#ty laurel ily <333< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[non-un-topo]

yoo siggy give me the director's cut of tangerine and roc, if you would <33

Hi Laurel!!! <33 Tysm!! Abso-fruitly!

I basically started writing it immediately after finishing Lionheart because I was buzzing with mystery ideas and found family feels but my god... the research phase nearly took me OUT (bc alas, I live under a rock and had to learn a lot but it was FUN!!!). I really, really wanted to write something heartfelt and Yusuf-centric, with specific themes that pertained to his character (hence, romance and storytelling/folklore). The Yusuf loving stories thing is more of a headcanon, but it's so close to my heart.

Just like Lionheart, I also really wanted to focus on the entire team's relationships to each other (so not just Y&N's romance being the main plot) but, y'know, it is a love story so their romance had a big part in it. But the metaphors and the symbolism.... I had a little... too much fun with that? (like, the original legend, Nico symbolized as a bird and all that THAT entailed, Andromache's almost matronly relationship to Yusuf, Yusuf’s overwhelming love for the world, the sheer power of love and grief and how they can get twisted...)

I specifically set it in/around Kazakhstan because I wanted to draw a connection between there and Yusuf’s past as a merchant (The Silk Road, the diverse but predominantly Muslim population, Andromache + Yusuf’s relationship, Erasyl the storytelling merchant. There were ""subtle”” similarities btwn Yusuf and Erasyl)

If you’re curious (bc I love knowing these things for some reason), when I was coming up with specific scene ideas + the plot, I listened to a lot of Florence and the Machine and, because I love the mood of it, the Tales from Earthsea soundtrack (+ Princess Mononoke) and especially the Kingdom of Heaven soundtrack, which I almost always listen to when writing these fics. Wrote that whole first Act to the additional tracks (also, “Vide Cor Meum” my fucking beloved. Tender beginning scene of Act 3 was written to that). Specific shoutout to Florence and the Machine’s “Heavy in Your Arms” because... yeah.. the end of Act 2... I am a dramatic bitch. Which is why I loved writing Yusuf’s POV!

Lastly, I really took my time going over the ending and epilogue because I wanted it to be as cathartic and hopeful as possible. We’ve all had an extremely rough year and a half... so, living vicariously through Yusuf’s mind lol, I wanted to hone in on that deep love and curiosity for the world and the future.

Anyway, WOW I've said a lot. Thank you endlessly for indulging me omg... I think it’s one of the fics I’m most proud of and going back to reread some bits and pieces, I definitely want to write more of these years with the immortal wives & husbands.