic I imagine everyone must have read it, but I can't not mention it. It was one of the first fics I read—arrow through me, and such. The more painful it gets, the more it slows down. That takes courage. YOU'RE A DREAM LOVER (@dailyhowl). John and Paul share dreams and love each other in their dreams—gloriously so—but in the end, the dream is over. The most brutal aspect of this one is seeing Paul in the end, alone. I STILL MISS SOMEONE & CLOSE THE DOOR LIGHTLY WHEN YOU GO (RosalindBeatrice). Paul and John become lovers in the 70's, but their encounters are few and far between—and in the end, darkness falls. But there's also the mercy of honesty, tears, and, yes: sex. Beautifully melancholy story about the vast distance between bright stars. ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK (@backbenttulips). Apologies to the writer in case my "angsty" reading of this one misses the mark! Above all, this is a hot hot hot story about John and Paul hooking up in Bangkok and fucking every which way, remembering the past and seizing the present. But it's also a story about a relationship that no longer exists: their musical partnership. They destroyed the one place where their love had a home. Now, faraway hotel rooms will have to do—and there are no goodbyes or plans for a next time. (I must repeat how hot this is though.)

3.) "A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day."—Except it's exactly this day. Deep pain and sadness: the break-up is final; no one was saved. [Writers mentioned here: this is meant as a compliment. All of these stories are so good. It's not for nothing that I was never able to forget some lines from these stories, even though I read them very early on.]

HEAR ME, MY LOVER by @savageandwise. (Unfinished, but feels finished.) At the time the Beatles break up, Paul attempts to kill himself. He lives, but much else is destroyed. No one is wrong or right—their love and fracturing cut all possible ways. I read this as a literal translation of what the loss of the band (and John) meant for Paul, for a while.

FOUR LAST SONGS by @celebratorypenguin. This AU (four parts) explores what would have happened to the Beatles if John hadn't been the one to die first. Sentences from this one still live in my brain. The story is both sweeping and deep, and covers the POV of all four Beatles. Its truly an alternate history of the band, and it's very sad. But so, so beautiful, too.

Bonus Materials: John and Paul never became John&Paul. Everyone comes at this differently, but to me, the idea of them meeting, and falling in love, and turning away from it, is as angst-filled as the worst of the the break-up. That's why I think these two are among the best, most courageous, but also most angst-filled, of all mclennon fics: ALL THE BOYS ARE SINGING LOVE SONGS. (@dailyhowl): Paul settles down with Dot and they start a family. He and John meet again, and the spark is still there, but after a night together, the fear of starting over is greater. This magnificently written story fucked me up, and I've yet to pick up the courage to read it a second time. To quote the writer: this is a story about "the angst of living in the prison of society-approved masculinity." Yes. "Happy ending seekers need not apply." That is fair. As a happy ending seeker, I comfort my tender shipper's heart with the exhilarating fact that the real John and Paul did, in fact, become lovers become famous with the Beatles and formed a close musical partnership. THERE ARE ALWAYS FLOWERS (tarenas). This is a story I mentioned in my overall favorites post, and it's not, strictly speaking, all angst (to quote the writer: "this is about being sad and middle-aged, but it's also about being so happy and middle-aged!") It's not even J/P: it's mostly Paul/George, and their relationship is beautiful and real. Still, as a reader I was aching for the other life that could have been, and that is woven through the events of this story with incredible artistry: the Beatles, which everyone misses without knowing why. The great love between John and Paul that ended when John chose someone else. This is the magic of RPF: reality is the shadow event included for free. (Unfinished, with have all four n on-Beatles POV's. So far: George and Ringo.)

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

Hello, I don't know if you've ever talked about this before but: what is your favorite mclennon fanfiction?

My fave fic is Carry That Weight (but HUGE TW for rape, it does treat the subject with tact and gravity though)

It also has a sequel I haven't really read yet cause the first one was GORGEOUS but also emotionally draining.

It's lowkey sort of out of character sometimes (the fictionalized versions of John and Paul are fleshed out and very interesting though), but I just think it tells a genuinely beautiful story of the struggles of healing and moving on from incredible pain. Like I went into it afraid it would be a lot of trauma porn but it feels so real and is filled with many moments of genuine joy.

The prose is almost… victorian? And the author loves long-winded flashback scenes, which gives it the feeling of something like a Les Mis rather than a modern read. (a reason why it might not be everyone's cup of tea) Also there are interesting original characters who add a lot of depth to the story.

[savageandwise]

Anon:

Hi, your remarks about angst really resonated with me - especially the part about people using one dimensional bad/abusive etc. characters as background for their fluff - I absolutely hate it when that happens and usually stop reading. I think it's fair enough to sometimes only go for a fluff tag or something that is advertised as "angst with a happy ending" as a reader if you want a fic to cheer you up, but if you do that all the time, that's not a great sign of emotional maturity in my book. The only thing I very much tend to avoid is MCD - especially in RPF, I wouldn't read or write that. In general, my RPF is relatively tame, I think. Obviously, I am in no way writing about the life of the real person, I'm just taking their public persona and inventing something, but it still has their name in it and, perhaps superstitiously, I don't want to treat them too badly, because words have power after all... I fully acknowledge that that part's a bit ridiculous :-P But back to the angst tag - I would never avoid a story just because of that, in fact, I might prefer it to "tooth-rotting fluff". Of course people have very different interpretations of the tags, "hurt&comfort" being a prime example - that could mean a little accident, or emotional hurt, or it could mean someone in the story has been tortured... It's complicated. In the beginning, I basically didn't tag at all because I didn't know what to put, and I'm still reluctant sometimes when I feel like the tag is a plot spoiler. The only compromise I've found in that case is to put a warning in the end notes and mention that there's a warning at the beginning - though that always makes me nervous as a reader (should I click it or shouldn't I?). Let me know if you have any thoughts about that and sorry for the novel-lenght post. This is what happens when I don't use the anon option :D

Savageandwise:

Thank you for this! I almost missed it at first because I never used to get submissions. I'm glad to hear post resonated with you. Again, I don't really care if people want to enjoy fluff but I used to get requests for more fluffy fics when I wrote mclennon and I wasn't interested in writing them. I'm even more against hurt/comfort actually because lots of people seem to be getting off on their fave being abused. Like you said there are different levels of this. And I don't mind if it's a minor theme. I particularly hate if rape or torture is involved and one of the characters heals the other with their love. (My friend calls it the magic dick-healing the character with the magical appendage)

some people have explained to me the reason they enjoy the trope is if their fave is emotionally closed off they enjoy them having to be vulnerable. I can understand that. I do write my faves having to deal with strong emotions because I think every one deals with intense situations at some point (I hope- that's part of life!) But I draw the line at invented violence and major illness.

The tagging thing is very difficult. I agree it's hard to decide when it fits particularly if it would spoil the fic. A friend of mine didn't tag her suicide fic and it caused a huge drama. I think your notes suggestion is a good one.

I tend to just spoil I guess. Better safe than sorry. Though I don't always think every tag is necessary depending on the fandom. I feel "drugs" "violence" shouldn't really come as a surprise when writing in the Oasis fandom. If something was particularly violent I might tag it I guess. Its difficult to take everyone's preferences into account. (To know what everyone might consider triggering. I've seen people tag "cheating" and "cigarettes")

On the subject of spoilers, even in real novels and films I feel the human race no longer wants to be surprised- or film makers are too scared to be sued. I do feel most people want to feel they're aware of all the elements ahead of time. That's why trailers are like a mini version of the film and don't seem to leave much out. Shame. But that's how it goes.

[mithranqueersmusings]

The Night Before XIV

Chapter: 14/15

Rating: E

Summary: Ringo hangs around after the club closes and meets a stranger.

Tags: Smut, Slow Burn

Pairing: George Harrison/Ringo Starr (Background McLennon)

AO3 link here / Fic masterlist here

Ringo didn't know where to look first, his eyes entirely overwhelmed by the display of erotica laid out before him. George was tied to the bed, one hand remaining free for obvious reasons, completely naked except from some sheer stockings. That would've been enough to bring Ringo to his knees, but there was more. A small remote lay on George's toned stomach which Ringo quickly realised controlled the vibrator which was snugly buried inside George. Ringo had never seen such a debauched display, taking a few steps closer into the room he saw a ring of metal around George's already hard shaft. To top it all off, a red gagball was pressed between his lips, muffling any noise he tried to make. Exactly how he had been able to do all this in such a short amount of time, Ringo had no clue, but he wasn't about to start questioning things.

"Jesus fucking Christ." Ringo breathed, his eyes growing dark with hunger.

George struggled to meet Ringo's gaze from his position on the bed, having to crane his neck uncomfortably, but there wasn't much communication needed. He lifted his free hand and beckoned Ringo closer with his slender finger.

Ringo moved over slowly to the head of the bed, allowing himself to indulge in the sight of George's face: his eyes had watered a little already, his skin sporting pink undertones and his lips spread so perfectly. Kinky was never a word Ringo would use to describe himself, but he was beginning to understand that would've been a mistake, because something stirred deep inside him knowing George was all his, to do with whatever he pleased. He rubbed his thumb on George's outstretched bottom lip, feeling the spit that had gathered there. George leaned in to the touch as best he could, his moan distorted by the gag which only made it sound richer and more enticing.

"I don't even know where to begin." Ringo had intended the comment to sound light, but his mind was far too clouded.

George gestured with his free hand to signal that Ringo needed to finish what he'd been incapable of. The restraints seemed to go underneath the bed, a more elaborate contraption than Ringo had ever seen, his mind began to wander as to how many times George had presented himself like this to other men, no matter how many it had been now it was Ringo's turn. He traced his fingers along the veins of George's arm before shackling it to the bed, determined to drive him as crazy as possible.

Ringo picked up the remote, circling back to the end of the bed to get a better view of George's stuffed entrance. There were only a few buttons, which was a relief to Ringo who'd never even used a vibrator before. He decided to experiment, pressing the first button which turned it on gradually, George let out a wanton moan as he struggled against his restrains. The second sent vibrations out in spurts with seemingly no regular rhyhtm, making George twitch each time.

"Fuck... You look so gorgeous, George." Ringo cooed, sliding himself inbetween his spread legs "Letting me use you like this, I never knew you could be so filthy."

Running his finger around George's entrance teasingly, Ringo pressed the third button which sent the vibrations in waves, building up to a point of intensity then rolling back down into nothing. George really began to squirm, his cock twitching against his stomach in desperate need of attention. Ringo had almost forgotten about the cock ring, he'd never even seen one before in real life.

"Bet you could cum right now, couldn't you?" Ringo discarded the remote, allowing the vibrator to continue abusing George's hole "But you don't want to, not unless I allow you to."

George thrust his hips upwards as best he could, longing for any form of contact, his eyes hooded and dark. Ringo moved his hand upwards, tracing along George's hot skin before he gripped onto his cock. The noises pouring from George's mouth were shameless, only growing more wanton as Ringo began stroking teasingly slow. Ringo caught George's eye as he sank his mouth downwards, his tongue circling the head before he engulfed the entire length. George practically screamed out, his hands gripping at the restraints to ease some of the overwhelming ectsasy. Ringo let out a menacing laugh, still busying his mouth with George's already leaking cock.

Ringo surprised himself with how easily he leaned in to the dominant persona, it was hard not to when George was giving himself up so willingly.

"Such a good little slut." Ringo purred, his hand gripping around the base of the vibrator and beginning to pump it slowly "I could slide my cock inside you so easily, you'd like that wouldn't you?"

George nodded, his eyes filled with tears. Ringo quickened his hand, forcing George to struggle in vain. It was no surprise that Ringo was rock hard, he slid out of his boxers and stroked himself lazily. He knew he could tease George like this all night, but there was only so much Ringo could punish himself.

"You want my cock?" Ringo teased, straddling George as he pressed their cocks together "You want it buried in that tight arse of yours?"

As enticing as George's muffled moans were, Ringo couldn't deny that he missed hearing George's depraved responses to his teasing. He reached to undo the gag, it wasn't the most gentle attempt but George didn't seem to care. The look in George's eye as Ringo removed it from his mouth was mesmerising, the strings of spit stretching out made the whole thing look utterly pornographic. Ringo groaned, lowering his mouth down onto George for a few deep kisses.

"So pretty." Ringo hummed, pressing his thumb into George's mouth which he accepted eagerly "I'm not gonna fuck you just yet, not until I've used this mouth."

"Please... I want it." George pleaded, his voice completely shot "I wanna taste your cock, Ringo."

No further encouragement was needed. Ringo had to shuffle a little awkwardly on the bed to align himself with George's mouth, the position wasn't ideal but there was no way either of them could wait any longer. Just to mix things up a little, Ringo turned on the second setting of the vibrator so that George would unexpectedly jolt upwards with pleasure, Ringo only hoped it wouldn't get his teeth too heavily involved.

George's mouth was wet and welcoming, Ringo slid his cock inside with no resistance. He was starting to think that he should've worn a cock ring too, because he wouldn't be able to last as long as he'd like.

"Shit, George..." Ringo panted as he began pulling his cock out "You're gonna be the death of me."

Ringo had no idea how George was able to even remain conscious through all this, his cock desperate for release yet constantly being denied the pleasure, his wrists and ankles growing red with friction and his mouth being fucked without being able to stop it, not that he'd ever want to. To start with Ringo thrust slowly, rolling his hips into the heat of George's mouth, grunting as he fought the temptation to fuck into him ruthlessly. The two of them looked into one another's eyes the entire time, it was impossible to even look away. George's eyes would flutter or roll as Ringo began quickening his thrusts but they'd always return to gaze back at Ringo, dark with lust and pure want.

"Taking me so well, aren't you?" Ringo rubbed his hand tenderly on George's cheek "Been waiting for my cock all evening. Waiting for me to fuck you like the dirty slut you are."

George moaned around Ringo's cock, opening this throat entirely as the pace grew harsh and unforgiving. Ringo felt his orgasm brewing in his groin, he only wished he'd be able to release himself now but he had other plans.

"Fuck I'm getting close..." Ringo admitted, slowing his thrusts only slightly "I don't even need to ask if you're ready for my cock, I know you are. Know how hungry you are for it."

Ringo reluctantly removed himself from George's mouth, tapping the head of his cock on the flatness of George's outstretched tongue. He was already so close, he cursed himself for not being able to last longer.

George practically cooed when the vibrator was taken out, leaving his hole wet and gaping. Ringo groaned at the sight, tracing his tongue around the outside.

"I can't take it anymore." George whined, struggling once again against his restraints "Put your cock in me Ringo, I need it."

Ringo chuckled darkly "You think you deserve it? You have been so good for me, so willing."

"Yes, yes, I do!" George cried out, the look in his eyes absolutely wild "Been so fucking good for you, such a good little slut."

"Took the words right out my mouth." Ringo hummed, lining himself up with George's entrance "How many guys have you let fuck you like this? You'd do anything for some cock, wouldn't you?"

George tried to speak but was completely silenced when Ringo thrust inside without further warning, all the way to the base. Both of them had to pause for a moment, to gather their thoughts and senses entirely. Ringo gripped at George's gaunt face, forcing him to look at him.

"I asked you a question." Ringo grunted, pulling himself out slowly.

"I- Fuck!" George screamed out again.

"Don't lie to me." Ringo worried he was taking things too far, but George only seemed to be enjoying it more and more.

"So many, I've lost count..." George breathed "Don't even care who it is, as long as they'll fuck me nice and rough."

"Dirty boy." Ringo laughed, struggling to keep his composure as he thrust inside once more.

"I am, I am." George rambled "Do anything for your big cock inside me, Ringo. Can't wait to feel your cum trickling down my thighs.

Ringo almost growled, his other hand gripping George's hip as he began fucking him without remorse. George wailed, his moans bordering on screams as his expression was almost vacant, so completely overwhelmed with pleasure.

"I want you to cum for me George." Ringo instructed, his fingers tracing over the metal of the cock ring "Can you do that for me? Then I'm gonna fill you up, nice and deep."

George could only manage a nod, his words entirely unintelligible as Ringo slid the ring off.

"That's it." Ringo encouraged, his hand switching from George's hip to his aching cock, jerking him off sloppily to bring him to the edge.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" George called out as he came, shooting over Ringo's hand and over his stomach.

Ringo acted fast, using all the remaining energy in his body to fuck into George mercilessly, spilling moans from his lips as he buried his cock as deep as he could manage while his own orgasm washed over him. George was still twitching with pleasure as Ringo spilled himself inside, his mind was completely blank, all he could do was feel.

His body gave out entirely, dropping all of his weight down onto George as he slowly recovered. A sheen of sweat covered both of their bodies, breath escaping from their mouths in quick pants.

Ringo didn't want to move, but he knew if he didn't things would only get more uncomfortable and considerably grosser. He pulled out of George carefully, his tenderness returning without much thought. George let out a gasp at the feeling, a final moan parting his lips as Ringo's cum began spilling out onto the sheets.

"Fucking hell." Ringo would've been more aroused if he wasn't currently so depleted, but he couldn't deny that the sight was beyond erotic.

"Enjoyed your present then?" George asked, his voice even rougher than before.

Ringo smiled sweetly down at him "Do you even have to ask?"