#once again i've written a ramble that is over 900 words long

[sugareey-makes-stuff]

20 questions for fic writers!

Ooo, this look fun! Thanks for the tags, @lumosatnight (x) and @anaxandria-writes (x) ! This is going to be interesting since I've only started writing again a few years ago, so I'll do what I can to make this writing-centric. This is also probably going to be rambly AF, so you've been warned. And onwards!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

118 (39 are fics, and the rest is all art). That number will change because it's spooky season, and there are definitely some fun things being posted for that very soon.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

91,266, but if you exclude a couple of collabs where I only provided art, then it's down to 68,276. I have a few works that are hidden and haven't been "officially" released yet because these are the WIP text fics I've talked about before, and they need more TLC!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Harry Potter (31)

Teen Wolf (8)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Little did I know [HP: Perciver, T, 2.5k]

There's a guiding light [HP: Perciver, G, 1.5k]

Love me like that [HP: Perciver, T, 2.5k]

Help Me Out [TW: Sterek, E, 3.3k]

It's Enough For Now [TW: Sterek, G, 300 words w/ art]

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

You know what's funny? I had to take a break from answering for quite a while, and I just started replying back to comments to most recent works yesterday. So, progress! I really do want to show some appreciation to folks who have read and viewed my work, especially across multiple fandoms and ships over the last couple of months. The multi-fandom life is a tricky one to balance, but I'm hoping I can reply to a batch here or there when I have a chance to eventually get caught up with the backlog. If I haven't replied back yet, please note that I have read your lovely comment, but I just haven't had a chance to string together some words to say thank you! I cherish each and every comment I get, especially if I've made someone smile or their day a little brighter with my creations.

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

I've actually been in a whumpy phase lately, but I posted up The Walls Came Crashing Down (TW: Sterek, T, 4,242 words) maybe a couple of weeks ago because it's a Bloody Mary fic, and there was a near-death experience included. There's also so many terrible feels, crying and trauma after that happens. It's hopeful but yeah. I've been wanting make something like this for a long time, so I'm glad I finally did because it was such a fun and challenging fic to write (while keeping it at that exact word count :P).

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

Navy and Gold (HP: Perciver, G, 900 words) for Cruel Summer Fic fest, because I was given a song that had a lot of fluffy family vibes, and that's usually what I don't write? But I turned it into a wedding ficlet, and I think I surprised myself because it came out really well. Especially in such few words!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I've gotten some weird comments on both fic and art. More of the kind where someone wanted or expected a certain thing, or they were questioning that something was missing. Anyway, some friends have defended my honour or else tell me that those commenters weren't worth it, so I'm glad to have that kind of support!

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

Once upon a time I did not write PWPs. Ever since I came out of writing hibernation, PWPs have definitely slipped in. That's how I actually started writing more when I challenged myself to write drabbles for a smut workshop for Kinkuary. Now, I love writing sexy and kinky microfics and drabbles because they're short, quick and punchy. I've recently graduated to writing a couple of one shots (and heyyy, I'm actually working on a couple for Kinktober as we speak ;D). Kinkuary and Kinktober are usually my inspirations to get things written out anyway, but I'm open to other challenges too. There's a reason why A Study in Kink exists as an HP fic and art series. At this rate, I may need to make a new series for Sterek Sexy Stories. The amount of Sterek smut ideas I have kicking around in WIPs rn is kinda insane. But also, porn with feelings. <333

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

Not in the traditional sense. The most I've done is add in fandom references into a fic. So for Teen Wolf, I've been adding in little elements from Supernatural, especially if I want to bring a certain type of lore or big bad into the scene. But that's it.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Thankfully, I haven't. Then again, I've only written short things these past few years (and I'm more concerned about art theft, considering how much of my art is out in the world).

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, I have not!

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

Yes, I have! @crazybutgood and I got to know each other when we were paired up last year for the Owlery Exchange: To Days to Come and wrote I Just Want You To Know (Drarry, T, 3.5k) together. Epistolary fics are awesome btw! My Harry had a lot of fun bantering and bonding with her Draco, and I love how we didn't even know we were writing to each other until partners were revealed, and it was time for betaing and editing. That's how we became fast friends, which was totally meant to be! :D

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

That's just...I like a lot of ships, okay? I'm a multi-shipper and a multi-fandomer, so that's a tough question!! Hang on tight...this is going to be a long ass explanation. I'm not going to rank them, but I'll list three ships that have impacted my life in a huge way. I'll start with Sterek, because I've only gotten to know them for a little over a year. But Sterek was a blessing to discover at such a shitty time. Literally one year ago, I felt burnt out, like I was losing my muse, and I was recovering from COVID. Everything in RL kind of sucked. But when I got curious and started reading Sterek fics late one night, I was sold. Sterek helped me pause and get to know myself again as a creator, reader and a human. I really needed that, so the timing couldn't have been any better. I latched on to Sterek quickly and tightly because I see some of Stiles' and Derek's traits in me. They're also complicated and deserve Nice Things, and I can relate so, so much. That's why it's been easy to make art and fic for them. Their potential is endless because Sterek made my love for supernatural and spooky things deeper. Every time I write or draw for them, I can do it with ease and clarity. Everything just comes together and works. And it's so satisfying! Perciver is a rare pair I owe so much to. They're the ship that gave me the confidence to write again and they changed the way I currently draw. I think drawing Percy and Oliver helped me understand them as characters, and that translated into writing because I already had visuals. I know them in and out, and I made the fic series, Where do we go from here? because I believed in them. I wanted to share stories that haven't been told yet, but I wanted them to be real. And the fact I've figured out how to bring Perciver to life through art and fic has an amazing journey. They've given me the practice I needed to improve my crafts. It's because of Perciver that I've become a better artist and writer because I finally found my groove. And gosh, it's nice to have a well-established style. I will love these boys forever because they may be opposites but gods, do they go so well together. They get each other, they're each other's rocks, and it's beautiful. Of course, Drarry was my first ship I fell in love with. I still love them to pieces, and it's because of these two that I learned how to write and draw in the first place. I've been able to make some amazing friendships with other folks because of these two, and I cherish that a lot. Also, Drarry was why I entered fandom and the fest scene, and why I've stuck around for so long. What the creators in this community have made year after year is immaculate. And all the fics I've binged over the years got me through some of the hardest times of my life, especially when I was dealing with family issues, school and just growing up. I cannot imagine what life would have been like without Drarry, tbh. I think of Drarry as two sides of the same coin, and their banter and their snark and their complexities make it so they learn to understand each other. It's inevitable why they're drawn and will always be drawn to each other.

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

I don't want to say never, but more like when. I've mentioned way back in other posts that there are 2 text fics WIPs that have been kicking around, but since I have sooo much I need to rewrite and recode for each one, I have no idea when I'll have time? One of them is slotted to be a 50k Sterek fic with texting, IG messages and a scrolling playlist and I have half of it written out. Let me tell ya, coding alone takes more time than the writing. The other fic is a sequel to the above fic and has holidays vibes, and it still has the same coding setup, so yeah. I'll figure it out one day, I guess.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue is my fav and something I write out first because it shapes how the fic will read. It's how I develop voices, snark, banter and whatever else, and then I'll fill in the gaps with narrative, description and all that jazz. That's also how I end up getting the best ideas. The dialogue ends being my prompt to move the story along. I'm also a thorough researcher and like to check my facts before writing in little details. Just so I can have some perspective and so I have an idea how I want to explain something from a character's PoV. Also, it's super helpful to drop in little Easter eggs to shape things up and give a scene some context. Facts are fun. And I'm a nerd, but we all knew that. XD I've definitely gotten way better at showing vs. telling once I started writing again. I try to go for smooth or punchy if I can. It comes down to a lot of things like dialogue, selecting certain verbs and descriptors to explain a person's narrative (like what's going on in their mind), how those thoughts are broken up in multiple sentences and how those are punctuated. Those are the things that create beats and rhythms that keep the story going. And since I'm creative who also loves music and dancing, I'm all for that. I actually think I'm wired to think this way, so that's not a bad thing!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Extensive world building and making big plots that need a lot of ends tied up. I used to write longer fics that had all of this, and while I still have copies of these (not published on AO3 for reasons), they're not strong. Rereading things now, these stories could use improvements. It's easy to try to jam everything in one go, but that needs to be done strategically. And you know, sometime less is more. I also don't have a lot of patience to go crazy with intricate outlines (since I'm more of a pantser than a planner), and I've found that writing something that's super detailed ends up boxing me into a corner or else it's like dragging teeth to finish the thing. I think this is definitely related to my writing style having changed over time, which is not a bad thing! I just can't write like that anymore.

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

Yessss. I've done that with Love me like that! I also happen to know Scottish Gaelic, so I was able to drop words in pretty easily. I love the cultural sense another language adds to a fic because it shows more dimensions than just describing what someone looks like, where they're from, etc. I also like using a few words vs a long sentence. Names, or little sayings that hint at traditions or history are just nice touches. So if I do know a language and I know I can add in some words in correctly, I most certainly will!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter, specifically for Drarry (all of my older stuff is on LJ)

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Probably Feel You Breathing [TW: Sterek, E, 8.4k] because it was my 3rd attempt in writing a text fic, which ended up being a success. It's 100% texting, something I totally made for myself, but I'm really proud of it because I had a chance to write from alternating PoVs. Also, this somehow turned into porn with plot and feelings and had some minor world building included based on texts alone. I didn't think I could accomplish that, but I did!

Tagging (no pressure, this is just for funsies): @danpuff-ao3, @phdmama, @outtoshatter, @thistlecatfics, @phoebe-delia, @nanneramma, @theheadgirl, @raisesomehale, @thotpuppy, @bleepbloopbotz, @quackquackcey and anyone who wants to do this!

[bootlickerhawks]

ARE you caught up on D.Gray-Man?

If so, or from wherever you are in it, how do you think it will end? For the main cast and the Noahs.

Yep! I recently reread the manga (my yearly tradition for 7 years straight 😤) and caught up with all the chapters

I have no clue how the ending will look like cuz Hoshino introduced a lot of new plot points recently: The Millennium Earl being the pillar, Noah clan "pretending to play family with the Earl" (which holy shit that threw me in for a loop), time travel/time loop theory looking more and more likely and god knows what's going on with Apocryphos and the Heart (I do have a crack theory that innocence is alien technology that landed on earth way back when but that's a whole different discussion), and I have no clue how it's all gonna tie together. 

But in general, I think the ending will be bittersweet, very bittersweet ;w;

As for the main cast… 

There's not a doubt in my mind that Lenalee will be fine. She'll live in peace with her brother in the end. There's an 70% chance she'll be the narrator/POV character for the final chapter. I've seen theories that her arc will be abt confronting Levllie which I would like to see

Kanda, I'm sorry to say, is def gonna kick the bucket 😔 But he'll get his closure with Allen and it's gonna be emotional and I'll cry like a baby ;w;

Lavi is alive (and might have already become Bookman?), but given past comments from Hoshino and her editor it sounds like Lavi isn't gonna have a happy ending :(

iirc Hoshino's editor claimed that when he found out abt what Hoshino had planned for Lavi he shivered, so sadly no sunshine and rainbows await my og blorbo ;w;

There's also the theories of Lavi being the Heart or becoming the Noah of Wrath that I really like but idk how likely they are. I used to be pretty confident in the Lavi-Heart theory but now I'm starting to think that the Millennium Earl might be the Heart? or at least part of it? (my reasoning being that if the Earl = Pillar, and the Pillar looks very similar to a Fallen One, so we can assume that the Pillar is linked to innocence. Therefore! The Earl is linked to innocence and might be the Heart!)

(And I think it’s pretty likely that Chaozi will be the one to become the Noah of Wrath.) 

So Lavi will be alive at the end of the series but as a Bookman it's likely he'll reject companionship and end up alone. I really want Lavi to redefine what it means to be a Bookman and find a healthier middle ground but Hoshino's comments don't give me much hope ;w;

Allen... oh Allen... I have 0 clue what Hoshino has planned for Allen (and Neah). I get the feeling that Allen isn't gonna survive at the end but at the same time the current arc has been focusing a lot on his suffering so killing him off would be like kicking a puppy (*insert morbid allen the dog joke here*) 

Neah is an even bigger mystery and I also have no idea what to expect from him. I look forward to him and Allen having a real conversation and I think it's possible we'll see them "fuse" into one person?? Maybe Neah and Mana will sacrifice themselves to save the world and/Allen? maybe??? Who knows! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Neah is a wild card and I really want to find out what his plan is, it must be pretty important if someone like Cross is willing to spend decades trying to carry it out. I personally think his plan is linked to the time-loop theory: if there's a time-loop he's probably the only one who can break it or something along those lines. 

Link will be fine, I think? Maybe?? Link is my second fav so I'm eager to see where his arc will go. Atuuda has opened up an interesting realm of opportunities for his character.  

Johnny’s another wild card, I have no idea what Hoshino has planned for him (other than to be Allen’s anchor). 

On the Noah side, Tyki will definitely be fine. He'll probably fuck off with his human miner friends at the end. I think we’ll see him team-up with Allen and co towards the end (and it’ll probably have to do with why Tyki looks identical to Neah). 

I want to say Wisely will be fine too? But that's prob my own bias speaking lol. I like him so I want him to be fine 🥺

Similar to Tyki, I think Road will team-up with Allen and co but idk if she’ll be alive by the end. She’s one of the oldest characters and she’s from the past generation of Noah. I could see her making a dramatic sacrifice to save Allen or Tyki. Then again, we already saw her sacrificing herself for Allen against Apocryphos so idk if Hoshino will want to rehash that 🤔

Mana/the Earl’s situation is so fucked up, and with the curve balls Hoshino has thrown our way, I have no idea how it’s gonna end. I think it’s possible that Mana will sacrifice himself, either with Neah or Allen, to save the world. But honestly anything is possible 😅

In general, I think the Noah clan's motivations will be revealed to be sympathetic, probably more sympathetic than whatever the Heart/Innocence is trying to accomplish. Personally, I think the Noahs are trying to save/purify humanity (there has to be a reason why the akumas become more human-like with each level) and prevent the Pillar from, you know… exterminating all life on Earth.