#please make more game exclusive canon fics!!

[agirlking]

[booksandabeer]

Steve-Centric Stucky Fics: 5 Recs + 1 TBR

As promised, here is the rec list for Steve/Bucky fics with a focus on Steve-centric stories—all of them not EG-compliant, as requested. It's not quite as long as my usual rec lists for two reasons:

(1) I'm still sick and I can barely sit up straight, so please forgive the brevity of the list, and

(2) I deliberately wanted to include exclusively fics that were written in 2022 and 2023 to shine a spotlight on a few of the many wonderful writers and artists who are still creating absolutely fantastic works for the Stucky ship and who deserve to be read just as widely and passionately as older works in the fandom. Recency bias, but make it positive!

So without further ado, here are five Steve-centric Stucky recs and one more fic that I can't wait to get to:

1. say it soft and it's almost like praying by Somanywords | 41K, M

Author's summary: Natasha says, “Look, whatever the truth is about you, we have no way of really knowing the Winter Soldier's intentions. He’s not all there, he’s not who you remember. He’s a hot mess, Steve.”

“Why does everyone think that?” Steve says, and he’s nearly yelling, but not quite, because he doesn’t need to, not when they’re so close. “Why does everyone keep saying he’s a mess—have you seen me?" 

Post-CA:TWS canon divergent. I literally finished this fic about 15 minutes ago, so I haven't even left a comment yet. I'm still processing, you could say. The author tagged this with "just another post catws fic (but by me)"—and yes, that's what you get. All the usual ingredients are here, but the joy of TWS canon divergence is of course in the endless possibilities of how these well-known ingredients are used, re-arranged, and re-imagined as something new, exciting, and often much more satisfying than in canon. This fic excels at all three and is an absolute joy from start to finish.

2. Daybreak by BonkyBornes, art by PottersPink | 9K, NR

Author's summary: They called it project Rebirth because the person was supposed to be reborn, like a phoenix from the ashes. Steve was supposed to be the phoenix. He was supposed to rise from the ashes of his old body, he was supposed to leave behind his deafness and his limp and the scoliosis that bent his entire body to the left. He was supposed to leave behind everything that held him back.

In the end, the only thing that left was the only thing that mattered.

Shrinkyclinks canon-divergent AU. What if Project Rebirth didn't go right...but it didn't go entirely wrong either? A story about ghosts but not a ghost story. Or maybe something else entirely? Steve fights his body and time and the memories that keep haunting him. Beautifully written, with gorgeous art by PottersPink that perfectly complements the story.

3. Exhale by seapigeon, art by dudewhereismypie | 15K, M

Author's summary: After the Chitauri invasion, Steve parts ways with SHIELD, unsure if he can trust an agency that tried to deceive him and built weapons from the Tesseract.

He finds himself alone in an unfamiliar future, penniless, not even legally alive. Fortunately, he knows how to survive. Steve Rogers is used to getting by on his own.

The thing is, he doesn't have to.

Shrunkyclunks. Post-Avengers canon divergent. A fic that asks the question: What if, after the battle of New York, Steve had told SHIELD a polite but firm 'No'? Follow him as he strikes out on his own, finds an apartment, a job, and friends, figures out life in the 21st century...and of course falls in love!

4. Preberseeschießen by Ginny_Potter | 6K, T

Author's summary: Bucky breathes out and shoots. The bullet hits water… and there it is, the zapping sound of paper tearing.

The light turns on and off three times. Third circle. Just a lick out of bullseye. The Howlies explode in cheers.

Or, the Howling Commandos play a shooting game with the Austrian Resistance and Steve has lots of unresolved feelings about himself, his new body, and his changing relationship with Bucky. In other words, comrades are comrades, angst looms, and Steve feels.

Wartime fic. Would you like to read some excellent gay angst full of yearning and unresolved tension, peppered with interesting and wonderfully specific historical details and Howlies camaraderie? Would you like to get your heart crushed a little? Yes? Here you go. And if this makes you feel too sad by the end of it and you crave a bit of a happier resolution, just jump straight into a fistfull of dollars (5K, E) by the same author, which is not intended as a companion piece or even set in the same universe, but it works just as if it were. (Look at me sneaking in extra recs.)

5. Not In The Answer But The Question by aimmyarrowshigh, art by PottersPink | 27K, T

Author's summary: It rankles that his drink was made before he even got a chance to order it. What if he wanted a change? What if he were adventurous and bold? What if he tried something new?

---

Or, Steve Rogers shakes up his gray daily routine in 2014 by going back home to Vinegar Hill. To his surprise, the Jewish deli he used to frequent with Arnie is still standing.

And Steve's whole life changes again.

Shrunkyclunks. Post-Avengers canon divergent. A lost and lonely Steve tries to figure out who he was, is and most importantly, wants to be in this new century he's found himself in that is both terrifying and full of possibilities. Told in vignettes (I did not count, but I believe all of them are exactly 100 word drabbles) that perfectly illustrate the fragmented mind and life of its protagonist and his experience of constantly shifting and adjusting between past and present. A story about identity, memory, self-acceptance, and finding the courage to love and let yourself be loved. And food. So much amazing food!

+ 1 TBR: Operation: Gros Michel by SquadOfCats | 358K, E

Author's summary: “It starts with bananas. Of course, it's not really about the bananas. Just like a camel isn't bothered by one single straw, just like a dam doesn't break because of one extra drop. Obviously, Steve's mental breakdown isn't about bananas.”

Steve is overwhelmed and hanging by a thread, doing his best to take care of Bucky while still deeply traumatized himself. He finally has a breakdown over the stupidest of things: bananas. So Bucky takes care of him.

In which Steve learns to surf, Bucky becomes a gardener, and they both begin to heal.

Post-CA:TWS canon divergent. No, I did not make a mistake, the word count for this story really does come in at an impressive (or intimidating, you decide) 358,225 words! Which is the only reason why I haven't read it yet. I do want to make time for this asap because the snippets I've read so far were very intriguing and everything I've heard about it from people who have finished it, sounds absolutely amazing. So, this is the wild card pick!

Happy reading! <3

[touhoucrackmonth]

Welcome to the first Touhou Crack Month!

Are you bored of conventional ships? Do you want more spice in Touhou works? Are you a writer up to a challenge? Do you want to try something completely new for a change? Do you want to see utter chaos reign? Whatever your reason is, welcome to the first edition of the Touhou Crack Month!

What is this event?

This is a month-long event where writers are given randomly-generated crack pairings, and have to desperately wrangle with whatever insane ship the RNG gods have wrought upon them.

The goal of this event is to celebrate creativity, originality and adaptability in shipping, and spawn many crackfics for readers and writers alike to enjoy!

Proceedings

The event lasts the whole month of March, starting on March 1st at 00:01 and ending on April 1st at midnight (both CET), so all fics should be published before that deadline. Each participant will get randomly-generated pairings to write fics about. All participants will receive different pairings, though a single participant can receive multiple pairings with shared characters.

Participants are encouraged to write several fics (up to 4) throughout the month, but there is no small contribution to this crackmonth! If you want to try your hand at a crackship but don't think you'll have the time to write more than one story, that's perfectly fine!

Please reblog and share this post with anyone you think might be interested!

Guide for potential participants (keep reading)

To participate, simply sign up using the form provided near the end of this post. In there, you can select different options to customize your event. First is a 'difficulty' setting:

Easy: you will receive 4 randomly-generated pairings, with one to choose from for your fic.

Normal: same as Easy, but with 3 pairings.

Hard: same as Normal, but with 2 pairings.

Lunatic: same as Normal, but with only 1 pairing, which means you have no choice!

You are not required to disclose your chosen difficulty, nor should you be judged for it.

You also have options to exclude some characters, for instance if you know them too little, or if you don't want to write ship content involving them. It's important you fill this in correctly, as the pairings that are sent to you are final and non-negotiable!

Completed fics are to be published to the official Touhou Crack Month 2024 collection.

If you're done with a fic and wish to write another one, simply apply again once the fic for your previous pairing has been published to the collection. You can only write up to 4 fics during the month.

Eligible pairings

Generally, eligible pairings are those where the two characters have no significant canon dialogue, interactions or strong backstory links (the latter case covers pairings such as Miko/Saki). Generic, one-off fight banter generally doesn't count (especially relevant for playable characters), nor does VS mode-exclusive dialogue (not counted as canon), nor do very brief manga/print work scenes (for instance the big banquet of Silent Sinner in Blue).

Additionally, the characters shouldn't be successive bosses in the same game (e.g. Wriggle/Mystia, Doremy/Sagume) on account of how relatively popular those pairings tend to be. In any case, the pairing should also have strictly less than 5 AO3 works under its tag(s), if applicable.

This event is yuri (F/F) only; male characters are excluded. Non-humanoid characters are also excluded unless otherwise specified by individual participants.

Note that these rules aren't exhaustive and there may be some pairings that we reserve the right to include or exclude when generating the prompts.

General fic rules

No NSFW, no pedophilic content. No incest (though all such pairings are ineligible anyway).

Beyond those no-brainers, there is no particular restriction on themes.

FORM LINK

The sign-up form is available at this link. Make sure to read the previous explanations!

For any additional questions, just send an ask and we will try to answer the best we can!

[alex-wolfdragon]

I swear I'm cursed when it comes to rps lol. I find some people who like the same fandoms, have similar styles in doing their turns, and agree that we should share all the love interests. Cause those boys deserve all the love!

And yet, after painstakingly planning everything, we never manage to pass the first day in the rp. Hell, lately I haven't even been able to surpass the first HOUR!!!! Why? Because life's a bitch and keeps getting in the way.

So now I'm feeling like I'm on withdrawal (joking) because all I wanna do is rp and everyone is busy.

That said, if anyone wants to save me from my misery, here's some info on my rp types and styles and other info.

• My turns are detailed. Sometimes to the point that it takes multiple messages on discord. It usually depends on how many characters I'm playing.

• They're written in 3rd person, and stylized like I'm writing a fic. Actions are italicized, and spoken words are in quotations.

• I typically make a "rp house" in Sims because it's easier to track where the characters are. Kinda like in DND. But it's not a requirement.

• The rps I do involve an OC or Persona I choose (and my partners choose for themselves) meeting and eventually romancing, essentially, a harem of sorts. It depends on the fandom.

○Edit: This basically means I like to romance all the Canon romanceable characters. Which means all the Sans and Papyrus variants for Undertale, all the turtle brothers for TMNT, and all the DCA bots (I know some people do more than just Sun and Moon, like Eclipse, Lunar, Solar, etc.) for FNAF SB.

• In regard to the harem aspect, I usually share the Canon romanceable characters with my partners. Which means my rp partner and I can both romance all the romanceable boys or just the characters we're both interested in.

• I don't do rps where the OCs/Personas already know the Canon characters and vice versa. They're always meeting for the first time. Though that doesn't mean they can't KNOW OF each other.

○Ex: Persona is aware of the variations of Sans and Paps because they played the game, but never officially met them until getting isekai'd.

• I don't mind OP OCs or Personas as long as it doesn't get in the way of the fun.

• I will NEVER accept god-modding.

• Fandoms I rp for are Undertale (variations of Papyrus and Sans being the love interests, though I don't mind including Gasters too), TMNT (the boys are aged up and clearly the love interests), and FNAF SB (DCA boys, both animatronic and not, being the love interests).

• I don't mind NSFW, but only to a point. I can talk details in DMs.

• I rp exclusively on Discord, and don't mind doing multiple at once.

• I'm used to having two or more partners in one rp, but I can work with one partner too.

• I refuse to rp a Canon character I'm not confident I can portray properly, and I hope to the stars any partners I get feel the same.

• I only rp with 18+ since I'm 22

I think that's all the important info. So yeah, if this all sounds good to you, then please help me get out of my misery. Or if you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask.

[mamadarama]

2, 3, 12 and 22 for Mika and Natsume please?

Only if you're up for it. I know you're dealing with a lot of asks rn

worry not brother im enjoying myself, ill keep doing these as long as people wanna send em!!

2. favorite canon thing about this character?

mika - hes retained his street urchin vibes even after having been in valkyrie for so long. i really like this because it would be so boring for him to have taken on valkyries image full time and changed the way he presents himself when hes not on stage too .

natsume - ohhhh where do i even start . i love his personality , hes so unique and bizarre he genuinely feels like someone i would have been friends with in middle school .

3. least favorite canon thing about this character?

mika - its a lot better than in ! era but i wish hed take more agency over his thoughts when theyre challenged . hes very quick to agree with other people . hopefully hell get there someday

natsume - i really cant think of anything .... i guess i could stand to see him be a little more open and honest about what hes thinking a bit more often

12. whats a headcanon you have for this character?

mika - he likes playing flash dress up games !! (lets assume the devastation that was the 2020 flash shutdown didnt happen in enstars )

natsume - he knows html javascript and python and he makes little mobile games (he also knows objectiveC/swift but fuck ios and their stupid exclusive coding language)

22. if youre a fic reader, whats something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you dont like?

im not a fic reader so ill do this for visual art instead

mika - i like when people draw him w a little fang . ik he has this in canon but when ppl make it more obvious its really cute

natsume - i LOVE when hes drawn with slit pupils like a reptile , its so cool and really lends itself to the otherworldly air he has about him as well as suggests hes a little bit devious , which he is

edit: i forgot to mention something i dont like woops

mika - i dont like when people draw him scrawny. yeah sure hes a skinny little guy but cmon man hes had access to 3 round meals a day for years and with both niki and ibara in cospro and shu looking out for him theres no way hes getting away with eating anything less than that. and hes an idol . all that jumping around on stage has gotta count for something .

natsume - sometimes people make him tall ????? and its like ??? its not a crime but WHERE are you getting that from

[junemermaid]

Yuletide Letter 2024

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Lovely to see you! I hope your Yuletide has started swimmingly. As for me, I'm back in the game after a break of several years.

Please use this letter as it best serves you. My aim is to just give a few signposts and ideas for you to go off on. So, without further ado, here are a few rough guidelines to writing for me:

General Notes:

any rating from G to E is great

gen, het, slash, femslash and various poly configurations are all good in my book. More on shipping preferences in my sign-up.

porn is welcome! My preference is for sex scenes that come with character drama or some sort of relationship shift/revelation.

Do Not Wants:

hard-coded power dynamics (e.g. 24/7 D/s relationships, strict top/bottom or D/s roles)

omegaverse or any related worldbuilding

glorified or super graphic violence

on-page rape or non-con of any kind

kink related to body fluids, breathplay or painplay

underage

bestiality or animal harm

pregnancy or kidfic

alternative universe other than canon divergence (i.e. please stay in the canon setting)

curtainfic or fic whose only point is fluffy domesticity

non-canonical sex/gender changes

issuefic (i.e. where a moral lesson of some kind is the main point)

therapyfic (i.e. anything where a character's main role is to suffer so the others can comfort them or solve their issues to the exclusion of anything else)

focus on a character's mental health/neurodivergence/physical disability in the sense that I'm not looking for fic that delves deeply into these matters; if these exist in the canon, please feel free to include them but not centre the entire fic on them

Do Wants:

moments of domesticity and calm as a counterbalance to danger and conflict

canon-typical action violence is fine (and action scenes are adored!) for any of the fandoms I’ve requested

shades of grey, psychological horror, muddled morality, good characters making hard choices and struggling with their goodness, all of that. Don’t shy away from any sticky controversial subjects, just don’t exploit them. I like seeing characters react to horror and trauma as people do. Dark topics are excellent, but in general I need a dash of hope. Bittersweet endings are one of my favourite things

action/adventure, plot/casefic, capers, dungeon rescues, thrilling escapes, worldbuilding, backstory fic, mysteries, banter, friendly bickering

mellow description, revealing emotion through action, well-crafted vignettes, emotionally charged conversations, characters catching their breath amid chaos, characters being a mixture of vulnerable and confident, moments of revelation

AU of the canon divergence variety is excellent. However, I prefer stories set in the canon universe. In particular, mundane modern AUs are not my cup of tea

exploration of party dynamics and the various ways people come together are always interesting to me

relationship negotiation that feels like the characters, wary/suspicious characters forced to work together, established couples/friends facing a change in their bond, circumstances shaping character dynamics

I am particular to character voices and enjoy it when their personalities, issues and deep dark secrets shape the story

if you're doing porn, some things I enjoy there are: first times, mutual exploration, awkward(ish) sex, little moments of humour and humanity, body worship, light bondage, fucking against a wall, semi-public sex (not being caught but the thrill of possibly being caught), explicit role reversals (from whatever the usual dynamic is), "thank goodness we survived" sex but also "this might be our last night together" sex, reunion sex, sex that is actually about a completely different thing that the characters are processing; in general, sex that reveals character somehow

I hope these are helpful. I strongly believe that when a writer enjoys the process, that shines through in the story. So please write the story that speaks to you best. Have fun, and have a lovely Yuletide!

[zimithrus]

Hi! 🩷 For the writing ask game... Could I have 👀, ✏️, 🏅, 🌝, and 🤔, please?

You sure can!! ❤️❤️ Thank you so much for all of the asks!! 🫶

The list

👀 Any WIPS I would never let see the light of day? If yes, what about?

Well for me, any WIPS that I don't share or post I save exclusively for bedtime daydreams! Thinking about random scenes from ideas I might not ever write helps me fall asleep, and if I don't have anything to think about I have a very hard time falling asleep lol! 😅 Sometimes though the nighttime daydreams can transfer over to an eventual WIP, but that's more rare 😆

✏️ Do you write every day?

Actually I have been attempting to! I've been plotting a massive semi-canon AU for Promare and I've managed to write down my plot points in my document almost every night! There's been a few nights where I haven't, but usually because I need a break or I need to sit on something I planned and mull over it, make sure it fits or not 😊

🥇What is something you've recently felt proud of in regards to your writing?

The above actually! The fact that I've been plotting for one idea almost every night is incredible! 💯 I've got 15 chapters entirely plotted now, and the plot points alone are sitting at about 15k words! Imagine how long and awesome it'll be when I actually translate it to a writing document with more details?? 🤩

🌝 Who is one character you haven't written for that you'd like to?

I'd really like to try my hand at writing Keith from Tiger & Bunny someday, an oblivious airhead that is so kind and genuine. Fingers crossed 🤞

🤔 What is the hardest part of writing fic?

Staying motivated, no contest!! The longer the fic the more likely I am to lose steam and stop for an indeterminate amount of time, especially if I've been writing at the seat of my pants, or if the Fandom it's tied to is not at the front and center of my brain! (sorry to all my ffvii fic fans still waiting on my dragon and pirate au, I promise I haven't forgotten them!! 😅)

Thank you again for the asks isle!! 🫶💚😊

[raycats]

Are you gonna continue your old Docfeng fic? I just started reading a few days ago and I’m devastated to find out there’s no more updates

I'd like to, especially considering the lore retcon the game just shat out for her (the Archives are truly the worst thing that's ever happened to DBD*** and I'm pretending Feng Min's tome never happened just like I pretended Herman's tome never happened), but I have not touched it in ages and I'm uncertain of how to get back into the writing process. My studies and job have kept me almost exclusively distracted for the last two years. What writing I do get done is all personal, original work.

But here's the thing: I do have enough material for a chapter update ready to go. And I can post it, but I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, because I can't guarantee how soon I could continue updating again. But there is a chapter ready to go.

Would people want me to post it despite there being no guarantee of a follow-up anytime soon (and also despite the fact that the fic deliberately ignores both characters' tome lore)? Please let me know (DM me or leave a comment on AO3 or whatever). I'll leave this open for about a day before I make my decision.

Lastly, keep holding me accountable! It is never a bother to me. I mean it. I always, always appreciate hearing from people about this fic. It's really close to my heart and always will be. I have the whole story mapped out, and so much written for it. I so badly want to share the rest and especially the ending and I really hope I can make it happen one day. Even if it takes years.

***like, for fuck's sake, they introduced lore suggesting that survivors have their memories wiped every time they die. this alone negates like 99% of all fanwork and contradicts basically all previously established lore. combined with the contradictions and retcons the Archives brought against both Herman and Feng Min, at this point I'm really just kind of, like, "fuck it, I'll just do whatever I feel like doing." Canon is whatever I want it to be. My city now.

[nachosncheezies]

4 and 17 for the fic writer asks please!

For this ask game! Send me questions while I try to get back into writing! :D

4. a story idea you haven’t written yet

ohhh, tough because honestly I'm a pantser not a plotter; ideas and words tend to come at the same time. I think I'd like to explore around the taboo subject of Mulder's "brain disease" some more, because unpopular opinion but it actually makes sense to me (I made an attempt to convey why via ficlet) and while I'm not fixed on the "real or not?" question, I love angst and I love the potential there. I'd also like to do some more around Scully and Bill Jr - I've got a small cancer arc thing sitting unpublished somewhere - but I don't know what that would look like or where I'd put it. (I tend to write around canon, almost exclusively) It's all very nebulous, at the minute.

17. talk about your writing and editing process

usually, an idea comes to me as a fully-formed scene or chunk of a scene, and I end up building out from there. Sitting down with the intent to write rarely works very well for me, and I mostly only do that when I've got a few chunks or scenes that need joining up. Stuff tends to write itself in my head and I just record it at the earliest chance. Editing comes in a few forms: there's the days (weeks, months) of occasionally rereading and tweaking when the mood strikes. When I get to where I decide I want to post something, they usually get the red pen treatment: printed, then physically marked up to hell and back, as though I were a particularly vindictive English teacher. After those changes are input, I'll do one or two more passes on screen (usually in a couple different apps, or like as both a tumblr and ao3 draft) to check for anything else I feel I've flubbed or could quickly improve.

Thank you for this ask!!! I wanted to send you one as well, but I think you already answered the ones I was gonna pick. I'll look again xD

[sotwk]

Introduce your writing

Fandoms I write for: Exclusively Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit (book and PJ movies). I'm afraid I've realized The Silmarillion is just too far above my writing level, and Rings of Power conflicts too frequently with my headcanons.

Characters I write for: I'm generally open to most LOTR/Hobbit canons, but I have greater interest and strength for the following:

Elves: Thranduil, Legolas, Elrond, Haldir, Lindir

Dwarves: Thorin, Fili

Men: Boromir, Eomer

Hobbits? I prefer using them more as Supporting Characters, since they are so amazing in the sidekick role.

Pairings I write for: LOTR/Hobbit Male Canon + Female OC or Reader; Elrond x Celebrian (my one favorite canon pair)

Ratings I write: Ranges from General Audience to Teen; may go up to borderline Mature, but I do not write Explicit/Smut. (And trust me, you wouldn't want me to, unless slapstick sex is your thing. I'm just too awkward at describing it, and sex should be beautiful!)

Favourite genre: Brotherhood Action and Fluff is my absolute favorite. I also love Adventures and Drama involving Family and Friends. For Romance: Angsty, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining.

Favourite trope: So many; I adore romance tropes when they're well-written! The ones I probably overuse are Mutual Pining, Oblivious Object of Affection, Jealous Third Party, Injury/Healing, and Drama in the Rain.

I take requests: Yes, please! I have an "Always Open" policy on my Ask Box, with the understanding that I can turn down requests I cannot handle, and that a good amount of patience is required from the requestor.

I write AUs: Define AU? I don't do Modern AU or Crossovers.

I write reader-inserts: Yes, but male canon with female reader only, please. I can't seem to make the romance sound genuine otherwise.

Characters I don't write: I can throw in any character as a side/supporting character. But for main characters, I can't write First Age Silm, Valar, or Villains. I try to keep an open mind with everyone else, but I have far better luck with the "favorites" I mentioned above.

Pairings I don't write: I just don't enjoy jumbling up established canon pairings, so please don't ask me to pair up Legolas with Arwen, for example.

Things that squick me: Hardcore NSFW/PWP, intense torture, heavy-handed angst, sexual violence, violence against/death of children. There's a line that I refuse to cross when reading or writing, and I just know it when I see it.

The thing I do best: Umm, I dunno, I hope you can tell me when you review my work. ;)

The thing I like writing least: Walking/traveling scenes. Transitional dialogue. First meetings. Basically story "fat" that actually needs to be trimmed off.

Something about me that shows in my writing: I'm very family-oriented. I'm a mom of boys, thus my preference for brothers and brotherhood themes. I have a sweet husband, so I write gentle leading men.

I also do: REVIEWS. I try to comment on other writers' fics as much as I can, especially when I can tell they put their heart into it and deserve the acknowledgment.

Interested in anything I mentioned? Please hop on over to My Ask Box!

Tumblr shyness should not be a thing; but you can ask Anonymously, if that makes you more comfortable!

Some useful SotWK links:

FanFiction Masterlist

Fanfic Request Process

Headcanon Masterlist

Headcanon Ask Game

[lilredghost]

hiiiiiii 💖💓 18, 19, 27, 41, 64

🥰🥰 Thank you for the questions, friend!! From this ask game

18. Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles?

I WISH I WAS BETTER AT TITLES. The title is always, 100%, the absolute LAST thing I come up with when I'm trying to post a fic. I'll literally tag everything first and then sit there for another 20 minutes trying to come up with a title. If anyone has tips please share 😭😭

19. What is the most-used tag on your ao3?

OK I'm gonna be honest, I don't have that many fics, so other than "Bottom Obi-Wan Kenobi," the other matching tags only occur 2x each. That's "Angst with a happy ending", "Obi-Wan Kenobi needs a hug", and "Unreliable narrator". And wow, I feel like that paints a pretty good picture of what my fics are like. That's my sugar, spice, and everything nice!

27. What is your most and least favorite part of writing?

This is a great question! I would say my most favorite part is the fact that I get to control everything. I've been writing for < 2 years, so it's still a pretty novel concept to me! I get to decide where the plot goes, yes, but also how certain decisions affect the characters, which pieces of canon to use or not use, which kinks to include, etc. It's a lot of pressure, but a great deal of the time I'm so pleased to be creating something that I want. My least favorite part is maybe my place in the community? I don't say this to throw shade or anything, but sometimes I feel like my "reader self" (who reads & comments, who interacts with other authors) is separate from my "writer self" (who ends up interacting with an entirely different set of people). It just exacerbates this weird sense of imposter syndrome I have from writing almost exclusively porn. My stuff doesn't feel like "real fics" which means I don't feel like a "real author", even though intellectually I know that that doesn't make any sense.

41. Do you tend to reread fics or are you a one-and-done kind of person?

Oh I absolutely reread fics. I will actually sometimes have a hard time picking up new fics because I know I can just reread the old ones! It helps when I talk to the author or see them posting about it more casually (rather than just seeing the formal post on ao3) because that little bit of human connection reminds me that I can trust the author to tell me a good story. Their excitement for their work sparks an excitement in me too!

64. Something you love to see in smut.

Hm… I could list plenty of kinks but those are pretty obvious from my ao3 I think. Something a little bit more nebulous is how much I love when one character is pinned in / down / against something. I just think it's soooo attractive. Being held in place by someone's body, someone's presence. Knowing that, yes, if you really wanted, you could move them, but you don't. You want to stay right here, with their gaze on you, with your body getting hot, with the little smirk that plays at their lip because they've definitely noticed your reaction, and whatever they're going to do next, you're at their mercy.

[danceswithdarkspawn]

Masterpost [Updated 1/30/24]

Links: ao3 | Characters | Headcanons | Kiss Prompt Fill List | Dragon Age Ask | Dinosaur Ask

By the way, this blog is LGBTQ+ friendly and TERFs and homophobes are not welcome to interact with me. This blog is 18+ and I encourage minors to DNI.

Hi there! I'm a being of indeterminate origin whose main fixation revolves around Dragon Age, and I am horribly, inexplicably gay. I love to play RPGs, bake and cultivate flowers.

I love to blab about my interests and works, or engage in thoughtful debate over my fixations. Huge lore nerd. Feel free to ask me whatever! I primarily write and read F/F fanfiction, but nothing is off-limits for me.

Below the cut, you'll find some more information about this blog, including my personal tag list, should you choose to filter any of my content.

If there is anything you'd like to know that is not listed here, please feel free to hit up my inbox, but be respectful. Any ask that is inflammatory, acting in bad faith or overstepping boundaries will go unanswered.

Please do not ask for any personal information about me that is not already publicly available on my blog. If it's not here, I don't feel comfortable sharing it.

Personal Tag List

I use these tags to help filter my content. If you don’t wish to see any of these posts for whatever reason, please add the tag to your exclusions. If there is something that needs to be tagged but isn’t, let me know about it and why.

Fanfic specific

These tags are used for my personal works and characters.

Works:

#dao: broken bird & #broken bird spoilers

#dai: griffonheart & #griffonheart spoilers

#dai: remove the mask

#dai: two of swords

#dai: tqos

Characters:

#oc: eran tabris

#oc: ariel tabris

#oc: renata lavellan

#oc: elisabeth trevelyan dwd

General:

#dances writing tag - for general writing things, sneak peaks, etc

#dances fic tag - posts about new works or updates

Personal Posts & Asks

I sometimes make ramble posts that are my thoughts or reacting to a thing. If you don’t wish to see that, you can filter the following tags:

#personal bird posting - typically just random thoughts i have

#the dancer answers - for asks

#ask games & #tag games - self-explanatory, typically writer/fic-oriented in nature

About

This blog sometimes posts and links to things that may be dark or unsuitable for minors. While I try to warn appropriately, please be cautious, and I strongly urge minors to DNI.

I saw some of your headcanons and I don’t agree with them!

And that’s okay! Often most of my headcanons are for something super specific, but I do try to ground them within the rules of the canon, and/or make them as believable as possible. Basically, these headcanons are for me. There are plenty of popular headcanons/fanons I don’t agree with, but choose to ignore. Please do the same for mine.

When will you update?

Currently I do not have an upload schedule as my life is a little busy and my health comes and goes. Fear not; unless I have said so, I am still working on my fics!

Do you take requests?

I do not currently take requests because my thoughts are few and fickle and refuse to cooperate on demand.

What is your opinion on [x fandom topic/headcanon/etc.]?

While I enjoy shouting from the rooftops about how much Dragon Age’s canon gets on my last nerve, I’m not here to get involved in meta debates over the canon. I have thoughts about the canon that may not necessarily align with someone else’s, but I respect their views and do not wish to engage in any discourse personally. I do, however, love reading critical analysis and meta posts.

Similarly, I will not respond to any “How do you feel about [x pairing], trope, etc. We all have our squicks and our loves, and I’m not about to get engaged in or judge anyone based on what they do or don’t like. I expect others to act likewise when interacting with me and my blog.

[librarylexicon]

I posted 2,153 times in 2022

That's 2,057 more posts than 2021!

5 posts created (0%)

2,148 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@takashi0

@sassydefendorflower

@sweetiepie08

@renecdote

@xserpx

I tagged 2,150 of my posts in 2022

#q - 1,749 posts

#dc - 301 posts

#writing - 83 posts

#cats - 76 posts

#batman - 72 posts

#important - 63 posts

#fanfiction - 62 posts

#dick grayson - 57 posts

#&lt;3 - 55 posts

#bruce wayne - 50 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#sometimes i google stuff on my phone in the google browser instead of firefox with ublock origin and the sheer number of ads is horrifying

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Hello there! :( I have a huge favor to ask and I know it’s kinda inappropriate, please consider sharing/boosting the post I pinned for my cat. Would definitely be a big help, also pls answer this ask privately or maybe pm me instead. I hope its okay, pls be safe <3<3

You are right. It's inappropriate.

Also, it's shady of you ask me to answer this privately when it's a freaking pinned post. It's a red flag and makes this message scream 'spam' to me.

0 notes - Posted October 18, 2022

#4

Hi. I hope you dont find this weird or something. Please reblog/share the post I pinned for my dad on my blog. We desperately need help, im so sorry. Also pls (answer this ask privately) <3

PSA: This blog, @strangeisgay, has already been reported (hence why it doesn’t show up here), but I received this suspicious ask and searched the username. This seems to be a scam by Tamie Wilcox. If you receive a similar message with such red flags, please do your research and think twice before reblogging any pinned posts.

0 notes - Posted September 3, 2022

#3

Are you Christian? I notice you're rbing some Christian stuff at times.

Yes.

5 notes - Posted November 22, 2022

#2

The Pull List

In which I list what fanfics I am working on so that you know what to expect. This post is updated as necessary; its post date reflects when it was last updated. I write my stories in Scrivener, and am currently posting exclusively on FanFiction.Net and Archive of Our Own.

All the Corners That Are Left is my first published Batman fic, and I was bowled over by the positive feedback I received. To show my thanks (other than by replying to the comments), I am tentatively working on a sequel fic focusing more on Jason. Its working title is A Mask of Mine, but time will tell whether or not that sticks.

Family Crisis is a canon divergent story that changes the end of the War Games crossover to keep the Batfamily together, and also ties up some loose ends. It will be novel length and I will begin posting chapters weekly once I have finished writing it (13 chapters are done, out of about 23 drafted). Here is the summary:

At the close of the gang war, Batman is the target of an attempted deception concerning the life of his former protégé Stephanie Brown, and suddenly nothing is as important as his family. While Dick battles trauma, Tim struggles with grief, Cassandra searches for belonging and Steph recovers from assault, Bruce faces the return of ghosts from his own past and psyche.

I recently watched the Road to Avonlea episode “Thursday’s Child” and am heavily considering writing a Cecily POV fic for it. If it comes to fruition, it will probably be a one-off (the product of an itch that needed to be scratched). Most fandoms I’ve only written one or two fics for – it just seems to be the way I roll.

I won NaNoWriMo! And then immediately began my industry placement while also finishing off my degree, so time is still tight.

I’m mainly a lurker there, but I’m also a member of Holy Server B@man on Discord, and I’m taking part in their upcoming fic exchange, how fun! So, there will be a new Batfam fic from me in early January, though I won’t be revealed as the author until later.

Lastly, I’m doing some beta reading for a story based on the 2004 Phantom of the Opera movie. Here’s the link on FF.net, and the link on AO3.

Stay safe out there.

—librarylexicon (formerly Lily F. Lux, Delusional Musings, realismandromance)

6 notes - Posted November 28, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Batman (Comics) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd Characters: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon, Damian Wayne Additional Tags: Post-Crisis, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Recovery, Family Drama, Brotherly Bonding, Food Poisoning, Headaches & Migraines, Vomiting, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Hurt Dick Grayson, Sick Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Canon Relationships, No Slash, Dick Grayson-centric, POV Dick Grayson, POV Third Person Limited, Dick Grayson is Batman, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Damian Wayne is Robin Summary:

After patrol one night, Dick refuses to let an upset stomach and growing headache stop him from finding and visiting his estranged younger brother. But when Dick’s symptoms take a turn for the worse and Jason is forced to take care of him, the role reversal and subsequent conversations reveal to Dick more about his own fears and insecurities than he is ready to admit.

This is my first Batfam fanfic, written for canaf_lilah for the @dickgraysonexchange 2022. Please let me know what you think!

Read on AO3

Read on FanFiction.Net

12 notes - Posted July 11, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[vrokroa]

This game has ruined me and taken over my life entirely. So I'd like to share a bit of my brainrot onto my blog haha. This is my main BG3 character Ilofyr! Spent nearly 140 hours with them start to finish and while I've started new saves, I can't stop thinking about them.

Is in a Complicated but loving relationship with Astarion (I'm not quite sure how the two of them end up just yet, as the ending of my main save isn't quite 'canon' for them. Likely to be one of many AU verses haha.)

Ilofyr is a Pact of the Blade Warlock with a Fiend Patron! In-game I did end up multiclassing them into Sorcerer for gameplay reasons even though it doesn't really make sense lore wise. Doing my best to work it into their backstory in a way that works.

They are... not the best person morally, and have a tendancy to people please to the point that they'd shift around their entire personality so that people will like them. They have to have people like them, even if that means telling one companion something and then telling another something completely contradictory.

Under the cut are some screenshots and details on their appearance/decisions in Act 3/End game so spoilers for that. I may post more, and if I ever have the time now I'm back at uni I want to make some art and fic for them but yeah! Here they are! (exclusively use They/Them pronouns when referring to Ilofyr, please) Cheers!

Reminder of spoilers below here :)

In The Main Save I did my best to roll with decisions even if I felt like they wouldn't end up in the 'canon' so to speak. So the ending I got, Ascended Astarion with Ilofyr being his spawn; netherbrain killed, is something I personally find quite interesting to explore, even if it is a 'bad' ending for Astarion (and incidentally Ilofyr now that they're basically a puppet for Astarion with no way out with netherbrain/tadpoles taken out of the situation).

I'd need a full post to put down all my thoughts on why Ilofyr made the decision they did, but the short of it is that they didn't want to overstep Astarion's autonomy and ability to make the Choice that he did. Ilofyr's morality, or lack thereof, has them limiting their view of the situation to just Astarion and Cazador; barely if at all considering the lives that would be sacrificed for the Rite to go ahead.

For all of the 'chaotic' morally gray OCs I've made, none have really come close to the mind-state that I envision Ilofyr having. Willing to do pretty much anything for the people that they care about, up to and including what would be considered 'evil'. Their relationship with Astarion is just as complicated, both of them manipulating the other to protect themselves but both are aware of that being the case. The two of them are as bad as each other honestly.

Anyway! Wrapping up this ramble with some more screenshots.

[bloodgulchblog]

6, 17, and 27 for the ask game! + a bonus one if you want to choose

Sure thing!

Let's see...

6. Favorite title: I've already talked about Smoke If You Got 'Em in a past ask, which I'm fond of, but... of the titles I've used this year the only one that isn't a joke or a reference to something that exists outside of me is Tactile Communication. Which I was pleased with, because... that's what it's about. It's about John struggling to communicate something with words, and though he does by the end he can only reach that point (and make it land the way he needs it to) by turning to touch first. I like how that came out.

17. Favorite character I've written this year: EVERYONE IS MY SPECIAL FAVORITE, OKAY.

To make this answer slightly less bullshit: For pretty much the last ten years most of my creative free time output has been roleplay nonsense. When I'm doing that, I have generally 1-2 characters (3 if I'm feeling especially functional) that I am focusing on with deep intensity to the exclusion of all others, because everyone else in the game is Not My Job. They're other peoples' jobs who are doing the same thing.

It was a lot of fun, but getting back to fanfiction... just the delight of having everyone? There's also the responsibility of having everyone, which means more work, but also re-cultivating that grip on all the characters in a scene means I go back to understanding things a lot better and it brings out better details in everyone.

This is a true answer. It is also kind of a cheating answer, so I guess to follow the spirit of the question more: It has been an absolute delight to write John in fic.

John is a difficult character to maintain in RP because he's not someone who is as immediately reactive and fun to another player as a lot of characters I play. I have a knack for chattery assholes that get in trouble, argue with people, and embarrass themselves a lot, and John is very different (and requires a lot more work) to establish.

It's very relaxing to not be constantly worrying about trying to have a hook in every post and maintaining engagement for someone who I might not know well who has no prior investment in this character.

27. What do I listen to while writing? I have a couple of very poorly named spotify playlists that I've been shuffling around. When You Come Back Down has the most fully formed one. Smoke if You Got 'Em has like three songs that I rotate aggressively but somehow that works. Anything else has been a mix of the songs I laid aside for those two fics.

When I'm writing I'm pretty fond of instrumentals, but I like to avoid canon music unless I really feel like I "need" it because it feels like cheating. (It isn't, but this is an impression I gave myself when I was like 12 and I never got over it.)

I also just like either a) finding songs that I think are really fitting or b) forcing whatever bullshit I've been listening to into being associated with the fic whether it makes sense or not (usually not). There is no in-between.

On that note I'm not sure what to do for my question of choice so I'm going to go outside the scope of this one and just post my Most Important John Writing Song again.

[e-wills-afterhours]

Hotblooded

A/N: Pairing is Hiccstrid. They are 17 here, almost 18. In most of my work, I write from the film-canon, almost exclusively. That means I don't often reference the shows or the graphic novels in my fics. That's NOT me saying they're not canon, as they have since been confirmed to be. It simply means I do a lot of AU oneshots where Hiccup and Astrid got together following the events of the first film, because it makes far more sense that way, for me personally.

This prompt request was for dripping sexual tension mutual pining between two very horny Viking teenagers.

Rating: T+ ...for suggestive themes and raging adolescent hormones.

------

Hiccup had no preconceived notions about what a relationship with Astrid Hofferson would be like from the outset. He certainly never expected the public kiss that had sealed the deal; he had been grateful enough at the time that she no longer hated him. Building their friendship had been the first step: the solid launch point from which the tide of their affections carried them to something better. If asked, that would not have been his answer on how romance evolved, but it was inarguably the preferable way--for them. They had laid the groundwork of respect and camaraderie, honesty and laughter, from which all other feelings had grown.

Before he knew it, they were two years in, and everything came easier. Finding them together, with their dragons alongside, was more common than finding them apart. Even though Hiccup preferred his privacy to the hustle and bustle of Berk's markets and the mead hall, he considered Astrid's company respite enough to wholeheartedly welcome it. Long gone were the days of nervous adolescent infatuation. In their place were the peace and calm of sure, steady love.

Astrid's playful punches and elbowing were less frequent too, though not entirely absent. Instead, she put her hands on him with shameless affection. Sometimes, he wished she'd revert to playful roughhousing--because public embraces and lingering touches gave rise to all manner of rumors.

Hiccup had heard it all: a myriad of insinuations about what he and Astrid supposedly did in their more private moments together. Snotlout and the twins, especially, liked to share their theories loudly and often. Hiccup suspected it was a game of sorts, to see just how slow to anger he really was. They had yet to break him, since he would often flee with palpable annoyance at the first opportunity. Fishlegs was more subtle, asking indirect questions that were wide open invitations for the truth, if either Hiccup or Astrid ever felt so inclined to share. But they never did. Everyone else assumed they already knew, and they would have been quite surprised to learn they were wrong.

The truth of the matter was he and Astrid did little more alone than they did in full view of everyone else--and it was not for a lack of desire on Hiccup's part. Enough restless sleeps had ended in sweaty, lurid dreams, that it was pointless to deny what his heart yearned for. He so desperately wanted the rumors to be true, and there were times when they had come dangerously close, saved only by Astrid's better judgment. He was thankful and annoyed that one of them had restraint. She was the more sensible one, never letting things go further than was prudent. So, he never pushed his luck.

Dragons and work in the forge were suitable outlets for his frustrations. He was seventeen, and much aware of how the years had changed him physically; he was aware of the changes to Astrid's body even more so. Ever since about the age of ten, he had realized that girls were mysterious, interesting, and pleasing to look at. That appreciation grew and matured with him. He used to catch Gobber's hand for staring after girls instead of working. Astrid had always captured his attention above all others--no; rather, she had commanded it. So, it was not simply a matter of him noticing for the first time, seven years later, how beautiful she really was; that was a fact he knew well. What he noticed, with nagging persistence, was just how well their bodies complemented each other, almost to the point of absurdity.

Even in that moment, as they shared a simple hug, he could feel it: a gnawing hunger at the warmth of her in his arms.

"Thank you," she murmured; and her breath on his ear gave him goosebumps he hoped she didn't notice. "You're the best."

She pulled back and picked up her axe from the workbench beside them. He lived for the smile she wore then; it lit up his whole day. Her eyes were bright as she admired the handle that he lovingly re-wrapped during the evening before.

The weapon was an heirloom, given to Astrid by her mother. It was her most prized possession, and so Hiccup took it upon himself to keep it in peak condition--because it was important to her; so, it was important to him. He noticed with his more discerning blacksmith's eye that it was showing its age, leather grip well-worn in places. Indeed, the axe was older than either of them. Astrid was not bothered by such things, as long as it remained functional. She had been perplexed when he asked her if he could borrow it for some maintenance, yet she trusted him enough hand it over.

"You even oiled it, didn't you?" she asked, grinning down at the polished wood.

He shrugged and replied, "I might've done that, yeah."

She glanced up at him, eyes practically twinkling. "It almost looks brand new!"

"That was the idea. Just because it's an older axe doesn't mean it needs to look that way. I thought...it was the least I could do."

She considered him for a moment, her broad, smile softening into something fonder. His heart always beat a little faster when she looked at him like that: as if he held the world together, like she did for him. She had the rougher edges and hard demeanor most of Berk knew her for; but there was a side to her that was his, alone.

Well, his--and maybe Stormfly's too.

"Why?" she asked, setting the axe back down gently, eyes fixed on him.

"Why, what?" he responded as she closed the small space between them, reaching up to play with a braid in his hair.

The simple gesture sent a tingle throughout his body. He wondered if she ever felt such things when he touched her: little bursts of delight at his hand on the small of her back. Did she also awake in the middle of the night, blood rushing hot to the thought of him? He never asked. If her answer was no, he'd feel like a sad, desperate fool; and perhaps he was, but she didn't need to know that.

She shook her head. "Why are you so amazing?"

"I-I'm not, though. It really was no trouble to--"

She silenced him with a finger to his lips. He was momentarily taken aback.

"Could you maybe, just once, shut up and take the compliment?" she teased. "I know, it's unnatural for you."

He laughed and took her hand in his, prying it away from his mouth. The urge to kiss her fingertips was too strong, and he did not trust where it might lead. He then grasped her other hand as well, loosely holding on to them both in the narrow space between their bodies, because it was safe. She gave his fingers a gentle squeeze and pulled him impossibly closer.

"I'll work on that," he said, stroking her knuckles with his thumbs.

She smirked--and then her eyes did a quick but conspicuous glance over him, from head to toe and back again. He knew what that meant, but he hardly dared to believe that she would. The temperature inside the smithy was rising, and it had nothing to do with the forge.

------

Astrid found it baffling that Hiccup had no idea how attractive he really was. Perhaps years of being the village oddball had conditioned him against seeing himself in any other light; she supposed it might have that effect on anyone. But she had certainly noticed how two short years had changed him. One summer was all that he needed to surpass her in height. He was broader too, in the chest and shoulders. Dragon riding only helped, bestowing upon him some enticing definition, augmented by the new confidence with which his carried himself. She was surprised he never seemed to notice her staring. Then again, he could be oblivious to a lot of things when he was otherwise engaged in a personal hobby. That was when she enjoyed watching him the most.

His eyes were particularly beautiful, and it was fascinating how intense they became when he was focused on a smithy project or a challenging dragon. She imagined, on occasion, what it might be like for him to look at her in the same unwavering manner--and her mind always wandered to improper places. Then, if she added in thoughts about his talented hands, which could build brilliant, intricate things and tame wild dragons...Well, she just about lost her senses completely.

The truth of the matter was that she wanted him badly. She heard the rumors and assumptions Berk made about them, but such things simply had not transpired. Yet. She had enough recurring fantasies of skin on skin that it became harder to pull herself away from him if she indulged even a little bit. He always seemed confused and disappointed when she'd abruptly scale back her affections before they grew too hot; but to his credit, he did not complain. Maybe he knew better. She was not sure she could resist a genuine plea from him; seldom did he ask her for anything.

To make matters worse, he was so effortlessly generous with his time and his skills, making or fixing things for her of his own volition. That particular morning, he surprised her with the restoration of her axe to the point it could have been mistaken as new. She was glad she chose to trust him with it, though he had never given her reason not to. Then he had the audacity to make himself more desirable by acting as though the whole thing no big deal.

So, they stood there with their hands clasped between them, because it was innocent enough. Astrid knew he would never accept any monetary payment for such a loving favor. She glanced him over, wondering if that same selflessness would translate into other area of their relationship still to be explored--and that time, he noticed her gaze. Something changed in his eyes: a hunger she recognized, if for no other reason than she felt it too.

He reached up and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. Anyone else would have found the gesture innocuous, but there was something quite intentional in the way he did it--soft, unhurried. He was so tender and caring. She bit her lip, feeling her pulse quicken. He then caressed her cheek. His touch was far warmer than it had any right to be, and she could imagine it elsewhere on her body. Her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into his hand with a quiet sigh.

"I really don't mind doing these things for you," he murmured, and she knew he meant restoring her axe, among countless other projects he had already done; but she wondered what else he might do for her if she only asked.

Curiosity toed the line of obsession. More of her waking hours were spent daydreaming about being with him in ways she ought not to be. Her reasons for holding off were never very strong, and they continued to dwindle.

With one hand, she continued to hold onto his. Her other hand came to his chest. The fabric of his tunic suddenly seemed far thicker than it was, keeping her from his bare skin. She grasped it in her fist, tugging slightly until he leaned down as she tilted her chin up. Their lips brushed, and her blood turned hot in an instant.

"Hiccup..." she whispered into their shared breath; she could almost taste him.

His hands came to her waist with a sense of urgency. She wrapped both of her arms around his neck. Her whole body thrummed with desire as they came together perfectly, her chest pressed against his; and she forgot why exercising restraint was such a good idea to begin with.

"I hope you know that I'd do anything for you," he said, "to show you what you mean to me."

Astrid did not think he was talking about favors in the smithy anymore. Common sense kept her from tearing at his clothes then; it was not the proper thing. The timing was not quite right to take the leap--but that did little to diminish her need to know just how good he felt. He had no idea how much he had chipped away her resolve just being wonderfully and unapologetically him. She wondered if his own self-control teetered on the same knife's edge. It was getting harder to breathe when the scent of him overwhelmed her every time she inhaled.

She threw better judgment to the wind and whispered, "What if I asked you for something I shouldn't?"

He leaned down, like he was making a second attempt to kiss her. He replied, in a distinctly huskier tone, "Then, I would have to--"

Loud, shrill banging shattered the moment. They yelped and pulled apart with their hands clapped over their ears, glancing around for the source of the earsplitting interruption.

Gobber was standing nearby, pounding against an empty anvil with his hammer attachment, looking positively surly. He glared beneath his bushy unibrow, metal tooth jutting out from his scowl.

When he was sure he caught their attention, he exclaimed, "There will be none of that in my shop! Take it someplace else!"

Hiccup frowned and replied, "Must you do that?" He gestured at the anvil, which Gobber then struck a couple more times for good measure.

"Must you do that?" the older man retorted, brandishing a thick finger at the two of them, still standing much too close for his liking.

Astrid's face burned with both embarrassment and indignation. She cleared her throat and made a spectacle of picking up her axe, checking to see if Gobber was watching--mostly, so he would shut up and back off. The man could be endearing; he could also be intrusive and incorrigible.

She said, in her mildest manner, "Thank you for the axe, Hiccup. It was very thoughtful."

Her boyfriend cast an irritable sidelong glance at his mentor and replied, "Yes. The axe. Of course." He added, smoothing out his tunic, "Anytime."

Satisfied, the blacksmith went back to work, grumbling all the while about teenaged indiscretion and something about "dragons in heat."

When he hobbled off, out of sight, Astrid said in a hushed voice, "We'll finish our conversation later."

She placed a quick peck on Hiccup's cheek before turning to leave.

"Wait. What do you mean by 'finish'?" he asked, standing straighter.

She spun around, walking backward out of the smithy with her axe in hand. "Soon."

He caught her meaning, anticipation and hope dawning on his face. "Soon? How soon?"

She shook her head, mainly because she did not have a real answer for him. "I'll see you later!"

"Wait, Astrid!" he called, almost following her out of the smithy. He lingered in the doorway. "How soon?"

She waved noncommittally and headed for home. With the thrill of her promise to him guiding her steps, she felt just a little lighter. Their conversation would find its conclusion, in one form or another. No, she did not expect they'd prove the rumors true that day, or even in the immediate few thereafter. But what she did know for certain was that she still owed him a kiss, which would lead to one thing, that would inevitably lead to others. She could see it on the horizon, and she could feel the desire inside them burning. While the number of days or weeks was yet unknown, the very nature of their relationship was turning with the seasons.

So, Astrid was willing to make a wager with herself: she and Hiccup would have carnal knowledge of each other by winter's end. What else were they to do? Young, in love, and incredibly hotblooded.