hellohellboy

[hellohellboy]

I’m gonna cry, stop. What a lovely review of my longest work to date.

I promise I’m working on something new; recovering from grad school has taken longer than I thought it would.

i was wondering if you have any knight vi/princess caitlyn (or vice versa) or any sort of medieval au for recommendation?

Hi!

We are VERY sorry for an inordinately huge delay in answering this, but in our defence, we've been dealing with a huge backlog, both of fic notif posts (A03 sends double/triple feeds every time they do a maintenance/backup) as well as these requests. Also, between us – our reading interests dwindled and changed, buuutttt – we DO have a rec for you – and hopefully (because we always try to dig up and promote less known and/or underappreciated authors?) not for something you've already discovered, and enjoyed – yourself?

Soooo, without a further ado, the fic is:

for crown & country by hellboy

It’s set in an exquisitely crafted high fantasy universe where the lines between duty and desire blur, amidst a backdrop of royal intrigue and magic. As the description itself says, it starts as a "catch the princess’s cat to win her hand in marriage, oh she is the cat” trope but the narrative excels in its world-building, painting a vivid picture of a realm where magic and political power collide – Piltover, with its snowy mountaintops, grassy plains, and glittering coastlines, serves as a lush and dynamic setting, while the opposing lands of Noxus and Demacia add depth and tension to the geopolitical landscape. Add the Pegasus-riding warriors, spell-weaving magicians and dragons, and you get a very intricate and immersive fantasy world, of course centered around Princess Caitlyn of Piltover, whose rebellious spirit and noble stature set the stage for a compelling narrative of forbidden love, personal growth, yearning, pining and… well – everything that you might be looking for in such a tale, really?

Now, I believe the author disclaimer’d her as a bit of OOC (a snooty princess?) in the beginning, but I’d rather say she’s portrayed with a nuanced blend of regal poise and youthful impetuosity, and her journey from a sheltered royal to a more self-aware and empathetic leader is both believable and engaging. The assignment of a private guard (shh. spoiler – it's Vi ;) to her – adds a layer of complexity and tension, and as Vi’s steadfast loyalty and hidden depths are gradually revealed it creates rich dynamics and adds that feel of a… well, almost of a fairytale quality? So yeah, it would totally read like one... well, were it not for the very high (explicit, as Cait is a 'naughty pussy' really 🤭) rating. Which, if you don't mind it, it's just as immersive because its very gradual build-up is very true to the characters, as portrayed here (they start almost in their teens, and then it stretches well into their adulthood and maturity), and it's never just gratuitous smut (meaning, it holds intense emotional resonance, tenderness and love) despite still being very very 🔥🥵.

Now, those of you who appreciated our recs before may know that we prefer canon compliant stuff, and specifically – good characterization, true to their original nature. And this one manages just that, it captures their essence – Caitlyn’s intelligence and stubbornness juxtaposed with Vi’s rough exterior and hidden vulnerability, they mirror their original depictions, while adding new layers of depth. So they feel credible, maintaining their core traits while adapting to this new setting. Equally, the romance is marked by a (very) gradual (very) slow burn that captures the essence of yearning – their interactions are charged with an undercurrent of unspoken feelings and growing intimacy, the mutual pining is palpable, the transition from enemies to friends to lovers is handled with care, making their eventual union both satisfying and heartfelt.

In the end, even though we prefer canon-compliant stuff and don't really read AUs very often (hence delay in answering this, for which again - we apologise profusely) I must reiterate that this one stands out as a sophisticated and engaging tale that blends rich world-building with intricate character dynamics, because the author's ability to weave a narrative that honors the spirit of all of the original characters while creating something uniquely its own – is beyond commendable.

And of course, I can only hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did. ❤️🌈

[hellohellboy]

Ok the whole reason I made a Tumblr again after not having it is because I got back into writing fanfiction as of like 2 years ago (cringe) & I really enjoyed writing again

So I lowkey would love to interact with my readers & other writers & be encouraged into writing more things bc it is really fun.

I wrote a handful of CaitVi fics & am in the beginning stages of a new one so I might post some excerpts as I work on it.

Anyways I’m user hellboy on AO3

for crown & country

100,196 words in one continuous post (broken up into 2 chapters due to character limits). Complete.

Princess Caitlyn of Piltover is the delight of their realm: beautiful, intelligent, and blessed with magic.

As well as being particularly prone to getting herself in trouble.

Fearing for her well-being, or perhaps as punishment, she is assigned a private guard in an attempt to quell her rebelliousness.

It has varied success.

Alternatively described as: this started as a simple "catch the princess's cat to win her hand in marriage, oh she is the cat," trope & then it turned into this 100,000 word monster.

Loose Fantasy AU

98,700 words in 4 parts. Complete.

Caitlyn is a high elf, captain of one of the busiest enforcer precincts in Piltover, and far too logical to get swept up in any nonsense.

Vi is an incredibly stubborn werewolf, a specialist enforcer detective, and is very much not above getting swept away.

They make it work.

[hellohellboy]

the me who is really high & making pancakes rn is absolutely going to figure out the ideal chocolate chip to pancake batter ratio