character-a-character-b

[character-a-character-b]

[FFVIII] Staring at the sun (2/8)

At a loss for words, she simply nodded. He kept watching her, moving his fingers on her picture. “There’s nothing true in here. The light is made to flatter you. Colors are studied. There’s styling. Make-up is used to mask. This is crafted.” He followed the line of her face on her picture, lingering just above her eyes. A shudder crept along her back. “These are not.” [In which Squall, renowned black-and-white photographer, sees something raw and true he can't ignore in Rinoa's eyes.]

Characters: Rinoa Heartilly, Squall Leonheart Pairings: Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart - barely mentioned Seifer Almasy/Quistis Trepe, and hinted Irvine Kinneas/Selphie Tilmitt Additional tags: Slow Burn, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt, Artist/Muse Relationship, Mutual Pining, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Intimacy, Non-Explicit Sex, Alternate Universe, Photography, Music, Forbidden Attraction, Creative Process as Intimacy, unspoken feelings, Yearning Chapter: II. Exposure: Dissonance Written for:

@ffviiiotpfestival - prompt Music makes sense now, by @angelosearch;

@julybreakbingoevent and @julybreakbingo, prompt free space (AU muse/artist) and word: disagreement

@monthlywritingchallenges, Golden Hour event, prompt window glow, silence shared and fingertips brushing

@character-a-character-b November Bingo card, emotion edition, prompt free space (AU muse/artist)

Read on AO3 | FF.net (links are to Chapter 1)

[character-a-character-b]

"Love Without Limits" Flash Fest Awards!

We're thrilled to announce that the awards for "Love Without Limits" Flash Fest hosted by @stars-forever have been given out!

Congratulations to all the writers who won an award, and thank you to everyone who took the time to write and vote for the Flash Fest!

Our Discord Server Link is: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

[character-a-character-b]

Voting and awards for "Love Without Limits" Flash Fest, will continue on schedule.

The Archive is currently experiencing issues; it is not currently possible to use tags when making a new AO3 bookmark. We are working on a fix. Refer to our status page for more information and updates.

Posted: 06:11 UTC July 4, 2025

[character-a-character-b]

Depending on when AO3 comes back online, we may need to extend the voting period and push back the award announcements for the "Love Without Limits" Flash Fest. We'll share more information as AO3 provides updates.

Bookmark creation errors

We are investigating an issue with 500 errors when creating bookmarks. Refer to our status page for more information and updates.

Posted: 05:50 UTC July 3, 2025

[character-a-character-b]

Hello, I saw your love without limits fest and it sounds amazing. But I'm curious about what exactly counts as poly relationships? It's probably perfectly obvious to most people, but anxiety brain and everything. Could you maybe offer some examples?

Sorry to bother and thank you.

Hi Anonymous,

First, thank you so much for the kind words about the fest, which really means a lot to us. And second, no worries at all about your question, it is totally valid!

For this flash fest, a poly relationship means any relationship that includes more than two people who are all emotionally connected in some way. That connection can be romantic, platonic, queerplatonic, or some mix of those. There just has to be some kind of relationship between everyone involved.

I know that popular examples would be ships like Bucky/Steve/Tony or Castiel/Dean/Sam. It could be a full triad where everyone’s involved with everyone else, or more of a “V” shape where one person is connected to two others who aren’t necessarily involved with each other. 

[character-a-character-b]

Love Without Limits: Flash Fest

The Flash Fest, "Love Without Limits" hosted by @stars-forever has has started!

A flash festival meant to celebrate canon and non-canon polyamorous relationships. The prompts for this event will all focus on everyday dynamics between the individuals in the relationships!

Our Discord Server Link is: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

[character-a-character-b]

just a heads up to my fellow writers out there that AO3 is currently fighting off bots commenting on people’s works to tell them that AO3 will delete their fics “due to the works being deprecated”, and the deletion will affect their accounts unless the authors delete the fics themselves first. IT IS A SCAM. AO3 will NOT delete your works. please do NOT fall for these bots!

I’ve been told the reason why these bots are doing this is due to copyright infringement issue where they’re trying to steal your works (possibly to train AI but this is just a guess) ‼️‼️‼️and once you deleted your fics, it will be either very difficult or impossible for you to claim ownership of your own fics when they were already deleted.‼️‼️‼️

a reminder that AO3 will never contact you through your comments section (in case they claim to be one of the moderators). AO3 will only contact you through your email address which you use to register your account, and it will be from AO3’s official handle. not some sketchy ass @

so if you get a comment telling you you should “delete your works to protect your account because AO3 is doing blah blah blah” report that comment. don’t delete your works.

PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THESE SCAM.

AO3 IS NOT DELETING WORKS.

DO NOT DELETE YOUR WORKS JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE CLAIMS THEY KNOW SOMETHING.

[character-a-character-b]

"Patterns" Flash Fest Awards!

We're thrilled to announce that the awards for "Patterns" Flash Fest hosted by @rynrising44 have been given out!

Congratulations to all the writers who won an award, and thank you to everyone who took the time to write and vote for the Flash Fest!

Our Discord Server Link is: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

[character-a-character-b]

Wow, now there's a bot going around on Ao3 telling people that the "moderators" will delete works from "deprecated" fandoms and impose bans.

Fearmongering bullshit, but it's fearmongering bullshit that seems to be taking advantage of the recent spotlight series in order to trick authors into deleting their fics.

Just. Why.

What the hell does anyone get out of making these bots.

[character-a-character-b]

"If my book is not perfect then-"

Then what? People will actually discuss it? fill your plotholes with fanfiction and headcanons?

People dont care about perfection. perfection is boring. if your story is perfect people will forget about it. its how we are wired. we remember the strange, the weird and all things left open.

Perfection isnt the goal, interesting is

[character-a-character-b]

Patterns: Prompts Available

There are still prompts available for "Patterns" flash fest.

"Humans love patterns. There's a reason why tropes are tropes, cliche or not, and this flash fest is to celebrate all the ways we writers pair characters together. Prompts range from ideas/suggestions to pictures to situations, and you are free to interpret them anyway you would like."

Thank you to @rynrising44 for hosting this flash fest!

Our Discord Server Link is: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

[character-a-character-b]

Hey, stop scrolling and start writing. The book ain't gonna write itself.

[character-a-character-b]

Patterns: Flash Fest

The Flash Fest, "Patterns" hosted by @rynrising44 has officially started!

"Humans love patterns. There's a reason why tropes are tropes, cliche or not, and this flash fest is to celebrate all the ways we writers pair characters together. Prompts range from ideas/suggestions to pictures to situations, and you are free to interpret them anyway you would like."

Our Discord Server Link is: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

[character-a-character-b]

Corrections!

The Whispers on the Wind Award goes to @RynRose4 for "Here to stay"!

The Evolving Echoes Award goes to @MimiHylea for A Path to Honor!

The full list of everyone who won awards:

Awards: Winds of Change

Here are the awards for the "Winds of Change” flash fest. This is the biggest flash fest we have had so far, with 12 submissions!

I am sorry for the delay in posting the awards. The last couple of days have been busy as I, @stars-forever, try to study for my finals.

Information about this Flash Fest can be found here: https://www.tumblr.com/character-a-character-b/781449320544288768/winds-of-change-flash-fest?source=share

The awards for the "Winds of Change" flash fest go to:

The Shifting Skies Award goes to @ReesieReads for "Perception" and @sunflower1me for "Dreamchaser"!

The Rooted in Change Award goes to @EvilToTheCore13 for "Is This Annihilation, Or Metamorphosis?"!

The Whispers on the Wind Award goes to @MimiHylea for "A Path to Honor"!

The Evolving Echoes Award goes to @MimiHylea for "A Path to Honor"!

The New Horizons Award goes to @EvilToTheCore13 for "Is This Annihilation, Or Metamorphosis?" and @the-sparkling-diamond-satine for "all of me is reeling, shed that sinking feeling (now i’m never letting you go)"!

The Sudden Shift Award goes to @thespyfromconnecticut "The Only Constant"!

The Winds of Change Award goes to @sunflower1me for "Dreamchaser"!

15 different fandoms were represented: Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005), Chuck (TV), Endeavour (TV), Glee (TV 2009), Inspector Morse (TV), Moulin Rouge! (2001), Moulin Rouge!: The Musical - Various/Logan, NCIS: Sydney, Persona Series, Persona 2, Savvy Series - Ingrid Law, Shall We Date?: Obey Me! (Video Game), Stardew Valley (Video Game), Sunrise On The Reaping - Suzanne Collins, and Tortall - Tamora Pierce.

The full list of everyone who won awards!

If there is a spelling mistake on your award, or would like your name to be changed please DM, the host, @stars-forever or @character-a-character-b.

Also, if you claimed a prompt during this flash fest event and didn’t have a chance to post your story you can still post them, the collection is no longer moderated, so it should just let the story be added but if it doesn't, I will make sure that they are added. There is no deadline or time limit when it comes to this.

Congratulations to everyone who won an award, and thank you to everyone who took the time to write and vote for this flash fest!

Links

The AO3 Collection Link: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Winds_of_Change

The Discord Server Link: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

The Tumblr Blog Link: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/character-a-character-b

[character-a-character-b]

Awards: Winds of Change

Here are the awards for the "Winds of Change” flash fest. This is the biggest flash fest we have had so far, with 12 submissions!

I am sorry for the delay in posting the awards. The last couple of days have been busy as I, @stars-forever, try to study for my finals.

Information about this Flash Fest can be found here: https://www.tumblr.com/character-a-character-b/781449320544288768/winds-of-change-flash-fest?source=share

The awards for the "Winds of Change" flash fest go to:

The Shifting Skies Award goes to @ReesieReads for "Perception" and @sunflower1me for "Dreamchaser"!

The Rooted in Change Award goes to @EvilToTheCore13 for "Is This Annihilation, Or Metamorphosis?"!

The Whispers on the Wind Award goes to @RynRose4 for "Here to stay"!

The Evolving Echoes Award goes to @MimiHylea for "A Path to Honor"!

The New Horizons Award goes to @EvilToTheCore13 for "Is This Annihilation, Or Metamorphosis?" and @the-sparkling-diamond-satine for "all of me is reeling, shed that sinking feeling (now i’m never letting you go)"!

The Sudden Shift Award goes to @thespyfromconnecticut "The Only Constant"!

The Winds of Change Award goes to @sunflower1me for "Dreamchaser"!

15 different fandoms were represented: Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005), Chuck (TV), Endeavour (TV), Glee (TV 2009), Inspector Morse (TV), Moulin Rouge! (2001), Moulin Rouge!: The Musical - Various/Logan, NCIS: Sydney, Persona Series, Persona 2, Savvy Series - Ingrid Law, Shall We Date?: Obey Me! (Video Game), Stardew Valley (Video Game), Sunrise On The Reaping - Suzanne Collins, and Tortall - Tamora Pierce.

The full list of everyone who won awards!

If there is a spelling mistake on your award, or would like your name to be changed please DM, the host, @stars-forever or @character-a-character-b.

Also, if you claimed a prompt during this flash fest event and didn’t have a chance to post your story you can still post them, the collection is no longer moderated, so it should just let the story be added but if it doesn't, I will make sure that they are added. There is no deadline or time limit when it comes to this.

Congratulations to everyone who won an award, and thank you to everyone who took the time to write and vote for this flash fest!

Links

The AO3 Collection Link: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Winds_of_Change

The Discord Server Link: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

The Tumblr Blog Link: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/character-a-character-b

[character-a-character-b]

Reveals & Moderation: Winds of Change

The stories and authors have been revealed for "Winds of Change" and the collection is no longer moderated.

I am sorry for the delay, the last couple of days have been crazy as I, @stars-forever, try to study for my finals.

Information about this Flash Fest can be found here: https://www.tumblr.com/character-a-character-b/781449320544288768/winds-of-change-flash-fest?source=share

Links

The AO3 Collection Link: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Winds_of_Change

The Discord Server Link: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

The Tumblr Blog Link: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/character-a-character-b

[character-a-character-b]

Last call for any votes!

Voting Due: Winds of Change

Votes are due on May 3, 2024, at 11:59 PM, CDT (Central Daylight Time). Please make sure that if you have submitted a story to this flash fest that you have voted. If you did not submit a story, you are welcome to vote on your favorite fics!

Please make sure to check the tags of fics before you read them. Please remember that you do not need to read a fic that could be triggering to you. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.

Information about this Flash Fest can be found here: https://www.tumblr.com/character-a-character-b/781449320544288768/winds-of-change-flash-fest?source=share

Links

The AO3 Collection Link: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Winds_of_Change

The Discord Server Link: https://discord.gg/pCjeXgV4VV

The Google Voting Form Link: https://forms.gle/YJVpWWMDSJND2YK16

The Tumblr Blog Link: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/character-a-character-b