#this fandom is TOO talented and it's wonderful but also a struggle to keep up with everything

[glitzbot]

Are you planning to post the list of fics that u love here? i would love to see it (i access the internet through a microwave so things like twitter are not available to people like me) and have you read the amazing "Cage Games: Truth of Dare" by the duo of tealvenetianmask and akiriwe ? Anyway have a good day please (you're making mine better every time)

(still soz if my English grammar is not git bevver)

I totally could post the list here! actually, I'd like to add more fics to it, so I'll put that together and make another one here soon

and I have not read that fic! my to-read list is absolutely massive, so I can't promise to read anything, but maybe someday!

[persephoneprice]

gratitude for the new year

(inspired by @the-sun-and-the-sea)

over this past year, i have had so much fun on here with all of you. i appreciate everyone on here- the mutuals, the lurkers, the og trilogy fans that for some reason put up with the nonsense! all of you have made this year so much easier for someone who was struggling elsewhere in life <3

i hope we can all continue to be silly, fun, creative, and a little a lot unhinged into the next year. this fandom is such a lovely and supportive little corner. i’ve been inspired to do things i never thought i’d do- writing fanfiction, doing a fic exchange, unhinged cannibalism thoughts- the usual.

(under the cut for the gratitude things!)

- i want to start out by saying how much i appreciate anyone who sent me and ask over this past year! especially you my lovely anon friends! it’s been so much fun and in my…far too many years on tumblr i’ve never been able to interact with so many people! i cannot overstate how nice it is so have so many people will to engage about our silly little guys.

- i also want to say how much i appreciate the corso creatures discord as a whole! when we made it, i’m not going to lie, i really thought that would fizzle out quickly. so i’m so happy to see it thriving and everyone having fun on there together. thank you again, @coryo for helping make a place where can all truly be together and be ourselves!

now onto some people who have made this year so wonderful for me:

@the-sun-and-the-sea - i remember messaging you for the first time and honestly being so intimidated! you seemed like such a cool and popular blog + so many amazing fics and seemed wayyyy too cool to be talking to the weird tbosas girl. i couldn’t have been more wrong! you’re the sweetest, most genuine, and supportive person i’ve had the privilege of being friends with this year.

@felixravinstills - you have inspired me so much over the past year! before i started this blog i was so embarrassed by my interests and i felt so silly and stupid. then i met you, who was so talented and creative and insane about you little guy! and it made me feel more okay with being open about my little guys and to be a little weird about it! please forever stay the person you are <3

@fairyhagmother - my appalachian friend (in my head. you are one of us.) i was so, so excited when someone on here was so educated on appalachia and wanted to talk about it! i never would have thought at the time that in just a few months we could be talking about…coriolanus snow’s grandma’am and toxic yuri. i still think about that festus/pippa/liv ballet post you did btw. love u my friend.

@ylvisruinedmylife - hannah i couldn’t possibly fit how much i appreciate you into a post! i love bouncing off insane ideas with you and torturing hils together. i’m always amazed by how intelligent and creative and talented you are…and you’re still so friendly and supportive! your support, especially with my jessup nonsense, means the world. thank you for not killing you know who in you know what. i hope treemina never frees you.

@moreespressoformydepresso - fun fact: i also was lowkey intimidated by you for a while! imagine my surprise when you wanted to befriend me and dm and tell me about all of your fun aus! now, i couldn’t imagine my fandom experience without you. thank you for being so friendly and supportive and down to yap with me <3 you’ll never escape me 😤

@spiralling-thoughts - i love how you keep the tribute fandom alive and give so much life to all the minor tributes! you’re one of the first friends i had on here, and i really appreciate you sticking with my over this year! please always feel free to tell me all of your ideas, i love hearing them!

@majorsoapfan - AH you’re so sweet and talented! i love yapping with you in the dms and coming up with silly ideas! not to mention the absolute masterpieces of works you create!

@sparklebear11 - you fr are the maude ivory to my barb azure! you’re so silly and fun, please never change that about you. i hope the covey haunts you forever so you’ll stick around with us!

@keeperofsecretsunderthehill - i wish i had the creativity that you do! you’re always coming with such different, yet equally interesting, ideas! cranedove ceo always <3

@xtabithanala - not only did you create one of my favorite fics and help me love liv even more- you’re also so kind and supportive to me?? an angel! i hope we can talk more over this next year and get to know each other better!

i’m so looking forward to getting to know all of you guys better over this next year! @thatthingilovewith (can’t wait for more bobbin), @tumblingghosts (i miss yapping with you!, @meekmedea (always such a lovely presence but i’d love to talk to you more!), @little-de-vil (please keep yapping about the d2 lore in my dms forever), @ilovepersephoneprice (pippa friend!!!! we have so much more yapping to do!), @vampirehizzies (my mizzen sized mutual that i am so proud of!), @solar-halos (love u girlie let’s yap more), @mr-nauseam (you’re a great friend and your kindness and patience is amazing!), @ritalinrae (let’s yap more!), @threestargirls (i’m so looking forward to yapping with you in the new year!), @mollywog (we don’t often interact but i love when we do- i still think about that playground thing you said!), @jinglebellpeppre (how have we not yapped together about miz?), @julietasgf (talented artist queen) <3

if i forgot some please feel free to yell at me and i’ll tell you how much i appreciate you and why

(honorary mention to bel who i miss dearly)

have a lovely new year everyone <3

[randoimago]

Hi, I really enjoyed your post about the Korean reader. Can you write Duwang gang with russian s/o? I would like at least someone to write something similar with my national colouring, if you are not comfortable with it then don't worry about it and ignore the request.

Anyway thank you and good luck◉⁠‿⁠◉

Fandom: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Character(s): Josuke, Okuyasu, Koichi, Rohan

Note(s): I shall do my best! I also don't know much about Russian culture, but hopefully Google doesn't steer me wrong

Josuke

History and Geography aren't really his strong suits in school (he's not awful, it's just boring). So he likes hearing you talk about your home if you want. Josuke likes to compare stories.

Since he's not on the best of terms with Rohan, he tries to slowly learn Russian to talk to you in it. And he's also happy to help you with any Japanese that you might be struggling with too.

Josuke does wonder how you're doing adjusting to Japan. Sure, he knows Russia isn't a winter wonderland like stereotypes say, but Japan can get humid as all hell in the summer and really hopes you aren't dying of the temperature. He'll do his best to come up with ways to keep you cool.

Koichi

This sweet boy is asking if you're alright, Japan is a long way from home. If you're homesick then perhaps he can find some restaurant that has food similar to what Russia has. Maybe Tonio could whip up something since he's a talented chef!

Koichi is also fascinated to hear about your home too. He knows of some historical things when it comes to Russia due to his history class. And he definitely tried to learn more when he started dating you.

Being "friends" with Rohan has it's perks as Koichi is going to try to learn Russian so he can talk to you in that language. He wouldn't mind if you'd prefer to help teach him, but he likes the idea of being able to communicate with you in your native language fluently.

Okuyasu

Firstly, he asks where Russia is. He's not exactly the smartest tool in the shed. Of course he knows what Russia is (albeit more of the stereotypes with it), but he has no idea where it'd be on a map besides being some frozen wasteland (again, stereotypes).

He likes hearing about your home though. Listening to you talk about it and the things you did growing up is very interesting. Comparing childhood songs or games is something that he does often (he likes reminiscing about happier times with his family).

If you tell Okuyasu about the employed cats that Russia has then he's amazed. He's heard mythologies surrounding cats and he does own Stray Cat now and wonders if he'd be able to employ her somehow…

Rohan

Well, first thing he's doing when he learns you're Russian is asking what you know about the Baba Yaga. It just seems like some folklore that would be fantastic to reference and put into some manga series.

Rohan is pretty well traveled so he's been to Russia a couple times. He enjoys talking to you about your homeland and how it differs from Japan.

He most likely does use the stories you have of Russia for help with his manga. He'd use his stand, but he actually likes you so he's fine with listening to you talk about your childhood and things that you grew up with in Russia while he takes notes.

Taglist: @abellaheart-blog @joestarfoundation

[musette22]

hey minnie,

How do you find quality stucky fics in this vast ocean of pornography these days??? These last few years, I swear I barely get to read a decent stucky fic. I don't mind smut but come on, one can only read much too much filth until all filth looks the same. every once in a while you find something worthwhile to read but most of the time it feels like it's 1:50

Hi there! First of all, I think I understand what you're asking, but I'm also just a bit confused, because the way you've phrased it makes it sound like smut fics (or pornography, as you put it) can't also be quality fics, and that just doesn't sound right to me.

Well-written smut, with good characterization, is incredible, in my opinion. Granted (although there's absolutely nothing wrong with it), I'm also less into smut that is purely smut, in which the characters feel like they could be interchangeable with anyone, but I've always found it easy enough to avoid those types of fics. But I love me some filth from time to time, and I write quite a bit of it myself, so you might not be asking the right person...

Moreover, in my opinion, what constitutes quality fanfiction is extremely subjective. There are many older fics that have thousands of kudos and oodles of comments, which I personally didn't rate very highly. Conversely, there are some fics out there that I consider absolute gems, but which haven't gotten much love or attention at all. So without knowing more about what type of fic you do enjoy, I can't really help you.

But if I consider your question in a more general way, I would say that for me, when it comes to finding quality fic these days (and I'm assuming you mean "new" fic, not older stuff), following the writers whose work you enjoy is a huge part of it. Not all of them will have a Tumblr, but I'd say most of them do, and if you find them and give them a follow (and/or subscribe to their work on AO3), you'll never have to miss another fic they post. There are definitely quite a few incredible Stucky writers still very much active in the fandom right now, so make sure you look them up and hit follow.

I personally haven't experienced a shortage of great new Stucky fic yet (in fact, I still struggle to keep up with newly posted work a lot of the time), nor do I feel like the majority of what's posted these days is pure smut, but then I do exist within what you might call a "fandom bubble" (i.e. a space I curated for myself, filled with people (whose taste) I trust, and whose recommendations often lead me to expand that bubble to include more talented and awesome people, including writers).

Also, I personally strongly believe that what you experience as a shortage of "decent" fics (by which I assume you mean well-written, longer works with lots of plot and complex charactization, as opposed to just light on the smut) is also very much connected to a very unfortunate development that's been occurring in fandom over the last few years, possibly due to the influence of Instagram and Twitter, and that is the SIGNIFICANT decrease in engagement from readers such as yourself. Of course, the Stucky fandom has become smaller since EG and that naturally entails fewer readers (and writers) etc., that's just how it is. But it's not so much about the hits & follows as it is about the amount of (positive) feedback, comments and love authors receive on their works, which has decreased disproportionately even to that natural decline. There are still so many wonderful people who do leave comments and love on their favourite fics, but it seems like those people are in the minority these days.

I speak from personal experience when I say that writers will write much more and share that writing much more freely if they feel like their efforts are appreciated and their enthusiasm is (noticeably) shared by others. If authors feel like they're just shouting into the void, they'll be much less inclined to continue writing, ESPECIALLY long, complex, multi-chapter fics that take a lot of time and effort to produce.

So basically, for a large part, the power is in your hands here, anon. If you can, please leave long, detailed comments on the works of your favourite authors. Make art or moodboards or playlists based on fics. Share their work by reblogging it, gushing about it to others in the fandom, send them asks or DMs about their work and let them know how much you appreciate them. It'll work like a charm, I promise you!

[leviathans-watching]

Hi! I really like your content, and I've been following you for a while but never done one of these before.

I was wondering if you had any tips for creating a writing blog?

thank you so much for the support! hopefully what I include is at least somewhat helpful!

first, i think it's important to note that a lot of my success comes from the circumstances surrounding the startup of my blog. i began to write for obey me during 2020, with my first work getting posted around may. this is important for two reasons: not only we're we in lockdown, leading to an insane increase in engagement from 2020-late 2022, but also since the game released in dec 2019, I was one of the first people to write for it, thus meaning I was filling a niche that had in increased demand. my point in this is to say that I attribute a lot of my success to these factors, and not necessarily to any actions that I took or inherent talent lol

also note that these tops are based in my experience and experience only, not in any science or data!

general tips:

don't expect to blow up overnight! i've been writing fanfiction since 2018 and i only started gaining traction in late 2020 haha. and in that time, don't be afraid to just throw stuff at the wall until you find something that sticks. set boundaries! if you get to a point where people are being demanding, unkind, leaving hate, asking for too much, doing anything to rub you the wrong way, shut it down. thankfully I've only had to do that like twice (as usually my followers are lovely and understanding), but it's important to remember this is your blog and your rules

writing tips:

play around with style, tone, themes, elements, etc until you find your groove. my works do span stylistically, thematically, plot-wise, etc, but commonly they're lighthearted and sweet, as I find that's what I like to write the best. find what you like to write the best! edit edit edit! once you're done writing, read through it once or twice to find typos/stuff you don't like, then when you move it from wherever you're writing (as I do not suggest writing in tumblr) look through it again as the new format and sizing will allow you to catch more. then, if you're still unsure, wait overnight and look through it again the next day before posting. but it's also not the end of the world to have typos if you get constructive criticism (given in a kind way ofc)... it's in your best interest to at least evaluate your work before deciding to take it or not. don't just dismiss it. reflection leads to improvement! when I first started writing I didn't even put dialogue into different paragraphs and without some nice comments who knows how long that might have lasted lol if you're struggling with writing block or can't seem to finish up a piece, give it a break. don't keep kicking a dead horse. I've had pieces that I start and don't come back to until like 9 months later lmfaooo

technical tips:

blogs that are centered around 1 (to 2) fandoms tend to do better. this is because ppl don't like to follow creators if there's also a bunch of random stuff appearing on their dash in between works. this is why I utilize sideblogs (i tend to post obey me and haikyu (to a lesser degree) on this one, and i have one for batman, one for another book series, and one for more personal poetry and stuff) a good and aesthetically pleasing layout is going to really go far. if you're blog and works look professional and attractive, they're going to pull people in. what this means is to come up with a blog theme/layout that is unique and fits the vibes of you and your writing, have a unique pfp (so not one of the of tumblr ones), and make sure your works are organized with a clear layout that's standard across your blog (this also helps create a 'blog identity'). feel free to look at mine for inspo obv or as you scroll through popular blogs/tags try to pick out elements that you'd like to incorporate. tagging is your best friend. i always start with the most important/broad ones (i.e. #obey me, #obey me game), then go into relevant relationships (i.e. #mammon x you, #mammon x mc), then characters (i.e. #mammon obey me, #obey me mammon), then anything else. this order can be changed if you have trigger warnings, which i'd say to put first. also, do not spam tag or tag thing's that aren't related in an effort to gain viability as that will actually make people less likely to engage. as with layout, try to standardize your process/blog specific tags so they create a 'blog identity' (such as my #leviawriting or #from: levi tags) be kind and interactive! if people leave you nice comments, respond to them! answer asks, have conversations, make new friends! this will make your experience much more fun and bring a lot of joy, and also make people want to talk to you

that's really all i can come up with right now! obviously if anyone has more tips feel free to tack them on and if you have questions send them my way!

[pmpmyread]

2024 in Two Half Steps: Thoughts from a new writer on Tumblr

An end-of-year reflection on the pmpmyread x Tumblr experiment thus far, in the form of some yapping absolutely no one asked for, "for posterity".

While the creation of this Tumblr blog predates June 29, when I published my first JJK fic, I consider today to more or less mark six months since I joined the platform in earnest, as a writer.

A few days after sharing that first fic, once the high began tapering off, I vowed to make the conscious effort to refuse to play the engagement numbers game, judging it to be too slippery of a slope for the little it would yield, particularly for someone who is prone to slipping into the mindset of a mentally exhausting day job ruled by OKRs and KPIs as a measure of success.

"Watch number go up" would certainly not be the energy I'd bring to this endeavor.

Having said that, I did quietly hit a few neat milestones over the last few weeks, both on here and on AO3, and these little quantifications of how people received some of my writing over the last six months, modest as they may be, are only incredibly encouraging to me. Even after the recent cleanup I conducted on my followers list for what appeared to be bots/ageless blogs, I was surprised by the number of people I was left with on my tiny island of the internet.

If you follow me, if you’ve ever commented on, interacted with, or even just took the time to read something I wrote, thank you! I appreciate it more than words could ever convey.

Now, here’s a numbers game I'm willing to play, as someone who was struggling to get anything down on paper this time last year:

25-30 is the number of original/non-reblogged posts I shared this year. I didn’t know how to tag when I first started and I don’t really have it in me to hunt them lol. They were likely yap anyway. 17 of those were fanfics, 3 were meta posts/character analysis 11 Nanami fics (rookie numbers tbh lol), 2 Gojo fics, 2 Geto fics, 1 Nobara-centric story, and 1 Yuji and Sukuna-centric thing 5 gifted written works total, 3 of which I haven’t shared here. The presence of this metric is mind-blowing in and of itself because there was a time in a not so distant past when I would not dream of being confident enough to gift anything I wrote to someone. 6 Destiny fics, 5 of which were re-shares and 1 that I actually wrote this year. This is also an achievement on its own considering the terrible writer’s block and general dissatisfaction I’ve had with this game this year. I’m grateful for this small but mighty fandom and its talented artists that keeping it alive, in spite of everything. $17.15 is the yearly hosting fee for the OC writing blog I registered a couple of years ago. Now that I’ve finally found my spark to write OC again, thanks largely to my fanfic endeavors, I can finally justify its expense LMFAO.

If you’re a writer or really just any kind of creator on here, I encourage you to take a short trip down the soon-to-be memory lane that is the year 2024 and take stock of what you’ve created this year. Zooming out to view your broader personal progress and accomplishments is crucial for maintaining motivation, reminding yourself of the “why” and of the passion behind your efforts. We truly only do this for the love of the game!

If you’re a reader and you’ve made it this far (here’s a medal lol), thanks again for being here, I hope this can serve as a small glimpse into the journey behind this account. I admittedly run this blog a bit like my social life lol; long periods consisting largely of keeping to myself, punctuated by short bursts of high social energy. That said, I’d definitely like to get to know you more in 2025!

Finally, if you’re someone who sits in between these two categories, here’s some food for thought: In the initial six months of 2024, I was only silently reading the wonderful works others bravely posted on here, hovering in that awkward area between a desire to share my writing again and an aversion to being perceived.

It was exactly halfway through the year that I took a chance to post something for the first time, and though I was nervous in the moment, it was the most freeing thing. Mainly because I did it and I didn’t die lol.

If you feel that nagging from an idea you have, and that flame of creativity, if you’ve been eyeing that half-completed outline, or even just have some scenes replaying like a movie in your mind, I hope you know that you already are a creator.

At the risk of sounding corny, I’d invite you to consider this upcoming new year to be a blank page and try putting pen to paper for some of your ideas, and see where it goes. If you’re so inclined, create a post, tag it and send it off to the world, whether here on Tumblr or elsewhere. It may feel daunting or even a bit scary, but I promise you’ll feel accomplished and relieved to have finally tried it. And when you do it once, it’s always easier to do it again.

Just please do remember to do this for yourself and for your enjoyment first and foremost, to find your own voice and style and to resist the urge to compare your journey to others’. The best way to dismantle the thief of joy is to prevent it from sneaking onto the premises in the first place. The rest will follow. 🩵

As for 2025, I do have some aspirations for this blog, though I refuse to label them as resolutions LOL. I want to explore some more ideas for JJK and D2, I want to incorporate my underrepresented identities into my stories, I want to start cross-posting my original content over on another dedicated Tumblr page, I want, I want, I want...

I don’t know how much I’ll realistically get to, because life is life and I am also looking to make some rather big moves next year. Tumblr is only a small piece of my writing journey which itself is only a small part of my busy day to day, but all in all, I am so pleased to have re-engaged with this hobby on this platform.

For all of its flaws, Tumblr has a distinct flavor in its interactive element that I have yet to see elsewhere, it’s connected me with wonderful people, provided a much-needed creative outlet, exposed me to wonderful works, and helped to keep me grounded during what was an otherwise pretty hectic year.

Thanks for reading, and I wish you a safe, healthy and very happy New Year!

(I listened to the Comic Bakery Title song while writing this. My future self will get the reference hashtag posterity)

[writingwhilecaffeinated]

Let me start by saying I am in love with you, your writing has me on chokehold. It has been only two-three months I have gotten the hold of AO3 because of bridgerton s3 and now I am in the rabbit hole of Benelope and Penthony all because of you! Your fictions has me obsessed with Benedict and Penelope, you write them so perfectly. I have read all your work and reread them so often, think about them every other day if not daily. Initially I was waiting for 'unspooled thread' to be finished but I could not, and I'm so glad for that. Just caught up with that yesterday and my god what you and @itakethewords has done!!(I love their writing too so much, you both are a force unmatched).

I mean I have to stop reading so many times to catch my breath because it is so so good!! I could feel every emotion radiating through words. Let me say I have never watched s1 & 2, I just watched s3 because of the 'wallflower' tagline as I'm a wallflower too. So Unspooled Thread IS MY CANON. Idk what anyone says, I am in so much love with Benelope, ahhhh they are so perfect!! You have given such a great gift, I have been struggling a lot mentally and your writings have helped me to keep myself sane, to have something to look forward to. I am not saying this lightly but maaaannnn what you did in 'The Becoming of Baron' and 'Many hearts,' I am in awe! I never thought I could read polyandry and here I am reading every reverse harem with Penelope! I love Pen so much, she has such a rich personality that it is so easy to read her pairing with anyone. But man oh man the benelope is just magnificent. Please never stop writing them, your talent is so powerful, your words make me feel so much, it feels so wholesome. You have become one of my favourite writers, and I am not just saying for AO3! In everything I have ever read. I am in awe how you craft stories and show the depth of characters. I was never willing to watch Bridgerton before s3, Idk why. But Nicola Coughlan had me fall in love with her, and Penelope is one of the most alluring female character with all her flaws. I love how your treat her as such, the depth she deserve. Your stories have kept me afloat, the reread value in them is just phenomenal. I could write so many words more but I think will keep repeating, so I just want you to know that your writing has made a change in world, in my life, it has hold me through toughest of times. And I so wholeheartedly appreciate your every effort is gifting us with such wonders. Thanks a million! I wish you and @itakethewords all the happiness in the world.

Hello!!

Oh my goodness, this is the nicest, highest compliment me and @velvetcovered-brick (itakethewords on AO3) could have! Truly, truly, thank you for your kindness and for reading our stories. It means a lot to us!

We understand how reading fanfic can really help when your mental health is suffering. Fanfic is one of the most amazing forms of escapism and I’m so glad and honored we have been able to help with that, even in a small way. ♥️

Also super glad you gave the poly fics a shot! They’re not everyone’s cup of tea, which is completely valid, but I’m so happy you enjoyed them and still found the characters east to love and connect with.

Also, welcome to the Bridgerton fandom! We are so glad that Nicola Coughlan bring the amazing actress she is, convinced you to give season 3 a try.

It’s a super high compliment that our version of s1 and s2 in unspooled thread is basically your canon. That’s incredibly sweet! We will be so interested to see what you think of our version of s3 is when we get there!! It’s going to be the most ambitious yet!

Seriously, thank you for your kindness. Me and @velvetcovered-brick (itakethewords on ao3) really, really, REALLY appreciate it!!

Also, look out for Halloween season! @velvetcovered-brick and I are planning a special Penelope treat… with a bite 🧛

[tagedeszorns]

Legion and/or Primarch ranking?

For me, such a ranking makes little sense, as I have found that I actually enjoy reading every Legion and Primarch if they are well written.

Of course, there are exceptions. I always look at my favourites with a sympathetic eye, even if they end up in the hands of less talented authors.

But in general, I believe that a good author can make any legion palatable to me.

So I can only speak of "currently I like less" when I say that legions or Primarchs don't interest me that much.

My favourites are clear - Emperor's Children, Word Bearers and Salamanders are undisputed at the top because I just love them as a whole package. Yes, their Primarchs all struggle with hard meme stereotypes. But what Primarch doesn't? I'm very glad that TTS never reached Fulgrim and Lorgar, and at least they didn't give Vulkan quite as bad a time as other canon characters (poor Cato and Calgar for example. Or Dorn. Damn, did they do a number on Dorn!).

Lorgar and Fulgrim come across as far too nice and harmless in the fandom at the moment. But I'm not here to dictate other people's headcanon. Gods forbid!

There are legions and Primarchs that I just haven't found any access to, come hell or high water. It's just because their novels haven't grabbed me. Absolute potential, but not written in such a way that I want to know more.

This definitely includes The Iron Warriors with Perturabo. And the Raven Guard with Corax.

Or the Lion and his Dark Angels. It's not good for him that authors drag him in different directions and break him in the process.

I also have a hard time with Sanguinius and his boys, because the authors just keep pushing into my head how wonderful he is, but never provide examples of why exactly. That creates too much dissonance for me.

What I like, on the other hand, is how Khan is allowed to be a defiant teenager. Feeling absolutely misunderstood by everyone and wanting to be cool (trying waaaay too hard), but then being offended when no one is looking. That makes him likeable. So while I can't find the White Scars particularly interesting as a legion, I can respect them.

I wish Horus would finally get some decent treatment. Just one or two novels that don't make him a caricature of himself. The man has the rebellion named after him - he needs a bit more shine please!

I hope it's clear now that for me there are no bad Legions, only boring/bad writers.

Hence no ranking. Just the fact that I have my favourites.

[littlemisspascal]

How do you find time and/or inspiration to keep up with your writing? I've read plenty of your fanfics and I love them!

I am stuck in this loop of trying to continue my fics, but I keep overthinking it and that silly voice in my head says that none else will read it and like it... Advice on that?

Hello Anon 👋 Thank you so much for reading my fics! That really brightened my whole weekend 💙

You're definitely not alone with your battle to continue writing fics, I know there's hundreds of fellow writers out there, very much including me, that struggle too! And I also know each of us has our own tips and advice for how to keep going, and what works for some doesn't work for others.

For me, these past 2 years in particular have been some of my worst when it comes to writing and resuming wips. And that's 90% because I let my insecurity--that irritating voice in my head--convince me that in a giant fandom of gems and talent, my stuff was somehow worth less compared to everybody else. So you'll see a lot of my stuff has remained frozen and untouched for weeks, months, years. The other 10% is because life got messy too, which also affected my headspace.

To keep a long story short, this year I wanted to be different. I got an app on my phone that I schedule my daily tasks on to keep me better organized and I learned in the process how much I love having structure in my life rather than just...kind of waiting to be in the mood for something. I've started scheduling 10 minutes a day for writing--because once a task is broken down, it doesn't seem so daunting anymore, ya know? And sometimes I find once those 10 minutes have passed, I actually am in a good enough flow to keep going a bit longer. Other times I'm stumped after 10 minutes or have something else to do and so I stop--and I don't get angry with myself or tell myself I should do better/more. That's just unnecessary negativity. Giving yourself credit actually goes a really really long way in boosting your overall confidence + mood I recently learned.

Also I got myself a really really sweet and wonderful support buddy in @beecastle 🐝💗 She's convinced my at least 800 times not to delete my stuff and/or that I'm not the worst writer in existence.

I still struggle a lot, don't get me wrong. And there's fics I may or may not ever finish, Idk the future. But that's okay. At the end of the day, the thing that matters most is you're writing the fic you want to read--and if that voice says no one will read it, well. You can yell back at that negative thought and call it untrue because you're someone 😊

[fumblingmusings]

I really loved this last chapter because it showcases the major difference between Evelyn and Arthur and mothers/fathers. At least how I see it is that Arthur’s ambition overrides his affection towards his children and the passing of the “crown” to Alfred is for the most part reluctant. I don’t imagine Arthur resenting Alfred for overtaking him but rather, resenting the fact that his dominion is coming to an end. Evelyn acknowledges mistakes where Arthur struggles to admit failure, especially when he believes he has not failed. As well, Evelyn overall seems happy that Alfred is taking his rightful place as her heir, and she is happy to mentor him in the capacity she can.

Especially of interest to me is the part where Alfred offers for her to stay with him and she accepts, making him promise her that he isn’t just being cruel and taunting her. This part highlights the relationship between mothers and sons and how it differs from fathers and sons. Had Alfred offered the same to Arthur, I would imagine he would reject it and be offended by the proposition as a prideful man. Moreover, Alfred likely would not offer what he did to Evelyn to Arthur out of fear of seeing his father as a “lesser” man for needing help and generally having less open affection with him. Alfreds urge to care for Evelyn is distinctly different than his desire to care for Arthur and Evelyn’s acceptance of the care is different than Arthur too. Evelyn has lived in a world that she has had to, in part, rely on men for agency where Arthur has had the agency to be a hegemonic figure and a force of power. Hence, it is not surprising that she takes Alfreds offer of staying with him where Arthur would vehemently oppose.

This chapter also does an amazing job to contrast the modes of power that Arthur uses versus the modes of power that Evelyn uses. As Alfred has complained in past chapters, Evelyn uses soft power in the form of manipulation to get what she wants. She coaxes Alfred into shooting her, making it appear more pathetic than if she had demanded it. Her dialogue reminded me of earlier chapters when Alfred was younger and still her ward. To convince him to shoot her she reduces him to boyhood where he does not have a choice and is taking care of her when she cannot take care of himself. On the other hand, Arthur cares deeply about control, where Evelyn has become used to not having control, and even when he is powerless would need to feel agency. If Arthur were in the situation Evelyn was in this last chapter, I would imagine he would demand Alfred to shoot him and if he refused he would shoot himself before begging and coaxing Alfred to do it. To Arthur, especially having grown up small and weak, powerlessness is shameful and dangerous. From the moment he obtained agency, I can imagine he became obsessed with keeping it, even at the expense of the people he loves. When Evelyn meets conflict, she seems to retreat and reconsider a different way to get what she wants while Arthur trudges forward regardless of the damage it causes. I wonder if Arthur and Alfred can even reconcile to the degree that Evelyn and Alfred can as Arthur is not willing to relinquish his full power and show any weakness to his son.

I really like that you use gender throughout history to showcase the differences between how men and women are conditioned. Evelyn may have similar personality traits to Arthur but behaves differently and has different values based on the restrictions of the society she lives in and the conditions that she is in. There is this preconception in some of the fandom that Evelyn would behave exactly like Arthur which I believe to be in part flawed as they each face entirely different realities.

I love this series so much, I never have commented for this long on Tumblr. You’re a very talented writer and I cannot wait for the rest of the series! If you have it, I would love to see any writing you have of Arthur to further juxtapose the two.

I hope that you continue to write and post your stories even after this one concludes!

Oh oh oh oh oh oh! Thank you!!! Getting this ask made me get up and walk around my flat with my hands pressed to my cheeks. Thank you. Am I okay to take it piece by piece? This will be such a long answer but I'm so happy ahhhh.

I really loved this last chapter because it showcases the major difference between Evelyn and Arthur and mothers/fathers. At least how I see it is that Arthur’s ambition overrides his affection towards his children and the passing of the “crown” to Alfred is for the most part reluctant.

Yeah! I do think Arthur would one hundred percent kill for the kids but wouldn't necessarily die for them. Survival is far too ingrained in him. All he has to do, at the end of the day, is survive. We've seen Evelyn multiple times getting offed by people. She does not give a shit. Her m.o. is not to survive it is endure. It frames her in a much more passive mindset, sliding right into victimhood if she does not watch herself, but it does mean there are times where she can manage change better than Arthur. It's just another step in life, just another alteration. Get through it. Keep going.

Evelyn acknowledges mistakes where Arthur struggles to admit failure, especially when he believes he has not failed. As well, Evelyn overall seems happy that Alfred is taking his rightful place as her heir, and she is happy to mentor him in the capacity she can.

It takes an almighty mistake for her to admit fault, and even then the motivation might not exactly be the right reason leading her to the right answer. Less wanting to make things better at times, more just absolutely wallowing in self pity. Also Alfred does flip back and forth on wanting her as a mentor, because she often doesn't say the things he wants to hear. Usually I'd say that's a good thing and Alfred should avoid echo chambers but... her advice is not necessarily sound...

Evelyn has lived in a world that she has had to, in part, rely on men for agency where Arthur has had the agency to be a hegemonic figure and a force of power.

Yep yep yep!!! With Empire came power but it also came with her being stuffed in a box and made to shut up and sit put. I do regret a little not writing one earlier chapter with her 'before' any of the children, or maybe with baby infant Alfred, to try and show what she is like before, like what was eaten away from her over the centuries. Maybe the final chapter will show it too, but that's something in hindsight I'd wish I'd done. The irony of her having more freedom and power the less powerful a nation she is.

I really like that you use gender throughout history to showcase the differences between how men and women are conditioned. Evelyn may have similar personality traits to Arthur but behaves differently and has different values based on the restrictions of the society she lives in and the conditions that she is in. There is this preconception in some of the fandom that Evelyn would behave exactly like Arthur which I believe to be in part flawed as they each face entirely different realities.

Yay! It really was the whole point of the fic, to just look at how this binary understanding of gender, which is so steeped in colonialism - would utterly screw over a female England. I wanted her to to want to be a mother, in a way that Arthur never wanted to be a father, but found he got such a love and joy from it. Evelyn wanted to be a mother, she has the instincts for it, her babies do love her, and yet no-one is truly happy, so why is that? Yeah, that was essentially why I wanted to write it, so I'm genuinely like T_T that it's come across.

You’re a very talented writer and I cannot wait for the rest of the series! If you have it, I would love to see any writing you have of Arthur to further juxtapose the two.

Thank you so much! I think this is certainly the last big multi chapter I'll do, but I don't think that's me all done with hetalia fic. I do want to write Arthur proper. My version of him, whatever that may be. I also want to write some more of the Germans, because I really do love Ludwig and Roderich, and their disastrous love lives, so... yeah.

[sweetly-yours-and-mine]

i just stumbled across far from my eyes and holy shit??? one of the most beautiful fics i’ve read in a WHILE. perfectly captures the clumsy and beautiful connection that occurs between friends all too often and how naturally those people fit into each other’s lives. i love when writing feels quiet. like when i read that the voice in my head was whispering as to not disturb this precious moment between two characters. i have so many wonderful things to say about your writing but i don’t know how to put it all into words. that fic made me forget i was reading. i hope you continue the series because i feel like writing like yours is hard to come across in any fandom AND in published writing.

hi sweet anon! (so sorry for not responding sooner, i've been super busy these past few days but every time i thought of your ask i'd get giddy inside)

thank you, thank you, thank you! writing is hard, and it sends me over the moon when readers let me know that the effect i wanted to achieve was achieved, especially with 'far from my eyes' because that was exactly what i wanted, those awkward and fumbling little steps of young love even if javi and the reader both knew each other for so long

and that idea of whispering?? i never thought about it like that and i've always struggled in trying to find how exactly to articulate the action and my thoughts in my writing without intruding on the scene or the flow of the words but not rambling on and on for hours at a time, now that i have a name to it, i'll definitely know what to be looking for when i keep writing

as for 'Don't Tell Me', i do plan on continuing it for sure but i first really do need to finish my finals for this semester as well as Narcos s3 (lol typical me to write for a show i haven't finished), and i have ideas for two marc spector series as well as a dieter bravo series, so it's merely a matter of me buckling down to write these four

i do have another javi oneshot (that i may or may not be extending into a little oneshot universe) right: here

and since i want to spread the love, i do think that your ask could just as well apply to these fanfic writers on tumblr, since i really do look up to them and their writing styles are ones i think heavily influence mine:

@softlyspector - the absolute gold tier standard of writing, she's got some great Joel and Din stuff, and i quite literally throw myself of cliffs for her writing and characterization (especially of the moon knight system, i still need to get around to reading Tales Untold and giving it the full reblogs it deserves)

@pennyserenade - i consider miranda as the javi p expert, in terms of just helping me dive into characters and motivations, she's absolutely amazing (there's a reason she's studying this stuff and it shows) extremely talented, i would die to have 'scenes from a marriage' series with javi p in a published, bound book

@mourningbirds1 - 'don't look and it won't hurt' is just *mwah* i can't even articulate my thoughts about how much i enjoy this series (and hopefully you'll see how much i really do love her story sometime soon) (also the sweetest person around, ok?)

as for published authors i read and look up to (in the same levels as the writers and the works i mentioned above: Sally Rooney, Margaret Atwood, John Steinbeck, Seamus Heaney, Samuel Beckett

and if i could name 'a swift pure cry' by Siobhan Dowd as well

anways nonnie sorry if this was rambly and just grammatically horrendous and not the answer you were looking for, but i wanted to let you know ab how warm and fuzzy this made me feel and extend that feeling to the lovely souls here as well and give you a little sneak peak into my future plans

[coocoocachewgotscrewed]

ok this is going to be personal post (I’m sorry) but I felt the need to put some thoughts into written words so here it is (in the words of miss Amy March, “I’m not a poet. I’m just a woman.”

*I’ve been thinking about my relationship with fan fiction*

I’ve been reading fanfiction for a good 10 years now (I had unmonitored internet access WAY too young), and I’ve always loved it. I started off with x reader 1D/5SOS fics, then slowly migrated towards Marvel fics (SteveTony, WinterWidow) and recently (circa probably June ‘24) back to x reader for Logan.

Recently, I’ve been thinking about my relationship to fanfiction and it has been making me sad. I often catch myself thinking “are people really in love like this” or “does a love like this really exist” and finally “if I do find someone, will I have to give up this hobby/interest of mine?” I know I’m being dramatic, but lately I’ve just been feeling empty after reading a fic. Don’t get me wrong, I am constantly in awe and amazement of the talent in the Logan fandom, and I deeply enjoy reading everyone’s world, but I can’t help but feel almost hollow going back to reality. Which makes me sad, because I'm at a place where I like dread leaving these stories behind and dealing with my real life.

I also think my brain is actually a little bit in love with the character of Logan, and it actually makes me sad knowing he’s not real… like my heart YEARNS for him in a way that is real and tangible and not a little fictional crush…

I think a big part of it is that I haven’t felt attractive in my real life and so it’s comforting to read things where attraction is already established. Also: I keep falling into this trap where I want someone to take care of me/see me at my absolute worst and still choose me, but I have to remember that things of that nature don’t happen in real life and no one is coming to save me but myself….

A big part of me knows that it is fiction, and that reading fanfic and imagining these scenarios isn’t harmful or bad, but I’ve just been feeling a lot of guilt and shame associated with it recently, and it makes me sad.

I write this to say, I love being active on here and interacting with all the incredibly talented authors/creators on this corner of the internet, but recently it hasn’t been making me feel as great as it used to. I don’t know where to go from here, and I’m honestly at a point where I’m wondering if it’s best for me to take a break from consuming Logan content…

Anyways, this is such a “first world problem” and I feel guilty even spending this much thought and energy on the subject, but it has been heavy on my heart and mind recently. If you’ve been through something similar, I’d love to hear how you got through it!!!

Sorry for a serious post, I try to keep this blog pretty simple and unserious, but I have really been struggling with this… I’m sorry this post was so long and ineloquent, but I really needed to get this off my chest.

[musette22]

Omg Minnie, I feel like this is a "first world problem" but there a so maaaany fics and so LITTLE time to read them 🥺🥺🥺

Oh my gosh nonnie, I KNOW 🥺 It's definitely a luxury problem and I'm so happy that this fandom is thriving and the people in it are so incredibly talented and creative, but I'm really struggling to keep up with all the new fic that's being posted these days too 🙈

Not that I'd have it any other way, and I'm not complaining, trust me! The new content is all absolutely wonderful and the quality is incredibly high, but that does mean that I want to read it ALL, and I just can't seem to find the time to do so and that makes me 😫 you know what I mean? Especially because I want to leave comments on everything too to let people know that their hard work is being appreciated, and because I don't want to accidentally miss anyone out!!

Fortunately I seem to have timed my own writer's block well so that at least I'm not also writing while trying to read all the new content 😅 I don't know how everyone else does it, kudos to them!! But please keep it coming, guys! You're all amazing and brilliant 🙌🏼💖

[jikookpancakes]

JIKOOK FIC RECS that no one asked for (2021)

but im giving anyway because THE TALENT IN THIS FANDOM IS INSANE

long post incoming!! this is probably just part 1 because i wont stop reading anytime soon so i’m inserting that link just in case i do make another one in the future

What’s a Soul Really Worth, Anyway? by thisneedsmorefilth - 130k words, fantasy, demon!jm, witch!jk, listen, this and the next one are my top 2 jikook fics of all time, so well-written, plot so exciting legit reads like a book, better than a lot of books tbh, the world-building is INSANE, jungkook and the gang accidentally summon demon!jimin and chaos ensue, especially for jungkook...and you know why!!!, so funny, angsty, cried so much, happy ending but listen to me: you gotta read the sequel too, YOU GOTTA.

Militat Omnis Amans: The Beginnings by edaen - 92k words, fantasy, werewolf!jk, vampire!jm, forbidden love, super slow burn but super worth it, JIKOOK IN THIS IS MY FAVORITE JIKOOK IN ANY FIC EVER EVER EVER, this is the ultimate all or nothing will freeze hell over for the other kind of love, and the way this is written is just so... how do i describe it. like you can just tell the author wanted to be very realistic with their feelings. you’ve seen the word count, this is SLOW burn. like you will legit feel their struggle to just be able to love each other and while it hurts, it’s also SO GLORIOUS. i love this one so much and if you like reading angst with happy ending but like cranked up to 200% then read this. bonus feels if you read the whole series

Until Dawn (series) by edaen - this is the long series where the previous one above is part of. highly rec if you love fantasy and you wanna read about bts being a rag tag group of supernatural beings fighting evil yay. also it makes the above fic more satisfying because you see more of jikook just being tgt and in love (with bonus angst because of course)

7 Signs by NamHyora - 27k words, secret spies au, abo, alpha!jk, omega!jm who is always used as a raven in their operations aka they use jimin and his attractive self to attract people and gather information or acquire targets and all that spy stuff, and his bestie alpha jk is not too happy about it hehe, friends to lovers, iove this one so much i wish it was longer but i think the author is planning to write a sequel!

Drop Like Confetti by annie_vi - 110k words, ceo!jk, age difference, age swap, ahhh i love this fic so much cause jimin smart and mature and has this no bs attitude, and he can keep up with jk despite the age gap and the difference in status/experiences, jk sexy dilf in this one eheh, i love it cause the drama/angst tackles a very real concern for such couples, like there’s no angst just for the sake of having angst, it really makes sense where they’re both coming from, they’re so whipped for eo too so love that for me

Fold it Up Like Origami by annie_vi - 99k words, gamer!jk, model!jm, same author as above and jk is so boyfriend goals in this one and in all this author’s fics in general like wow my standards are so high now i will legit be single forever just reading jikook fics (with no regrets), secret relationship due to their celeb status, well-written as usual, dialogues/banter in this author’s fics are just YES

The Tournament by kinkmins - 34k words, prince!jm, bodyguard!jk, abo, i’ll paste part of the summary here “Prince Jimin gets ready to hold a tournament where 50 alphas compete for a chance to court him, his father the king hires a new bodyguard who is a little too blunt and a little too talkative.“, i really love this oneeeee

Screwed Up and Brilliant by annie_vi - 113k words, escort!jk, jimin needed a date for a work event and in comes jungkook, escort extraordinaire with a no sex rule and jimin is just dasdkjfhasl, a lot of that “is this real or is he just acting” kinda angst, fluff smut angst

Like Everything Glows by annie_vi - 180k words, merman!jm, aquatic vet!jk, ok this is like my 4th rec from this author just read all their fics you’re welcome, this is their first fantasy fic but soso good, i rec’d this to someone who doesn’t really read fics and she really loved it and said “their love is so pure hhh”, she’s right

Track one: I love you by honeydice - 30k words, they’re “just” best friends, lots of pining it hurts, there’s some yoonmin and mentioned past jinmin in this so just noting in case, angst, denial of feelings, siiiiigh

InYou by edaen - 4k words, pwp :), abo, the morning after jikook mating, more sexytimes ensue + fluff

Falling For You Again by Rose_gold715 - 30k words, amnesia au, jk forgets about jimin and idk just something about this hits right in the feels. btw i don’t support the jk hated jm before in real life agenda so i don’t like this fic for that reason but i like this fic because i love me some good painful angst with happy ending.

The President’s Son by AmeliaBedelia - 55k words, bodyguard!jk, president’s son!jm, jk is assigned to shadow jm bc his life is under threat, and things develop :), jm is jk’s gay awakening :) :)

A Touch of Sin by pettey - 102k words, fantasy au, police officer!jk, supernatural!jm, shamanism, LOOK AT THE RANGE OF JIKOOK WRITERS YALL, this is such an interesting concept, so different from every other fic i’ve read, really well-written, sometimes you come across fics and you cant help but go “someone out there rly blessing me with this art for free”

Tears to the Tide by haromame - 65k words, abo, alpha!jk, omega!jm, honestly there’s not a lot of abo elements it’s focused more on jungkook having ptsd as he just came from war, established relationship jikook, he comes back home to jimin and things have just... changed. except their love ok THEY LOVE EO SO MUCH this made me cry so f much ugh so good tho.

Zero Hour by edaen - 5k words, canon compliant, a little drabble based around rosebowl jikook, it’s part of a series/collection of canon compliant jikook so if you’re looking for more canon compliant here you go!!, also if you can’t tell already i tend to like several things from a single author, i haven’t read their other fics im legit saving for sad days but i am confident enough to say their other fics are also rec-worthy.

Wonder by wordcouture - 7k words, im sorry in advance, mcd :( pls take care of yourself, i don’t like sad endings ok i don’t, but this is so popular and i was like, ok let’s see what the hype is all about, i get it now, :((((((((((((((((((((, well-written tho, bc the author will manage to crush your heart in just 7k words ha ha

The Omega Revolution by PinkBTS  - 158k words, abo, alpha!jk omega!jm, dystopian au, the hunger games more specifically mockingjay vibes, angst with happy ending but there’s some...things... lost along the way and i think that’s realistic for a dystopian war au, well-written

Blind Switch - 226k words, jockey!jk, rich spoiled brat!jm, jm gets exiled to his grandparents ranch where he meets jk yeehaw, im sorry for the yeehaw, anyway fluff smut angst enemies friends to lovers hurt/comfort slow burn happy ending, all the good stuff, ugh jk so boyfriend goals, also the amount of fluff in the later chapters thank u writer

Finally by Rose_gold715 - 12k words, abo, alpha!jk, omega!jm, angst with happy ending, jikook mate out of convenience and jimin runs away from jk and his pack feeling unloved and outcasted, but jungkook goes after him :((

Park Jimin’s Guide to Good Housekeeping by Ashlyn17 - 235k words, fantasy au, when i say jikook has the best fic writers i mean jikook has the best fic writers because THE WORLD-BUILDING in this one?, THE PLOT TWIST?, yesyesyes, jungkook is a powerful fae and jimin is assigned to be his housekeeper hehe, listen my entire fic rec has several that could be great netflix shows and this is definitely one of them

A Spell That Reminds Me of Your Name by Chimneycricket - 42k words, wizards!au, enemies to friends to lovers and the development felt natural, well-written plus the author sometimes makes art of their fics and other jikook fics and posts on twitter, both their fics and art are so good, i’ve heard good stuff about their other fics too :)

that’s it for now!

just a quick one about my preferences: idc about tops/bottoms, i read just about anything but i prefer fantasy and multi-chaptered fics, i love established relationship jikook so hmu with recs anytime, i don’t like reading anything with cheating and mcd, i love fics where jk and jm are just so friggin in love they are just IT for eo, and at the end of the day even if there are elements to the fics i wouldn’t normally read, as long as they’re well-written then i’m all for it

[glorious-blackout]

F, n and u for the ask 💞

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

This is tricky because I really struggle with writing dialogue. I'm better at it now than I used to be, but it doesn't come naturally and I tend to be very judgmental when reading it back.

That said, I'm relatively happy with how 'Mark' and Matt's first meeting in 'You've Always Been Here' turned out, especially the line "Is it better to exist within a terrible reality or a beautiful lie?”; partly because writing Matt Bellamy at his most sci-fi obsessed is insanely fun, but also because it (accidentally) set up the theme of the story for me 😉

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

I had a vague idea for a Groundhog Day AU centred around Alex for a long time, but when I actually considered the practicalities of writing it and keeping things interesting, the idea felt too overwhelming. I imagine something like that would be amazing in someone else's hands though (I did notice there was a similar prompt for the TLSP Big Bang...*hint hint*)

I've also accepted that I'll probably never write more for my 'You've Always Been Here' universe. Partly because my ideas for a prequel/flashbacks were oppressively grim even for me (and @alexxturner-me-on has already written a wonderful version of that side of the story) but also because I like where I left the characters and I think adding more and more details and chapters would just mess with the ambiguity of their ending. That said, if someone else came up to me and offered to ghostwrite my ideas for me, I would genuinely be curious to read it 😅

U: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

I honestly can't limit it to three, the writers in this fandom are ridiculously talented 😅🥰 @elorianna was one of the first writers I stumbled upon and her stories are insanely well-written and characterised, with 'Somewhere Darker' being one of my favourite fics in the fandom.

But you've also got @lanatural-books, @kisameanslight, @yellowloid, @rock-n-roll-fantasy (whose original work is amazing too!) and many others who consistently share beautifully written works. And you yourself are responsible for a lot of my recent favourites and I'm always excited when you upload a new story 🥰

Thank you!

[bahbahhh]

@zelinkweekofficial

Also on A03

In which Link finally witnesses how brutal Zelda really has it.

Another zelink week prompt selfishly set in the story of The Killing Moon so I can continue to flesh out parts of the story that won’t fit into the plot. I knew I wanted to eventually dive a little deeper into Zelda’s training in BOTW when I wrote the memory in chapter 3. This is an expansion on the original passage.

[edit - author’s note] there is a very tiny nod to @blueskittlesart brilliant comic because I am one thousand percent onboard with a origin story where something as innocent as a Korok is the thing that leads the way to the destruction of life as Link knows it and the *resentment* that follows. We all know I love a hero who struggles. This fandom is so ridiculously talented. I want to share every piece of art that moves me with everyone. I am in constant awe. I just love it here, guys.

--

There is a beetle on his boot. 

It has been there for the better part of an hour, occasionally lifting two green half shells to flutter paper thin wings. Link is balanced against the massive cathedral on the Great Plateau with his arms crossed, waiting for the doors next to him to peel open with a groan. She disappeared into the Temple with an audience of priests shortly before sunrise. 

The shade has started to thin under the glare of direct sunlight. He is overdue for another perimeter survey. No one told him how long this would take, just that, as with all of the sacraments meant to awaken her Power, his attendance is forbidden. 

He startles the beetle into flight by shaking out his legs and moves in a slow circle about himself, adjusting the Sword on his back. Zelda won’t tell him what happens during these ceremonies. She tries when he asks but her voice kind of catches in her throat and dies whenever she starts to talk about it. He used to wonder if it was because she thought he was too ignorant to understand but as her resentment toward him wanes, Link realizes her silence is a blend of superstition and crippling shame.

Ever since she was a young girl, she's gone through rigorous daily routines to show her dedication.

The Royal Episcopate has always regarded him suspiciously despite the King’s enthusiasm. He told Link they initially counseled against his appointment for fear he might pose a distraction to Zelda’s training. King Rhoam reiterated his confidence in Link’s loyalty to the protection of the Realm but much like anything the King said to him, it felt like a warning wrapped carefully in a bow.

The truth is they have every reason to worry. But it isn’t Zelda who risks distraction. No matter how fervidly she throws herself into research from the moment she opens her eyes, her hands always end the day in devotion. She has never once declined a recommendation of liturgy. 

It is him. Despite his reticence since his appointment, from the moment he saw her at the garrison the day he was called to service, Link has slowly been giving into temptation.

Granted, this is not new behavior, not the first time he’s consciously danced around the rules. He was strictly prohibited from participating in the Mikau Eisteddfod during his time with the Zora. He ended up dancing with Mipha his second year and won the sapphire earrings he still wears today. 

He knowingly trespassed in the Lost Woods shortly after; a crime punishable by death. Korok Forest hadn’t even been his original destination. He was trying to reach the Typhlo Ruins on a dare. Mipha refused to speak to him for a week when she heard what he’d done. 

The fog swallowed him up and spit him back out until nightfall. It was only when he took up a torch and noticed the flames that he found the Path. Burning embers in the wind and the tiny spirit they led to changed his life forever.

So much of who he is comes from when he has chosen to ignore the rules. 

Only now does he even try. Link tries to keep his distance. He tries to honor his duty, first. He tries to resist the gravity he feels whenever she gets too near. 

But the more he learns about her, the stronger the pull. 

Deep chanting permeates the stone behind him. A drum beats slow and flat. He rolls his jaw, turning to retreat into the forest before pivoting on his heel and scaling the side of the Temple like a ladder. The remainder of the Royal Guard is with the Sheikah at the dig site. No one can climb like him. If by some chance he’s spotted, he can easily justify his actions with a lie about scouting vantage points in case of a Yiga raid.

He maneuvers himself under a gothic buttress and hides behind the busy geometric tracery of the southernmost window.  Through the gleam of crimson stained glass, it is a scene out of the Old World. She’s on her knees in front of the Goddess statue surrounded by hooded figures. Their faces are hidden but he can tell they are the ones chanting, their arms outstretched in a circle. Incense burns from three glowing points around her, flooding the room with smoke. Zelda’s hands are clasped over her head, fixed at an unnatural angle from the wrist. He can see her shaking from where he is perched, her entire body trembling with effort. A web of glowing sans script webs over her from beneath the smoke. It pulses bright against her skin; a deep breath on hot coals. Through the monotone song and drumbeat, he makes out a curious and faint hissing. He thinks of raw meat sizzling on a pan and bile coats his tongue.

The spell is burning her.

Link grits his teeth, fist white-knuckled against stone. Zelda arches back with a gasp, causing the magic to flash golden amber.  He pictures her gagging on her words when he asks her, invisible pain searing hot across her skin at the mere memory of it. 

He will never ask her about this again.

She opens her eyes and immediately finds him. Whatever they are trying to unlock in her vibrates inside him. He sees the lidless eye of Death Mountain shut, Roila Spring’s knife edge fray, the doorway to the Lost Woods clicks shut, the spiral of Rist Peninsula cracks like a whip, a thousand underground tombs with cubes of incandescent technology blink to life.

Zelda’s gaze takes him to places far across Time in a single instant. The fatigue behind her eyes evaporates, eyebrows furrowing with resolve. She snaps her head down and cries out with a hundred voices. The spell shatters into a thousand tiny slivers of light. It creates a shockwave that blows out the glass of every window in the Temple. He jerks back and loses his grip, skidding down the side of the Temple to the earth. He’s lost fingernails but he doesn’t pause, instead, he sprints back to the entrance, swatting glass and debris out of his hair.

He will not be the reason she is punished further.  

Link is able to calm his breathing by the time the doors open. The priests disappear in the direction of camp nonchalantly. Like they did not just witness the Hand of the Goddess making a fist. Maybe they couldn’t see. He moves to follow them, assuming she is lost somewhere in the crowd when fingers just barely catch his.

Turmeric and oil stain her cheeks. She smells like the sage and smoke and whatever else is needed for the Temple’s auspicious ritual. She’s paler than snow on Hebra Peak.  

He hates it. He hates what they do to her.

He hates that he can’t save her from this.

Dust plumes up from a cliff in the distance. They must have found a new Shrine. The King recently sanctioned excavations on The Great Plateau in hopes it might unearth anything to bring her closer to unlocking her Sacred Power. 

But Link’s not looking at that at all. 

He’s looking at their hands.  They know better than to do this and yet, he still sweeps his hand up to her face and feathers her cheek. She leans into the touch. He is the distraction and the distracted. 

He knows he can be devastating to her but he can’t help himself.  

Behind her, a figure sinks back into shadow. Long white hair knotted out of her strict face. An unblinking painted eye grants them a moment longer before breaking the spell, alerting them to her approach with heavier than necessary footsteps. Link snaps away from Zelda and folds his arms behind his back. Zelda begins working at the paste on her skin with the slack in her gown. 

Impa steps forward to cradle her. “Hopefully they’ve found something useful this time. Let’s get you into a bath, hm?”

A vow passes wordlessly between them. 

She will never step foot in the Temple again.