#i don't imagine I'll be writing any more portal fanfic in the future but i am very proud of the one that i did do :)

[pokimoko]

hiii--- i know you mostly post/write about other fandoms but i just want to say that graceful degradation is probably one of THE best fics ive read of all time and i love it so so so much, it had me screaming into my pillow at like 2 in the morning. its such a unique and creative take on his backstory and the ANGSSTTT. oh my god...u are a genius

Thank you so much!!! Portal 2 was something I never imagined myself writing for, but I'm very glad I did, because writing that fic was a blast. It came out of my fondness for 'Flowers For Algernon' (which I read many years ago but has been stuck in the back of my mind ever since) and my need for a Portal fic that suited my particular niche of interests (which included, of course, my dear old friend angst). I'm so glad to hear you think of it so highly! That really means a lot 🥰

[true-blue-sonic]

I, K, O, T - for ask game 👉👈

I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

I think that is physical touch and pet names! Love myself some of those :> That is why Espio and Silver tend to be somewhat excessively affectionate in my fics (perhaps to the point where it can be seen as a bit OOC?): I adore such things in real life, and writing it into a fic is incredibly sweet for me.

K: What's the angstiest idea you've ever come up with?

That is focused on a group of OCs that live in the world of Genesis, who actually have been introduced extensively already in a way; their backstories are just filled with terrible things, basically. But even they get a happy end and support throughout it all💕 I can't say much more about them, since they're still a bit hushhush and I honestly don't know if I'll ever properly introduce them. But them aside, also Gold's and Silver's backstories are quite angsty. Gold of course has the whole thing with her home dimension being destroyed by the Second Devourer (which actually was her fault; she is the one who opened the portal, if I remember my ideas correctly), escaping in the nick of time right into the Council's hands, and growing up under their harsh rules while the leader only wants to make use of her powers. And Silver comes from a future destroyed by the Ifrit that he lived in for 13 years, so that sucks for him too. But I try to counteract all that angst by putting them in that idealistic world I mentioned in an earlier ask, wherein they get love and support from many others, and they can heal from their experiences.

And for actual fic writing ideas, I think the scene in New Beginnings wherein Silver is in the New Ruined Future and fleeing for his life definitely is quite angsty as well!

O: How do you begin a story—with the plot, or the characters?

I'm not entirely sure. I have characters I like (since I write fanfics, so they are already pre-made), and thus plot always comes second to them, I think? But as for the extended cast, I do try to imagine who would work in what scenario. I don't tend to add characters just because; I either like them enough to give them a full role in the story, or I leave them out.

T: Any fandom tropes you can't stand?

Also a tough one! I think the trope(?) of giving characters extreme OOC-ness is one I am not really fond of. I can definitely see myself be guilty of some OOC-ness (see my answer to question I), but I mean like the... "Character who canonically doesn't like tears/rarely cries suddenly beginning to bawl dramatically in a romance fic because they are feeling insecure about things so their partner can comfort them" kind of OOCness. Just switching a character's entire personality around or focusing too much on one specific trait and ignoring the rest, basically. Not sure if that is a trope, and if I come across it in a fic I won't say anything about it, but it is something I don't like much.