#i'm tempted to just post them now and have the suspense over with

[fictionadventurer]

It's very satisfying to me when the number of Inklings Challenge participants divides perfectly into equal teams. Any new members had better sign up in groups of three.

[bekala]

20 Questions for Writers

@noxnthea tagged me so here we are.

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 18

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

555,722 more than I expected. It's gonna get higher!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Almost exclusively Marvel, but I have two Sons of Anarchy fics that I brought over from my FanFiction.net account way back when and there's more over there.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Order of Operations (Darcy/Bucky; E), biologically, but not conceptually (Darcy/Bucky; T), Trust in Motion (Darcy/Bucky; M), Lessons in Avoidance: Or How Darcy Lewis Learned to Have Feelings (Darcy/Clint; E), a haunting (Darcy/Bucky; T)

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to reply to all of them. Talking to readers in the comments of one of my absolute favorite things about posting fics.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

An Unsealed Fate (E)

Is an AU one shot Bucky/Clint/Nat based the night before a battle in a world inspired by the show Carnival Row. All the characters are having this bittersweet moment of expressing their love for each other and not saying goodbye as they prepare to fight for freedom at dawn the next day.

“We don’t say goodbye before we part,” Clint continues as his fingers finish the last button and he starts to tug Bucky’s trousers and pants over his hips, “we don’t seal a fate until all other paths are closed to us.” 

“He’s right,” Nat says and when Bucky turns his head again she’s so close he can make out the gold stars around her irises, the only outward sign of the immense power hiding under her skin, “don’t tempt fate. What will come will come but we have now and we’re going to celebrate it with you.”

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Almost everything tends to have happy endings in one way or another! I write fic as an escape so even though I like to let some angst in I like to wrap it up with a happy ending.

That said, the most stereotypical happy ending I have is probably, It's Quite Inconvenient. This is a Darcy/Bucky Regency AU comedy of errors, and it ends on a very happy note!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not usually, fingers crossed it doesn't start! I love my fandom community like crazy!!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yep. The kind I want to read.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I don't know that I've written any crossovers but I've written a number of AUs.

11. Are any of your fics converted into podfics?

No, but I'd be excited about it if they were.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not technically, but I work so closely with @noxnthea on so many of my fics they might as well be co-written - or at least co-loved/co-plotted/co-agonizedover. The running joke is she's the fairy god-mother (and superstar beta) to everything I put out. I don't think any of it would make it public without her!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I don't know that I could pick.

I love writing Darcy/Bucky.

I'll read almost anything though - I write almost exclusively Marvel but my reading tastes extend well beyond the Marvel fandom.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Too many to talk about.

The one I really think won't ever get finished though is a daemon AU that's got about 50k words and is Clint Barton centric. I love it so much but it just never fell into a strong final plot unfortunately. It's also in present tense, which I don't write anymore so it would be SO hard to pick back up - BUT, god, when I go back and reread it sometimes do I just love it so much.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm pretty good at action sequences, banter, and pacing?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I am really trying to work on getting better at complex plot development and suspense. I also want to get better building a more complex vocabulary to improve my diction.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I do this. I don't mind when others do it.

I think it's best when done sparingly and with a sensitivity to the fact that you don't speak the language. I prefer when it's done in a way that the dialouge is not important to the scene. Or if it is, I think it's really cool when the translation is provided contextually rather than in notes later on. That said, I've seen it done really well both ways!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Tamora Pierce - on an account that doesn't exist anymore. I have been in fanfic for A LONG time. Like, the first fanfic I ever read was printed out and handed to me in the hallway of my middle school when the internet still made screeching noises as it connected.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Oh, um - I think I've answered this before, but I'd probably have to say: Order of Operations - I am in love with this universe and still writing sequels and follow ups. I think it just came to me during a really difficult time, which is still in progress, and it's become a comfort to just sink into it and share with the community.

It's been so much fun!

tagging -- anyone who sees this and wants to do it!

@shireness-says maybe??

[senorabond]

"Merry Fic-Mas" December Prompts 1. Starry Night - A Lost Hollow Drabble

I've never done any kind of prompt list or monthly challenge with fandom, so I decided to give this a shot to help me get into the holiday spirit! This is also my first time writing Joel, so we'll see how it goes! (Be brave, Bondy. Be brave.)

I'm using this prompt list to get me started. I'll preface this by saying I've been working on a TLOU AU idea for a few months now, and am also using this list to help me explore that world a bit more. Leave it to me to go into this thinking I'd write a 500-word drabble and come out with a 2k-word un-beta'd scene.

To set the scene: Locust Hollow (aka Lost Hollow) is another community similar to Jackson, but set in an abandoned coal-mining town in Appalachia.

Rating: Teen??

Pairing: Joel x gn!Reader

Word Count: ~2k

STARRY NIGHT

If there’s one thing you can appreciate about the world post-Outbreak, it’s the night sky. Before that fateful day, you were used to seeing maybe a few dozen stars on a good night. Now, the lack of light pollution and smog reveals what was hidden from view most of your life. 

The first time you were far enough away from the QZ, and awake enough after that day’s exhausting trek, the stars went blurry. You were stunned to find tears in your eyes. Thousands of stars glittered across the inky heavens. It was magical and surreal, the closest you’d ever felt to what you would call a religious experience. 

Ever since that first night, you could spend hours lying on your back just staring up. On a clear summer’s night, you can even see the Milky Way – something you had only ever seen in pictures. You had no idea how to find the constellations, or what their names were beyond Orion and the Big Dipper. The North Star was easy enough to find...or was that Venus? 

The stars became a solace to you during the more difficult times establishing Locust Hollow. When out on your rounds, you would make a mental note of cleared areas where the trees and mountains wouldn’t obstruct your view. One time you found an old water tower that was tempting to climb, but a mere breeze made it creak ominously. You’re way too old now to be that stupid. 

This year, you planned to sneak away on the longest night of the year and stay awake as long as you could. Or at least until you get too cold. You'd only have a lantern to light your way through the woods to the clearing you picked out weeks ago.

You found yourself getting a bit giddy in the days counting down to the Winter Solstice, like a little kid the week before Christmas. You made checklists of what to bring and started laying everything out: what you would wear, your warmest sleeping bag, extra blankets, a thermos for tea, hip flask for whiskey, and baked potatoes to keep in your pockets. Making a fire would only ruin the darkness, so you'll need something for warmth. 

The sky was nearly cloudless, except for the thin sliver of moon left in the sky. You would have preferred there to be a new moon tonight, but you’ll take what you can get. The wind blows through the bare oaks and birch trees, making the limbs creak in the stillness. The season's first snowfall lay in a blanket several inches thick across the forest floor. Fortunately, you know your way through this patch of woods like it’s the back of your hand. 

It’s tempting to look up at the sky before reaching your destination, but the suspense makes the reveal that much sweeter. You charged up the lantern's solar-powered battery and a backup within the last few days, so you have plenty of light if you need it. You keep the light low enough that you won’t blind yourself to anything outside its meager swath of illumination reflecting off the snow. 

Finally, an hour into your hike, you arrive at the clearing. The rocky cliffs jut out over the river below, offering a wide ledge for you to lay down on and gaze up rather comfortably. You turn off your lantern and close your eyes, letting them adjust to the darkness more quickly. Counting to thirty, you open your eyes and look up at the sky. 

The wait has been worth it. The heavens glitter above you, like moonlight sparkling on the ocean. 

Tearing your eyes away for a moment, you start to unpack your gear, first laying down the waterproof tarp you borrowed from Joel's construction site, then rolling out your sleeping bag. As you lay back on the sleeping bag, smiling to yourself, you're grateful for the extra potatoes stuffed in your pockets. The rock made for a great stargazing spot, but it leeched cold up through the layers of tarp and sleeping bag within seconds.

A branch snaps in the trees off to your right, too loud to be a small critter out for a nighttime hunt. You lay still, slowly reaching for the knife sheathed on your thigh. Once it's gripped tightly in your hand, you sit up slowly, knife at the ready. Another branch snaps and a man walks into the clearing, hands raised. You swear under your breath. 

Unbeknownst to you, Joel had seen you making your preparations carefully. He didn't know what you were doing, but figured it must be important for you to act so cagey about it. Before four o'clock that afternoon, when the sun was just setting behind the mountains, he spied you stashing your pack in the wood shed. After dinner, he saw you say your goodnights to the people at your table and leave the mess hall quietly. On the way out, he curiously watched you take a couple of baked potatoes out of the serving dish and wrap them in handkerchiefs, then stuff them in your pockets. He simply had to follow you.

"What the hell are you doing here?" 

"I could ask you the same question." 

"I should throw this at you for following me,” you threaten emptily, gesturing with the large knife in your hand.

"You can't blame me for wonderin' what you were up to. You've been actin' strange all week." He lowers his arms and walks towards you, mindful of the ledge. 

"Since you're so nosy, I came here to look at the stars." 

Joel doesn't respond, except to furrow his brow. Then he looks up, and lets out a breath slowly. "Wow...that sure is pretty." 

You harumph a bit at that, resheathing your knife. 

"'M sorry. For interruptin' your peace and quiet," Joel says softly. He gestures over his shoulder, "I guess I'll head back, leave you to it." The broad-shouldered man looks at you sheepishly and turns around.

"You'll never make it back without a lantern." He waves a hand dismissively. 

"I'll be fine. Got a flashlight." He clicks it on, slipping it through the loop in his pack's strap and begins walking back the way you'd come. He stumbles after a few steps, the flashlight’s bulb too weak and diffuse to do any good. "Sonuvabitch..." he mumbles.

You sigh, and resign yourself to having company for the night. "C'mon, sit with me.” You pat the ground next to you. “Enjoy the stars for a while. We'll walk back together with the lantern." 

"You don't mind?" 

"Do I have a choice? 'S not like I'm gonna let you walk off into the dark and break your neck. Ellie would kill me." Joel grunts in agreement. 

You stand up and unzip your sleeping bag, laying it out flat so both of you can fit on top of it. Joel takes out his tattered sleeping bag, which you layer with the extra blanket you packed. The two of you lay down between the layers, the night too cold to let the awkwardness of the moment get in the way. 

You appreciate that Joel doesn’t have to fill silence with meaningless small talk. As you lay there next to the man, the warmth from your bodies starts to make you quite cozy. After a few more minutes, he adjusts himself, grunting slightly under his breath. You remember he has a bad back, and wonder if that's what's bothering him. 

"You okay?" Your question comes out in a whisper, the atmosphere hushed and intimate.

"Unh...yeah. 'M fine." He's obviously not fine, and you roll your eyes. The man is as stubborn as a mule. Joel adjusts himself again with another quiet grunt.

Remembering the potatoes in your pockets, you pull them out and nudge him. "Roll over."

He looks at you like you're crazy, but does as you say. "'Kay, now lay back."

You placed the potatoes so they'd be under the small of his back, right where you've seen him hold his hands and massage whenever he thought nobody was watching. He lays down and gasps a bit, adjusts himself, then lets out a sigh. 

"Better?"

"Yeah...thank you." He sounds a bit surprised, but soon his body begins to relax. 

Within moments, Joel’s breaths start to come more evenly and you realize he's fallen asleep. Turning your head, you look at him and see the deep grooves around his eyes and forehead have eased. This has to be the least grumpy you've ever seen the older man. 

Every few seconds, his fingers and legs twitch, and you wonder if he's dreaming. Those creases between his eyebrows furrow and before you can stop yourself, you roll over so your body is facing him and smooth a hand over his gray hair. He stills, breaths coming even again, and the muscle twitches stop. You keep stroking his hair away from his brow, then run a hand gently down his cheek and thread your fingers through the coarse scruff of his beard. Angling your head, you look back up at the stars and take a deep breath. You can smell pine needles, and a mixture of citrus and musk that must belong to Joel. 

Enticed, you lean closer and take another hesitant sniff. 

"Do I smell that bad?" Joel asks, his voice a gravelly whisper. You jump, thankful for the darkness that will conceal your blush. 

"No, you-uh... you actually spell pretty good." Joel cracks an eye open and peers at you. 

"So you do." He might be smiling, but it's hidden by his beard. The only way you can tell is the way the lines at the corners of his eyes tilt up. 

"Joel..." His eyes are open, watching the sky. 

"Hm?" 

"Why did you follow me?"

He sighs wearily, and you imagine Ellie is probably very familiar with the sound.

"I guess... I was worried about ya – a bit. Bein' off on your own in the cold. Anythin' could happen when it's this dark."

"Joel."

He turns to look at you, and you lean in, lightly brushing your lips across his. He looks at you blankly, and you think you messed up for a second before he's pressing his lips to yours more firmly. Then he's rolling over so your bodies are facing each other, pressed close and and tight. 

Joel’s large hand cups your face, the calluses on his fingers catching a bit in your hair, his beard rasping across your cheek. You wrap your free arm around his broad back under his jacket, the worn flannel soft against your skin. Joel groans as your legs entwine and tangle together. 

Your breaths come out puffing out in steam, mingling together in the cold air. Joel's mouth trails down the column of your neck, his hot tongue flicking across your pulse point until you gasp his name into his shoulder. With a growl, he pulls your leg over his waist and holds you tightly, rolling onto his back. He lets out a grunt, half pained, half in surprise. 

"Joel! Are you okay?" You sit up, straddling his waist, trying not to move while you wait for his response. You hope you haven't hurt him.

"Those damn potatoes got cold." 

You sputter out a laugh, then cover your mouth, shaking with mirth. “I thought I’d hurt you!”

Joel chuckles a bit at his own expense, then runs his hands up each of your thighs until they rest on your hips. “It’d take a lot more than that to hurt me, darlin’.” 

“Good.” You lean over and begin kissing him again. 

To your surprise, he rolls you onto your back, adjusting the sleeping bag and blanket to cover both your bodies. His large form above you is entirely in shadow now, the night sky ablaze behind him.

“Just keep lookin’ at the stars, darlin’.” 

Sighing, you relax into Joel’s arms, knowing he’ll make you see stars of your own soon enough.

[wallacejwriting]

(I'm literally working in Paint 3D with a borrowed computer don't judge me)

New WIP Rambles

(I'll make a real WIP page later)

Fantasy romance series has a brand - Tales from Lumira! It's half fantasy adventure, half romantic suspense, with plenty of queerness abound, so strap in.

In a world where two superpower countries in a cold war threaten to tear the nations between them apart, the smaller nations have no choice but to put aside their differences and work together.

Link to Posted Map

(Yeah, because it's definitely that easy)

From each of the three countries come the greatest scholars, diplomats, and schemers they can find... or that's what they were supposed to do, but no one wants to lose their best to the enemy, and so some of the prospects are... let's say less than stellar.

See, at the centre of the three countries is an area where their borders meet. And it in this place that a hub for stopping the war has been built.

But this is not just a story of diplomacy and cold war, no, it is also a story of adventure. Because half the plan is to form diplomatic alliances, treaties, and trade agreements in order to bolster the alliances with the other countries, all while trying to tempt the superpowers away from all out war.

The other half is seeking out the power to stop the countries and protect themselves should the war break out in full. And the adventures to find out about, research, track down, and retrieve these artifacts are an important side story in every book.

One part earnest semi-camp comedy, two parts adventure fantasy, one part romance with occasional steam, two parts emotional trauma and the effects of war, and some heaping scoops of discussion on cooperation, greed, and the danger of conglomerates.

Funny enough to make you laugh, serious enough to catch you off guard every time, a little too dark to give to your kids (your call, I don't judge), and maybe just maybe enough discussions on mental health and burn out to notice a theme.

If I had to say what it was inspired by - a combination of Dragon Prince, Spy x Family, Winx Club, and Sarah J Maas' entire existence.

So far there's two polyamorous relationships planned -- a triad in which all members are together, and a quad that has three romantic relationships and the rest are platonic. But most of those characters will come later. Only one of them is below (try to guess which!).

Current characters include:

Janan, a hijabi cartographer from Orange country who is determined to help the adventuring party do their best. She's short, chubby, and incredibly in awe of the world around her, but is maybe a little too focused on making good impressions.

Haruka, a hot-tempered and impulsive prince from Lavender country who wants to make his mark as the greatest hero the land has ever known before he takes the crown as king. He is fiercely loyal to his friends and ideals and will not bow to anyone but his mothers and Katsuro.

Katsuro, a sensitive, quiet guard who has known Haruka since they were both children. Immensely protective, it is rare to see Haruka without him, and Katsuro has proven time and time again that his loyalty is to Haruka and not the crown he serves. Katsuro enjoys calligraphy and teaching children.

Zephyr, an anxious, spindly wind elf from the Green country who has a habit of floating whenever they get over-excited or nervous. Zephyr is a historian and is blind in one eye, which makes their flight a little uneven at times. They're far too high strung for their own good but they mean well and try to help.

Cináed (Ki-NAHD), a mute dragonshifter who was kidnapped and drugged and now lives in the dungeons beneath one of the capital cities. Trapped in human form, they have no way to escape and know that on the next blood moon, the king will kill them to eat their heart and gain immortality.

Anyway that's all for now! I hope you like it.