#maybe around 85k?

[doctorprofessorsong]

carving deep blue ripples by dothraki_shieldmaiden @dothwrites (Explicit, 85k)

I am a sucker for Stanford Era Dean and a creature Cas fic, so this one feels tailormade to my interests.

Dean finds himself hunting alone after his Dad sends him away with the Impala. It was bad enough when Sammy walked out the door, but now his own Dad has sent him away. But Dean’s a hunter, so that's what he's gonna do. A chance encounter with Cas, another hunter, evolves into a partnership and, perhaps, if Dean can just let go, something more. But Cas has a secret that threatens to tear them apart.

This one has great mythology, top tier monsters and so much delicious pining. Dothraki_shieldmaiden manages to incorporate so much delicious canon into this adjacent fic that you will be gnawing at the walls. Seriously buckle up. It's a great ride.

Heavyweight by valleydean (emmbrancsxx0) @valleydean (Explicit, 206k)

Look, Mallory has the unique ability to write versions of Dean and Cas that crawl into your brain and set up residence, but these particular ones are just *chef's kiss* perfection. Deeply unwell over each other, off-putting and sometimes objectively terrible and yet I love them to my bones.

Set in the 1920s against the backdrop of the golden age of boxing, Dean is a light heavyweight champion looking to make his name in the heavyweights. But the reappearance of his secret ex, Cas, threatens everything. Cas left town under the cloud of a scandal. Left DEAN. And now he's back to try and restore his name.

The pining. The push and pull. There were times where I thought a happy ending was impossible but she did it. She really really did. There’s horny sparring. There are suits and fancy prohibition Era parties. There are VIBES. Seriously this one is just so freaking good.

When I Knew You by FriendofCarlotta and xfancyfranart @friendofcarlotta , @xfancyfranart (Explicit, 54k)

Time travel love stories are tricky and sometimes they hit for me (as you can probably guess from my name) while sometimes the don't. This one was an absolute homerun. Dean and Cas are both so deeply lonely and there is this sense of desperate intensity that is woven through the story that will male you feral.

Dean's working to try to put together the cracked pieces of his life after the one two punch of losing his dad and his business. But he's off to a rocky start when he learns that the prior owner of his new house died suddenly.

Even stranger, a shimmering light appears in his living room and suddenly he finds himself face to face with the guy, somehow having traveled to the past. In stolen moments, they discover that maybe happiness isn't as elusive as it felt. But the time is ticking. Can Dean save Cas from his fate, and if so, what will happen to them?

Dean Winchester and the Stolen Tupperware by MalMuses @malmuses (Explicit, 35k)

It's been a hot minute since this one came out and you may have already heard about it as a result, but this fic is just a fluffy, pure delight.

Cas is a single, nerdy professor whose idea of a wild Saturday night is watching dashing Dean Winchester, a real life Indiana Jones type adventurer archeologist, on YouTube. Dean is looking for some stability and just hoping to find a place to establish a career that doesn't involve constantly traveling. Sparks and awkward cuteness fly when they meet.

This one is perfect for a low angst love story. Also, Dean and Cas will make you deeply fond (and Meg in this fic can step on me).

Night at the Impala Theater by Speary @spearywritesstuff (Explicit, 52k)

It's difficult to explain what is so great about this fic without revealing more than I want to about the plot because there are some delightful and twisty bits. Suffice to say, it's a fun ride not just because of Dean and Cas, but the really fun side characters (Especially Rowena, my beloved, who is amazing and witchy).

The story revolves around Dean, a lonely guy running the family business - a historic movie theater he inherited from his Dad. But his life is changed when he finds a mysterious film series on his doorstep. The film noir flick follows a smoldering PI named Castiel. For some reason Dean can't get enough of the movies. And yet, all attempts to track down any information about the series is frustratingly bare. Where will his obsession lead? Not telling. Go read it. :)

torture is your name on my lips by theseancequeen @theseancequeen (Explicit, 4.6k)

This fun little one-shot smutty yet emotional fic explores a world where Demon Dean summons Cas after years of separation and they hook up while both lying about the depth of their feelings. It's a magnificent blend of angst, softness and need that ends on a deeply satisfying and surprisingly hopeful note.

Scorched Earth by AmberXBoone @amberxboone (Explicit, 155k)

Distraught over confirmation that his father intentionally started the fire that killed Mary Winchester (and nearly Dean and Sam), and then used his position as a police officer in a corrupt system to cover it up, Dean decides to give John a taste of justice by burning him in his home. He's a murderer and he fully expects to pay. But a chance meeting with burnt out DA Castiel Novak changes both of their loves forever and suddenly they have something to fight for. Can they take down the corrupt system or will Dean be locked away?

The plot of this fic alone is a ride. But what really brings this one home is the impeccable use of canon characters. I love these versions of them all so much. And it's truly a delight to see everyone join together to fight the corruption and save Dean (whether he deserves it or not cause he definitely doesn't think he deserves to be saved). The fic is also broken up into short chapters which makes it super readable if you are the type who picks things up for one scene and then puts it back down (could never be me I binged it like i was on fire myself but I admire it).

The premise is dark, but it's the light moments that make this fic really shine.

Check out my other fic recs at @riversrecs

[voxofthevoid]

We're at Shibuya Swap Wednesday #9, and I still can't predict an end. Part 3 was largely unplotted when I started writing it, and I think I can see the end—and it's miraculously shorter than I anticipated—but let's see how the path there looks.

I didn't write a lot this week, so the fic is at 85k and halfway through Chapter 16. There's a fuckton of conversations in this part because I'm still reaping what I sowed in Part 1. Several bits were like pulling teeth, but I'm happy with the final shape. The following section is a goyuu reunion of sorts:

Yuuji opens the door and steps into the dark.

His eyes don’t need an adjustment period; he’s always had good night vision. The tall figure standing stock-still, silhouetted by the sparse moonlight outside an open window, still makes him startle. A second later, two pools of radiant blue cut through the dark—Gojou’s open eyes, fixed right on Yuuji.

“Gojou-sensei,” Yuuji breathes.

“Hello, Yuuji,” comes the soft reply.

The door gently clicks shut behind Yuuji, almost making him jump. His heart is in his throat, and it stays right there as the seconds stretch on, held in place by reasons better and worse than a door closing on its own. On the opposite end, Gojou is still and unmoving. His features are blank, the shadows on his face made strange by the glow of his own eyes. Yuuji’s known for a while that Gojou’s eyes have their own fire, but he’s never seen them like this.

He’s never seen Gojou like this.

“Sensei,” Yuuji says, speaking in hushed tones on instinct, “I’m gonna turn the light on.”

“Go on,” is all Gojou says.

Yuuji gropes around the walls beside the door, and it’d be easier if he just looked, but he finds that he can’t take his eyes off Gojou. A part of him is afraid, not that Gojou will do anything but that he’ll melt into the shadows if Yuuji takes his eyes off him, vanishing like he was never here.

He finds the switchboard and promptly blinds himself.

“Shit,” he swears, slapping his hands over his eyes. He rubs the tears away, peering out from between his fingers and getting smarting eyes for his trouble. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine,” Gojou says, sounding amused; the familiarity of it makes something in Yuuji unclench.

He blinks and squints until the light don’t feel like it’s stabbing his eyes anymore, and then Gojou’s there in full color, eyes bared and hair down and smiling at Yuuji, as solid as a dream can ever get.

“Gojou-sensei,” Yuuji says helplessly, “you’re back.”

“I am. Miss me?”

“I—yes, I was—”

“Worried?”

“…Yeah.”

Gojou’s smile widens. It’s not really a nice expression, too sharp around the edges, but Gojou means these smiles. They’re real, even if they’re poised to cut.

“I’m not the kind of man,” Gojou murmurs, “you should worry about, Yuuji.”

“Yeah, well…” Yuuji shrugs. “Can’t help it, I guess. And it’s different this time.”

“Oh?”

“You were walking into a trap, weren’t you?”

“Oh?” Gojou repeats with an unholy amount of relish. “You really have been thinking about me.”

Yuuji fights down the urge to throw up his arms. “I just told you that!”

“So you did,” Gojou admits. “No need to worry about your dear teacher—I won’t be outmaneuvered twice by the same person. Once was enough. My pride won’t survive a repeat, and we’d hate that, wouldn’t we?”

“Uh, sure,” Yuuji says, not sure how to say Gojou’s pride isn’t what he’s worried about.

Gojou chuckles like he can tell anyway. “Your mother’s a wily bastard, by the way. I hope you haven’t inherited any of that. I quite like how straightforward you are. You’re not hiding some Machiavellian cunning under all that cute pink fluff, are you?”

“What?” Yuuji asks, his brain stuck on cute pink fluff.

“No.” Gojou tilts his head, humming. “No, you’re a different breed.”

“Okay?” Yuuji wrenches his attention back to the point. “How’d it go? Did you find them, did you—”

“I found the body,” Gojou answers. “Booby-trapped to hell, with the most innovative mix of barriers and seals I’ve ever seen. Maybe I should start teaching you those. See if you’ve got a knack for it. Genetics isn’t everything, but for sorcerers, it means something more often than not.”

Any other time, Yuuji would have leaped at the chance to learn more and get stronger, but right now, all he can focus on is—

“The body?” he asks.

Gojou blinks once; his eyes are glowing even in the bright light. “The brain was absent. The residuals led me on a wild goose chase for a while, but they didn’t lead to anything. I knew it wouldn’t. I was tracking that body’s cursed energy, you see. And I found it. It’s all I found. We should have killed them at Shibuya. But every version of you will be a sentimental fool, won’t you, Yuuji?”

Yuuji takes half a step back before forcing himself to stop. Gojou’s stare is a piercing thing, like twin lasers—hotter than the sun, with none of its warmth. Yuuji feels like it’ll sear off his flesh, chunk of cooked meat falling to the ground at his feet.

He can’t feel Gojou’s cursed energy at all.

“I’m sorry,” Yuuji says very gently, “about your friend.”

Gojou stills, somehow without moving a single muscle. Something seems to suck the air out of the room.

Yuuji smothers the urge to yank the door open and throw himself out of this room. It’s not real anyway. Yuuji doesn’t actually want to run away from Gojou. He’s not scared. It’s just that, sometimes, Gojou gets like this, all silent and still, and every animal instinct Yuuji has starts screaming. It happened with Sukuna too, the one time they met face to face, but Yuuji was too angry then to feel anything else, and it was only later, when the way his spine writhed as Gojou bore down on that volcanic curse felt oddly familiar, that Yuuji even realized that a part of him had responded the same way to that blood-and-bone domain and its vicious master.

With Gojou, there’s no anger to swallow everything else, and Yuuji’s left to grapple uncomfortably with the disconnect between his instincts and his feelings. It makes him feel guilty too. Gojou’s on a whole other level as a sorcerer, as a living being, but he’s still just a person. And he’s Yuuji’s teacher. Yuuji likes him; he worries about him. There’s something profane about any part of Yuuji reacting to Gojou the way it did to Sukuna, and Yuuji has a hundred reasons to want to get stronger, but one of them, close to the top of the list, is that he wants to bear the brunt of Gojou’s power without even a sliver of his soul squirming.

He takes a step closer to Gojou, not once looking away from the violent supernova of his eyes.

Something shifts in Gojou’s expression. It doesn’t soften, but it’s less blank, less alien.

“I’d ask who’s been telling tales,” Gojou murmurs, “but it doesn’t matter, hm? You should save your pity for the ones who matter, Yuuji. My old friend lost that right years ago.”

Yuuji…has no idea what to do make of that.

But he knows one thing. “It’s not pity, sensei. I just wish none of it happened to you.”

“And what would you know of what happened to me?”

Yuuji shrugs, trying and failing to shake off the discomfort layering his skin. “Not much. Just that your friend became a curse user and, uh, died. And then Kenjaku took his body.”

“That’s not all you know,” Gojou says with damning certainty. “Tell me how he died, Yuuji.”

Yuuji looks down at his feet for a moment, breathing in deep. Getting air into him still feel like a fight, and his heartbeat is echoed all over his body, from the skull to the soles of his feet. There’s something unnatural happening.

But he trusts Gojou.

Yuuji looks him in the eyes and says, “You killed him.”

“I did. Are you sorry about that too?”

“Yes, sensei.”

“What if I told you I didn’t even hesitate? He was my best friend, you know. The only one I ever had.”

Yuuji’s eyes smart again, his chest squeezing tight. “That must have felt terrible.”

Gojou blinks.

The air lightens.

There’s a long, heavy sigh, followed by Gojou slumping back against the open window, his entire torso supported by empty space. His eyes haven’t wavered from Yuuji or lessened any in intensity, but there’s a pout on his mouth that doesn’t suit the situation at all.

“Are you for real?” he complains.

“Uh, yes?”

“I don’t believe it. Come here, I need to pinch you.”

“What? I’m not doing that!”

“I’ll come there then.”

“No—eck.”

Yuuji didn’t even see Gojou move, but there are fingers pinching his cheek and a toothy grin filling his vision, and his instinctive struggling does down as he processes the new proximity, the rest of the world fading to make room for the warmth and size of Gojou’s body. He’s so close to Yuuji, their chests almost touching, and more and more of his features burn themselves into Yuuji’s vision. His jaw is a sharp curve, the kind you could cut yourself on, and the rest of his face isn’t any better, painfully pretty. Yuuji can’t help noticing that his lips are cracked, without a hint of their usual glossy sheen. It only becomes more obvious when Gojou’s impish grin eases up, settling into a quiet, crooked smile.

Yuuji stares at them for a very long moment, his mouth drying out to match Gojou’s lips.

He looks up. Radioactive eyes gleam a hot blue, threatening to swallow him whole.

[profoundbondfanfic]

Born to be yours by zation [Explicit, 72k words]

Castiel finds a curious creature in his backyard. Or, The one where Dean wanted an apple but found himself a human instead (and also an apple).

Breathing Into You by casblackfeathers [Explicit, 110k words]

‘Beware the deep sea, that’s where the monsters come from.’ Dean had heard these words since birth, his father’s warnings shaping him into the man he is today. That’s not the root of Dean’s hatred for merpeople, though. Twenty years after the day tragedy had touched the Winchesters’ lives forever as well as the end of the Great War between humans and mer, Dean is still haunted by that moment. But loving the sea is just as much a part of him as the dread for the merfolk, so when he isn’t working at the local bar, he is there, underwater, immersed in the vast blue his mother used to speak of in her bedtime stories. Dean knows, however, that the sea can be as ruthless as it is soothing. When he is caught in the middle of a storm and faces the anger of the waves, the mysterious appearance of a stranger with blue eyes as clear as the waters Dean loves losing himself in forces Dean to question the truth behind his father’s old mantra.

carving deep blue ripples by dothraki_shieldmaiden [Mature, 85k words]

With his little brother at Stanford and his father searching out leads on the monster that killed his mother, Dean Winchester is left to hunt alone. It's fun, except in the ways that it really blows. Things start to turn around when he meets Castiel Novak, another hunter. Castiel is aloof and maybe a little too sarcastic, but he's good backup (and pretty easy on the eyes. Not that Dean's looking or anything). After a few hunts, Dean is willing to make his and Castiel's partnership permanent (and he's not exactly averse to adding another component to their partnership either. After all, he's caught Castiel looking at him just as many times as Castiel's caught him looking). But Castiel is hiding a secret, and it's so explosive that it threatens to not only tear them apart, but also tear apart everything Dean believes in.

Convenient Husbands by Annie D (scaramouche) [Explicit, 39k words]

"It's only temporary, right?" Dean says. "Just until you're healed up, and then we'll never have to see each other again. So what do you say, Castiel, do you want to marry me or not?"

Dragon Hunt by peanutbutterjelly-pie (Aleakim) [Explicit, 171k words]

What is a former knight fallen from grace supposed to do when one day, after almost a decade of scouring the outskirts of the kingdom for his missing brother, he finds himself confronted with a powerful, terrifying and also ridiculously weird dragon? Yes, exactly: team up with the guy and scam oblivious people out of their money! Easy as that, right? (In which Dean ends up stumbling upon a strange, blue-eyed dragon and before he even knows what's happening he is in way too deep to get out again.)

It's a Small World (aka the Worst Ride at Disneyland) by ireadhpinenochian [Mature, 45k words]

Dean's life didn't start out great. With his mom dying and his father taking him and Sam on wild goose chase after wilder goose chase to track down her killer until Sam couldn't take it anymore and ran off, it pretty much sucked. But now he has Cas. And Cas is great--perfect, even--definitely the best thing that's ever happened to him, even if he isn't quite human. He's been living so long in domestic bliss that he completely forgot to be worried about waiting for the other shoe to drop. Which is, of course, when his giant of a brother strolls back into his life sending Dean into a panic that he and Cas will have to uproot their perfect apple pie life if Sam finds out Cas' big secret.

Like Lightning Under Your Skin by A_Diamond [Explicit, 24k words]

Desperate for a way to save his brother from a demon’s clutches, hunter Dean does the unthinkable and seeks out a supernatural creature for help: a powerful lightning elemental, the kind he and his family should be killing. When his attempt to bind the elemental goes awry, he finds himself psychically connected to it instead. The creature’s emotions bleed into his; its pain echoes into him. Rather than finding the solution to saving Sam, Dean’s given himself a new and even more time-sensitive problem. He has to find a way to master the bond before the rest of the hunters decide he’s too far gone and put him down. The trouble is that the more time he spends connected to the elemental’s thoughts, the more he starts to wonder if they don’t have it all wrong. Maybe the creature, which calls itself Castiel, doesn’t deserve to be slaughtered; maybe the rest of its kind hadn’t deserved that, either. Or maybe that’s just Castiel’s voice in his head.

Man in the Wilderness by OneHundredSuns [Explicit, 68k words]

Dean Winchester is fresh out of Purgatory along with every other Tom, Dick and Wendigo that called the cesspool home. As the monsters lay waste to the Earth and eat anything they can get their hands on, Dean sets out to find his only remaining family so that they can hunker down and fight the assholes head on. He doesn’t mean to stumble upon Castiel Novak and his adorable twins in the middle of the apocalypse and he sure as hell doesn’t mean to offer them a ride to wherever they are trying to get to. But the world is a dangerous place now and he’s always been a sucker for blue eyes and cute kids. So he’ll help them out and just hope it doesn’t get him or them killed in the process.

Miasma by ValandraWrites [Explicit, 13k words]

Dean's grown up with a monster under his bed. They kind of became friends. Then they kind of became more than friends.

The Graveyard Shift by PurgatoryJar, riseofthefallenone [Explicit, 620k words]

Dean’s favourite coffee shop, The Graveyard Shift, is only open after the sun goes down. Which is perfect for him, because that’s exactly when he craves coffee the most while doing the overnight at the fire hall. The coffee shop’s owner is pretty perfect too, but it’s kind of a bummer that Dean never gets to see Cas during the day. In a world where the supernatural live more or less in peace with the rest of humanity, it’s a little impolite to ask Cas just what he really is - or what his dark past entails.

[vivilove-jonsa]

I know you and Amymel are both publishing your OG stuff now. How is that going for you both? And do you have any tips for someone who might want to do that sort of thing?

Thanks so much for the ask, Anon. I mentioned it to @amymel86 and, while we're keeping our pen names relatively private, we truly appreciate you checking in with us :)

How's it going? It's going great! We're both thrilled to making money off writing smutty romance 🤣. To quote Amy, 'Sex sells, girlies.' But I'll add that the swoony, romantic, buttery goodness is what keeps readers coming back for more.

Tips? You got it! I'm going to put them under the cut for those who are interested but I'll preface this with the following - we are writing romance novels (primarily as eBooks) that we're self-publishing on Amazon. If you want to be the next Hemingway or Virginia Woolf, that's awesome but our route might not be your route...

Tips for self-publishing romance on the Zon and making BANK:

First off, research. Read, read, read a genre that interests you. What's killing it in the rankings? What's not? What are readers looking for?

Drill it down to a specific niche and find the tropes that work best with it. Unlike with fanfic, you will not make a killing as a newbie writer switching widely between genres and niches. Your Sweet and Clean Christian Western Romance might be fantastic but your fans won't be delighted if you follow it up with an Erotic Dark Mafia Romance. There is so much out there! Sports Romance, Regency, Paranormal, Small-Town, Billionaire, Bikers, Mountain Man... go find yourself a new book boyfriend. Choose the heat level you're comfortable with. There are readers for all levels.

But, find something that appeals to you and stick with it for the time being, learn the ins and outs but make sure it's something you can see yourself writing. Don't choose Reverse Harem or Shifter Romance simply because they're popular if you can't stand reading them. You're setting yourself up for failure that way.

Second, do a little light craft book reading. For romance, I highly recommend Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes and 7 Figure Fiction by T. Taylor as a starting point.

Join an indie author's discord group for important tips and stuff that you might wind up paying to learn from others. It's free and you can choose what's worth retaining and what's not. The one Amy lured me to last year is AMAZING and I've picked up so much information/resources that I never would've known about stumbling around on my own.

Pick a pen name. Do not write under your actual name. You do not want your grandma reading your book. Or maybe you do but you might not want your boss or ex or neighbor reading it. Make sure it's not a claimed pen name. Google it, check Amazon, etc.

Next one is the hard part... write a book. Dream up your story, write down those 'moments' that come to mind (you won't remember them all otherwise) and outline that sucker. Then, WRITE IT. Which sounds impossible but it's not. Most full-length romance novels fall between 60 to 85k words. There are soooooo many fanfics that are longer than that. Take a deep breath. It's doable.

The must-dos for your first book:

Think it up, write down what tropes you're looking at using, outline (at least a little) and write it. I made that sound so easy, didn't I?

2. Edit, edit, edit. You don't have to pay an editor or copywriter - I have not so far - but, for the love of God, don't release something riddled with typos or full of purple prose. Streamline it, make it page-turning goodness readers have a hard time putting down. Throw it in grammarly and spellcheck the bejesus out of it.

3. Format it using a free site like Reedsy or Kindle Create from Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). All that lovely spacing we enjoy doing on Ao3? That will not fly here. It's going to look like an actual book... because it is!

4. Make a cover or get one made. Look at what sells in your niche and copy it. You want to be an outlier? Wait until you're bringing in 50k a month to set the trends. Otherwise, you'll just be passed up. How much work it is can be niche dependent. Fantasy or Sci-Fi Romance might require a lot of talent to get the right look. Contemporary? Easy by comparison. GIMP or Photo Shop work great but there's a learning curve. Also, I recommend Deposit Photos or similar sites for photos/model shots. Don't steal photos off the internet for something you're selling. That will get you in hot water. Remember your cover is the first thing readers see and it needs to sell what you're offering.

5. Write the blurb. Some writers do this first but I am not one of them. It's HARD. However, I cannot stress how important this is to get someone to give your book a look, second only to the cover. It's 100 to 200 words to tell people why they absolutely have to read it! Don't do a summary of the book either. Feed them tropes, give it a hooky intro, draw them in like flies with honey.

6. Get ARCs (Advanced Reader Copy reviews) through a site like Booksprout or SM like Author Facebook groups. It'll get your book in front of eyes and it's lovely having a bit of feedback and some shiny 4 and 5 star reviews queued and ready when you publish.

7. PUBLISH IT. Flip that pancake as we say in the discord group I'm in. Serve it up, see who's biting and keep that griddle hot to make the next one. It will be even better.

And remember, this book will probably not be THE BOOK. And your first pen name will probably not be the one you retire on. It's okay. Every book will teach you something new about who you are as a writer. You'll grow, you'll get better. I'd rather publish a dozen books that are okay if I'm improving than talk about the ONE I'm going to write someday. It's totally worth giving it a whirl.

For more direct tips, feel free to send specific asks. I'm happy to help anytime :)

[sitp-recs]

Reparo by amalin

Harry/Draco (2008, Explicit, 85k)

Voldemort's final defeat does not mean Harry Potter's troubles are over; far from it. In the aftermath of war, he returns to a Hogwarts that is fractured and divided, but this is no break that can be fixed with a spell. New owls, fading scars, surprising alliances—and along the way, the hardest task of all, to live with it.

'I'm just saying, it's a good thing I never switched to your side,' Malfoy added, sounding more than a little delirious from the pain. 'Never could produce a Patronus. Wouldn't have made the cut.'

I’ve mentioned this fic on a few reclists before but I hadn’t been able to reread it and write a proper rec until now. For those who enjoy old school Drarry, this is excellent 8th year food - quirky, fun, with vivid settings, organic slow burn and fabulous characterization. I reckon unredeemed Draco is not everyone’s jam but for those who enjoy him let me tell you, his proud and pathetic Malfoy voice is an absolute delight. He’s pretty insufferable, prejudiced, arrogant, holds grudges and has that annoying dramatic flair colouring his every interaction. It’s rare to see him embarrassed or caught off guard from Harry’s pov which is why blushing moments feels like a victory for both Harry and us. From bullied Death Eater to the Slytherin champion to Harry’s fuck buddy, he’s complex and fascinating and so deliciously in character I can’t help but lmao at his awful personality. I like this take because it makes me remember that people don’t change that much, or that quickly, especially when they’re so young.

This fic is an 8th year romance with brilliant Gen vibes for the most part, which I love. The Hogwarts routine feels so familiar and I’ve had a blast with their early interactions, all that cute snarling banter and fantastic dialogue keeping me amused and engaged at all times. There are moments that made me pause and appreciate the supporting cast, like the Christmas scene with Andi and Narcissa, or Slughorn’s party - his aloof voice is so on point it feels like he’s jumping out of the books, and Harry soothing Ron’s insecurities about his relationship with Hermione was a very nice touch.

Speaking of characters, I can’t not mention Draco since this is his party, but the Golden Trio is also a delight: this perceptive Hermione (“you got a Malfoy look, you start to look sort of confused and wistful and eager all at once”) who takes notes for inexistent surprise exams + this feisty Ron who instead of exploding just celebrates that his cock is bigger than Draco’s are just perfect. And young Harry has my whole heart - he’s snarky, impulsive and classically oblivious, drawn to Draco in ways he’s not able or willing to explain, and he never disappoints in his classic “do first, ask later” philosophy 😂 his fire and sass complement Draco’s brilliantly, it’s hilarious how he quickly learns how to read and handle him.

The fuck buddies dynamics are as awkward and intense as you’d expect from two horny, traumatized and inexperienced 18 year olds. They butt heads and go for it, never talking it out but finding more about themselves in the process. Despite being so different (and boy do they argue about it) Harry and Draco somehow click together emotionally and physically, with their skinny, scarred, imperfect bodies. Harry can be his true self with Draco and gives back just as good as he gets; they’d be in the middle of an argument then quotes such as “the color of the sky reminded him of Malfoy, a bruised, determined gray” come and take your breath away!

If for nothing else, go read this if you’re looking for a different 8th year vibe, where no character is traditionally nice or easy to love. They’re all both light and dark, sweet but sharp around the edges, and we learn to care for them despite (or maybe because of) their flaws. This story leaves me nostalgic over those good old Hogwarts fics with lots of sneaking around and no heart-to-heart moment, which rings true for two lost boys figuring out who they are and what they want in the post-war. It’s messy, confusing, awkward and dramatic, but also very relatable and real, their future together left open and full of possibilities. Enjoy!

Read on AO3

[knotwerk]

holy shit i fucking love editing. (remind me i said that in two weeks.) 

i’m working on the proper hydration series finale aka PH6. i finished writing the first draft on 4/6/24, clocking in at 85k words. and then i sat on it for a few days before rereading it, did an extremely cursory once-over edit, and sent it off to my first reader & og beta @demolitionwoman-blog (CHEERS!!!). she started working on the beta, and by the time she hit chapter 3, she made the observation that the next step in the editing process for this might not be a typical beta read, but a structure/development read, and maybe a reverse outline would be a good next step. 

and i was like, i have never heard of a reverse outline. like, i have never heard of most things, really; i just started writing fiction in fucking august 2022 and am having a FUCKING BALL learning by doing. so i googled reverse outline, read the top three hits lol, and was like OH FUCK YES. 

because i do not Outline-outline when i write. all respect to those who do!!!!!, but i just Can Not. i have tried, and i get both daunted and bored, and that combo is like fucking kryptonite to my brain. for a longer piece (or a piece that doesn’t just burst out of my fingertips in response to a gifset or bts drop or tweet or gc comment 😅), i do make a sort of vibes outline. like, i open a fresh doc and splort down all the themey ideas i’m able to put words to at that point, and i make notes on whatever beats have already formed in my head, but it’s loose and sketchy at best. and then i write and see what happens as the story unfolds, and i go back to that notes doc to sort of talk to myself about it, to update the vibe outline as i get further in my draft, etc. 

but PH6 is the longest & most complex thing i’ve written yet, so by the time i got to the end of the first draft—by the time i’d put the whole story into words—i was like, oh my god, what is this. like, has this done the thing i wanted to do, per my vibe outline, and also, what did it actually do, and is it legible (whatever that means; like far be it from me to tell the reader what they should get out of something, but, generally speaking, is it cohesive.). now that i have told the story, like… what the fuck is the story about please, and does it "work." 

so i “finished” my reverse outline yesterday and omfg it’s helping so much and it’s SO EXCITING!!!! LIKE, THIS IS HELPING ME WRAP MY MIND AROUND THE THING I DID, SO I AM BETTER ABLE TO SEE WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO!!!! AND I CAN WORK WITH THAT!!!!!

it’s like i had a bunch of kittens scrambling around in my brain and while i was writing i was like 'oh i love these kittens so much, and i really hope this story herds these kittens effectively so they slow down just enough that people can really see their cute little faces (including me, i am people)' and then i finished the first draft and was like 'ahhh did the story herd the kittens??? i can't tell, they're still moving too fast in my brain' and then the reverse outline showed up and was like I COME BEARING TUNA AND FIFTEEN CARDBOARD BOXES and now i can see the kittens better. 

and then! i slept on it last night, and this morning my brain was like, “oh, here, why don’t i just efficiently articulate the vibes and arrange them in a tidy visual diagram that reveals how they all flow through the story for you?” WHEE!!

and then i got so excited that i had to put it down and write all this instead of working on it further 

(this, which could probably use its own reverse outline lmao)

like, i’m reading Mary Ruefle’s Madness, Rack, and Honey, which is a book of collected lectures that i cannot stop screaming about and that slaps so hard i keep having to throw it across the room, and just the other day i read, in the chapter “On Secrets,” 

I used to think I wrote because there was something I wanted to say. Then I thought, “I will continue to write because I have not yet said what I wanted to say”; but I know now I continue to write because I have not yet heard what I have been listening to.

and i think the reverse outline is helping me hear it a little better, and that is fucking exciting.

[literaticat]

Hey, Jenn! Maybe a dumb question, but if the main reason why high word count is bad is because of printing costs, why does the industry focus on word count and not page count?

We have ballpark norm word counts for different kinds of books for several reasons. I'd say the MAIN reason is, books that are seriously overlong are often bloated, actually -- they don't NEED to be that long, and they'd probably be better reads if they WEREN'T that long. (SORRY.) I'm not saying every Very Long Book actually would benefit from editing, but -- some of them are quite self-indulgent, IMO.

But anyway, sure, printing costs is another reason. The reason we deal in word count rather than page count, though, is because page count doesn't really mean anything. The number of pages your manuscript is when you print it out on your home computer doesn't have much to do with the number of pages it will be as an actual book.

A picture book text might be a page or two when you print it out. But when it becomes a book, that might equate to 100 words on 32 pages -- or 500 words on 32 pages -- or 1000 words on 32 pages...

A chapter book might be 5,000 words and 100 pages long. A New Yorker article in columns might be 5,000 words and 5 pages long.

A novel might be 90,000 words and be around 450 pages... Or it might be 120,000 words and be around 450 pages.

Obviously, for printing, the longer it is, the more the price per unit goes up. That said, by means of clever typesetting, a publisher can make a novel fit the length they need it to be, so it doesn't go over the number of pages they have allocated, and it looks and feels and reads like a regular novel. So that's why the "ballpark" word count range is pretty large -- up to a certain point, it really kinda doesn't matter whether it's 85k words long or 120k words long or whatever -- but after a certain point, something has to give. Books are physical objects with physical limitations. Either the margins and type will have to get smaller, making it harder to read, or it will have to go way up on pages and won't be comfortable to read or to hold, and it will be too expensive, and/or the binding will break.

(True story: I had a book that was a long-ISH but still normal YA book in English - - but when it got translated into German, they had to split it into two books, because it became literally just too long to print without breaking the binding! GERMAN WORDS ARE LONG!)

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of One Direction long rare pair fics as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

✦ I Had Rather (series) by sunsetmog / @magicalrocketships

(E, 261k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) Nick and Louis don't like each other, not even a little bit, not even at all.

✦ love and kickin'!verse (series) by camiii

(E, 140k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) the fic where Nick has no interest in football but is dragged to a football match, Louis is the Arsenal player that catches his attention, and maybe there are some redeeming qualities to the game after all.

✦ Little Lion Man by @writcraft

(E, 123k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) As Louis tries to negotiate coming of age, sexuality, first times, homophobia in the wizarding world and his growing feelings for Nick, a new evil emerges which puts Louis and Nick in serious danger. 

✦ Take My Hand And I'll Be Your Shelter by brainstorm

(E, 119k, Niall/Liam) the one when Niall is homeless and Liam saves him from that horrible life and they fall in love.

✦ Midnight Dancers by hazmesentir / @alveronian

(E, 107k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw or Louis/Harry) Nearly a year after One Direction ends, Louis finds himself with a choice to make: go back and fix the mistakes of the past, or take a risk on something new?A tale of three men, two love stories...and two endings.

✦ Drowning Shadows by purpledaisy / @daisyharry

(M, 99k, Zayn/Harry) AU: Harry Styles, executive recruiter, finally meets his match in Zayn Malik. Or, Harry builds walls and Zayn breaks everything.

✦ your crimes are quiet, my love by lightswoodmagic / @lightwoodsmagic

(E, 97k, Zayn/Liam) A darker Miss Congeniality AU that follows Zayn and Liam, MI5 agents, partners since training and best friends, as they race to stop a serial killer.

✦ Kissing in the Rain by @writcraft

(E, 93k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) It starts at a party with shitty cocktails, a DJ that's definitely not as good as Nick and some 'that only happens in the movies' kissing in the rain.

✦ Slide by thisonegoes 

(E, 87k, Zayn/Harry) An AU about being a father, having faith, and growing up.

✦ If This Is Love by sunsetmog / @magicalrocketships

(E, 85k, Harry/Nick Grimshaw) Nick Grimshaw has done some stupid, ridiculous, mad things in his life, but falling for Harry Styles might be the stupidest thing yet.

✦ Easy As All That (Go Around A Time Or Two) by sunsetmog / @magicalrocketships

(E, 84k, Liam/Louis) The one where Liam and Louis only kiss when they're on nights out, when it's secret, when there's no one around to see them. If no one knows you're having a sexuality crisis, that means it isn't happening, right?

✦ Hear Your Heart by purpledaisy / @daisyharry

(E, 78k, Zayn/Harry) Harry and Zayn are first year surgical interns.

✦ Tell Me It’s The Strongest Shape by YesIsAWorld / @louandhazaf

(E, 73k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw/Elgar Johnson) When uni student Louis gets street cast by Elgar for a GQ photoshoot, he's drawn into Nick and Elgar’s complicated relationship.

✦ and i refuse to let this go by annemari

(T, 71k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) The one where Louis and Nick are in a secret relationship, Nick loses his memories, and Louis tries to not fall apart.

✦ i forget where we were by torielle

(E, 70k, Niall/Harry) Harry wakes up to find he has retrograde amnesia and a perfect life - seemingly.

✦ Untamed Hearts by Layne Faire / @laynefaire

(E, 68k, Zayn/Liam) In the end, though, it all came down to two meddling friends, a touch of Prince, a bit of Keats, and the moon over the ocean. Its a recipe for disaster. Or love. Probably love.

✦ keep this love (in a photograph) by carissima

(M, 64k, Zayn/Liam) the one where Liam's a fireman, Zayn's a photographer and yeah, there's a calendar shoot or two involved.

✦You Don't Care About Me (One More Night) by @lululawrence

(NR, 60k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) the one where Louis pines for Harry and Nick helps ease his way into figuring himself out through a friends with benefits sort of arrangement. Things quickly turn complicated.

✦ Live a Thousand Lifetimes by Layne Faire / @laynefaire

(E, 57k, Zayn/Liam) With the whirlwind about to begin again, Liam re-evaluates the last ten years - the fame, the money, the people who changed his life forever - and the person who walked away.

✦ Hold Up, Wait A Minute by flamboyo / @riverswater

(T, 56k, Zayn/Louis) It doesn’t matter that he has met Louis two weeks ago, it’s love. 

✦ Pretty Little Plaything (series) by Phillipa19 / @thedeliciousrude

(E, 55k, Zayn/Louis) Zayn is a rich sexy silver fox and is known around. Louis is a 21 yr old who is dating him

✦ this is no bridget jones by nicheinhischest

(T, 54k, Zayn/Niall) “Harry," Zayn feels like he’s losing it, "Harry, you know my life isn't a romantic comedy, right? No matter how much you try and make it one."

✦ Make It Up As We Go Along by @lululawrence

(NR, 52k, OT5) When a baby is left on their doorstep, their lives become the definition of chaos...but maybe that is exactly what they need to see what has been right in front of them all along.

[just-jordie-things]

Hello ! Your fiction gojo x reader is incredible, really ⚡⚡ I love it so much 💗 Thank you so much for it 😘 if I had to detail everything I like, it would take hours ! What I appreciate the most in your story is that she finds the Fushiguros children before Satoru, takes care of them as she can and thanks to that she has a very nice relationship of trust with them 😍 This is so beautiful ! This is the only story I've read where this happens. Normally it's always Gojo who finds them first (1)

then shares custody with Reader. But honestly, I am a bit sad that your story ends in three chapters. I wonder if you had planned a season 2 for this fabulous story, please ? where she and gojo can take care of the kids and maybe with some drama with the zenin and gojo clans 😉☺️ I really hope so 💝 take care of you ❤ ___

(put em together so i didn't have to spam on both messages!!)

aaaaAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEeeEEE <- me screaming to death bcuz my heart can't take this !!!

when i finally started reading the manga and hit the hidden inventory arc inspiration struck WILD at first i just wanted tbah to be a long angsty fic but i kept goin and goin and hot damn the whole series is a soft 85k :D ... not including some pieces that might come after the series is concluded...

and i love baby gumi (and tsumiki!) writing for them as kiddos was so so fun. as well as writing for my favorite trio (now a quad lol) all around this fic is my everything and i enjoyed every minute of it.

i was a lil nervous when i first started posting it, it's kinda a slow start and i know the romance is a bit less than present. it's a lot of relationship-building between reader and the fushiguros, and honestly she fights with satoru more than anything (and her and shoko prolly have more sweet moments than anyone else so far lmfao) but i wasn't sure if people would stick around for it since it's such a slowburn (85k of slowburn)

en ee wayz for the gazillionth time i am so so so happy to see my close-to-heart series be so loved by others !!! <33

thank you for the messages love !! happy reading !!

[summerbummin]

Hey there ghosts it’s me, ya Robin

T+ | 85k+ | Ch 19/? | Tim Drake Sees Dead People, Ghost Jason Todd, Tim Drake Centric, Cryptid Tim Drake, Child Neglect, Bad Parents Jack and Janet Drake, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Angst, Humor

Jason’s mind was reeling. “Someone can see us?”

He’d tried everything he could think of to get Bruce and Alfred’s attention since he became a ghost. But even physically floating through their bodies hadn’t elicited a response.

She laughed. “Crazy, ain’t it? I don’t know if he’s a meta or what, but all the ghosts are talking about him.”

If there was someone out there who could see ghosts… then maybe…

Jason had to find him. “Who is he?”

“He’s known by many names… Veil Walker… Reaper… Half-Pint.”

Jason sputtered. “Half-Pint??”

“That’s the wildest shit. It’s a kid. Like a middle schooler.” Delilah threw out one of her hands. “And he’s out here wandering Gotham every night and chatting up the dead.”

Jason could only stare at her. Processing. A kid who could see ghosts... What was this? The Sixth Sense: Gotham edition??

———

Jason was murdered by the Joker. Tim can see the dead. They find each other.

Tim Drake had always been different. He’d always been able to see things others couldn’t. When he was younger, it took him a while to realize that other people couldn’t see what he saw.

Luckily, he’d been young enough for it to be dismissed as imaginary friends. Teachers and babysitters told him he watched too much television. The other kids thought he was weird.

However, two people had known better. They knew what a freak he was. That’s why they’d left.

What parents would want to stick around when their son would knock on their door at night, crying about the scary people he saw? The man with the caved-in head. The woman with jagged bloody lines down her forearms. The child with blue lips and missing fingers and toes. And many more horrifying spectors.

But he’d adjusted. He knew not to talk to ghosts when other people were around. He didn’t bug anyone about his nightmares. He no longer flinched at blood and gore.

Tim was an actor and his role was being a normal kid. If only he could convince his parents like he’d convinced everyone else. Then maybe they’d come home.

{Continue reading on Ao3}

[5sosfanfictioncatalogue]

Friends to Lovers (3) Masterlist

part one, part two

And I almost had you. (ao3) - orphan_account luke/ashton T, 4k

Summary: '"Good night weirdo." Luke mocked, and then rolled over away from him. Ashton just hoped that Luke would stay quiet in his sleep this time. '

[AKA the one where Ashton knows exactly what to do to get what he wants from Luke and Luke is a powerbottom, as it turns out!]

Arcadia (ao3) - paperstorm michael/luke E, 100k

Summary: Crisp, thin air. The rough scrape of blades on ice. The jumbled, unintelligible echo of male voices, ringing off the rafters and bouncing through the empty seats. The familiar smell, sweaty equipment and rubber flooring and Zamboni fluid. Luke’s taken to closing his eyes sometimes, cutting off his primary sense, and just absorbing the noise and the scent and the feel of cool air on his cheeks. That way, regardless of where he is, an arena still feels like home. Or, an AU in which Luke is a small-town hockey superstar who gets drafted to the Montreal Canadiens, Ashton is the bubbly team Captain, Calum is a defenceman with a bad habit of settling on-ice conflicts with his fists, and Michael is the NHL’s first openly gay player.

blind at the roots of flowers (ao3) - merlypops calum/ashton T, 3k

Summary: 'Everything was dark and cold but the older boy’s hands were warm in his, calloused and strong from years of playing the drums. Calum liked the way Ashton’s hazel eyes glittered in the lights at the station as they sat on the benches in the evenings after college, waiting for their train to come in. (Sometimes, Calum wished the pair of them had stayed like that, back before everything had crumbled to pieces.)'

All Calum wants is for Ashton to love him back. Only, when it happens, things don't quite go as planned.

Blue Masquerade (ao3) - CalumSmiles (dreamforlife) michael/luke E, 85k

Summary: Michael is in love with Luke. That much is clear. Well, to Calum, Ashton and the rest of the world anyway. Luke is blissfully oblivious to the blatant signs. He gets a girlfriend. Michael tries to move on.

Spoiler: he fails.

but then i hear u calling (there u are) (ao3) - orphan_account Michael/Luke N/R, 933

Summary: michael and luke have always been the closest. friendly kisses lasting no longer than 3 seconds are shared frequently between the duo- calum and ashton watching from a distance, almost admiring their friendship. until it wasn't a friendship anymore.

Cards Are Dealt - @ashtcnirwin (elivigar) luke/ashton E, 100k

Summary: A story about wants and expectations branching out and evolving without the knowledge or consent of those they belong to.

come alive and bring the thunder (ao3) - merlypops michael/luke E, 36k

Summary: Prince Luke of the Faeries is forced to marry King Michael after a War between kingdoms threatens to tear their lives apart... and maybe Luke and Michael fall in love too. Maybe.

I Can't Remember (ao3) - im_just_a_sucker_for_bromance luke/calum E, 49k

Summary: Waking up naked next to your best friend is not good but waking up naked next to your best friend and being the only one who remembers is worst. That was happened to Luke Hemmings. Maybe he would have forgotten about it if it happened once but that was not the case. And what were those weird feelings that he was experimenting all the time? He could not be attracted to Calum... that was impossible since he has known Calum all his life. He was definitely going crazy...

Lay Me Down (ao3) - stelleshine luke/calum, michael/ashton E, 101k

Summary: Calum is the one thing Luke has as his world falls down around him.

rhythm of the night (ao3) - lourrygum ot4 E, 6k

Summary: It was great when Calum and Ashton finally stopped being dumb and got together but its not so great when the lines between where they can and can't fuck get a little blurry and Luke and Michael have to endure it

or, Michael and Luke are turned on by Ashton and Calum's sex sounds and also by each other.

Something Better (ao3) - notonguexwithbutt michael/luke M, 10k

Summary: "It’s like Luke is trying to say so many things with one look and somehow Michael is understanding them all. Or is he? Because to him it looks like Luke is saying 'push me up against a wall and fuck me' or maybe it’s something more like 'do something, I dare you.' Or maybe Michael’s just really turned on by the sight of his best friend covered in sweat and staring at him with dark, dilated eyes."

Luke gets his wisdom teeth removed and feels quite affectionate and honest in the haze of his anesthesia. Later, he's embarrassed about the things he confessed to Michael, so Michael does what he can to even out the field.

stick to the status quo (ao3) - cliffakitten luke/ashton, michael/calum M, 29k

Summary: It's weird. Luke knows it's weird. He's very much aware of the degree of weirdness that he is being right now. Very, painfully aware. Which is why he's wearing a black beanie and sunglasses inside in the middle of spring. Inside the school theatre to be exact, sure to anyone else it wasn't exactly a place which requires a friggin disguise to be in. But Luke was a football player, by the ancient and all knowing laws of high school he shouldn't even know where the theatre is, never mind sneaking in through the lighting booth to stand in the back of it. ~ Or, the one where Luke is on the football team but has a mahooosive crush on this kid in the theatre club with the big hazel eyes and emo fringe.

Take Notes - @daydadahlias (cornflowerblue (daydadahlias)) luke/calum E, 78k

Summary: Or, the one where Calum wants someone to teach him about sex and Luke happens to be an education major.

that’s why you like it (ao3) - merlypops michael/calum E, 69k

Summary: Calum starts doing workouts in the garden over the summer and Michael spends the whole time with his hand down his pants (until Calum takes matters into his own hands).

Three Thirty AM (ao3) - lourrygum michael/luke E, 7k

Summary: Michael feels bad. Worse than bad. He feels like the ultimate knob and he knows he should stop encouraging Luke to talk in his sleep, to talk about Michael in his sleep, to talk about getting fucked by Michael in his sleep. He knows this, and he knows that he definitely shouldn't respond when he talks, shouldn't push his hair out of his face so he can see his eyes squeeze closed a little tighter, his bottom lip quiver, his skin flush.

He absolutely should not tell Luke how much he does want him, how he loves how wrecked he looks when he's barely even touched him, and how much hotter he'll look when it's Michael getting him off as opposed to him doing it himself.

or, Luke is sleep talking and Michael really shouldn't be encouraging him.

Tie That Binds - @ashtcnirwin (elivigar) E, 98k

Summary: In which Luke wants to explore miscellaneous kinks and Ashton strikes him as a good candidate to do said exploring with with.

What I (don't) like about you (ao3) - truly_madly_deeply michael/luke, calum/ashton E, 70k

Summary: Michael hates Luke, Luke hates Michael. When Luke’s older brother Ashton starts dating Michael’s best friend Calum out of all people, the two arch enemies are suddenly forced to spend way too much time together. Which they don’t like at all, but hey, shit happens, and so does love.

Or the one where Luke gets his lip pierced and Michael finds it very distracting.

your string of lights is still bright to me (ao3) - merlypops michael/calum, bryana/ashton, luke/omc E, 81k

Summary: Michael is struggling to be the father his daughters need. Until he meets Calum again.

[claudiajcregg]

S5 Pregnancy AU - I’d love to hear about!

Welp, this is embarrassing – mostly because this has been sitting in my inbox for almost two weeks, and I kept saying “I need to write something up!” and then… I didn't. (Or rather, I did, then I forgot to post it.) Sorry for the wait, Lil! Thank you for asking <3 (I'll divide this up because I keep writing about the process and how it came to be, instead of any actual, interesting facts.)

I have talked about this one in the past though I don't have a tag for it. The gist is what it says… (Early) S5 but CJ is pregnant. I had this idea over a year ago when I hit mid/late S4 in my rewatch. I thought it'd be interesting to explore some of her disappointment at that time if you added an unexpected pregnancy to it, even if I had the idea before even getting there, lol. Think, the ending-ish of Han, or parts of Disaster Relief. (Both of which do feature! I surprisingly focus a lot on Disaster Relief.)

The thing with S5 is that the timeline is so weird, and I feel I've also created one that isn't entirely realistic but I think it works within the story. (IIRC, the season starts in “May” but also July, then the Shutdown is in November, lmao. A few of the episodes are sneaky two-parters that flow into each other… See 5-6, 7-8.) I've finally gotten out of the no-man's-land I wrote myself into and the next chapter or two, knowing myself, will deal with 7-8! There are a couple of scenes that should be fun to write! (There are so many details I want to mention that are technically spoilers for early twists…)

Every time I had the urge to write it, I'd edit whatever outline I was working in, and though I kept some details… my muse decided to make a big change early on that completely changed the fic's direction. That, and my inability to write anything succinctly. No reason why this story will cross the 100k barrier in a couple of chapters, tops. (It's sitting at 85k across 12 chapters. I think it'll be less than 20 chapters total. Hopefully.)

This might be too long to share snippets, but I've shared some either on the server or here, a couple of months ago.

For more irrelevant details on the “process”…

As I hinted at, I wrote an outline or two around this time last year, because I couldn't stop thinking about it. When I say outlines, it's a general path for the story to follow – ideas, suggestions of dialogue and/or scenes I write to myself; all focused around some sort of chapter structure. I find it much easier to write if I write down where a chapter might go, even if it's just a few lines saying “This happens → then this → finally this;” otherwise, it takes me months. Some would say that I should post it and get encouragement that way but… I hate being dependent on something I can control even less than my muse? That's not for me, thank you. Mad respect for those who work like that.

It was meant to be short – 1-2 “long” chapters per trimester, more if needed, but then interludes in between trimesters. It's not that. Most chapters currently cover 1-2 weeks, but there is not really a pattern. I was afraid of having a fic that would take over my life like the WOWO did three years ago… And it has, but I've also taken breaks and not felt too guilty about them. I definitely don't want this one to sit in my drive and have me wondering what to do with it.

(The novel, aka WOWO, aka IM AU (2021): 150k written in a little over five months, even with extended breaks over the summer. Still hits, even with all its crazy decisions, maybe because of them, but it's also been too long, and it will always remind me of someone who kinda hurt me. Attempts to replace those memories by sharing the story with others, trying to gather whether it's worth posting, have failed, lmao. One day! Maybe!)

But yeah. Uuuuuhhhh. As I've said… Twelve chapters in ten months, 85k words… It's still not done. In fact, I've repeatedly said I am unsure of how to end it (beyond the obvious), but I'd estimate it to be under 20 chapters. I'm not posting it anywhere yet because I want to be able to edit it as a whole and try to make it more consistent; to add little details as I come up with them. There's also the fact that I am not skilled enough to write a compelling story that mixes politics and emotion into something remotely engaging. As a result, the story's politics are very surface-level, and probably repetitive at points, but it's also true I've always been more interested and focused on the emotional journey and the relationship(s) at its center. (Which should surprise exactly no one who's ever read one of my stories.)

But, as critical as I might sound of myself here, I am having fun writing this and I'm committed to seeing it through. I just keep having ideas for stories down the line, putting actual show events through a 'but she also has a kid' perspective.

[aparticularbandit]

finished another chapter of dr1 end rewrite fic. but it's out of order, so it's not in the backlog yet. (aka i wrote the epilogue before writing the last chapter, don't judge me, that's just what happened.)

also broke 70k.

may hit 75k by the end of the final chapter, but unsure on that end.

and then the five remnants chapters i haven't written, which. probably an additional 10k? roughly? maybe?

so around 85k? maybe?

...this ended up being a chapter shorter than i thought it would, which is fine. but the last chapter might run long. which is also fine.

let's be real, the last trials in the games are always longer than the rest of the game's trials, so like. i think it's fine if the last chapter happens to be longer.

especially since it needs to contain a memory and remnants stuff and a bunch of kyoko stuff (probably).

but.

the important thing is.

i technically have the ending done. because that's what the epilogue is, isn't it?

(still have to stick the landing in the chapter i skipped. xD)

[mangoisms]

How much money do you think Tim has in his account? How rich is this man

okay this answer is a very long and boring mostly canon answer with a few liberties taken

TL;DR basically, on his own, he isn’t worth crazy amounts (like bruce) but still has a decent amount of money (jack’s leftover funds) that i personally hc he doesn’t use out of sentimentality, in addition to money earned from his work with WE that he probably does use or store away idk but MOST OF ALL, i think he relies on bruce and is fine with this

and if you want the long answer with direct quotes.. read on 😼

SO. we know that in robin (1993) #100 jack breaks the news to tim that they are ‘broke’ (his exact words) and they need to sell drake manor, tim’s car, and a bunch of other stuff. moreover, they’re letting go of mrs. mac and sending her back to ireland with the 50k that alfred paid for tim’s car (since redbird was secretly high tech and obviously couldn’t just be sold off to anyone).

who knows what they do with the rest of that 50k, though, because an international flight, while expensive is probably less expensive then than now and shouldn’t cost that much, especially if it’s one way. but idk maybe they put her in first class? i still don’t think it should be that much. in either case, i’m unsure if they let her have the rest (which seems likely) or if they keep it for themselves. i’m assuming this (as in their sudden change in socioeconomic status) is all coming because jack hasn’t been managing the company or their own finances correctly, so who knows maybe he used it to pay off debt or something.

this isn’t also taking into consideration what $50k USD was worth then vs now… google says somewhere between $83k-$85k so genuinely, not shabby at all. it makes tim’s bemoaning over all of this (and jack saying they’re ‘broke’) just a little more silly. (including this even more annoying moment from tim where he is again bemoaning how they’ve been knocked down from “upper upper class” to “upper middle class” which isn’t a bad situation At All and how they’re “as close to poor as we’ve ever been” like no! you aren’t!)

like, okay, who knows the year this is set in but robin (1993) #100 was published in 2002, so let’s go with that. new jersey’s median household income in 2002 was around $58k, but that number is only adjusted for 2003 inflation, so right now, that would seem to be $97k, which is again not bad. and this is just median. if anything, the current median household income (for NJ) right now is $92k and shit is WAY more expensive now, so, if that was happening now, i could say, okay, alright, i can see how this might be a bit worrying. but back in 2002??? absolutely not. especially in gotham. they were fine. thoroughly upper middle class. ANYWAY!!!

all of this to say, jack did leave a considerable amount of money for tim but it wasn’t anything crazy. in robin (1993) #134, there is a will reading and as far as money goes, the lawyer says: “First of all, your father left you some money-- split pretty evenly between you and his second wife. Even with his recent financial setbacks, it’s quite a sum. Neither of you is rich mind you, but it’s a substantial amount.”

this is sort of ambiguous but not really. i don’t know what numbers to put down for this either but it’s nothing too shabby, you know? they were, like i said, comfortably upper middle class. the funny thing is, i see tim as someone who wouldn’t use these funds. not out of a sense of being frugal—not a word i would ever use to describe him, actually—but maybe more so out of sentimentality. especially when bruce is footing the bill for So Much.

like in robin (1993) #131, at steph’s funeral, tim tells bruce he’s moving himself and dana to blüdhaven and putting dana in a grief counseling program that is “very prestigious and incredibly expensive.”

he specifically says to bruce, “I told them [the clinic] to expect an anonymous donation, from a wealthy philanthropist, to cover the cost. Know anyone like that, Bruce?” and bruce responds, “Do you even need to ask?”

this is before the will reading so you could say, oh they have the funds, he just doesn’t know/doesn’t have access but i don’t think that’s the case, because his robin’s nest is also conveniently located in a building owned by WE so he doesn’t need to pay rent and i’m very certain that bruce covered the expenses of him getting the nest set up with its tech since alfred was there with him as well helping.

basically, i think tim relied on bruce and bruce probably had a card or some kind of joint account that he gave to tim at some point saying to use it whenever he needed. i think he would use it initially for robin stuff, then get more comfortable with other expenses. so essentially. he’s freeloading. but like idk tax the rich and tim’s not technically rich on his own so net gain. maybe.

i suppose around red robin 2009 he would start making his own money because of the neon knights stuff. don’t know how long that ran for (like how many months) but i think his position would nonetheless be very well-paying. i don’t know how long, following red robin 2009, he worked there, because naturally, the longer he did the more money he got.

so. genuinely. on his own? i don’t think he’s as rich as bruce. with bruce behind him? billionaire. sure. why not. you could also maybeeee argue that bruce would set him up with some idk investments that he could get money from. or maybe even just dump cash into his count on a yearly basis. but above all, i don’t see tim as someone shying away from taking advantage of his access to bruce’s money so he would be fine with this arrangement. so. yeah

sorry if this answer was not as exciting as you’d like it to be 💔

[batfamficrecs]

Age Regression/De-Aging Fic Recs

Repeat Your Favorite Mistakes And Love Them All Again by watchingthestars13

"Oh dear," came Alfred's surprised voice from the stairs, and all of them turned to look at him. His face was a little pale as he stared at all the boys, Jason's huge t-shirt, Tim's dress, Damian wrapped in a spare cape that was in the batmobile. At least Dick was able to fit into Tim's Red Robin pants, and Jason in Damian's Robin pants.  Had Bruce been a lesser man, he would've said 'dear god, help'. All it took now was for their eyes to meet before Alfred composed himself.

Completed ∙ Chapters: 31 ∙ Word Count: 160k+ ∙ Whole Batfam-Centric

Kidding Around With The Bats by bewaretheboojum, njw, Silver_Snow_77, and vellaphoria

The only thing that stops Nightwing from launching himself into the warehouse with a cry of grief and rage is the realization that those kids look awfully familiar.  All three of the boys have black hair. The biggest one, maybe twelve years old, is wearing most of Batman’s uniform, which is sagging and bunching around his small body. The middle sized boy, who doesn’t look any more than five but is probably older if Nightwing’s growing suspicions are correct, is holding his hand and glaring around them defensively. He’s wearing Red Hood’s leather jacket. The largest boy is holding a toddler protectively against his chest. The toddler’s wrapped in Red Robin’s cape.  Oh, damn.

Completed ∙ Chapters: 1 ∙ Word Count: 10k+ ∙ Whole Batfam-Centric

deep roots (are not reached by the frost) by fanfictiongreenirises

Dick gets reverted to a younger self after being kidnapped on during a case. But this is far from a routine de-aging. In which the author attempts to mend a few relationships here and there.

Incomplete ∙ Chapters (As of This Post): 11 ∙ Word Count (As of This Post): 85k+ ∙ Last Updated: 10 Days Ago ∙ Dick-Centric

Retrograde Motion by Lysical

All Jason wanted was a case that was simple, clean, and far away from the latest mess in Gotham. Magic wasn't the Outlaws' area of expertise, but they soon found themselves investigating a dark wizard with a penchant for organ harvesting.  When an accident on the case leaves Jason as a clueless seven year old with a memory that's spotty at best, what else can his team do but go to his family for help?

Completed ∙ Chapters: 20 ∙ Word Count: 110k+ ∙ Jason-Centric

Our Favorite Timmers by Capucine

When Tim is de-aged to about the age of five, Jason is the one who rescues him and brings him back to the manor. However, his family may find it a little shocking to discover what he was actually like at that age.

Completed ∙ Chapters: 25 ∙ Word Count: 55k+ ∙ Tim-Centric

[gurugirl]

hi

omg that anon was actually rude! it's so great that you prefer quality over quantity! because if they count the words, it is more than 40k words and by the end of the month, even around 80k which is MORE THAN WORTH YOUR MONEY, DUDE!

like you could’ve posted 20 posts with 2k words and that could have been better for them??!!! Do some math lol

and one of the many things i love about you is that you write so long fics, it’s just so good to read them! the details, the emotions, the absolute hardwork that goes into writing even more than 4k words is A LOT!

and don't worry, you’re doing really great! your hardwork will get you more subscribers than you think!

love ya! ❤️

Aww you're so sweet! Thank you love! I don't know if they realize I've only been on Patreon for 3 weeks, so maybe that's why they were confused. 10 posts in 3 weeks is definitely plenty and the month will end at around 85k words. So that's why I clarified to them :)

And I do tend to write longer chapters on series for sure and since I plan to do short series while I'm posting other one shots the series posts will be longer💕

Thank you, P 🥰

xoxo