#honestly now i want a whole fic exploring this premise

[galvanizedfriend]

HIII if you don’t mind sharing, what are your fav klaroline fics? New and old, I’m in need of new reads 🙏

I'm probably not the best person to be doing new fic recs. 🥲 I have sadly not been reading that much Klaroline myself these days. When I do read fic, it's for other stuff. So my recs are either old or new-ish. 😂 But hopefully you can find something to your liking that haven't read yet here.

Buckle up because I took my sweet time with this list, nonnie.

. Inertia Overcome by @avari20

The first KC fanfic I remember reading the reason why I finally got pulled into the fandom after years of watching TVD as a reasonable spectator (so rly, if you guys can't stand to see me around anymore after all this time, it's this fic's fault for being so good). Honestly one of this fandom's statement works. If you haven't read it yet, please do.

. Timeless by @marvelouskatie

Same as the above. One of the most iconic KC fics of all time imho. The canon AU to end all canon AU. When I first decided to come out of the shadows and create a tumblr and actually start interacting with folks, this was the first fic that was recced to me. I was very grateful then, and now I'm here to pass this knowledge on.

. Picturesque by @supernutellastuff

Honestly of the sweetest, most heartwarming fics I've ever read! It's a human AU that's a How I Met Your Mother sort of adaptation, and honestly the first time I've ever enjoyed HIMYM. I love a good ensemble fic and this is just it! Supernutella is so talented.

. Quiet Light by @definedareasofuncertainty

This fic was WRITTEN FOR ME because of how much I pestered my friend Luiza about Carolijah and this will forever feel like a trophy to my heart. 🥰 It made me feel ALL THE FEELINGS. I hated Caroline, I loved Caroline, I loved my baby Elijah, I hated him, I also hated Klaus (he's such a fucking asshole omfg), but then the end was just DHAGHDDASAS!! You think you're in for a certain kind of story and it turns out to be so much more. It is, deep down, about the brothers, how selfish they are, how they can hurt each other more than anyone, but how they love one another above anything else, even when they want to kill each other (and fall in love with their brother's girl!!!). It's beautiful, like everything Luiza writes, and it genuinely made me cry.

. long limbs and frozen swim by @definedareasofuncertainty

I saw a discussion the other day about how whoever wrote this fic JUST GOT IT, and I have to say I completely agree with the person who made that comment. Luiza just NAILS Caroline's grief and loneliness after her mother's death, how isolating and gut-wrenching it is. Klaus being the person who finds her, who knows exactly what to say without her ever having to spell it out, the one who can truly see her, is so honest too. This fic is sensitive and absolutely beautiful. Luiza's writing is perfection and this is for sure one of my all-time favorites.

. Whisper to me, Help me remember by @lalainajanes

This story reimagines the plot with the "villains" of TO S3 in a way that proves my point that the premise of that season was good, but execution was absolute crap. All of the potential the De Martels had to be incredible antagonists was completely destroyed at the hands of the show writers - but explored to perfection by Laine's much more capable hands. Klaus is freed after 10 years in captivity to find that Caroline had been working with Tristan this whole time in order to take him down - except something is not quite right about that. While you're at it, please read all of Laine's fics! It's a delight.

. Into the Woods by @jinxedwood

I wept when I read this because it's the post-TO canon fic I didn't even know I needed. Caroline's search for a way to stop her twins' merger ends up leading her to someone who's been watching over her on the Other Side. 😭 I thought I'd always rather live in denial when it came to how TO ended, but this fic made my heart so full! Also, jinxedwood's use of fae mythology here was incredible.

. All I Need by @euvixen

This story is HOT. It taught me things about the werewolf AU universe I was not prepared to learn, but I am a much happier person after reading it. It's a canon mates AU that will leave you 🥵🥵🥵🥵 I speak as though the story was merely about the smut, but it's actually much more than that. A TVD S3 reimagine of sorts that is incredibly satisfying. That's my favorite season of TVD, but this is still even better.

. the birth and death of the day by @little-miss-sunny-daisy

Anyone who's known me for a some time knows how this fic was my entire personality for a while there. I'm obsessed with Kelly's writing, and I have this fic on a freaking pedestal. I first started reading it when it was on a six years hiatus, and I was *so* into it I didn't even bother me that it might never get updated because it was so good I was just happy I'd found it. But then my silly comments inspired Kelly to come back to it, finish it, and it has honestly been my greatest accomplishment as a part of this fandom because this is a masterpiece. It's a TVD/Supernatural crossover where Caroline is a step-sister to the Superbros. It's truly, truly epic, with beautiful writing. This could genuinely be a show. It's amazing, just read it.

. this is a harvest by @highgaarden

This, right here, is the perfect Klaroline-within-canon story. This is the story that put my revolt to rest and gave my spirit some much deserved peace where those two are concerned. This is exactly what canon should've been like. I'm not even joking, this is IT. If you'd asked me what I thought the perfect Klaroline development should be like I probably would've said something very vague because I couldn’t explain it, I’m not that great or creative a writer, but now I can just show you this story and let you bask in the amazingness of a fantastic read that will not only keep you thoroughly entertained, but will also be the answer to all the questions you didn't even know you had.

. Paradise Lost by Borzoi

When i grow up, I want to learn how to write like Borzoi. All of their fics are incredible novella-like reads. It's addictive. And this is probably my favorite (it varies though, sometimes I'm in a Parisian Deal era). What happens after Klaus and Caroline sleep together in 5x11, and how they eventually find their way back to each other. It's just one of those stories that you can't stop reading after you start. It's so rich, so deep, so perfectly IC. One of those fics to end all fics.

. The Stubborn Grace of Being Loved Regardless by @helpless-in-sleep One of the modern day classics, if you will. This fic is such a stunning, vivid and delicate picture of Caroline's mind as she was dealing with the consequences of the abuse she suffered at the hands of Damon. She's still human, but she's probably more IC than we've seen her ever on the show when it comes to this. The bond she forms with Klaus is truly incredible too, and speaks a lot of how the two of them really do have a lot in common (even with Caroline still as a human), but it's really the Caroline study part of the story that touches me. The writing is absolutely beautiful as well.

. it takes a while to settle down by theviolinist

This story is a punch to your stomach, but it is PERFECTION in 8k words. It's hot, it's bittersweet, it's SO in character and, in my head, I kinda like to pretend that this is what happened before Caroline married Stefan. lol

. Wanderlust by @bellemorte180 Anybody who was a part of fandom around the time this story was being published can tell you how much of an EVENT it was. There were discussion groups about the mystery. It was so entertaining. Erica's attention to detail and how she wove the little clues throughout the chapters made this a genuine thriller. I particularly some of the side-characters here. It's honestly another fandom staple I think everyone should read.

--

In terms of newer fics that I can rec you, I have two that are on my TBR. One of them is a WIP that I've been slowly going through, and the other one I know was recently finished.

. make them bow by @stars-and-darkness

This was recced to me by two friends recently and I started reading it a while back and thought it was incredible! I have sadly been awful with keeping up with stuff, but just based on the raving reviews and the five chapters I read, I fully believe it to be just as awesome as it seems to be. The writing was so good, and I was just in love with Klaus' voice in this story. It was so reminescent of early-days TVD Klaus, which is by far my favorite Klaus of all. Sexy and dangerous and so smooth. I loved it! Need to get back to it.

. Wolf Club by @Radioactive79

Listen, if you like kid fics, this is absolutely for you. The whole story is narrated by an eight-year-old OC, the daughter of Ray Sutton, the first werewolf Klaus kills when he's trying to start his mass-production of hybrids. She's a little wolf herself, and a while little thing who was subjected to her fair share of child trauma. Klaus has no idea what to do with her, but ends up taking her with him as continues on his journey, and ends up forging a bond with the little girl. I cannot tell you how delicious this story is. It has Klaroline, yes, but for me the little girl is the absolute star of the company. I usually hate OCs, especially children, in fics, but this one is AMAZING. Seriously. The way this story is written is glorious. I can't recommend it enough.

[fortheloveofexy]

Top 5 vs Personal 5

List your top 5 fics ranked by kudos on AO3. are you surprised by what's most popular to your readers? then provide your ranking of your personal top 5 fics, and tag a few fellow writers!

Thanks for the tag @mostlymaudlin ! tagging @jingerhead @paradoxolotl @exy-shmexy @storiesnstardust

Top 5 (by Kudos):

1. Call Me By Your Name (3.9k, andreil)  

Basically, Neil calls Andrew “baby” in his sleep once, so Andrew  gets flustered and then secretly tries out different pet names for Neil.

This one... honestly really surprised me with how popular it got. It’s my most kudos’d fic by a long shot (2,378 kudos??? insanity). It’s a short little thing, entirely focused around andreil and pet names. To be honest, I have mixed feelings about this one being the top fic, because it’s one of my oldest fics and I don’t really love the prose now. I don’t really understand why it got so popular out of everything I wrote bc it’s never anyone’s favorite fic when I ask, but I’m glad so many enjoyed it!

2. Sweet Enough To Eat (3.1k, andreil) 

Andrew experiencing cute aggression. That’s basically the whole premise lol.

 Anyway, this one is my oldest fic, so I assume that’s why it’s so popular. It’s cute, sweet even! I still like it to this day. Not much else to say about it though.

3. May We Meet Again (10.7k, andreil)

The first installment of the Artist Neil AU. 

To be honest, I don’t like it anymore. That whole AU has problems with pacing, and some characterization issues too. Plus, looking back at the art now makes me cringe so hard. The only reason it’s still up is bc I know a lot of people really like it. Sometimes I think about revising the whole thing but I still remember how big of an undertaking it was when I first wrote it and made all the art for it, so I probably won’t. 

4. The Marks We Make (41.3k, andreil)

A (mostly) canon rewrite from Andrew’s POV with a soulmate AU twist. 

This the first multichapter fic I ever wrote, and one of the earliest fics I ever published, so I’m not surprised it’s high on the list. There are some things I like about this one, and some I would do differently. Writing this fic helped me make some of my first friends in the fandom though, so it was very much worth it.

5. Yes Or No? (35.5k, andreil)

sub andrew & Dom Neil pwp - need I say more?. 

This one truly surprised me. It was meant to be a one-shot experiment, something I wrote as an exploration of my own boundaries and limits. BDSM fics are often triggering for me, so I generally avoid them, but I wanted to write a BDSM fic that I would be able to enjoy and to explore BDSM from a safe distance.

However, given how much the fandom seemed to be against Andrew submitting (and sometimes even just bottoming) at the time, I worried I might end up getting hate for writing it. To my surprise, I did not, and so many commenters asked that I continue it that I ended up turning it into a whole series. 

I’m quite proud of it still - it might just be a smut fic to most people, but it will always be more than just a smut fic to me. 

I do hate the last 3 paragraphs of the main fic though. I was on a kick where I thought incorporating references to fic titles and canon lines into my writing was clever and fun, but now I just cringe when I look at it. Ahh well, maybe someday I’ll change it and tell nobody. Create a little Berenstein/Berenstain Bears moment :)

Top 5 (Personal Ranking):

1.  More Than Words (32.9k, ongoing, neon friendship)

Neil and Aaron meet as kids and become best friends, long before Aaron learns his mother’s secret - he has a long lost twin brother.

I cannot gush enough about the love I have for this fic, this whole story. I can’t talk about it here because I have some insane twists planned (iykyk) but just know this fic is my baby and this story will be my magnum opus once it’s done. I love writing Neil and Aaron’s friendship, I love writing Aaron’s POV, I love the plans I have these boys. It’s still ongoing so I understand why it’s not higher up in the kudos ranking, but I’m hopeful that will change once I actually finish it.

2. A Quiet Self-Destruction (2.6k, andreil)

A character study on Andrew’s experience with depression, and how Neil helps him through his bad days.

I wrote this to comfort myself during one of my own depression spells. It still brings me a bit of hope on dark days. For that, I will always love it.

3. Scribbles and Sticky Notes (11.7k, andreil)

Neil retires from Exy, with heaps of fluff, soft Andreil, wholesome Twinyards, hurt/comfort, MCD and angst.

Hands down, this is the saddest fic I’ve ever written, and I’m quite proud of that fact. I think the pacing is really good, and the gut punches are quite successful (while being foreshadowed quite nicely). The characterization is also spot on, I think. It’s got MCD though, which I think is probably why it’s not more popular. 

4. The Past, Stained Red (4.4k, andreil)

Part 3 of the Artist Neil AU. Andrew has a surprise run-in with a ghost from his past, and finally gets some closure.

This is the only fic of the Artist Neil AU that I actually still like. It’s well-paced, well-characterized, and I still like the art. Mostly, though, I viciously loved writing Andrew getting to close the door on Cass, and I loved writing him acknowledging the harm she did to him as a foster parent. He couldn’t see it as a child, but as an adult? He sees her clearly, in all her failure. It was extremely cathartic to write that. 

5. Catdrew Meowyard (1.4k, andreil)

Andrew suddenly has cat ears and a tail. Nobody questions it. Shenanigans ensue.

This is such a silly little fic. I wrote it as a joke and I still love it dearly, even though it’s very dumb. It’s just very fun to write and to read, and it’s perfect for when I want to blow off steam and write some crack.

[destinysbounty]

The whole time travel thing? The fact that getting rid of the golden weapons in the past means the mega weapon should've never been made means the devourer wouldn't have been defeated means Lloyd shouldn't have aged up means the entire episode wouldn't have happened

Help

Ooooh, I've been wanting to talk about this for a long time (as in, since middle school). So thank you for giving me an excuse to rant about this subject!

First, let's identify all the issues with the s2 time travel situation:

They went back in time and shot the Golden Weapons into space - not just the ones from that episode in season 2 (taking the form of the Mega Weapon), but also the ones from the pilots-era that Kai had found in the past.

If the Golden Weapons were destroyed in the past, Garmadon wouldn't have used them to escape the Underworld and head for the Realm of Madness, which is where he acquired his four arms. He also wouldn't have any motivation to grow two extra arms in the first place (remember that he only gave himself four so he could hold all the Weapons at once).

On a related note, Samukai wouldn't have died from wielding all four of them at once. So if not for the Weapons, he'd...probably still be alive.

Garmadon also used the Golden Weapons to defeat the Devourer. Like, I'm sure he could have killed it with a different weapon, but this definitely changes how that scene would've gone down

Without the Golden Weapons existing anywhere in Ninjago, past or present, Garmadon couldn't have been able to create the Mega Weapon.

This means all the Mega Weapon's effects are now defunct. He wouldn't have used it to rebuild the Bounty. Soto wouldn't have been resurrected, thereby nullifying his involvement in Skybound. Not to mention the Bizarro Ninja wouldn't have been created, which...doesn't have a big impact on things, honestly, but still kinda makes me a little sad.

And of course, as we're all mutually confused by, Lloyd wouldn't have had any reason to take the Tomorrow's Tea, and as such should have spent the rest of the series aging up much more normally.

When coming up with a theory to explain the s2 time travel situation, we need to make sure whatever we come up with provides reasonable rationale for all (or at least most) of the above-mentioned points. Which...okay, that's a bit of a tall order. But I think we can do it!

In the end, I've come upon a theory I personally consider to be the most believable:

Alternative History Theory

These events - Garmadon growing four arms, Lloyd growing up, all of it - was meant to be. They were simply machinations of destiny, setting up the Final Battle to happen exactly as it was intended to. These events had to happen. They were part of a master design as planned out by the Cloud Kingdom and the Overlord alike, a plan over a thousand years in the making.

Garmadon has to eventually grow four arms and Lloyd has to eventually grow up and defeat him. So long as the events occur, destiny doesn't care about how we get there.

What I'm saying is that the timeline rewrote itself to ensure things stay fundamentally the same, in an act of preserving destiny. The journey changed, but the destination remained the same. These events that had to happen, still happened, but the way they happened is now suddenly different.

In other words, Lloyd still took the Tomorrow's Tea, but now the reasons and context for his decision are different.

What messes with my head about this theory is the possibility that there's an entirely different, alternate version of the first half of season 2 that we don't know and will never see. S2 shows us the timeline the og4 got to experience, but not the timeline Lloyd and Nya remember living through.

(I admit I've always kinda wanted to write a fic exploring what that alternate timeline would look like, but I've never figured out a good way to write the premise without first writing an essay to explain the theory behind it)

So then with that in mind, let's consider how such a timeline would transpire. What would a Golden Weapons-free version of s1-2 look like?

...huh. It's actually surprisingly easy to imagine.

When you think about it, none of these events strictly necessitate the use of the Golden Weapons:

Samukai could have died another way.

While we don't entirely know the terms of his banishment, it's reasonable to assume Garmadon could've found another way to the Realm of Madness.

So long as Garmadon hit the Devourer at her weak spot, he still could have killed her with any other weapon.

Nya and Jay could have rebuilt the Bounty instead of Garmadon using the Mega Weapon to do it. They've done it several times throughout the series already, so this is well within the realm of possibility.

The Mega Weapon isn't the only means of resurrection present in this series. Even if it didn't happen by Garmadon's hand, there's a myriad of other ways Soto's crew could be brought back to life. It wouldn't even have to happen during s2 specifically.

Strictly speaking, Lloyd was only aged up because of the Tomorrow's Tea. The events leading up to this don't necessarily require the presence of the Mega Weapon. Something else entirely could've happened to require him to take the Tea, or maybe it happened on accident. Or maybe his friends were in danger and Lloyd was the only one able to save them, so he deliberately sought out and used the Tea in order to be strong enough to rescue them. Anything is possible here.

Ninjago is consistently a story about doomed narratives and the inescapable nature of destiny. No matter how something happens doesn't change the fact that it will happen. The Serpentine were meant to open the Stone Warriors' crypt - so if Lloyd hadn't released them, they would have escaped another way. The Devourer's venom was what awakened the Stone Warriors - even if Pythor hadn't awakened her, someone would have. If Garmadon didn't get his extra arms in the Realm of Madness, it still would have happened some other way.

And if the Grundle didn't force Lloyd into taking the Tomorrow's Tea, something else would have.

So yeah. Blah blah blah, destiny is inevitable, everyone is doomed by the narrative and it sucks, you get the idea. Make sense?

Wow, that was fun. Thanks for the ask <3

[mostlikelytofangirl]

Imagine during sunshot WRH gets in the habit of rewarding MY with sex. Son of a whore but it's the sect leader that's rewarding his subordinate with sex. MY makes a particularly entertaining spectacle in the Fire Palace and WRH gives him a handjob right there. The person he was torturing is not even dead yet

Oh hoho, if I told you that this is one of my fave flavors of ruoyaos :'D. And I'm very pleasantly surprised with the fact that there's an actual small handful of fics with this premise!

I guess it's just such a fascinating and likely way to explore their power dynamics. I mean, it'd be very easy for someone so powerful to just take what he wants in this regards (like JGS), but I think one of the things that make WRH unpredictable is that he can switch things up and still be the one in control and having the other submitting.

Like. I've seen a couple fics with him servicing MY (either with blowjobs or eating him out) and legitimately not interested in the favor being returned. Not even fucking him (well, not in the fic), bc the act of having this perfect little composed guy come undone by his hand is already enough of a treat.

Pain? Pain is too easy and unelegant. Pleasure? Now that's a whole new, fun way to have someone crumble for him. Especially when it's someone he doesn't really intent on hurting but that would be just so FUN to see how much he can open them.

NOW, the context you mention is honestly perhaps the only time in which MY, the infamous son of a whore, would actually accept it. Not only bc of the implicit rule of 'you just don't oppose what Sect Leader Wen wants of you', but actually seeing it as the reward it is bc WRH doesn't make it about his pleasure, but about MY's. And for someone with so much trauma and repression about that matter, letting himself be an actualy sexual person beyond what society says of him is something he'd probably find very difficult to do if he wasn't kindasorta dubcon'd into it. At first, at least.

As I see it, MY could have been very much ready to close his eyes and think of England until it all finished the first time he was "offered" such reward. But it would be clear soon enough that WRH is legit not doing it just bc he wants to fuck him (which, let's be real, he didn't need any excuse of ploy to have that anyways). And funnily enough, I do think psycho daddy can be a very selfless lover bc of course he'd memorize what got him the best reactions out of the boy and he's totally not above using that info to reduce his flawless, professional aide to a moaning, trashing mess as quickly/slowly as he wants :'D.

And eventually scalating it until he is rewarding MY in front of others? Honestly? After a certain point I can see it as the ultimate way to elevate MY bc one thing would have been to take the boy in front of everybody, that's humiliation (although it would depend on the situation and dynamics imo), but Sect Leader Wen servicing someone regardless of his own complition??? ALL WHILE SINGING HIS PRAISES????? DUDE. This is the man that has probably never poured his own cup!

Also can we just all agree that these two happily fucking on a bloody floor while semi-conscious tortured prisioners watch is just very inherently sexy 😌

[missingn000]

Omg you're officially starting an ace seraphim project.. Wishing you strength and inspiration!!! I remember you vaguely mentioning an idea along these lines in your tags a month or two ago? and it was like an epiphany in my brain and I was patiently waiting to see if you'd ever post more about it so really excited now (but also no pressure at all!) :))

yeah, i am!! ahh that's so sweet that you remembered :')) it's something i've been planning since like…early april lol, but i took about a month away from it to write my sanji vs king fic and now that it's finished, i'm back babey. i too was super compelled by the fandom's collective idea of seraphim ace, and since no long fic exists exploring what a trainwreck this little angel has the potential to be, i decided to take it upon myself. i'm honestly really excited too :D and PLEASE pressure me lmao i gotta get out of my own head and start writing this monstrosity

since you reached out (tysm for doing so <3) i'll give you (and anyone else reading this) the elevator pitch i've given my friends when i first introduce this fic idea to them!

elevator pitch below cut :)

alright. the general premise of the seraphim ace fic is that vegapunk created seraphim ace (s-flame) in secret with the aim of him being like -- a safety measure, made to stop the other seraphim if necessary. since vegapunk can't produce logias, s-flame has charlotte oven's devil fruit: the heat-heat fruit, where he is able to superheat his body with virtually no upper limit due to his increased lunarian & pacifista durability. this gives him an advantage over all the other seraphim, because his fire is exponentially hotter than theirs.

the whole thing is....extremely poetic in a twisted way. vegapunk knows that hotter fire can beat less hot fire because akainu's magma is what killed ace. so he created s-flame to stop his own brothers & sister in the very same way the person he was made from was murdered.

eventually, s-flame meets luffy and the SHs when they arrive in egghead, and learns even more about the original ace. he's always been a lonely, angry kid like ace, but now he has even more turmoil towards his own existence. essentially: he doesn't want to be ace, but he knows that if he isn't ace, he isn't loved. everyone he meets mourns him and he's not even dead. he has the same relationship with ace that ace had with roger: he resents and blames ace for the way the world feels about his existence. so the more he rejects ace, the more he becomes ace.

the whole thing is one very long existential crisis about individuality, the interconnectedness of healing and grief, and s-flame reverse-engineering why ace was loved through learning about his interactions with others. it's a struggle between wanting to live up to ace's memory while also separating himself from ace's identity itself. he wants to be loved for himself, not who he's made from, so it's his journey discovering who he is, who ace was, and where to draw the line between them while forging new bonds along the way.

i'm really looking forward to this project, so thanks for the encouragement!! <333

[20dimensionsoftangerine]

20 D20 Fanfics

My friend @remidyal ranked their fics once they had written 20 of them. I have just finished my 20th story so I’d figure I would do that too! Dice rules so 1 is the worst and 20 is the best

1. Drowning in the Ink

I had the thought ‘what if Rosamund and Gerard got caught when they went to find Elody’. I still think this is a good thought and want to re-explore it but my execution in this story wasn’t the best. Writing it before the finale was out meant I was working with half knowledge on a lot of characters that I think shows. Plus, I saw a lot of people on Tumblr saying the Princesses’ plan was actually good and I got annoyed at that and it definitely bled through in the story too much. I’ll probably redo and expand this one sometime in the future!

2. Old Habits

I often dislike my most recent creations. It’s got too much me on it still. I haven’t distanced myself from the art yet. So this one was me trying a few things outside of my comfort zone and I really don’t feel like any of them turned out as well as they could have. I can barely even speak of it at this point the emotions are too fresh!

3. Safety

Not much to say about this. Shortest thing I’ve ever written and I do like how it turned out but it’s definitely… short. I enjoy Gorgug and Adaine interacting, I enjoy Adaine scared, but nothing makes this little guy stand out.

4. Half Siblings are a Whole Deal

This one honestly isn’t even supposed to be good. It’s a direct retelling of canon featuring my OC, that premise isn’t going to win any Hugo awards! But it’s fun and I want to explore how Fig’s character would change if she wasn’t going through her family drama alone. If she had to be, heaven forbid, responsible. I do plan on continuing it! I’ve got some good ideas for the end that I’ve already set up.

5. Additions to the Beehive

I think this one is so low just because I didn’t really like the latest chapter I put out. Plus, I don’t really have a solid plan for this story. I have a few scenes I want to do, character beats and themes I want to flesh out, but exactly what’s going to happen is a mystery. The title’s really solid though.

6. Blight

Pains me to put this so low because Remidyal’s Poison series is so solid and Penelope Everpetal is so fun but I kinda stumbled through it. There’s a couple sections I straight up should have deleted and a couple more I should have added. I do think I got the right vibe down, though, and I really want to do more with Penelope in the future.

7. Sneaking In Sneaking Out

I’m going to be honest, I just wanted to write some scenes about sneaking into buildings. It was really fun and I felt clever writing it. I also liked making Aelwyn really really mean especially because Remidyal had posted Camp right before where she was pretty darn nice. Not much happening in this story but it was fun!

8. No Blood Relations

I dunno this one is fine. As stated before, exploring Fig having to go through her parents divorce with someone is very compelling. I also liked pitting Adaine and Fig against each other a little bit, it felt very real to how siblings of divorce act. Too real. I’m kind of blocking it out.

9. Tender Love and Care

I liked this one a lot. It’s supposed to be romance but I don’t think I really it comes through (because I’m bad with romance) but I really liked getting into a desperate Fabian’s head. I think I did well with the physical environment in this one too, something I usually struggle with. And the line at the end of Fabian’s section? Where it says ‘he prayed to the only god he ever believed in. “Kristen please.”’. I know I’m the one who wrote it but I think about it daily.

10. Ring a Bell

Right in the middle! I really like the chapters I have out for this one so far and I’m excited for the plan of where I’m taking it. Only time will tell if I can pull it off into being a good cohesive story but for now this bad boy has potential!

11. Please Wake Up, Please Don’t Sleep

My other Neverafter Fic! This one I am much more proud of. I think I really got the voices of all the characters down and managed to make an interesting little scene out of a relatively simple concept. Rosumand is just a teenager! Someone give her a hug I am begging.

12. For Want of Citizenship

I think this story is severely underrated honestly. I got Goldenhoard’s voice down pat and the pacing of the story flowed really well with nice details that I often forget to include to center the reader. Plus, it’s a ‘what if’ scenario that gnawed at me from the moment the pieces were in place and I was sad nothing ever came of it in canon. Patched a hole in my mind this story did.

13. Horrified Looks from Everyone in the Room

Ah, the story to start us off. My second highest kudos still. Which is wild. It’s a good fic for sure! I think Fabian’s and Riz’s sections both shone and it really started off my addiction of giving Adaine a Bad Time. Definitely things I would change about it if I had to do it again but overall I can see why it’s still so popular and I’m very proud of it!

14. Rule Number One

The other story to kick things off! Can’t believe the prompt ‘Riz lets Biz think they’re friends just a little longer’ started a whole expanded AU. I still think this one’s great! Sticking in Riz’s point of view so the reader couldn’t even tell Adaine was having a whole episode until she started sobbing mid sentence was wonderful. Riz’s guilt and justifications were so juicy. And! Everyone liked my weird Rule quirk I gave to Adaine which I had fun playing with. This one isn’t higher because I think some of the information about the changes in this AU could have been given out in a smoother way but overall one of my best.

15. Fabian’s Sister and Other Perks of Punching an Ambassador

Firstly, name’s bad. My worst titled fic. But it’d okay we love it anyway. I very much like what I’ve got going on with this story. Exploring Fabian and Adaine’s relationship in a unique light, fleshing out Bill and especially Hallariel, even fleshing out some of Fabian and Adaine’s insecurities! I’m nearing sort of the end of the fic (I’m at least half way through) and I’m excited where it’s going too! There are some things I wish I had spent more time on (the other bad kids, Cathilda, ect) but what I do have is solid and streamlined enough for me not to be too sad about that!

16. The Good Wizard Gorgug

My. Most. Underrated. Fic! This is such a solid story I adore it. Gorgug is my baby boy and it was so much fun exploring Adaine’s character through him. The steady climb of them becoming better and better friends, growing more confident and relaxed around each other, only for it to all come crashing down to be slowly built up once again. I love it! I love Wizard Gorgug! What a good good boy.

17. Babysitting a (High) Elf

This one was also fairly recent but I really liked how it turned out! There were things I wanted to explore with this, Gorthalax’s guilt about not being there for Fig all these years, Adaine’s complicated emotions about being abandoned, and I felt I pulled it off well. I also think I did a good job making it funny and writing high Adaine as silly while still noticeably herself. Until I sucker punched her at the end. I couldn’t resist though.

18. Mastermind Introductions

Everything I set out to do in this fic I did flawlessly. I wanted to rewrite Adaine’s introduction scene and hit a lot of the same ‘beats’ but with the special AU twist. Aelwyn and her fight in the beginning (where Adaine kind of started it and then very much failed to end it), stealing the book and then being embarrassed by Fig and Kristen’s help, stuff like that! I really felt like I pulled it off and introduced the other Bad Kids just as well as I did Adaine. If I would change anything it would just to tweak a few details to fit better in my new vision for the overall AU. But besides that it’s a flawless work!

19. The Young Oracle

Yes! I was really worried about this one because of all of the weird time jumps. But I couldn’t not have weird time jumps. It was a story about a very powerful diviner! It couldn’t have time be linear! And I think it wouldn’t have made sense if everything had been in order, funnily enough. But besides all that I really like the tone I set for the story, the details I put into the world, (how I managed it without ever watching SY), and I have been thinking about the expanded version of this AU excessively. Is it a perfect story? Nah, but I adore it perhaps the most of all my fics.

20. Property Of

In a move that caught even me by surprise, Property Of wins! It’s my first muti-chapter I’ve finished, it’s got a really solid character arc, and I feel like I let the tone slip from silly to wild and unnerving in a very smooth slide. Plus I just… had a lot of fun writing it. I couldn’t seem to put it down for a second and when I blinked I was over 10k words! It was supposed to be a one shot! How naive I was! So yeah, I’m proud of it, it was fun to write, and it’s fun to reread and think about the implications. Nat 20!

[bambiraptorx]

19 4 1 20 24 25 62

19. What is the most-used tag on your ao3?

Gonna be honest I don't really know a shortcut to figuring it out if there is one, but it's probably just character tags lol. I don't necessarily use tags like "x character needs a hug" or whatever consistently. Honestly though it's probably some variation of the Baron Draxum and the turtles tag lol.

4. Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

Gonna be honest, half the time I forget where my ideas come from or how I got to what I ended up using lol. That being said, I think I just kinda run through a lot of variations on an idea seed and kind of play with it to see where it goes, if that makes sense?

Do you prefer writing one-shots or multi-chaptered fics?

Honestly I don't have a real preference, but I will say that I like how contained oneshots are. If I finish one, its over and done. Sure I could write a follow up, but I don't need to. With multi-chapter fics it's a little more complicated, especially as I'm less of a planner and more of an improviser. I don't really start fics knowing how long they're going to be (which is probably part of why I have so many fics that are/have ended up as long fics lol).

20. Have you noticed any patterns in your fics? Words/expressions that appear a lot, themes, common settings, etc?

Honestly if I notice myself repeating words or phrases I try to edit it to lessen the repetition because I feel like it flows better then (the exception being if I repeat something intentionally as a callback).

24. Worst writing advice anyone ever gave you?

It's not actually bad advice, but the whole "know how your story will end" isn't a principle I keep in mind as I start. For me it's more important to know approximately where I'm going, and then I can figure out where the ending will be as I go along. (That being said, I do have endings in mind for several of my long fics, but for some of them it's much more fleshed out than others). Like with Minor Interference for example, I very much did not have an ending in mind when I started it, but I had a premise I wanted to see explored. To be fair though, that was my first multichapter fic, and I do in fact have an ending I'm working towards now.

25. What fic do you wish you got more of a response on?

Hard to say, honestly. I wouldn't turn down more interest in any of my fics, but at the same time, the ones with less interaction are the ones that are a bit more... self indulgent I guess? Like, Body Horror Baby and My Circus My Turtles don't get quite the response of some other stuff of mine, but fankids are a niche genre of fanfiction anyways and My Circus My Turtles is really more of a collection of stories set in the same AU than a cohesive fic. That and MCMT had lived in my head for months before I started writing it, so there's a lot of stuff in it that I probably haven't explained well but that makes sense to me lol.

62. Thoughts on cliffhangers?

They can be used well and they can be used poorly. So far, I've avoided them in my stories just because I tend to like wrapping chapters up fairly neatly, but there's a couple points in some of my fics where they would work very well with what I have planned.

[flyfish1999]

AO3 tag game \o/ !!!

thank youuu for tagging me @ragecndybars !!! best of luck with your wips ^_^ !!!!!!!!! without further ado ...

How many works do you have on AO3? 103 !! \o/ !!! i hit the 100 mark just at the end of december .. and then didn't post all january lol ^_^

What's your total AO3 word count? only 97,635 ! pretty unsurprising, everything i write tends to be a oneshot, and very short oneshots at that ! not even an average of 1000 words per fic though ehehe ; ; !

How many fandoms have you written for, and what are they? 33 ! ofc this is only ao3's number, some of these count for the same fic being tagged with multiple series tags, but (ignoring my .. eugh ... 6 2020 original work posts i refuse to look at ...) my top fandoms are: persona 3 [40] , persona 5 [15] , trauma center [8] , persona 4 [6] , pokemon [5] ! wow ... i'm honestly surprised, but i feel like i shouldn't be ^_^;;

Top five fics by kudos: all of these are from over three years ago, so i don't remember them very well ^_^;; and i'm kind of scared to reread them now, but here goes: we won't slip through your fingers - 763 kudos ! a cute p5 found family fic with akira, sojiro and futaba ^_^ i still see this pop up in my daily kudos email every so often ! it seems like the type of thing i like reading myself for p5, so i'm not surprised :p Indistinct and Incomprehensible - 515 kudos ! another p5 sakura family fic (sensing a theme?) but this time interrogation room flavoured ! i've always loved the interrogation room hook, probably because i'm such a huge fan of whump fic ^_^;; i'll never forget when a friend excitedly messaged me saying she was about to send me a great interrogation room fic .. only to realise it was mine :p The Days When My Father's Here - 402 kudos ! another- I PROMISE I DON'T ONLY WRITE P5 SAKURA FAMILY FIC LOL ...! cute and short, a shortcake biscuit of a read imo :3c (he left the town long before) yet his house is still standing in the same place - 400 kudos ! akira talking tatsujun ... i've always liked this premise, even as i tend to lean into the angstier side of p2 nowadays ^_^ but no matter what, i have always been a long title connoisseur ... i hope it's toned down in recent years ehehe ! Unconventional Naming Ceremony - 275 kudos ! yeah ... the truth come out ... i used to be a huge fan of the sonic movie >_< i was literally on the phone to my friend the other day getting bullied about how much i used to like it lol !!!!!!! they didn't even know me then ... c'mon ... i hope this is a cute fic. i'm too scared to touch it. lol.

Do you respond to comments? i try to as much as i can !!! sometimes i forget, and sometimes i just don't have anything i might want to say other than thank you for commenting, but all of them mean so much to me ^_^ rereading comments is probably about 40% of my fuel ehehe

What's the fic with the angstiest ending you've ever written? wow ...! that's difficult ! even though i write lots of angsty fic, i am a freak who can find joy in anything. the jolliest guy you could say. a mochizuki fan, possibly. in recent memory, i'd say disappearance, an alien heart beat ... even shorter than usual, but miserable the whole way through . ryoji and minato sit in a room and don't say anything. yaaaay ! (fun fact! it is partially based on a feeling i used to get when me and my ex used to sit in my room with the lights off but the tv on standby, because the overhead light was too harsh. i love watching people move under light; i love the sound of electronics that have been on for too long)

Do you write crossovers? not really ?! they're fun for crackfics, but i don't really honestly explore them that often. maybe i should !

Have you ever gotten hate on a fic? i .... don't think so ! i used to get hate anons when i was younger + stupider because i was quite literally asking for it -_-;; but rage -> if you see this, that zelda comment screenie you posted made me laugh for literally ten minutes [link]

Do you write smut? i would really like to !!!!!!! but i'm so shy >_< !!! but also i worry .. i did once, for OCs of mine, and sent it to a friend ... who immediately sent back laughing that it was 98% inner monologue, 2% actual smut .. which tracks for me lol !

Have you ever had a fic stolen? i sure hope not !

Have you ever had a fic translated? YES !!!!!!! it's always been my dream ^_^ !!! and just this year i had and then he looked right through me, as if i wasn't there translated into russian by a very kind regular commenter !!! if you see this: thank you so much, it means the world to me !!! apparently it was for a friend of theirs, who is a new fan of p3 due to the widespread translations of reload, and they really liked it ^_^ it makes me so happy to think that reload can really extend p3's reach and even more people can get a chance to experience it ...

What’s your all-time favorite ship? ryomina ofc ^_^;; ! kind of topical, but i recently scored the old kotobukiya minato figure that came with the episode "luck" drama cd ! i'll never stop talking about it, but reading episode luck's translations on the gekkouhigh livejournal is what made me love ryomina, and cemented my love of p3 as a whole ... such sweet memories ehehe

What’s a WIP that you want to finish, but don’t think you ever will? mostly things that were born of a specific emotion i was feeling when i drafted it, and don't really want to feel again if i can help it, or at least on purpose. it makes me pretty sad that i feel some of my most impactful work has come out of me feeling ... well, pretty sad ! so i just work harder every day to write just as well, if not better, than things i've written in that state :]

What are your writing strengths? aaa ... i think i'm good at laying running metaphors in a fic (which i love hearing when @p3ta says them back to me ^_^ !!!!!!!!!!!!) if that makes sense ?!?! probably because i love edgar wright movies .. callback fan writes callbacks eternally like the ouroboros lol :p i'm sisyphean !

What are your writing weaknesses? i need to buckle down and write longer fics goddamn it !!!!!!!!!! my latest work, the best beast ever is a boy you know, is also my longest work to date, at a measly 3,657 words. but i love it so much, and it's so amazing what i can do with just 2000 words more than i'm used to ! hopefully i can keep it up ^_^

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fics? it's interesting, and really enjoyable when done well (looking at some bebe writers tbh !!!!!) ... buuut, of course, it can also fall flat ! kind of related, but the closest i've ever gotten to something like this is using japanese honorifics . i know it's a little divisive, but i like it a lot when used responsibly (as i try to) ^_^;; ! overuse of stuff like -sama totally makes me feel like i'm about to tab into ouran high school host club part 1 of 13 on youtube though lol

What was the first fandom you ever wrote for? gravity falls, on a long abandoned ff.net account ! you know i was one of those guys writing it directly into the post box :]

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written so far? it's cheating, but i have two and an honourable mention. i am so happy to have returned to writing persona 3 fic ... it is one of my favourite things ^_^ first of all: alone but sane . alone but sane could be considered my magnum opus so to speak lol ... it is just one of those ideas that is so perfect. i don't know ... i am in many ways my own biggest fan. i do ofc owe my inspiration for it to @mymp3, the best messiah recipe 2008 attendee ^_^ i am so glad we're friends now :p second of all: when you're hollowed out and empty !!!! i hope to write many more fuuka and ryoji fics this year . she is so kind and so reaching in her kindness ... i aim to be more like her ..! fuuka asks, "i wonder what ryoji's doing... do you think he's still crying, like before?" and i write and write and write at last .. my honourable mention! my only zombieland saga fic, and you don't seem to understand (a shame, you seemed an honest man) .. i don't have anything to say here .. zls is a tragedy . to me

again, thanks for tagging me \o/ !!! this is ofc open to anyone who might want to play !!!! i hope you're all having a nice day :]c

[rarepears]

Got any new fic recs to share? 👀 Much appreciated ❤️

I'm not a fan of genderbender fics usually - because a lot of them just change the gender of a character so that something is now gay or het just Because and don't really do much to change the person's backstory/thoughts/personalities (if that makes sense? I'm not saying that a character has to change in personality, but their life is different because the world would see that character differently and thus react differently. The most obvious being a female character feeling more pressure to marry, have children, etc.). Anyways, this genderbender fic has some of the best character development and growth I've ever seen??? I literally cried, tears dripping down my face, reading this thing because oh boy oh boy did I feel all the emotions of the narrator. Everything was just so three dimensional, even all the facets of love that was described. Like come for the Liujiu, stay for the explorations of Luo Binghe's complex and Issues. (And OG!Shang Qinghua too.) I FELT SO MANY THINGS while reading make sure i die first by pennydaniels so GO GO GO.

In that same vein, reading female!Tywin Lannister and seeing how so many things change with Tywin being female and how many things don't change is so... exhilarating? A Lioness Still Has Claws by WickedTheRedHorse

for all those pages thumbed by Star_flaming could be a whole ass standalone romance movie on its own - the worldbuilding is just so good. The developing relationship is so detailed and deep and honestly it feels sort of like a modern version of uhhhh Jane Eyre - well, as much as Argus Filch can be a Jane Eyre lol. It still all fits within Harry Potter canon which makes this even better. Also you just gotta appreciate it when Filch is written in such a relatable way. He's got a phD in art conservatorship, is underpaid, and gets ignored by people who Don't Appreciate The Things That He Does.

You like misunderstandings right? You should, considering you are on my tumblr blog. So if you want to see Gojo come to all the wrong conclusions and generates a whole ass world ending conspiracy theory that he convinces so many people to be true... you got to read this yesterday: helping the world via murder, a guide by your local reformed terrorist by RK7200 Also JJK X Naruto crossovers are fun period.

If you read The King's Avatar, check out this gemstone in the fandom: Autumn Empire by EmpressFiend. We love getting a younger and older version of the protagonist running around, pretending to be brothers, as they decimate the competition.

Okay, here's my first warning, don't read this author if you don't like being baited with the MOST amazing premise and idea and then be left hanging without only 1 chapter to satisfy yourself. This author is very much the embodiment of "shine brightly but live a short life" if we are talking about how their fics get updated lolololol. I'm going to tell you though, reading about Kakashi and Orochimaru getting tossed to Tatooine is worth it: here i am coming, with the good news of me, and you hate it by QuenchiestCactusJuice99

Happy reading!

[glorified-red]

I've been getting into the reverse robins au lately, specifically the tim side of things (the angst is amazing) and since i usually go to you for batboy opinions: any thoughts on this? What do you think of Tim as Red Hood?

Awww I love when you peep into my inbox, love

I'm not gonna lie, the reverse robin au is the one au I cannot stand in this fandom 💀 the second I see the tag I immediately click out of the fic and move on. I haven't dived too deep into it and honestly I wouldn't be surprised if I learned it wasn't so bad with the right take one it.

But I like the characters and their past all created who they are, changing it and the age order would effect so much of their personality, habits, etc. The RR AU pretends that doesn't really happen? Tim in Jason's position would just be Jason in a different font....if I wanted to read a character like that I'd just read a regular AU.

I understand the premise and I've talked to a mutual about this, it's about putting a character in a new environment to analyze them and see how they change and evolve. For me, it just feels redundant. They're changing into each other at that point.

I'd much rather see a fic exploring Tim going through a Lazarus Pit arc, triggering Jason's PTSD, and the brotherly bond of Jason fighting to get his little brother back because goddamnit he's grown. A fic like that showcases character development so well and would show a lot of Tim's insane manipulative potential.

Dicks whole arc is becoming the Big Brother™ and struggling to live up to that pressure, constantly crumbling behind the scenes, if he's now the youngest??? What then?

Damian's whole thing is coming in so young and demanding to be the heir yet no one taking him seriously because of his age. So now he has to fight tooth and nail to just feel worthy. If he's the oldest and leading heir, that changes a lot.

Suddenly these two completely different characters just swap names and have a little bit of their original personality, but otherwise they just mesh together. I like analyzing characters and anything that changes that isn't my fave.

But honestly, I'd love to hear any other opinions because I genuinely wanna know what I'm missing out on, it's such a huge AU and I wanna know why it's a crowd favorite. So feel free to debate me.

[gotsichi7]

clouds dissolve to rain by jyusichi17 Fic Commentary

While writing this series, I have been purposely vague and although I trust readers to connect the dots however they want for the story to come across, I thought it would be fun to share all the dots and how they connect with each other.

If you have no idea what I am talking about, this post is about the two fics in my Bittersweet series based of Seventeen's Mingyu x Wonwoo - Bittersweet release. The fics are as follows:

Things We Lost to the Fire

clouds dissolve to rain

This post contains spoilers and will quote the fics directly. If this is not your cup of tea, check this out instead:

Thing We Lost to the Fire - reference thread

clouds dissolve to rain - reference thread

bittersweet AU wip / fave moments / misc - tags

Other posts like this:

Things We Lost to the Fire Fic Commentary

Bittersweet Series AU Fic Commentary

clouds dissolve to rain Fic Commentary ⬇️

Wonwoo as the main character

If you have read my fic commentary for Things We Lost to the Fire (TWLF), you would know that Wonwoo is the focus of the story. When coming up with the premise my whole intention was a character study on Wonwoo, specifically in the aftermath of Bittersweet MV. Everything about CDTR is based on this look he had in that MV.

Wonwoo is, at least in this piece of fiction, a very emotionally repressed individual and it causes him to only realize his long underlying feelings only six years later. It takes him very long to process his own emotions whether it is good or bad. Added with his very closed/private nature, it becomes an interesting combo. I honestly had the time of my life navigating how the world around him, 96-line and Mingyu, interacts with this.

His demisexuality, although not truly the forefront of the plot, still serves as some sort of complication to their dynamic due to the aftermath of his previous abusive relationship.

I also think that his openness to finally finding the courage to reach out to Mingyu directly lets him explore writing once again. This is not a coincidence.

Before Mingyu:

“Not really. I work with a magazine now. Haven’t really done any of my own writing for at least a year now.” ~Ch. 1, CDTR

Just a few weeks after:

“I know when we last spoke you wanted a break from writing. It’s been 2 years now, don’t you want to write again?” He has been writing, nothing substantial, just in random bursts here and there. “I’ll have to think about it,” Wonwoo answers. ~Ch. 11, CDTR

Bad Blood and it's influences

It's no surprise that after TWLF (titled inspired directly by Things We Lost in the Fire, Bastille) that CDTR will follow suit. Bad Blood heavily inspired Wonwoo's psyche in the beginning of the fic.

The streets surrounding him hid shadows of his almost forgotten memories. They crawl out, following him as he tries to side step them like pedestrians during rush hour but the soles of his shoes left wet prints, marking his every step, leading them directly to him. The memories refuse to leave. The existential crisis of his youth, the uncertainty of his future, the feeling that everything he was doing was wrong and the sting of that friendship. The only bright light in this forsaken place was the shine of Sohee’s smile and happiness. Even though her presence cast a light that highlights the gaping hole in the walls of his mind in the silhouette of Kim Mingyu.  He sighs, feeling rather resolute that he was never coming back again. At least not anywhere near here anymore. ~Chapter 1, CDTR

Above text, heavily inspired by Pompeii and These Streets.

These streets are yours, you can keep them In my mind it's like you haunt them And passing through I think I see you In the shapes of other women ~ These Streets

The plot of CDTR although not obvious, because of the nature of character study, is heavily influenced by songs like Weight of Living Pt I&II.

96-line friendship

In my notes I have written: Wonwoo practical, Jun supportive, Jihoon tough love, Soonyoung balance of supportive & practicle (not good with words).

In that alone is self-explainatory of their dynamic. It was evident to me that in order for Wonwoo to be part of society he needed very good friends. Wonwoo is also self-aware of this too.

 “You okay?” he whispers... Wonwoo hums, an ambiguous hum between yeah, he is and no, not really. “Are you worried about Mingyu? I’m sure whatever that was, there is an explanation.” “You heard that?” Jun nods, combing the strands of hairs around Wonwoo’s face with his fingers. Wonwoo lets him because it calms the strange anxiety in his chest. “Sounded a little hectic but he also sounded like he would have rather talked to you than deal with it.” “What are you two whispering about?” Soonyoung interrupts, sitting up so he can look at Wonwoo in Jun’s lap. No one is watching the movie now, Jihoon is also looking at him. “Wonwoo is worried about Mingyu,”... “Because of the phone call just now? Did something happen?” Soonyoung asks, not really looking at Wonwoo but at Jun instead. Wonwoo looks at Jun because he doesn’t really know how to explain and somehow he doesn’t mind Jun speaking on his behalf. ~Ch. 11, CDTR

I feel like this conversation perfectly captures their dynamic and how they support Wonwoo in exactly the way he needs it. Jihoon is silent but Jihoon was also the one who combed Hangang Park in search of Wonwoo.

Minghao as an Adversary

You may expect that in the aftermath of a love triangle, Sohee would be the obvious choice for an adversary. This however is not the case.

Minghao emerges as an anti-hero because is #1 Mingyu Protector. He is also aware that Mingyu never really got over Wonwoo from TWLF.

“He wanted to leave.” “He did and I encouraged him. But you didn’t even spend one moment looking for him when you returned,” Minghao says between gritted teeth. Minghao is right. Wonwoo had thought about reconciling with Mingyu when he returned, the idea tossed around in his mind with encouragement from Sohee throughout the years. But in the end, he had never once done it, not until six years had passed. “He may have forgiven you for it but like I said I will be less forgiving. Hurt him and I will encourage him to leave you like I did six years ago.” ~Ch. 12, CDTR

Which is a direct callback to what Minghao said in TWLF.

“I just want to come back home, Hao.” Mingyu said, between sobs. He was suddenly inexplicably exhausted.  “Then come back. Don’t stay there any longer than you need to.”... “If it’s what you need to do, then do it. Stop thinking about other people. Think about Kim Mingyu.” ~Ch. 5, TWLF

Mingyu’s character arc

Mingyu has never had a serious relationship. Dowoon, his long time manager, points it out. He constantly finds himself in a state of disbelief too.

He is at first reserved about Wonwoo and his intentions because Wonwoo had hurt him in the past. But alas, love happens without his permission.

Before Wonwoo:

 The way he smiled was so easy, so bright that it attracted the part of Mingyu’s brain that likes shiny things; like a magpie to jewellery. But Mingyu has been burned before, so he replaced the smile on his own face with neutrality, the smile only serving as a reminder of the decisions he had made and stuck to for six years. He just can’t be burned again. ~Ch. 3, CDTR

Once he was with Wonwoo:

The terrifying thought that he wants what they have now to last forever once again crosses his mind. It feels like overcast clouds in his chest, this thought of forever with Wonwoo, clouds that would dissipate to rain clearing the sky to better days. Or maybe the cloud foreshadows unstoppable rain ensuring eternal floods. ~Ch. 8, CDTR

He only admits to himself that things with Wonwoo are quite serious, after Dowoon points it out.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” he croaks, voice rumbling deep, rough.

‘Because you are too perfect. Because I have loved you for most of my life. Because the very thought of losing you terrifies me.’

Original Characters

Not much to say about the OCs introduced. Jelly, Mingyu's temporary manager, is trans. It was in no way mentioned in anyway obvious but that is who she was in my head.

Tots💋

CDTR will continue to be dear to me. this genre of character study, although fun, is not as simple as it seems. haha. will i do it again probs not. do i love it? yes yes i do. well, till next time.

[bittersweet au masterpost]

[littlebigmouse]

Between Vee eating cards to fuel her magic and there literally being a cardgame called Magic the Gathering, how long until Gus and Hunter end up at the local nerd/game/comic store, getting increasingly frustrated as the attendant patiently tries to explain the rules of the game but the boys can't figure out how to activate the human magic glyphs and the attendant can't figure out why the two kids keep trying to fight them on the rules.

[actualbird]

Your new fic has got me thinking about vibrators for each of the boys and how they'd react to it in them what have you done zak-

n/s//f///w text

hello, anons 1 and 2!! it seems that both of u were Awakened by my fic, "product testing is important for the d (the d stands for data) (it also stands for dick)" cuz these asks were sent back when i had just posted that and im oNLY GETTING TO RESPONDING MONTHS LATER, IM V FORGETFUL. but im glad u were Awakened cuz

i have Thoughts

would this member of the nxx team (assumed single, cuz in a relationship i hc things would change a bit) own sex toys? if yes, what kind?

wc: 1.5k lol

-

mc: yes, cuz she deserves to treat herself

mc went through the trials and tribulations of LAW SCHOOL and so she must have gone thru inhumane levels of stress. so shes got some toys. she needed them for good orgasms so she could stay SANE

i think in college, when she was still staying in a dorm with a roommate, she wouldve first gotten a small bullet vibe. the ones that are either a super inconspicuous design (i.e. designed to look like a tube of lipstick or etc.) or just really cute (i.e. bunny ear bullet vibes in a pastel color). this is cuz in the beginning she was RLLY EMBARRASSED ABOUT HAVING A VIBE and thus wanted it to be teeny tiny and easy to hide from her roommates

(sidenote about lipstick vibe: it would be HILARIOUS if mc has a lipstick vibe and accidentally mistakes the vibe for the lipstick tranquilizer gun luke gave her. one day, luke asks her to take the tranq gun out and fire a shot at the wall so he can see if theres anything he needs to do maintenance on on the gadget so she pulls out the lipstick object in her bag, presses the button and

it just starts buzzing

luke, beginning to blush: uhhhh

mc, shoving the vibe back in her bag: WHAT!!! NOTHING!!!!!!! STOP LOOKING AT ME, IM GOING FOR A WALK, NEVER SPEAK OF THIS!!!!)

later, when shes got her own place, she indulges and gets a better and bigger vibe. the trusty bullet can only get her so far, and shes in a new stage of her life: the employment under late stage capitalism

she needs better orgasms to stay sane thru that

for reactions to sex toys: in the beginning, she probably was having trouble figuring out how to use em to achieve the Good Orgasms, but after some practice and exploration, she gets the hang of it. usually goes for a destressing sex toy masturbation experience as opposed to aiming for something earth shattering. orgasms as a metaphorical glass of warm milk before bed, kinda. but it's a metaphorical glass of cummies

-

artem wing: no, cuz he's just not interested in that kinda stuff right now

while artem also went thru law school, i posit this guy does not own a single sex toy. nothing. nada. none.

i hc artem as demi and bi and like, he KNOWS OF sex toys but they honestly just didnt interest him cuz sexual pleasure didnt interest him that much. artem is well aware that being demisexual is irt the lack of sexual attraction towards another person lest theres a solid emotional connection but hes not gung ho about exploring sexual pleasure too much on his own as well cuz it's like...like how he thinks movies are more fun to watch with someone else even when enjoying the experience by yourself is completely possible.

so as long as hes single, hes just kinda "meh" at the idea of sex toys as a whole, will jack off the old fashioned way if ever the horny hits

the only time artem is gonna be in the premises of a sex toy is once he's fallen in love and in a relationship and if his lover brings it up. but thats past the scope of this hc post, so we move on

-

vyn richter: yes, cuz indulgence makes life beautiful also his high standards make for a Very discerning sex toy consumer

vyn has such upscale tastes in terms of interests: wines, vintage vinyls, tea that i am assuming is just the BEST and also expensive, and on and on it goes. vyn enjoys INDULGENCE and GOOD FOR HIM because enjoying what the world can offer is truly something that makes life worth living

and the world offers sex toys too and hes like "well, do not mind if i do"

however, vyn's standards are HIGH. in SSR Food For Thought, he was an absolutely merciless and scathing wine taster. i like to think this goes for a lot of the stuff hes into, if hes gonna indulge, he wants the Good Stuff, the BEST STUFF he can get his hands on

he only purchases sex toys that have unilateral good and detailed reviews and if hes unsatisfied, hes GONNA WRITE AN (ANONYMOUS) REVIEW DRAGGING IT on the toy's site. 0/10, would not use for orgasm again 💅

aligned with the indulgence thing, vyn is going after orgasms that are a bit more drawn out. not exaaactly edging or orgasm denial but close to it cuz prolonging the experience makes for 1) more time enjoying himself, 2) delayed gratification orgasms are scrumptious.

with that in mind, i figure vyn has maybe owns one or two Dedicated Favorite toys. cuz if it doesnt pass his standards of good quality and a nice drawn out experience, hes just not keeping it, bye bye subpar dildo!

-

marius von hagen: yes, cuz hes a filthy whore with the added buff of being FILTHY RICH

marius is a lot like vyn in the sense that hes got high standards (when ur rich and have the capability to splurge on stuff, that Stuff has gotta be Good) and is also game for indulgence. but the difference with marius is that hes way more shameless about it, hes inching past indulgence and into vague and unapologetic sexy hedonism

i Cannot fault him for this, his life is STRESSFUL so honestly you go, marius. get them cummies.

also, related to the fic that sparked both these questions: i do hc that pax has a sex toy brand that makes Super great products and marius is all about supporting pax ventures!!!! even the ones thatll go in his butt.

i think that marius would be the type to go for As Many Orgasms As He Can Possibly Have. marathon masturbation for this dude, when the mood hits.

and to do that, he'd need diff kinds of toys cuz if he keeps using a fleshlight the entire time, his dick will feel like it's chafing even with all the high end lube easing the way. so hes got a Bunch of stuff. not an extensive collection or anything, but at least one of Thing That Provides Specific Stimulation (fleshlight, dildo, vibe, maybe some kinkier stuff he would much rather be using along with a partner but until then he'll live using the nip clamps on himself)

-

luke pearce: no, cuz he 1) hates himself too much and 2) mc's parents may or may not have accidentally instilled a biiiiiit too much well meaning scare tactics on him as a teenager

the "he hates himself" bit is pretty self explanatory: luke pearce has the unfortunate tendency of denying himself good things because he thinks hes a No Good, Very Bad person. ive used this in 2943842 ways for angst but for comedy, itll lead to this. he does not have a sex toy cuz his self loathing is just THAT BAD. like HUH? HIM? MAKE HIMSELF FEEL GOOD???? that actually makes him feel BAD!!

i can forsee that many, many times luke has tried to jerk off just for stress relief but then his self loathing mental block was so strong it blocked the mental aspect of reaching an orgasm. this poor dude. love urself. accept urself

the SECOND bit is a hilarious concept i bounced around with beck once where like...what if mc's parents had a double standard, with how they raised luke compared to mc

cuz listen, mc's parents love both mc and luke very much!!! but also, yknow, parents have the tendency to be wary of Boys when theyve got an only child Girl

and This Boy LIVES WITH THEM

so fast forward to when mc and luke are going thru teen puberty and they both have to get The Talk and variations of thereof

and towards a teenage!mc theyre like "of course making yourself feel good is okay, and sex is okay too! but for now, focus on your studies, theres plenty of time for relationships in the future, but if you do want to pursue something on your own, make sure you do it safely because we love you <3"

and then towards a teenage!luke theyre like "hey. we're watching you we love you but we're watching."

this + luke's bedrock of self loathing = mc's parents, in their mission to keep their wonderful daughter safe, may have accidentally had a hand in making luke pearce among the most sexually repressed individuals on the planet

so uh. no. i dont think luke has sex toys. because i dont even think he reaches orgasm 60% of the time he decides to jerk it JHVAKJHSFKAJSHFAK

-

and these r my takes!!! i realize that for an hc post talking about sex toys, this post is like 0% sexy JKBKJKJKJFASKFJASF

[queen-simone1230]

BTS Fics that make me happy

I consider myself to be an angst-addict. I like to torture myself by reading stories that break my heart; you know the kind of stories that make you wanna lie down and cry. But there are times where I just want to enjoy a good story that is lighter on the angst and makes me feel warm and happy. 

It’s not that these stories are without any sad moments, but I particularly find them to be more lighthearted than most of the stories that I have previously recommended so far on this blog. You could say that these are my comfort fics.

-

Thesis It by @xherxx

This college au fic series is a complete rollercoaster; it has comedy, romance, smut, drama, and a whole lot of medical terms! The author describes this fic as a rom-com and it really does call to mind rom-coms like “All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” It also honestly makes me think of all the reverse harem anime that I enjoyed when I was younger. Except there’s smut. And boy, is it glorious. The characterization of the MC in this story is *chef’s kiss*. She's a funny, stubborn, strong, and complex character that helps uplift the story to greater heights.  Should you read and love this fic like I have, don’t worry, it has a sequel called “Prove It”.

Faerie Realm by @ddaengyoonmin

This ongoing fic series was inspired by the anime Sword Art Online and it follows a similar premise. The MC is trapped in a fantasy virtual reality game world where if you die in the game, you die in real life. Unlike Kirito though, our lovely MC is an absolute noob. Luckily for her, she comes to befriend Jungkook and overtime the rest of Bangtan. While the story primarily looks like Jungkook x reader right now, the author has said it will eventually become OT7 x Reader. As someone who enjoys a good Isekai anime, I really appreciate this fic and the author for taking on the concept.

Foreign Heart by @happybirthdayhendery 

In this Namjoon x Reader series, you have Namjoon develop a relationship with a foreigner MC. The catch is: she doesn’t know he’s RM, leader of BTS.  What make this fic really interesting is that (from what I can recall) we never really read from the MC’s POV. Instead, we read from the perspective of Namjoon, and sometimes Yoongi and other Bangtan members. The story serves as both a self-insert story and a character exploration for this story’s Namjoon. The tone is very contemplative and perhaps a bit philosophical as we see Namjoon grapples with his identity as both Namjoon, the person, and RM, the idol. Anyone who enjoys character pieces, seeing Namjoon find happiness, and seeing our boys being crackheads with each other will enjoy Foreign Heart.

Bangtan Boys Next Door by paper_bullets on AO3

Here we have another college au fic. All the way from AO3, this fanfic may still be ongoing, but it holds a lot of promise to be a very excellent fic. It embraces itself as a ‘reverse harem’ fic and sets each of the boys as stereotypical reverse harem archetypes. For example, you have Yoongi as the tsundere upperclassmen, Namjoon as the megane (glasses character) TA, and Seokjin as the princely one. Bangtan Boys Next Door has a unique wholesome quirkiness to it that will win you over.

Reconcile by @joonsgalore 

This is more a drabble than an actual fic. It’s a porn without a plot. It’s just porn about hot sex with your ex, Namjoon. What I particularly about this fic is that it ends with on a hopeful note about possibly Namjoon and the reader getting back together. With all the angst fics I subject myself to putting me in a dreary mood whenever read or think about them, this fic serves as a quick fixer-upper with its optimistic ending about lovers reconciling. The excellent smut, that the fic is mostly comprised of, makes the journey to that ending very gratifying.

[hotdamnhunnam]

thoughts that I shouldn’t be thinking tonight after I chose to stop writing fics on this hellsite

[everybody ignore this, it’s just that my brain hurts and I really need to word-vomit very thoughtfully explore this]

So liiiiike apparently my recent decision to stop writing tumblr fics is backfiring in a big way because all of a sudden my head is BURSTING with this whole novel-length fic that would be about Jax and this OFC (face claim is the lovely Kristin Kreuk pictured above ⬆️ yes that’s a self-indulgent choice because she’s half-Asian like me) who was really his true high school sweetheart and they were supposed to go off to college and plan the rest of their lives together until *some shit (not to be specified in this rant)* happened (kind of as in the KutteVerse but also DIFFERENT) soooo Tara was just Jax’s next best replacement (literally second best since incidentally she was salutatorian whereas OFC was valedictorian lmaooo did I mention self-indulgent??!?) ANYWAYYYYY that stuff is all in flashbacks but in the present day we’re picking up in Season 7 and everything has been canon till then (this fic doesn’t depict that shit at all, canon is just there in the background lol) including Jax killing the poor guy who got blamed for Tara’s death aaaaand as it turns out that guy was OFC’s cousin(?) or something but Jax didn’t know that at the time (and OFC doesn’t know that Jax killed him) and idk yet when/how each of them finds out BUT ANYWAYYY they’re reconnecting in the present day because the Sons (as in canon) have caused serious wreckage to the whole Asian community around Charming which included a lot of OFC’s friends/family and now she’s come back temporarily from her successful life in some faraway big city to help deal with all of that and Jax of course is twisted up with grief and guilt and regret and self-hatred and on the verge of canon suicide BUT THENNNNN all of a sudden she arrives and all he sees is life and even though he’s never felt less worthy of her after all the shit that’s happened deep down they fucking love each other still and always will but also there are ISSUUUUUES and maybe at some point some of the people in her family are like out to kill him (understandably??) and she has to navigate that too and her own self-hatred for feeling what she feels for him because it all seems so distasteful and just totally disgraceful and like honestly is Jax even redeemable at this point idk but obviously they are gonna have a lot of super hot passionate sex anyway??!?!?

Yes that was one sentence don’t @ me.

This idea just attacked me.

It’d be a story about star-crossed love, and all the tragic ways that love gets tangled up with self-hatred and self-respect or lack thereof.

And if I were to write this shit it wouldn’t rhyme at all – I’d write it the way that I used to write actual novels.

ANYWAYYY NVM LOLZ 🤡 I’m sure I won’t actually write this and in any event this idea is so bad I cannot even. As a (half-)Asian I obvi felt some shitty feelings watching season 7… I don’t want to get too heavy on tumblr and dig into all of that but in my fantasies I like to think of Jax as having deep love (romantically) and attraction (sexually) and respect (most importantly) for a woman who’s Asian like me, and more respect than he had canonically toward the Asian race generally (and more respect than the entire series demonstrated honestly, in my view of it at least), as a matter of idk basic humanity. This fic premise probably isn’t the best way to explore that but it came into my head so I just ranted in an outburst of insanity!!

Ok so I hope no one actually reads this, but I’m also a clown who is not going to delete this 🙃

[grittyreadsfic]

haha welcome to my newest rec list, what a run we had tho, a collection of all of my favorite nate bastian/mikey mcleod fics. rip superbuddies, they're not dead, nate's just in fuckin SEATTLE

the only hard part of making this list was not just listing out every fic ao3 user lotts has for the pairing which i did consider doing. so.

all that by lotts

summary: If Mikey gets a soulmate soon, he’ll have to explain the whole Nate situation.

Not– not that there's a real Nate situation, per se, but it’s just– Mikey has Nate, and it’s kind of a thing.

(Or: there very much is a Nate situation. There's also a Mikey situation. Eventually, they realize this.)

why i love it: to me, this is the superbuddies fic-it’s got the perfect pacing from friends to lovers with just the right around of blurred lines between what’s normal for friends and what’s something more, and their characterizations are just *chef’s kiss* it’s also such a great take on soulmates, and it really covers the different ways people can feel about their soulmates/the concept in general

kiss the night air by clementiae

summary: Jersey, Jersey. Whispered into the warmth of their laced fingers like a prayer.

It was a stupid dream. Mikey wanted it to last.

why i love it: never has under 1.3k words made me want to cry as much as this fic has. the way talking about their dream of playing together evolved, the narrative structure that builds? absolutely hits, very good if you want to cry about the expansion draft

sure thing by bitter_leaf

summary: In the history of hockey, there’s no way something like Nate suggested has never happened before and Mikey feels out of control following that thought down the rabbit hole, how he’d be powerless to stop it if it did, and that’s if he’d even want to stop it. The terrifying thing is that even though he can’t see it happening—they’re both straight, this whole fucking thing is just a thought experiment, pretend—now that Nate’s painted the picture for him, he can’t stop thinking about it—whether he’d even notice the signs until it was too late.

__

Sick of their teammates chirping them, Mikey and Nate pretend to date.

why i love it: i’m SUCH a sucker for fake dating aus, and this one does it so well. It really leans into the messy and complicated feelings part of fake relationships that i don’t think gets explored enough, and it handles it so, so, so well.

you let him wonder but you never let him sink in his teeth by anonymous

summary: Mikey didn’t really pay attention much in biology— didn’t have to, not really— but he vaguely remembers something about doing heat by yourself in a pinch. There were lots of warnings about it.

“You can’t just be alone,” he says and Nate lets out something that sounds like laughing.

Mikey is just trying to be helpful, and Nate is just trying to get through it.

why i love it: i really love omegaverse fics that invert the usual takes on the tropes (and this is one of them!) and it just really is a great look at their dynamic. i really like this take on mikey and nate as a whole, as well

though far away, we’re still the same by rathands

summary: Mikey wishes he wasn’t in love with Nate, because everyone knows that juniors shit—it doesn’t work out. Like Dylan and Mitch.

why i love it: lots of fun bad communication between nate and mikey, and i think this one really handles the emotion of it all so well. absolutely peak idiots to lovers, and i really love that it gives us both of their point of views

so i don’t have to keep imagining by preciousthings

summary: “It was a mistake. That’s— I didn’t mean that, and that’s it.” Mikey says, but he can’t quite meet Nate’s eyes. “That’s where I’m at, I guess.”

“That’s what I thought. So, we’re on the same page.” Nate nods.

(or: lost gold medals, ill-advised snapchats, love confessions, meddling teammates, and a whole lot of miscommunication.)

why i love it: i just think the premise of this works so, so, so well for them-it’s another great idiots to lovers vibe for nate and mikey, and the whole concept of drunkenly telling your crush you love them via snapchap? yes, good, correct

there is a bridge over a river, and some days it is lovely by lotts

summary: “What are you doing here?” Mikey asks, trying and failing not to stare, but Nate’s staring right back, like he’s also not sure what’s going on.

“I figured I’d meet you here,” Nate says. “Put a familiar face on the Binghamton welcoming committee.”

Mikey looks around. “There’s no one else here.”

“Well, it was either a familiar face or no face,” Nate says with an uncertain smile, like he’s not quite sure he’s allowed to make a joke.

why i love it: perhaps i love it because i like to hurt my own feelings, but this is really just a well done fic that really just hits. it’s honest and emotional and you can feel the weight of that throughout it, but it does have a pretty light hearted ending that is good and hopeful. bonus points for being one of my favorite break up make up fics ever and currently my most read fic of 2021

a catch in the curse by aliquis

summary: Mikey McLeod is gifted — or cursed — with the power of psychic persuasion. With the ability to bend people’s ears to his will, Mikey is well aware of how dangerous a power he wields, and the responsibility he bears to not abuse it.

Though he rarely uses his gifts, new developments in his friendship with Nate Bastian may threaten his control. Mikey would do anything to protect his best friend, including finding a way to get rid of his powers for good. Luckily, Newark’s own witch in the woods may be able to help.

why i love it: magic au!!!! i cannot stress how fantastic the world building is in this series (you don’t have to read the tknp fic that’s first to follow what’s happening, but it is worth the read) and mikey’s feelings towards nate and his own struggle is just!!!! honestly i’m just a series of exclamation points about it all

Invisible string by philatoi

summary: Mikey has known he’s liked guys since the first time Nathan Bastian smiled at him. That’s the thing, almost everything about Mikey’s sexuality has involved Nate — which isn’t necessarily bad. In Mikey’s humble opinion, Nate is the perfect person to fall in love with. Highly recommended. Mikey doesn’t regret putting all his eggs in that basket for the last six years.

why i love it: the pining in this, the emotions of it all-just absolutely top notch all the way around, and really just what i wanted out of a superbuddies fic. it really just feels so right for nate and mikey, and i just love it

you are a diamond and i’m just coal by hannah_baker

summary: When Mikey learns his roommate Nate isn't going home for Christmas, he drags Nate back home with him for break.

Or, the one where Mikey thinks all of his feelings for his roommate are platonic, and everyone laughs at him for it.

why i love it: me picking between this and hannah_baker’s other christmas centric superbuddies fic was like picking a favorite child. this is one of my all time favorite takes on mikey in any fic, and i always love a good college roommates au. just such a wonderful fic

turn the lights off, i’m in love by awoogah123

summary: “I can’t go to sleep yet,” Mikey murmured against Nate’s mouth, “I’m not tired.”

Nate knew this couldn’t be true, his and Mikey’s season had just finished and they were both exhausted. Still, Nate knew what Mikey meant when he said he couldn’t go to sleep yet, that he was too wired up, because he felt exactly the same way.

“I think I’ve got a way to make you more relaxed,” Nate said, mouth curving into a smirk as he brushed a hand over Mikey’s cheek. Mikey’s mouth smiled against his own.

***

Nate and Mikey are there for each other when the Devils don't make the playoffs.

why i love it: do you ever just need some soft comfort to cope? yeah me too! this fic is that and i was very 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 about it when i read it