firefeufuego

[firefeufuego]

Just submitted my last assignment for the semester and I’m rewarding myself with your fics 😍

Congratulations!!! Well I just signed myself into the Bibliothèque Mazarine to work on the next chapter of idkwily so this was excellent timing!

[firefeufuego]

I'm SO EXCITED for the idkwily chapter!! Literally one of my fav jily fics ever!

Thank you so much!! I’m so chuffed to be back in the zone and to get to share it with you all xxxx

[firefeufuego]

i lied i'm back because i just read the snippet you posted. the competitiveness seeping into their romantic relationship... james is going to be the BEST partner lily evans has ever had. whatever it takes to make her happy. love these idiots so much.

Hahaha, no complaints here! Yes, that’s exactly the dynamic, so much so that Lily has to call him out on it. Suffice to say that it’s all going to be very ridiculous and indulgent and result in this chapter having like six sex scenes in it at Least.

[firefeufuego]

i really love the way you're zeroing in on the ways that james understands lily in idkwily! it's incredible, especially in a fic where lily starts out VERY determined to dislike james and trying to avoid all the things that she very much does like about him. just... him noticing how funny she is! and doing his best to focus on HER and not an idealized version of her! it's so well done.

also the competition between them is SO good. the line about snape letting lily go at her own pace and james pushing her to go faster lives rent fucking free in my mind. they are both so confident and stubborn in their own special ways and i loved watching their dynamic change throughout the fic.

i could keep going honestly but i will stop here... just wanted to say that i love your characterizations of them & their relationship so very much

Oh thank you so much!! That line about her being funny did indeed make me swoon a little as I wrote it.

I’m actually in the middle of a scene that really focuses on how well Lily has come to understand him as well, which I hope you will also enjoy! I love them being matches for each other in all things, although unfortunately they are also matches for each other in idiocy too, bless their dumb genius brains.

This is such a kind comment, thank you so much again xx

[firefeufuego]

Hello! Here are some thoughts about idkwily (and your writing in general). I'll start by saying that I love how political your fics are: more often than not, I've seen fics where the characters are very political, but they don't feel realistic, and seem to just spout political slogans, be angry and... I don't know, but they don't feel genuine. In your case, however, their political beliefs manifest themselves in various ways, depending on their class, on their upbringing, their gender, their privilege, and I love to see their evolution and how they get to where they're at now, and it's a very personal journey towards class consciousness that deeply affects their relationships. So I can't really compliment you on your outstanding talent for writing compelling characters and love stories without talking about their values, because there's no separating the two. I'm so excited for the epilogue, you're the best ❤️

Oh my goodness, thank you so much!! This is something I do put a lot of thought into, so it means a lot to have it recognised xx

It was so important for me that their academic rivalry be about something substantive, rather than just their competition for the top spot. That tension between centre, institutionalist left and more progressive positions is definitely something I’ve been involved in myself, especially when it comes to studying and teaching history, and so it seemed a good place to situate that rivalry.

I’ve particularly loved writing James’s quiet journey towards seeking out different perspectives in his studies, especially female ones, and how it’s kind of because of Lily but not really for her—she’s just the one who revealed the Male as Default stance that he had (very hard to escape at Eton, I’d imagine), but he’s the one who decided it needed changing.

His class and sense of noblesse oblige is definitely a huge theme in this next chapter as well, I’m having a lot of fun with that!

Thank you so so much again for such a gorgeous, thoughtful comment xxxx

[firefeufuego]

I dreamt about Lily in if it’s a crime yesterday

Omg I’m so flattered!! if it’s a crime my absolute beloved. I’m going to London later this month and am hoping that will give me some juice to get that next chapter out!!

In the meantime, here’s some dialogue for you!

[firefeufuego]

Omg the snippet you posted!!! Should i prepare for additional miscommunication lol?

Just a chapter full of sex and miscommunication, really! There’s one conversation they have where you will be pulling your hair out at them, but I resolve that one quickly!

Here’s another line that I very much enjoy that gets at the essence of the thing:

She sobs, a great wrenching thing that soon turns into laughter. ‘God, I feel so stupid. We can never let anyone know that this is how we got together.’

[firefeufuego]

Last line tag

Tagged by the gorgeous @possessingtheproperspirit

It’s been a while, but I’ve finally got the time to write again, and I’m very much hoping to get this chapter out by the end of my holiday.

Here’s the last line I’ve written:

‘Just leave it,’ he says, harsher than he’s spoken to her since the bad old days of second year. He takes a breath and tries for a gentler, ‘Please.’

Tagging @ghostofbambifanfiction, @theesteemedladydebourgh, and @cactusjuicedrinker, if you like!

Also flagging this as an excellent time to send my any questions or thoughts you have, they really help me settle into writing mode!

[firefeufuego]

I read idkwily last week and I've literally been thinking about it everydayyyy. If/when u post the next chapter i will be SAT.

Wow, such good timing anon, I literally wrote a whole scene today after being stuck for ages! This month is pretty hectic but from June to July, I'll be travelling with many a train ride set aside for writing, so it will definitely be done by then! Thanks so much for sending this ask, it's such good motivation xxx

[firefeufuego]

Her stare- for @firefeufuego

[firefeufuego]

Loved getting the little snippets! Can't wait to see what the whole chapter looks like--I'm sure it'll be wonderful!

<3 <3 Thank you!! I can’t wait to share the whole chapter xx

[firefeufuego]

Omg, the eye contact! This is everything he wants!! Also, this is so so gorgeous, I can’t stop looking at it.

Some lover boy james for @firefeufuego

[firefeufuego]

There are a two Jameses that I crush on so bad that I constantly reread the fics. One is James in Covet by @bcdaily and @ghostofbambifanfiction. Another is James in Love is complicated by @theesteemedladydebourgh. Now I have to add your James in I don’t know why I like you. And possibly also James in your other fics. Like IM OBSESSED and I LOVE crushing on fictional men especially such well written and I can barely deal with it tbh. Like another ask said, take your time writing. You have given us such an amazing James and such an amazing Lily in all your fics so I’m well fed for YEARS, possibly forever.

Oh wow, thank you so much, that’s so kind!! Both of those Jameses are absolutely worth crushing on, so I’m honoured to have mine considered among such company!

Not to overfeed you, but I did write a James snippet that Sarah herself called swoony, so here you go xxx

[firefeufuego]

Reread idkwily recently and the snippet you posted has me sat!!! Take your time, your writing is worth it <3

Ohhh, thank you so much!! Ngl, the guilt of a writing lull is a bit self-perpetuating for me, so this really means so so much xxxx

[firefeufuego]

So is a part of why James hides his feelings that he doesn’t want to put Lily in the situation Snape did? Because I feel like it somehow goes beyond pure friendship, like he doesn’t just hold his feelings a secret so that he can keep being friends with her. He doesn’t want her to have to feel like she needs to make some kind of decision or feel guilty about being around him the way she did with Snape?

And another thing! It’s so rare to see James called Jamie in this fandom, because it’s not canon I guess. But I really like how your Mary calls him Jamie idk why. It really adds to the platonic vibe as well.

Absolutely! Snape is the reason for both their idiocy in love—he has really turned unrequited feelings into something harmful in both of their minds and thereby invoked their protective instincts towards the other, which are much stronger than their logical, analytical minds that should be able to recognise that they are both so stupidly down bad. Alas, more fun for me!!

Yeah, Jamie is a bit of a divisive nickname, strangely. I think I had Lily use it in the gazing! series, but I’m not sure I’d have her use it again. I agree that it does seem to fit Mary’s relationship with him better, and indeed I think I could see Sirius using it as well. I’ve loved writing Mary and James’s relationship and am coming up to a one-on-one scene with them that delves deeper into their dynamic, which I’m really excited for.

Thank you for your ask xxx

[firefeufuego]

Hiii! I hope you’re doing well!

I was just wondering what you imagined going through James’s head as he went home with Lottie? Before he saw Lily’s name on the door while they passed. Thanks!

Hello hello, sorry for the bonkers late reply!

I think when James decided to sleep with Lottie, it was just because she was really hot and they were the kind of MVPs of their respective matches and both on a post-victory high, and they were both well aware that it was just sex. James had pretty much resigned to angrily pining for Lily for the foreseeable future, so wouldn’t have felt comfortable offering more of himself than that.

Thank you for asking!!

[firefeufuego]

Hi! How have you been? 💓💓

Hello!! Sorry for the late reply, but I’ve been good! Writing less than I would like because I’ve been staying in airbnbs without desks since February, but hopefully that period will end soon. At the very least I’ve just planned myself a European holiday with many, many train trips, which is my ideal writing environment. Also I will get to meet some of my lovely fandom friends, which is so exciting! But yes, thank you for checking in, I may go quiet but I’m always around and I really appreciate it xxx