#the style reminds me of this fanfic I read once

[the-broken-pen]

Map of Fae Pt. 2

A piece of gravel had sliced its way into her heel, and with every step, it embedded itself a little further.

If she cared to look, she might have been able to make out the edges of her bloodied footprint before the rain washed it away.

She didn’t look.

Building lights came into view, soft and warm, in a dull kind of way

Not soft in the haze of sunshine, not warm in the scent of butterscotch.

Just yellow, in the way of humanity.

And somehow, that hurt.

She left blood on the glass pane as she pulled the door open—when had her hand started bleeding?

Her feet squelched slightly on the floor, and she looked down, staring dumbly at the floor. Her footprints were red. She was leaving puddles of water behind her.

It was raining. Had it always been raining?

Her hair stuck uncomfortably to her neck, and her dress was sticking too, and it was such a bright green and she hated it and it took her a moment to remember why and it hurt and she was scared and she was molasses and sugar sweet slow—

Thunder cracked, and the person at the front desk looked up.

One blink, two, and then—

“Miss, are you alright?”

She blinked rainwater and maybe blood and maybe tears out of her eyes.

The person rounded the desk—she looked nice, but not ethereal nice, just Girl Scout cookie and preservative nice, and her soul eased a bit—and she stopped a foot away from her and her bloody footprints.

The person—she was a cop? She was a cop, this was a police station, in the drum of heartbeats and guns.

The cop’s tone gentled.

“Did someone hurt you?”

Was hurt even enough to encompass it? Was the robbery of choice existence breath love freedom air life taste memory thought considered hurting?

She settled on “yes.”

The cop’s face softened further and she began to hate soft things.

“Hey, Roberts, grab Smith and tell him to radio an ambulance.”

There was a shuffling, and a man popped out.

He stopped when he noticed her.

“Is she—“

“I don’t know.” The female cop turned to her. “What’s your name?”

Her tongue turned to lead in her mouth and she purged herself of every syllable.

She wasn’t stupid enough to give that freely. Not after—no.

The cop simply nodded, as if she had expected this.

“How old are you?”

When she finally spoke, it sounded like it hurt, and it did. “What’s the date?”

The cop blinked.

“February 19th.”

When she didn’t answer, the cop added, “2023”.

Seven days. It had felt like forever and it had been a week? So much suffering, so much kaleidoscopic bending and it was a week?

Time, it seemed, was obsolete in the fae realm.

“17.”

Roberts disappeared, a radio crackled through the wall, and he returned with someone.

Maybe Smith. He looked like a Smith.

The cop took a step forward, and she took one back, and her heel bled more and the gravel sunk further and—

“Is there someone we can call?”

She couldn’t remember.

She felt like maybe she had once been the kind of someone who had someone else to call, who had someone’s at home who ran dishwashers and wrote to do lists. The cops looked like they had someone’s.

Was she still a someone who had someone’s or had they stolen that from her too?

“I can’t remember,” she murmured, and the female cop—her name was Ryan, or at least her last name was, her name tag said so—shifted closer.

“Have you been in an accident?”

“I think it was planned very carefully,” she answered absently, and Ryan shot a look towards Roberts and Smith.

“What was?”

“All of it.”

She was cold. She had forgotten what cold felt like. She liked it. Her fingers shook.

She tugged on the ends of them, but they didn’t stop.

Ryan shifted.

“Is there anything you can tell us?”

The clock ticked and the lights flickered and her spine tingled and she was pretty sure they were all related.

Had things ever not been?

“I don’t want to go back,” she breathed, and it was a promise and a secret and an oath.

The cops didn’t know what to do with those, so they blew away like dandelion seeds.

It was nice being around people who didn’t understand true currency.

“Did someone take you?”

“Yes.”

Ryan reached a hand out. “Let’s get you some dry clothes, and check on those cuts of yours, yeah?”

She didn’t move. Her hair dripped onto the floor.

Ryan wavered slightly.

The clock stopped. Her spine cramped. The lights flickered.

Connections. So many connections.

She wanted their help but nothing came without a cost—what would bandages be worth? What would a blanket be?

The lights shut off, and she knew it didn’t matter anymore.

When they turned on again, the fae was there. Her teeth hurt with the sugar sweetness of it.

The air smelled like jasmine.

“Hello, officers,” the fae smiled. They wrapped an arm around her, so gentle. They had never bruised or bloodied her, though.

Just broken her. So broken. Like a doll.

Ryan startled.

“Sir—“

“I’m terribly sorry to have bothered you. Our car broke down just up the road, and she got in a bad accident when she was young. I thought she was fine, but the next moment—“ they waved their hand, as if encompassing the whole of her shaking wet body and bleeding skin.

Ryan relaxed slightly.

“We have an ambulance on the way, we can get you some blankets while you wait—“

“That won’t be necessary,” the fae said, and she could hear the sharks teeth and bite. “It was just a flat. All fixed now. I can take care of her myself.”

Something flickered in Ryan’s eyes, something flickered in all three cops eyes.

The fae guided her towards the door, bearing most of her weight as she stumbled, and Ryan grabbed her other arm.

“Sir, I really don’t think you should leave,” Ryan began.

Her eyes said please and her mouth said wait.

She felt the exact moment when the fae decided to kill them.

One moment, nothing, the stagnant kind of nothing in which nothing of importance is happening.

The next, the bloody kind of nothing.

Robert and Smith’s bodies hit the ground with a wet sort of thud.

When Ryan fell, she slid down the side of her body. She stared at her absently.

There was more blood on her dress now.

She couldn’t remember if the fae would be pleased by this.

The fae moved to the computer, a single touch causing it to fritz. They turned to her with a smile.

“Now, love, that wasn’t very nice of you.”

She didn’t know if they were referring to her running away or her seeking help or her stabbing them.

She laughed, and her throat burned.

“Which part.”

The fae’s eyes flickered, but they didn’t move closer.

The world fritzed like the computer for a moment. Her lungs hurt. Her hand clenched on plastic and regret.

“You belong to me,” they reminded her.

She jerked her head, just once.

“No.”

The fae stepped forward.

“I have your name—“

“Don‘t.”

The fae stopped, then, and appraised her.

The smiled returned, and it was a ravenous thing.

“Oh, love, I should have known.”

She took a step back.

“Known what?”

Her hands were slippery.

The fae tipped their head.

“That much compulsion, so fast, for that long?” They paused, amused. “It changes you. Tell me, can you even remember why your hair is wet?”

She looked down, surprised. When had she gotten wet?

The fae laughed, just too far on this side of delighted.

“It’s raining,” the fae supplied. When they took a step forward, she didn’t move. “Your mind is like a shattered mirror. You’re halfway between realms. Not quite a thing of humans, not quite a thing of fae. Don’t worry, I can fix it.”

“I don’t want you to.”

The fae paused.

“I don’t want to go back.”

They tutted. “I’ll admit, I never meant for it to get this bad, but I can make it stop hurting,” they soothed. “Wouldn’t you like that?”

“I’m fine—“

“You’re slipping. You have to be able to see that. Let me fix it. That smart mouth, that wicked mind of yours is breaking.”

“Then I’ll keep breaking until there’s nothing left,” she spat, and for a moment, she remembered.

Cartology. She really hated it.

Fucking Janice.

The fae took a step closer.

“You took me.”

The fae simply nodded. “How could I not.”

“You had to know I would never stay.”

The fae turned grim.

“You will. I’ll make sure of it.”

She laughed.

“I got away, didn’t I?”

“An oversight.”

“You just killed three people.”

“They would have kept you.”

“You would keep me, too,” she said over the drip of her blood onto the floor.

The fae shifted on the balls of their feet.

The sound of an ambulance drew closer.

“Humans, they don’t deserve something like you. You aren’t like them. You’re halfway between the realms. I didn’t mean to break you, but you came out so much stronger, can’t you see? Not quite human but not quite fae,” they looked at her with reverence. “You’re exquisite.”

“I am neither human nor fae. But I am still not yours.”

The fae twitched like they wanted to erase her words from memory.

“They cannot love you like I can.”

She laughed again, and it was sharp. It felt like her. This newer, shiny edged metal of her. It felt like the thrill of perfection and the adrenaline of free fall. Like power and love and mortality and the immortal in one. The clock began to tick. The lights steadied.

Neither human or fae, but both.

“No,” she ceded. “They can love me better.”

And then she raised Ryan’s gun, slippery with water and blood, and fired a single shot.

I don’t know how I feel about this but I refuse to proof read. Maybe I will at two am. Spontaneity, am I right?

A thank you to @hojo76 for saying he had no idea how I should continue this, which was super helpful considering I gave him two options and he chose neither, which was NOT an option. Don’t worry, you guys got the good option, it just had to stew for a couple weeks.

And because you asked to be tagged, my lovely reader, @d-cs

[imgeekgirlfan]

The Curse of Cassandra [EP : II]

Read in Ao3 : here

Pairings:  Qimir x f!reader(SEAsians Reader)  [The Acolyte]

Content Rating : Mature 18+  Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warning (AT YOUR OWN RISK)

tags/themes : Alternate Universe - Dune & Star wars, Partners in Crime, Strangers to Lovers

Summary: your mother always reminded you, "You will never hate the desert. Your blood is the desert. The desert is your home and your tomb." but You hope desperately that your life will be different.

Status: work in progress (This is a long fanfic that will be about 10+ chapters.)

A/N : Previously, I changed the story from a reader-insert to an OC due to backlash for specifying that the reader is SEA. I didn't enjoy writing it and nearly deleted it. However, support from AO3 readers encouraged me to stay true to my original style and affirmed that specifying the reader's ethnicity is not wrong (especially since Manny is also SEA). I’ll stick with the reader-insert style. If you don’t like that the reader is SEA, feel free to find other fics.

Also, today is my birthday. so I decided to give a gift to others by releasing a new chapter of my fanfic. I hope you like it.

➡  Intro // EP : I // EP : III // EP : IV // EP : V // EP : VI // EP : VII

[Episodes 2] You will never hate the desert. Your blood is the desert. The desert is your home and your tomb

You realize how quickly your life has changed, as your feet tread on the wet sand of Pabu, a small planet far from your birthplace.

Tatooine—where you were born and raised, is almost at the edge of the galaxy. There's nothing pleasant to see except for vast stretches of dry sand. The air is scorching hot because there are two suns in the sky. The cities are teeming with thieves, thugs, and smugglers. You hate your home planet so much, but your mother always reminded you, "You will never hate the desert. Your blood is the desert. The desert is your home and your tomb."

You know that the desert your mother spoke of isn't Tatooine, but another similar planet. An ancient world that disappeared from galactic records along with the death of your ancestors.

It's funny how your family's fate has always been the same: born in the desert and dying in the desert.

You hope desperately that your life will be different.

"Stop daydreaming; we still have a lot of work to do."

Qimir's voice comes from behind. His elbow gently nudges your arm, urging you to hurry off the beach. You turn and glare at him in annoyance, but obediently comply. You lift the cargo box to your side and turn onto the old stone-paved road, the only path leading to the upper town, the main trading hub of this island.

After reluctantly living together for more than two years, you've finally been given an additional role beyond being a prisoner. You're now Qimir's temporary assistant, helping him transport contraband to sell on small planets outside the watchful eyes of the Empire's law enforcers.

Qimir is tall with long legs. It only takes him a few strides to reach your side. "Haven't you ever seen the sea before?" the man asks, noticing that you keep turning to look at the blue ocean.

You nod. The faint, fresh, salty smell of the sea and the strong wind blowing across your face make you feel better than usual. "I grew up on Tatooine. There's only desert there. I've never seen this much water before."

You fall silent, suddenly realizing you've said too much.

No matter what, you always stay cautious. You try to speak as little as possible when you're near this man. But Qimir is the opposite—he talks incessantly, which is annoying. The more you show your irritation, the more he keeps talking. It's obvious he's deliberately trying to provoke you.

And this time is no different. Once he notices you're avoiding further conversation, he takes over, telling you about Pabu and other planets without you asking. You want to pretend not to listen, but deep down, you can't help but be interested. You've never had the chance to travel or learn about life on other planets, having spent most of your time after your mother's death quietly hiding. Until you met Qimir,. He's traveled everywhere, and he seems to know everything. Many things sound nonsensical, but many are too interesting to ignore. Like the story of Mon Cala, a planet that's entirely ocean, with a grand capital city standing tall underwater, and most of its population looking like fish. Or the fact that black holes aren't empty as many believe, but home to strange and dangerous creatures. However, they remain an unsolvable mystery because no one who has gotten close to a black hole has ever survived to tell the tale.

"I’d love to see fish people," you mutter to yourself, but Qimir’s keen ears catch it.

There's an inexplicable sadness in those words, he thinks as he turns to look at your profile, half-hidden by black hair blowing in the sea breeze. "If our ship passes by there, I might take you to see them," he says, his words unexpectedly gentle.

You press your lips tightly, not responding. Perhaps you would feel a bit more appreciative if you didn't already know that what he said would never happen.

You've seen it in your dreams. Prophetic dreams foretell the future. In about four months, Qimir will have to deliver his last expensive cargo—which is you—to his client.

But beyond that... a shadow of doom completely obscured the future. You don't even know what this dream means. It's too dark to see, too terrifying, and too mysterious to understand. But one thing you're sure of, that day will be a day of death. And the clearest path is your own demise.

You frown. For a moment, you suddenly feel something—not in the form of a vision, but a deep premonition hiding beneath your consciousness.

A revelation is approaching.

But you are at a loss to determine what it could be.

Due to Pabu's highly liberal political policies, the city's population includes many immigrants from other planets, most of whom are often outlaws. This means an increase in the number of thieves and robbers, and consequently, a higher chance of being ambushed.

No place in the city was entirely safe, so Qimir decided to set up camp outside the city instead. He called it a vacation home, even though nothing about it resembles a house In reality, it's a large cave on a seaside cliff, which had been modified to resemble a living space. It's somewhat odd and out of place, but it has everything a typical home would have, all neatly organized. There are beds and desks carved from the gray stone of the cave, a small kitchen adjacent to the pantry, and even an old cleaning droid on duty.

For you, this place is much quieter than the city. There aren’t even small animals around, let alone people passing by. It’s an ideal spot for meditation or perhaps trying to use your visions again to find a way to escape.

Of course, you haven't given up on your original intention. You’re just waiting for the right moment.

But you can't use your visions recklessly. It’s not just that you don’t want to; foresight is too dangerous, It’s a trade-off that isn’t worth the risk. The future is not like the past. There are countless branching paths that can change at any moment. The further you look, the more painful it becomes, and you risk losing your sanity. You don't have the strong prophetic abilities of your ancestors. You are a weak, distant descendant. Without the training your mother forced upon you, you probably would have died before you turned fifteen.

For safety, you decide to look at the near future, roughly calculating the chances of what will happen tomorrow if you decide to escape. All the results lead to only one path: no matter how you try to escape, Qimir will still catch you.

You sigh in frustration, silently questioning yourself. which path could possibly help you avoid death?

"We are **** ******** We don't hope, we plan"

Your mother's voice echoes repeatedly in your head as you lie with your eyes closed on the hard stone bed, trying to meditate silently instead of falling asleep as you should.

You spend the whole night pondering the things your mother taught you, until the morning sunlight creeps in through the cave mouth, gradually dispelling the darkness of the night.

You hear Qimir stirring, getting up from his bed, followed by the sound of coarse fabric rubbing and footsteps as quiet as a cat sneaking out silently. He always goes out at the same time and returns later in the morning. Qimir never tells you what he does, and you never ask. You don't want to talk to him more than necessary.

...But that doesn't mean you're not curious.

You step down from the bed, feeling the stiffness that gnaws at every part of your body, especially your legs. You shake out your legs before walking outside the cave, following the earlier footprints stretching across the sandy beach. The early morning air is quite cool because the sun hasn't fully risen yet, making the sea breeze chilly. You hug yourself to ward off the cold, regretting not bringing a cloak. All you have on is a long-sleeved cotton shirt and baggy brown pants made of low-quality fabric, so thin they barely protect you from anything.

Soon you notice a pile of clothes left on the sand near a rocky outcrop by the beach. You recognize them as Qimir's clothes. You scan the area for Qimir before spotting his tall figure soaking in the water, naked and relaxed amidst the sea and the surrounding rocks of various sizes, which look like protective ramparts or a hidden place secluded from the outside world.

The sight makes you startle, almost exclaim but manage to stop yourself. Embarrassment quickly forms as a flush of heat spreads across both your cheeks. You didn't expect to intrude on his private time like this. Luckily, Qimir has his back to you; otherwise, you would have felt even more awkward if he had seen you first.

You know that the best thing to do right now is to quietly slip away before Qimir notices. However, something about him catches your eye first.

It's the large scar on his back—a terrifying long mark crossed-shaped. It definitely doesn't look like a scar from a mere accident, but more like someone intentionally tried to take his life.

You frown, confused, curious, mixed with a strange sense of apprehension towards Qimir. What could he have done to deserve this?

For the first time, you realize that you don't know anything about this man, except for the name he told you.

"If you're going to stare at me this long, I might have to start charging you."

You jump in surprise. Qimir didn't even turn to look at you when he said this.

Before you can make an excuse or hurry away, he turns back as if anticipating it, meeting your eyes openly with a mischievous, teasing smile. Those black eyes look particularly intense, contrasting with his pale skin in the water.

"Want to join in?"

His hand sweeps back the damp hair falling over his face before he swims closer to you. Water droplets cling to his tall, muscular frame, sparkling like gems in the sunlight, breathtakingly beautiful and alluring.

The sight makes you breathless, as if you're drowning underwater even though you're standing on solid ground.

It takes almost a moment before you regain your composure. Your feet quickly retreat from the shore, as if afraid he might drag you into the sea. "Don't move!" you shout at him when you see Qimir about to rise from the water while still naked, leaving you flustered and unsure of where to look.

Qimir can't help but laugh at your mix of shock and anger. "If you're not going to join me, I'd like to put my clothes back on." The man points to the pile of black clothes near your feet. "But if you want to see me naked, I don't mind," he smiles innocently, his sparkling eyes never leaving you for a second.

You feel increasingly irritated. You know he's trying to tease you again.

You want to get back at him somehow, even just a little.

Your eyes glance down at his clothes on the sand, and suddenly you have an idea.

"Your suggestion is very interesting," You nod at him before reaching down to pick up his clothes. "Seeing you walk around naked would be quite a sight indeed."

Qimir's eyes widen, only realizing what's happening when he sees you clutching his clothes and running away at full speed.

"You!! Stop right there!"

The shouting voice behind you sounds closer than you expect. You quickly glance back and see Qimir chasing after you rapidly, still naked. His bare body and flustered expression are both hilarious and amusing. The allure he had before is completely gone.

You can't stop laughing, even as he finally catches up to you.

You stand no chance against Qimir in terms of size or strength. As soon as he grabs you, the outcome is inevitable. After a brief struggle, Qimir trips you, causing you to fall onto the sand. The impact leaves you winded, but you keep laughing even while lying there. It is the first time in a year that you have the chance to laugh so heartily and for so long.

Qimir hurriedly dresses as fast as he can, glaring at you as you show no signs of stopping your laughter. He then sits down beside you, his broad chest under his clothes rising and falling with rapid breaths, exhausted from the sudden morning exercise. "You little brat," he says to you, still panting, trying to contain his anger. "I should just kill you."

He means it; he isn't joking. If anyone else had heard this, they might have been terrified, but you don't care. You are laughing so hard you can barely breathe, your cheeks flushed with a rosy glow, as vibrant as any typical teenager should be. Qimir stares at you without blinking, this time not in anger but in contemplation.

You have never smiled or laughed before, not even once. You always wear an expression as if you are carrying the weight of the entire world, like someone hiding something deep in their heart or someone who has experienced too many terrible things to mention. Many times, he senses this—you seem like someone much older, perhaps even more than him, as if an old soul is trapped in your youthful body.

Who exactly is this woman? He wonders, looking at your plain, unremarkable face. There is nothing particularly memorable about it, except for your eyes. They are the deepest, most brilliant blue he has ever seen.

There is something both captivating and unsettling about you.

"You have talent, you're cunning and quick. You'd make a good thief. Could be quite helpful in my work."

You stop laughing and look up at Qimir. His tone sounds too serious to be joking, but his lips are curved into a smile, completely different from his angry demeanor earlier. "Are you offering to teach me?" you ask, confused.

"Would you like to learn?"

You let out a dry laugh, shaking your head slowly. "What's the point, when I'm probably going to..."

You don’t finish your sentence, letting it trail off. The bright expression from moments ago is fading once more.

"When you're what?" Qimir asks, his curiosity about you growing stronger.

"Nothing," you answer his question with the same phrase you always use, while painfully swallowing the word 'die', unwilling to reveal more.

You don't realize the sharp, intense gaze from Qimir, subtly hidden beneath his friendly smile.

...and you certainly don't realize that your choice to remain silent might lead to events spiraling beyond control.

[im-not-samantha-im-samanta]

Request by: @jellibean2018

Hello, Jelli! About two months ago you sent in a request, however my tumbl did me dirty, and I ended up with your ask, and the entire fic deleted! (Though, much to my relief, I found screenshots of the fic in a chat with my friend who was reviewing it. Thank god).

So, I have to tag you, and remind you what you wanted.

From what I remember, you wanted a fic with a female sinner Reader who was once a victim of Alastor's, and the two ending up meeting again in hell. You also wanted an unsettling vibe with Alastor reveling in the memory of killing Reader.

I also want to add that I apologize for how long you had to wait for this fic to be done. I haven't been doing well with fics lately, so this was a struggle. And my mental health started going shit too which is why I stopped posting for so long...

Anyways, I really started to struggle with writing fics, so I ended up experimenting with this one - it's kind of written with huge metaphor kind of style? Hope that's okay with you...

Anyways, hope you'll enjoy reading this at least a little, and I once again apologize.

_

🎙️// The sweet history we share... //🎙️

{Alastor x female!Reader}

___________________________________________

Type: Fanfic

Settings: Not specified

Genre: Unsettling? Can't tell if it actually gives that vibe though,

!TRIGGER WARNING!: Mentions of cannibalism, murder, violence, blood, saliva, dead bodies, Alastor revels in the memory of killing Reader, possible yandere vibes? Alastor sees Reader as nothing but a meal, but he puts her on a pedestal - that's probably some kind of fucked up attachment that surely has a name? I'd say the vibe is quite unsettling, but I can't say that for sure, Angel indirectly suggests the use of drugs and hints at sex related activities (but it's just a single line), and that's probably all?

Sidenote: Reader is written as a female just as requested,

Sidenote: I have no idea if I wrote Alastor well... but it feels like I really made him ooc as fuck and ruined the whole request,

Sidenote: Rereading this I think everyone is ooc as fuck even if they have minimum dialogue,

_

That should be all,

Hope you'll enjoy,

___________________________________________

Ah, nostalgia. Ah that sweet nostalgia. And that embrace of her.

She comes in unannounced, an unexpected guest. But oh is she welcome.

And oh so welcome are those treats she brings to the table.

She easily settles in, making herself at home. And into a cup, a bunch of memories she pours.

And that demon, the radio demon as he's called - he drinks from that cup greedily.

And like a man dying of thirst, he can't help but ask for another cup to be poured.

His senses feel high, his body tingling. A feeling of addiction is what fills him.

And he can't get enough of those sweet memories, so, he downs one cup after the other.

But with each greedy little sip, the thirst only grows and grows - he's not had his fill still.

So, the demon goes on and on, tasting one memory after the other.

And his mouth waters a big deal the more he can taste, and he savours each and every one.

Ah, and he can't tell which one of the sips of memories he enjoys the most, which one is the most saliva inducing one.

Is it maybe the giddy old memory of how he followed you through the town?

With you completely unaware? Naively trusting those poorly enlightened streets?

Trusting that a bit of weak light will keep you safe?

Or perhaps it could be the sweet memory of the thrilling chase through the forest?

That one forest where thousands of dead bodies laid buried deep in the ground?

Those dead bodies in whose footsteps you followed suit?

Oh! And what about that memory of how you so desperately tried to navigate around and hide, escape his clutches?

Even if he could hear your sharp breaths as clear as the day?

Oh! Or maybe his favourite one could be the moment of when he tackled you down?

Pinning your body under his, finally cutting the chase so the real fun can begin?

And that beautiful moment of how you hopelessly dug your nails into his skin til blood trailed down his arms?

That one beautiful moment engraved into his head of how you desperately clawed at those lanky hands of his?

His hands that trailed, squeezed and pinched at your body, feeling you up like a winning prize, like a fine piece of venison?

Ah, it was so hard to pick which one was the most treasured one!

Hell, it could even be the simple memory of the melodious sounds of your cries.

That melodious, angelic sound of your pleading, whimpering, sobbing and screaming.

Especially those sounds you made when he bit down onto your flesh.

Oh, and that taste that hit his taste buds back then...

He still remembers it like it was yesterday.

And his tongue still tingles, and saliva still floods his mouth every time he thinks of just how tasty you were back then.

And now his mouth waters as he silently wonders... would you still have such taste even now?

Or did becoming a demon change the sweet, addictive flavour of your fragile flesh and thick blood?

Oh, how his senses urge him - beg him - to just grab you and take at least one single little bite...

I'd be really easy too, now that you're a part of the hotel staff.

Silly little you, you didn't flee when you were faced with the fact that he - the one who took your life - also works for the hell's princess now.

You didn't take the more than gracious chance to turn on your trail, run and never return while you still could.

No, you are too stubborn, and you insist on staying, even despite how frightening seeing him on the daily is for you.

Silly little you! Don't you realize how easily he could snatch you away and repeat history?

All it would take is a single moment of when you're alone and-

Ah, but he can't do that - at least not yet...

Where would be the fun in that?

It sure would be a shame to end your lovely reunion this fast and early on, no?

Not to mention the odd, messed up attachment the deer demon feels towards you...

Now, not to be mistaken! What he feels isn't the usual attachment one would think of!

It definitely isn't the good or healthy kind either...

So, we shall not be mistaken, let's not get our hopes up and think he cares - for he doesn't.

You mean nothing to him - at least as far as it comes to you as a person.

Your value could be most likely compared to something of a sentimental value, a plaything at best if you will.

Still, no matter what you are to him - you are by far his most favourite one at that.

That's what can be said for a fact.

And for reasons beyond us and even Alastor, those memories he shares with you are put on a pedestal - put way above the rest.

There were so many faces that twisted in fear, so many names he kept tabs on, so many tastes he's tried, and so many lives he's taken.

But very vast portion of them is long forgotten, not really standing out all that much.

Nor holding any real value. Barely any of them mattered...

But you, on the other hand - oh, he could never forget about that one lovely night you shared...

And even when more victims - more faces, more names, more tastes - came, they couldn't compare.

No, they never could.

Those memories of you and your taste were always stuck in the back of the radio demon's head no matter what new person was on the menu - what new dish was on his plate...

So, one can only imagine just what he feels now that you're back within his grasp.

Oh, not even his wildest fantasies could've come up with or prepare him for such sweet moment!

This was like a gift from the Devil himself!

Yes, a gift - one that Alastor would make sure to cherish greatly...

Ah yes, he would cherish you so.

He'd take his time unwrapping you like the perfect little gift that you are - he would savour you.

And only when he'd get tired of messing with you, only then he'd get to the real deal.

Oh, and when he'll finally do, it'll be like a starving man plunging onto bread crumbs!

It'll be such a beautiful, satisfactorily moment - Alastor can almost feel himself drooling at the mere thought of the moment.

Oh, how he just can't wait for the very moment!

The moment is so close, and yet so far - and every little glance your way is like a test.

A test of how long he can resist the temptation.

Every little move you make, every little noise that leaves you, every little expression your face twists into.

Oh, he can barely hold himself back!

His body feels so restless, and his thoughts are all over the place.

And no matter how much he reminds himself to be patient, to not cut straight to the chase just yet.

He still can barely keep himself in check.

His thoughts are going to dangerous places, and your familiar, sweet scent teases his nose.

Oh, and you're so within reach too!

It'd really just take a single little moment and-

"Geez, that perv's still at it?".

Oh, that's right.

He's almost forgotten about those curious eyes watching him from afar.

Watching, and trying to see inside his head...

But judging by the response Vaggie's hateful comment receives, it seems she's the only one to see right through him.

The only one to see the real danger behind that wide smile he always wears...

"Ya-uh! His eyes have not left her ever since she's joined the hotel staff!".

Ah, Charlie. Dear, sweet Charlie - now she's something else.

She's completely different from her girlfriend - she's quite naively trusting and optimistic.

Fully believing that there's a piece of good in everyone.

And hence not being concerned for your safety when the deer demon started to show an interest in you.

Ah, that sweet, silly little thing.

Caught up in trying to see only the best in people and their intentions...

It's amusing - and truly adorable.

And oh, does it play into Alastor's favour oh so well...

"Okay, that's like so sick and totally-".

Oh, Vaggie - she tries, she really tried to warn the others.

Make them see Alastor for what he truly is.

But aside from Husk, nobody really listens to Vaggie's concerns.

No, she's not all that listened to when she voices her opinions on the deer demon.

Not even when she expresses her concerns for how the latter constantly follows your every single step no matter the time of the day, no matter where you go...

And to think she has quite enough of a say in things as the hotel's manager, as well as the princess' girlfriend!

Oh, that poor little thing - it must be such an awful feeling.

How humorous!

And oh, how unfortunate...

"Ah! Do you think he's-?".

Niffty is completely on board with Charlie.

Similarly to the princess - she too doesn't see the real harm in Alastor's advances towards you.

Seeing his behaviour as nothing other than subtle romantic gestures.

The little demoness' version of romance sure is rather twisted...

And yet, it's still quite surprising Niffty doesn't see the harm in things.

After all, she herself knows Alastor just as well as Husk does...

"Yeah! Strawberry pimp totally got the hots for that one!".

Angel was caught up in the spiderweb of romanticizing the same thing as well.

Just like Charlie and Niffty, he couldn't see the truth...

"What? No! Are you all crazy?! That's not the case at all! How can you all not see that?!".

Oh, Vaggie - again and again, she really tries and tries.

But the result is always the same - nobody pays her warnings or concerns any thought.

And yet she still keeps on going.

What a miserable little thing she is.

"Oh my- I have like the best idea!".

Not even Charlie notices how Vaggie nearly begs for them all to see things from her point of view.

None of them can see things for what they really are.

Alastor's got them all right where he wants them.

Without even having to try much...

"We should totally get the two to have some alone time!".

Charlie is quick to naively play into the radio demon's games.

Without even knowing she's doing that.

She can't see this all is exactly what the deer demon wants...

And neither can Angel or Niffty.

Aw, those naive little fools...

"Yes! We should- like- create some really romantic atmosphere and leave them to it!".

Niffty follows through in Charlie's steps.

She too plays right into what Alastor wants.

Though whether or not she's aware of it is up for a debate...

"We should lock 'em up in a closet together or somethin', or even give them a little... somethin'... to just... ya know, set just the right mood in.".

And angel is quick to fall for Alastor's games too...

Ah, those silly fools...

Unaware they're making all this much easier than it should've been.

They're sealing your doom - the inevitable end you're ought to meet at his clutches.

They're making this all too easy...

They're shoving the little mouse right into the lion's den.

What unfortunate silly fools.

And what an unfortunate little you.

Your friends are serving you to him on a silver platter.

All of them - or nearly all of them - thinking they're doing you a favour.

Thinking they're simply helping a mere fool in love gain the heart of his love interest.

When in reality, they're actually helping a starving predator get closer to his chosen prey...

It was rather humorous - a good source of entertainment for sure.

So, Alastor would humour the group.

He'd indulge in their schemes of trying to set you up with him.

He'd gladly play along and lead them to think he's interested in you.

Well, interested in you they way they think he is, not the way he actually is...

No, they can't know what he actually wants from you.

They won't know.

He'll make sure of it.

They won't know until the very last moment, until the deed's already done.

Or, he'll lead them to think your disappearance has nothing to do with him.

After all, the sudden disappearance of a poor little sinner like you would be nothing new in hell.

You'd just be added to the endlessly growing numbers of hell inhabitants going missing.

Your disappearance would be just a part of the mere statistics.

Well, he'll see.

All depends on which option would prove to bring more benefit.

As well as which one would prove to be more entertaining.

That's what, to the deer demon, matters the most at the end of the day.

For now, he'll just go with the flow and let the situation progress by itself.

With the occasional shove to the right direction, of course.

But it doesn't seem like he needs to wait for that long for everything to be set in motion...

"Hey, Al, you got a minute?".

Yeah, he really doesn't need to wait for that long...

___________________________________________

[eliashirsch]

God Tier Top Gun Fanfictions. A Masterlist. (3/3)

Part three of my fanfic recommendation! This one's for the best fics!

Winner Categories:

1. Best of the Best Authors (1/3)

2. Best of the Best Series (2/3)

3. Best of the Best Fics (3/3)

REMINDER! READ THE AUTHORS' TAGS AND WARNINGS!!!

Best of the Best Fics

Fics that shine bright as the stars. Make sure to check the author’s other works too!

ICEMAV

Kings of the Air by FabulaRasa @fabula-unica

Fighting and fucking: two things he did extraordinarily well. How could he have known what the effect would be when you combined the two?

This and COMPACFLT’s work directly inspired one of my works:) The writing quality is absolutely amazing. My favorite fics are those that have Ice returning to Top Gun and joining Mav as an instructor and this one just takes the whole motherfucking crown.

Indian Ocean. Present Day. by Jay Tryfanstone (tryfanstone)

Isolated on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the Indian Ocean, cut off from any source of information about the global political and environmental disaster which has engulfed the planet, Maverick and Goose struggle to make sense of an increasingly claustrophobic command structure and failing resources on board. When a refugee helicopter is spotted approaching the carrier, its pilot could be the catalyst for an explosive re-evaluation....

This fic man. This fic. It made me fall in love with post-apocalyptic fics. The writing style, the plot, Ice and Mav and Goose. Goose, man… Oh my god. If you read this fic you know why I’m still thinking about these boys’ fates. 

Rhinestone Cowboy by omnidirectional

That’s Doctor Iceman to you! Maverick bangs himself up and gets rescued by someone he didn’t expect. A Missing Scene featuring contrived situations, questionable life choices, gratuitous product placement, and shirtlessness. You know, everything you love about canon.

And it is absolutely everything I love about canon! I always love missing scenes or canon divergent. Not to say that I don’t enjoy AUs, but I love vibes like this the most where the story works alongside canon and elevates it to a whole other level. Mav and Ice and Slider feels correct.

Sleepless Nights by demiclar @demiclar / @slidersimp

Five times Maverick wakes himself up with nightmares and one time he's woken by someone else.

Fics about Mav’s grief over Goose’s death will always wreck me. This one in particular shows itself as a physical manifestation. I love love love all the guys stepping up and taking care of Mav, never once judging his pain. I’m a sucker for portrayals of the ugly side of grief.

Mal de Mer by saurora_borealis

"I thought you said you didn't get seasick, you little liar," Slider snaps. Maverick doesn't answer, head bowed, but Ice can see him shaking from here. Of all the times for Maverick to be sick, did it have to be on a night that Ice is ill too? Or: the carrier experiences some ocean turbulence. Even the most seasoned aviators fall prey to it.

This one has sort of the same vibe as the fic above. I never get tired of seeing the flyboys take care of each other<3

be my soulmate (and i'll be yours) by ChexMix

Of course Maverick dreams about finding his soulmate. Who doesn't? But he'd never imagined the possibility that it could be the Iceman. So when he catches sight of Ice's soulmark, it suddenly becomes all he can think about.

Classic Icemav soulmate AU. This is like exactly my type of angst and happy ending. Sometimes the things you’re familiar with are still the best:)

To Build a Home by LadyLanera @k9effect

Eighteen years before Top Gun Maverick, there was a home being built from ashes and ruin. When the dust finally settled and dusk fell, the house of cards collapsed, shattering three lives forever. Is it possible to rebuild, reclaiming the past in the future...when they're all hurtling towards their worst nightmare?

Goddddd. I love Mav’s character flaw in this. I love Ice’s maturity born from grief and sickness. I love Bradley’s anger and abandonment issues. I love that these three have hurt each other more than anyone ever could, but their love is still starkly present. My thoughts when I was reading this was that LadyLanera wrote their flaws so beautifully, making them human, and by doing so I understood their motivations and their actions. Amazing characterization. 

all is fair (in love and war) by dulcetines (evecstasy)

oh, ice, maverick bisa merasakan hati kecilnya meringis, ice, sori banget— hollywood menyelak lagi, kali ini dengan suara impersonasi terbaiknya: “teruntuk kuncen TOPGUN, yang mana di sana kuyakin matahari belum juga terbit sebersamaan dengan ditulisnya surat ini. aku ingin saat ini juga kau bersyukur tidak mesti mendengarkan slider ngorok di sampingmu. tuhan jesus. pria ini sudah kuanggap saudara sendiri, tapi terkadang ada saja hal-hal yang dilakukannya yang membuatku ingin menggulingkannya ke laut. kau apa kabar di sana? sudah berapa pilot yang kauhabisi egonya? apapun itu. jangan mati kebosanan dulu. aku bisa bilang begini karena surat-suratmu selalu mengancam demikian. ingat kau masih hutang makan malam denganku. dan sepuluh dolar. sampaikan salamku ke bayi itik. bilang aku kangen padanya. dan,” hollywood memalsukan dehem, sambil ia melanjutkan, “padamu juga. setiap detikku. ice.” begitulah.

Hehehehehe. Now this is more for me LMAO because as you can see, it’s written in Indonesian. Finding this fic in my mother language is like finding GOLD. Again, I love love love Icemav in their Top Gun era. This is for all of you Indonesian Top Gun enthusiast *blows a kiss* 

a higher fidelity by basedchamp

“C’mon.” Tori nudges him with an elbow. “C’mon. He’s cute. You can admit that one thing but you can’t admit this?” Gritting his teeth, Ice thinks very carefully about his next words. “He’s…” he trails off. “Some would say that…Mitchell is not. Unpleasant. To look at.” (Alternatively: the one where Ice and Mav learn to park bad, eat good, and love even better.)

Ice’s family, man… It’s refreshing to see them so supportive and loving. I’m guilty of making Ice’s backstory so tragic>:) But this one is heartwarming! I love the style and flow of the writing. It’s something that I want to achieve in my own writing as well, so kudos to basedchamp!

Tunnel Vision by brainjuicey (anzietyfreak) @brainjuicey

Instead of Ice biting the air in the locker room, he antagonises Mav by biting his neck, unknowingly setting off dormant Omega genes and sending him into heat. Everyone involved is forced to remain secure on base until they’ve investigated. AKA. Five Alphas, a Beta, and an Omega in heat, walk into an Air Base prison. Ramifications ensue. Alternative title, "Locked in Sex Jail With The Boys"

This scratched that specific part in my brain, man. ABO with the original cast of Top Gun? Sign me up, baby. Steamy and perfect. 

The Five People You Can't Escape in Heaven by V_Evergreen

Maverick dies, but it doesn't end there. Alternately: [“Hey, kiddo, are you with me?” Maverick opened his eyes and found that he could see. He blinked in the sudden light as his surroundings came into focus. Quite literally came into focus, as though everything around him was resolving into itself as he looked, deciding to form a lawn, flowerbeds, the tree trunk that he had been leant against. The sun was blinding overhead, high noon. In the distance, hazy and indistinct, he could make out a house. It looked vague, like a half formed memory but it was familiar. Just like the man crouched in front of him. “Dad?” He croaked.]

I was reading the original book (The Five People You Meet in Heaven) and came across this fic. Which in turn made me want to write my own rendition from the same idea.  That last chapter, man. It’s unreal how creative it is. A punch to the gut for sure.

(Here’s my fic if you want to read about it :) >> Estrellita)

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by V_Evergreen

Five meetings between Thomas Kazansky and Ethan Hunt. Alternately: [Ethan heard the door click shut behind him and turned to ask after the papers when he was abruptly spun by a hand on his shoulder and pushed against the door. His first and immediate thought was that he was certainly being attacked. Kazansky had him pressed against the door, chest to chest, a hand around his wrist and then- oh. Oh no. He wasn’t being attacked at all, it was infinitely worse. He was being very thoroughly kissed. He pushed back against Kazansky’s chest and tried to think of something eloquent to say. “Um?”]

Another banger by V_Evergreen. Ice not knowing Mav has a twin and mistakenly kissing him is so funny. And the end is heartwarming as well. Love love love it.

Allies by Shearmouth

After getting shot down over a war-torn Iraq, Maverick makes some unlikely friends. They have something– a big something– in common. But all Mav really wants is Ice. Too bad he's half a world away, and even Mav can't run that on a shattered leg. Not with the infected chest wounds thrown in, at least.

Oh my goddddd. I keep being at a loss for words when describing these fics. It won’t do anyone good if all I wrote was goddd, oh mannn, it’s so goodddd. But it’s the truth. This one hits home so much. The risk and homophobia present when you’re in a place that punishes queer people for existing and being in love, how a single mistake will cost you your future. And it’s so heartwarming to see that even then, you’re not alone. Mav being helped to reunite with Ice and breaking down that since their relationship was private, Ice had to grief Mav alone. Man, oh man. 

There is a pain—so utter by CurSirrr

Pete Mitchell was fine. Completely fine. He didn’t feel dizzy with denial, or an utter trainwreck of hopelessness. He hadn’t shed a single tear or cried himself to sleep for the past week. His guts were twisting and turning, squeezing and cramping. His eyes were swollen and red, and his scalp hurt from his vicious hair tugs as he tried to understand the past week. OR Three times Bradley misses the chance to say goodbye before it is too late.

Just read the summary and prepare for a world of pain:) Ice’s canon death still haunts me. Good thing he’s sleeping away in his big house that he co-owns with Mav, regularly saves his husband’s ass, have barbeque Sunday with Bradley and Jake and the dagger squad, happy and healthy:))

keeping his cards close to his chest by Serie11 @oathkeeperoxas

It's not that Lucy wishes that her boss would be more open with her. It's that she quite literally knows nothing about the man, despite Admiral Kazansky being her CO for half a decade. Or: 5 times Ice successfully hid something from his staff, and 1 time Ice revealed his biggest secret

Love seeing Icemav seen through other people’s perspective. It adds so much to the universe. Ice and Mav being their usual old married couple while everyone around them suffers. Excellent.

'til I meet you there by adiduck (book_people) @adiduck

Maverick wakes up in the snow, helmet on, entire body aching intensely and parachute still attached. It takes him about half an hour of trekking through the snow to notice that there’s anything amiss. (Or: Maverick Mitchell is in the habit of talking to his ghosts. Usually, they don’t talk back.)

Mav’s journey through the underworld. This fic is just too creative😭Always a delight to see how loved Mav is. It’s so whimsical and confusing and so great.

the ships have come to carry you home by indigofudge

“Here it is,” Carole says, bringing Mav’s wheelchair to a stop. Mav’s mouth is dry. He aches for another cup of water. “Carole, tell me something, and don’t lie to me.” “Anything, Maverick.” “How bad does he look?” Carole is quiet for a while. Then she comes around and kneels in front of Mav, taking both of his hands in her own. Her eyes swim with tears. “If I didn’t know any better,” she says, voice breaking, “I’d think he was dead.” • Or, Goose is alive when they hit the water. That's enough.

Goose survives AU!!!! Huh? This isn’t canon? What are you talking about? Of course, Goose survives and the Bradshaw family is still whole and Mav still has his family and gets to have Ice too. What are you talking about??

Swallow by wildglitterwolf 

Ice is getting tired of Maverick's inability to be a team player. Maverick is annoyed by Ice's gum chewing. Ice is more than happy to get rid of it, he just needs a place to put it...

TT.TT Just… I didn’t know I like this dynamic so much…

HANGSTER

cruise control by res_judicata

Rooster’s plane goes down on a Tuesday.  Jake remembers that it’s a Tuesday because he had been out grabbing a quick bite for lunch with Javy and the little chalkboard on the wall of the cafe had proclaimed that Tuesday’s special was linguine in white wine with fresh mussels. (Jake deals with grief and love)

Made me cry a goddamn river. I’ve said this before, but Hangster is one of those ships that I had trouble getting into. When I first got into the fandom back in June 2022, I strictly read Icemav, never dipping my toes into Hangster’s relationship because I never felt the spark. But as time goes by I’m starting to warm up and have read more and more. This fic is one of those where it captured my attention instantly. I knew it was going to be angsty, but still holding out hope for a happy ending (just like Jake in this story). The grief that blanketed the whole writing only made the resolution more beautiful.

WHORES IN MY BED. by pornogirl

“Jake-” Bradley’s eyes have a wet glimmer to them, the kind of wet that looks like the beginnings of tears and Jake wants to kiss him so badly. “Jake, is it loaded?” Jake rolls his eyes at the question. “Open your fucking mouth.” (Author’s notes: it's really not as bad as the tags may suggest but like. read the fucking tags!)

I’m a freak and I’m not ashamed of it:) Basically, Jake's going on about how pretty Bradley is crying and scared. If this is your kink, definitely worth the read. I don’t know if it’s because I find it hot, but I don’t get the unsafe feeling as opposed to reading other works that have noncon elements. I don’t know it feels more like it’s both of their kinks or like something they’ve discussed before but Jake didn’t warn Bradley prior. Like CNC, I guess? Anyway it’s really hot and I have not looked at my retainers the same way;)

we're fools to make war by whimsicule @baroness-elsa

In a Walmart at three am, between beef jerky and tortilla chips, with the lights flickering above them like it’s the fucking twilight zone, Bradley wants him more than he’s ever wanted anyone. or: it's a hundred degrees in texas.

This is so Jake and Bradley I’m blown away by how right they feel. Seriously. I didn’t even notice this was 66k words. The vibes, the writing, Jake’s family. Oh hell. Definitely check out the author’s other works too! They’ve got a lot of other Hangster long fics:)

cinnamon and sugar by bottledyarn

Jake was slumped in the doorway, propped up against the wall beside the door. He was a strange, pale, near-gray against the dark backdrop of his apartment, and he looked—well… “You look like shit," Bradley said. – Bradley draws the short straw and has to take care of Jake when he's sick with a stomach flu. Jake doesn't want to be taken care of.

Sigh. Jake and Bradley, man. They’re the ship that you can shove as much angst as you want and it’ll fit right in with their dynamic. They’re just so stubborn!!!! The push and pull between them is magnetic, man. I think I get why people love them.

habits by rararatatouille

Jake and Bradley come together in a series of jagged stops and starts. They fall apart in the exact same way. In which habits are hard to break, even for the people we love most.

Mannnnn. Goddamnit. I think this fic converted me to like Hangster. I think this has become canon in my brain too. I can’t even. Just read it. Words aren’t enough to describe this fic. 

Days Like This by chase_acow @cowsalot

Jake's in Hawaii to lose himself after getting the Navy's first air-to-air kill in decades. Instead he finds a ramshackle diner, a cast of odd characters, and possibly the love of his life. Bradley goes to the Hard Deck to order waffles. He orders waffles. He goes to the Hard Deck to get some waffles. He goes to the Hard Deck, and who is this hot asshole acting like they know each other?

So good. A 50 First Dates AU. Jake just loves Bradley so much, man. And Bradley finally showing up in the end. Love really will make you walk miles across Earth for your special person<3

OTHERS

Other pairings, romantic and not.

Mr. Blue Sky by omnidirectional

Tragedy first brings Iceman into Bradley’s life, but he quickly becomes the steadiest presence of the boy’s childhood… until a betrayal tears their small family apart. After years of silence, can Bradley find the words to make up for lost time? Five times Ice sings to Bradley, and the one time Bradley sings to Ice.

Another one from omnidirectional. Ice and Bradley’s father and son relationship… Here’s one of the tags: Who Wants To Cry Today? If you’re up for emotional damage, click the link🫵

On Mighty Wings by PurpleArrowzandLeather @purplearrowzandleather-blog

Maverick raised geese over the years while Bradley was gone. Bradley does not know this until the flock comes home for the summer.

Short and sweet. Legend author as well. Love the geese preening Mav and Bradley sobbing while surrounded by honks. This is just too damn cute!!

Neglected by proprioception @mnstrfkr

"Do I look God-fearing to you, ma'am?" Maverick asked with a grin. "You most certainly do not," Carole said. "That's why I didn't marry you." "That and the mustache," Goose added.

Can’t forget about this GooseMavCarole fic of course! Hot and heartwarming. Absolutely amazing smut. This one sparked my brain to make a fanart of my favorite polycule. Their dynamic is just so fun!

Yearling by Fopperies , pohjanneito @pilvimarja

Alone in a cabin in the snowy mountains, Maverick is supposed to help Bradley on the path to presenting as an alpha soon. Bradley's body has other ideas.

Just gonna put this here… A different take on ABO’s biology, which I absolutely love. It’s so hot… Bradley, I feel you, honey…

Seeing a Trailer by daenabenjen42

In the aftermath of the Layton rescue, Merlin has questions.

Sighs for the millionth time. It’s so good. Again, I love the portrayal of Mav’s PTSD and grief here. And it’s not just him, but daenabenjen42 wrote about the other boys’ trauma too. I love it so much I must’ve reread this one about fifty million times. 

in between what's already done by crawsley

“We aren’t doing this,” Maverick says, firmly, and he’s tensing like he’s about to move, about to shove Rooster off of him, push him away like he pushed him away before, when all Rooster had wanted was some guidance, some help, some love and kindness and— Rooster bears him to the ground, right there on the rug in the entryway.

This is legitimately one of the first, if not the first fic I’ve read from RoosMav. I still remember clearly going home from watching TG:M in the cinema and KNOWING that there were definitely going to be people who ship Mav and Roo. I rushed to AO3 straight away:D Imagine my delight when finding this one!

shake my nerves and rattle my brain by BogBeast

This wasn’t supposed to be intimate. This was about punishment, humiliation, stubbornness and spite. Not this gentle crap that made him sigh, the hand in his hair making his stomach swoop with every tug, the heavy scent making his head feel foggy, the praises making his heart skip a beat. That shit is just weird. The horrifying realization that he’s hard in his flight suit has nothing to do with it.  - Mav's gotten them into a lot of weird situations, but giving blowjobs to their rivals because of a stupid bet has to be the weirdest one.

Icemav AND Sloose? SIGN ME UP, BABY!

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

That’s all of it! This is my list for now. Thank you all for reading through to the end! Let me know if you enjoyed any of these fics so we can gush about them together:) I hope you enjoyed my yapping:}

My works have always and will continue to take inspiration from others. So thank you for creating stories as beautiful and profound as these, dear beloved authors<3

If you want to see my bookmark collection of all of these fics, click here >> TOPGUN (Best of the Best) While you’re there, how about you read some of my fics too?>:) EliasHirsch

(PS!!! There will be a 4th part because there are definitely more good fics that people need to know about:))

[ghl-osty]

fanfiction

i’d like to talk about fanfiction real quick because there are some issues really frequently that can make or break a story. and they’re avoidable!! and it makes me so sad when i’m trying to read a good fanfic and there’s so many errors that i have to stop.

NAMES

so this is one i see surprisingly often… please make sure you know how to spell a character’s name when writing a fanfiction. it’s usually something small like damian vs. damien or lucas vs. lukas but to me it’s so distracting and disappointing when there’s a beautifully written story with a character’s name spelled wrong.

SPELLING

this is a big one, too. when writing, some people don’t always have a spell check or an editor built in to their platform. if that’s you, please triple check your work! and here are a few frequent ones i see-

-shook vs. shock

i shook his hand

i was in shock that she did such a horrible thing

-peaked vs. piqued

-he looked like he peaked in high school

-they piqued my interest

blonde vs blond

-she had blonde hair

-he had blond hair

blonde is a gendered word. i’m not actually sure how it’s used with nonbinary people, let me know!

their, there, and they’re

-it was theirs

-she’s over there

-they were scared, and now they’re not

remember that they’re is a contraction of they are!

quite vs. quiet

she tried to be quiet, not making any noise.

they were quite bored with this whole event.

(thank you to @nathaaaan for the suggestion)

SERIES VS. SERIE

i watched a really good series yesterday

serie isn’t actually a word…

BILINGUAL CHARACTERS

please, please, please do some research if you write a character who speaks another language. even if it’s reading other fanfictions to figure out how your character’s language fits in with the language you’re writing with.

-having a character to say that it’s ’hard to switch back’ is… unrealistic at best. i wouldn’t recommend using it.

-please gender the words correctly! in most of the romance languages, words are gendered. make sure to add that in!

REPETITION

unless you’re going for a gimmick, i’d be careful with repetition. having a character say something more than once, especially in the same sentence, can be annoying and makes the dialogue sound forced.

especially the word antics…. i literally had to put a fic down because ‘antics’ was in every other sentence.

ex: “Lily sighed, annoyed. She was so annoyed!”

(yes this is a real actual example with the character name changed. don’t let this be you.)

FORMATTING

i think this can be overlooked a lot but format is important!!!

-paragraph breaks!! seeing a huge chunk of words with absolutely no breaks is overwhelming. add some space!

-“the punctuation goes inside the quotations.” he said

-i know i’m being a bit of a hypocrite, but capitalization! names, beginning of sentences, and places!! if you don’t capitalize, at least be consistent with it!

“This is how fanfiction, or really any writing, should be formatted.” Eli said with a smile

“And every new sentence should be a paragraph break,” interjected Alex, “Unless you’re going for a certain style. In which case, you do you.”

Eli sighed. “That’s true, Alex. What OP didn’t know was that tumblr has a formatting issue, so that when she posts this, the paragraph breaks won’t show! She hopes she fixed it. But it might not work!”

“We can always imagine the bullet points as paragraph breaks.”

-friendly neighborhood reminder that paragraph breaks happen when introducing a new idea as well!

-bolds and italics are important.

“I told him not to go,” acceptable, a bit dry.

“I told him not to go,” exquisite, flavorful.

and as always. please make sure they’re talking like people. not disney sitcom characters.

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE TENSE

you would not believe how much i see this messed up. and it’s easy to get wrong. remember, you can always look something up if you aren’t sure. but stay consistent with your tenses!

past tense

She walked up to the drab, grey building, trembling. As she pulled the door open, a bell rang, signaling her arrival.

this one’s probably the most used. notice that it’s almost like we’re retelling the story, after it’s already happened (hence past tense)

present tense

She walks up to the drab, grey building, trembling. She pulls the door open, and a bell rings to signal her arrival.

we have to change quite a few words for the same sentence to make sense in present tense.

future tense

She’ll walk up to the drab, grey building, trembling. She’ll pull the door open, and a bell will ring to signal her arrival.

i honestly don’t think i’ve ever seen future tense used in a novel unless it’s used in dialogue. but it’s almost as if you’re speaking hypothetically about an event.

but please make sure you’re consistent with these! don’t use one and then switch to another!!

now of COURSE writing is a form of creation, and you can ultimately do whatever you want! if you want to write something, write it. this is just a little guide for some of the mistakes i see most often!

but all in all just double check your writing, always!!! there are so many good works out there that could be great.,… if you don’t have someone to beta read you can always send it to me or put it in word <3

[deusvervewrites]

Usually in a lot of different media, a power nullifier ability is overpowered and sometime they might or might not have drawbacks. Eraser is overpowered in the sense that it prevents emitter and transformation Quirks via Line of Sight and has a reasonable weakness in not affecting mutant Quicks and is dependent on the eyes working. (And also that Aizawa's dry eye might be related to his usage of his Quirk overtime).

I wonder that since Aizawa is an underground hero, he's more likely to work in the dark, which makes it harder for the unskilled villains to counteract against him and actually spreading meaningful information about how to counteract him. It's just that when Aizawa is in board daylight, the "knock them down in one hit" trick will eventually hit a wall if his opponent didn't get knocked down immediately, if the mob overpowers him or someone else(i.e. Shigaraki) figures him out and does a counterattack that Aizawa isn't prepared for. I wonder if he is even prepared for such a scenario that (assuming his Quirk is effective on his opponent's Quirk) he was not able to knock them down in one hit.

I'm then reminded of the fact that during the Shie Hassaikai Arc when they're rescuing Eri, he was canceling Toga's Quirk as she was mimicking Rock Lock and was capturing her with his scarf, Toga took control of the situation by grabbing his scrap in return and stabbing him, thus preventing him from joining Izuku when he had to fight Overhaul. Which means that Aizawa isn't prepared at all when he loses control over his scarf.

Aizawa the Quirkless Hero and supporter of a Quirkless Hero? Ha, I say that he's just a scrub who's dependent upon his Quirk and would actively discourage such people(and if he has too) or make them learn the complicated scarf style. All of those All Might bashing fics for Quirkless Hero Izuku don't even read the manga or watch the anime at least once. They only get bad information just from reading fanfics and the telephone game reversed the two's position.

Sometimes I feel like I need to take words away from people and "overpowered" is one of them. From writing advice articles and videos calling it "unrealistic" to this. There is nothing realistic about Quirks; that's the point. Is an alien from Krypton gaining powers from a yellow sun suddenly more plausible if he isn't bulletproof? I digress. That's not the point you're making, but it annoys me enough that I brought it up anyway.

More relevant to this point you're making, overpowered, outside of its context in gaming as a metagame defining game piece, refers to a character that can trivialize the narrative they are in. Superman as a Hero in Gotham would be overpowered. That's why he's in Metropolis, facing geniuses with legal protection. Goku can bench press planets but so can the people he fights. Akabara Strauss is the strongest character in Record of a Fallen Vampire, but he's trapped in a Tragedy instead of a battle series. Mob from Mob Psycho starts as the strongest psychic in the series, but he's a pacifist trying to understand his place in the world. Context matters.

Aizawa is not overpowered in My Hero Academia. Disabling the activation of those Quirks does not trivialize the narrative.

Regarding the rest of your analysis, it's interesting to note that the Villains at the USJ recognized him, meaning that he hasn't really done a great job at hiding how his Quirk works. Actually come to think of it, nobody in MHA bothers to hide their Quirk's function. They may not advertise it but in Hunter x Hunter this lackadaisical attitude would be a death sentence.

Aizawa was actually present for the Overhaul fight; it was Chronostasis who took him out, not his stab wound. And yeah, he would've made the fight easy, but the main conflict was not Overhaul it was saving Eri.

This last point is right on the money though. Aizawa disapproves of Midoriya's inability to use his Quirk, showing no interest in training him or in any potential that is not his Quirk, like him recognizing Underground Hero Eraserhead. Nothing we have seen from Aizawa suggests he would support a Quirkless Hero.

[monpalace]

Fanfic devil (affectionate) :3

I HAVE MORE TIME THOUGHTS!!

Time is the type of guy that LOVES laying ontop of you. Resting his head on your stomach/chest while his arms are wrapped around your waist!

He loves this for a few reasons! 1, he feels as though he’s protecting you with him covering most of your body from outer harm and 2, your head scratches are the best??? You could knock this man out in a matter of seconds when you play with his hair

He honestly gets a little upset/pouty if he doesn’t get his nightly head scratches. Like you could be reading a book or doing something that is taking your attention and Time will just flop down beside you and huff.

Imagine a pouting husky, thats him

(Modern) Time in highschool/college gives jock/greaser vibes?? And imagine his s/o/crush having a more punk/alternative aesthetic?? Power couple frfr

(Modern) Time in highschool was the type of guy that, after he sent a flirty test to his crush, he’d slam his ohone down and walk away. Like hell do laps around the house at he just OVERTHINKS and blushes at how stupid that was.

Will fucking dive bomb his phone when he hears the notification ding

This could be modern or regular Time but, imagine you two are reading a mystery novel and you both are trying to solve the mystery while reading??? Like yall dead ass bought another copy of the book so you could tear it apart and put all the clues on a board

Hes so cute when he has to wear a set of reading glasses as he looks over some ‘clues.’ You give him many kisses while he has them on, and he has no idea why you random get super lovey but he’ll never complain

Time is the type of lover that loves to watch his s/o get ready in the morning. Its so domestic to him?? It reminds him that he’s more than a hero now, hes more than just his sword.

But he is also the type of lover that will lock his arms around his s/o’s waist and try to keep them home. Like, he’ll still be lying in bed and youll be at the edge if it, having come back to give him a kiss before you left, but now your just….stuck

He just straight up refuses to let you go, giggling to himself as you try and break free. You do end up on the floor at one point, just laughing as you try to crawl away from him.

He just drags your ass back up into the bed. You aint going anywhere tonight, good luck!

i also love your thoughts on this stuff so much 😭😭 got me laughing and smiling at this shit

fanfic (solar) system 🫶🏽

aren't huskies notorious for being loud and dramatic asf? you forget to massage his head one time and he just pretends to cry while spewing on about "oh so you don't love me anymore? you hate me? did you just tell me to literally sleep with the fishes? you never want to see me again in your life? you can't stand the sight of my face? you want me to fuck off and die?"

he strikes me as the type to whine when you get up and use the bathroom or get a snack like that one tiktok audio because, if time is one thing, it is clingy-- but it's amplified when he's tired

he also drools. i don't make the rules.

you make the mistake of wearing a cropped top, wearing one that raises easily, or just forgoing one altogether and there's either an unbroken line of saliva going from your belly button to your chest (he likes listening to your heart-- it reminds him you're alive) or it's just all up in your neck and pillow 😭😭

time's knowledge on anything punk/alternative is seriously lacking before meeting his s/o. he knew nothing of the style, music, beliefs, etc, etc but he got really into it once you introduced him to them

BUT IMAGINE MODERN! TIME (OR HIS S/O) OWNING A MOTORCYCLE?

he gives you his helmet whenever you both ride on his because he says he doesn't have a spare (he does) and that he just wants you to be safe. sometimes he situates you so that he's behind you while he still maneuvers/controls the bike because he's just cool like that (he practiced it a lot with his friends)-- but he also melts whenever you're in control of the bike because he gets to take the backseat and put his hands around your waist like in those movies

(he says he traded it out in college for something more "practical," but he really just has it hidden in a shed/garage somewhere. he goes in and repairs it whenever he has the time since it's so old and he's to attached to sell it)

time would send something like "i liked your shirt," and then toss his phone out a window before anxiously trying to do something productive. he tries to put off answering as long as he can so he doesn't come off as desperate but he ends up biting his nails and giving not even 45 seconds later

he squeals like a child when gets a "thank you (: i liked your jacket," before immediately over-analyzing with a little corkscrew board and everything. "should i buy something with [brand] so they'll compliment me? would they like it if i got them something with [brand] on it? is this a sign they like me or am i just being delusional"

HE'D LOOK LIKE SUCH A NERD WITH THE READING GLASSES THOUGH? imagine he actually has terrible eyesight, you take his glasses and put them on, and immediately walk into a wall or something? 😭

"woah! you might need glasses more than me lol"

"you look like a fucking mosaic and picasso painting mixed together. stop talking"

his little grandpa glasses lower his intimidation by a landslide so he rarely wears them, so it's only natural you drown him in affection. he takes it in stride (even in public) and asks why you're so obsessed with him when you wear them and you only respond with ";3c" or something

trippy i will like,, collapse and die or something 😭 character a keeping character b from leaving the bed/house is my one weakness

assumedly, time is stronger than you, right? because of that he'll definitely manhandle you back into bed with little effort, day clothes be damned-- if you keep trying to fight him even after he goes back to laying right on top of you, he uses the excuse of "i'm the goddess' chosen hero. tell them i need you for something"

"i can't do that if you keep me here."

"then i'll go in with you and tell them tomorrow," and then he doesn't. he pulls the exact same thing the very next day for the rest of the week

[g-on-ef]

Helluva Boss season 2 episode 4 Rant Review IDK but be prepared to hate me Stolas/Stoliz lovers

Okay guys I'm not gonna come down from the high of seeing my baby Striker so I might as well get this review out the way while it's still fresh on my mind ^^

Striker my gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous snake boy you've done me proud !!! Love how bad ass he looked with the Pancho it further feeds my head canon that Striker is Mexica {yall free to disagree but thats my personal head canon} !!!

The fighting scene guys I loved how smart and agile Striker is. The way he used the environment to his advantage as well as all parts of his body.

Feet, arms, tails, hell he was amazing with both the rope guns knife it showed Striker isn't just good with his body but also different types of weapons.

Hell rewatching the fight scene and imma be honest Striker has more experience with his body as well as weapons than millie and moxxie.

Again the way he used his body showed guns weren't the only weapon he had the environment the way striker used everything from Millies ax sticking on the ground to the railroad tracks showed how he uses his surroundings to work for him and the weapons showed this guy is a deadly fighter and not one to be messed with.

And once again, once again my boy is spitting facts !!! I said it once and I'll say it again my boy sees Hell for what it is and how he and his people are at the bottom of the barrel and he's not afraid to do what he sees is right if it means saving his people.

Argue with the wall yall fuckers aren't gonna change my mind about Striker and his actions.

Now onto his personality okay I know some people don't like the unhinged way he is but if I'm honest it was good granted I would've loved this to be seen as the show progressed but I guess I'll take this wit a grain of salt.

Okay I may anger some of my fellow striker lovers but I did not like his new voice honestly I'm still gonna use Norman's voice when I read fanfic cause I loved how Norman voiced my boy and that's the voice I'm sticking wit ^^

Speaking of voices yall I did not like Stella's brothers VA like that art style with that voice did not fit him, gonna be honest I was imagining something like Stolas not that.

Also side note did something happen wit Lunas VA i saw a post talking about it but exsit out Tumblr before I could like or reblog it.

I also hated how they reduced Stella into I don't even know what to call that mess cause you mean to tell me this woman is once again treated like a 1 dimensional wet piece of paper that can't think for herself and is just a spoil brat ??? !!!

Like Viv keeps adding these characters that are big and bad but are just become a joke towards the end.

Also that incest plot ... ... ... someone tell viv that this is not game of thrones/house of the dragons please.

I'm not touching that because if I tell yall that Stella might be a victim of incest abuse yall would have my head and viv and crew will not know how to handle something like that.

Like you mean to tell me not once Stella thought that she wouldn't get anything from her divorce unless Stolas had a say so ??? Like come on man.

Also Viv, you and your little crew can shove whatever bullshit down my throat to convince me Stolas is an innocent soft blue and I'll choke on it till I'm blue in the face.

Like someone remind her that her show is in Hell and no one cares if he cheats or not.

Like Stolas I knew you were dumb but damn I didn't know you were THAT DUMB.

You still cheated, you still betrayed an agreement you made, you are still an asshole for cheating.

I'll already made a post on Stella and the bullshit that is her marriage so again argue wit the wall.

Stolas, Stolas, you got shot by an assassin, he has a blessed rope, and he obviously has angelic weapons and you have the audacity to ask if your endangered ... ... ...

I have no words for the sheer amount of stupidity of that question -_-

Also why in the fuck did you call Blitz ??? Why not your guards why not someone who can save you before the threat kills you ??? !!!

The anger and annoyance I felt when he called for him knows no bounds especially when Blitz told him he had a very important appointment to get to and that fucker just had the nerve to try and convince him to still save him ???

Again why not call your royal body guards ??? !!! Like dude i know you're horny and want to live every fantasy that involves you and Blitz but the man has a life outside of you let him live it !!!

Also can we all agree that the sex jokes are getting old/boring like viv sex jokes do not make your show for a mature audience if anything it's for an immature one instead.

Case in point you trying to say the R slur but ended wit how you can't say it anymore after being called out on it

Funny yes but not funny haha funny you ass needs new material cause your jokes aren't funny.

I love absolutely love how Blitz rather be at the appointment for his daughter than save Stolas like him complaining about Stolas {rightfully so} and how he rather focus on making sure his daughter is comfortable and safe really warm my heart.

I find hilarious how viv tweets/likes shit like this

And yet the only time she remembers that imps are at the bottom of the barrel or needs to remind the audience that the citizens of hell hate imps and they are horribly mistreated is when Striker is involved.

Like you mean to tell me Striker is a simple minded bigot and yet he's the only one that's called out how fucked up Hell is for imps AND episodes that surround him show how the royals and others view imps ??? !!!

Pick a side and stick to it.

Said it once and I'll say it again Viv is not gonna make me hate my gorgeous snake boy.

Cause seeing him stabbing that bird seeing him torture him I was cheering him on !!! Like I was seriously smiling and praising him.

Like yes amor torture that bird make him pay !!!

Millie and Moxxie ... ... ... you had me and you lost me that's all I gotta say

The ending gonna be honest the ending made no sense.

Blitz your boyfriend had a blessed tip rifle pointed at the ditzzy blue blood had a blessed rope like OF COURSE HE CAN GET HURT !!!

Anywhore there's more but these were my main issues ^^

[cookiekat-blogz]

last night, I felt a new true terror unknown to man…

the fear of being late to punko’s live.

(Scroll for a satire fanfic styled storytime of me joining the live!)

The cold air and even colder kitchen floor didn’t have an impact on how hot the girl was feeling. The feelings of stress, regret, and fear kicked in as she thoughtlessly paced the polished tile floor, sliding as if she was some sort of ballerina all over again. Yet this time, she was frantic.

There it went again. The hot feeling where she swears she feels her pours open as her body begins to sweat. Is it puberty? The excitement comes in waves as soon as she’s sure the app is finally downloaded and she began to work on calming herself down as the medium hand was only two digits past her preferred time. 8:02. She had time. At least enough to leave one comment on another tumblr post before checking in— but wait…

… the downloading was paused!! She kissed her teeth(wow real Caribbean of you there) as she groaned and turned off her Wi-Fi and unpaused the download on the purple app.

There it was. A message—a question. “Download Twitch on cellular data for 62MB?” She won’t lie, she had no clue what that meant, and still doesn’t. Just that she’s using up her Verizon to get an app that she’ll probably delete once Crimecation was over. There. She finished up the comment that was coincidentally a reminder for Punko’s first Crimecation live and eagerly exited out of the safari engine, telling herself as if it was some sort of Latin chant “it’s okay, you’ll make it”

She opened the app and exited the big purple white and gray styled notification that blocked her vision on her screen. Her thumbs moved in auto-pilot, waiting for no one, and misspellings left with the friends we made along the way. This occurred until the letters on her screen formed “FunWithPunko”.

A familiar account appeared, and before it, a live. ‘47 veiwers’, it read. A cover with Chase Hollow (Like and Follow TM) on it and three sentences spelling out the words “live starting soon”. Her thumbs clicked on it as the anxiety dissipated and the excitement kicked in. She sat down at her kitchen island and smiled as she plugged in her phone.

With this live video came a face, never seen before, one that her poop brown orbs have never laid eyes on, yet the sound— the talking— it was a voice that she recognized. One so familiar to her ears, she couldn’t be mistaken. It was surely Punko. Finally, she’d made it. (and there was a drippy buddy in the corner🔥🔥)

I got there at around 8:04 though and she answered my 3(?) most important questions!!

[cursedvibes]

Do you have a favorite media like anime/manga, tv series/movies, books, video games, etc (if you feel like listing multiple) of all time? Why you love them?

Well, it's pretty tough to pick a fave of all time. (I ended up with 6.5 picks in this case) It varies a lot in my case and it's pretty hard for me to pin down something that I not only like, but liked for a while and will probably keep liking for the foreseeable future. My first thoughts were Naruto or JJK, but in case of Naruto, it is the series I have been a fan of for the longest time, but I wouldn't say I like the story overall much anymore, I'm mostly just obsessed with the Sannin. In case of JJK, I absolutely enjoy writing theories about it and fanfics and to pick apart character dynamics, but I'm not sure how long it will stay with me once it's over.

Thinking about it, I think I'd put it tentatively on the Fave Of All Time list because I could see myself keep coming back to JJK for Kenjaku, Yuuji and Tengen same way I do with the Sannin in Naruto, but I like the story overall more.

A way easier pick for me is Warhammer 40k, primarily the novels and audio dramas. It's just such a rich universe with so many stories you can explore there and authors keep putting out incredible material. There's always something new to find, no matter if comedy or thriller or horror or a mix of all of that and a lot of what I've read will keep haunting me for a long time. I can read hundreds of stories (theoretically, practically there unfortunately exist that many) about the Adeptus Mechanicus and never get tired because that faction just perfectly scratches that horrific sci-fi genderfuck itch in my brain. Definitely a Fave Of All Time.

I think another one would be the American Horror Story franchise. I haven't kept up with it past 1984 and I don't like every single season, but the ones I really like always have something I want to keep coming back to. Not a masterpiece, but a good mix of pulp, horror and interesting concepts that I just can't let go. Pretty much every season, except Freak Show I think, I watched in one day because it always managed to hook me somehow. The opening also used to really freak me out in the beginning, when I started getting into the first season. My favourite seasons are Coven and Apocalypse and they are just something I could watch at any time. I mean, Coven is worth watching for Angela Bassett alone, everything surrounding her only makes it even better. Apocalypse is a controversial pick and I don't like the ending either, but honestly, the way they characterize the Antichrist makes up for it. Reminds me a lot of The Omen II, but more developed. I like the thought that the Antichrist is just a boy with special powers, but who isn't inherently evil, the outside world eventually just pushes him to be. And I think for the most part they did a good job with it. Not all seasons hit for me, but this is definitely something I keep coming back to.

My other picks would all be manga. First one being Urasawa Naoki's Monster. In this case, the anime works just as well because I think some scenes even work better there than in the manga. Johan is one of the few animanga villains that actually gives me chills and the fairy tales in it haunt me to this day. I've actually travelled in the past and visited all the places depicted in the story, just to see how it looks in real life (pretty close to the manga although some places are made up). So far my favourite Urasawa story and I keep rewatching some scenes like JohAnna sending the boy into the red light district quite often because even on their own they are just that good.

Next one is Dorohedoro. I like Hayashida Q's whole style in general. It's messy, gorey, dirty and punk and Dorohedoro shows it best. The mix of silly antics, gore and actual horror is so good and she manages to balance it throughout the story really well. It's one of the few stories where I pretty much like every character. The worldbuilding is fantastic and while it starts out pretty whimsical, the high point of it had me on the edge of my seat. I'm really excited for the new anime season coming out and I'm curious if they will change up their style in any way. I like the style of the anime on its own for the most part, especially the backgrounds look really good, but I think if you don't use hand-drawn frames, it will be very difficult to adapt Hayashida's style and give you that same grunge feeling. There's an extra for the first season that's not made 3D and it looks so much better. The music has always been on point though and the opening and endings as well, so those will be definitely the highlights I'm looking for. Also, great to have more people experience the insanity of Dorohedoro because we're getting to the point now where the story really picks up.

Lastly, there are Houseki no Kuni and Fool Night. Both something I only recently started reading, but they both qualify as those types of stories that just keep blowing your mind. I mean, Phos' character development alone could make me rant for hours. I'm gonna reread hnk at some point from the beginning because I'm pretty sure there are a lot of little hints I missed on my first read and I'm already looking forward to that. The fact that I can reread this story multiple times and take something new out of it each time already makes it qualify for the list. Together with the artstyle it has something ethereal to it and that feeling while reading is another reason I like it so much.

Fool Night is quite similar, except a lot more depressing. Despite that, it isn't a constant downer though. You keep being confronted with problems and injustices quite similar to our world and it only gets worse the deeper you dig, but the characters nonetheless keep up an attitude that change however miniscule is possible and that makes you push on. The artstyle also works perfectly to enhance the atmosphere of the story. The lines can be quite shaky, but with a lot of detail and that makes the whole world in Fool Night feel uneven and distressed, but also incredible tactile and natural like the plants growing everywhere. It just started and there aren't that many chapters in English yet, but it's quite rare that I encounter a story where every single chapter manages to move me, even if it's just by revealing a little bit more about the world building. Honestly, can't recommend it enough.

[sssammich]

fanfic writer questions

Thanks for the tag, @foibles-fables

1- How many works do you have on AO3?

i'm at 122 right now (wahoo!)

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

794,634 (i am on a mission to 1 million in the next couple of years)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

well i've been around many a fandom block, but i'd say for current brainrot:

supergirl (mostly supercorp, but i have a smattering of rare pairs because women, amirite?)

swan queen

bumbleby (i also still have so many rosebird dreams i'll get there someday)

makayuro (with a smattering of rare pairs also because women, amirite?)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

well unsurprisingly, ever since plopping down on supercorp fandom, the numbers have been from there. but shoutout to my victorious fic from 2012 holding strong lol

evergreen, closest i get, not for nothing, you've got mail, and one way or another

5. Do you respond to comments?

yes yes absolutely!! sometimes i am late and sometimes i just leave it in there so i can have it stay unread but anyway i try to respond and i appreciate everyone who sends them to me. i have historically been a oneshot writer so it's been nice also to get comments on wips!

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

oh shoot angstiest ending?? well i think i would say my supercorptober ficlet about memory loss of sorts might tick that (it ends kinda idk open but not bad, i will say)

but then there's also this one old soccer RPF i wrote that's more, idk, poetry than any real fic about one of them leaving lmao

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

the happiest ending? i mean all of them, i reckon. if they end up together or have a promise of together then they count lmao

8. Do you get hate on fics?

uhhh none that i've seen? i mean if it's in the comments, no? but if it's elsewhere, then also no? i have been fortunate in that way

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

OMG YES I AM FINALLY IN MY SMUT ERA

uh i reckon comedy smut for now (read DickFic here) but the day is young and my doc is empty so who's to say

but i have dreams for some sad smut because i'd like to develop the range LMAO

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

surprisingly, i do not. what i instead do is just little spin through five fandoms at any given time and just confuse myself that way

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

unfortunately yes. twice now. once was for my victorious fic that was used for a 5th harmony RPF lmaooo

and then on thanksgiving weekend, the first chapter of Crepe AU was posted by an anonymous for a The Wilds ship (but my friends rallied to get it taken down so i didn't have to send a takedown form to ao3 while i was traveling home)

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

nope but that would be totally rad

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

i love fic writing group work so yes! i have a series of sad angsty women that i have with my best friend in my revue starlight fandom, and then, of course, @sideguitars and i have 'humans in the storeroom' (that reminds me it's my turn to write the next part smh)

i also like jumping into writing sprints or writing exercises with folks (like a round robin)

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

let's not do this, i shan't pick amongst my children

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

so far all my wips are things i wanna finish and will do my best to finish. i have a couple of retired wips that will just sit in my ao3 forever and i have made peace with them, though.

16. What are your writing strengths?

i wanna say characterization, pacing, emotional resonance, and a simple and natural writing style maybe

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

action?? plot??? proper AUs lmao

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

i do not because i find i butcher it and also then i cringe lmao

19. First fandom you wrote for?

oh written for but never posted? hermione/ginny

posted for? god probably All My Children (bianca and maggie) when i was like a teenager hahahahaha

20. Favorite fic you've written?

sorry no can do i love them all because i wrote them and there are so many things i enjoy about them. but i will say that the writing events circuit i've done this past year (supercorp bigbang, bumbleby big bang, and swan queen winter solstice) are born out of a lot of labor of love and i'm really proud of the work i've done for them.

and not for a writing event, but i am also extremely proud of re:live for mayakuro fandom-- that one makes me think that if i never wrote for that fandom again, that that's a really good fic to end on)

No-pressure tags, of course: @sideguitars, @eqt-95, @fazedlight, @luthordamnvers, @vox-ex, and @waytooinvested

(yall have probably done this before but here it just in case!)

[idkyouyet23]

‘On My Mind’

~ a LITG Max fanfic ~ 

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Chapter Six - Stick or Twist? 

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 💌:

I say this every chapter but I’m not going by script once again :)

I hope you guys are enjoying this fanfic so far and I’d really appreciate it if you guys could comment your thoughts & feedback!

~Jess 

You can read it below or on AO3, 

whatever you like :)

𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐯:

I sit at my vanity to get ready for my last few hours in Casa Amor, 

the dressing room is filled with silence,

the girls are thinking about their decisions to be made soon. 

‘It won’t be hard for you to make your decision Jazzy, 

Max has practically swept you off your feet’, Claudia states

𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬, 

𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴.

‘From the moment I first saw Max, 

I knew that he was the one that I wanted’,

I respond while styling my hair half up - half down, I look at myself in the mirror,

𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺.

‘If only you would twist with me Jazzy’,

Bea admires me 

‘Honestly if Max wasn’t here, 

I would trust me’, I blow her a kiss which she pretends to catch.

Once Claudia and Bea leave the dressing room, Emel turns to me

‘Can I pull you for a chat for a minute?’

‘Yeah sure Emel’

‘I just wanted to apologise for how I’ve acted towards you and Max here, 

I know that the only person I need now is Oakley so can you forgive me?’,

Emel stares directly into my eyes 

‘Yeah of course I can’, I smile softly at Emel 

‘Really? I know I’ve been acting so shitty so I’d understand if you needed more time before forgiving me-’, Emel rambles on and I interrupt her 

‘Yes really’

‘Thank you, thank you!’, Emel happily hugs me 

‘No bother at all, there’s no point holding grudges in here’ 

After that, we finally leave the dressing room to go outside.

I find Max sat all alone on the swing seat,

‘May I join you?’ 

Max grins at me,

‘Yeah sure, your hair looks very luscious today’, Max replies and I sit down beside him 

‘Do you like it?’, I question as Max puts an arm around my shoulder and I snuggle up against him 

‘I don’t like it, I love it! Half up - half down really suits you, your hair colour reminds me of roses’ 

‘I never thought of the red dye like that, 

I remember having a few down days last year so since then, my hair has been red’

‘As long as I’m with you, I’ll make sure that you’ll have no more down days, 

I promise to make you the happiest’ 

Max leans down as he kisses my forehead 

‘Aww well I promise to do the same for you’

‘How are you feeling about Stick or Twist?’

‘I admit I’m feeling a little anxious especially for when I see Jack again but

 I know that my heart is with you Max’ 

‘That’s understandable and I’ll be there with you the whole time Jazzy, I’m glad to hear that and my heart is yours’

‘We’re on the same page then?’ 

I ask just for clarification and Max holds out his pinky which I intertwine with mine  

‘Definitely! I pinky promise that I’ll never break your heart’

‘I’ll never break your heart either’, 

I respond as we lean in closer to each other, our faces almost touching 

‘I really like you Max’, 

‘I really like you too Jazzy’

And with that, Max closes the gap between us as we share a loving kiss. 

A few hours later and Claudia, Bea, 

Emel and I are back at the Villa waiting for our text to go inside.

Bea goes in first and Emel afterwards,

I pick at my fingers as we continue waiting for our texts 

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳?, I think to myself and without another thought, 

my text chimes in 

‘Everything will be fine, let’s go inside’,

Max gives me a comforting hug 

‘Good luck Jazzy!’, Claudia gives me a thumbs up which I return 

‘Thanks Claudia’, I take Max’s hand and we walk inside the main Villa,

‘Everyone this is Max!’, 

I beam as the other islanders welcome him,

I notice a blonde girl between Jack and Hari but I can’t tell who she was with,

‘Jazzy, this is Sienna’, Jack announces 

𝘚𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘉𝘦𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘥,

Sienna looks me up and down and I smile at her 

‘Jack has been so loving, makes sense why you chose him first Jazzy’, 

Sienna speaks as she has quite a sour look on her face like a scowl 

 ‘I don’t think he will choose you again though ‘cause it was like love at first sight for us’

‘Ah that’s okay! I had to twist to get back here but even if I had the choice I would’ve chosen Max anyways’, I give Sienna a smug smile as Jack frowns,

𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺.

I sit down alone on one of the daybeds as Max gets to know the other islanders,

I notice Jack rushing towards me

‘I just wanted to ask how Casa was?’

‘It was really good, thanks for asking!’, 

I give Jack a friendly smile 

‘Max seems kind’

‘Yeah he really is, 

we’ve clicked with each other anyways Sienna seems like a handful’ 

‘You could definitely say that, 

I’m not really sure how I’m feeling about her though’ Jack replies and we stop talking as Sienna appears beside him 

‘A game is being organised so come on Jack’, Jack walks away leaving Sienna with me

‘I’d advise you to stay away from Jack, you know since we’re a couple now’ 

I give Sienna a confused look, 

‘I didn’t ask him to come over and talk to me so maybe you should talk to Jack about that’, Sienna is left stunned as I stroll past her.

‘Swim to the most attractive islander’, 

Theo calls out and suddenly him, Max, Jack and Bea are swimming towards me.

I reach out to Max, I wrap my arms around his neck as I pull him closer, I press my lips against his and we share a passionate kiss, Sienna doesn’t seem too impressed that Jack decided to swim towards me.

‘Get a room!’, Liam yells after we pull away and I roll my eyes,

‘I was just about to swim to you’, 

I tell Max and his eyes light up 

‘That’s good to know!’

‘You guys are such cuties’, Claudia coos as I feel myself blush.

The game continues until it gets to Liam’s turn to give out a statement,

‘Swim to the islander most likely to have cheated in Casa’, I notice Bea giving him a death stare

‘You just ruined the game Liam!’

‘Are you trying to cause more drama like?’,

I inquire in disbelief as to why Liam would say that, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.

It’s late once the game finishes, so take my hair down and I put on my best pair of pyjamas, I take a glimpse of Sienna, 

𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳.

I walk out of the dressing room and into the bedroom, Jack looks over at me as I stumble over to the bed, 

Max gives me a big grin once he notices me

‘You look absolutely perfect, 

you always do to be honest’ 

Max pulls back the covers and I climb inside 

‘Aww stop that! I know I picked the perfect person though’, Max pulls me closer to him into a cuddle, I take in his scent, 

he smells of vanilla along with mint from brushing his teeth. 

‘You’re the perfect person for me too Jazzy, I know it for sure’

Max leans down and gives me a quick peck on the lips 

‘Goodnight Max’

‘Night Jazzy, have sweet dreams’

I close my eyes, 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸.

[the-lunar-library]

Writerly Questionnaire

Questionnaire by @davycoquette

This is a very in-depth questionnaire for writers, suitable for original fiction writers, fanfic writers, and people who aren't writing but who are messing around with OCs. It's a lot of fun and I'm glad I stumbled over it.

Original post here.

About You

When did you start writing?

Very, very young. I would write and draw picture books about horses. Occasionally I finished them. The first chapter “book” I completed was called Starlight's Fury and heavily based on The Silver Stallion and similar wild horse stories. It was also only 3100 words. Short chapters, big writing, and lots of illustrations.

Are the genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?

Sometimes. I have no interest in writing romance novels from the 1960s, but if I can find them cheap secondhand, I will snatch them up. I'm trying to think if there's themes I seek out without wanting to write them myself, and I sort of have the opposite... I tend to avoid stories centered on love triangles, but in my original fiction, I keep writing relationships that, if they aren't exactly triangles, veer awfully close. Eider-Diarca-Yew, Charmian-Jimson-Rigmor, Akantha-Alexandros-Genesius, and, yes, another one for the fourth book. In my own mind, I can declare these aren't love-triangly love triangles, but possibly I am kidding myself.

Is there an author (or just a fellow writer?) you want to emulate, or one to whom you're often compared?

I wrote last week about how Tanith Lee greatly affected my voice was I was developing it in the mid-2000s. The combination of her conversational tone and unexpected imagery really struck me, and I still find myself looking back to her and thinking how she would approach certain narrative moments.

I once heard a professor say that Emily Dickinson's writing style “scared him” because it was so spare and direct, and, my golly, I would love to be able to do that, and it's something I keep in mind when heading into heavier subjects. (I don't always want to scare the reader, but I often want that direct impact.)

Recently, my mother read The Alice Network by Kate Quinn and said its style reminded her of mine. But I don't think there's anyone I've been often compared to.

Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)? (Room, coffee shop, desk, etc.)

I love the idea of writing in a cozy coffee shop, but the truth is that I would probably be too distracted. I tend to write in my bedroom, cross-legged on the floor. When I was younger, I mostly wrote longhand and would snatch whatever writing time I could, during free periods, in cars, that sort of thing; I would take my writing notebook to school and on trips.

What's your most effective way to muster up some muse?

The muse, she does not come when she's called. She likes music though. A lot of the time, any music will do, just to create a sense of shut-in-ness and a barrier from the world. If I'm writing something emotional, then I might go for really emotional music. (I wrote the last chapter of The Stars Are Fire with “Weight of the World” on repeat.)

But I don't rely on my muse if I can help it. When I was younger I did, and my (original) first drafts spanned years, and en route I often ran out of interest and momentum and they languished unfinished. So now, when life allows it, I try to set time aside (a 30 minute block, say), and that's for writing (includes editing) and you just have to sit and write, sorry, but yes, you may take breaks between paragraphs. This allows me to write much more quickly, and the idea that I won't be working on this first draft for years affords me a light at the end of the tunnel. I don't expect it to always work, but right now, it works enough.

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?

Yeah, somewhat. Relatives' homes, different areas where they lived (the differences in scenery, animals, overall moods), and then where I grew up, traces of it have shown up in my writing. As for people, that's a tricky thing to cop to, basing characters on people you know. I don't have any characters that are one-to-one analogues of people I know. When it comes to antagonists (dangerous territory), I try to draw more on my own negative traits and bend or exaggerate them rather than settle scores writing someone I know as a villain.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?

Ones that I've noticed include guilt, a sense of being cursed, conflict between once-friends, untrustworthy romantic interests, large snakes, learning how to break free/express anger in a useful way. They're not surprising. Not that I'm an edgelord or something, but these are things I'm interested in, these are things that I think make for really powerful stories.

I could also sweepingly say DEATH, because that is something I return to, though I think more in fanfiction than in original fiction. Lost Savior, Elysion, Death and Ker, The Stars Are Fire, parts of The Muse Trilogy, definitely parts of the unposted Fate stuff – they all focus on mortality and what it means for you (the person dying) and how you cope with it (the person surviving).

I'm sure there are themes that would surprise me, but that's the sort of thing a reader figures out before the writer does.

Your Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, past WIP, never used, etc.)

I'm the author, and I'm irresponsible, and I'm saying Alexandros, the trickster prophet from To the Ravens. He's not my favorite in that I think he's particularly admirable. You could definitely pick a better role model. But I love writing him. He's creative, intuitive, over the top, very fun in how he talks and how he acts. He can be warm and reassuring and heroic. He's beautiful and eloquent and he can cut right to the heart of the person he's talking to. But he's always operating from an angle, coming up on your side. He spins explanations quickly, he lies with a smile, and he never looks back. He's exhausting, but so fun to write.

Which of your characters do you think you'd be friends with in real life?

I feel sorry for Diarca, and he's shut up in a mirror, he could use a friend. I would also love to be friends with Wuxle, just an absolutely steady presence, someone who will watch your back when you're in danger while undramatically pointing out you're maybe not making the best decisions. I could see myself befriending Akantha and Karyai and probably even Kokkonas, though we might bicker a lot.

Which of your characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

It's probably too easy to just list off antagonists, particularly the ones who head into Actual Villain territory. Among the “good” or more neutral characters, I think I'd find both Charmian and Yew sometimes frustrating in real life. But then, their bad decisions are part of why their stories happen. I don't think I'd actually dislike them, but there might sometimes be words exchanged.

Tell me about the process of coming up with one, all, or any of your characters.

I don't have any one method. With Eider, I set out to make her very appealing – I designed her to be extremely beautiful for that fairy tale factor, and I wanted her to be very brave and earnest in the hopes the reader would really get behind her. So there were a lot of deliberate choices made in her creation. Similarly, Arsen was intentionally written to evoke gothic romantic hero tropes, hopefully to examine them in an interesting way. Other characters come along in a more as-you-go sort of way. I've talked about how Jimson was originally a more villainous character, and I'm not sure what exactly changed him – the needs of the story versus how I felt while writing the character – but he definitely circumvented my plans. Akantha was originally a defiant trickster character, but researching the lives of Greek women in antiquity ended up being more interesting to me, so I wrote her well within those confines, defying them in a more slowly building way.

Right now, I'm brainstorming a possible ghost character, but at this stage I don't have much set in stone – some world-building ideas for where the ghost comes from, some tropes I might use for their personality. I think part of this process is going to involve reading different ghost stories from different sources and seeing if that shakes any interesting ideas loose. From there, I might just start listing possible tropes, origins, arcs, regardless of whether they're good, and see what connections form. Or maybe I'll work on a different character from that project and the arc of that character could end up shaping the ghost's arc secondarily. It's still early enough that things could head in so many directions; the ghost doesn't even have a name yet.

Do you notice any recurring themes/traits among your characters?

Many! There's the stuff I mentioned above, like Yew, Charmian, and Akantha all considering themselves cursed in some respect. I see some similarities between Jimson and Alexandros, these charmers who have some pragmatism behind their smiles. Mabry and Yew are also somewhat similar, bold, irreverent, even having some similarity in their designs with their long sleek hair and big dark eyes. Charmian and Akantha both deal negatively with arranged marriages. These characters aren't identical, but they share some themes and ideas I've been turning over and exploring from book to book.

How do you picture them? (As real people you imagined, as models/actors who exist in real life, as imaginary artwork, as artwork you made or commissioned, anime style, etc.)

I'm able to draw them, and that's another way I refine their characters. (Though in many cases, I don't draw them until after the project is finished.) Even so, it's not perfect. I can draw a figure with the necessary traits, but it doesn't necessarily capture the character. I still feel like I haven't ever properly drawn Arsen, and though I've gotten closer with Diarca, he's still elusive. Still not entirely pleased with any pictures I've done of Genesius – I don't think I've quite gotten his maturity, maybe. Real people do sometimes influence the characters' designs; I'd been watching lots of Poldark ahead of writing The Price and Prey of Magic, and my goodness, Aidan Turner and his deep sultry voice definitely passed some DNA on to Arsen.

I realize though that's not quite the question. How do I see them in my mind, as real people or drawings? I think it's closer to real people, but real people whose faces are still sometimes a bit blurry and uncertain to me.

Your Writing

What's your reason for writing?

I've always done it, and I've always been considered good at it (for my age group, when that was still applicable). As with a lot of writers, there's a sense in which writing's difficult and I drag my feet, but simultaneously I can say that I love it, I get an emotional and even a physical sense of well-being from it. It makes me feel accomplished, it organizes my thoughts. Being able to write, especially original projects, often feels like it's a sign of my mental health being good. When my mental health isn't as good, writing fanfiction allows for a lot of comfort and fun, emotional release, and interacting with other fans. (Which is not to say I only write fanfiction when things are going wrong in my life – don't worry about that! But for years I felt like I couldn't write original stuff anymore and fanfic gave me a way to keep writing.)

In a more exterior way, there's a quote from the Matilda movie that I can only paraphrase, but which has always stood out to me: That writers send their books out like ships to bring messages to people. I'm not claiming to have very deep material, but I think about how much enjoyment other writers' books (and fics) have given me, and I would love to pass that on as a writer.

Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?

All comments made in good faith, even criticism, are generous gifts. But the comments that really stand out tend to be specific – lines people liked, twists that surprised them, theories they have. One comment I remember from years and years ago was an anon on Fanfiction.net who noticed I updated a certain fic the same day every week, and that made them look forward to that day all week. Another reviewer said that years after first reading it, they still quoted one of my fics. Learning that is so touching and I'm feeling all fuzzy writing about it now.

As for criticism, I've definitely gotten it, and while I don't always agree with it, I think I can tell when the reader's put thought and honesty into their feedback. So even if I don't make the changes they suggest, the feedback is still valuable. Other times, the critic's been exactly right, and even if the feedback comes too late for me to change a project, I can still keep it in mind as I write new things.

In general though, comments in and of themselves are motivating. You might know people are reading a fic, you might see the hit number going up, but not hearing what people think about it is discouraging.

How do you want to be thought of by those who read your work? (For example: as a literary genius, or as a writer who “gets” the human condition; as a talented worldbuilder, as a role model, etc.)

It's that Matilda quote again. I really, really want you to enjoy my writing, whether it's original or a fic. I want you to read it and remember it years later, and it gives you a warm nostalgic feeling, taking you back to that time in your life. When it comes to characters and world-building, I hope people find them intriguing and worth studying for their own writing, and I hope the themes and my takes on them resonate with people. But the real thing, the crucial thing, is that I hope you like my writing and remember it.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

It's hard not to think of an answer that doesn't come from someone else. It's also easier to focus on shortcomings. Part of the problem is that quality is subjective, so something I really like about my writing could be just the thing a given reader hates.

I think I'm capable of some good poetic language. For some people, it might shade too purple; other people might say it doesn't go purple enough. Some would say that if I like a line, I should make like Faulkner and kill it, but I don't subscribe to that motto. If you let all your darlings live, will you let some awful cringey lines survive? Yeah, probably. But experience will make you better able to hear what sounds awkward and what doesn't, and, honestly, better that your writing be awkward and memorable than serviceable and anonymous.

What have you been frequently told your greatest writing strength is by others?

People note my descriptions, my dialogue, especially funny one-liners. Readers have also liked (or at least been affected by) my emotional endings, particularly in fanfic. On reflection, my fics' endings tend to be received pretty well.

How do you feel about your own writing? (Answer in whatever way you interpret this question.)

It's tiresome to harp on, but I do see a lot of flaws in my writing. I often feel my plotting is weak and I can fumble when it comes to internal rule-/world-building.

On the positive side, right now, at this point in my life (the last 7 – 5 years or so) I'm very happy that my writing's been happening, projects emerging quickly, projects getting finished. I can't know if that will last, but I'm grateful for it as it's happening.

As for the writing itself, looking at it separately from me, my feelings are complicated. Like many (most? all?) writers, I'm writing the stories I want to read, so that's fun. On the other hand, they're written by me, so I can see backstage, as it were, see all the scaffolding and compare the story to an ideal non-existent version of it in my head. So that harshes the fun.

I've written before that when it comes to my fanfic, I'm able to go back after posting and reread it and enjoy it a lot. But rereading my published stuff doesn't offer much relaxation – I'm too caught up in things I can no longer change. I still feel that way with The Price and Prey of Magic and The Escape of Lady Aigle, but with To the Ravens, I have been able to go back and reread it, at least some sections. And while I still see small things I question and wish I could go back and alter, I do enjoy rereading it. I don't know if I've turned some corner or if there's just something special for me about To the Ravens.

If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?

If I'm looking at this literally, I think I would be too depressed to write. But looking at it theoretically, at the broader question – or maybe just hoping that my initial depressed paralysis would be temporary – yes, I think I would write even if I didn't expect anyone to read. I have writing projects that I never plan on sharing. I have a diary I don't ever want anyone who knows me to read. My favorite fanfic has never been posted, and I'm still torn on whether it ever will be. Like I said above, writing makes me feel good. So if I'm the last human, I think writing would help. And I think I'd want to document things, just in case someone ever did come along.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy? If it’s a mix of the two, which holds the most influence?

I don't know if anyone can write with such selfish purity, if they're intending to share their work. (Again, see my favorite fic, just for me, utterly self-indulgent. But even there, I didn't write it without ever considering what other people would think of it. The barrier of outside criticism was lower, but it was still there.)

So yeah, I think about the audience, in terms of making my ideas clear, or trying to make sure I'm not unwittingly offensive or insensitive, and then, yes, what they might enjoy. On the other hand, I'm very much writing the stories I want to write. My fanfic is mostly for niche JRPGs from the 2000s, 2010s, not exactly white-hot fandoms; even within those fandoms, I don't think I'm writing the subjects or characters that will get the most hits. As for the original stuff, if I was going for mass appeal, all three novels would be markedly different. I don't think I would've written a book about a second-century snake cult on the moon.

But I think there's a subtler answer. There's “readers” as in generic, mainstream readers. And then there's people who read my stuff. These are people I do and don't know, and if they like some of my writing, I'd like to think they'd enjoy more of it. I wouldn't want someone to read one of my fics/books and be majorly disappointed by another. At the same time, you can't expect to hit the target for every reader every time; that's unreasonable.

This answer is just getting more garbled. Yes, I do both. I have no idea what the percentages are, but I think generally it's always best to be true to yourself in writing, even if it might alienate some readers. Again, better to alienate and make an impression than to be palatable and easily forgotten.

[duochromium]

quick start ranting about ai-generated fanfics

extremely funny but absolutely should not be posted if made entirely by ai because nobody wants to read that

but stuff like “every other paragraph of this story is ai generated” is fun for the reader and writer so i fully endorse posting shit like that

ai is also pretty helpful just as a writing assistant. how do i word this sentence more coherently? how do i make this premise more engaging? how do i describe this thing more simply? the majority of my fanfics have had some sort of ai influence for like, 1 sentence

ai is also great for researching when you need info for a fanfic. like when i’m doing setting i often ask chatgpt about my options

fully ai generated fanfics are funny to send to your friends though. i’m sure you remember “Remillia Scarlet Verifies Bloodbath” that you did a reading of while i was playing celeste in vc

not to mention chatgpt has such a soulless and generic writing style with absolutely zero significant detail which makes everything so much funnier because it’s so machinelike. and it just gets stuff wrong a lot of the time

i think the convenience makes it fun to do with friends too. hey chatgpt write me a fanfic about hecatia lapislazuli and junko arguing over who gets custody of clownpiece. make it really serious and sad also include dialogue

Hecatia Lapislazuli and Junko found themselves in a dimly lit celestial courtroom, the weight of their cosmic responsibilities pressing upon them. At the center of the room stood Clownpiece, a radiant being caught in the crossfire of their dispute.

Hecatia, her voice stern yet tinged with sorrow, declared, "Clownpiece deserves a realm of laughter and whimsy. Gensokyo is the perfect place for her, where joy intertwines with the fantastical."

Junko, her eyes flashing with determination, countered, "No, Clownpiece belongs to the Lunar Capital. There, she can embody the purity of the moon, untouched by earthly chaos. It's her true celestial destiny."

Clownpiece, caught between these powerful entities, looked down with a heavy heart. "I just want to make people smile. I never meant for this to happen," she whispered, her voice a fragile melody.

As the argument escalated, the once jovial atmosphere of Gensokyo grew somber. Hecatia's gaze softened as she spoke, "Junko, can't we find a compromise? Share custody and let Clownpiece experience both realms, a bridge between joy and serenity."

Junko hesitated, but a flicker of agreement crossed her face. "Very well, Hecatia. But Gensokyo must respect the Lunar Capital's influence on her upbringing."

The celestial beings reached an uneasy accord, and Clownpiece, though torn, felt a glimmer of hope. As she floated between realms, the cosmic dispute left a lingering sorrow, a reminder of the sacrifices made for her uncertain destiny.

[estellardreams]

Sometimes I have random plot thoughts on stories that I like reading or am writing and I just wanna talk about a few that keep squirming around in my mind.

Tachophobia AU: Random Idea... In an attempt to stop his friends from reverting Niko back to Sonic, Starline secretly takes them into the facility and starts manipulating them in similar but also different ways. They could interact if he wanted, but it'd be a "Psych Ward" situation.

Imprisonment/Cybernetic AU: I have done a lot of messed up shit to characters before, and this isn't any different. Just look at my Cybernetic AU because jeez Issue 4 went hard on Sonic's trauma. It was actually my favorite to write and draw. I also got all of the work done in FOUR DAYS. (strange record. Was going to see a friend soon and I cranked out 11 pages and finished right before midnight the day before)

I actually wing a ton of my writing, and many plots don't get off the ground unfortunately because of it. So to shoutout some of those abandoned comics... "Not So Different" (A short mini between Canon!Shadow and Cybernetic!Sonic bc I noticed how similar they were), that one mlp x sonic pony comic I only got one page done for and don't have a name for, another mlp x sonic crossover comic featuring the Paradox Prism I only got to the cover art for, and that Imprisonment AU comic I completely forgot about and... Unfortunately abandoned but idk might come back to it.

Shadow Prime AU: I've always wanted to make a comic adaptation of the fic, and I might come around to it eventually once I decide what I wanna do. The main issue is the art style... Do I want it fully colored, black and white, or selective coloring? Not too sure but I'm kinda leaning on fully colored. But I still gotta finish Cybernetic but it's on hiatus due to burnout.

Sonic Cybernetic AU: I've actually wished for a game adaptation of the comic. Or at least... Working models people could use for other games to add them. I just think that'd be neat, but I can't code or model for anything.

Sometimes I accidentally enforce personal headcanons or personal experience to my writing... This happened recently with the "Rollercoaster" fic from the Tachophobia AU (reminder: I just like it. I did not create it. That belongs to @boom-fanfic-a-latta and @the-sky-queen.) Because I unintentionally drew from my own experiences from an amusement park. Although they were exaggerated a bit, they're still oddly close to my original memories. When I was younger, I liked going to the County Fair, and for the longest time I hated fast rides. I'd always panic on them, and my favorite ride was this caterpillar one (it was also slow paced and kinda bumpy). And Niko's experience, albeit shifted to be more like his character, was exactly how I felt on my first fast ride... Absolutely fucking terrified. I also sometimes have a nervous stammer and suffer from anxiety issues, so... I might've unintentionally written Niko to feel similarly to me at amusement parks when I was younger.

Anyway, just some random stuff, wanted to info-dump too. Cool? Okay, bye!

[aconflagrationofmyown]

What authors (fiction or non-fiction) do you think have influenced/inspired you and your writing style the most?

💋 Gentle reminder, I’m abandoning this blog- I can now be found at @precious-lil-scoundrel

Oooh what a neat ask. This actually brings up one of my favorite things to do: categorize other fanfic authors -I love considering and then telling them who their writing reminds me of as it’s sometimes hard to be objective about your own?

Which brings me to such a dilemma with this ask. I’ve no idea if I succeeded in mimicking but I am influenced by R.L. Stevenson in how short and sweet and effective his descriptions of surroundings were, he never once bored me when reading his books growing up. If he wants you to taste mist on your lisp in Scotland, he’ll do it without once boring you about mist itself. If he wants your to feel what it’s like to be buried alive, he’ll manage that without talking about dirt being shoveled in your still breathing chest. He chooses the odd details that somehow make it more transporting. A master.

I enjoy how unafraid Dumas is with creating complex plots, giving every character a arc and forcing you to sympathize with them at their highest and lowest.

I love Jules Verne for how he made the impossible seem quite possible, and he’s an absolute master at non-cheap suspense.

I’ve only ever read persuasion of Jane Austen‘s books, I look forward to reading more, but I was stunned by how effective and plot propelling her in her monologues were. Makes me braver with spending time in someone’s head instead of rushing to plot and external excitement.

And then I adore Hemingway‘s non-fiction writing for how effective he is at summarizing things, he’s almost tantalizing in a way we can all relate to regarding emotions and dynamics and atmospheres.

So -I love me some old writers mainly, ha.