#anyway my consensus upon rereading my fics is:

[yardsards]

you've heard of being "touch starved", now get ready for "touch hangry"

[liminalmemories21]

I’ve spent the better part of the last few weeks reading and rereading several of your works on ao3. I think you’re phenomenal - I haven’t branched out yet and read to much else in this fandom but it was such a joy to stumble upon your fics when first reading Tarlos. Out of the Woods is a masterpiece and I am OBSESSED with The Square root of Sixty-Nine. Not because it’s *spicy* (though good job on that lol) but because it is so raw and sweet. I relate to Carlos so much. His anxiety and his general everything- and TK is so good and patient and loving even in the pre-relationship parts of that fic. It makes my chest hurt, you can actually feel both of the characters falling for each other even though we just get Carlos’s point of view (which - I’d love to hear any thoughts you have on what TK is feeling during that fic cause MAN he is so good to Carlos in it) and it along with the rest of your work is just so stellar and beautiful. I love the sister in law fic as well, I’ve read it like 3 times already.

Anyway you’re just so so good a this, I hope you continue to write and look forward to whatever you do in the future.

Thank you! This is a lovely thing to come home to.

I think TK in square root of sixty-nine is in deeper with Carlos than he wants to admit, to Carlos or to himself. I think that because Carlos asked him to dance + whatever else they got up to that night, was so confident in taking TK home and throwing him down on the couch, that TK assumed a lot of things about Carlos that turned out not to be true, and he's kind of feeling his way through landmines he doesn't even know are there at first.

I think TK's also had a really different experience of sex than Carlos has - he comes from what I think we all assume is a very sex-positive household, and with parents who probably gave him overly enthusiastic safe sex talks. I think he's probably had one or two long term boyfriends, and that's given him time to figure out what he likes and doesn't like, and how to ask for it, and how to say no. I think he's also probably had a lot of shitty sex with people who used him when he couldn't really give consent, or he let himself be used because he wanted to feel something, anything. And, I think he's seen more - both on the job, and from when he was using. And that's given him a really strong idea of what he doesn't want to do, and who he doesn't want to be, and he wants to give Carlos something better.

In my head, consent is vital for TK - because he had Gwyn and Owen (and probably Enzo) who drilled it into him, and also because he's been in situations where consent was an afterthought. And he's not that person anymore, he trying really hard not to be that person anymore, and making sure that anything he does with Carlos is consensual for both of them is a hard line for him.

[the-insomniac-emporium]

i stumbled upon ur writing looking for lady d x non-binary reader fics and ur work has just been a godsend i’m obsessed. it’s inspired me to start writing my own even though i’ve never written for fandoms before. i’ve never written for other actual characters before either so i was wondering if u could spare any tips for writing for lady d and her daughters? 🙏🏻

:D

I can certainly try! I'll divide the tips into lil sections for each characters. Might be less tips, more character observations that help me figure out how to write them? Putting under read-more for length. Also! If you ever want someone to look over what you write before you post it, I offer my services! I can't guarantee how fast I can respond, but I've been editing/proof-reading/giving general feedback for my friends for years, with everything from fanfiction to college level essays.

Alcina:

Large and in charge, literally. Regardless of the situation, Lady D wants to stay in control, or at least look like she's in control. Okay, minor exception being anything involving Mother Miranda, since she's the one person Lady D has any real respect for. Otherwise, Alcina maintains a good grasp on any situation, looking for ways to put herself in control.

For example, she often uses her height as a means to establish dominance, even within RE8 canon. If you watch a video of the Four Lords meeting, Alcina stands up once she starts arguing with Heisenberg, towering over him in an attempt to intimidate. We also see the aforementioned exception in this scene, as Lady D sort of "shrinks" a little when Miranda responds.

As much as Lady D wants to be in control, she's not always actually capable of it. In the game, we see her struggle to contain her emotions, and often releases them in outbursts. Such as the infamous vanity throwing scene (god I love that so much). It can provide some nice contrast in scenes, having Lady D be so in control one moment, then as soon as she's behind closed doors she's letting it all out.

Uses the most old-fashioned language out of her whole family. It's kind of hard to describe how one goes about writing this way, but I recommend trying to find some journals that were written in the early 1900's and reading them. Or just some classic novels (not Moby Dick, tho, that one's a bit much, in my opinion). One thing I can say is occasionally swap contractions (can't, don't, I've, etc) for the full version of the word (cannot, do not, I have, etc). Something about that always makes dialogue feel older, though I can't really explain why. Whatever you do, just don't rely too much on using synonyms. Replacing common words with their cousins can make dialogue feel "fancier", but you often run the risk of unintended connotations (feelings, positive or negative, associated with a word) messing with how a text is interpreted.

Puts up a front/facade around most people, as part of her noble background and need for control, with words like "stoic" and "composed" coming to mind. Very rough with troublemakers, no mercy. But!!! So very incredibly soft with her family/loved ones. I've seen some people accuse her of "faking" her love for her daughters, but these people either played a different game than I did, or they can't read emotions as well as I can. Gentle touches when she's checking if her kids are okay, little glances and gentle nods for reassurance, pausing a chase just to help her daughters, etc.

Bela:

Wants to make her mother proud. Legally obligated to make her mother proud, because she's the eldest daughter. Not that I know how that feels, being the younger of two children. Regardless, Bela is the most well behaved of the daughters, even when her mother isn't around. However, she does resent this position to some degree, based on in game dialogue/dialogue files that are in the game but aren't used. Personally, I see her as someone who's willing to let certain things go in exchange for favors/blackmail ammo.

Cleans up after her sisters a fair bit, sometimes literally. Feels responsible for them, to the point where their mistakes are her mistakes, and she's forced to compensate on their behalf. Because of this she ends up complaining a lot, though almost only when her family isn't around.

Still very protective of her family, she simply does most of her protecting behind the scenes. Knows how to manipulate a situation, which she probably learned from her mother, and can be quite convincing when she wants to be. Less likely to use violence to solve a problem than anyone else in the family. Will she use violence if need be, or if someone fucks up enough? Yes, absolutely, but she'll focus more on efficiency than misery (unless someone really fucks up).

Generally speaking she's more eloquent than either of her sisters, though not by much unless she's trying to impress someone (usually her mother).

Cassandra:

Two words: Angry. Horny. To her, they might as well be one word. Horngry. Cassandra struggles with her emotions more than either of her sisters, being a pressure cooker ready to pop basically all the time. It's not hard to set her off, but it can take ages for her to cool back down. Let's her frustration (of any variety) build up until she can bludgeon someone to death with it. Harshest on the servants, and spends the most time toying with others in the dungeon.

Like Bela, Cassandra wants to make her mother proud, but it's less of an obligation and more of a "I'm the middle child and feel like I don't get enough attention" type deal. Is more than willing to stoop to "tattle telling" activities in order to get the attention she craves. Usually sticks to obediently following her mother's orders or hunting down enemies, though.

Bit of an artsy type, and the most likely to take trophies from her victims. Gross ones, usually. Okay, well, that's debatable, but I'm talking about general consensus rather than my specific tastes. Personally, I don't care if she's got some weird blood paintings. Hell, I've got extra blood, and also am clumsy and bleed a lot anyway, she can have mine!

Hides her non-anger emotions as best as she can. Hates talking about her feelings (even if it helps), to the point where it's usually impossible to tell how she's feeling deep down. Remember, anger is a secondary emotion! No one is ever just angry, there's always something else hiding underneath, such as: Sadness, disappointment, loneliness, jealousy, etc. Keep this in mind when you're writing her. Make sure you pinpoint the center of her anger, and hint at it, letting her actions show her true goal.

Swears the most, easily. Tends to speak in shorter sentences than her sisters, and prefers being blunt to being eloquent/flowery.

Daniela:

Love, love, love, love, love, ahhhh deep breath... love. Loves love, or at least what she processes as love. Would do anything for romance. Except she also craves "natural" romance, creating a sort of paradox that adds to her delusions, as she engages in the pursuit of unintentional romance (not to be confused with "The Pursuit of Unintentional Humor", a song that I very, very much enjoy). Wants to be loved for who she is at the same time that she attempts to mold herself into a more lovable shape. Struggles with intimacy, wanting to feel vulnerable without actually being so.

On some level she understands that draining people of their blood, and then drinking said blood, is not equatable to a healthy relationship. But seeing as this is the most common form of supposed "intimacy" that she experiences, she refuses to acknowledge the true nature of what she does. Instead she clings to the idea of "forever bonding" with her partners, pretending that each one is still with her, even when she no longer remembers their names.

Hates being rejected, no matter how gently. "Ugly" cries, but only if she's alone, often turning her pain into anger, just like Cassandra. However, her outbursts don't seem to last as long. In reality, her breakdowns simply occupy the inside of her existence, rather than the outside. Sure, she's giggling and causing chaos, like usual, but on the inside she's breaking a record for most depressing internal monologue.

Reads a ton, but not always "quality" books. Goes through a dozen books or more a week, often rereading her favorites several times, mainly within the romance genre (obvs). This affects her speech a fair amount, making her both cheesy and occasionally smooth as hell.

[mythical-ross]

I love reading little snippets of fic and some of the current WIP going around that are amazing (cannot wait for more BoF!). However on other fandoms there is always That One Fic™ or the Classic Fics Of The Fandom™ and really wanted to know if there are any for Rhink. The ones on the fanfic ep are bound to be classics for several other reasons, but what is the consensus of the fandom if there is any? Thanks :)

That’s a really good question!

Although, it’s a question I’m kinda reluctant to try to answer! I don’t really want to try and write a list of fics because I’m a) probably wrong, and b) afraid of offending anyone! I was also a little reluctant to post this question at all in case it turned into a list of recs that will almost certainly leave someone out and make the majority of writers feel shitty.

I tend to think of The Classics as the fics I read early on and keep coming back to, and because I didn’t really have fandom friends at the time I didn’t know if they were stories everyone had read or just the ones I stumbled upon. I tend to assume if I’ve read it, everyone has (because I’m terribly slow at reading fics...). Then there are the stories that I paid particular attention because one of my friends wrote it, and I just assume everyone loves it as must as I do :P

So anyway, here is an example from each of those two categories (because I’m definitely overthinking this)

Ross’s Very Limited List Of Fics She Considers Classics

One of the early fics I read when I joined the fandom was Overwater by FamousWolf. I pretty much consider this the perfect Rhink fic. I love it so much and I’ve reread it a million times. (While we’re on it, I also adore their fic Life After... it blew my fucking mind.)

Then a fic by a friend that I paid particular attention to was Let Me Be Your Light by @apparentlynotreallyfinnish. This is one I might be biased about because Appa was publishing it not long after I rejoined Tumblr and I didn’t follow a lot of people, but it felt like everyone was reading it (and with good reason, it’s fucking amazing).  

A part of me thinks this fandom is too small to have a consensus... like when I wrote SPN the obvious That One Fic was Twist And Shout, (holy shit have you seen the stats on that lately!?) but there’s definitely nothing like that in the Rhink fandom. We’re so incredibly lucky to have so many amazing writers. You can click on almost any Rhink fic on AO3 and not be disappointed! I’m sure some people don’t realise just how much terrible fanfic there is in the world! lol

(Please don’t reblog this with massive lists of recs... add your thoughts and your own “Very Limited List Of Fics You Consider Classics”)

💚💚💚💚

[neriad13]

for the fic ask game: 13 and 16?

13. Do you outline your fics? How much of a headache would someone get if they just looked at an outline of yours without reading the fic?

Oh yes. I usually end up planning a fic around one or two key scenes that I reeeeeally want to do, which the entire rest of the story is written to build up to. I also tend to know what the ending is before I know the rest of the story. A large amount of the time, that key scene is the ending. So, outlining is immensely helpful to me in working out the logistics of reaching those later points before diving in full throttle. 

I also like being able to see the ‘shape’ of a story at a glance. It makes it easier to figure out how to make it stronger.

My outlines can have some weird notes, but generally, they’re just summaries of events. Sometimes they can get so detailed that they’re almost first drafts. What is weird is looking back on old outlines and seeing how much has changed over the course of writing the story. Sometimes the characters had different names or were referred to by strange nicknames or I’d planned to do something totally ridiculous that didn’t end up working out in reality at all. 

16. Do you research for your fics? If so, how deep of a rabbit hole have you gone down by accident when researching?

YES. The difficulty with me is figuring out when to stop researching. There’s a literal ton of research that never makes it into the fic itself (though I do think that knowing the background of a thing, even if it is not directly mentioned, does help in writing the rest of the thing with more authenticity). I am in the habit of rereading entire game wikis. The first thing I do when I’m tackling a subject I don’t know a whole lot about is check out every single book in the library about that topic (well, almost every book. I’m sure there’s more than the 15 zombie books I requested yesterday in the local library system). I am the person who has tabs open for weeks on articles and videos I find useful.

I fall deepest down the rabbit hole when I’m researching something historical. If I learn one new, crazy thing, I want to know what it means about the people who lived in this time period, how it connects to the present world and what that means about people today. I read a lot of nonfiction when I’m not actively researching a topic and am constantly going off on self-propelled research tangents there too. 

The most bonkers such tangent that led to the most bonkers fic: The Whale Cure, for In the Belly of the Beast. I happened upon a video about that and I had to, man, I just had to. 

There’s also kind of an interesting story behind the research I did for Sensēto, which says more about what I leave out than what I leave in. I immersed myself in research about medieval Japan for several months before I felt comfortable enough to write a story set in it. 

But, as I discover in all my historical research, there’s some pretty messed up things in history. Choosing whether to write about them or pretend they didn’t happen is one of the most difficult decisions I make. Sometimes they’re discoveries that totally change the nature of a story (in high school, I was writing a fantasy story about a family that had been cursed by a witch, but once I’d learned about all the horrors of real-life witch hunting, I could not in good faith write the story the way I had been). Sometimes they’re the things that become the basis of the story (there’s a yet-unfinished Dishonored fic of mine which is very much about 19th century homophobia). And sometimes, they’re things that are too painful to write or read about and thus, I choose to ignore them (unless a story is explicitly about racism, I tend to leave the racism out. is this the right call? i’m never entirely sure). 

Anyway, in Sensēto’s case, it was the discovery of the prevalence of (not always consensual) pederasty in Buddhist monasteries of the both the medieval time period and later. In The Great Mirror of Male Love, a collection of short stories written during the Edo period, there are multiple stories about unwilling minors trying to get away from the monks who are relentless in their romantic pursuit of them. My story’s got a minor who is overwintering in a Buddhist monastery, as a key part of the plot. >.< It was a concerning discovery.

I think it’s important to be as true to reality as possible when writing any story - historical or otherwise, whether you’re writing high fantasy or a coffeeshop au. Ignoring the painful parts of it feels dishonest to me. I generally like diving into those topics and exploring them, but there, I just couldn’t see any benefit in doing so.