#ao3 wrapped ask game

[sonics-atelier]

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup

Ty for the tag darling @shadowqueenjude <33

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

84,046

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

27

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

Four - Veil of Deceit ( Ianthe x Amarantha prequel to ACOTAR ) , Tug of Love and War ( I promise I'll post the next chapter soon ) and two Thirty One Days Of Tamcien and Cherik ( this might take me a few weeks to finish )

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

Definitely has to be Veil of Deceit and Violated, I think I grew as a writer and got put of my comfort zone and I'm very proud of the results.

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

Violated because it was my first time writing about something I had personally been dealing with so I was able to make my emotions come across better as compared to other fics. Also my poems for Tamlin Week were experimental too.

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

See I put my blood, sweat and tears into writing and planning Veil of Deceit and it doesn't have many kudos but I was still happy which was weird because I used to care a lot about stats and i realised I didn't care much about the reception if I was enjoying myself.

On the other hand Summer Struggles was written based on just vibes and my observation of max always liking Charles' posts within minutes of him posting them, so I was very surprised when I saw that it garnered 300+ kudos within a week. It was the first time any of my fics got sm love and I was over the moon about it, ty to the f1 rpf Fandom being sweethearts <3

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

God there's so many but at the risk of repeating myself it's Veil Of Deceit and Just One Look both of which I worked a lot on but it went under the radar.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

Hmm, there are lots but @itmeanssungod and @apynae revived my love for Wolfstar and made me fall in love with the ship all over again.

Also, this is recent but @space-ailen3 's lucissa art & @avendell 's lucissa art was so beautiful it made me wanna write more for the ship. Please also go and check out both their respective blogs for amazing art ✨️

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

An author who inspired me is @itsonlydana, their writing is just so so good and I was actually very insecure when I started out about not being able to write smut and wondered if my fics would get less attention because of it but their fic the The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun, showed me that a fic can be a literary masterpiece without having explicit stuff in it and that made me so happy. Thank you Dana ily 💗

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

I recently discovered wonwo_o on ao3 and oh my fucking God their fic Thick Skull made me revive my love for stucky and fall down a rabbit hole, like I devoured that in less than 8 hours, it was so good, no amount of words can describe how much I love all of their works.

I also finally got around to reading Cee_Darling's A Court of Chaos and Darkness and it was so good, it made me see characters I didn't like in a new light and made me understand their actions and it's just a very well written fic.

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Yup, I've collaborated with @shadowqueenjude to write When The Steam Settles ( Rhysand x Cassian ).

It started as a joke about how the batboys are definitely gay cause they were in the sauna together and we kept sharing ideas and then started writing from there, it was so much fun!

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

Being able to post my writing in itself is something I consider a big accomplishment because if you would've asked 2023 me if I thought I'd create stories for my favorite characters and have the courage to post them on the internet I wouldn't have believed it. This was possible only because of the amazing friends I made along the way who gave me the courage to post my writing so a big thank you to them 💗

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

That sometimes the fics that are just based on pure vibes and chaos deliver the best result instead of those which I meticulously plan out. I used to think that writing needed to be a precise and efficient process but that made me lose a lot of things that made the process fun, it was only after taking a break and just writing based on this picture I found on Pinterest did I realise that I was much more fun that I used to and I decided to lay back on the planning and just have fun.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

One thing I'd say is to write for yourself and write whatever brings YOU the most joy, as writers most of us forget that stats while have their importance the most important thing is to write not to please others but ourselves. And keep writing even if you

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

To focus on my wips and original stories and being able to write what brings me joy and grow as writer.

Tagging : open tags <3

[the-badger-mole]

29, 19, 7

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

It's a tie between 2 passages in the same chapter of The Sciomancy Scheme the fic I wrote for the Big Bang:

She suddenly looked up at her mother, and it struck her. She was actually seeing her mother for the first time. Poppy’s face was worn with nearly 100 years worth of a life Toph hadn’t been able to be part of for long. Her sparse hair was stark white and age spots showed on her scalp where hair was the thinnest. Toph thought she was beautiful.

and

Grief is funny, Katara mused. It hung around her little family like a mist, but they found they could still laugh and smile, testing the ability like an injured limb.

7. If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most?

I didn't really use a ton of songs this year, but in general, I think the artist I use most consistently is Alexz Johnson. I love her music, and she's also underground enough that I don't really have to worry that a ton of other people are pulling the same lyrics. I also tend to use a lot of R&B songs, but not any one specific artist consistently.

I already answered 19.

[ageless-aislynn]

Nobody asked me any of these but, honestly, I wanted to know the answers to some of them myself, so... I'm answering what I want anyway! 🤷‍♀️😉

ao3 wrapped [writers edition]

How many words have you written this year?

I'm counting this as how many words in something that I posted, which is 14,819. A lot more than I expected, honestly, but most of it came from me doing several chapters of "15 Minutes" early in the year. 😉

How many works did you publish this year?

9 chapters in all, but only 4 individual works.

What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

"Sentence Starters Short Fic Collection" (Soap and Ghost, Call of Duty, Kaidan x Shepard, Mass Effect and Kai and Vannak, Halo the series) Yeah, they're all suuuuuper short but I'm always proud of myself whenever I write anything at all for fandoms/characters I've never attempted before. 😎👍

What work of yours has the most hits?

Definitely "15 Minutes" (John x female Reader, Halo the series). I'll never have anything else that will get this sort of response and I'm going to miss it when it's over. But I AM finishing it. Someway. Some how.

What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

"15 Minutes," yet again. It was meant to be a one-shot and then people liked it and asked for more.

Favorite title you used

"It's All Coming Along" (Master Chief, Halo/Halo the series) Never post things you wrote while in the middle of a bad insomnia bout, kids. You'll think something is funny and everybody else will probably not. I've debated removing this one but finally thought, eh, so it's dumb, that doesn't mean that one day, somebody might get a laugh from my puns. If not, then welp, I'm woman enough to have a total dud in my collection.🤷‍♀️😂

If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most?

Didn't use song lyrics this year but I have in the past. I honestly just use whatever artist or song fits the story or theme. I have a really eclectic bunch of artists that I like, so you never know what'll pop up.

Pairing you wrote the most for this year?

John x female Reader, since "15 Minutes" had so many chapters and "It's All Coming Along" is technically a John x Reader as well. "Recreation" is Kai x male Reader and the Sentence Starters I've already mentioned above. 😉

Favorite pairing you wrote for this year?

It's actually the female OC/Frank West from my Dead Rising AU titled "Turn Back." They're the only ones I can consistently sit down and just bang out blocks of hundreds of words. I dunno why. 🤷‍♀️

What work was the quickest to write?

"It's All Coming Along" took literally two hours from "Hey, wouldn't it be funny if...?" to me hitting post. Don't do that, kids. Have a nap first if you haven't slept in, like 40 hours. Don't commit fiction, lol. 😆😴

What work took you the longest to write?

"15 Minutes" which was started 2 years ago along with "Recreation" probably deserves that "honor" for more than one reason, lol.

How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year?

In addition to finishing "15 Minutes" and "Recreation," I have 6 others: "Untitled Fluffy Vannak fic" (Halo the series), "Choices" (Noble Team choose your own Spartan adventure, Halo: Reach), "The Price" (Caitlin Frost/Hunter Zolomon, The Flash), "Guardian Angel" (Time Wraith!Caitlin Snow/Eobard Thawne, The Flash), "Split" (Caitlin Snow/Eobard Thawne, The Flash) and "Try" (TomCav!Eobard Thawne/Caitlin Snow/Mattobard!Eobard Thawne, The Flash).

What’s your longest work of the year?

"15 Minutes" chapters 7 - 11 totaled 12,064 words on their own.

What’s your shortest work of the year?

"It's All Coming Along" at 106 words

What WIP are you taking into next year with you?

I'm dragging all 8 of them with me, lol.

What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

I'm terrible at tagging so most of my tags are just pairings or the occasional warning I feel might be needed.

Your favorite character to write this year?

I'll always love writing for Master Chief John-117, my beloved. I also really love writing Cortana.

The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

All of them. Writer's block suuuuuucks. 😭

What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?

Honestly, once I finish my WIPs I feel like I'm done. I'll probably keep writing things like my Dead Rising AU and my handful of Mass Effect: Andromeda fics but they're all totally just for me, not to be posted. If something pops to mind, I'll write it but, for the most part, I don't think fandom in general needs me anymore, lol.

Which work of yours have you reread the most?

"15 Minutes" because I'm trying to make sure I keep things consistent and wrap up any loose ends.

How many kudos in total did you get this year?

I can't really tell because there's no way to sort out the kudos that "15 Minutes" and "Recreation" already had on them. Excluding them, though, 21.

Which work has the most comments?

"15 Minutes."

Did you do any collaborative works this year?

No, I could barely work with myself this year, lol. I'm lousy at collabs, unfortunately.

Did you write any gifts this year?

No.

Did you receive any gifts this year?

No.

What’s your most common category?

I guess I technically write (hopefully) humorous romance?

What do you listen to while writing?

My inner editor screaming NO1CURRS and that I'm wasting my time even trying to finish my WIPs. I try to drown her out with various playlists. Here's one.

Favorite work you wrote this year?

Again, it's probably the "Turn Back" Dead Rising AU or "The Best Mistake" (Gil x OC, Mass Effect: Andromeda AU). Of my posted stuff, though, "15 Minutes."

Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

"Look, it's not my fault that that penguin documentary was kinda lame and—"

"IT WAS NOT!" Vannak bellowed back and took a swing at her that would've definitely put a marine in the infirmary for a month, if not in the ground, permanently. For Kai, it would've at the very least mussed her hair. "Those penguins are adorable and—"

"Lame. Laaaaaame," she singsonged, ducking a flurry of punches, then doing a very impressive parkour run up the wall into a backflip that sent her soaring over the enraged Spartan's head.

"THEY'RE NOT LAME, YOU TAKE THAT BACK!"

"Sentence Starters Short Fic Collection" Chapter 3, Kai and Vannak, Halo the series. For some reason, I absolutely LOVE the idea they're arguing over whether penguins are adorable or not, lol!

Biggest surprise while writing this year?

That I haven't totally given up. It's been verrrrrry close, friends. But every time I've thought, "Eh, why keep trying?" a comment will pop up, thanking me for writing something that gave them a laugh or the like and that'll give me the strength to keep in the fight. If there's even one person left who wants to read how these end or who'll check out the ones I haven't started posting yet, then I want to finish them.

Here's the original post if you'd like to reblog it for yourself or hey, if you'd like to just go ahead and answer it, no asks require, lol!

[zenkindoflove]

3, 12, 17 and 30 ❤️

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

Picking one is soooo hard. There is a lot I did this year that I'm really proud of. I tried a lot of new things and did a lot of creative and cool projects.

Since it's recent and in the spirit of the question to disregard hits and kudos, I'll say Carrion Flowers. Compared to other works I have it really does have low kudos/hits but I think it's some of the most creative stuff I've churned out. Writing a mystery plot was a brand new experience for me. I also haven't done much AU so putting those together and expanding upon my horror writing was really totally new and I had a lot of freedom to play. So even if it stays niche, I know I did good work.

12. How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year?

Uh oh lmao. I mean some of these will be active WIP and others are ideas I have planned for next year. My Elucien SS fic will extend into 2025 because it's a multichapter. I also have at least two or three Erixius short fics planned. I intend to start the sequel to Summer Heat which will be Elucien and Erixius. And there is a Lady of Autumn multichapter fic I really want to write. So that's like 6?

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

I have to say Alexius because I birthed him this year and he took over so much of my writing.

30. Biggest surprise while writing this year?

Actually the entire fic Dancing Barefoot which is a 1970s Elucien AU. It was my first time writing AU for Elucien and it took a while to figure out how to write them in a new canon. I think what surprised me about it is how much I enjoyed the final product because I did have such a rough time writing it and it took forever. Also I wrote Vassa and Jurian into that story and they were surprisingly so fun to write! I had a ton of fun with their dynamic which I did not expect. I really want to do more of it in the future.

AO3 wrapped ask game

[jamiesfootball]

AO3 Wrapped 13, 14, 25, and 46! :)

13. Your personal favorite fic you read this year

Looking back at this was mind-warping because what do you mean all of these were this year what do you mean?!

So here's a little wrapped playlist of some of my favorites that immediately sprung to mind:

To All The Better Places by AsteriaArgo the ending where you finally find your way home by sighonara there is no other land by jamietarttsnorthernattitude thought that i was young by thirteenemeraldcats When Darkness Falls by Nativestar Stand Where the Light Hits Hard by theseaanemone like a circle unbroken by scarlettroses Everybody Wants to Be on TV by ABubblingCandle New York Minute by altschmerzes (bonus The Bear fic)

14. Your personal favorite fic you posted this year

Answered here!

25. Least popular fic by hits you posted this year

This One Piece fic and this Original Fic are literally tied at 108 hits

Least hits on a Ted Lass fic is In Favor, a short little Dani & Jamie sickfic fic I did for augusnippets with 155 Hits

46. A playlist of all the songs you used lyrics from to title fics this year

Well this is the worst playlist I've ever made. It's three songs long. Not just that, you've made me out myself for using linkin park lyrics for a title. Hope you're happy with yourself <3

(seriously though, if this isn't the best snapshot of me you'll get)

(also I just counted that means I successfully titled 21 out of 24 fics by my lonesome, all hail me)

From this ask game

[air-exec]

Hi friend! For the ao3 wrapped asks, #17- who was your favorite character to write this year?

Hey hi hello!

This is going to be a dumb answer bc the fic isn’t anywhere near done yet and thus not on ao3, but I’m currently working on one that centers around Croz and a host of ghosts who are stuck at Thorpe Abbotts and I’m having a BLAST writing that anxious wreck of a man.

[yallthemwitches]

14 and 30 please!

14. What is your shortest work of the year?

Afterglow! My most recent fic! I really just was in the mood to write something extremely fluffy and this was the result.

30. What was your biggest surprise this year?

Well, I never imagined writing fanfiction so...I guess that! This was my first foray despite lurking (and reading) at various points in my lifetime.

I also never thought I would ever be a smut writer, which is kinda hilarious seeing that maybe 40/50% of my work contains some sort of M rated scenario. I've never been a romance reader--certainly not a smut reader so it came as bit of a shock when I gravitated to it. Maybe I just have a lot of feelings? Anyways, I've found the experience really healing for personal reasons and honestly am thankful to write it because it makes me feel very in tune with my own sexuality ( and I hope people feel the same!)

[angeart]

And 29!

--from ao3 wrapped [writers edition]

29: Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

this is a very interesting question! and also very difficult, given the amount of things i've written in combination with my bad memory. so of course i went and dug through things, overthinking this, even though, really, i know exactly what to answer. still, let me take the long route. (because i'm an idiot and there's no other way.)

so first i'll ramble about things i like.

starting with the phrase that always makes me weak, and i don't think i use it enough, but characters just dissipating into giggles—that exact wording. like. c'mon. that. whenever i get to use it, i'm so happy. it's such a lack of control and overflow of joy. the best thing ever.

but if we move into specific passages... (i go on a bit of a tangent, so the rest is under the line-) (dancing scene at the end there and a bit of a hmtb spoiler/sneakpeek/preview for you guys)

i looked over the cursed forest au fic (even with death haunting your footsteps, your flowers will bloom again), looking for pretty sentences, and the problem is, that fic is full of pretty sentences. (i honestly don't know how i did that, but it does make me happy.) something about words like the warzone of his good intentions, you know? (i had more. i'm trying to be concise.) (i promise.)

but really, there's one phrase in that fic that i do think about sometimes still. so it needs to be mentioned. here:

It still hurts, to be treated so gently, but unlike everything else, it hurts in a way he thinks he might be able to survive.

------

i also want to bring up a sentence from Elegy that lives in my head rent-free (this is from chapter 3, which i'm aware is unreleased as of now, but shh):

The grief is a guillotine, and he’s bending forward, hair falling away from his neck, baring skin and bracing for impact.

there's just something about that that refuses to let me go.

------

but! i also enjoyed writing happy things. (shocking)

especially this passage from these flowers will wither (like you and me), but they're not dead yet was very fun to write:

-

Grian grins at him, something bright and cheeky. “Do you want to try that again?”

There’s a pause when Scar attempts to recalibrate. (He fails.) (He absolutely fails.) 

He tries to grab something rational in him, tries to tell himself that Grian means dancing. But his traitorous heart supplies a wholly different answer to him. 

Scar pushes himself up and, with fingers sliding along Grian’s jaw, he presses his lips to Grian’s.

(They’re warm. They’re chapped. They’re Grian Grian Grian Grian.)

He feels the vibration of Grian’s laughter against him before he really registers the sound.

“That’s not what I meant,” Grian scolds, but there’s no bite in it; he sounds entirely too pleased and amused, even as he piles a handful of sand on top of Scar’s head in playful revenge.

------

and this honestly now brings me to hmtb. which is where we anchor.

believe it or not, there is a happy scene that i can't stop thinking about (just the sheer power of it, across all the pain and messes and saddness—scar making grian laugh like this.)

------ hmtb chapter 49:

Scar looks at him innocently and presents his question: “What is a romp, Impulse?”

Grian bursts out laughing.

A big, toothy grin spreads across Scar’s face at the sound.

Impulse’s eyes briefly flit to Mumbo and he feels his face get hot. “I— What— That’s not fair!” he whines. “That’s not a truth, that’s a, Scar, I’m not a dictionary!”

At that, Grian laughs harder, bending over. His giggles tip over proper cackling, a bit breathless around the edges, and Scar thinks it’s the most wonderful sound in the whole world.

------ and of course this moment from chapter 47:

Neither of them can help it; their lips treacherously stretch into smiles where they’re pressed against each other, before they both helplessly dissipate into giggles, feeling lightheaded and high. 

“What are we doing,” Grian huffs out through his laughter.

“Kissing,” Scar replies cheerfully and demonstratingly places three kisses along Grian’s jaw.

It’s the best thing in the world.

------

bet you didn't expect me to pull out the happy scenes out of this mess of a fic. ha.

but also! one the things i really like and enjoy is throwing anything to do with explosives, tnt, fire, etc, at scar and grian. like this:

Skin tingling and heart feeling like TNT on the verge of explosion, Scar moves to follow him, blindly, willingly, the way he’d follow him anywhere.

and this:

Watching him, Scar laughs quietly. He thinks of the sound the flint and steel makes, of the little click, of the hiss of TNT as it readies itself to cause damage. It sounds like his heart feels. He thinks of sparks that catch on leaves and grass and bark, a tree going up in flames, the catastrophic heat spreading violently to anything it touches, and he wonders if that is how Grian’s heart feels.  

------

now, since i'm already rambly. there is one bit of hmtb i keep thinking back to constantly. and it's a particular conversation from chapter 21 (the talk in the middle of a crisis). this bit in particular:

 “He wasn’t afraid then. He knew you could kill him, but he wasn’t scared. And you know what, Grian? You didn’t kill him,” he finishes softly. 

“I… didn’t kill him?” Grian repeats, dazed and wobbly. 

“He wasn’t scared, and you didn’t kill him”

(you guys should keep this in mind too. it might get a callout sometime, uhhhhh, around chapter 100 or so at this rate—)

(don't worry about that, ofc.)

and now for the real answer. (wow.)

because here's the thing. you're asking what's my favourite passage. and really, i love all those other things too, but there's one particular bit of writing that hits closer than any other.

the dancing bits.

the heartachy, complicated, painful dancing bits.

and yes, this ties to the whole fic i wrote about them dancing in the desert, but listen. the purely-hmtb bits? those? those. okay?

here we go:

------ hmtb chapter 37: call of the desert

Scar sighs a little and says: “I miss it.”

“Scar,” Grian’s voice is absolutely unsteady.

They haven’t really talked about the desert, not since it was over.

Nobody ever talks about life games, if they can avoid it.

But now Grian sits here and he has to forcefully remind himself that the skin over his knuckles isn’t torn raw and that Scar’s blood isn’t coating his hands and he has to accept that Scar misses the desert and Grian also misses it, in a way, and it’s all so dizzying, it makes him lightheaded.

“We used to dance,” Scar says thoughtfully. “Why don’t we do it anymore?”

“I forgot how,” Grian barely manages to get out. He didn’t forget. In fact, he remembers every step Scar taught him. He remembers them stumbling together into a fall, a small giggling heap on top of the warm sand, limbs tangled. He remembers the moment when Scar grinned wildly at him, joy bright in his eyes, as they completed a couple of steps without a hitch for the first time. He remembers how they laughed and danced, giddy and high on life in a world that promised nothing but death.

He doesn’t want to remember. It hurts his heart.

“I can teach you again,” Scar suggests softly.

The pain in Grian’s heart just gets worse.

Scar reaches for Grian’s hand, then. Even if they’re both sitting on Grian’s bed and they can’t dance like this, he still slides his fingers underneath Grian’s palm and brings it up, in exactly the same way he held it when they danced. With curved lips, he hums a melody.

Grian looks at him, absolutely wretched. His hand twitches in Scar’s grasp, but he doesn’t pull it away. “Scar,” he half-whispers, in a miserable tone. He meant to say stop, but he can’t bring himself to. So he just pleads, using Scar’s name itself, hoping the other man will get it.

Scar studies Grian for a second, before he lowers their hands. He huffs out a small laugh. “It’s okay. We can leave it for some other time.”

Grian purses his lips. He doesn’t say there won’t be another time. He doesn’t say he doesn’t want this. He doesn’t say that something in him desperately wants this, actually, please Scar please.

------

but, you know what. it isn't over.

this answer has been long enough. i know. i know. (i appreciate and love everyone who bothered to read this far <3 ) but. but there's more.

there is more, and it's so closely related, these scenes are entwined and live snugly side-by-side in my heart. but. here's the thing.

this next bit is 1,2k long, and it's from a chapter that, as of now, hasn't been released yet. for the curious, greedy, hungry souls (love you all to bits), here it is:

------ hmtb chapter [unspecified]

Scar blinks and recalibrates under the scrutiny. His eyes dart to the jukebox and he lets a smile spread across his lips, as he reaches out a hand to Grian. “Hey, G, you wanna dance?”

Grian’s eyes widen a fraction, thrown off by the abrupt suggestion. “I’m… not sure,” he manages to say, eyes dropping to Scar’s invitingly outstretched hand, palm-up and ready for him. 

His emotions wrangle in him—a need to be close, to give in, to accept everything Scar’s giving him, pushed violently against the sharp memories of sand and desert, something happy tiding over into blood and pain and misery.

He flexes his fingers, pulls them into a fist and then stretches them out, trying to unknot the tension and release the slight tremble that courses through them. His throat feels dry, all of a sudden.

“It’s okay,” Scar says in the softest tone that never fails to tug at Grian’s heart. “I can lead.”

The music turns mildly cacophonic, askew and sick. It buzzes and pitches and tilts, in a way music isn’t supposed to be able to. And Grian realises that he’s told Scar before that he forgot how to dance. 

Scar taught him all the steps, back in the desert. A lot of hours spent in the stifling air upon sun-warmed evening sand, stumbling and laughing and holding onto each other. Their skin was more tanned then. Their eyes were brighter, their souls wilder. They felt unstoppable.

Grian feels anything but right now.

He doesn’t know if he can take it.

But Scar’s reaching out to him and Grian finds that he cannot turn away from it, his body shackled and chained, unable to resist. And so even if everything in him screams no, he still finds himself reaching back, meeting Scar’s hands with his own trembling fingers, trepidation sinking its teeth into him.

Scar’s smile brightens and oh, maybe it’s not trepidation that Grian feels.

He feels Scar’s fingers take hold of his hand, secure and warm; they pull at him, but not in a destabilising way. It’s the opposite: they tell Grian exactly where to be. Scar’s other arm finds Grian torso and seamlessly slides across to his back, sending shivers down Grian’s spine; his wings stretch out and shudder, before they fall back, feathers lightly brushing over Scar’s skin.

Everything about this is electrifying, and it’s driving Grian haywire. 

He thinks maybe he needs to stop thinking. Maybe he needs to give in to the part of him that wants to let Scar have control of the two of them now; the part of him that wants to trust and believe that he’s safe; the part of him that craves affection with ugly, hungry desperation. 

Scar leans closer and with a rumbling baritone wrapped in velvet, he checks: “Ready?”

Running on nothing but instinct, Grian squeezes at Scar’s hand.

With a low chuckle, Scar lets go of Grian’s back and Grian almost gasps at the abrupt loss—but all Scar does is guide Grian’s free hand to his waist. “Like this,” he murmurs, his voice just a step away from purring, and then his hand slots back against Grian’s spine.

A trembling breath leaves Grian’s lips and he dips his head, leaning forwards, inching closer to Scar. He feels the response in the way Scar’s touch on his back turns firm, accepting the new closeness with reverent neediness. He can’t see Scar’s face, but he can tell Scar’s lips are curved in a smile, cheeks slightly dimpling.

He almost wishes to look, but he can’t, he can’t, it’s too much. 

He takes a deep breath though his nose. The air isn’t dry and hot. The ground doesn’t shift underneath his feet.

It hasn’t shifted underneath his feet in ages, but right now in this very moment, a part of Grian distantly thinks that it should. That if they’re going to dance, it should be atop a mountain, feet sinking into sand.

They’re standing on carpeted floor, and the music disc is one they didn’t have in the desert, the sounds of it wrapping around them in a rhythm completely discordant to the fast beating of Grian’s heart. 

With gentle and deliberate move, Scar directs them to sway. Their feet shift, steady on the solid floor, something learned and simple. Scar leads them in careful, basic steps, the ones he used at the very beginning to teach Grian. Back when even that was too much, and Grian kept stepping on his feet, and Scar kept catching him.

Scar doesn’t need to catch Grian now, because Grian knows these steps. They’re imbued in his muscle memory, something sunken and anchored, a part of his soul that’s reserved for things that feel like home.

Testingly, Scar throws in something more complex. He pulls Grian along, turning them in circles, every step confident and filled with joy. The music is the background rhythm, but they’re both locked somewhere else, in a fragment of a memory—something that used to be; something that Scar believes could be again.

With a curve to his lips, Scar hums and remarks: “You said you don’t remember.”

Grian’s breath hitches and it’s only now that he lifts his head to meet Scar’s gaze. Despite that, his feet do not stumble; he doesn’t need to watch where he steps, he knows it all by heart. His gaze anchors in green eyes and something rises within him so tidally and overwhelmingly that he feels hot wetness blur his vision all of a sudden. “How could I forget?” he manages past the lump in his throat.

Scar gently lets go of Grian’s hand and instead reaches to touch Grian’s jaw, brushing his thumb soothingly over Grian’s cheek as he takes in the raw, ravaging emotion in Grian’s eyes. 

Grian moves his suddenly free arm around Scar, fingers finding purchase in the fabric of Scar’s shirt, digging into it until he has a firm grip. His lungs spasm in his chest, his heart stutters, his wings droop then lift and spread. A loose feather drops to the floor and Scar sidesteps it expertly, as if it was somehow too precious to damage. 

“You remember,” Scar murmurs, an odd inflection to his voice. 

Grian’s skin buzzes where Scar touches it; a tingling, warm sensation spreads from Scar’s fingertips and robs Grian of breath. “Of course,” he murmurs, quiet, destabilised. 

Scar’s eyes crinkle in joy, lips spreading into a bright, toothy smile that ends in dimpled skin as he looks at Grian. He makes no attempt to call out Grian’s earlier lie; he seems content in knowing that this is the truth, warm and alive underneath his fingers, guided by his steps. “Oh, I wouldn’t mind teaching you again, but this makes me so happy!” he admits openly, fractionally heightening their tempo as he leads them in spinning circles, everything in him attuned to the music even as it becomes nothing more than a background noise.

Grian isn’t ready for those words. Nor for the way Scar looks at him.

He feels like he’s drowning, and Scar’s both his sea and his oxygen.

Scar starts humming in tune, the happy expression lingering on his face, and it’s only then that the discordant rhythm of the song disentangles and starts making sense to Grian. It’s only the reverb of Scar’s voice that puts coherency into Grian’s existence; into their steps across the carpet that doesn’t give underneath their weight; into the way the room sways around them, full of warm shadows and flickering flames and muted colours not quite matching sand.

[bonecarversbestie]

17, 19, 30 for the ao3 wrapped!

17. Your favorite character to write this year I think it ended up being Tamlin of all people. He was never a favorite of mine in the first book, but got more interesting as the series went on, and I loved exploring his character and his relationships with elain and lucien 19. What's one pairing you want to explore next year? if you sent me this to give me the opportunity to finally hard launch my Nuannigan agenda then I owe you a big kiss on the head. I really want to start exploring some sapphic pairings next year (Nuan and Mor being the main one). Also interested in digging into some Lucien & Nesta friendship dynamics 30. Biggest surprise while writing this year? That i actually love it so much. I've kept stories inside my head for so long. i was surprised how cathartic it was to put them down on paper. and how much i loved each step of the process from outlining to drafting to editing to sharing.

[crazy-ache]

2, 6, 16 for the fanfic writers wrapped ask game

2. How many works did you publish this year?

I have published 16 works this year! And that will go up to 17 after Secret Santa hehe. Which is wild and not what I expected to happen when I wrote my first little Elucien piece over a year ago because the demons wouldn't leave me alone. I thought that would be it after it left my system. Little did I know....

6. Favorite title you used

Call Me Selfish, Call Me Wrecked is a personal favorite of mine because I came up with the idea entirely on my own. It just came to me while writing. Sometimes it can feel so rare for the title to hit you, so you gotta embrace it when it does.

16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

Canon Compliant and Elain POV are my two most popular additional tags which is pretty much on brand for me. I love exploring canon and I do feel most comfortable inside Elain's head, though I am going to try some new things in the new year.

ao3 wrapped [writers edition]

thank you for the ask 🎄

[sonics-atelier]

12 + 17 + 20 for the ask game <3

HIHIIHI, ty for the ask 💕

From Ao3 Wrapped Ask Game.

12 - How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year?

11 wips are currently being worked on

17 - Your favorite character to write this year?

Ooh i have a few - Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr, Kaz Brekker, Tamlin, and Amarantha and Ianthe.

20 - Which work of yours have you reread the most?

I think it's definitely Veil of Deceit and Summer Struggles.

[killerandhealerqueen]

For @clawbehavior who asked from this ask game:

1. Fic you clicked on the most times this year (shows in History) (both someone else's fic and my fic)

For someone else's fic, probably After Rio by Morgane (smilla840). I can't find it in my history but I know I read that fic a lot.

For my fic, either Oil and Water, Monster Like Me, or For All Eternity

But then again, I read almost every fic I posted this year numerous times so...

9. Most popular fic by hits you read this year

Probably To Your Heart’s Content by Richardmarie75

10. Most popular fic by hits you posted this year

Okay, so technically 恨君不似江楼月 | Killer and Healer has like the most hits this year but it's carried over from like 2022. A fic that actually is the most popular by hits that I posted this year is It's Not the Devil at Your Door (It's Just Your Shadow on the Floor) with 4,515 hits

11. Most popular fic by kudos you posted this year

Yeah, that would be It's Not the Devil at Your Door (It's Just Your Shadow on the Floor) with 376 kudos

12. Most popular fic by comment threads you posted this year

Again It's Not the Devil at Your Door (It's Just Your Shadow on the Floor) with 10 comment threads

13. Your personal favorite fic you read this year

I read a lot of good fics this year, and one of the fics that I put on another ask was The Beast of Brooklyn by ArtemisRayne. Another good fic I read this year was contact-drunk by miamis (this fic was so good)

14. Your personal favorite fic you posted this year

Oh...tough one...but I think it's a tie between Die Trying and Monster Like Me. Really enjoyed posting these two this year. But then again, I loved all the fics I posted this year. Was really proud of them

42. Canon pairing you read the most this year

Mm...idk if they're canon but I guess jayvik from Arcane? (Are they canon? Who knows)

43. Non-Canon pairing you read the most this year

Oh girl, so many. Almost all of my pairings that I read aren't canon

AO3 Wrapped Ask Game! | send me asks

[kazoosandfannypacks]

13 for the ask game 😊

13. What are you most excited to post in the upcoming year?

I really hope I can get another chapter (preferably two chapters!) of STAR CROSSED REBELLION HEROES SHARE A PASSIONATE KISS ON LIVE BROADCAST (NOT CLICKBAIT!!!!!) written next year. I also hope that now that I've finished the Sabezra Gamergirl AU, I can focus more attention on the Cygnet Scholar Superhero AU!

💻 ao3 wrapped ask game!

[shychick-52]

6, 12, and 30 for AO3 Wrapped?

6. Favorite title you used

There Was Never Gray In Black and White for my one-sided madro fic and The Heart of This Star-Crossed Voyager for my favorite fenro fic. The first are lyrics from the Imagine Dragons song Bones', and the other title are lyrics from Elton John's rendition of 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight.'

12. How many WIPs do you have in your docs for next year?

Two. 'Circumstances and Control' and 'Astro B.O.Y.D. - Inside Out' (I haven't updated the former since summer and the latter since last October, OUCH)

30. Biggest surprise while writing this year?

Two things. (1) How AMAZINGLY received my first 'Sofia the First' fanfic has been (my DT stuff hardly ever gets attention), and (2) the fact that I was able to write well over 20,000 words (the first four chapters) of it in a month! I haven't been this motivated to write since 2021, and it feels amazing!

[jamiesfootball]

3, 4, 49 and/or 50 for the ao3 wrapped ask game please

3. First fic you Bookmarked this year

Summary:

Roy and Jamie go cycling again when Roy is struggling with his feelings. Their chat turns to nostalgia and thinking about that ghost fire. Roy tells Jamie about the blanket he regrets burning ... which puts Jamie in an awkward situation for many reasons. 1) Jamie didn't burn the boots his mum gave him 2) And he just lied to Roy about that 3) Roy's blanket didn't burn either 4) And he's just lied to Roy about that as well

It was this delightful little gem, featuring Jamie's excellent decision-making skills and Roy having a feeling

49. Your most posted Additional Tag this year

That would be Implied/Referenced Child Abuse (7)

Which. You know. Not a shocker

4 and 50 answered here

From this ask game

[zenkindoflove]

6, 7, 18, and 29 for the Ao3 wrapped ask game 💕

6. Favorite title you used

Probably my Erixius multichapter fic Pull Me In Deeper. I just think it's sexy and really catches the vibes of the fic. And I think the words sound nice together.

Honorable mentioned my porn without plot Erixius one-shot Taste of You. It's pretty obvious why when you read it 😂.

7. If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most?

Oh god I don't know. I really don't focus on one artist and pull from so many. I have two one shots that are basically song fics for La Disputes songs and I weaved in some of the imagery and inspo for the plot from those lyrics.

But I've named fics after or pulled some lyrics for inspo in imagery from a lot of bands. A lot of metal bands especially have been peppered throughout my fics. Most notably there is a nightmare scene I wrote in Carrion Flowers that Lucien has that I was inspired by the sludge metal band Acid Bath specifically the mid album poem called Old Skin. It's very creepy and basically is describing a satanic ritual so don't listen if you're sensitive to those themes. But I think you'll see the direct inspiration when compared to the dream I wrote Lucien having.

18. The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

Eris can be mind fucky sometimes to write but I grew more confident writing him the more and more I did it. Some of my OCs like Aria/Fiadh in Pull Me In Deeper were tough to develop too.

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

Too many to choose. I was tempted to say Lucien's dream in Carrion Flowers again but actually I want to dig back to the fic I wrote with @crazy-ache Dear Lucien, Dear Elain where I wrote all of Elain's letters. There is a passage where Elain is basically telling Lucien how she wants him to seduce/fuck her but it's very much written in coded inneundos referencing a tour of Prythian he wants to take her on. And I thought I was so clever 😂.

I’m delighted to hear that you are interested in accompanying me on my journey! Truth be told, I do not have enough experience of the world and the pleasures it has to offer to know what would satisfy me. I suppose, I will have to trust in your wealth of experience and your steady hand to guide me through these desires. I would welcome a long, thorough exploration, as my previous travels ended too soon for my liking. So, I think it would please me to spend sufficient time, discovering new sights and experiences, and some clever bouts of spontaneity, to the point that I am tired and sated. If I am ever to meet these tutors of yours one day, I will let them know if their lessons on manners fell on deaf ears, but I should reserve judgment on this matter until we discover what matters of persuasion you use on me.

AO3 wrapped ask game