#stuff paradigmparadoxical makes

[tendertenebrosity]

Part 15! Previous here. Masterlist here. 

Tag list: @quirkykayleetam, @castielamigos-whump-side-blog, @burtlederp; @paradigmparadoxical @theycomeinthrees @miss-kitty-whumptastic, @looptheloup, @teachunks

The terrain for the rest of the day was a little rough. What paths they found seemed to be made by wild goats or deer, rather than people.

“So, according to the map,” Everet said, dropping down the other side of the boulder he’d stepped up onto, “This streambed should lead us into some farmland, and eventually a settlement of some kind. Village, hamlet, something like that.”

“Yeah?” Galen said absently, looking down at him from the small slope. He slid down with a scrabble of small pebbles and dirt, catching himself with one hand on the stone.

“We can get supplies there – at the village, if we don’t find a farmhouse on the way,” Everet said, turning to keep going. “It looked like half a day’s travel.” He stopped, and forced himself to revise his estimate. “Well. A day, maybe two days at most.”

Just because Galen didn’t complain, didn’t mean Everet could keep on setting a pace for templar stamina. This last stretch was kind of rough going. He’d have tried to find higher ground and an easier path if he hadn’t been worried about losing the stream, which was the only landmark he felt certain of anymore.

“I know you said you didn’t need a healer, but if they have one it might be worth it,” Everet said. “Definitely we can get some food, some better clothing for you. I don’t have much coin but I think I can cover that.”

“I don’t – have anything,” Galen said, almost apologetic, as if Everet had been expecting him to have a purse stashed on him somewhere after the events of the last weeks. 

“I can cover it,” Everet repeated. “After that, I suppose we can… regroup. Decide what to do next.” Everet ducked under a low-hanging tree branch, easing it back down carefully so it didn’t spring back and catch Galen when he let it go. He paused and waited for the mage to get under the branch and catch up. “We shouldn’t stay long in the village, though. It’s probably not safe to stay anywhere. At least until… well, until a week is up, I guess. Let’s pause here for a minute.”

Galen nodded, pushing a sweaty strand of hair out of his eyes. He gratefully sank down onto a flat-topped stone.

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments. The birdsong crept back in around them; or maybe that was just Everet hearing the lyrium again. Being this close to the stuff was… unnerving. Even stuffed in the bottom of Everet’s pack, he could hear it. It made the inside of his head itch.

He ignored it in favour of getting out the water canteen, taking a measured drink, and passing it to Galen.

“And after the village?” Galen asked Everet, as he capped the canteen again. “Where do you think you’ll go?”

Everet stared down at the stones and grass between his booted feet.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I thought I’d seek out a Chantry. Find somebody in charge who’s still sane and throw myself on their mercy. But…”

Up until they’d opened the chest, it had all been ‘if’. If he could survive long enough, what would he do, where would he go? The templars or the Chantry were the only real option he’d had if he wanted to survive, but that might mean another band just like the last.

But now… Everet was carrying a fortune in lyrium. He had more choices.

Everet ran his fingers through the hair over his temples, shaking his head. I don’t know. Galen watched him, silently, thoughtfully. He didn’t speak to try and fill the gap.

“One thing I do know - I want out of the Hinterlands,” Everet said, sudden conviction welling up. “This place is… I mean, I’m sure it was nice enough before the whole templar army chased the mages here, but now… fuck, I want out and I never want to see it again.”

There was too much death here. Too much violence, and Everet had been the perpetrator of enough of that violence that maybe it was grossly unjust of him to feel this way. But Redcliffe was full of mages, and the hills were full of templars, and as long as that was the case the Hinterlands would never, ever be safe or peaceful.

Galen gave him a quick glance that seemed to understand more than Everet was capable of saying. “Me too,” he said quietly.

“Well,” Everet said, getting to his feet. He smacked dust from his hands and thighs cheerfully, feeling his spirits rising. “In that case, it looks like we’re going the same way. If we’re both in agreement, our plan is to resupply at the next village, get our bearings, and chart ourselves a path out of the Hinterlands. We can figure the rest out as we go. Sound good?”

“Yeah,” Galen agreed easily, standing up. “Sounds good.”

Everet returned to clearing them a way through the undergrowth, feeling heartened. Straightforward, achievable goals. Get to the village, resupply, find a way out of the Hinterlands and into the South Dales. Everet could do those things.

He’d figure out what he’d do next once he’d achieved those.

It might be safer, he thought, tearing aside a sheet of vines that obscured the footing ahead of him, if Everet went into the village alone. At least until he got Galen some less suspicious clothes.

Then again, the common folk also had reasons to distrust templars. Perhaps Everet should leave his more obviously templar gear stashed somewhere?  He didn’t want to sell it, unless he had to, but it was probably unwise to go around wearing it…

“Hey – um – ”

Everet paused. “Sorry. Need a break?” he called over his shoulder.

“No. I was just thinking…” There was an odd, diffident tone to the mage’s voice. “We don’t… have to travel together. Just because we’re going in roughly the same direction.” When Everet turned to look at him, he was staring down at the ground, his face set. “We could part ways after resupplying at the village, if you’d prefer.”

“I – oh,” Everet said, surprised. He rearranged his thoughts, hastily.

Everet should have asked instead of assuming.

After… everything, Everet thought, with a queasy, guilty flip of his stomach. Galen might feel safer travelling alone than travelling with a templar. Can you blame him?

Galen was quiet, closed-in, standing with arms folded and eyes down submissively. Did he expect Everet to object? In the old days Everet would have needed to take Galen back to whatever Circle he’d come from, whether he went quietly or not. There was no point even pretending to entertain that possibility now, but…

Everet rocked back on his heels, scrubbed a hand through his hair. He chose his words carefully. “If that’s what you’d prefer. It was just a suggestion. It’s just, even besides the fact we might be being followed, people here aren’t all that friendly to mages or templars anymore. So I thought it’d be safer. That’s all. I thought you might like – ” He coughed, looked away.  Might like what? More reminders of what happened? Somebody to tell you what to do? “Look, I’m not your keeper or anything, you can leave whenever you want. I won’t try and stop you.”

“It’s not that I want – ” Galen shook his head, fiercely. “Fff. Damn it.”

“What?”

Galen shrugged, his arms still miserably crossed. “I don’t want to part ways yet – you’re right, it’s safer – but –”

Everet frowned. “But…”

“I don’t want you to feel obligated,” Galen burst out. “You’ve been… amazing. Like I said. But you don’t have to feel like you’re lumbered with me forever now, just because you rescued me once.”

“Who’s being lumbered with you?” Everet said, confused. “I never said – ”

“No, you didn’t, you don’t have to!” Galen uncrossed his arms enough to make a frustrated gesture. “I can’t – you obviously feel it’s your responsibility to get me to civilisation, and find me clothes and food, and all that, and I’m grateful because Maker knows I’d struggle on my own. But you don’t have to keep on doing that. You don’t have to slow yourself down to escort me out of the Hinterlands. If you want to go to a Chantry you should, and not have to worry about me.”

“Oh,” Everet said, lamely. “You – you aren’t afraid of me, then?”

Galen looked up, seeming startled, blinking at Everet from under his hair. “Afraid of you? No. You saved me.”

The two of them stared at each other, awkwardly.

Everet found an embarrassed half-smile. He started to turn back towards the path. “Look, you can leave if you want, but I think it makes the most sense to travel together. For both of our sakes. Let’s just… get ourselves to civilisation. All right?”

When Galen followed, Everet deliberately slowed his steps so they could walk abreast. Or what passed for abreast, on this goat-track – Everet a half-step ahead and turning back occasionally. It didn’t make for easy conversation.

“Look, you don’t have to pretend I won’t be a burden,” Galen said after a few moments. “I’m not an idiot. You’ll do a hell of a lot better out here on your own than I will, it’s obvious you don’t need me.”

Everet tried to keep his eyebrows from climbing. “Oh, will I?” he managed to ask. “Galen… I don’t know who or what you think I am, but maybe I better come clean. I don’t have the foggiest idea what I’m doing.” He kicked at a clump of leaves on their path. “I don’t have a plan. I don’t know where I’m going to go.”

“Yeah, but you can live out here,” Galen said. “I’m… helpless. You’re not.”

Everet frowned. “Can I? Sure, I can defend myself, but I don’t know how we’re going to eat once the next week is up.”

“At least you have skills!” Galen said, heatedly. “You can – hire yourself out as a soldier, or you’re strong enough to do some other sort of work. I have nothing.” He gestured angrily with one scabbed-up arm, his voice rising. “Before the Circles fell, Everet, I had never left their walls for most of my life. I can’t do anything!”

“You can do magic,” Everet pointed out.

Galen gave him a furious, bitter look. “Oh yes, wonderful. I can definitely use that to make a living. Sounds nice and safe!”

Everet winced. That had been kind of insensitive.

He let the silence simmer awkwardly for a minute, tramping heavily though the undergrowth, while he tried to put together the right words. The Maker had not called Everet for his eloquence.

“Listen. I know it’s dangerous out here for you,” he said hesitantly. “And I hear what you’re saying, about… about not having skills.�� He pointed with one thumb back upstream. “But the truth is, I’d have been toast back there without you. That’s not nothing.”

Galen sighed. His thin shoulders were still tense, hunched. “Mm. We won’t be fighting templars all the time, though. I’m... I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

“I sure hope we won’t,” Everet said. He sighed. “But… Look, Galen, I know you feel like you’re going to slow me down, but travelling with me isn’t going to be a picnic either.” The lyrium hummed and weighed heavily in his pack. “We’re both going to be burdens in our own ways. And I don’t care. Forget obligations, have you considered that I might actually want to travel with you?”

Galen was silent.

“I mean, I’m not exactly used to being on my own, so company would be welcome. Particularly company like you. We get along all right, so far, and you’re – you’re resourceful and clever, and damn tough, and maybe it’d be nice for us to have each other’s backs! You know?”

“Oh,” was all Galen said.

Everet looked over at him. The mage was staring straight ahead, not meeting Everet’s eyes. But slowly, as Everet watched, his shoulders dropped and his head came up. There was a flush of colour over his cheeks, bright pink underneath a crusted-over cut.

Everet must be walking too fast for him again; he’d never say anything. Everet slowed his stride, trying to do it subtly enough that the mage wouldn’t notice.

Their feet crunched leaves, not quite in step with each other.

“So what do you say?” Everet asked. “I’d like us to stick together for a little longer, if you’re not bothered by me. At least until we get out of the Hinterlands?”

Galen glanced at him, and away, and back – and smiled.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’d like that.”

[worryinglyinnocent]

Fic Questions Meme

I was tagged by @paradigmparadoxical, thank you my dear!

Author Name: worryinglyinnocent, WorryinglyInnocent on AO3, Worryingly Innocent on FF and NaNoWriMo. I had a different handle before I discovered Once Upon A Time, but I don't want to link my old handle to my new one.

Fandoms You Write For: *cracks knuckles*

Mainly Once Upon A Time, Stargate: Universe and Lost (and various other fandoms that come under the anyelle/anyem umbrella.)

Under my old handle, it was mainly Harry Potter, Robin Hood (BBC 2006-2009 series) and Phantom of the Opera (and some Twilight - hey, we were all young and impressionable once). 

I also have dabbled in: X-Men (films), The Worst Witch (90's CITV series with Kate Duchene), Batman, The Hobbit, Kingsman, and most recently, Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet.

(Not all of this has been posted. I write a lot just for self-indulgence that never gets posted but it makes me so happy to write it that I just put it down on paper for my own benefit.)

Where You Post: Tumblr and AO3. I have some stuff on my FF account but it's all also on Tumblr and AO3. All my stuff under my old handle is on FF.  

Most Popular Oneshot: I'm going by AO3 kudos here. It's A Match Made In Heaven, my knight!Rumpel and lady!Belle arranged marriage AU in which they become penpals before the marriage and fall in love via letters.

Most Popular Multi-Chapter Story: Playtime, which is hardly surprising considering it's literally just 50 chapters of smut of varying degrees of kinkiness.

Favorite Story You Wrote: Maison Rouge. It's not my most well known, but it is my second most popular. It was one of the first OUAT fics I ever wrote and it means so very much to me.

Story You Were Nervous to Post: The Party, because it despite it being tame in comparison to some of the kinky smut available out there, it was still the kinkiest thing I'd ever written and I didn't know what the fandom reaction would be.

How Do You Pick Your Titles: They normally just pop into my head without any input from my actual brain. I hate titles. Everything gets saved on my computer as 'random wedding fic' or 'currently untitled BoE divergence'. Or on a couple of memorable occasions 'what the fuck am I writing?', which is always interesting when I come back to them in six months time, it's like a magical mystery tour of documents.

Do You Outline: Depends on how I'm feeling. I usually outline longer fics, but that never guarantees that I'll actually stick to the outline.

How Many of Your Stories are complete: Currently on AO3, I have 4 in progress, but one of those is Once Upon A Different Time, which doesn't really count, and one is a series of one-shots, which again doesn't really count.

I have 265 complete.

In-Progress: Out of Time, the epic time travel fic in which Rumpelstiltskin and Bae are yanked out of their timeline just after the confrontation with Hook and brought to present day Storybrooke after an accident with Zelena’s time portal at the end of season 3. 

Also Together Again, a short little Woven Beauty Babies Ever After fic based on this month’s Monthly Rumbelling prompts.

Coming Soon: Pure, more details here. TL;DR, Belle comes from a community obsessed with sexual purity and abstinence till marriage etc, which causes problems when she gets married to Gold. The whole fic is basically her coming to terms with her sexuality and her identity as a woman and a sexual being. I am writing this for my NaNoWriMo project this year.

Also, my second attempt at writing a foursome, details here, involving Belle, Gold, Rush and Gloria...

Do You Accept Prompts: Not currently as I've got too much other stuff on my plate, but I am all for prompts and I'll let you all know when I'm accepting them again.

Upcoming Story You’re the Most Excited For: The second attempt at writing a foursome, as outlined above...

I'm no good at tagging people, so have at it if you want, people! :D

[heytheredeann]

Fanfic question meme

I was tagged by @x-voyevoda, thank you so much!

Author Name:

heytheredeann on Tumblr, Elisexyz on Ao3.

Fandoms You Write For:

I am currently knees deep in the Black Sails fandom, I’ve been writing fix-its for Once Upon A Time for about a year now, and I write a lot of Timeless too. There’s the occasional Agents of SHIELD fic, and... that’s about it? I’ve written for other fandoms, but not too recently.

Where You Post:

I post everything on Ao3, then post a link to it on Tumblr (or crosspost if it’s a very short story).

Most Popular Oneshot:

Sorting by kudos on Ao3, it’s my Marvey soulmates AU, unsurprisingly, given that Marvey (from the show Suits) is the most popular ship that I’ve ever written for, I think XD If we only count stuff from this year, my most popular one-shot by kudos is this Flinthamilton+Miranda AU in which they save Thomas early and there are hugs and tears. because we are simple people with simple needs.

Most Popular Multi-Chapter Story:

Going once again by kudos, though I haven’t really written many multi-chapter stories, it’s my Timeless movie fix-it. Which funnily enough was supposed to be a one-shot, just some Garcy-leaning stuff, but then I was like “.....there is.....too much crap......in this movie......” and it got five chapters LOL.

Favorite Story You Wrote:

Always The Worst Question.  Okay. I am going to take the pressure off myself and do a top three that isn’t like---my Absolute Favourites. Just some fics that I am particularly proud of, I guess. There’s Echoes of yesterday, which is post-canon Flinthamilton, and it’s soft and I like how the dialougues came out. There’s Should’ve, which is a fix-it about Hookfire, my precious precious brotp, I guess I am very attached to it because no one writes for these two LOL. Last but not least, there’s Cracks, my Wyjess fic about the night when Jessica didn’t die in the altered timeline. I just really like how that one came out.

Story You Were Nervous to Post:

All of them. I get particularly nervous about posting multichapters, but I remember hesitating a lot before posting I know you love me from the other side, my Neal Cassidy Lives Fix-It number a million and one, maybe because it’s particularly self-indulgent. 

How Do You Pick Your Titles:

I cry a lot until some god above takes pity on me. There’s the ‘picking song lyrics’ method, though I am trying to use that less, now I generally re-read the fic, start thinking about the overall theme and what exactly it is that I feel like is The Point/I’m trying to say, and try to condensate it in a few words or something? Songs are a good inspiration too, even when I don’t use lyrics.

Do You Outline:

Definitely for multichapters, it helps me a lot to know where I am going, though I am anything but strict with my outline, I make changes along the way 99% of the time. Even with one-shots, I generally prefer to have the idea written down at some point. Sometimes I just have the starting point for the fic, I start writing, and while I’m going it will occour to me where it all is going, so I will write a note at the end of the document. I have a hard time just writing aimlessly, without even a vague notion of where I want it to end, it makes me feel like I don’t know what I’m doing and I’m just stretching it out at random XD So generally I have at least a bunch of messy notes about stuff that I want to put in the fic, yeah.

How Many of Your Stories are complete:

All my one-shots, Between (the Timeless movie fix-it) and Porcelain (my Swanfire Beauty And The Beast AU).

In-Progress:

I don’t have longfics that are in progress, but I have collections (Calls me home, a collection of Swanfire ILYs, and To build a home, a collection of mini-stories about a Hookedqueen fuck-buddies to co-parents to lovers AU) and Closer at heart, a series exploring a canon divergence in which Neal was saved by TLK in Quiet Minds. There are other series that are ‘in progress’ in the sense that I can always add one-shots, but they don’t give me a sense of ‘this needs to be finished sooner rather than later’.

Coming Soon:

Hell if I know LOL. I am currently writing for whumptober, though I have totally messed up the schedule by now, so some of those prompts are in the works... Then I have a million WIPs that are in need of attention, among them the instalment to close the Defeating Zelena storyarc in Closer at heart, which---I deeply, deeply loathe. That damn one-shot is killing me, I’m stuck. Ugh. Probably a new I Love You ficlet for Swanfire will be out sooner rather than later. probably. 

Do You Accept Prompts:

Yup! I have prompt lists that you can always choose from, though I accept scenario prompts too! I am not always very fast at filling them, but I do my best XD (obviously, if a prompt is vague it’s easier for me XD)

Upcoming Story You’re the Most Excited For:

Uuuuuhm....... I don’t know? There’s a Neal Resurrection Fic that I’m working on *insert collective gasp of surprise here* that I am pretty excited about, though even just the outline is a complete mess, I don’t know if/when I’m ever gonna finish that one XD Also, there’s a Silverflinthamilton amnesia fic that I have been working on, though, again, it’s far from finished XD

Tag Five Fanfic Authors to Answer These Questions

@ilosttrackofthings @writtenwolves @frivoloussuits @paradigmparadoxical @statusquoergo (If you don’t feel like it or you’ve already been tagged and I missed it, feel free to ignore it!)

[sassyandclassy94]

Tagged by @pissedoffatouat (THANK YOU!!! I love being tagged to take part in these!!) Also, what’s the name of this tag challenge?

Nicknames: Abby; Abs (my brother and co/worker occasionally call me that); Miss Sassy Pants (same co/worker that calls me Abs LOL!)

Zodiac: Scorpio (I think? I’m not into that kinda stuff cuz I’m a Christian)

Height: 5 foot 1 inch (I’m short LOL!)

Hogwarts House: No idea!! I never read or watched Harry Potter

Last thing I googled: South Beach Diet pancake (I highly recommend btw - it’s tasty)

Favorite musician: Jason Gray; Sara Groves; Piano Guys

Song stuck in my head: One Jump Ahead from the new Aladdin movie

Following: Anyone who posts SwanFire; I follow some How to Train Your Dragon blogs; some Christian blogs, and usually follow people back with those same interests - I will NOT follow anyone who posts a lot of politics - I come on Tumblr to get away from topics like that so if you post about that chances are I’m gonna unfollow because I’m easily depressed by that stuff and it’s not good for my mental health. I also will NOT follow any Captain Swan blogs or anyone who likes/supports that ship. Sorry not sorry but I’ve been bullied enough by CS shippers on other sites and I don’t need that behavior on here.

Followers: 52 (make that 51. SOMEONE unfollowed me...)

Do you get asks?: Nope. Either my blog is too small or no one wants to ask or know anything about me. Story of my life! I’m like Baelfire LOL!

Amount of sleep: about 7ish hours - unless it’s a certain time of the month, I sleep pretty well

Lucky number: Maybe 19?

What are you wearing?: Pajamas

Dream job: when I was little I wanted to be an orca trainer but once I got older I wanna be a stay-at-home mom - and that is a job btw, it’s the hardest and most rewarding job in the world!

Dream trip: Visit the Rocky Mountains!! And/or British Columbia!

Instrument: is this asking if I have a favorite or if I play any? I took violin for a year and half but hated it so I quit. Does that count?

Languages: just English - American English that is

Current favorite song: Right now I’d have to say “Speechless” from the live-action Aladdin - I’m adopting it as my life song

Random fact: I LOVE Medieval fantasy and that’s why all of my SwanFire fics take place in the Enchanted Forest

Aesthetic: Pictures of moms with their babies and pictures of couples kissing in front of beautiful scenery - I’m a hopeless romantic and love babies LOL!

I tag: @heytheredeann @soundlessdragon @swanfireprincessmydear @bookwormchocaholic @paradigmparadoxical @dramaticsundrop01 (feel free to ignore this if you don’t feel like doing it)

[paradigmparadoxical]

TEA 2021 For Your Consideration

With the expert coaching of beta readers @killingkueen and @thecompletebookworm , I finished and published Never Let Go in February of this year.

It is eligible for:

-Fluff:  Family

-Smut: BDSM

-SpecialCategories: Best Dark One Lore Fic

Rumple's relationship with his gowing family is the heart of Never Let Go.  Early on, @killingkueen called it:

>>Oh, and also, I love that this is basically just a story of Rumple adopting as many children as he can. That man was born to be a father.

….which made me all teary-eyed and gleeful, because Papa!Rumple is one of my favorites.

BDSM smut was an integral part of the story, what I like to call 'plot-driven porn.'

“What is it that you like about this?” she asked him.

There was a swallow, a shifting of feet.  “It feels safe,” he said.

Her thumb ran up his cheek, over his eyelid.  “Why?”

His breath came shuddering.  “I like… being able to trust.”

Every time, he trusted her more.  He loved her, but love and trust were not the same.  One did not even ensure the other.  Trust couldn't be given for the asking, as much as the giver might want to.

Rumplestiltskin was proving to himself, in the fastest way possible, that he could trust her.  Over and over again, with an affirmation normally won by two people through years and decades.

She questioned herself.  How could she claim that security, so easily, so soon?

Trust engendered trust.  Perhaps in trusting her, he gave her that.

The thought humbled her.

“Show me?”

Dark One lore was one of the strong points of this work, which admittedly veers away from canon with the inherited memories thing.  Rumple knows more than he's comfortable with, and it's those memories that keep him awake nights.

I think the Darlings' names in the character list may have scared off some readers who wished to avoid reading about Pan (Mr Squick).  Pan does not at any time appear in this.  I've since added a tag to that effect.

My apologies to all of my fellow Swanfire fen; unfortunately Emma did not fit the timeline of this story.  I enjoyed exploring Morraine's character, and hope that my humble attempt made her just a little more real to my readers.

Never Let Go aside, I'm afraid this year has been a bit of a drought as far as writing goes.  I learned so much from the process.  Most times it was like pulling teeth, but others it was easy, and it was the best high of my life.  Unfortunately, much of it occurred during a time when a family member I am very close to was gravely ill.  She has recovered since, and every day is a blessing.  Writing may have been a form of escapism that triggered something in my brain.  It's dried up now, and I never want to go through its catalyst ever again.  Perhaps I learned enough to carry me through the dry spells.  I know I'm capable of it now.  If only my ADD would cooperate.

I produced two cover art pieces this year, the first for @killingkueen 's The Beast in the Black Forest, and the second for @theoneandolylittlebird 's Ghosts in the Snow, both now eligible for this year's Best Cover Art.

My cover art for Who Favor Fire is older and was previously published on tumblr.  Although It is not new this year, I don't believe most of you have seen it.  I was attempting to gain the author's approval before publishing to AO3, but have been unable to contact her.

For your consideration, I thank you.  Your responses to my work bring me joy.

[paradigmparadoxical]

Cover art for Ghosts in the Snow by @theoneandonlylittlebird .

Stranded by a blizzard in an airport, Belle decides to take a chance on the stranger that offers her a ride home. An AU RSS fic. TEA 2018 nominee for Best RSS.

[paradigmparadoxical]

Been throwing ideas around for this cover for literal years, so it's a relief to get it done. Never Let Go is my very first novel-length fic, beta-read by @killingkueen and @thecompletebookworm . I learned so much from them.

~

Never Let Go is a smutty rumbelle-centric alternate universe where Rumplestiltskin followed Baelfire and Morraine through the bean's portal. They find friends in the Darlings, and eventually family, but the World Without Magic isn't as free from magic as they hoped.

In the Enchanted Forest, where time moves differently, an exhausted Belle takes refuge from her pursuers in the hollow of an ancient tree....

~

I never did a TMI Tuesday for this. I'll be holding one in a week, on August 18th. Send me your asks--about this or any other of my fics! I'd love to hear from you.

[paradigmparadoxical]

The Beast in the Black Forest by KillerKueen ( @killingkueen )

Belle doesn’t think its too much to ask that she make her own decisions, which is how she finds herself in the Black Forest at night, hunting the thing that’s been terrorizing her village.

[paradigmparadoxical]

Never Let Go

Belle/Rumplestiltskin, Baelfire/Morraine, Ariel/Eric, NC17, 107k.

What if Rumplestiltskin followed Baelfire through the portal like he was supposed to?  What if leaving was the wrong choice? AU.

The best parts of this are all the fault of @killingkueen and @thecompletebookworm .  If not for their expert coaching, hand-holding, encouragement, long sounding-board emails, and finding a thousand things to fix, this would have stayed at a mild, fluffy four thousand words, or vanished into the dustbin.  This story would not be a fraction of what it is without them.

[paradigmparadoxical]

For @timelordthirteen 's fic Revenge Radio.

Font credit is Puritan from dafont.com.

[paradigmparadoxical]

2020 TEAs: For Your Consideration

Because it's the thing, and I'll regret it if I don't.  I regretted it last year when I missed the chance. Really, I just want people to read my fic, and this is as good a way as any of getting it out there.

So.

At this time last year I was a raw tumblr newbie and had a grand total of one rumbelle fic published.  I am so excited to have eligible offerings for you this time around. Everything I've written for OuaT can be found on my Ao3, with the exception of some scattered teasers for Never Let Go, the smutty 100k thing that ate my life.

Best Cover Art

I went on a cover art spree in August.  From that collection, the cover for @kelyon 's fic Golden Cuffs was definitely the most popular, whether for its own merit, or because kelyon is amazing--who knows?  I know the artwork wouldn't be half as good without the invaluable feedback from kelyon and @wayamy .

I'm photosensitive and tend to dim down colors that others may not find as bright as I do. Case in point, @timelordthirteen 's cover for Revenge Radio.  The neon glow was an effect I'd never tried before.  How it looks to other people's eyes? Who knows.

I had a lot of fun with the perspective in @thestraggletag 's cover for her fic Human Nature.  Gold broke my heart and put it back together again.  I want to squish him and hug him.

The cover for @killingkueen 's fic Creature was my first foray into vector art using GIMP.  I'm in love with the elegant simplicity of the medium, and the tiny file size.

All of the covers were a lot of fun to make, and hey... if anyone is in touch with marchionessofblackadder ( @missblackwood-blog ), I'd really love to post their cover for Who Favor Fire to Ao3, but I'm sort of waiting to make sure it's okay first.

None of these pieces contain the pairing itself, which (imho) kind of misses the point.

I'm still getting the hang of the GIF thing.  A lot of my GIFs were too big for tumblr, and don't load correctly.  My favorite of them is Morraine's character study, which isn't rumbelle at all, but she's a cutie and her mother was rad as hell.

Best First Meeting

Belle first meets Rumplestiltskin in the dwarven mines in The Quill.  He's filthy, and halfway mad, and mesmerised by the one person who seems to care for his well-being.  That she also happens to be the first real human contact he's had in months doesn't hurt anything.

The Quill and A Life for a Life are both eligible for Best AU!OUAT.  There's others much better, but they fit, which is supposedly the point of writing the For Your Consideration thing.

A Life for a Life has plenty of hurt/comfort, which puts it under 'comfort' in the fluff category, as well as 'hurts so good' in angst.  Rumple throws the dagger to Belle in that snowy clearing, and later finds himself incapable of both holding it and keeping Baelfire safe.

I wouldn't call it dagger porn, because there is no porn, but there is daggerish-ness.

Spoiler:  Zelena dies.

As intrinsic as Belle is to Rumple's character, Endless Years Between is more of a papa!Rumple and swanfire fic than rumbelle.  Belle doesn't even appear in Cinnabons, because it's an AU of 2x14 that is mostly set in and en route to New York, and she only gets a brief far-in-the-future mention in Reprieve.

Also, I'm using tumblr on mobile, and I've heard the links can be wonky, so I hope this works.

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1x19 The Return, Snail.

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Reposting so I can upload pic to Ao3.

For @thestraggletag 's fic Human Nature.

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1x01 I want her name.