#hlwim fic

[musing-and-music]

Royai week 2023 fic recs

In honor of Royai week in the Fruits & Roots server, I chose to highlight some of my favorite Royai fics I gathered these past years (not many years, since I've been on AO3 for 2 years and a half only). Each day, I'll recommend a few fics in a particular setting

Day 4: Inheritance - Canon-divergent fics

Canon-divergence can be early, as early as Riza and Roy's first days of acquaintance, or during canon, and even after the canon events! (imo the first two fics of this list can be considered as canon divergence, since it happens right after the Promised Day)

Pyrolysis by raisingmybanner

Something sparks in the air, like the precursor to flame. Something he hasn’t felt in years, but jumps up like it had been lying in wait. He’s felt the heat, the danger, the smoldering burn. But he’s always buried it under one more thing, one more thing, one more thing. Pyrolysis, transitioning to flame.

Oh, what a slow-burn, that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end!

your treasure spent by lantur / @lantur

Roy makes a different choice after the Promised Day.

A different choice that leads to healing and restoration as told with lantur's delicate words (I'm absolutely certain that even if "delicate" had had another title, I'd have used that word to describe her writing)

Homefront by hlwim / @hlwim

Miss Riza's arrival in Resembool has the potential to ruin everything. [Royai, FMA:B AU]

Not only the Royai but also the relationship between Riza and Ed and Al are so good!

The Way It Was by fullmetalscully / @fullmetalscullyy

What if Riza never went to war? Riza Hawkeye has just married the man she loves. Six months into their marriage, an unexpected surprise stops her from following Roy to the military. A canon divergence AU that explores what might have happened had Riza been unable to join the military

THE fic and author that brought me to tumblr and then to the Royai fandom where I met so many talented people and friends. It holds a special place in my heart and I hope all the people who'll discover this story will love it as much as I do

[hlwim]

WIP Wednesday - Soldier’s Home

anyway here’s the opening of the sequel to Homefront which is 99% outlined and very very slowly taking shape

The older boy speaks through the curtain of hair that hangs down over his eyes, in a small but determined mumble.

“Hello sir my name is Edward Elric—”

In a single breath, whistling through his teeth, as his bare feet kick motes of dirt against the foyer’s wood floor.

“And?”

He shifts enough to glance at Riza, in school-teacher pose at the foot of the stairs. Behind them, the baby wails.

“And I am very pleased to meet you—also this is my little brother Alphonse.”

A curiouser little thing than his obstreperous sibling, clutching a fold in the fabric of Riza’s apron and keeping his face half-hidden against her hip.

“They’re shy,” Riza says. “They’ll get past it.”

“Wasn’t so shy when I pulled up.”

Her smile still radiates, wider than any sunrise.

“You were a stranger. Now you’re a legend sprung out of stories and suddenly real.”

“Stories?”

“Don’t worry—I made you sound heroic.”

What can he say to that? The children stare, and his stomach turns, and the cries echoing down the stairs beside them peak into a scream.

[minnow-doodle-doo]

Miss Riza's arrival in Resembool has the potential to ruin everything.

This is from one of my favorite fanfics Homefront by @hlwim, where Riza is sent to look after the Elrics. I will never get over this fic :’)

[steviesays]

May Fic Recs

yes hello it is the last day of May :)

the secret is to swallow / without expecting hunger to disappear by @lantur - in progress

Fandom: FMA:B

Lantur has given us another BANGER of course we have our regularly scheduled pining but this time from Roy’s point of view

icarus on metal wings by venusianviolet (@trevorsypha on twitter) - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

EDWIN!!! THEY’RE IN LOVE!!!!!! yeah I love them

I was covering my eyes again by fullmetallizard - in progress

Fandom: FMA:B

omg so its like a reincarnation fic where the cast of fmab remembers their past life (canon) but riza doesn’t remember !!!! the tragedy !!!!! how tf is this gonna play out idk but im excited to see

the water’s warm and children swim by more-than-melody - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

just what it says on the tin and what can I say im a slut for young royai

the theory of everything by yourendlessblue - in progress

Fandom: FMA:B

ok so this fic is working OVERTIME on ruining my life aldjfhlsa so basically berthold hawkeye works with time alchemy, not flame alchemy, and yall know how I feel about time travel !!!!!!!!!!! and young royai !!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeah this one was up my alley and has in the process destroyed my emotions

Go, and I Will Follow by @hlwim - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

yeah I sobbed thats all you need to know about this fic its the worst timeline

Be Kind, Rewind by icewhisper - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

TIME! LOOP! this is the second worst timeline ajklhjfkhds

quinque series by @agentcalliope - in progress

Fandom: FMA:B

its post canon focusing on Roy and Riza’s recovery after the promised day and the FEELINGS !!!!!

Dismantle the Sun by @that-hoopy-frood - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

ok first of all I need yall to read everything this author has ever written because its all amazing and all of their FMA:B stuff is CONNECTED !!!!!!! oof I loved this story especially though, its about ishvallan reconstruction being ummm halted adjklsahd love a conspiracy theory/cult shit gets real crazy real fast

Notorious by @bob-fish - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

so this is baby Roy and Chris backstory and I loved it !!!!!! I loved getting into Chris’s character because this story isn’t one that’s often told and this was just a wonderful representation

ok thats all I have for you this month!! I hope you guys enjoy these fics as much as I did and if you have any suggestions for me my ask box is always open! if you see that I didn’t tag an author because I couldn’t find their blog but you know them please let them know I loved their fic!!!!

[discoinfernocolonel]

It’s been a while, so have some more fic recs (warning: Roy Mustang heavy, lots of hurt!). Once again authors, please let me know if you want to be untagged (or see yourself and want tagged!). 1 | 2 | 3\?

Notorious by Bob_fish

Chris Mustang heavy, with lots of young Roy. As someone who would kill for an unlimited number of young Roy and parental Christmas fics, this one hit just right.

Tempest and Shadow of a Doubt by Bookwrm389

Pinnacle parental!Roy where he gets hurt and Ed feels guilt. We LOVE TO SEE IT (or at least my sadistic little self does)

For better or for worse by @zipadeea

Roy and Riza adopt 2 Ishvalan orphans. Super happy and super sad and honestly such a good fic. 

Beautiful People by @that-hoopy-frood

This one hurts like a bitch! We love to see it! Very well-written, lots of Roy/Riza angst with outside POV (Hughes) thrown in. So worth it.

Equivalence by Shearmouth

Parental Roy parental Roy parental Roy anyways. All you need to know is this line: “Tell Riza to stay the course. Our work is not yet done.” Yeah.

Go, and I Will Follow by @hlwim

Caution: no happy ending. You know how they say that you understand how much someone was loved once they’re gone? Yeah. This one hurts. Still worth it. 

Be Kind, Rewind by icewhisper

Groundhog Day-ish AU where Roy keeps trying to stop Maes from dying. Time loop, angst, and friendship! To the max! We love to see it. 

Smell by @agentcalliope

Another one by this author! Blind Roy and some lovely Riza in this one here, highly recommend!! 

[wind-on-the-panes]

Hi, many thanks for the posts about FMA, a true pleasure to read them. May I ask you about royai fic? Which do you recommend? Or maybe I can read yours? Thank you and please being well

Hey, anon, thank you. Glad you like them.

*sigh* I’m so behind on royai fic... I have trouble following multiple fic at once, and I usually only read fic after hours which is... 1-2am. So I have plenty on my to-read :’) I’ll recommend a few of my current favorites, and some that I have started and will catch up with asap.

(I’ll be updating this because SURPRISE I don’t keep bookmarks, we die like men)

We That Are Young by Stoplight Delight - My favorite royai fic, full stop. The first time I cried reading fanfic. The single most important piece of fiction I read in my late teens, FMA itself nonwithstanding. I can still identify stuff from this fic in my own writing/storytelling. I’d print the chapters out to read on my commute to college. The two biggest cons are that it’s been over 10 years since I read it, so I can’t 100% vouch for it having aged well or even if it’s that objectively good, and that the sequel, “Shall Never See So Much”, which is also amazing, is in permanent hiatus since... 2009. Still recommend it.

delicate by @lantur​ - At the moment, one of the best Riza-centric fics you will find. Lantur has a delicate (HEEEE) hand dealing with loaded themes and situations, but never making light of them. Singlehandedly brought me back to writing fiction, something I had stopped doing out of embarassment.

side to side by @lantur​ - As if Lantur weren’t good enough with gentle drama, here we have a oneshot full of humor, lightness, and sexual innuendo. Dropped it in the groupchat with no FMA gremlins like me, and eveybody loved it, so I can guarantee its effectiveness. Also the screenshot of the tags “thirst, lots of thirst” has become a whatsapp sticker, mostly used by said groupchat.

My Girl Claudine by @Leeloforever - A lighthearted and fun oneshot. I like it fun! I love the song, too. I’ve stolen it for my headcanon and I hope the author doesn’t mind (credits are given every time my imagination uses it, with a @ and an age rating)

Strictly Professional (series) by NothingSoDivine - Some of the best PWP I’ve ever read so if you’re into that... *vague gestures*  there you go. (I’m p sure one of my few bookmarks is the one this series has....)

The Way It Was by @jeanhaavoc - I stopped at the 10th chapter because *more vague gestures pointing at the disclaimer above* but it starts really well and makes me curious to pick it back up asap and see what angle will be chosen for the canon compliance (it’s a canon divergent fic)

An Invite for Tea by @borkthemork - Come on, this is so friggin’ cute. Also, displays of affection without a clear romantic/sexual intent or implication, now or in the future? Sign me up, those two would make a fantastic queerplatonic couple, fight me on this. (don’t fight me I will cry)

A Fair Request by hlwim - You know what I really like good PWPs. Good writing has no genre, amirite? Bonus points for the entire lack of drama and great portrayal of an affectionate established relationship.

amestrian catcher (set something ablaze) by @borkthemork​ - I’m biased here, because it was a work I did that has inspired it. But I poured a lot of love into my piece, and Bork managed to crystalize her vision of it so beautifully I can confirm I’m not just adding it here out of flattery. It’s really sweet, and sensible, and I both love it and love have helped to inspire it.

and finally

The flicker by @brancadoodles - This is my fic. It’s my first “real” royai fic since 2008, and my first attempt at a multi-chapter, structured thing that isn’t me just shouting to the void to exorcize emotions. I recommend you follow the @ over there for not only my art, but updates on this fic. I’m still self-conscious, buy I’m doing this for myself and out of joy, so if you like it please leave a kudos and a comment!

There are many more good good royai fics around, so I’d join @jeanhaavoc‘s discord server to browse through the proper channels where we rec/promote our writing. You’ll find some fine stuff! (also, as I said, I’ll be updating this at some point)

Cheers!

[borkthemork]

Writer Tag Game

Tagged by: @abel-quartz (Who is the ultimate lovely nerd!)

Author Name: @BorkMork on Ao3, Marielle D for most of my short story stuff.

Fandom(s) you write for: Steven Universe mainly. I did some Hetalia, FMA, before.

Where you post: Ao3 and Tumblr. 

Most popular one-shot: “Pizza for One” with 79 kudos.

Most popular multi-chapter: “Death of the Ego” with 463 kudos.

Favorite story you wrote: “Doesn’t Have to be Solo” was a bop to write. It was one of my more extensive stories to do and it’s pretty satisfying to see the word count and the amount of work I did for this one.

Story you were nervous to post: “Comfort” because since it was an art trade I had to consider if it was a satisfactory story or not!

How do you choose your titles? Easy, I go apeshit.

How many of your stories are complete? Ha...hah. Ten of them are complete on Ao3. The multi-chapters are another story.

In progress:

-A Royai fic.

-An FMA Chris Mustang fic.

-Just a lot of FMA stuff honestly.

-An art trade that I’m slowwwllyy doing.

Coming soon:

-That Royai fic I’m talking about, baby!

Upcoming story you’re most excited to write:

-A short story I’m doing for a submission.

Do you accept prompts? Not necessarily, but if there are any inspiring prompts I might use them!

Top five favorite authors:

SU Edition

-AbelQuartz

-Hadithi

-EchoFour

-BeanieKitten

-FollowerofMercy

FMA Edition

-ehmazing

-hlwim

-plalligator

-FullmetalArchivist

-rizahawkaye

On the professional side:

-Mark Zusak

-Madeline Miller

-Truman Capote

~

Tagging: Gonna do @thedreamywarrior, @followerofmercy, @aanau. Y’all don’t have to do it but feel free to!

[snowdog49]

Spotlight Saturday

Spotlight Saturday again! 

The receive an emotional response, good, bad, hate, love, cry, anger, joy, whatever it may be, it the ultimate success of a writer. Some of us really enjoy a good cry, others as fluffy as a Great Pyrenees. I know too many that like slow burn angst. However, for a fic that will bring out the deepest emotion that you have bottled up since the start of college? I will always recommend, “Not All of Me Will End” by @hlwim. Have your tissues handy. This three-part fic is a three-box fic. You have been warned.

Hlwim gave us an emotional ride from the beginning to the end. A ride that goes down down down, to only feel sweet and complete at the end. I won’t lie to you, this is a heavy emotional fic that is going to tear your heart out in every sense. However, I recommend it because it’s an journey readers should have at least one in their lives. This kind of emotional experience is felt on an intimate level of ourselves. 

Intricate detail paints every scene from the start to the end, where you can see every detail, even smelling the musky wheelhouse. Death isn’t fair and she captures the feeling and acceptance of the dying while the living must watch. It’s on such a personal level that your chest will collapse and all you will think is that it’s not fair. We are given such a personal relationship with Riza as we journey with her. The reader feels for her, understands her so intimately. At the end of chapter two, we leave her as she leaves us. And we are left with the gaping hole in our hearts as we journey to Roy.  “It’s alright,” he whispers. “I’ll be right here, when you’re ready.” When it finally hits you what Roy actually is saying, you can’t get to Chapter 3 for some time. But Chapter 3 is where we feel the most complete, I promise. Riza’s story is finally complete.

Replying back to Rizahawkeye, hlwim stated, “That's what I wanted, for people to feel like they'd lost a friend, the way everyone in Riza's life felt. A lot of character death fics tend to be accidents or violence, but I wanted Riza's death to be small and human. I wanted readers to get the sense that what was tragic wasn't necessarily her death, but the absence she left behind “ 

This is exactly what you got. It’s real. The fictional characters were so real for these three chapters. The loss feels real. And there is a small idea planted that she really is gone. Riza Hawkeye died and we all mourn her loss. It’s going to hurt, but it’s a beautiful fic than can be rightfully compared to “The Death of Ivan Illych” by Tolstoy. It’s an experience that must be had.  

Find this masterpiece HERE. 

[tsaritsa]

hiiii can you recommend royai fic? i may have read everything you've ever written so i need more content to consume. lmao

oh heck that’s a lot of fic to get through haha (also wow u even read the stuff i wrote when i was 11? ur braver than any us marine anon). i did a quick backtrack through ffn and ao3 and found some that should whet ur appetite! (i hope there’s some unfamiliar ones in here for everyone to discover and enjoy)

interlude, @capthawkeye​ | i am gonna rec this until the end of days bc it’s just that good. it’s got angst. it’s got post-sexytimes. it’s got some of the most in-character dialogue i’ve ever read. do me a favour: read it, and then come back and cry with me

midnight conversations, m.c.e. black | i genuinely don’t remember what happens in this fic but 11 year old me liked it and it had an interesting plot

of ballet and bullets, serenanna | part 4 of a series, but can be read alone. this is a v bittersweet fic for me bc the author died unexpectedly midway through writing. also has the bonus of an edwin b-plot too!

words that linger in the silence, blue-crystal-9 | mangahood, solid shit here. it’s the Good Kush. i love promised day shagging okay sue me

a coded confession over coffee, wargishboromirfan | little ditty but i love it

hellbound, @the-flame-and-hawks-eye​ | there’s a reason shay is known as the queen of angst royai round these parts and this fic is really the cherry on top of an already awfulgreat premise. i’m taking 94 years to get thru this bc i am not v good with violent stuff but it is well worth the time

an apple a day, kitsune moonstar | there’s 333 chapters of royai to work through. 300 and 30 fucking 3. 

under the influence, yellow mask | what i really miss about fic nowadays is that there’s this big push for canon (which i get, the series is awesome), but finding fics like this one are harder now and i honestly miss it. sometimes i want silly shenanigans with no worry about the overarching plot!

my body aches to breathe your breath, prodigy | it’s porn and prose and gorgeous and so very them

buried alive, @rizahawkaye​​ | another one i’m getting thru slowly. this premise is great, the characters are amazing and it’s a riza-centric story with the hovering royai angst just lingering at the back of every chapter

homefront, @hlwim​ | au where riza never goes to war and ends up caring for the elric bros post-trisha. what i really loved about this fic was the attention to detail for life in that era as well as the ever-growing tension as the elrics try to prepare for human transmutation under the watchful eye of riza

espionage, janieshi | cannot recommend this enough - one of my fave fics that looks at young!royai

what time takes, yellow mask | this is strictly more of an edwin fic than royai but it’s a big ensemble cast and when the focus is on royai it’s glorious. i will never be over her hand holding on to his in those final chapters, that shit breaks me every time

dinner for two, and subterfuge too, sceptick | fake dating! but real dating, kinda. roy is besotted when he shouldn’t be

the closed circle, hmmingbird | are u really a royai fan if u haven’t read this fic? maybe. but u should read it anyway. i love the fics where royai visits edwin post-promised day and the sexual tension is through the roof

first few desperate hours, sixpences | some killer angst post-transfer for team mustang. roy is pining; we’re all crying from feels

do you even have to ask?, @poppo911​ | the team mustang banter in this piece is gorgeous, and the whole scene in the library is to die for. i love my overt royai as much as the next gal, but this study in restraint is what we all need just as much

eyass, yellow mask | one of the few 03-canon fics that i genuinely enjoy from royai. angst ahoy! (but the good kind)

never break the chain, @capthawkeye​ | did u know we also have a smut queen ‘round these parts? her name is mar and she makes me feel things. it’s royai. but roy is now host to greed. greed has a thing about possessiveness. catch me swooning bc i’m all flustered and bothered

for your eyes only, @ohmytheon​ | roy? staring at riza? it’s more likely than u think (5 times, to be exact)

this is by no means a comprehensive list, not one meant to deliberately exclude the many many many royai authors out there who all produce incredible work. send in ur favs to me if u think i’ve missed one worth promoting, and u can also check out the fic tag on my sideblog too (most of it will be royai by default).

happy reading!

[alltheworldsinmyhead]

Babe, I wanna ask you all the fanfic asks!! But let's focus on: 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 30, 32 and 43!

Thank you! *sends kisses across Europe*

6.  Favorite fic (or one of them)?

It’s impossible to answer this question, really. It kind of depends of whatever ship I’m into currently. And I really used to read a lot of fanfiction. Like - ‘a lot a lot’ kind of a lot. However, here are some of my all-time favorites that consistently resonate with me no matter how many times i re-read them. 

a) the 100

* I Fell In Love In A Dream by  LayALioness

* Sing the Rage of Peleus' Son Achilles by  viansian

* everything by  marauders_groupie but ESPECIALLY  I Will Never Die

* Meet Me in the Morning by monroeslittle

* everything by crookedqueen

b) haikyuu!

* campfire in your chest by deanpendragon

c) avatar the last airbender

* Reign Within by glamafonic

* to cover a bruise (the rainy days remix) by Fahye

* Vigil by LizBee

* The Gleaming Darkness by attackfish

d) yuri on ice

* katsuki_fc wrote by tetsurashian

* Beside the Dancing Sea by lily_winterwood, MapleTreeway

* hollow ground by Piyo13

* how the mighty fall (in love) by braveten

* Bear Your Soul on the Ice by SassySalchow (diedraechin)

* Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches by Reiya

e) game of thrones/a song of ice and fire

* everything by scrubclub

* The Evening Star , There Was a Love Affair in This Building  & all gendrya fics by  vixleonard

* I am the storm, and the storm is me. & all gendrya fics by  crossingwinter

* River child by Blue_Apple_Queen

* the burning season by sevenfoxes

* the dry season by arbitrarily

*Winter Storm by Kittenshift17

*i feel my pulse quickening (when your name lights up the screen) by JustATinyTurtle

* sword and smith by honey_wheeler

* Arya of the Thousand Days by DrHolland

* The Tourney of The Dawn by apolla

f) fullmetal alchemist

* may i feel, said he by  bergamots, haganenobeato

* Homefront by hlwim

* Dismantle the Sun by That Hoopy Frood (That_Hoopy_Frood)

+ like 5 thousand others that I forgot

10. Favorite trope/element/scenario in fic? and  32. Favorite AU tropes?

I am sucker for soulmates au-s. And lovers reunited after years. And ARRANGED MARRIAGE, god, I’m sucker for this shit. Enemies to friends to lovers, obviously. Kid fics for some reason, any fluffy domesticity in fact .And showing the paring from outsider’s perspective - sign me up.  I also really like fics that showcase overcoming any kind of trauma, just because they are usually very, very rewarding in the end. 

And how could i forget epistolary fics. These are godsent. I adore them, absolutely and completely. 

11. Least favorite trope/element/scenario?

When I see that any character is demonized or purposely ooc just for the sake of the trope, that’s a big no-no for me. Also non-con. Idk what else. As long as it’s well- written, I’m willing to read pretty much everything. 

12. What turns you away the most from a fic?

Badly-phrased description. Also, if I’m not hooked after reading the first paragraph, I’m not going to continue. And I have to admit I am far more likely to start reading one-shot or something already completed than an on-going story. 

14. What tropes/elements/scenarios get you the worst?

Angst is my favorite genre, so I am pretty much desensitized at this point. But there is nothing more painful than the fics about falling out of love and moving on with some else. You remember the ending of La La Land? This is the kind of cruel shit I’m talking about.

30. Favorite porn fic?

HA.

To be honest, I don’t read that many stories which are just porn with no plot - or at least I don’t bookmark them on archieve of our own, cause I just checked and it was surprisingly hard to find fics like that. /

But the first ones that immediately came into my mind (they still have plot tho):

* In My Defense, Spring by  marauders_groupie // The 100 / bellarke

I am obsessed with this story. Lana, I’m begging you, WRITE. MORE. SMUT.

* The Deal by  joinedunderprotest // Game of Thrones/ gendrya

a.k.a. ‘the tags scared me to death but i couldn’t be happier that i was brave enough to read this story in the end’ fic

* talk nerdy to me by  jeffgoldblumvevo // the 100/ bellarke

God bless competence kink and professor/student fics.

* may i feel, said he by  bergamots, haganenobeato // Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood/ royai

I repeat it: god bless competence kink and professor/student fics.

43. Do you like fluff on its own or in conjunction with other elements (angst, sex, etc.)

I do like fluff on its own, but only if it’s a domestic fluff... which basically means I don’t truly like fluff on its own :D :D :D Tbh, I prefer hurt/comfort, bc I like to suffer. 

Once again, thank you so much for asking me, baby <3

[rizah]

OK, Berthold used his daughter and Grumman is ambitious, and they both underrated Riza. But what about Roy ? He used her too, if we're being honest : if they hadn't met again in Ishval, would he have come back to her or got in touch with her after that? It seems he hires her because he feels guilty, ashamed, and wants to atone for Ishval, like she does. We always blame Berthold, but Roy isn't better - in the beginning, at least. No?

sorry i got to this weeks later, i’ve been super busy with uni and firefighting and staring deeply at the wall wondering if my existence should even be here ANYWAY

i like the cut of ur jib anon, i really like the cut of ur jib

i totally agree, from the outset it really looks like that. BUT i can’t really think of a ‘good’ way to spin an alchemy like flame alchemy without the whole destructive aspect of it being Blatantly Obvious - so i’m loathe to say that roy was 100% manipulating/using her in the same way i see berthold doing and grumman trying. riza chose to divulge that knowledge to him and she acknowledges that she has to accept some responsibility in the aftermath of creating a new flame alchemist. 

i do like the angst of them being caught up in that whole ‘young love’ affection stuff, and a naughty part of me really likes the idea of exploring a roy who is scrabbling for whatever power he can find at 19/20 to make a point to the military, but even that’s veering into ooc territory for him. ultimately i think they were young ppl who were very idealistic about the world and it took the war for the years of propaganda and naivete to be stripped away. what i love about roy’s character is that despite those horrors he’s left with grit determination to be the change he wants to see, and riza follows him to atone for the consequences of those choices.

i think her choosing to go to ishval hinges purely on learning (or perhaps realising) that flame alchemy has some uses when it comes to Exploding Ppl and Things. i think roy would’ve tried to find her afterwards, but riza struck me as somewhat aimless at the funeral so who knows where she would’ve ended up if not in the military. however - @hlwim​ did a lovely story called ‘homefront’ which explores that premise a bit (go read it. it’s hella).

it’s super easy to blame bertie bc we see the dude for like 10 panels at best but to marry someone and have a kid with them... he’s got to have some redeeming characteristics tucked away somewhere. i would really like to see a fic or even some character studies which flesh him out a bit more and give him some humanity.

ultimately tho, roy is better simply bc we get to see him change. there’s an argument to be made that his intentions were more noble (than say, the more neutral ones of bertie preserving knowledge for knowledge’s sake) but we all know that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. 

[lonepiper5758]

Creator 2018 Tag

General Guidelines -  Time to be proud about some of the cool stuff you‘ve done over the past 12 months. Choose a few favourite works you’ve created this past year - fics, art, edits, things, any media whatsoever! - and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you’ve achieved in 2018. 

Tag as many creative mates as you want (fan or original!) so we can spread the love and share our awesome works.

I haven’t seen one of these around yet, and I can still remember 2018, so I’m just going to do it.

In some ways, I feel 2018 was not hugely productive for me fandom-wise. I did some stuff I’m happy with, started playing with new skills and spent time making my creative spaces more functional (boring but good to do).

1. 2018 has been the beginning of 3D modelling and printing. 

The first thing I 3D modelled and printed was an awesome buzz!

Here’s a more recent thing. I made the model in Tinkercad and printed it on my baby Cocoon Create Model Maker.

2. “Entwined” - I wrote a poem for Royai Week 2018 which I’m happy with. Also on AO3   (go on... read it... I know it’s a poem... but it’s ok... you’ll be ok... it’s just words... try it... you might like it... you know you want to... :) )

3. There was less leatherwork this year as I played with the 3D modelling, but this was a thing I made that seems to work. (Is it still working? I have a paranoia about press studs failing?)

4. ‘We’ll Be Back Again Together’  - Also for Royai Week I wrote and recorded an Amestrian Army Marching song. Because that’s what you do, isn’t it?

Goals for 2019 include finishing the cosplay I started and wearing it to a con, improving the 3D modelling skills, and of course some writing! Keep me accountable folks.

Now excuse me while I go crazy and tag heaps of people, including some I don't even follow, because stuff it! I just want to! Do, or do not as you wish. 🙂

So my friends, what did you do that you’re proud of?

@that-hoopy-frood @capthawkeye  @arielinthebluebox @shijaeger @rebeccacatalinas @areyousanta @hlwim @antigonerex @runningfromthecuccos @rizsa @the-flame-and-hawks-eye @mylieutenant @purplemaple-xoxo @1st-time-caller @maiisbuns @sodayona @agentcalliope  @amaisenshi

[hlwim]

AU = Bioshock; Pairing = u know why i'm here.meme (this is total self-indulgent garbage don't mind me ahem)

send me a ship and an au

Twice he watches the panel light up and fade, watches her wizened lungs fill and empty, presses his fingers against the glass and wills the creep of steam released from his skin to press through the cold, to tendril through vein and tendon and bone. Twice he fails—the console sputtering, the wires sparking to flame, the fuses shattering under their own pressure and showering the inputs with shards of glass, like some perversity of a parade to celebrate his shame.

So much effort to disconnect this chamber from its brothers, to surmise the framework of DNA programmed into its core functions, to leverage all his favors in Minerva’s Den for a few meager lines of analysis, to dig the topsoil from her grave and pry the welded coffin lid from its base—and all the while the city spiraled in its descent, the splicers and the smugglers and the civilians burning in crossfire.

The code is wrong. The sequence of switches is misfiring, or the chamber cannot draw sufficient power to reanimate her stillness for more than a few seconds. He has failed at this task before and will likely fail again, but with each iteration he draws her further and further back from the abyss.

Through the murky moonlight composed of neon and seaweed and glowing ember, her face sinks into wax, sockets blackened and lips shriveled thin. He’s tried so hard to preserve her, the delicate butterfly of her beauty trapped in the amber of formaldehyde and methanol—Steinman asked a few questions, but money is still money, and anyone looking too close at another business risks only holding a mirror to their own sins.

Only her hair remains unmarred by decay: a lacy golden veil draped from crown to shoulders. He remembers most clearly the way it framed her long and lovely throat. Neck, jaw, cheeks—how like a bowl of unspoiled cream she appeared, how red and savory and lush her pursed lips, how her mouth tasted of fresh peaches and how it lingered on his tongue for hours. Only blood in their second kiss, copper and cold as the shallow porcelain bath she was set in to drain.

He should have stolen her then, just as she was: split open and hollowed clean, all the secrets contained in her chest widely displayed for attention and adoration. He had just the thing to bury her in, to wrap her still limbs and carry his pale bride to rest.

The glass of the chamber has stolen his heat, extinguished the steam and threaded another breath from her corpse. The sign above flickers in mockery of him—VIT, VIT—as the generator heaves a sigh and goes still. He’ll have to venture out for fuel again. With ragged nails, he forces the chamber door open, releasing a cloud of humidity rank and smoky.

Her hand is paper in his, crackling with dust, but he lifts her palm to his lips for a gentle kiss.

“Soon,” he promises. “We’re close.”

[minnow-doodle-doo]

Riza unloading her gun after just taking one shot to scare off some soldiers, they couldn’t handle her badassness. I’m gonna make a comic for that whole scene, it might take a while tho haha.

here’s the fic, Homefront by @hlwim

[steviesays]

I posted 545 times in 2021

41 posts created (8%)

504 posts reblogged (92%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 12.3 posts.

I added 166 tags in 2021

#royai - 76 posts

#yes - 24 posts

#fmab - 12 posts

#they - 10 posts

#loki - 10 posts

#fic recs - 9 posts

#loki spoilers - 7 posts

#yeah - 6 posts

#pls - 6 posts

#exactly - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 130 characters

#what’s funny though is that i went into the movie expecting to hate it because the books were so bad but it wasn’t a terrible film

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

May Fic Recs

yes hello it is the last day of May :)

the secret is to swallow / without expecting hunger to disappear by @lantur - in progress

Fandom: FMA:B

Lantur has given us another BANGER of course we have our regularly scheduled pining but this time from Roy’s point of view

icarus on metal wings by venusianviolet (@trevorsypha on twitter) - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

EDWIN!!! THEY’RE IN LOVE!!!!!! yeah I love them

I was covering my eyes again by fullmetallizard - in progress

Fandom: FMA:B

omg so its like a reincarnation fic where the cast of fmab remembers their past life (canon) but riza doesn’t remember !!!! the tragedy !!!!! how tf is this gonna play out idk but im excited to see

the water’s warm and children swim by more-than-melody - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

just what it says on the tin and what can I say im a slut for young royai

the theory of everything by yourendlessblue - in progress

Fandom: FMA:B

ok so this fic is working OVERTIME on ruining my life aldjfhlsa so basically berthold hawkeye works with time alchemy, not flame alchemy, and yall know how I feel about time travel !!!!!!!!!!! and young royai !!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeah this one was up my alley and has in the process destroyed my emotions

Go, and I Will Follow by @hlwim - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

yeah I sobbed thats all you need to know about this fic its the worst timeline

Be Kind, Rewind by icewhisper - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

TIME! LOOP! this is the second worst timeline ajklhjfkhds

quinque series by @agentcalliope - in progress

Fandom: FMA:B

its post canon focusing on Roy and Riza’s recovery after the promised day and the FEELINGS !!!!!

Dismantle the Sun by @that-hoopy-frood - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

ok first of all I need yall to read everything this author has ever written because its all amazing and all of their FMA:B stuff is CONNECTED !!!!!!! oof I loved this story especially though, its about ishvallan reconstruction being ummm halted adjklsahd love a conspiracy theory/cult shit gets real crazy real fast

Notorious by @bob-fish - complete

Fandom: FMA:B

so this is baby Roy and Chris backstory and I loved it !!!!!! I loved getting into Chris’s character because this story isn’t one that’s often told and this was just a wonderful representation

ok thats all I have for you this month!! I hope you guys enjoy these fics as much as I did and if you have any suggestions for me my ask box is always open! if you see that I didn’t tag an author because I couldn’t find their blog but you know them please let them know I loved their fic!!!!

29 notes • Posted 2021-06-01 03:05:20 GMT

#4

Can you believe that Taylor Swift watched fmab started shipping royai and then wrote forever winter about them

33 notes • Posted 2021-11-12 14:09:42 GMT

#3

YALL AKSJDKD IM FORCING MY FRIEND TO WATCH FMAB FOR THE FIRST TIME AND ITS THE EPISODE WITH ELICIAS BIRTHDAY AND SHE GOES”omg I hope nothing bad happens to Hughes” AND I JUST HAD TO GO

43 notes • Posted 2021-10-09 02:08:45 GMT

#2

Royai fandom has been introduced to illicit affairs but have you heard august ??? willow ????? the 1 ??????

45 notes • Posted 2021-06-03 12:41:17 GMT

#1

edward elric’s worst nightmare

407 notes • Posted 2021-04-15 16:12:17 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[triphopbop]

Last Line Meme

I was tagged by @hlwim and @that-hoopy-frood.

Rules: Post the last line in your work-in-progress, and tag as many people as there are words in the sentence.

I don’t know a lot of people so... here’s a bit from one of my many FMA fics stuck in development hell!

Not that she knew him or cared about him, but that hearing the first part of his name, Roy, was what had sent her best friend Riza Hawkeye running in the streets.