#yes this includes the hannibal fics

[doctor-mccoys-sanity]

i think people that read a lot of fanfics should be allowed to be as openly insufferable as those people that boast about the amount of books they’ve read. bc fanfics you’re literally just reading about the same two people falling in love like… we’re dedicated we don’t just move on to new characters

[kerink]

in light of people's confusion over cecil's longevity in @sexymanotd i wanted to document a bit of his history for those unfamiliar or nostalgic

welcome to night vale is a podcast written by joseph fink and jeffrey cranor. cecil gerschwin palmer is the main character and voiced by cecil baldwin.

it debuted on june 15, 2012 it reached its peak in popularity in 2013-2014

despite this, wtnv has been one of tumblr's top fandoms since staff started tracking fandom-related data in 2014

for the longest time the only thing we knew about cecil's appearance was: "He is wearing a tie. He is not tall or short. Not thin or fat." and that wasn't until episode 19 which aired march 15, 2013. for almost a full year we had no idea what cecil looked like. so tumblr's collective unconscious kicked into high gear and we did what we do best

we created a tumblr sexyman

from know your meme: "Defining traits of the archetype include skinny body type, trickster or villain role and dapper clothing."

know your meme identifies wheatley (portal 2, 2011) and the onceler (the lorax, 2012) as being likely tumblr's first sexymen. and the onceler fandom was at its peak in 2012-2013, the same time as wtnv. in addition to this, the hannibal fandom has been cited as one of the contributing factors to wtnv's success on tumblr.

so tumblr had created an archetype that worked and the wtnv fandom was made up of mostly hannibal fans - the foundation for putting cecil in a suit was there. and honestly? cecil's at work in the show, why wouldn't he be well dressed?

however, while this explains his attire it doesn't explain some of cecil's more unique sexyman features, namely the tentacles. for this we have to return to the 2014 fandom review analysis where you can see the most popular fandom at the time: homestuck

haven't you ever wondered why almost a quarter (189/923 at time of writing) of E rated wtnv fics on ao3 are tagged tentacles or tentacle sex? why cecil having tentacles for a dick is such a seemingly popular headcanon? well look no further then homestuck cultural hold over.

throughout all of this, the development of the sexyman archetype on tumblr and the rise of homestuck, one creator really stands out: kinomatika

kino was one of the most popular homestuck artists on tumblr at the time, popular for their eridan fanart. if you google image search "welcome to night vale" kino's art is still one of the first results you'll get

their design was so popular in fact it was featured in wtnv related articles from the time

and yes there were absolutely other artists giving cecil tentacles and moving tattoos at the time, but it can't be understated the reach kino had and the influence their homestuck roots had on their design choices

i recommend going through the archive of @nightvaleartclub to see how cecil used to be portrayed back in the early days. unfortunately the earliest fanart i've been able to find is july 2013 and i find it hard to believe it took tumblr a year to draw him. although, i started listening at episode 5 and didn't start drawing him until then myself so who knows...

cecil has had tumblr's heart in a vice grip since episode 1, with "20,000 posts, 183,000 blogs and 680,000 notes using the #Night Vale tag" during its first week. tumblr's love for wtnv has always been fairly genuine, from the impact the writing has had on tumblr humor and future story telling, to how wtnv paved the way for lgbt+ representation in indi media, to how it popularized podcasts as a medium for story telling, to the little comforts some of cecil's quotes still bring people today

cecil is not only a founding father of tumblr culture, but also a blorbo of the people. cecil the character in canon has a tumblr account where he posts his art and slash fanfiction.

although cecil's character has developed over time and we've come to see what a ditzy, eccentric, brat he really is, changing his status from sexyman to babygirl, cecil is absolutely a character you should embrace. and you know what... despite what i've said in the past

#cecilsweep

[ID: Images one and two are Google analytic graphs for the search terms "welcome to night vale" and "wtnv" between June 15, 2015 and January 27, 2023. They both depict very sharp spikes around 2013-2014 until the lines decrease greatly over time.

Image three is a drawing of Cecil from Welcome To Nightvale. He is white, with white hair, glasses, a third eye on his forehead, and he is wearing a suit. In the background is the silhouette of a neighborhood from the WTNV official art, a galaxy, and a moon. It is tinted purple. Image four is the always has been meme. Instead of the earth is the tumblr logo, and the text is: “a wtnv fansite?” “Always has been”. End ID] id thanks to @princess-of-purple-prose

[graciereadshannigram]

hey fam, welcome to the September round up of all my favorite fics i read this month!!

as a reminder: the ingredients for a five star rating typically (but not always!!) include some combination of a.) believable characterizations of both Hannibal and Will, b.) compelling plot and/or character arcs, and c.) high quality smut.

that being said, my judgment of the aforementioned ingredients is powered almost exclusively by vibes and as such, is incredibly subjective.

you can find past recs below:

February March April May June July August

and if you have any recs of your own for me, PLEASE SHARE.

without further ado, let's go!

Marriage of Inconvenience by FragileTeacup

Word Count: 3563 Summary: When Will Graham hears that Hannibal Lecter has been threatened with deportation, he's far more dismayed than he ever thought he would be. But a flippant suggestion from Brian Zeller gives him an idea...

GREEN CARD FAKE MARRIAGE YES PLEASE.

Nakama by FragileTeacup

Word Count: 55656 Summary: Hannibal Lecter is handsome, clever, rich, Omegan... and quite oblivious to the fact that he is hopelessly in love with his brusque Alpha mentor, Will. Will Graham has always looked out for Hannibal, occasionally despairing of his young protégé's spoiled nature but valuing his companionship just the same. They are the best of friends. But when Hannibal finds himself in the grip of a late first heat, both men are forced to confront feelings which neither are prepared for... Nakama, a Regency A/B/O romance based on Emma by Jane Austen. Featuring beautiful art by the wonderful beatricenius!

I really enjoyed reading this, but also I love omega Hannibal and the angst in this was just *chefs kiss*

Peaches and Cream by The_Gemini_Dragon

Word Count: 5757 Summary: Hannibal picks up one of the jars, turning it over in his hands. He hasn't expected Will to can his own food. He pops the lid open, and knows immediately what it is. A sharp, sweet scent reaches his nose, as well as a whiff of alcohol.He dips his fingers into the jar and brings the peach slice to his mouth.

Drunk Hannibal really scratches an itch in my brain, especially when it leads to excellent sex :))))

Time Reversed by teacupsandtime

Word Count: 25,474 Summary: Hannibal and Will traverse an unexpected intimate development.

Heads up, this is mpreg. But it was very sweet and tender and made me very happy!

Depraved by sourweather

Word Count: 5891 Summary: Will was raised to think that certain things were wrong. Dirty, shameful. Even years later, there are certain lines that he can't seem to cross.For example, he's never been able to handle the idea of anything going in his ass.

y'all wanted to know what some of my most re-read fics are, this is certainly one of them LOL

shame by YouAreMyDesign

Word Count: 3240 Summary: Hannibal smiles, and goes to the contacts in Will's phone. Under the name 'Daddy', his phone has apparently grouped two phone numbers. The first is Hannibal's cell. The second has a Louisiana area code.

*fans self* hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha obsessed.

spider by YouAreMyDesign

Word Count: 3991 Summary: Hannibal likes his kills clean. Will likes them messy.

beware the tags, heavy on the "dead dove do not eat" but wow this was beyond enjoyable! felt very in character for them!

Sweet Tooth by HigherMagic

Word Count: 81017 Summary: He has prepared for this, of course. No self-respecting Omega of his stature and skill would deign to let themselves be taken by surprise. Although, again, he has not expected his final heat to approach for some time, it is one of those occurrences people prepare for like Doomsday. He has plans, and bags packed, and knows what he will need to do, to make sure he makes it through the ordeal with minimal discomfort. The first step will be to hunt, to stock his fridge and his stores so he will not go hungry. The second step will be to find a suitable companion.

another one that i've reread several times, whoops.

Look, Mother! The Sheep Have Devoured the Wolves! by HigherMagic

Word Count: 102934 Summary: Hannibal and Bedelia are married, but unable to have children. At Margot's insistence, Hannibal agrees to meet the Omega that was a surrogate for her and Alana. Will is rough-edged, unrefined, and everything Hannibal shouldn't desire. This arrangement promises to be clean, and simple. Of course, nothing concerning Will Graham is ever simple.

THIS WAS SO GOOD. not gonna lie, almost didn't pick it up because of Hannibal being married to Bedelia, but it works!!!

Love in the time of cannibals by ToxicWitchling

Word Count: 69658 Summary: Franklyn has noticed Dr Lecter's favoritism with another patient. It started small; frequent appointments, hushed conversations and light touches. However, Franklyn draws the line at the recent extravagant gifts the Doctor seems to be bestowing on a scruffy fisherman from Wolf Trap. He realizes he may be more interested in the good Doctor than he first knew and begins to find out as much as possible about this Will Graham, if not to stop him toying with the Doctor's affections, then to learn where the attractions lies and steal it for himself.AKA. Franklyn notices Will is a sugar baby before Will does, gets jealous, and wants that lifestyle.

amazing. loved. love.

act on it by acheforhim

Word Count: 9142 Summary: “I work a lot. Don’t really have the time to find an alpha who won’t look down on me for…” “For wanting to be an omega?” “Basically, yeah.” — Will is lonely and his long-distance fuckbuddy encourages him to pursue Hannibal.

AHHH THIS WAS SO FUCKING HOT WHAT THE HELL. I HAD TO TAKE A BREAK TO MAKE SURE I WAS BREATHING.

An Ounce of Wit by Winddrag0n

Word Count: 69420 Summary: “It’s heavier than I expected. Anyways, here.” She walks in front of Will, and in her hands she is holding a long, furry snake. It’s white on the bottom, the top a dirty grey, with dark, blurry rosettes sprinkled along its length. “Where did you get that?” Will asks quietly, his brain rejecting the fact that it feels like a part of him.“It’s attached to your ass, dude. You have a fucking tail.”--AKA a modern magical AU where the entire point is to turn Will Graham into a catboy.

I didn't expect to like catboy Will Graham and then I read this and it was actually really well done!

Wildfire by Winddrag0n

Word Count: 4266 Summary: “I’m so sick of this,” Will bites out. “All your bullshit. Whatever this stupid fucking game we’re playing is.” He approaches Hannibal, palms open, showing he is unarmed. “You manipulate me for the better part of a year, send me to prison, and when I finally embrace this ‘inner darkness’ you’re always on about, you know what happens?” He jabs a finger out, pressing it harshly into Hannibal’s chest. “You don’t even have the fucking decency to die.” Will finds himself at a rave, and emerges a person with far less patience than before.

yeah, i have no words. so fucking good.

Still With Me by Winddrag0n

Word Count: 4271 Summary: There is, inexplicably, a coat check, which Will uses. He does not pocket the ticket, simply leaves it on a stool near the door, knowing Hannibal will grab it for him. While Hannibal is fast and assured in his movements, this is Will’s territory, and he easily slips a safe distance away with plenty of time to see Hannibal’s entrance. He catches the man in question putting the paper safely away with a small shake of his head, and then he’s looking up, taking in the room around him. A shiver runs down Will’s spine, because he did not realize Hannibal would actually make an effort to blend in. His hair holds no treatment, falling softly across his forehead, and he is dressed in dark grey slacks with a matching black button-up, undone partway down his chest. Most of all, in his eyes, where Will had expected to see some form of rejection, he only sees curiosity.Will turns away, towards the main floor. This point of this was to let go, not dwell on things, and he closes his eyes and lets it happen. Will makes a habit of going out to clubs, and one night Hannibal follows.

hey if you enjoyed my public sex prompt for kinktober, this might be a fun one!

3y3s by Winddrag0n

Word Count: 4866 Summary: Pain, bright and wide across his face as Will feels his head jerk to the side. It’s only when he turns back, sees the cold look in Hannibal’s eyes as he pulls his hand back, that he realizes Hannibal has just slapped him. “I will not apologize,” he says, words clipped. “You were out of line.”“Good,” Will grins, an electric energy shooting through his veins, “because I’m not going to apologize for this either.” He lunges forward, uses fists where the other man had used his open hand, and punches Hannibal square in the jaw. Trouble in paradise.

fighting as sex and sex as fighting?? *drools*

let's hate what our love makes us do by hannigramized

Word Count: 22250 Summary: Hannibal Lecter's patient, Franklyn Froideveaux, has been making unwanted advances towards Hannibal. Hannibal enlists the help of Will Graham to get Franklyn to back off. And because he may be kind of in love with Will. Takes place during Season 1, mostly Episodes Sorbet&Fromage

Fake dating is the best kind of dating! I love when they're oblivious and don't realize that they're actually in love.

Single All the Way by venus_in_bloom

Word Count: 34740 Summary: Will Graham has everything; a successful career, a loving father, a stable job. All he is missing is someone to share it with. When his dad insists he brings someone special, all thoughts go to his friend and weekly dinner companion Hannibal Lecter. A plan is hatched when Hannibal proposes that Will introduces him as his partner. Can visiting his roots help Will and Hannibal to finally take the leap and lay some roots of their own? Can Will resist the elusive doctor’s charms? Does he really want to? Inspired by the Netflix movie, Single All the Way!

Fluffy, cozy holiday fic that was actually perfect.

aaaaaand that's a wrap for September!!! have fun babes <3

[haveyoureadthisfanfic]

Summary: Mostly oneshots of Will finding out about or participating in Hannibal's pastime. All different moods and thoroughly enjoyable! Some fics include Franklyn being confused, Will luring someone like the fisherman he is, serial killer!Will, and more.

Author: @darkmoonsigel

Note from submitter: this series lives rent-free in my brain bc my *fav tropes* all in one place. highly recommend!! i reread it often :D

[agerefandom]

not a request but question..saw you were against Content Police and was wondering if you allow proship requests (agere related for when your asks are open again ofcc)

Combining these asks to minimize the shipcourse mentions on this blog, but also thank you for both of the asks!!!

In response to the question, I will gently reinforce that the label 'proship' is a belief about fiction, and not a specific genre of content. Even if it was a genre, I've seen a massive range in what would fall under that terminology (for example, self-identified antis who run Hannibal blogs).

I originally decided to put antis on my DNI when I posted some imagines for caregiver!Gaston, from Beauty and the Beast.

In these headcanons, I did include some caregiver dynamics that are little nods to his canon tendency to try and control the people around him, and how those toxic traits might reflect in his behaviour as a caregiver.

In my opinion, it's very important when you read villain imagines to remember that it's okay to fantasize about caregivers who take away your control and agency to make you feel small and cozy and protected, but it's a big red flag and completely unacceptable if a caregiver ever does that without your explicit permission and expressing that it's something you want from them!!!

So the answer is that yes, I will write some stories that reflect dynamics that I don't want people to think are healthy IRL: for example, anything with Hannibal Lecter, or Elias Bouchard. I will occasionally write about manipulation and control and helplessness, and I will do my very best to tag those dynamics so that people can avoid them if they so wish. (ie. my Alois and Claude fic)

I don't write explicit content or very much romantic shipping content, so I don't think that the most traditional 'proship' associated things are a risk/relevant discussion for this blog. But I do sometimes write about unhealthy relationships (ie. Rick and Morty are an abusive familial relationship, but I might write about how Morty feels complicated love and dependence towards Rick). Again, all of this material will be tagged, and I think I heavily lean towards the more fluffy kinds of dynamics.

As my rule has always been, you can request anything SFW you'd like when requests are open, and I'll make my decisions about what I'm comfortable writing! I turn down requests for many reasons, but I try to never be judgmental or rude about it.

[shadowquill17]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

I was tagged by @many-gay-magpies, thank you so much Magpie, this was a lot of fun! 😘❤️💕

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

48!

2. What’s your total AO3 wordcount?

331,380 words, apparently? Damn, I’m pretty happy with that.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly Dead Boy Detectives these days, but I’m also working on finishing one of my Heartstopper fics.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

That would be: 1. practically married (already us) – Heartstopper 2. talks of treasure – Heartstopper 3. I’ll let you go if you kiss me goodbye – Dead Boy Detectives 4. slightly to the left – Heartstopper 5. souls in quiet spaces – Heartstopper

5. Do you respond to comments?

I do! I usually respond to all the comments on my most recent fics, and after that when it’s months after posting, it might depend more on my energy and motivation. And I always read every comment, but sometimes when life gets stressful or busy I can get overwhelmed and just not haven the energy to respond to everyone… that’s actually happening a bit these days, so sorry to anyone I haven’t gotten around to reply to yet, I’ll really try to catch up. But in the meantime every comment is a ray of sunshine in my day, and to anyone who has ever commented on one of my fics, please know that you’re an absolute gem, and that you have not only brought me true joy, but also helped build up my confidence so thoroughly that it has literally changed my life and keeps changing it to this day. ❤️💕💖

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

I love a good happy ending, so I don’t think I’ve ever written an angsty ending… I think the angstiest ending I wrote was for a Sherlock fic, back in the day. The whole fic was about dying after a long, happy life, so it was the only (permanent) Major Character Death I ever wrote, and even that wasn’t really unhappy, just bittersweet.

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

As I said, I’m a fan of happy endings, so I don’t know if I could point to one fic that has a markedly happier ending than the others… but if I look at which fics have the sweetest, sappiest final line? That's another story. For Dead Boy Detectives I’m looking at skirts maketh man, run my fingers through your hair, or so full of love I could barely eat. For The Boys in the Boat it’s definitely I'll give you my everything and then take care of you or kiss me tender. And for Heartstopper… probably never really goodbye or talks of treasure?

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No.

9. Do you write smut?

Yes, I love writing smut!

10. Do you write crossovers?

Not in the sense of “characters from two different works meeting in a fic”, no. But I have written AU fics that were actually “characters from work A transplanted into work B”.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! A friend translated some of my fics into English way back in the day!

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

No.  

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Well of course I have to mention Edwin and Charles from Dead Boy Detectives as well as Nick and Charlie from Heartstopper, since those have kickstarted my most intense and productive hyperfixations in recent years. 🥰 Still, not all of my favorite ships make me want to write them, so according to my ao3 bookmarks, some of my all-time favorites also include Stiles and Derek from Teen Wolf, Dean and Castiel from Supernatural, Aziraphale and Crowley from Good Omens, Ronan Lynch and Adam Parrish from The Raven Cycle and Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter from Hannibal. And there are probably dozens of other ships that I adore and have read tons of fics for, but it would just take too long to list them here.

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

I was so enthusiastic about swing or nothing (The Boys in the Boat), and I’ve got some chunks of it written and a good outline, but I was already gently phasing out of my hyperfixation when I posted chapter 1, so I doubt I’ll ever finish it.  

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I’m quite good at digging into something – whether it’s a feeling or a theme or an event in the story, I like to think I really go into all the emotions a character might be feeling about it, even when they’re conflicting. And of course this is only subjective, but I feel like I’ve gotten to a point where 98% of the time I can write out my ideas in the way I imagined them. When a sentence is wrong, I can pinpoint what’s wrong, and I know enough to fix it. Finding the exact order of words and exactly the right words with exactly the right amount of syllables to make a sentence read perfectly (to me, at least) is just the best thing, and I feel on top of the world whenever that happens.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Ooof. I feel like I’m not great at writing action moments? I agonize way too much over who does what and what happens in what order, and then it all feels like such a mess… it takes me way longer than writing confessions or first kisses, that’s for sure. 😜 (Although, you know what? Even in confessions and first kisses, sometimes coming back after I’ve written the dialogue and the feelings, and having to add the gestures and the "moving" details and whose leg moves how and when? That is just painful. I always feel like I’m gonna leave mistakes in and have a character sit down three times or something, and I know it's not that serious but it haunts me at night.)

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

I’m not sure if I’ve ever done it. I’d obviously be fine doing it in French, but if it was any other language I’d be so anxious about getting it wrong that I’d probably run it by three different people before letting it see the light of day. 😅

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Sherlock.

20. Favorite fics you’ve written?

I’ve got a huge soft spot for my trio of In The Flesh fics, mainly because that show is one of my absolute favorites and I can remember the trance-like feeling I had when I wrote them (each one after a different rewatch). SUCH a good memory. 🥰 I've already mentioned talks of treasure (Heartstopper fandom) a couple times, but I have a lot of feelings about it; it was my first multi-chaptered fic in years, and even though it didn’t exactly have a plot, it did have a common theme that every chapter added to, and a big “conclusion chapter”, which was more than I’d managed to do up until then… I worked so hard to make sure each part of the fic felt exactly like I imagined it, and managing to finish it was huge for me at the time. In the Dead Boy Detectives fandom, I simply adore your fangs in my neck (like an anchor like a vow). The idea felt so dumb when I first had it and writing it was sooooo indulgent, but when I hit the sweet spot and everything fell into place it just felt so right? I also feel some type of way about so I try to talk refined, those self-esteem issues just get me, man, my throat gets tight every time, and I’m the one writing it! 😅 And of course, to the pain, my lovely little gory, grief-filled but cathartic angst fest. God, I never expected it’d become one of my favorite projects when I started writing it, I just couldn’t get the premise out of my head! But it grew so much and I honestly love the way it developed (I agonized over that sex scene for so long before figuring out that Edwin bringing back the focus on what had happened to Charles brought it all together perfectly). I’m taking my time with the ending because I want to give it the finale it deserves, but it’s already one of my absolute favorite fics I’ve ever written.

Tagging @lolotr, @oatflatwhite, @dont-offend-the-bees, @williamvapespeare, and anyone who wants to do this! ❤️💕

[bluemoonscape]

I'M HERE AGAIN TO BOTHER YOU

may I have. Some songs. And lyrics. You'd like to associate with my son thank you (no need to reply to this it's fine I just love overanalyzing over lyrics)

I LOVE ANALYZING LYRICS TOO POOKIE, BOTHER ME ANYTIME, I need a break from reading a textbook. On US politics. And it’s an online textbook so I can’t feel the paper and engage myself. My brain is melting

In my mind, THE Faust song would be “I’m Your Man” by Mitski. I said it in my last Faust post and I’ll say it again *grabs and shakes you* DOG SYMBOLISM. Faust, when he finds reason to invest himself in somebody, can’t do such a thing in small measure. He puts his entire being into it to the point where he risks destroying himself. He sees Will as his salvation; by being the kind of person for Will that he could’ve used long ago, he can save him, and by this logic, save himself. This comes across perfectly in those opening lines: “You’re an angel, I’m a dog / Or you’re a dog and I’m your man / You believe me like a God / I betray you like I am.”

And in the Hannibal verse for him, if Will marries Molly as per the canon in S3, Faust feels abandoned not only by Hannibal post-S2, but now Will, too. And yet he can’t detach himself from those relationships. He can’t make himself forget. (Fic spinoff plan go brrrrr) Look me in the eyes and tell me this isn’t that:

My Mitski propaganda is going strong with our son

The second song I’m picking for lyrical relevance to Faust’s character is “The Man Who Sold the World” originally written and performed by David Bowie, though my preferred version is the Nirvana cover—either works, however. This song is just the essence of Faust and works for any verse, Hannibal verse included, of course. The lyrics make me think of his relationship with the man who taught him to hunt in his time of need, then turned on Faust, leading Faust to kill and cannibalize him, thus symbolically turning him into the hunter:

“We passed upon the stair / We spoke of was and when / Although I wasn't there / He said I was his friend

Which came as some surprise / I spoke into his eyes / ‘I thought you died alone / A long, long time ago’

‘Oh no, not me / I never lost control / You're face to face / With the man who sold the world.’”

This first half of the song, to me, is the beginning of their arrangement and leading up to the end, in which Faust consumes the hunter and feeds him to his group, which, again, symbolically represents his own Becoming (think Matthew in S2 saying “I’ll be the Chesapeake Ripper now” and Hannibal’s reply of “You’ll have to eat me”):

“I laughed and shook his hand / And made my way back home / I searched for form and land / For years and years, I roamed

I gazed a gazeless stare / At all the millions here / We must have died alone / A long, long time ago

Who knows? Not me / We never lost control / You're face to face / With the man who sold the world (x2)”

NEXT UP (yes I’m still blabbing I really hate that textbook) “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode. Once again, it’s a song that I feel describes Faust’s relationship with Will and Hannibal very well, and I think the lyrics could be taken either way. Faust wants to be Will’s savior, yet he ALSO views Will as his own savior. With Hannibal, I’d imagine he feels saved in some sense by Hannibal’s understanding and acceptance of the darker parts of him:

“Reach out, touch faith / Your own personal Jesus / Someone to hear your prayers / Someone who cares / Your own personal Jesus / Someone to hear your prayers / Someone who's there”

This song is the side of Faust with the good old savior complex.

The last song I’m going to analyze by lyrics is “The Yawning Grave” by Lord Huron and then I’ll just drop a few Faust songs that just seem fitting to me :D

“The Yawning Grave” describes through its lyrics and eerie tone what can only be described as a supernatural situation, as well as a general message of “you shouldn’t meddle with things you cannot understand” WHICH IS VERY FAUST.

“I know the rain like the clouds know the sky / I speak to birds and tell them where to fly / I sing the songs that you hear on the breeze / I write the names of the rocks and the trees

Oh, you fool, there are rules I am coming for you / (You can run but you can’t escape) / Darkness brings evil things, oh, the reckoning begins / (You have opened the yawning grave)

I tried to warn you when you were a child / I told you not to get lost in the wild / I sent omens and all kinds of signs / I taught you melodies, poems, and rhymes”

Once again, this feels reminiscent of Faust’s dynamic with the hunter, and it represents his own hunger for knowledge and how dangerous it is.

For some extra general Faust songs, No Return by Anna Waronker, Eat Your Young by Hozier, and Everybody Wants to Rule the World (original version or Lorde version but Lorde pops off with the creepy vocals). Ok I disappear into the void of education now

[mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea]

10 Questions for Writers

10 Questions for Writers tagged by @sunnysideprincess

1. how many works do you have on AO3?

156, but two or three of those are Round Robins I participated in, and two are collabfics. The rest are all mine, though.

2. what’s your total AO3 word count?

902,447

3. what fandoms do you write for?

Marvel is my main squeeze fandom, but I've got one Stranger Things fic up and I want to write a few more. I've got a tiny Hannibal fic up, one solitary M*A*S*H that had been a request of one of my besties (and that was definitely enough and I love that show), and there's a Contrarywise/Trickster's Touch ficlet up. Oh yeah, and I have a few Bill and Ted fics up and some other random old stuff that I finally stuck on my AO3 (Lost Boys, From Hell)

4. do you respond to comments? why or why not?

Always. First off, it's so rare these days to get comments because of all the reasons/excuses people give for not leaving comments on fics that to get comments is such a treasure and joy, so of course, I'm going to comment back. Second, if some of those reasons/excuses are true (shyness, anxiety, awkwardness) then I'm doubly grateful for the people who do comment - esp if they are commenting while anxious/shy/awkward - that I want to make sure they realize that their comments are appreciated and that they are not bothering me with their comments. Though I still don't understand that concern. If a writer doesn't want comments on their fics, they'll set it up so that no one will comment. If we've got our comments open, we want comments and you're never bothering us with them.

5. have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so. Given how wildly unpopular I seem to be as a writer, I can't imagine anyone wanting to steal what I've written.

6. have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yep. I've got two collabfics up on AO3 that I wrote with @scottxlogan, and we've got two more in the wings just needing to be finished so I can post them up.

7. what’s your all-time favorite ship?

No. I don't have one all-time favorite ship. I have many favorite ships - Loki/Tony Stark, Loki/Bucky Barnes, Loki/Steve Rogers, Loki/Emma Frost, Loki/Justin Hammer (don't give me that look, they're fun), Tony/Bucky, Tony/Steve, Tony/Scott Summers, Tony/Emma Frost, Steve/Bucky, Steve/Scott Summers, Steve/Emma, Scott/Logan, Scott/Bobby, Scott/Kurt... I mean, that's just the Marvel list, and it's not even a complete one. There's also Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, and so many others from other fandoms that I may not write for but I like to read.

8. what are your writing strengths?

Apparently humor, Easter Eggs, dialogue, fluff, sexy times, and making people hungry by including food into so many fics.

9. what are your writing weaknesses?

World building if I'm having to create a world from scratch. I can do it, but it's a lot of work and then I get stressed. I used to world-build in rp writing with my former roommate, and when we quit writing, I thought I might take some of our old rps and turn them into og fiction, but there are some that are so wildly extensive in the world building that I will probably stick to re-reading them and not actually trying to re-write them into og fiction.

10. first fandom you wrote for?

If we're talking the first time I ever wrote fanfiction without knowing that fanfiction was a word, that'd be the Children of the Corn fanfic I wrote when I was 12-13. It was in pencil, and it was big time Mary Sue, and I don't even have it anymore because over many decades, the pencil faded/smudged, and I'm pretty sure I tossed it into the trash. (It was sooooooooooooooooooo bad.) The first fandom I was in once I knew what fanfiction was - Jay and Silent Bob. Yes, I still have those fics, and no they aren't posted anywhere, and they won't be. With the exception of a Loki series fic I wrote that has a tiny crossover with Dogma (that was called a therapy fic), I won't go back to that fandom.

Thanks for the tag!

Tagging: @mistressofmuses, @stormxpadme, @soliloquent-stark, @whinysteve, @kleenexwoman, @mcfiddlestan, @chaotic-hypnotic-erotic, @chaoticgardenbread, and anyone else who wants to play!

[novemberthewriter]

Hi! Thanks for the reblog! 🤗 You mentioned being into writing that explores the "meta part" of fanfic - YES!! Are there other people who do this/fics you can recommend?

yes indeeeed. below are works surrounding this topic i've really enjoyed over the past decade:

-> TRAD PUB. BOOKS

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell [link to NPR review] this came out when i was finishing high school + starting to get disillusioned w HP (for story reasons & 'the author is Unforgivably Shitty' reasons lol) so i was very intrigued with how this book worked as a metacommentary abt HP (seriously, it felt like the book was deconstructing a lot of the issues fans had with the o.g. canon) while being a cute fantasy in its own right. i haven't checked out the sequels yet

New Waves by Kevin Nguyen [link to LA Times review] i read this a year or two ago and enjoyed what it had to say about online vs IRL friendships, grief, hustle culture, and creative identity.

-> FANFIC PROJECTS

running after two hares by chaparral_crown on ao3 this is probably my favorite fic of all time. no exaggeration. i have the whole thing printed out on 200+ pages of copy paper bound with comically large binder clips. and it's not even finished! there's this fanon concept called HEU (Hannibal Extended Universe) where people consider all of the different characters that the main actors played outside the show (in other shows, film, etc) to be connected to the showverse. for some reason i've never been able to suspend my disbelief enough to get into a lot of HEU content. i'm picky about fic just as i am with any other creative writing i engage with -- i have been for most of my life. THEN. i come across this author's insanely popular HEU fic, and i've read non-HEU stuff from them before that i adored, so i figure 'why not' ... and this 'crack treated seriously' quickly became one of my fav things ever. the prose alone is so masterful. and it's such a DENSE read, like, you really gotta slow down to appreciate all the introspective asides and jokes and commentary about the text (show) and metacommentary about how unusual pairings thrive, inside and outside of fiction.

Starsky & Hutch Virtual Season [link to Fanlore wiki] i got into S&H fandom in 2012. i remember how intrigued i was at the concept of the Virtual Season, which had its heyday a decade before i got into the online fandom. this kind of fan activity is the precursor, imo, to stuff like people calling installments of their webnovels 'episodes', the concept of a 'dream season' (ex: how hannibal ppl talk about how season 4 would play out if the show hadn't been cancelled), etc. people weren't just writing serialized fic, they were cultivating a really unique Experience

-> COMMENTATORS / ESSAYISTS

Shipper's Guide to the Galaxy (has not updated their channel in years but has such a huge backlog of thoughtful content about the relationship between media and its fans, including entire segments dedicated to fic recs)

Fionapollo (discovered them recently! i used to watch a lot of art commentary channels that preceded this one, and i'm obsessed w this channel because they focus more on the philosophy of creative practice & cultivating community between fans and media, rather than feeding into toxicity for views. they cover negative topics sometimes, yeah, but not in a sensationalist way at all. super refreshing)

[nalyra-dreaming]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for the tag @o0anapher0o!! This was such a fun thing to do, thank you so much!!

How many works do you have on ao3? 113

What’s your total ao3 word count? 1,860,349 ... 👀

What fandoms do you write for? Hannibal, IWTV, Naruto

Top 5 fics by kudos A change of color (Naruto) Divination (Hannibal (TV)) A twist of fate, forcing our hands (Hannibal (TV)) Blood in my veins (Naruto) Baptism (Hannibal (TV))

Do you respond to comments? I do, sometimes it takes a moment (like right now, sorry guys), but yes, I do.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Oof... I think that might be "A void for my heart"

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Errrrrrr.... maybe "Oh hey, you're mine (sweetheart)"

Do you get hate on fics? Yes. Only in IWTV though, lol

Do you write smut? Yes. :)

Craziest crossover I was challenged to a "Valhalla Rising/Jagten" crossover, both in which Mads Mikkelsen plays the main part, it resulted in "Two sides of the same coin"

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I'm aware of

Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes. "A blackish red hue" (the series which started with "Baptism" and which I put into a book) was translated at some point. Though I'm not sure where I have the link 🤪

Have you ever co-written a fic before? No.

All time favourite ship? Loustat, bc of the dynamic. Looking at my other favorite ships that... shows (lol 🙈)

What’s a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? "The teeth that ache". Original vampire lore Hannibal rewrite. I... lost the energy for it at some point, halfway through, unfortunately.

What are your writing strengths? I think I can evoke emotions quite well. Also, I almost never go back and edit, for me it... is just word by word clicking into place.

What are your writing weaknesses? I need to have absolute peace and quiet for writing or else it's not happening. I also rely on the reader's knowledge of the world for my fics, sometimes maybe too much.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language? Mhhhh depends. I like to include snippets if I know that what I write there is correct *laughs*

First fandom you wrote in? Forever Knight. AGES ago.

Favourite fic you’ve written? "Flowers, fangs and kisses", maybe, followed by "A change of color". The former was just so fun to write, while the other... saved my sanity through covid.

This was so fun! Tagging @cbrownjc, @faerywhimsy, @angstosaur, @suikamelon6, @riley-beautrelle, @virginiaisforvampires and whoever wants to :)

[butchkaramazov]

i've been noticing the lack of fics surrounding alana bloom, margot verger, beverly katz & other women of hannibal & it makes my gay heart ache.

which brings me to the main question:

(OTPs include alana bloom x margot verger, abigail x marissa, maybe beverly x bedelia, and of course hannigram)

[shachaai]

Okay, so I'm still having trouble accessing Discord and AO3, but the spotty internet I'm having atm is still leagues better than the no internet that was my October. Still, using my time being productive so in the past few days I've:

Fixed all the broken tags on the Gods AU blog (and added a few more new ones) that have been broken for years now. You're welcome. (And yes, this is a reminder that that AU has a blog.)

Did a whole heap of work for the Gods AU in general, including tidying up a fairly exhaustive list of chronological events from the creation of the Universe to Lusus/Albion's kids' reaching young adulthood annnnd -

Listing out all 90 characters of the Gods AU and finding names for 86 of them. (I'm so tired.)

Baked 86 cupcakes (and decorated 42 of them) for a family member's milestone birthday party this weekend.

Adapted chapters 1-3 of my Hannibal fic, The Lindworm's Lullaby, to the Hetalia engport version I keep promising y'all. (I am so excited to share this version with Hetalia peeps in December, I really really am.)

Also been rewriting Terra et Mare Incognita Chapter 1 as I realise that's been my hang-up with Chapter 2? So also writing Chapter 2.

I darned like. Four whole socks. Glam life.

[vanmarkus]

Hi hello i want to deliver a gently kissed thank you note for being incredibly cool about fiction!

It’s wonderful to see people being outspoken FOR the existence of dark and disturbing fiction even if they don’t partake themselves. That’s so important 🖤 so thank you, so much, for being awesome!

aww you are entirely too kind, it's literally the least i could do 💛💛

i mean we have enough discourse in every fandom at all times about everything, but imo half of it wouldn't be relevant if people could just separate fiction from reality.

fiction is the place where you can engage with problematic, dark, dangerous and well, fucked up materials without actually harming anyone or coming to harm yourself. yes, this includes all the qoute unqoute "yucky" stuff like underage and noncon and so on. but ever since we had ao3 and its wonderful tagging system, people can just look at a fic and say "well that sounds gross to me" and then scroll past.

people writing about incest are mostly not about to jump their siblings, they are just fascinated by a dynamic, people writing about noncon are very often people who claim back control this way — or again, just fascinated by the inner workings of someone doing something like that or it happening to someone.

that's fiction's job.

people who wrote and directed and acted in Hannibal are not cannibalistic serial killers, people writing crime investigation stories aren't either. the concept is pretty simple and in my experience the people who don't get that have a lot of double standards in other areas too.

in any case, i'm glad that post and the tags resonated with you and i thank you for you kind message 💛

[spnfanficpond]

New Member Spotlight - June/July 2023

The Pond is always growing and we want to make our new members feel welcome! Here’s a list of recent additions to our fishy family, along with a little info about them!

Turtles

@lacilou -

Other fandoms? - Walker

Looking for in the Pond? - More Sam Winchester stories

Something to signal boost? - I have a TikTok! lulu_dances_with_moose

Pairings you read? - Sam Winchester x Reader

Genres you read? - All

Favorite writer(s)? - @uncouth-the-fifth @thinkinghardhardlythinking @deanwinchesterswitch

@sandwitch-of-solidarity -

Other SM names? - Discord: bean119

OTP? - Destiel, Samwena

Other fandoms? - Hannibal, Good Omens, OFMD

Looking for in the Pond? - Good fic recs!

Pairings you read? - Destiel, Samwena

Genres you read? - All, especially long fics

Favorite writer(s)? - @sobsicles, but it changes every week

@perpetualabsurdity -

Looking for in the Pond? - More Jensen/Dean content 😊

Pairings you read? - Jensen/reader, Jensen/OFC, Dean/reader, Dean/OFC

Genres you read? - Smut, mostly, but really all

Favorite writer(s)? - @luci-in-trenchcoats, @smol-and-grumpy, @supernatural-jackles

@fuiabarcelos -

Other SM names? - Discord: Fuiabarcelos, TikTok: princess_of.hell

OTP? - Destiel

Other fandoms? - Yes! I really like Julie and the phantoms and Taylor Swift.

Looking for in the Pond? - After the show ended I felt that the brazilian fanfic writers (I'm from brazil) disappeared a little, that's when I met Tumblr and AO3. I usually write fanfics in portuguese, but I'm still learning english and I thought that Pond would be a great place to improve it and, more importantly, make writer friends.

Something to signal boost? - In my wattpad profile, there are many stories of the Supernatural (all in Portuguese), but I'll leave here the link to my favorite. I know there probably won't be anyone who understands Portuguese, but google chrome has an option to translate it, in case anyone is interested. Warrior. For fans of Taylor Swift, I made some Sam's wallpapers inspired by her albums.

Pairings you read? - Mostly reader inserts.

Genres you read? - I usually read smut, fuff, Angst. My favorites are Fluff and Angst. I also like Soulmates Au, stories where the reader is some magical being and, my favorite of all, stories inspired by songs.

Favorite writer(s)? - @thinkinghardhardlythinking @princessmisery666 @queen-of-deans-booty @impala-dreamer @holylulusworld and many more!

Guppies, Jellies, and Mutuals, oh, my!

@ladynightskye -

Other SM names? - Discord: LadyKnightSkye

OTP? - Multishipper with a preference for Dean/Lucifer & Lucifer/Castiel

Other fandoms? - Multiple, but Halo, Far Cry 5, and Fire Emblem currently

Looking for in the Pond? - Kinda just wanna hang out.

Something to signal boost? - Apple Pie and the Apocalypse

Pairings you read? - Most pairings including Lucifer or Dean

Genres you read? - Au, mostly, and smut.

What do you like to write? - Alternate universes are my jam. I admittedly like taking these characters and putting them into fantasy Situations. Also lately I’ve been very into genderbending Dean.

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - Fleur de feu

PurpleEdge (AO3 only) -

Other SM names? - Discord: PurpleEdge

Looking for in the Pond? - I would like to discuss writing stuff and SPN stuff with other fans/writers.

Pairings you read? - I'm not into romantic shipping, but I love the Winchesters family dynamics - Sam & Dean, and John & the boys.

Genres you read? - Mostly Discipline fics, whump, and angst, but I'll read whatever's good.

Favorite writer(s)? - ReaperTownUSA on AO3

What do you like to write? - Discipline fics, slavery tropes, angst, gen, family dynamics, family fluff. I've posted one smut fic, but I'm not sure if I'll do more.

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - No Rest

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - Currently I think I've tried at least once all the tropes/genres that I like. There may be things out there that I'm not aware of, and I hope that being in this community will help me discover them.

@ani-coolgirl -

Other SM names? - Discord: aniciel, AO3: ani_coolgirl

OTP? - Wincest

Looking for in the Pond? - I would just like to expand my readership and makes some friends to share ideas with.

Something to signal boost? - I'm currently working on writing a wincest fic for every episode of the show. I recently started season 5:I'm currently working on writing a wincest fic for every episode of the show. I recently started season 5: Every First Time on AO3.

Pairings you read? - Wincest

Genres you read? - Smut and angst (but I prefer a happy ending), but I enjoy me a good fluffy fic.

Favorite writer(s)? - @zmediaoutlet

What do you like to write? - Angst, plotty drama I'll never finish, smut

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - Cuckoos in Glass Houses

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - I'm too nervous to post chapter fics because I have problems with follow through. I have epics in my brain that have yet to see the light of day because I never get past chapter 2!

@foxyjwls007 -

Other SM names? - It's the same for FB and IG

Looking for in the Pond? - To be a better writer and get help putting my work out for people to read.

Pairings you read? - Dean, Sam, Cas reader inserts

Genres you read? - All

Favorite writer(s)? - @lucidlivi, @zepskies, @spnexploration, @littlefreya, @sillyrabbit81, and many more

What do you like to write? - Fluff, smut, some angst, ofc, au

Masterlist? - I have no masterlist. Have only posted one work so far.

Most underappreciated fic? - Veggie Tale

@dawn-petrichor-world -

Other SM names? - Discord: Dawn-petrichor-world

OTP? - Destiel

Other fandoms? - I'm multi fandom, Pedro Pascal characters, marvel, Tolkien and more

Pairings you read? - Dean, Crowley, Castiel, & Sam reader inserts

Genres you read? - All

Favorite writer(s)? - @holylulusworld

What do you like to write? - Mostly angst and smut

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - The Story of my Life (series)

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - I have a lot I haven't written yet and I'd love to write. Because I'm feeling stupid an idiot and not good. I think and hope join a group could boost or help me to write. I still don't know how.

@gloriousmooseman -

Other SM names? - Discord: taylorbeans

OTP? - Wincest

Other fandoms? - Doctor Who/Torchwood, Marvel, HP, some rpf

Looking for in the Pond? - Just to meet like minded people and make new friends!

Pairings you read? - Wincest, Drarry (HP)

Genres you read? - I love a bit of domestic fluff.

Favorite writer(s)? - @astolat is a classic!

What do you like to write? - Wincest

Masterlist!

@rominaszh -

Other SM names? - Discord: rominaszd.dis

OTP? - Destiel alongside many many others

Other fandoms? - Yes, a lot.

Looking for in the Pond? - Just to enjoy the fandom.

Pairings you read? - Destiel mostly, but anything Jensen Ackles related as well

Genres you read? - All

Favorite writer(s)? - I'm in love with everything I read, everyone is so talented!

What do you like to write? - I write mostly angst but fluff and humor is my favorite.

Masterlist!

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - I have never written any Destiel fics because I don't feel confident enough to write them accurately and in a way that they deserve, but someday I would love to.

@limeskye -

Other SM names? - Discord: limeskye Other: psmalcolmbright

OTP? - Destiel

Other fandoms? - Prodigal Son

Looking for in the Pond? - To share the SPN love!

Pairings you read? - Destiel mostly, but also other slash pairings on occasion.

Genres you read? - Depends on my mood.

Favorite writer(s)? - @felisblanco

Masterlist? - I've only ever ficced for Prodigal Son before as have always felt the spn fandom is flooded with so many great writers. But who knows what the future holds. I've gifted for other stuff, mostly Prodigal Son and whump stuff.

That's all for this month, folks! (If we're missing anyone, let us know and we'll add them to next month's list!) Make sure to say hi to the newbies and make them feel welcome! Thanks to all from @manawhaat, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @princessmisery666, @thoughtslikeaminefield, @katbratsupernaturalwhore and @heavenssexiestangel!

[echoes-lighthouse]

Hiya Echo!! 💖 👀💻 💭 💋 please!! 

Thank you thank you!! I am sooooo tired today and this was nice to type out. (writing ask game!)

💖 What do you like most about your own writing?

I try really hard to make sure I can picture everyone saying their lines, so when I reread them, it's nice because everyone sounds like themselves.

👀 Do you have any WIPs that you would never let see the light of day? If yes, what are they about?

I don't often write just for myself, I've got a few unfinished self-insert fics floating around. I think my American Horror Story one is probably too self indulgent to ever be published, honestly.

💻 Do you do research for your fics? What’s the deepest dive you’ve done?

I try not to do too much research, but for my IWTV fanfiction I did a ridiculous amount of reading trying to figure out common mistakes learning Italian. And whenever I have Latin in one of my fics it's always an enormous pain in the butt -- people argue over every single translation in Latin language forums.

💭 What is a headcanon you have about your own work?

In my IWTV fanfiction, my self-insert flippantly sticks one of their drawings on the wall and comes back later to find that it's been framed and carefully hung at the same angle as it was stuck at with tape. They assume that it was Armand because of the detail of the angle, but it was actually Louis that framed it and Armand who adjusted it to match the original position. The fact is not included in the fanfiction, but it is nevertheless the truth.

💋 Freeform - Fun fact about one of your fics

Over on my agere writing blog, there's a Hannibal/reader fic that I've been coming back to periodically for two whole years and I've never managed to get past the first 200 words, I just keep restarting and getting stuck. It's turning into my white whale at this point.

[agerefandom]

10 Favourite Regression Dynamics

I’ve made lists of some characters I headcanon as regressors, and characters I headcanon as caregivers: and I love a good ‘character and reader’ dynamic, but here are some canon dynamics that I LOVE to add age regression to! 

Important note: these aren’t necessarily romantic ‘ships’ and they might not be healthy age regression dynamics but they’re dynamics I find it rewarding to write about! 

1. regressor!Will and caregiver!Hannibal (NBC Hannibal) 

Starting strong with a regression dynamic that is not healthy but it is such an interesting thing to add to their existing codependence! Will gives me such agere vibes and Hannibal’s existing trauma around his big brother history make this such an interesting dynamic to explore. It definitely tilts the power balance faaaar in the direction of someone who will take the opportunity to do terrible things with it, but that’s basically what you’re signing up for with any story about Hannibal Lecter. 

2. regressor!Jack and caregiver!Bitty (Check Please!) 

No one exudes stronger caregiver vibes than Bitty: I’m definitely a supporter of this as a double-flip pairing (with both regressing and caregiving) but I want the sad hockey man to get cuddles, goshdarnit, and you know that Bitty would just be the sweetest most thoughtful caregiver and I just gah they’re already such a good pairing with such canonically developed communication as a couple and I would love to see that skill applied to something as vulnerable as regression 

 3. regressor!Harry and caregiver!Sirius (Harry Potter) 

If anyone deserves a chance at a second childhood, it’s Harry Potter. And I think that when he connected with Sirius as a young teen, he really saw that possibility. I think it would be so sweet to see Sirius actually able to give Harry that full parenting: both at the age he is now, and all the ages that he missed. I just strongly feel like Harry is a regressor, and as much as I like writing him with peers supporting him, I feel like he deserves a real parent figure who can support him in that role in and out of regression, especially in his teen years. 

4. regressor!Jon and caregiver!avatars (Magnus Archives) 

Okay, this is more of a whump thing than a good dynamic, but I just want to see little!Jon dealing with avatars when they’re being nice to him, and it’s like 90% manipulation but it’s also a bunch of monsters being sweet and you can kind of read it as genuine if you squint. I’ve got a vision and it includes literally any of the not-quite-human characters of the Magnus Archives, ranging from the mostly-sweet (End!Gerry) to the completely-terrifying (Bouchard). 

5. regressor!Tony, caregiver!Pepper (Marvel) 

This is the first pairing that ever made me run to write regression fanfiction, and I do believe that I would not be an agere writer without them. Ironically, I’ve never finished and published any of my fics about them, but they have my whole heart. Taking Tony’s earlier unthinking dependence on Pepper and bringing it back in a healthy way, with limits and negotiation and emotional vulnerability, showing how much they’ve grown as a couple? Yes please!! 

6. regressor!Cullens, caregivers!Carlisle and Esme (Twilight)

I am such! a! sucker! for immortal beings finding a way to reclaim the concept of time and childhood. Carlisle and Esme canonically find a lot of value in being parents, and considering that they’re such a range of ages, I think that regression is a neat way to create that dynamic, and I just like big groups of regressors in a family and it scratches all of those interests in one!! 

7. regressor!Morty, flip!Rick (Rick and Morty) 

It’s the toxicity for me!!! I make no claims that this would be a good thing, but also I enjoy writing about the things that trigger Rick’s ‘oh shit I have feelings’ mode and you can’t tell me that regression would not key into that, both in his own experiences as a flip and then having to face it as part of Morty’s trauma. And Morty simultaneously trying to get away into independence but getting drawn back by Rick’s kindness in this single circumstance ties into all of the terrible themes of the show. 

8. regressor/caregiver flips Dean and Sam (Supernatural) 

Speaking of codependence, I cannot choose which of these boys is more symbolically resonant to have as a regressor, and both of them certainly have enough trauma to make it a viable coping mechanism. I think they have the art of balancing each other down to an art: especially in the early seasons, you can really see that process in the way they take turns being the Angry one. Writing about that balance in the context of regression is an interesting concept, and then the way that Dean relates to caregiving versus needing care, and Sam’s desperation to be the reliable one... it’s just a lot of tasty angst to play with alongside the sweet opportunity for a childhood without the war they were raised to fight. 

9. regressor!Erik, caregiver!Christine (Phantom of the Opera) 

Okay, this one is like ninety percent for the aesthetics, because you do need to do some handwaving over canon to make it fluffy. But Erik needs reparenting, and flipping the relationship from the original dynamic with Erik as a kind of father-figure is a nice way to reclaim the story from the original gothic maiden themes. 

10. regressor!Dave, caregiver!Roxy (Homestuck)

All hail my Ride Or Die regression dynamic!!! It’s basically canon and I stand by that! Dave called her mom and said that it feels nice to think of her as a mom because he had such a mixed experience with his own parental figure. And she’s got her own complicated feelings about parenthood and guardianship, but says that she likes it when Dave calls her mom, and it all just makes me very happy.  

This has been my TEDtalk on my favourite regression dynamics!! Thank you for coming!!