#ouat ficlet

[darklybound]

What the Fuck? - A Rumbelle Ficlet 

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This is a Rumbelle fictlet I wrote and decided to post as I'm still working on my longer nsfw fanfic.

It is also the first piece of writing I have posted on my ao3! You can read it there as well.

[ao3 link]

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What the Fuck?

“What are you doing, dearie?” Rumpelstiltskin asked, staring down at his maid.

That morning, he had expected his recently acquired servant to be cowering in the shadows of his castle or frantically doing the duties he had assigned her to spare herself the Dark One's wrath. A normal reaction to giving oneself over to the most powerful magic user in the realm. This is why when Rumpelstiltskin used his authority over his domain to locate her and found her outside his castle, his stomach dropped.

Of course, she would be a runner. She was a noblewoman entrapped by the monster whom as a child she had been told would eat her if she misbehaved. No doubt she feared as much for her life as she did her maidenhood. He was the Dark One after all. Everyone left the Dark One as everyone had left the spineless spinner.

Rumpelstiltskin had magicked himself in front of where he sensed her life essence, expecting to find a terrified woman sneaking out of his castle. He had not been looking forward to wrangling her back inside nor calming down the wild woman.

Instead, he had found his maid digging in the dirt. The soil was almost camouflaged with how it blended into the brown dye of her trousers and the dark grey tunic she wore, but it stood out against her pale arms, leaving no doubt that she had been tilling the ground.

This is how Rumpelstiltskin found himself hovering over his maid, asking her what she was doing. The noblewoman jumped at his sudden appearance and looked up at her jailer with surprised yet calm eyes that were like pools of liquid sky. Eyes Rumpelstiltskin couldn’t stare at too long, or he feared he may float away to another time to a different-hued set of kind chestnut eyes.

“Why, I’m gardening, of course,” Belle answered before ignoring him to go back to tending the earth as if it was perfectly normal.

“What the fuck?!” Befuddled, Rumpelstiltskin slipped from the mannerisms he employed as the Dark One. His carefully crafted dangerous aura was replaced by his mouth opening and closing like a fish and his hands waving around frantically. For a second, the Dark One acted like a man.

Belle returned her gaze to him. The flash of annoyance at being interrupted twice at her task immediately shifted to an emotion Rumpelstiltskin hadn’t seen anyone look at him with since Bae. Amusement.  “While I was working, I noticed the abandoned garden from a window. That’s when I realized I was the only servant you had to tend to the castle, and you Rumpelstiltskin, have let your beautiful estate wither. So, I decided to do something about it.”

“Y-You…” He couldn’t believe it. He was stammering. Him! The Dark One was stuttering! All because his latest possession was not acting like she should! She was a noble! She should be weeping, wailing, clawing her way out of his hold instead of clawing in the dirt. To try and what? Make the Dark Castle lighter? Like it was an actual residence of life instead of death and rot? Flowers against the Dark Castle’s walls were like flowers upon a tombstone. The beauty distracted the living from what lay beneath. Death.

She wasn’t playing her part. She wasn’t supposed to care about the duties of her new position. She wasn’t supposed to adjust as if her family had just fallen into disgrace, and she was working diligently to save whatever honor and wealth they had left.

Rumpelstiltskin looked upon his maid with wide eyes, and for the first time in a century, he pondered if he was the one who underestimated who he had made a deal with. She gazed back with an unwavering expression that contained poorly hidden judgment on how rundown he had let his castle become and with concern that she had overstepped.

She tried to hide her reprimand, but he could see it in her exasperated huff and the slight uptick of her brow. Her unease was subtle in the way her hands twisted around the scattered blades of grass peeking out from the displaced soil and in how she bit her lip in the manner that he had seen young ladies do when anxious about a man’s reaction.

She was criticizing him instead of begging for forgiveness! Him, the Dark One! She was concerned about his reaction, not petrified at the horrors he may inflict upon her for her transgression. She was treating him as if he was a normal master and not…not a monster. The Dark One fell away completely as the old spinster’s heart started beating once again.

Too astounded to properly reply, Rumpelstiltskin whispered the only panicked thought in his head.

“What the fuck?”

[tanoraqui]

hit new crack au: ABC’s Once Upon a Time but make it Silmarillion (or, The Silmarillion but make it OUAT? Idk how best to phrase this)

Weird town in Maine populated by people who used to be a mythical soap opera of varyingly war-crimey Elves, and maybe a couple Maiar, Men, and weird combinations of any and all of the above; but don’t remember it

Elros is an accountant* in Boston who maybe just got laid off when a 10yo shows up claiming to be his long-lost twin brother, no really, look at this book I found in my (adoptive) dad’s attic and see if it jogs your memory like it’s been jogging mine! [the book is a handwritten manuscript of the Noldolantë (extended edition; covers whole First Age)]

*the main character of OUAT is a bounty hunter/town sheriff but consider: ACAB; white collar crime is sexier anyway; if time starts moving again then everyone suddenly has to do their taxes!; and who better to get involved in everyone’s messy affairs than a CPA?

[kanerallels]

I'd also love a CaptainSwan drabble based on All My Christmases by Jillian Edwards!

ADORABLE SONG I'D NEVER HEARD IT BEFORE okay now have a ficlet!

It was strange to actually have a holiday without waiting for some catastrophic disaster to come crashing down onto their heads. But for once, Christmas was here, and there were no immediate threats.

Well, other than what Killian and Henry were up to in the kitchen. Emma winced at the sound of a crash. Starting to get up from the couch, she called, “You two doing okay in there?”

“Fine!” they both called out at the same time. 

Killian stuck his head out of the kitchen a second later, catching her gaze. “Trust us, Swan. Just stay there, and we’ll be out with cookies in a heartbeat.”

Sitting back down, Emma said, “Alright, I trust you.”

The smile Killian gave her as he returned to his work was warm and sent a flutter through her heart. They’d been married for a little over two years now, but there wasn’t a day that passed where she wasn’t grateful. For him, for her happy beginning.

They had many more Christmases to come, and she was excited for each and every one of them.

[alterumsinealterononest]

Avatrice swanqueen you say? 👀 *pats seat* tell me more

I mean - it's right there, isn't it?

Orphan Ava having Diego when she was really young (and/or in prison?), putting him up for adoption and Bea adopting him because she's a lesbian who doesn't think she deserves love so she thinks she's never gonna have a family of her own?

Unfortunately Bea's inability to love herself reaches Diego, who goes and looks for his "real mom". Insert Avatrice. Puns ensured. Enemies to moms to lovers, 390k words, femlash, angry smut, tw: post sex care, bea needs therapy, ava needs to drink a chamomile and chill the fuck out.

I kind of like the idea of Bea being the major (maybe her parents forcing her to be? + "Beatrice Mills, sooner or later you're going to have to find a man to settle down and have a child with, our bloodline won't end with you") and Ava accepting the job of police officer (and sheriff?) to be able to stay in that town (imagine Ava with a loaded gun and a sheriff pin *insert gif of Ava sniffing the stick in s01e03*), but it can also be completely different professions. I feel like the power struggle should be there though, Beatrice acting all high and mighty and having close to no friends at the beginning *insert Mary friendly knocking some sense into her when she's being a dumbass*

Hans being Diego's therapist, Camila AS FUCKING SNOW WHITE YOU WONT CHANGE MY MIND ON THIS, Mother Superion could be Ruby's grandma ergo owner of the bar (maybe Ava's biological mom? Idk, so many plot lines)

[konako]

It's the smell. The smell of freshness, winter and hay that brings the memories back. It is also the softness and the gentle pressure against Red’s nose, too. Because… because Snow's kisses are weird. They start as a kiss should – with a press of lips, gentle, soft, barely there. And then the pressure builds and lips slide against lips, slowly, sometimes clumsily, but building up to something. And then with the first deepening of the kiss, even before the tongues make their first contact, the way Snow kisses changes. The first suck on the lip ignites something in Snow, every time. Her arms wrap around the neck, hands burrow into hair. Her body moves closer, closer, until both of them are flush together. And the biggest change is that Snow kisses with her whole face. With her forehead pressed against Red’s or against the side of her face. With her nose pressed and rubbing against Red’s. So close it is a challenge to keep their mouths connected. And yet the reward waiting for beating that challenge is worth it. Because as much passion and closeness as Snow gives to the kiss, she gives more to the places down below… 

Red wakes with a gasp, bolting upright. It was a mistake spending a night in a barn. Red breathes, trying to calm her heart. She is aware that there is more than sweat on her body, the muscles of her thighs shiver and the pull in her lower abdomen persists. Red burrows her head in her hands. Dreams are useless. Dreaming and remembering those kisses is useless. Because… because Snow is now in a crystal coffin, sleeping a sleep not unlike death. One Red can not wake her from. She tried. And failed. All she is left with is the quest for another. And endless longing. 

(Since I can once again use all the fculties of this hellsite, an ambush was inevitable. Enjoy. 😉)

SURPRISE RED SNOW!!!! I can't believe my luck! Thank you so much!! Oh, this is wonderful. I can see it, the details, the movements, the feeling of it. Of course Red would first remember Snow by her scent. It's the one scent in all the realms that Red will never forget, never miss, never confuse, never be neutral to! Yess

And, oh, the surprise ANGST, too? How dare. I was unprepared! You caught me completely off guard, with ALL OF IT. But the angst?? Red tried to kiss Snow awake? And it failed????! Who hurt you?? Why must you hurt me too??? On this fine day!

Thank you again <3

[v-chase-art]

there's an amazing ficlet inspired by this piece 🥹

my sun

[storiesofsvu]

Holiday Bingo 2023

That's right besties! It's that time of year again! And in an attempt to keep y'all entertained with your favourite blorbos, I'm hosting this bingo so we can all share our creations and you have something to fixate on while I'm busy as hell at work!

As per usual:

Submissions can be anything! A mood board, a ficlet, headcanons, drabble, gif sets, one shots, social media au's, make it a mini series following the holiday journey of the same two characters! literally whatever you want!

Prompts are all winter/holiday themed. If it specifically says "Christmas" it does not need to be Christmas, it can be whatever holiday this time of year that you want!

Read the rest of the rules under the cut!

Prompts can be made into any genre, make it super spicy, make it tooth rottingly sweet, make it angsty as all hell and break our hearts, make it a wild AU, do whatever you want with them as long as they are what inspired your story. (aka "first snowfall" could be the first time character a is seeing snow, it could be the first snow of the year, it could be the characters baby's/dog's first time seeing snow. It can be cute, catching snow flakes on tongues or sad, bringing back memories with a friend who has passed. Literally whatever you want.) Just make sure to include any and all appropriate warnings/tags at the TOP of the post and I don't want to see any TikTok censoring of words!

Fics can be a ship, a reader insert, an OC, or any kind of crossover! Mix and match, stick with one, try out a new character or fandom!

Accepted Fandoms:

Literally everything and everyone. This is wide open to any and every fandom/show/movie that you want, it's free game besties! It doesn't matter if I write/read that fandom, do what you would like!

Some Inspiration:

-Law and Order (OG, OC, SVU)

-Criminal Minds

-Marvel

-NCIS

-One Chicago

-Abbott Elementary

-Mayans

-Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice

-911/Lonestar

-OUAT

-The L Word

-Wednesday

Rules:

You MUST tag me @storiesofsvu and use the hashtag #storiesofsvuholidaybingo2023 on each creation and I'll put together the masterlist.

Bingo begins on November 25th and will run all the way to January 20th.

You may only post/submit ONE creation per day!

Only one bingo square per creation

No underage characters involved in relations.

Tag all and every warning appropriately at the top of the fic

Anything over 1000 words must be under a readmore!

Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to participate! You do not need to be following me, we don't need to be mutuals, if you see this post and want to play, let's go!

If anyone has questions, feel free to comment or send me a message/ask!

Some playlists to get us in the mood:

________________

tagging some people who might be interested? (if you got tagged and have no idea who i am/where this came from it is likely that i have read your stuff and loved it/have some bookmarked on my to bed read lol. feel free to ignore.)

@prentiss-theorem @swimmingstudentchaos891 @rustyzebra @plaidbooks @thatesqcrush @adarafaelbarba @detective-giggles @mickey-gomez @alexusonfire @bumblebear30 @tropes-and-tales @unitchiefs-blackbirdphoenix @beccabarba @prurientpuddlejumper @fighterkimburgess @baubeautyandthegeek @melk917 @blackbird-brewster @virescent-v @leftoverenvy @iamnotoriginalphil @happenstnces @daddy-heather-dunbar @just-a-torn-up-masterpiece @five-bi-five-main @thehauntingofbasingse @supercriminalbean @h0tch-r0cket @bullet-prooflove @boldlyvoid @astrophileous @slutforsilverfoxes @cissyenthusiast010155 @hotchs-bitch @honeypiehotchner @whiteberryx @v3nusxsky

[crime-wives]

your turn. tell me about your wips 👀

oh lord... where do we begin. let's start with me meddison/grey's anatomy wips.

so you were never a saint, and i loved in shades of wrong. this wip is currently in progress, two chapters on ao3 so far. basically my take on an angsty s2 meddison. they run into each other constantly at joe's bar and are very sad.

hollywood au. my meddison hollywood au in which meredith is unwillingly dragged into the spotlight after finding out her boyfriend is a. married, and b. famous. she gets a guest role on the same tv show as him and his wife. things spiral from there.

dead derek s4 au. basically what the title implies. a 'what if' scenario in which derek died in s4, and meredith and addison connect over shared grief.

tedstina fic. this wip is if after owen cheats on her, cristina shows up, drenched, at teddy's apartment all 'i didn't know where else to go.' there is lots of sad, gay, pining.

now... we move on to my swan queen wips. there are a lot, be prepared.

sad regina mills fic #1. a very angsty wip about regina's relationship with food, set during s1 of ouat. she's not dealing very well with henry hating her, and she turns to one of her coping mechanisms, which may or may not land her in the hospital.

sad regina mills fic #2. set after cora's death, little snippets of regina reflecting on her mother, and childhood. some hurt/comfort, also hurt/no comfort so.

say don't go song fic. regina reflecting on herself and emma in the middle of the night, with the dagger, after emma's sacrifice post s4 finale. (also regina really misses emma and doesn't know what to do with herself.

s6 regina is sad about emma getting married fic. has this been done before, yes. but i want to do it. anyway, buckle up, this one is very sad. our favorite lovable idiots fight, and make up, there are 'i miss you' texts, and lots of lesbian pining.

camelot hurt/comfort au. a little ficlet, (which could spiral into something bigger if i'm not careful,) in which emma seeks comfort from regina on a day when the voices are really loud. there's bed sharing and cuddles, and also hook is thrown into a tree.

the hanahaki au. um well... this is exactly as it sounds. set like 4b-ish. regina starts coughing up flowers one day, and it slowly gets worse until she's almost dead.

there's bed-sharing in this one. after a fight with her parents, emma shows up at regina's place. there are feelings, angst, and surprisingly maybe fluff.

the road-trip fic. uber driver x runaway bride. that's all i'll say.

neverland rewrite. except swanqueen, and mentions of torture. two hurt women heal together and find their son.

there are more... but i'll stop there.

here are some ideas i've had, but haven't written yet:

regina on henry's birthday during the missing year

my hc that regina taught herself how to draw/paint during the first 18 years, and the people she paints as vignettes.

supercorp: lena knows kara is supergirl au, but angsty

my meddison fic after meredith grey almost drowns

oh, my star wars fusion swan queen fic

anyway... i'll end this here before i get too carried away lol (this took forever to type.)

[naivesilver]

AU masterpost to keep myself (and everyone else) from getting lost

So since apparently I can't stop creating New Things, I thought I could compile a comprehensive list of all tags and links to keep within reach for a change ✨I'll make sure to update it as I post more/already existing stuff grows content-wise

(Actual list under the cut obviously)

Once Upon A Time AUs

Thousand Problems Verse: The AU where Geppetto never sent his son through the wardrobe and Pinocchio was therefore hit by the curse like everyone else, destined to deal with his fairytale-esque issues alongside the more mundane ones you'd expect from a Storybrooke teenager.

Series on Ao3 - Tumblr main tag - Pinocchio's friends tag - Grace's clique tag - Parents tag

Ever After Storybrooke: OUAT/Ever After High fusion where the EAH protagonists are the children of the OUAT fairytale characters instead. Cedar Wood focused.

Tumblr tag

Stray Saplings: Originally an offshoot of the Pinocchio Swap, where every version of Pinocchio inexplicably switched universe overnight, now a self-indulgent take on August having to navigate being the (gasp) responsible adult for a few of his most traumatized counterparts

Tumblr tag

Appalachian Wine: Eliana is the Blue Fairy's biological daughter, but more importantly, she's August's older sister, and that doesn't bode well for anyone - especially her mother.

Tumblr main tag (with storyline fics) - Eliana tag

TMNT AUs

Shaking The Latch: 2003/Rise crossover where freshly mutated Lou Jitsu falls into the 2003 TMNT universe with his very young sons and gets to meet four more of them (older, brasher and way too enthusiastic about babysitting), plus himself 2.0 (and isn't that the scariest prospect).

Ao3 link - Tumblr tag

Sonic AUs

Salvector AU: Italian classic Inspector Montalbano, but with Sonic characters. Chief of Vigata City police Vector has to investigate the bizarre murder of Dr Starline, even after all suspects seem to fall on the scientist's uncommon ward.

Ao3 link - Tumblr tag

Belle & The Gang: Instead of taking Belle back to the Restoration HQ after rescuing her, the Chaotix take her in. Disaster ensues, but maybe there's space for some healing, too.

Series on Ao3

Miscellanea AUs

Frater Meus (Lies of P videogame): Post Real Boy ending. Carlo, recently resurrected, uses his influence to bring Romeo and P back to his side, one angry but uncertain about the best course of action, the other in a shape that suits the nature of his original creation - a scared child who got his heart ripped out. In a city still in shambles, with a son that aches for his younger brother, Geppetto really should sleep with an eye open.

Series on Ao3

Sunset/Spring (Pokemon Legends Arceus): Akari, the girl from the future, is not half-grown and capable of pulling her own weight, but a small child with no memory whose presence cannot be explained. Just what is Arceus' plan, exactly?

Series on Ao3

Signs (Disney Descendants): Lampwick finds his way back to Pinocchio before the Isle of the Lost is sealed, and they build their own family from then on, old grudges be damned.

Series on Ao3

Baby Cedar & Uncle Wick (Ever After High): Cedar Wood's childhood and growth, surrounded by a doting grandfather, a protective father and a "friend" of her father's who is not always the best of influences.

Series on Ao3 - Tumblr ficlet #1 - Tumblr ficlet #2

[ace-cf-cups]

Hi! I'm Di (but you can also call me Spades), a twenty-something disaster head over heels for Rumbelle (and its variants), Anyelle and Anyem, as well as Robert Carlyle and Emilie De Ravin, of course.

I make gifs (most often), write fanfics and occasionally make fanvids/edits.

This is the blog I made as a place for all the content and all my love for Rumbelle (also Golden Lace, Woven Lace and Woven Beauty, I ship all four, they are all beautiful), Anyelle, Anyem and other works of Bobby and Em, with a side of other OUAT content, as well as my love for the cult 90s tv show Friends, which has become my comfort show, Chandler Bing and Mondler, my second favorite fictional couple after Rumbelle.

—

I ship most Anyelle/Anyem pairs, especially the following*:

Rushbelle (Nicholas Rush/Belle, my beloved ♥ Rush definitely needs a Belle as most of Bobby's characters do, to be quite honest)

Hamelle? MacBelle? what do we call these two cuties? (Hamish Macbeth/Belle, Hamish is one of the first roles of Bobby's I've seen other than Rumple and holds a dear place in my heart... and would also benefit greatly from having Belle in his life, even though I also ship him with Isobel)

Russelle (David Russell/Belle... also ship him with Hiero, because come on!)

Robelle? Morrelle? (Rob Morrison & Belle)

Bellix / Felle (Felix DeSouza/Belle... I also ship him with Hiero, guilty 😅)

Lachelle (Lachlan MacAldonich/Belle)

Sutherelle (Robert Sutherland/Belle)

Develle (Danny Devine/Belle also yes, ship him with Hiero )

Gazelle (Gary "Gaz" Schofield/Belle)

Wirrelle? Belleric? (Eric Wirral/Belle)

Macelle (Father MacAvoy/Belle)

Frankelle? Keanelle? (Frank Keane/Belle)

Plunkelle (Will Plunkett/Belle)

Renelle? (Renard/Belle...)

Although I've unexpectedly started consuming Bobby's filmography again a couple of days ago, so I feel like I might add a couple of ships in the near future 😁

(* I also ship almost every of the listed characters with Lacey)

—

I am ALWAYS O P E N to prompts for Rumbelle, any of its variants and any of the Anyelle/Anyem ships from this page, as well as Mondler, ficlets/moodboards!

I am ALWAYS O P E N to Rumbelle, any of its variants and any of the aforementioned Anyelle/Anyem ships, as well as Mondler, roleplay in Discord – just hit me up in DMs!

I am ALWAYS O P E N to screaming incoherently about our favorite characters/ships in DMs/Discord at 3 am and at any other godly and ungodly hour 😜

—

My main personal blog is @ace-of-spaders

My AO3: ace-of-spaders

My FFnet: Ace of Spaders (not Rumbelle updated yet)

[sssammich]

💕 & 🧡!

wahoo thanks for the ask, friend!

💕: What is an unpopular ship that you like?

uh do i ship any of those? im a rare pair shipper but like a dabbler, more like. if we're talking about supergirl i guess im committed to lena/kelly. im gonna take unpopular to mean not very popular and not like hated because idk if i have anything for that

lmao here's the ficlet i wrote for them because why not shamelessly plug

but also like pushing aside the entire military industrial complex, i think that lena and kelly would have been so restorative and healing for each other in a lot of deep and personal trauma when it comes to trust and caring and safety. i just also think that because kelly isn't part of the OG superfriends, it gives her a much more even-keeled perspective out of that friend group. it's not new to opine kindredness between them but i think more in terms of the fact that kelly is as much an outsider as lena (which i have other feelings about but we don't need to get into it) and isn't pulled into kara's orbit directly

🧡: What is a popular (serious) theory you disagree with?

i honestly don't even know what counts as theories at this point. similar to the ouat comment i made, are there even any more theories to be had when the show has been done and has been discussed at length for years at this point

so completely turning it on its head because this is my inbox and i can do what i want, i don't know if the show needed esme?? like i get it but i also don't get it. i think it was a means of tying a series plot point for alex, but i also just don't think she should've been a mom in her job with her lifestyle and stuff? obviously it's a fascinating and interesting direction to weave motherhood storyline with such a demanding job, but idk if it did more than that to make alex (and, by extension, kelly) any more complex or interesting a character. it might also have been like a couple of seasons too late because i think at this point motherhood as a storyline should have been dealt with more in relation to the character who brought the whole thing into question for alex: maggie. so yeah i mean esme is cute and is a darling but narratively, i wondered if she needed to be there and if it would have made a big enough splash in the story if you took her out and replaced her with someone else. maybe even another kid, but maybe someone ruby's age or someone kara's age when she first showed up on earth. would have been an interesting parallel overall especially because then i think it would have connected kara to the child more as well??? gosh idk but those are my thoughts

ask meme

[piracytheorist]

Fanfic writer emoji ask: 🤡 🍦🎯🤗 👀

What's a line, scene, or exchange you've written that made you laugh?

You know what, I don't actually remember a specific line. I've laughed a lot with my own crack recaps, if that counts XD but I do have an entire short fic I wrote that I was cackling all through writing it, and it's the one about Hope from OUAT growing into a teenager who likes whump. It was written in a bit of spite but I actually poured my own experience into it and I found it so funny! Considering that angst is my main inspiration, I don't get a lot of chances to laugh while writing my things XD

What's the sweetest fic you've created so far?

I think the one that has the least amount of angst is that ficlet about Rogers and Tilly (while still cursed) "accidentally" spending Christmas together. I really enjoyed writing that one and getting into the feeling of it :)

Have any of your readers accurately guessed major plot points? Care to share which?

I only have two multi-chapters where that would be possible, and though it wasn't something too unexpected, (SPOILERS for Macabre Theme and Variations), I was so excited when I saw people comment they wanted to see Twilight and Yor team up at the end to get the guy!! I was so close to commenting back with a "YES! Read on and you'll see!" but I had to hold back to not spoil it for them, lol.

What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?

For starters, write. Just write your heart out. It may be cringe, it may look silly, it may be out of character. Write it. It's your only way to get better. Experience is the first thing that makes a writer grow and become better, so write your shit. You'll be better before you know it.

Something that isn't discussed much but helped me actually finish the aforementioned multi-chapter: write as the flow goes, and if you can't remember a word or aren't sure about a fact and can't find it within a few seconds, write a bunch of question marks (or whatever kind of symbol will help you find it later with control + F) and keep writing. You might end up spending too much time googling what you wanted and you'll lose track and flow otherwise.

Take an estimate of how much time you need to find the information you're seeking. For example, it takes a couple seconds to find how much an African elephant weighs in average. But if you want to find out how to properly take care of an elephant, you might need some long minutes of research. Find the weight, then add your symbols for the second information.

For me, that was a saviour for writing MTaV. I don't think I would have finished it if I hadn't implemented it. Treat the first draft as it is; a first draft, that you will edit later, so let it have holes and questions (to a certain degree, of course). When the long process of editing starts, you can take your time spending long hours researching because the scenes and dialogues are already written with the flow.

Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

Hm I actually have one for SxF that I should be finishing up. It's short, sad but with a bit of a feelings ending. One hint I can give is that it has a lot to do with Bond :D

Send me an emoji!

[flslp87]

Updated 12/30/2022 for New Year’s 2023

It’s been three years since I put together this little ficlit together. But every year, I pull it out and add to it. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll have a complete story.

Life has changed a lot for many of us since OUAT ended. While I’ve not been writing (or really even reading) fanfics, I haven’t said goodbye to writing, though. I’ve been writing small town mystery romance. My books are available in all Estores. You can check them out here.  Swan Harbor Books 

Some of my friends that I met through our love for CS @imagnifika  @duathadun @lfh1226-linda and Maggie for hanging with me through it all. 

My hope is for 2023 to bring peace and happiness to all. Remember - without hope, there would be no happy endings. 

This ficlet follows canon from my Season 7 Canon divergent -- A Happy Ending Begins with Hope. It can be found on AO3, FF, and tumblr with gifs. 

Summary: Hope has a date.  How will her family react?

Hope’s New Year’s Date

Words ~ 1500

During Hope Jones’ young life, Storybrooke had gone through many changes, and none more so than around the holidays. They had town Easter Egg hunts, fireworks and picnics in July, bonfires for Halloween, family feasts at Thanksgiving, and caroling at Christmas. 

Hope had memories of each one of them. However, there was one event that she had been looking forward to for years, and that was the Snowflake Ball. 

Held every New Year’s Eve, the Snowflake Ball was only for those who were sixteen and above. Everyone brought out their formal clothes and danced until midnight. And, if she was lucky, the man she was crushing on would ask her to go with him. 

Gideon Gold was ahead of her in school and so dreamy, he made her head spin. Plus, when he looked at her with his chocolate brown eyes, her heart raced, and her breath stuck in her throat. 

She’d been crushing on him for years, but it had only been in the last six months that he’d given her the time of day. Did that mean that he was seeing her as more than a girl? If so, was it possible she’d finally get to spend the evening with him — as his date? 

Two weeks before the New Year’s Eve Ball, Hope was at Granny’s with her best friends, Melanie and Robyn, bemoaning the fact that Gideon still hadn’t done as she wished. Her only saving grace was that he’d not asked anyone else either — of that, she was sure. So far, she’d tried everything she could think of to let him know she was available. At the speed he was moving, though …. 

“Earth to Hope.” Melanie snapped her fingers several times. “Earth to Hope.” 

“I’m sitting right here, Melanie,” Hope grumbled. “What’s the problem?” 

“You were staring off into space again,” Robyn replied. “Were you dreaming about Gideon?” 

“Shush,” Hope hissed. “He’s sitting right over there!” 

“He can’t hear us,” Melanie assured her. 

Hope glanced over her shoulder toward where Gideon was sitting with her uncle, Neal, and had to agree with Melanie. There was no way they could be heard from that far away. 

“You should have told your uncle to tell Gideon to ask you out,” Robyn suggested. “It would have saved a lot of circling around each other.” 

“Don’t you know circling around each other is part of the fun?” Hope grinned. “Or at least that’s what my mother says.” 

“You don’t believe her, though. Do you?” Melanie followed up. 

Hope glanced up from where she’d been pleating and unpleating her napkin. “Why would you say that?” 

Melanie nodded down at the table. “Because you’re nervous. If you were having fun, you wouldn’t be nervous.” 

Did she agree with her friends? She wasn’t so sure. Yes, she enjoyed flirting with Gideon. But it would be so much easier to enjoy flirting with him, if she knew what he thought of her. 

“You could ask him, you know?” Robyn offered pragmatically. “This is the twenty-first century, after all.” 

“I know,” Hope sighed. “But …” Again, her gaze was drawn over her shoulder to the table where Gideon and Neal were still involved in a deep conversation. Robyn was right. She could ask him. 

“Go on,” Melanie encouraged. “But what?” 

Hope shrugged. “My father is a little old-fashioned and well …” 

Robyn frowned. “But didn’t I see in the book that your mother asked your father out first?” 

“That was different,” Hope murmured. “My father didn’t think he was good enough for my mother.” 

“And you don’t think that’s an issue with Gideon?” Melanie asked. “After all, his father and your father have a history.” 

“Which I’m fully aware of,” Hope snapped. “But I want him to ask me. Do you think I’m expecting too much?” 

“I would say ‘have hope,’” Melanie grinned. “But something tells me you don’t need it.” 

“Why?” 

“Because,” Robyn tipped her chin slightly in Gideon’s direction, “ he’s headed this way.” 

“He’s what?” Hope squeaked. 

“On his way over,” Melanie whispered. 

Hope glanced over her shoulder, and when her gaze briefly met Gideon’s, her heart dropped into her stomach. 

Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! She leaned on the table. “How do I look?” 

Melanie rolled her eyes. “You look fine. Stop worrying.” 

“Hope,” Gideon’s aftershave titillated her senses, “can I speak with you for a moment?”  

Hope’s gaze slowly lifted until her blue eyes clashed with his dark ones. “Sure.” She wanted to roll her eyes at just how breathy she sounded. “Can I help you with something?” 

Gideon’s gaze touched on Melanie and Robyn, then back to Hope. “Can we speak alone? Would that be alright?” 

“Oh, Okay. That would be fine.” Then she wanted to roll her eyes at how ridiculous she sounded. 

“Can we talk now?” Gideon asked again. 

“Go on,” Melanie mouthed. 

Hope took a nervous breath and slid out of the booth. The butterflies in her stomach took off at once. It forced her to focus on putting one foot in front of the other as she followed Gideon across the floor. 

He led her around the building to a secluded corner and crowded her, pushing her to back up against the wall. Being close to him was everything she’d ever wanted, but now that it was happening, her heart was racing, and the urge to giggle was strong.   

“Is this okay?” Gideon asked hesitantly. “I noticed that—“

“—Everyone was staring at us?” Hope muttered. 

“Yes.” Gideon smiled. “Are you okay with that?” 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“Well,” he went on. “Our fathers …” 

“Will never be best friends,” Hope replied. “Why?” She hesitated for a beat. “Are you scared of my dad?” Then she wanted to smack herself in the head that those words had fallen from her mouth. “Scared?” Gideon laid his hand on his chest. “Me?” 

“There’s no one else out here.” 

“I’m not scared.” Gideon propped one hand on the building next to her head and leaned in a little closer. “Should I be?” 

“It depends.” 

“On?” 

“Why you brought me out here?” 

Gideon’s gaze dropped to her mouth, then right back up. It caused her lips to tingle and made her wonder what it would feel like if she just went for it. 

“Hope.” He brushed her hair behind her shoulder and took a half step closer. His dark eyes mesmerized her, and his heat reached out. “I was wondering if you would go to the Snowflake Ball with me?” 

Her breath caught, and the words Be cool! Be cool! were on repeat inside her head. But having Gideon ask her to go to the dance had been her dream for longer than she could remember. “Yes!” She fought to keep from squealing. “Yes, I’ll go to the dance with you.” 

A slow smile crawled across Gideon’s mouth. “You will?” 

“I will.” 

His eyes twinkled, and before he even opened his mouth, somehow, she knew what he was going to say. “And you’ll protect me from your father? If it’s necessary, that is.” 

Hope giggled. “I’ll protect you.” 

“Good,” he replied in a husky voice. “I’ll pick you up at 8:00 p.m.”  

“I’ll be waiting.”  

Gideon brushed his knuckles down her cheek. “We’ll have fun.” 

Her breath hitched, and she fought to push the lump in her throat down. “We will.” 

“Shall we?” He inclined his head toward the diner door. 

In a daze, Hope followed him back inside and slid into her booth seat. “Well,” Melanie and Robyn cried simultaneously. “What happened?” 

“What happened?” Hope asked absently. 

“Did he ask you to the dance?” Melanie pushed. 

“Did you say yes?” Robyn followed up. 

“What are you going to tell you parents?” Melanie questioned. 

Hope glanced from one friend to the other. “What do you mean?” 

“You know the history between your fathers,” Robyn stated. “Will there be bloodshed?” 

“Bloodshed?” Hope giggled. “Aren’t you the one who said this is the twenty-first century?” 

“True,” Robyn sighed. “But that had nothing to do with the possibility of a duel.” 

Hope rolled her eyes. “There’s not going to be a duel. Everything will be fine.” 

“Good luck with that.” Melanie smiled sympathetically. “I’m glad I’m not you.”  

“Gee, thanks.” Hope glanced over her shoulder in Gideon’s direction again, and their gazes clashed. “I told him I’d protect him if I needed to.” 

Robyn waggled her eyebrows. “But who’s going to protect you from Gideon?” 

“Do you think I need to be protected from Gideon?” Hope murmured. “I’m not so sure.” 

“I guess it depends on what you want,” Melanie replied. “What do you want?” 

Once again, Hope’s gaze clashed with Gideon’s. What did she want from him? The memory of how he’d made her lips tingle when he’d looked at them had her turning back to her friends. “What do I want?” 

“Yes, Hope,” Robyn nodded. “What do you want?” 

“A kiss,” Hope sighed. “I just want a kiss.” 

***

Fin ... at least for now. 

Will she get it? Should the story be finished? 

Happy 2023! May all your dreams come true.  

Tagged a few people who were on the initial one.

@sailormew4 @annaamell @emmateo26 @bethacaciakay @ultraluckycatnd @effulgent-mind @ilovemesomekillianjones @kat2609 @brooke-to-broch @missgymgirl @galadriel26 @the-lady-of-misthaven​ @charmingturkeysandwich​ @jennjenn615​ @kimmy46​ @snowbellewells​ @iamanneenigma​ @daxx04​ @nickillian​ @in-spirational​ @gillie​  @britishguyslover​ @ginnyjinxedandhanshotritafirst​ @kmomof4​  @linda8084​ @golfgirld​ @captain-swan-coffee​ @searchingwardrobes​ @hollyethecurious​ @laughswaytoomuch​  @allyourdarlingswans​  @winterbaby89​ @facesiousbutton82​ @therooksshiningknight​, @lfh1226-linda​ @tiganasummertree​  @jrob64 @jonesfandomfanatic    @everything-person @girl-in-a-tiny-box @resident-of-storybrooke @qualitycoffeethings @sherifffjones  @countrybroadwayprincess    @tiganasummertree   @hufflepuffinstorybrooke   @kristi555    @nikkiemms @gingerchangeling @marcella2727    @idontdothatveryoften @lady-bell

[heatherfield]

✨What's a fic you've posted you wish you could breathe life into again and have people talking about it? (or simply a fic you wish got more credit)

Aside from a couple of ficlets/one-shots, I think I've really just posted two complete fics, and I kind of dismiss one of those even though I shouldn't ("Send Me the Moon" a.k.a canon-compliant-ish Red Cricket from Once Upon a Time).

My first thought was immediately "True Love Comes Softly" (my Red Cricket/OUAT pioneer AU). But it's kind of cheating because it's not so much that fic itself but I would love to get back to the sequel fic that continues that universe, which I've written quite a lot for already. I haven't posted it yet since I hoped to write most of it out the way I did with TLCS but maybe that's part of why it fizzled out?

I've been pleased with the quiet attention that TLCS got and every now and then I get another comment that warms my heart. I'm very fond of that one and it makes me so happy when others like it, too.

Let's Get ((REAL)) fic writer asks

[konako]

Hello. You are truly the queen of all things Ruby Lucas.

I was hoping you or one of your fellow Ruby stans can help me find a Regina/Red ficlet.

Regina is pregnant with Ruby’s child. During a full moon she has trouble sleeping as the baby is restless. She goes outside and the baby calms in the moonlight. Ruby returns from prowling the woods to find Regina basking in the moonlight. They make love outside before returning to bed with Regina draped in Ruby’s cape so she can sleep.

Does that sound familiar? I’ve gone through the few redqueen fics on ao3 and can’t find it. I’m beginning to think I dreamt it.

THE RUBY SIGNAL! I MUST ASNWER IT! 🏃‍♀️🐺

Hmmmm. Let's see... I don't think I've personally read anything like this, so I have no memory of a fic that could resemble it. But a quick AO3 search using the character filters and the word "pregnancy" returned these two stories:

Absolutely Ridiculous by purrpickle

Golden sails across the sky by thegirl20

If none of those are it, the case could then be:

the author missed the tags that would help us find the story;

you read it in another language and the search needs different filters;

it's a tumblr fic, which is harder to track (have you tried @foxofthedesert? they're known for writing INSANELY GOOD fics on tumblr posts — I am never to blame for any of those, never);

it's on another site. Is FF.net still a thing? good luck;

it has, sadly, been deleted. rest in peace, Red Queen Baby;

it was indeed all a dream and you should see it as a higher calling to write the story yourself.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Hopefully my OUAT buddies can help you!

[rebelbyrdie]

2024 Ficlet Day

Ficlet 7 or 8?

Warehouse 13

This was an idea I had to fix Warehouse 13 and was inspired by Jaime Murray's portrayl of the Black Fairy on OUAT

No Harm Ever Came From Reading A Book

Helena, Jake and Adelaide lived a normal life in a normal town in Wisconsin. They had a nice home in a nice neighborhood where nothing out of the ordinary ever happened. Or so most people assumed.

Helena G Wells was not most people. She was H.G. Wells: writer, inventor, Warehouse Agent and much more. She had left it behind her, all of it. The good and the bad. She was now just a criminologist

at a mundane crime lab in Wisconsin and she was very and wonderfully happy. Who needed endless wonders when they could have Wisconsin?

At the moment she had a long list of things to do: including laundry, marketing and picking Adelaide up from her Ken-Po lessons. She had to give a deposition for a pending case and Jake wanted to look over

comparison for car insurance.. All perfectly normal, modern and sensible activities. Activities that were apart of the life she had chosen for herself.

If she turned her head after every curly-headed brunette or held her breathe at even erant text message that

was her own business. She had let that part of her life-and everyone that came with it go. Damn her

heart, it always overwhelmed her logical head.

***

Myka Bening has been many things up to and including a Secret Service Agent and she took pride in

that. At the moment, however, she didn't look or particuarly feel like a highly trained federal agent. In

fact she didn't even think she was registered on the flight as a member of law enfocement.

Of course, she doubted that anyone would beleive a sun-burnt, frizzy-haired brunette

in a rainbow "Say Yes Down-Under?" tee-shirt was a federal agent. Not that her partner had

fared much better wardrobe-wise but he thought his kangaroo-patterned bowling shirt was cool. She worked with an over-grown child. Their luggage had been lost, well destroyed really. Her Tesla was now a permanent part of the Great Barrier Reef and her one suit of clothing that had not been “lost” had been covered in well, it was better not to think too much about what she'd been covered in.

The artifact deactivated, bagged and tagged was safe in her carry-on (a very ugly lime green backpack) under her knees.-where it had been for the entire trans-pacific flight. A flight that had her and an almost six foot tall man child shoved into coach-on the asile. Pete's video game baterieshad died 3 hours into the 18 hour flight and Marley and Me wasn’t a film option. A bored Pete was an annoying Pete. So Myka was doing her best to ignore him. Myka had her noise-cancelling headphones on but no music-She sat in blissful artificial silence, blockingout the crying baby and Pete's snones. She tried to focus on blocking the stale re-circulated air and the salty-unwashed-body BO of the surfer bro on her left.

In that void of stimuli,she felt the gnaw of heartache that she usually had no problem compartmentalizing and ignoring. She grabbed at her chest and her fingers searched for something (a locket) that

was not there. It was an unconscious habit she had picked upfrom a woman that she was trying to forget.

When she closed her eyes, though, Helena's face was there and Myka ached. In a World of endless wonder, who had time for love?