#wip of starlight and beasts

[mysticstarlightduck]

Kiss Picrew Tag!

I was inspired by this amazing post by @mk-writes-stuff, and decided to make a few of my own with my WIPs characters! I'll go with Song of Thorns, Supernova Initiative, Of Starlight and Beasts and Enchanted Illusions because I had free time and hyperfocus lmao! Let's go!

By the way, if you like this, please reblog, it helps a lot 💕

Augustus & Harriet (Enchanted Illusions)

Aaah, my lovelies! Augustus, the book's resident necromancer, and Harriet, our lovely weirdo. They've got a little blood splashed onto their faces, probably as a result of a battle they've just won, but they don't mind (he is a necromancer and she has seen some stuff, why would they mind lmao?)

Renn & Roselyn (Song of Thorns)

They're adorable and I love them with all my heart, Your Honor, lmao. Renn is a half-vampire fey who was born a noble and became a thief due to unfortunate circumstances, and Roselyn is his sweetheart who is a spirited girl ready to defeat the King.

Elveryn & Cadenza (Song of Thorns)

The Monster Hunter who fell in love with an Elven Fey and both of them had a redemption arc. Technically his hair isn't white (Kane's is, not his) but a very pale shade of blond that the picrew didn't have, and he actually wears precision goggles instead of glasses, but you get the idea!

Tarrant & Aiden (Song of Thorns)

Tarrant (the one with red hair), the Silver Snake, and his lover Aiden (they/he), with whom he has a secret love story (which is a secret he has to keep hidden lest endanger Aiden because of his employer). Somewhat-starcrossed lovers with a dash of them being two angsty fools who are bad at communication lmao.

Jasen & Prince Alaric (Song of Thorns)

The Prince (Alaric) and the Pauper (Jasen), essentially! Again, Alaric's hair is actually a shade between dark auburn and dark blond, but I couldn't find it in the picrew so I went with the next best thing. They haven't had a chance to really kiss in the story but have been pining (without being aware that the feeling is mutual because they sure as heck are bad at reading emotions lmao.) for over a year, and really want to have that chance!

Jack & Lyorna (Supernova Initiative)

Once more, lol, Jack's hair is actually not this shade - he is red-haired, but his hair color is more of a natural auburn than this - but regardless! Lyorna is a young freedom fighter from an alien planet in the Khosmonian galaxies, and they meet during Jack's mission there and fell in love! They are adorable and stubborn.

Deimos & Vesper (Supernova Initiative)

ENEMIES TO LOVERS Y'ALL!!! Actually it's more of a Rivals-to-lovers situation lmao, but still. The Sniper and the Assassin. The Alien and the Cyborg. Both incredibly efficient at what they do, they initially annoyed each other to no end and were infuriated at the prospect of having to work together, but slowly, oh so slowly, started to care for each other and eventually fell in love, begrudgingly lmao.

Arammys & Corah (Of Starlight and Beasts)

The Mage and the Knight! Friends to Lovers! Arammys meets Corah by accident after losing his memories, and the duo embarks on a fateful quest to save the continent from a warmongering queen and break an ancient prophecy, after she (Corah) learns of the land's fate.

(Arammys hai is actually golden but I didn't find the option!)

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @cowboybrunch, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart

@leave-her-a-tome, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams and OPEN TAG

[eddiebabygirldiaz]

WIP Wednesday

tagged by @lover-of-mine @exhuastedpigeon @theotherbuckley @spotsandsocks @wildlife4life @king-buckley @hippolotamus @eddiediaztho @disasterbuckdiaz @folk-fae @forthewolves @rewritetheending @giddyupbuck @cowboy-buck @wikiangela @daffi-990

thank you lovelies! 💖

made some really good progress on paint sex fic and hey paint sex is actually happening hooray! here's a little of eddie mooning over buck beforehand

Eddie glances over at Buck who stands just a few feet away from him, clad in baggy grey sweatpants, blue and white striped socks, and an incredibly too tight white shirt. It’s a very casual and messy look and is all the more devastating for it. Buck looks so lean and strong and soft and supple, biceps bulging as he paints broad stripes over the wall, stray curls flopping over his forehead and sticking to his temples, tongue sticking out of his mouth as he concentrates, left foot tapping against the floor in a rhythm known only to him which makes his sweatpants stretch tight across the breadth of his thigh. Want hooks into Eddie, curving over his ribs and jabbing into his belly and fluttering through his bloodstream, an effervescent ache that is both hot and cool, what he imagines starlight must feel like. It’s a thing that always lives within him, a beast that roams freely in the cavernous pits of his body, prowling around slow and nearly silent most of the time, shifting restlessly in the background during every waking hour and then pouncing out in full force whenever he is near Buck, ravaging teeth sinking into his skin and making him go sore with need and bleed with wild abandon. He’s not sure how long he stares, time slippery and incorporeal and not important enough for him to take notice of, but eventually Buck catches on. Buck turns toward him, eyes autmatically searching for Eddie and finding him as he starts to bend slightly and dip his brush in the pan at his feet that is full of paint. When he sees that Eddie is already looking at him-body still even as he internally writhes with desire, brush barely touching the wall, tiny drops of blue falling onto the protective covering they laid over the floor, clearly indicating that Eddie has not been focused on painting-Buck's nose scrunches and his mouth spreads wide in a surprised smile. God, he is so beautiful, all wrapped up in pale blue and gentle white and the watery, golden rays of the summer sun. Backlit and ethereal like he is some kind of fairytale prince in a painting. Myth come to life, moving and breathing and mesmerizing and real and all Eddie’s.

tagging @elvensorceress @spaceprincessem @shortsighted-owl @anxieteandbiscuits @callaplums @bucks118 @shitouttabuck @butchdiaz @diazblunt @the-likesofus @thekristen999 @devirnis @try-set-me-on-fire @captain-hen @eddiediaaz @thewolvesof1998 @arthursdent @cowboy-buddie @monsterrae1 @loserdiaz @buddierights @prettyboybuckley @heartshapedvows @gayedmundodiaz and anyone else who wants to share!

[the-ellia-west]

Second Ramble of the Night! Let's talk about another main WIP of mine, Of Starlight and Beasts.

It's a high fantasy adventure set in a fictional continent where magic is woven into the very fabric of daily lives, but where a dreadful curse is slowly spreading day by day - the work of the vengeful Crimson Queen, a scorned sorceress who seeks revenge for the brutal deaths of her husband and child centuries ago, by destroying the continent that doomed them, regardless of all the innocent lives her curse is reaping. The main plot follows a girl named Corah Stormryder - who lives in the capital of the realm, the kingdom of Tirawen, which is constantly beset by horrid monsters born from the Crimson Queen's curse. Daughter of a renowned monster hunter, Corah wants nothing more than to become a knight of the realm and save the land from the curse that is slowly consuming their land.

Corah meets Arammys, a mysterious mage with the power of the stars, lost in a forest. He seems to have lost all memory of his past and who he is, all except for his name. They become friends, and shortly after embark on a cross-country journey to find a forgotten relic that can put a stop to the Crimson Queen's advance on their land and to discover more about the prophecy that seems to be bound to Arammys' strange magic. While they're at it, they also deal with internal conflicts of their own, with Corah struggling with feelings of inadequacy and her resentment of her absent mother, and Arammys trying to discover who he really is while being haunted by the looming shadow of his uncontrollable powers.

They make a lot of allies in their journey, namely Eidan Delythen, a "lone wolf" kind of rogue who travels the land looking for redemption, Maryon Haell, the quirky daughter of a powerful spymaster, Kyran and Masen Mavven twins who hate each other but are trapped in the same quest, among others!

Some of the contents of this WIP are: found family, siblings, good vs evil, redemption, morally grey characters, fighting against fate, and many other juicy tropes!

Okay, first, FANTASTIC MAGIC PREMISE. I absolutely love the Epithets and Names! Amniesia plot point is BEAUTIFUL for Arammys. (I love him already)

Also can I ship it?

Anyway, CORAH ANGST LETS GO!!!

I'll call it now, Delythen is gonna be my favorite.

I LOVE ALL THE CHARACTER IDEAS AND .WQBDUIROVWETBFUKGTRWBY5FUGTEWHTG THE THEMES ARE ALL MY FAVORITE THINGS HOW COULD YOU

[emyn-arnens]

20 Questions for Writers

@hobbitwrangler @grey-gazania @runawaymun @echo-bleu tagged me to do this, so I guess I really should do it! I did this one recently on my main for all the fandoms I've written for, so I'll keep this limited to Tolkien fics here.

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 82.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 128,198.

3. What fandoms do you write for? Currently mostly Tolkien, with the occasional dash of Timeless and Narnia.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

As the Hare Flees Before the Wolf (T, Celegorm & Eöl, 1.8k): Curufin is not the only son of Fëanor Eöl meets upon the plains of Himlad. Or, Eöl meets Celegorm while pursuing Aredhel and Maeglin, and things go very badly for him.

Here at Journey's End (G, Frodo & Legolas, 1.6k): They stay for those they love.

West, West Away (G, Sam & Thranduil, 3.6k): Sam meets an unlikely kindred spirit on the journey West.

and I will love with urgency, but not with haste (T, Aegnor/Andreth, 3.1k): A summer evening spent in a glade near the shores of the Aeluin.

with death on his brow like a crown (G, Aegnor & Finrod, ~600 words): Five times Finrod foresees Aegnor’s death, and one time he foresees his own.

5. Do you respond to comments? Yep! It may take a while depending on spoons, but I almost always do. The only exceptions are for comments that make no sense to me or demand me to write more for a pairing.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? There's a lot of contenders for this, but let's go with Like a Wave That Should Engulf the World (G, Faramir/Éowyn, ~700 words), in which Faramir foresees Éowyn's coming death.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? For Charity (Boromir, Faramir, Éomer, Lothíriel, and Éowyn, 2k), for sure. Two thousand words of pure ridiculousness.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Not since ye olde days of posting on FFN.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Very rarely and very vanilla, with emotions and metaphor taking precedence over mechanics.

10. Do you write crossovers? Nope. Not much into reading or writing them.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Hope not!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope.

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

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship? *looks at header, url, and blog title* I don't think I even need to say.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? For the sake of answering the question, my Glorfinwyn AU, but only because I'm not sure I have the skills to pull it off, and my perfectionism is a raging beast. But I do really want to finish it, even if it's three years from now because I'm the slowest writer I know.

16. What are your writing strengths? Characterization and description/scenery, although I've been struggling with the latter lately. Dialogue has finally been getting easier, though.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Plot, body language, and describing emotions.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I'll sprinkle in some individual words/pet names (all shamelessly ripped from RealElvish.net) here and there that should be guessable from context clues. I don't do full sentences very often both because I feel it isn't necessary most of the time (sorry JRRT), and because I know people don't enjoy having to scroll to the notes for translations. But I will admit to having a weakness for Elves lapsing into their native tongues during uh. heated moments with their partners.

19. First fandom you wrote for? LOTR, years ago. And here I am back again!

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? This is so hard, but Over Seas of Starlight (G, Frodo & Gandalf, 3.6k) is near and dear to my heart. Sailing West, my beloved.

Tagging @sotwk @afaramir @halfelven @curufiin if you haven't done this already!

[delicioushologramperson]

RULES: make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

Tagged by: @im-not-buying-it-ether

Most progress these days is done while working on Billy Batson Drabbles, so have the titled but unfinished chapters:

1. Vampire Billy Take II

2. A Champion and a Wizard

3. Stasis Shield

4. Brady's Beasts

5. Last Moments

6. The Entity

7. Godly Ancestors

8. Torn Apart

9. A Reset Leftovers

Tagging: @suzukiblu @stealingyourbones @starlight-storytime @saltyladynightmare @north-peach @noras-dc-shenanigans @jasontoddiefor @jackdaw-kraai @thatonetimetraveller

[atypicalacademic]

WIP Whenever

@aria-i-adagio thank you for the tag!! calling upon my dear friends @dirty-bosmer @dumpsterhipster @nientedenada @ollifree and @cumbiazevran @memaidraws if you would like to share. Just a tiny tiny rough snip from Hallowed Ground, this time, featuring a very young Savos Aren who is uh, Going Through It

“Oh, gods.” He heard his mother say. “Oh, gods.” “They’re wrong. These brutes know nothing about us, nothing! Drown to death? One of us? My cousin? The house of Vos? Without a ward or a flywell or an enchantment, like common peasants, like beasts? They’re swindling us, and I’ll have their skins for it!” Savos clung to the door’s edge. The waves were closer, with each breath, like all the world was a conch held to his ear. The ground rolled beneath his feet. Before, she’d never called for the gods. Not once. Only now, now that Savos knew they were gone. Gone like, like– Ata’s arms were like shackles, cold and brittle as ice-wraiths from the tales. “Savos, were you listening?”  Kena Aryon said they bit, the creatures. Kena Aryon liked to draw at the back of his notebooks; guar-herds with frightened eyes, spirit-wisps blue as sapphires. And Starlight, in the dead of the night, far past Savos’ bedtime. Savos knew the spell now, cast with the sigil of Tel Vos. He knew other things too, from at the foot of Kena Aryon’s table. (“Come in, I was looking for better conversation than with these skulls.”) He knew, for instance, how the Nord dead turned to draugr, angry at living blood. He knew too, that he was special, not for the blood but the brightness in his eyes. Keep it close, this wonder, Kena Aryon had said. It sets you apart, Savos. It makes you brave. He’d kept a bleached bone beneath his bed for when he left this place for his apprenticeship. He’d practiced his Starlight so it shone and glimmered like a clear night from before.  Alma was crying. Savos had fought with her once, and stumbled crying just so into the flywell. Flew up like a feather in the wind, for Kena Aryon’s mycologist to catch him. By then the fight had been five stories below, and Kena Aryon had an artefact to show him. The dwemer– they’d vanished too. Into thin air, they said. Into thin air like the future.  Savos had nothing to show her. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe.  “Savos, sweeting,” Alma said. “I know you were only little, but do you remember Tel Vos?” “No,” He lied. “No, no, no, I don't."

[novaviis]

20 questions for fic writers

I was tagged by dear @victorianpining

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

52.

2. What's your total A03 word count?

921,539.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly DC/Young Justice, but also Inuyasha and Hetalia

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

The Bridge

Fireworks in July

The Floor is Lava

The Bird and the Worm

you lost the starlight in your eyes

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to! Granted I don't always, but when I get a comment asking a question, or one that particularily touches me, I usually respond. But even when I don't, I read and reread every single one.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I'd say as a whole, I'm not interested in angst without pay off. I'll absolutely drag my stories through the angstiest plotlines imaginable, and I'll do it gleefully, but there is nearly always some sort of pay off in an ultimate happy ending. That said, if we're looking at fics as individual stories (particularily in the case of Watercolour as a whole series), I'd say the angstiest might be Arctic or Au Revoir

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

If I'm measuring the happy ending in terms of the angst it took to get to it, definitely Light Me A Lantern.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I think the closest I've gotten is misunderstandings? Particularily when it comes to how I write Dick Grayson's lineage in Watercolour. I've had misunderstandings where people thought I was erasing his Romani identity and making him Romanian instead, when I write him as both - there is a lot of Romani history and a huge population in Romania, and I decided to play into that. Sometimes it gets lost in translation so to speak.

9. Do you write smut?

When I feel like it!

10. Do you write crossovers?

I used to, not really so much anymore.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of! Ngl I'd be pretty upset.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! The incredible @minakok translated Light Me A Lantern into Spanish (Enciéndeme un farolillo) and @eldescensoseduce has been chipping away at translating the beast that is Watercolour into Spanish as well. The first two chapters of Un Giorno Per Noi has been translated into Chinese as well!

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

I've had beta readers and been a beta reader and had an absolute blast with both - but in terms of actually sitting down, plotting out and writing something together with someone? Not yet. Although the closest thing has probably been the roleplay I've been writing with a friend over discord. That beast has AUs of AUs.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Don't do this to me.

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

I don't want to say I doubt I ever will because I really really want to, but... I have to say Der Unsterbliche Preis.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I would say dialogue and writing actions sequences. They're both things that I've struggled with in the past and worked very hard to figure out how to do properly.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I think I still struggle with pacing at times. I don't want to rush into the action and the exciting stuff so sometimes I draw it out more than I really need to and the pacing gets away from me.

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

All for it! If I'm using a language I'm not familair with, I'll translate it back and forth a few times trying to make sure I have the nuances as close as I can get to accurate, and I always include translations in the notes. However, if it's a long scene of dialogue, I will just write in that the characters have switched languages, just to make thinks flow better. I don't want to have to scroll up and down the page constantly when I'm reading.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Oh god. It was either Digimon or Pirates of the Carribean. Eons ago.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

This is painful. I definitely have my top fics, the ones I'm most proud of, but Un Giorno Per Noi is a fic that I have reread every christmas since I finished it, so by a percentage of a margin, I'll say that one. Close behind are Light Me A Lantern and Terminal Velocity.

I'm tagging @hanmajoerin @flashhwing and whoever would like to do it because I'm a cop out ✌️

[mysticstarlightduck]

Character Inverse Tag

Thanks for the tag, @willtheweaver (here)!

Rules: Write who you think your character’s opposite would be!

I've chosen a few characters from my WIPs Song of Thorns, Enchanted Illusions, Of Starlight and Beasts, and Supernova Initiative for this one because why not lmao. I tried to really lean into the "polar opposite of the regular character" aspect of this tag game!

(Song of Thorns)

Roselyn Lethia - Would be a selfish loner with no desire for adventure and a love for the status quo

Renn Atrius - His polar opposite self would be a human knight from the royal guard with an adoration of the nobility and a disdain for vampiric fey

Cyriel Staryn - Would be a bounty hunter who specializes in hunting thieves and who strives to upkeep the law

Orianna Whisperleaf - Would be a worldly girl from the capital who is terrified of nature and doesn't care about animals

Prince Alaric - I imagine his "mirror universe" self would be a stereotypical prince who loves masquerades, hunting trips, and mostly basks on his family's sway and power, instead of trying to stop them

Tarrant - His opposite self would be a powerful, sly, silver-tongued mob boss with an obsession with being perceived as sexy or attractive, and who has a tendency to be manipulative

(Enchanted Illusions)

Augustus Grimmure - His mirror self would be a mild-mannered pacifist who is terrified of death and all things morbid, and probably a sorcerer in the Order of Light.

Harriet Sharppe - Would be a brash extrovert with a tendency to get into fights extremely easily and a notable lack of patience

Evangeline Daemitya - Would be a stereotypical "rich girl" obsessed with being the latest trendsetter and always being perceived as popular by her peers.

Sam Delaways - Would be a rich businessman with a risk-taking streak who doesn't care about saving money and only cares about being the best

Cailean Telkerly - Would be someone who never runs from his problems and likes to face conflict head-on, while being aloof and not really charming

Clarence Van Sterling - His alternate self would be an all-powerful vampiric lord, of a very posh and arrogant sort, who considers humans as lowly peasants.

(Of Starlight and Beasts)

Corah Stormryder - Would be someone with no ambition, with a tendency to settle for "the way things are" and a strong sense of self-worth

Arammys Lochllain - Would be a clairvoyant mage with a strong grasp of the past and the future, who remembers his entire life and that of others and does not fear his magic.

Eidan Delythen - A popular folk hero with a pristine reputation who isn't afraid of his past and is proud of his family name

Masen Mavven - Would be a trustworthy young man who despises breaking rules and is a thoroughly law-abiding citizen

Kyran Mavven - Would be a sorcerer who despises sciences and alchemy, considering them inferior to magic, and who does not care about his reputation

Scarlet - His opposite self would be a dutiful knight who trusts people too much and who devotes himself to serving the kingdom, even through dangerous situations.

(Supernova Initiative)

Jack Tithus - His opposite self would be a Junction military officer who thoroughly believes in the system and is a hopeless optimist who always sees the best in everyone around him

Cassiopeia Tithus - Her opposite self would be a lazy student with little passion for experimentation and who is terrified of robots of any kind.

Aleks Keldora - A self-confident bounty hunter who is unapologetically himself at all times and is also a truly amazing fighter pilot

Ethean Mirannir - His complete opposite would be a reckless intergalactic thief with little regard for the needs of others and who doesn't really care about the upkeep of his family name

Vesper Foxx - A kind-hearted pacifist who truly believes in a "forgive and forget" philosophy and considers revenge a useless endeavor

Artemis Zreeth - A bubbly and preppy kid with a penchant for colorful clothes who adores going to parties and makes friends extremely easy

Pax Stellaryn - An arrogant fighter pilot who is overconfident in his abilities and oftentimes overestimates his own chances of winning a battle

Tagging: @cakeinthevoid, @i-can-even-burn-salad, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @pluttskutt, @anoelleart

@kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab, @little-peril-stories

@the-ellia-west, @winterandwords, @cowboybrunch, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites

@leave-her-a-tome, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams, @illarian-rambling and OPEN TAG

[thewizardtower]

Good morning, it's apparently time for me to start a new WIP. A conversation with friends this morning made me think about a young priest falling in love with a mermaid.

It was about a fortnight into our journey when first I saw her.

It was night–cloudless and clear–and I was the only soul on the upper deck to stroll 'neath the stars. Waves lapped at the sides of the massive ship that bore us to our destination. A rhythmic cadence of water that reminded me quite keenly of all the tales I'd heard as a boy about what lurked in the dark fathoms below the ocean's surface: great beasts made of tentacles and teeth and malice. 'Twas not something a godly man should ponder, yet I found myself drawn to wondering what else could be rapping against the hull of the Rosy Maiden.

Staring out at the dark waves was when I saw the crest of what appeared to be a head–a ripple of something breaking the surface–before it was gone. I pressed myself against the wooden railing of the Maiden, scanning the ocean frantically. My first thought was that one of the crew had fallen overboard. Panic gripped my throat. I could not swim–could not even offer a helping hand if someone had fallen into the sea. The cry for help formed in my chest, yet stopped before it could escape my lips.

That same head peaked up once more. Hair like spun gold crowned her; black, star-painted waters were her robes. Pale skin–almost silver in the starlight–reflected like fish scales. She was too far away for me to glean anything else, yet I saw she gazed at me, and I gazed back, in a small moment that seemed to stretch for eons. I had thought, then, that her face looked human enough. (I know now she was anything but.) I wanted to scream–to yell for the crew to rescue a drowning woman in the water–when I saw she was nothing of the sort. Just as quickly as she surfaced, she submerged once more. In her wake was the inaudible splash of a silvery fish tail.

[manako-no-yami]

I posted 344 times in 2022

That's 66 more posts than 2021!

21 posts created (6%)

323 posts reblogged (94%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@its-tea-time-darling

@cloversdreams

@elytrians

@clotpolesonly

@sgchan

I tagged 337 of my posts in 2022

Only 2% of my posts had no tags

#rb - 300 posts

#prompt - 53 posts

#tmr - 26 posts

#thomally - 19 posts

#tea - 14 posts

#ask game - 12 posts

#clod not lefting but - 12 posts

#thomallyweek2022 - 9 posts

#in which everyone wishes clod would shut up - 9 posts

#tmr thomas - 8 posts

Longest Tag: 86 characters

#i just wanted to note for posterity that tea tagged me in a post that she rbed from me

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

like the sun from behind the clouds

Tags: alternate universe - modern setting, mild angst, making out, alotta cheese in this one folx, i do think there’s some, fluff, in this one tho so, yknow, hopeful ending, ??? i think? its soft okay despite the concept of the fic

Summary:

"Promise me," he says. "Promise me you won't forget me."

for day 6 of thomally week!

9 notes - Posted March 25, 2022

#4

the eternal gamble: will my sleep deprivation unlock a cosmic connection deep in the recesses of my brain and bring forth brilliance heretofore unknown, or will it just make my writing sloppy

13 notes - Posted March 2, 2022

#3

fate, pulling me back. you, pulling me forward.

Rating: T

Tags: movieverse, pre-slash, the last city, safe haven, a smidge of suicidal ideation, canon character death, post-canon

Wordcount: 1483

Summary:

"I'm sorry," Thomas says. "If I could change what happened, I would. I'm sorry I'm such a right selfish bastard, and I'm sorry for being presumptuous, and I'm sorry I couldn't save everyone.""No one can save everyone," Gally says. "You were stupid to think you could.""I know. But I had to try." - Thomas can’t help angsting. Gally is having none of it.

for day 1 of thomally week!!

14 notes - Posted March 20, 2022

#2

blinded by starlight, ch. 2: death, natural and unnatural

Work Summary:

Once upon a time, a hunter and a witch lived deep in a forest. All the hunter wanted was to live out his days peacefully and quietly with the witch. But the hunter and the witch are not the only ones that live in the forest—there is also the Beast, a ferocious, unknown monster that awakens with a terrifying cry every night.

The forest grows restless, the Beast hungry. But little does the hunter   know, these are the least of his worries. Another danger is creeping upon him, and it is after his heart. After all, what damage can the Beast do, in comparison to the monster known as love?

Featuring hunter!Gally, witch!Newt, and forest guardian!Thomas. Thomas/Newt/Gally. Rated T. Multichapter WIP.

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Notes: Implied/Referenced Suicide and Bullying tags added.

15 notes - Posted January 11, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

POV :)

Gally recognizes the knight right away. How could he not? He's had his eye on Thomas since they were eight, whether Thomas knew it or not (he didn't). He looks just a bit older, now. How long has it been since Gally left? He keeps track when he spends his days inside the tower, but it's been long enough that time has ceased to have any meaning. Gally wonders which advisor suggested sending Thomas here, or if Thomas volunteered. He doesn't have to wonder what he was sent here for---Gally has been expecting an attempt on his life from his enemies in court for awhile now. It's been long overdue.

Thomas is a good choice for this quest. Well, mostly. He's talented and charismatic in all the ways that Gally isn't. Capable, and hungry for accomplishment. However, he's also a complete idiot, from what Gally can tell.

Hence---approaching a dragon, notoriously prickly, proud, and dangerous creatures, alone and without the advantage of surprise.

He feels the embers in his belly stir as he breathes, and allows tendrils of smoke to escape his jowls in warning.

Thomas responds by throwing aside his sword.

I could kill you right where you stand, Gally thinks. Why are you so certain I won't?

"You're quite beautiful, milady," Thomas says, bowing. He sounds reverent, sincere.

He's naive.

Gally has to keep from rolling his eyes. He beats his wings, lifting into the air just slightly, and controls his descent carefully before landing in front of the knight, who is now staring, slack-jawed, from where the wind knocked him onto the ground.

Gally closes his eyes, and lets the transformation take over.

He supposes it’s about time he face his old rival again, in person.

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(this is for my day 2 thomally week fic!)

18 notes - Posted February 11, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[sherokutakari]

quick Strive pic while having a sketch sesh with the Niece Beast ✌

[wangxianficfinder]

I'm in the mood for a fic where...

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1. Hello!! I hope you’re having a good day 🥰 I’m in the mood for a fic/fics where it’s wwx chasing after lwj? I don’t mind temporary unrequited love (from lwj’s side) as long as wangxian are still endgame 💗 Hopefully no (lwj/wwx sleeps with everyone they meet) characterization/trope though 😭🙏 Thank you!!! [You can see this is one of my favorite tropes, lol, here, have many unabashed and in love wwx...]

❤️tame by rikke (M, 12k, wangxian, my post)

❤️unabashed indecency by quags1re  (T, 25k, WIP, READ IT ANYWAY!!!, my post)

things happen, don’t ask by MarbleGlove (T, 6k, wangxian, my post)

❤️ You Are My Euphoria by Orphan Account (M, 18k, wangxian, my post)

❤️The Beast of Gusu by Netrixie (M, 212k, wangxian, my post)

❤️Unable To Stay Away by Waterrain (E, 23k, wangxian, my post)

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2. Hello there! I am in the mood for fics that use the term cutsleeve and have the same connotation as the novel, societal homophobia. Wangxian preferred. Thank you so much!

Just As Much by Gemiblu (E, 24k, wangxian, Mojo’s post)

Jin Ling vs. The 8 Uncles of Sex Education by Wildcard (M, 4k, JL & all the uncles)

❤️The Amazing Adventures Of Jiang Xiaolian And Family by bumbledees (T, 71k, wangxian, chengning, xuanli, 3 works complete, series in progress, Mojo’s post)

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3. hey!! I've just been thinking of the moment from ep2 where wuxian plays wangxian and sizhui recognizes it... which led me to want more fics where it's more apparent what wangi adopted sizhui or that their relationship as father & son is treated as such?? I hope that makes sense bonus if wuxian realizes it and it so confused until he actually realizes its yuan haha

❤️ Tragedy is Not the End by Hobbsy3 (T, 358k, wangxian, Mojo’s bookmark)

❤️ nevermore, nevermore by agloeian (T, 120k, lan sizhui & everyone, wangxian. Mojo’s post)

❤️Attempting the Impossible by Ariaste (T, 36k, jiang cheng & wei wuxian, wangxian, background zhuiling, Mojo’s post)

your name, safe in their mouth by astrolesbian (G, 11k, wangxian, Mojo’s bookmark)

A Ray of Sunshine in the Darkness of the Jingshi by OnlyMeAndMyBones (Not rated, 4k, wangxian, LSZ & LWJ, LWJ & LXC, first part of the series)

sing to that lonely child by ravenditefairylights (G, 12k, wangxian) author in tumblr @child-of-the-fairy-folk​

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4. Hii this is my first time doing this so i apologize if I get anything wrong.. **You are doing great, no worries! ~Mod L**

For the next 'in the mood for..' i would like to ask for fics with ayuan and the jiang sibs bonding? I feel like jiang yanli would be a great aunt and ayuan certainly deserves it😊 (i was hoping for canon divergent happy fics? With all of them alive? I have seen a fic where yanli survives and it was really good but i really want jin zixuan to live too😅) thank you for all the work you do! Really you are a life saver❤

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5. Mod L, I’ve got a Mood request for you: are there fics addressing how WWX learned the flute, one of his most iconic abilities?

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6. Hi!~ Could you rec me a fic where the main couple is Nie Mingjue x Lan Xichen? @plzloveme

my shine light, true light, starlight by ravenditefairylights (G, 2k, wangxian) author in tumblr @child-of-the-fairy-folk​

❤️shades of grey by cl410 (M, 59k, wangxian, nielan, Mojo’s post)

black milk of daybreak, drunk at sundown by stiltonbasket (G, 3k, wangxian) -  @airmidcelt adds it’s lxc focused

silver-steel and snow by stiltonbasket (G, 4k, LXC/NMJ, WIP, part of the Twelve Moons and a Fortnight Vers)

moved by the sight of you, sleeping by stiltonbasket (G, 2k, LXC/NMJ, WIP, part of the Twelve Moons and a Fortnight Vers)

that which my soul repairs to your devotion by stiltonbasket (G, 2k, LXC/NMJ, part of the Twelve Moons and a Fortnight Vers) 

oceans, drowned in starfire by stiltonbasket (T, 30k, wangxian, LXC/NMJ, modern au, mermaid au) this isn’t wholly LXC/NMJ but I remember it had a big part of it. ~Mod L

Lan Xichen's Day Off by WeAllCatchFoxes (G, 3k, LXC/NMJ, wangxian, humor)

One Moment And Another by Anonymous (E, 11k, LXC/NMJ, battle couple, pining, friends w/ benefits to lovers)

7. Hello again :) could you rec me some wwx chronic pain fics plz? Thank youuuu! @plzloveme 

How to Treat Your Injured Yiling Laozu by merakily (T, 3k, wangxian, my post)

the thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break by RoseThorne (E, 64k, wangxian, lan wangji & wen qing, WIP)

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8. Do you have any fics where wwx is abused by Yu Ziyuan?

rain falls and soaks into the earth by RoseThorne (T, 37k, wangxian, series in progress)

This is a pretty consistent theme in Moominmammashandbag's work, most notable in ❤️To have and to hold (M, 79k, wangxian, Mojo’s post)

the worth of a whipping boy series by JemTheKingOfSass (M, 26k, wangxian, JC & WWX, angst, mind the TWs)

❤️ Company by WithBroomBefore (T, 30k, wangxian, Mojo’s post)

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9. Do you have any favorite crossover fics to rec?

Of Ghosts and Heroes by The Silverfish (ZephyrAndTheSilverfish) (T, 51k, wangxian, BNHA crossover)

Wei Wuxian is the Actual Bogeyman (no, really) by chatonnerie (T, 57k, wangxian, Rise of the Guardians au)

Come by it Honestly by ladyshadowdrake (M, 26k, wangxian, Geralt of Rivia / Jaskier, witcher crossover)

The Remnants of our Struggle by Naamah_Beherit (G, 11k, HC/XL, WN & WWX, TGCF/MDZS)

Farmer's Almanac / 情雨濛濛 by Irrelevancy (T, 13k, WQ/YH, fix-it, TGCF/MDZS)

Atlas by etymologyplayground (M, 12k, wangxian, hualian, TGCF, Mojo’s post)

Lan Jingyi and the Adventure of the Immortal Cultivator by litbynosun (T, 5k, the junior quartet, TGCF/MDZS)

For Whom the Bell Rings by DawnCloud (G, 24k, JYL & XL, JYL & HC, fix-it of sorts, calamity!JYL, TGCF/MDZS)

when you're ready, we'll turn the page together series by merthurlin (T, 33k, TGCF/MDZS)

The Red Ribbon by Xiao_Hua (M, 20k, wangxian, TGCF/MDZS)

thrice as cruel by iliacquer (E, 15k, wangxian, WIP, Kushiel fusion; WRH enlists celibate holy knight WWX as a bodyguard for his favorite courtesan LWJ)

turn towards the sun by Ariaste (E, 21k, wangxian, Kushiel  fusion; WWX and LWJ are in training as elite courtesans)

Burn the Land and Boil the Sea (You Can't Take My Son from Me) by PolkaDotDragon (M, 91k, wangxian, Firefly fusion, WIP)

A Blade Without an Edge is Still As Sharp by JustAWanderingBabbit (M, drabble series, Thunderbolt Fantasy crossover)

Of Hats and Flutes by FixaIdea (G, 6k, wangxian, Discworld crossover, wip)

a journal of impossible things by lily_winterwood (T, 18k, wangxian, WN & WWX & WQ, Doctor Who fusion; 1930’s Shanghai; Timelord WWX with Companions WQ and WN)

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Lan JingYi by DragonsPhoenix (G, <1k, LJY and Linus; Peanuts crossover)

MDZS crossover outlines by oneiriad (T, 11k, wangxian, check the tags for all the fandoms involved)

The Source of All Resentment by Aquamarinade (T, 40k, wangxian, SW/ZY, 镇魂 | Guardian fusion, WIP)

Myopia by rustycol (M, 67k, wangxian, WIP, Water Margin crossover)

❤️Dignity and Animality by Anielka (G, 37k, wangxian, Watership Down fusion, Mojo’s post)

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10. Is there fics where Wangxian are playful together?

Flaga prowokująca by vulnerable_bead (E, 3k, wangxian, fluff & smut, Polish), English translation by joolita

Falling for you by Aki_no_hikari (G, 1k, wangxian, WWX and LWJ play hide-and-seek and frolic in the fallen autumn leaves.)

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11.   Hello! I was wondering if you knew any fics where lwj had to woo wwx after he gives up on him. Like wwx had seen that lwj didn't seem to want to hang out, so he just stopped.

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12. Hewwo! I was wondering if you knew of fics that are heavy in angst? Like, the “I am literally crying at three am” kind of fics.

blue skies forever series by rikke (M, 12k, wangxian, major character death)

❤️ Tragedy is Not the End by Hobbsy3 (T, 358k, wangxian, Mojo’s bookmark)

❤️ you are safe / loved / worthy / enough by everythingispoetry (T, 150k, wangxian, modern au, mental health issues) might not be exactly what you’re looking for but definitely made me cry haha ~Mod L

Found You (Flightless Bird) by etymologyplayground (T, <1k, LXC & LWJ, wangxian, major character death)

No Road to the Sky by amphitrite (T, 3k, major character death, golden core transfer)

decay by antebunny  (G, 16k, wangxian)

❤️ Shattered Dreams by pupeez4eva (G, 9k, wangxian)

rain falls and soaks into the earth by RoseThorne (T, 37k, wangxian, series in progress)

❤️And I Will Call You Home by Spodumene (E, 43k, wangxian, Mojo’s post)

ghost out on the water by twigofwillow (T, 15k, wangxian, Mojo’s post)

emptiness in harmony (homeward bound) by estel_willow (T, 9k, wangxian, hinted zhuiyi) 

Like A Light Gone Out by OnlyMeAndMyBones (T, 100k, wangxian) 

The Devil Bleeds Regret by greybird_crookedbranch (T, 4k, wangxian, Mojo’s post)

Twelve Moons and a Fortnight by stiltonbasket (G*, 290k, wangxian, Mojo’s post)​

body and bone, hair and skin by Mikkeneko (T, 6k, wangxian, major character death)

brother, the password and the plans of our city are safe with me by Mikkeneko (T, 2k, LWJ & WWX, JC & WWX, major character death)

When the Night Gets Cold by JustAWanderingBabbit (G, <1k, the five times Jin Guangyao played Inquiry and no one answered)

Pieces of Us by JustAWanderingBabbit (not rated, 33k, jin guangyao & nie mingjue) - immediately post canon

We Can Haunt Each Others' Dreams by arahith (E, 10k, LXC/JGY, angst w/ happy ending, WIP) LXC performs a very dark and fraught Empathy/Inquiry to commune with JGY’s soul. Experimental prose and formatting style; unreality issues; animal sacrifice; wartime atrocities.

Versimilitude, or: closer to the truth by asisoitorre (G, 2k, wangxian, a ghostly WWX bids farewell to LWJ in seclusion)

Come Marching Home by piecrust (G, 4k, wangxian, WN, SL, major character death)

Unfulfilled Wishes Granted by mondengel (T, 3k, wangxian, major character death, angst)

Footprints in the Snow by TempestDouble (M, 6k, wangxian, angst, tragedy) 

The Only One by cchocolatekat (G, <1k, SL/XXC, angst, feels, after yi city, WIP)

blow me to bermuda by victortor (T, 5k, wangxian, au, time shenanigans, immortality)

No rest for the sinners or the saints by Captain_stab_a_hoe (M, 2k, SL/XXC/XY, major character death, angst & tragedy, graphic descriptions of corpses, post-canon, suicide)

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13. Hi there! I'm yearning for fic that deals with the fallout of Jin Ling finding out Sizhui is actually a Wen (preferably with a happy ending because I'm a sucker and Sizhui deserves all the happy endings) @divinesquishes

Our hearts, beating in our hands by MemeKonMDZS (MemeKonYA) (T, 3k, wangxian, JC & LSZ, junior quartet, animal transformation)

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14. hi ^-^ just wondering if anyone knows of any fics where wei wuxian doesn’t eat meat or struggles to after the burial mounds? thank you for all you hard work!!

❤️Lynchpin by ShanaStoryteller (not rated, 103k, wangxian)

The most dangerous thing is to love by KatAnni (E, 113k, wangxian, angst w/ happy ending)

the absence of hunger by parsnipit (M, 27k, wangxian) Not exclusive to meat

we're starting at the end by Miss_Enthusiasimal (M, 92k, wangxian, time travel, part of a more general eating disorder; WWX *believes* himself to be dead and is festering with unreality issues when LWJ and JC rescue him from the Burial Mounds, mind the tags!)

Wish Me Luck by Starlight1395 (Not rated, 164kt, wangxian, time travel, fix it, PTSD) Spanish translation by UchihaSakuraa, Polish translation by SilverGoldEyes

A Corruption of Comfort by BegrudginglyTumbling (SarcasticSmiler) (M, 1k, wangxian, JYL & WWX, eating disorders, ptsd, vomiting, cannibalism, angst, hurt/comfort, JYL’s lotus pork soup has become a trigger for WWX)

Lakes of wine and forests of meat by androktasia (M, 1k, wangxian, aftermath of cannibalism, WWX’s burial mounds trauma, post-canon, post-sunshot, non-linear)

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15. hi! thank you so much for all your hard work! do you know of any stories where people either spy on or visit the burial mounds and discover that wei wuxian and the wens aren't doing anything evil?

Jin Guangshan's terrible day, and Lan Wangji's not so bad one! by Tlkfluentsarcasm (Not rated, 2k, wangxian)

Check #18b on this post and #7 on this post for more fics that fit

the road in leaves no step had trodden black by Skadiseven (G, 1k, JC/WQ, JC & WN, JC & WWX, JC visits the Burial Mounds and gets conscripted into planting potatoes by WN)

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16. Thank you so much for this amazing blog!! Wanted some modern AU rec were there is jealous LWJ

how to be a heartbreaker by sweetlolixo (E, 122k, wangxian)

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17.  Hi Mojo! Your blog is terrible for my TBR list, yet here I am with a request. [Hahaha, it happens to us all.]  I'd love some recs for gameshow/reality show AUs. I've read and enjoyed I Don't Want to Debut! by countingcr0ws, Falling to the Rhythm by Selenay, and on your marks, get set, bake! by BlackWiresOnHerHead . This is the type of crack I am in the mood for right now, but they are hard to find! Thank you so much! @marilenalena​

shoot your shot -- hot or knot by defractum (nyargles) (E, 51k, wangxian, modern, ABO, hunger games setting)

Call me out by your name by Asparmagus (E, 51k, wangxian, inspired by the reality show Paradise Hotel, WIP)

❤️Knight Hunt! Phoenix Mountain by travelingneuritis (E, 51k, wangxian, modern, dating show)

❤️ start getting real by azurewaxwing (T, 21k, wangxian)

The Great Chinese Cook-Off by aubreyli & cafecliche & etymologyplayground & mme_anxious (G, 10k, wangxian, WIP)

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18.   Hi! Do you have any rec fanfics that (18a) focus on the friendship between WWX and Nie huaisang? Or (18b) any fanfics where the cultivator world realizes when WWX comes back ( or after a major event ) that WWX is really, but like really, powerful and he could take them all with or without difficulty ?

18a)

❤️shades of grey by cl410 (M, 59k, nielan, wangxian, nie huaisang & wei wuxian, big brother nmj, my post)

a grain of millet drifting by RoseThorne (T, 7k, nie huaisang & wei wuxian)

Come From My Inkstone by magicgenetek (M, 150k, NHS&WWX, polyamory, WIP)

Gone Shopping by nirejseki (G, 2k, NHS & WWX, wangxian) and many of their other work

You Think I Wasn't Lost? by Eleanor_Fenyx (M, 3k, NHS & WWX, 5th of the series)

so you’ve been robbed by a museum by yukla (M, 6k, wangxian, Mojo’s post)

and so falls the fan by b_ofdale (G, 4k, NHS & WWX, wangxian, post-canon)

The Light That Fails to Dim by glowingreverie (T, 311k, wangxian)

Lingering Pieces of You by dragonofeternal (T, <1k, NHS, WWX)

18b)

Old Foreshadows by protos_metazu_ison (M, 15k, wangxian, my post)

❤️love, in fire and blood by cicer (E, 360k, wangxian, Mojo’s bookmark) YLLZ is immortal and they give him offerings etc

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19. Hello I've been following you since around when CoVID started and you do amazing work! I was wondering if there is any fics where WWX is actually closer to JYL age than JC. I feel like him being older would either make it harder on him or easier. @scented-harmony​

After We Say This by TiredAndTired (T, 10k, wangxian, series in progress, age reversal fic, here are the tumblr ficlets that inspired it) ​

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20. Hii, first of all love all your hardwork to find the fic that we want.💕💕I’m just asking if you have any fic that married wangxian meet the old wangxian ?? @souky123​

Check #3 on this post for suggestions that may fit.​

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If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmemeand MDZS KINK MEMEon Dreamwidth.  Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!   ***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink!  Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***

[odysseywritings]

Alt 2: Caught in the Rain / 17: Animal Shelter

@flufftober (I was late about finding this blog and I really wanted to do something animal related so something belated with an alt felt like a good mix)

Characters: Haven & Reina

WIP: Starlight Journey

There weren’t many shelters nearby in this part of town, and the two went to the closest one they could find, which was a modest building despite some cracks on the veneer. They wanted to arrive before the rain poured as Haven had found a purple lizard with a collar and could not find the owner nearby.

The interior was warm to keep the animals cozy, all from a range of pale orange felines to red feathered birds to jumping insects to speckled canines with 5 tails. Reina took the lizard to the workers while Haven looked at the large number of creatures waiting for a new home.

While normally hard to read around people, his smile widened and his eyes blinked slowly as he looked at the wonder of nature simply doing their thing, always amazed by how unique and mysterious so many species were. He crouched down and waddled to each pen to observe, and to look at which ones had “Don’t pet” on them, making it the only rule he wanted to respect. He felt soothed by the sleek feathers of the crimson papa, awed by the intricate hexagonal patterns of the basil zardo, pleased by the little bumps of the warbling ceran, and the warm fur of the labrador.

So many animals deserving of a good home and it saddened him to not get every animal possible so they could live in harmony. He imagined striking it rich with a lottery to raise all of them on a farm, but that was for another day, and he tried to relax by thinking they’ll each have a happy adoption.

Reina was finished with the paperwork and information and returned to Haven still admiring the animals. While she held fondness for domesticated animals, she found it difficult to see what was so special about beasts who only lived to survive and not much else. Still she liked seeing Haven happy and watched with him, and watching his face light up, having a joyful expression a child made when seeing animals.

Reina looked out the window and saw the sky turning gray, nudging Haven to leave. Haven didn’t budge and kept petting the wan dog before holding her hand and nudging her to touch it. Reina gave him a perplexed look and he responded with a beaming smile, one that she only sees in special moments, and she caved in to pet the dog while rolling her eyes. Still it was hard for her to stay annoyed as the dog was indeed soft and warm, sensations that have become uncommon during their journeys, but she hated to be the bearer of bad news when she talked about how short they were on cash.

It was painful for Haven to hear but he accepted and gave the dog once last scritch before getting up. The two thanked the workers and left, feeling bittersweet, rescuing one animal and leaving the rest to fate. They walked on as piddly drops sprinkled on them. Their pace ramped up as the rain pelted down faster and they were too far gone to return to shelter.

They ran and ran as their adrenaline spiked. A marathon toward home without it being in sight as the constant pelting went on forever. They followed their tracks to gain some sort of direction, trying not to slide from the mud as they stumbled and ran in bursts. Haven particularly was getting exhausted as he took breathers while Reina was freezing up.

At and open space with too much water and grayness blurring their vision, they stood still and looked at each other, completely drenched and soaking. The sight of both them looking like wet dogs triggered something in their synapses and they couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous they looked. They clutched each other still shaking from the laughter until they looked at each other.

The cool rain tempered their hot faces as they drew in closer. Without thinking, without judgement, they locked lips. Instead of being lost and chilled, they were clean and aware of who they were with, embracing and kissing and forgetting the downpour. They ended as they looked at each other again, stifling laughter at how they looked and what they did.

All the worries, little as the animal shelter or large as the threats hunting them, washed away as they just saw unkempt honesty in each other. It was refreshing, and they instead danced and galloped in the rain, feeling rejuvenated enough to keep going until they found home and enjoying themselves along the way. Someday soon they may have a pet or a whole farm. And it’ll be a fun, better world for them and animals to live in. But for now they wanted to reach a warm spot, take their wet clothes off, and find a better way to embrace in the sunset.

[an-eldritch-peredhel]

upon strange paths

Emeldir is an old woman, and has seen many things. The faerie-beast that comes stalking up to her home in search of her is not one of them.

Daeron just really wants his nephew to meet his grandmother. And maybe to (very) retroactively apologize for missing his sister's wedding.

1280 words | Read on AO3 for witty/relevant commentary in the notes

It has been a very week for me, and because I've got a snow day I figured I should post this since it's been languishing in my drafts. The most important thing you need to know about this is that it was WIP titled "Daeron hunts down his aunt-in-law". Also, Emeldir has a cat, which is surprisingly relevant.

No warnings except for my usual Eldritch Peredhel Agenda, and also some dehumanization (de-elfization?) I guess because Emeldir doesn't realize right away that the Ultra-Shiny BoogiemanTM is a Person.

It is just past dawn and Emeldir is sitting on her porch, Faroth curled and purring on her lap, when she spots it. Taller even than Hador’s folk, features stark in the rising sun, it walks quickly closer. Its shadow seems unnaturally dark, in contrast to its pale clothing and hair- like silver starlight shining over pearls, it curls and sways as though there were a breeze in the still morning air. It’s skin is the color of a half-bloomed bruise, and she can see no fault in it.

It stops dead in front of her home, and it’s head snaps to her just as quickly. Faroth jumps up and hisses before running away. The creature inhales, and its eyes glaze over in shimmering shades of violet and amethyst, just as quickly wiped away to reveal an evening sky as matte as dry clay, pinpricks of light deep in the center. Its ears are knife-pointed, and as delicately scalloped as a butterfly’s wing, and one twitches as it stares at her.

“Be you Emeldir, daughter of Erethel, daughter of Esselind, mother of Beren son of Barahir?” She does not flinch at the sound of its voice, like birdsong listing the names of her dead, but she wants to.

“I am. Who would ask for me, and for what purpose?” Her words hardly shake at all, and she is proud of this, for staying firm in the gaze of whatever creature has hunted her down- her husband had met elves, and this is no elf. An ear twitches once more.

“I am Daeron Elagar, son of Melian and Elu who is called Thingol.” She may be an old woman now, who hasn’t left her village since she built it back in the first place, but she recognizes the name of the Elven King and Faerie Queen. A prince has tracked her to her door. She barely restrains herself from cackling hysterically. “I come bearing news of Beren, your son.”

“My son has been dead these past 18 years.” Emeldir doesn’t snap, nor does she say that he is far too late to bring any news, but that is only because he is a prince and a beast like those out of stories and she is old enough to have some sense. His face does not change, but there is some undefinable shift to his stance, a stiffening in his shoulders, and his ears pivot like Faroth’s do when he is bothered. There is a pause.

“Your son lives.” He blurts out, and then freezes once more. She feels herself grow cold as she carefully stands. This is not a confrontation to be had sitting down.

“Do not mock me with your trickery. My son died with his father, and whatever spirit claims his name is no child of mine.”

“It is not trickery, nor a matter of spirits. Beren who is now called Erchamion lives in flesh and blood. He is healthy and well, and under no spell.” The prince hesitates, but before she can gather her wits enough to make a retort, he continues, “I cannot swear by my lord father, for he has not taken my oath. I cannot swear by my ancestors, for the few I have are lost. I cannot swear by the sun, she holds no power over us. So I swear to you this, on my holy lady mother’s blood: Beren Barahirion, Erchamion, Dagnir Droeg, lives in truth in peace and safety in the land that he has claimed. No spell there lies upon him, no spirit in his veins, he has a home, a shield, a family, and a son that he has named.”

His voice sings over the traditional lords to swear by, in accented but perfectly understandable Taliska, and though the oath is in no format she recognizes, he chants it as though it bears the weight of the world in its song. His kind, she has heard, cannot lie- a tale she hadn’t believed, but bears consideration now. And if this is true…

“He has a son? No, why have you come to tell me this now?” And Anor help her, is he blushing?

“He has a son. I have come now because…” He pauses, and by the Powers he is. It turns his face silvery, and his ears flick in what seems to be discomfort. His shoulders hunch too, by a miniscule amount, only noticeable because of his previous impeccable posture. “He is married to my elder sister, and I missed their wedding due to my own foolish choices, and he was near certain you were dead and I heard him telling his son about your people, and it’s nearly his eighth beget- birthday, and if there was any chance at all he could come to know his grandmother it is really the least I could do to attempt to find you.” He says all at once, and it must be a testament to his willpower that though he quiets near the end, the rush of words remains intelligible.

“Beren… is married to your sister?” The prince seems to understand what she’s asking, although she isn’t quite certain herself, and elaborates.

“Yes, Lúthien Elamarth, who he calls Tinúviel. The tale of how they met and came together is a long one, but to make a short story of a song, our father sent Beren on a quest to retrieve a Silmaril, to prove he was worthy of Lúthien’s hand. Lúthien objected to this, and went after him, and together they faced down Gorthaur and Thuringwethil and Morgoth himself, and proved victorious in the end. They are-” he doesn’t quite smile here, but he loosens enough to give the impression of a very small one, “Quite madly in love with each other, really. They’ve both stared down death for the other’s sake, and come out singing.”

“And his son?” She asks, too overwhelmed by what she has just heard to react further.

“Aludae Dior. He’s almost eight and won’t let anyone forget it.” His voice is warmer now with fondness. It hadn’t been cold before, not really, but it had been distant. Not anymore. “Beren calls him Thindrostir, because he’s always digging around in places he shouldn’t be. He’s growing a little slower than a man would, apparently, but not nearly as slow as elflings do. He’s clever as a crow, with about as much of an ear for music at the moment, though he’s eager to learn. He hates mushrooms, and has a kitten he named Rhoss because he found it rustling through the grass, despite the fact that it’s the ‘loudest damned cat in Arda’.” He clearly quotes, and takes a moment to take a breath. Had he been breathing before?

She nods once to herself, and makes up her mind.

“What do you drink?”

“I don’t- In general?” The prince- Daeron- blinks at her, caught off guard and finally showing a clear emotion. She feels her lips tug at the success of seeing such clear confusion on such a stoic face.

“Yes. There’s no use in making a tisane if you can’t drink it. I want to hear more about my son’s family, and the full story of this quest, and it’s no good standing around in the cold.”

His head cocks to the side, and his ears twitch again, though not in discomfort. After a moment of staring at her (and how strange is it that Emeldir has already gotten adjusted to that) he blinks, slowly, with clear weight to it. She’s reminded, again, of Faroth, and feels herself smile as he nods and steps forward. They have a lot to discuss.

[galadhremmin]

mise en abyme

(for the WIP meme)

okay so I better explain what this fic is about first-- I wanted a very different take on the first orcs. Instead of either a secretly 'good' Angband or brutal torture I wanted to use the way cults indoctrinate victims in how Morgoth (well Sauron actually but under his supervision) 'turns' the first elves. He abducts them and does mutilate but they never know it; he makes them fear the outside world and establishes himself as the 'safe' point, an artificial us vs. them... creates an adverse reaction to starlight in them but not much else permanent. Also, elves are special in how much their fea controls (and presumably shapes over time to a degree) their bodies. If you can irreversibly change someone's idea of what and who they are there is no need to mangle them all that much in that case. If someone is sure they are a monster they might over centuries take on those characteristics. Wiki defines 'mise en abyme' as 'a formal technique of placing a copy of an image within itself, often in a way that suggests an infinitely recurring sequence.' And yes, basically... that too. Irretrievable original self.

It is also about the horror of not being capable of regretting what you have become because that ability has been taken away from you; horrifying joy, incapable of grief!

Anyway the actual writing is shitty and doesn't reflect any of that because these are tbqh, these are hard themes for me to write about. Dunno when I will try again. I know what I want from it, just hard to get there!

He is the only warmth you know, for a long time.

Mise en abyme

You wake up with bandages over both your eyes. Something here smells foul. But even through the fabric the warm light of a fire can be seen, and when he tells you with soothing voice that everything will be fine you still beneath his touch. Nothing has hurt like this before. You find you know no way to respond to it. A shiver runs over your frame. The air is cold, and damp; it carries the scent of deep caves. His hand is warm.

Sometimes you fall asleep, still trying to remember. Often you suddenly fall asleep. He says; it was a fall. It was a hunting accident. It was a fall, during a hunting accident (a black rider silhouetted against faint white stars, and the crack of branches (branches?) snapping). Scraps of shifty memory drift in and out of immaterial reach; and you reach, and you reach, listening to the sound of water on stone, smelling the cave's faint scent of rot, its strange sounds scuttling away on the dark until you dream again at last. But now the night is full of eyes where light, you think, should be. What shines through is too sharp, and you-- with your bandaged hands, with your stench of rot, you, you-- (he cannot always be there for you, it's not that you are ungrateful, but-- it is so hard to move, so hard to stay still, so hard to do as he wishes and so hard not to do it; when you feed on squirming larvae because he has nothing else to share and feel such terrible guilt for your disgust, invisible in the dark--)--

Soft and enfolding it is, damp and dark; with sleep an oblivion to sink the sharpest pain into, still healing only slowly, the location of fissures somehow unable to pin itself onto still evasive memory. Something seems to slip. Something struggles to the surface, must have hurt you, terribly; and the thought sends your entire body into shivers, playing at more than it is willing to tell. But silence settles over you, eventually. Sometimes a current of warm air passes through the room at even intervals, trailing over bare skin like the hot breath of a beast. It comes with a kind of terror at first, but nothing ever hurts you here. The warmth becomes another comfort, eventually. 

He does not speak to you often.

Most things do. Almost anything does, once its repeat becomes predictable.

When you dream now a darkness which should remain unseen from beneath the soft fabric of your dressings insists on itself a presence, not absence; surrounds you like the oil-slick that coated to your fingers one time, a strange bubbling stink only Finwë had known what to do with, had scooped up carefully to seal the tightly woven reed of his fishing raft with. There must be—something similar, here. It is hard to say. A crushed nose (a fall—)-- all smell is stifled. All sight is. You are becoming very good at listening.

Time-- almost impossible to gauge in this meagre refuge where your rescuer has hidden you from the hungry eyes of beasts that prowl the shores of the lake, from the harsh white light the made you such an easy prey. 

The only stars you see are those in your dreams, and even those seem to lose their shine, somehow; and even when you dream of them the eyes beneath your wraps are full of useless burning.

[neonponders]

Fic Writer Questions

Thank you so much @lazybakerart for tagging me! 💋

This is long so I’ll put it under a cut haha

I’ll tag @peachypunk22 , @withoneheadlight , @hoegrove , @passivenovember , @lovebillyhargrove (if you want to 💗 )​

How many works do you have on AO3?

*sweats nervously* 54 haha

What’s your total AO3 wordcount?

1,378,705

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Stranger Things / Harringrove

Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) / Eruri

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them / Crewt

Merlin (BBC) / Merthur

Captive Prince / Lamen

Haikyuu! / several ships

Ancient Greek Mythology / Zeus x Ganymede

Starfighter (HamletMachine comic) / Cain x Abel

Deadpool & Spider-Man / Spideypool

Pride and Prejudice / genderbent Elizabeth so it’s ~ * gay * ~

Uncharted (video game)

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Anonymous (eruri), How it Works (kuroken), Something Else (eruri), Broken Chemistry (merthur), Right Time, Right Place (spideypool).

These are my oldest fics, so it makes sense that they’d have higher numbers.

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

I respond about 50% of the time. Sometimes I just don’t have much to say back, or I’m not in a decent mindset to reply. If the commenter is hyped and has a lot to say, I’ll probably get excited and respond back.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

It’s not done yet, but my Harringrove fic, Kiss, Consume. It’s part 1 of a bigger two-part fic, and therefore part 1 ends really sadly. Part 2 will be a happy ending, though haha

Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve ever written?

I’ve written SpideyPool. Right Time, Right Place. It’s also not done LOL but whenever I finally write my Harringrove / The Mummy_au, that will probably be a crossover because I can’t really see all the ST characters working in place of the Mummy’s characters.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yes. It’s awful. Let it be known that it doesn’t matter how old a fic is, if you leave a kind comment on something, you’re sparing that fic from deletion. I’ve nearly deleted Broken Chemistry so many times, but every now and then someone comes along who thanks me for writing it and sharing it. So I let it stay.

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

I do! I write rather fluffy smut lol I’m a fragile bean. The spiciest I get is lingerie and extremely mild bondage.

(Mind you, my writing prior to Harringrove was VERY different. I was neck deep in Game of Thrones and it shows. I thought good writing had to have sexual shock factors. Thankfully I’ve left that behind, and my writing has gotten much softer haha)

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

......not that I know of. Don’t jinx me, please haha I’ll have a conniption.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope, not yet ~

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope haha

What’s your all time favorite ship?

Harringrove, easily. These messy boys have endless potential and the community is unreal.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Starlight (merthur)

What are your writing strengths?

I write quickly haha it’s kind of absurd how fast and loose I go about things. Everyone else uses Professional™ writing outlines and stuff. I’m just like *keyboard smash* alskdfjslkdfjlsdfjsdkfj

*uploads 3 chapters in a week*

~ Ta-dah ~~~~

That doesn’t mean any of it is good lol

What are your writing weaknesses?

I often feel like I’m using the same 4 sentence structures over and over again. And I once saw “writing advice” that said, “pay attention to how often you use the word ‘was’.”

That fucked me up lol now I feel like I’m a monotonous criminal every time I use was and were.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

If it’s not my native language, I don’t really have any right to a strong opinion. I once had a native French speaker come to me to correct all of my French mistakes in a fic and I was very grateful for it lol the last thing I want to do is insult someone just because I’m trying to be ~immersive~

What was the first fandom you ever wrote for?

Eragon LOL that was when I was, like, 8 or 9. Obviously I didn’t even know what fanfiction was and therefore thought I was doing something totally original lol

Fast forward a decade and I wrote Something Else for eruri ~

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

Dracula Has a Mullet. It’s far from done but it’s my first Harringrove fic and very very special to me.