#my fic review 2023

[kimium]

I know I already answered some asks about my fics for 2023, but I wrote a review for my fics last year, so I'm doing it again this year. Let's get started! All the data comes from my AO3 statistics. All the rest is under a cut because it's long!

My Fic Review for 2023

Statistic Stuff

My "Top Five" fics by hits:

Just a Normal Citizen (Not a Dimension Traveler) - Twisted Wonderland

Daydreams - Twisted Wonderland

Stay where you are - Twisted Wonderland

Setting the Scene - Twisted Wonderland

Broken Kitchen - Twisted Wonderland

My most bookmarked fic: Just a Normal Citizen (Not a Dimension Traveler)

How many words I wrote in 2023: 235,377

Question Stuff

What was the most surprising thing about writing in 2023?

I think the most surprising thing about this year was the amount of Twisted Wonderland fics I wrote. While I got into the game in 2022, it wasn't until this year you can see it dominate my fanfics. Writing for a new fandom is always a gamble. Just because I get into a new fandom doesn't always mean I write fanfics for it, but Twisted Wonderland won the gamble ahaha.

2. What was the most enjoyable to write?

The most enjoyable thing to write this year was my Platonic Yandere AU. The idea of all the NRC cast deciding to silently keep Yuu from going home haunted my mind for months. Bringing it to life was fun and I'm so happy that others like this idea too.

3. Which fic is the most underrated?

I know I've already talked about my poor Fire Emblem fic Divine Intervention being underrated and I still stand by this answer. However, I'm adding another story to this answer. I also think that Energy Drinks (SDR2) is underrated and I'd love to see more love to that story.

4. Which fic(s) had something "cut" or had an idea that never happened?

-I had more violent scenes in mind for Just a Normal Citizen (Not a Dimension Traveler), particularly with Jade/Floyd as well as Leona, but those never happened. Mostly because all the cast decided to keep their illegal activities "secret" from Yuu. Those scenes may still happen later in the story.

-Yuu's reveal of coming from another dimension had other versions that just couldn't happen. All of them a little too dramatic so they were scrapped. I'm happy where it landed though.

-In Dorm Exchange I was also going to write some of the exchange part, but I never got around to it and focused on the deciding process.

-In Late Night Snack I originally wanted Yuu and Vil's conversation to be a little more confrontational. That didn't pan out and I'm happier for it.

5. Which fic did you want to write but didn't get around to?

-I wanted to write a fic where established Vil/Rook high key flirt with other characters that they're attracted to. The main candidate for this is Trey but other characters include: Jack, Cater, Deuce, Ace, and of course Yuu. Though I think I get enough Vil/Rook flirting with Yuu in other fics ahaha.

-For my Platonic Yandere AU I have ideas for where Grim falls on the scale of "Keep Yuu in Twisted Wonderland". I don't know if I'd write a full separate fic, but the idea could appear in another fic in Yuu's perspective. Also, I have more ideas for this AU so stay tuned.

-Said this in an ask before but I want to write another instalment in my Kitsune!Komaeda and Human Hajime fic series.

-Briefly thought about writing another Dr. Stone fic because of Season Three and rereading the manga.

-I still have a silly JJK/SK8 the Infinity fic sitting in my WIPs that I'd like to write for the laughs.

6. Any WIPs that never got published?

I have two main ones. First, I have a story about Malleus who normally eats lunch alone (if not accompanied by Lilia, Silver, or Sebek) and Kalim deciding that can't happen and Malleus needs to eat with him and his friends. I didn't finish this because at the time I was writing a LOT of food in my fics and felt it was very repetitive.

Next, I have a story of Lilia finding Silver and the process of raising Silver as his son. I didn't finish this mostly because that's when Book 7 dropped in Japan and my story would 100% contradict canon and I hate when I do that.

7. Share a snippet from a WIP fic?

Here is a snippet from Malleus eating lunch alone and Kalim deciding this cannot happen. Fic title in my WIPs is "Homemade Lunches".

"Deciding on his sandwich first, Malleus reached to pick it up when a blur of warm crème and red flashed towards him. A beat later and Kalim plopped down beside Malleus, angling himself so the trunk of the tree slightly hid him. Kalim warmly smiled before pressing a single finger to his lips, the universal sign of “be quiet”, and watched as a few Scarabia members ran past him, their footsteps frantic. When they passed and didn’t return Kalim exhaled audibly.

If Malleus were asked to describe Kalim, he’d say Kalim was like a desert breeze that morphed into human form so it could dance and sing with abandon. Wherever Kalim went warmth followed him, like the taste of chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices Malleus vaguely remembered from souvenirs Lilia had brought back. Kalim’s warmth always lingered on the tongue before dancing its way down into the heart."

8. Which fic was the one you were most "excited" to write?

I was most excited to write The smell of bleach for @m34gs as part of our Sort of Saw AU. At that point the story idea had only been scattered in ask answers, our DMs, and over phone calls. Bringing our conversations together into a single fic was so exciting! Honestly, this entire AU excites me so much!

Anyways, here is my little review. I hope you enjoyed reading it! And if you have anything you want me to expand on, feel free to send an ask!

[oknowkiss]

my writing year in review: 2023

thank you to @sorrybutblog @wolfpants and @citrusses for the tag!! tagging in a few folks as well: @tackytigerfic @sweet-s0rr0w @nv-md @oflights @mintawasalreadytaken @vukovich @lumosatnight @emmalovesdilemmas @mallstars @moonflower-rose @dodgerkedavra @rainstormradish @m0srael @reserve @babooshkart @lqtraintracks @skeptiquewrites @eveningstruggle @maesterchill @geesenoises @peachydreamxx @saintgarbanzo for anything you'd like to round up!

i went into this thinking 2023 was a bit of a fallow year, output-wise, but looking at my stats page apparently i wrote 100k this year!! who could've known? not me. big thanks to everyone who supported me this year, whether by beta-ing, reading, commenting, or otherwise just listening to me moan. i'm quite excited for what's in store next year, including plenty more moaning. hope to see you all in 2024!

here's what happened in 2023: APRIL the sun, shining above you || dronarry || 14.5 k || E for the inaugural @dronarryfest!

Since joining up with the dragontamers, Draco counts his days in nights. Nights spent drinking in the commune mess, making poor choices he doesn't regret, for once. Nights he doesn't remember, and nights he wishes he could stop remembering.

Then there's that night in Spain, caught in the circle of Ron's arms. A year of nights in Norway, caught in the heat of Harry's gaze. His first night at the Burrow, caught in between them both. MAY proven lands || drarry || 2.8 k || E for @microficmay!

The thing about circles is, they always end at the start. OR: A story about falling in love at the end of the Earth. (told in 31 microfics -- this is the "director's cut") AUGUST the waiting || drarry || 43.5 k || E for @hd-wireless and @m0srael!

It’s been almost ten years since Draco Malfoy disappeared during a routine Curse Breaker training exercise. Harry, his partner in more ways than one, is determined to figure out why. As the past resurfaces and the present fades into confusion, Harry discovers the only thing more unreliable than memory is love.

DECEMBER jerk/off || drarry || 7k || E for @drarrymicrofic secret santa exchange and @m0srael!

“You’ve got my face on your face,” Malfoy says, contorting his – Harry’s – face into an expression it had definitely never made before.

“No, you’ve got my face on your face!” Harry insists, grimacing at the sound of Malfoy’s voice. Being in his body is not unlike operating a sad wooden doll. à bon chat || drarry || 35k || E for @hd-erised and @moonflower-rose

Draco Malfoy didn’t intend to lead a life of crime after the war. It’s just that being good had turned out so incomprehensibly boring.

Now he's thirty-five, a fully redeemed member of society, the darling of the wizarding social pages, and a newly minted consultant for Gawain Robards' Investigative Research division. In his spare time, he enjoys good whisky, casual sex, and moonlighting as an art thief. His biggest score yet is fast approaching and he's got everything planned down to the minute. Everything, that is, until the unexpected appearance of a newly-divorced Harry Potter. Now that Potter's in the picture, Draco's no longer certain if he's the pursuer or the prize.

[thewolvesof1998]

✨ Fic Writing Review 2023 ✨

Words and Fics

47, 302 words published to ao3

1 fandoms (9-1-1)

Most recent drop: even when the heat breaks I’m still yours (E, 6,169 words)

Longest Fic: Alright, Cowboy, Go Get 'Em (E, 16,925 words)

Top Fics by Kudos

I want you to be selfish with me (M, 4,652 words)

You bring me comfort (T, 4,181 words)

Tapping Morse Code into your heart (E, 2,796 words)

let me cradle your body (be a safe place to rest) (G, 1,972 words)

nicknames, supernova similes and the family we make (G, 800 words)

My fandom fic events in 2023

I didn't participate in any this year but maybe next year!

Upcoming Events and Projects for 2024

Fics I'm going to try and get out this year:

Dog Tags Fic/Mistaken Identity/Christmas: They don’t know (your name is already mine)

Secret fic

Buddie rodeo/Alright Cowboy, Go Get 'Em

Already started/mostly written:

Buddie MMA Rivals AU

Someone to be Gentle- 5 times Buck is gentle with Eddie and + One time Eddie repays his gentleness  

For you mi amor, I choose death/Buddie Mafia AU

Librarian AU/Let me check you out

You make bad day infinitely better

Vampire/Werewolf Buddie/Halloween fic

Only the already bad can be influenced/Crop top and short shorts fic

Bank Robbery Fic/Mutually Assured Destruction

No-Nut-November fic

Pirates Buddie

We might end up real close 2x1 fic

Ideas/planned/just started fics:

Buck get dumps, gets drunk with Eddie and thinks they slept together fic

Awkward Sex Buddie fic

I can see you sequel

Love list Buddie

Don't go where I can't follow

Motorcycle fic

Street racing/Fast and Furious AU

Buddie- You belong with me fic

5+1 Platonic Daddy fic with @exhuastedpigeon

LA zoo TikTok Buck

Buck & Eddie wedding- Something wrong in the village

sword buddie pt. 2/ Under the Guise of Violence 

Post Lawsuit/Call your mum inspired fic

Untitled post season 6 angst based on Stick Season

I've tagged all the latest post about all the fics that I've already made posts about (all previous snippets should be linked if you want to go back and read them)

Rules & Tags below the cut!

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass but don’t feel like you have to do this either.

Tagged by: @steadfastsaturnsrings @smilingbuckley @your-catfish-friend @theotherbuckley @jamespearce9-1-1 @jesuisici33 @wikiangela @hippolotamus @monsterrae1 @exhuastedpigeon

Tagging (no pressure): @wildlife4life​ @eddiebabygirldiaz @disasterbuckdiaz @spotsandsocks @try-set-me-on-fire​ @bekkachaos @buddierights @spagheddiediaz @911-on-abc @shitouttabuck @911onabc @malewifediaz @loserdiaz @ladydorian05 @watchyourbuck @king-buckley @chaoticgremlinwholikescheese @daffi-990 @fortheloveofbuddie @mangacat201 @hoodie-buck @eowon @rainbow-nerdss @nmcggg @pirrusstuff @evanbegins @giddyupbuck @sammysouffle @carrierofthepaperclips @jeeyuns @callmenewbie @thosetwofirefighters @princehattric @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove

[rainintheevening]

A hasty fandom recap!

Best fics I read in 2023:

Life and What Comes After by @kingofattolia (This changed my brain chemistry.)

Hope Sent A-Quiver by OrionLady (This was such a delight to read and so hopeful.)

Krayt's Oath by @kraytwriter (A literal gift from God, can't wait to see how it ends.)

Best fics I wrote in 2023:

After All (The reception to this was astonishing.)

When You Love a Wild One (Best characterization+worldbuilding I think I've ever done.)

The Light in Our Eyes (The happy ending I needed with a ton of mush.)

Top fandoms of 2023:

Star Wars (There was really nothing else major.)

Top characters of 2023:

Anakin Skywalker (My brother, my friend, I love him, he's me, that's the thing.)

Obi-Wan Kenobi (He's my other brother, I love him, he's such a lesson in patience.)

Captain Rex (I wanna marry him.)

Top fandom books I read in 2023:

Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover

MedStar duology by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry

Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover

Top fanarts of 2023:

By @teamhangaround

By @02png

By @shywhitemoose

(Hope you don't mind that I post and tag? If you want me to change it to just a link then drop me the original post.)

There are way more that make me feral, but the first inspired a fic, the second makes me crazy, and the third is on my desktop and I sometimes sit and stare at it for unknown amounts of time.

Top lines/paragraphs I wrote in 2023:

From a yet unpublished fic...

But then Love spoke.

From The Light in Our Eyes...

“You never cease to amaze me, Anakin Skywalker.” He pressed an impulsive kiss into Anakin’s dirty hair, smelling of sulphur and bacta, ozone mixed with something musky and alive. “You are so brave.” And then he was crying himself. “I am so proud of you.”

From After All

They found him exactly 13 days, 8 hours, and 55 minutes from the moment Qui-Gon felt his son vanish in the Force. They found him on Coruscant, beneath the Memorial District, on Level 674, according to the numbers spray-painted on the ferrocrete wall at the Portal docking bay. They found him in a back room of an abandoned shoe shop, alone, in the dark.

They found him.

They found him, that was what truly mattered.

[hippolotamus]

✨ Fic Writing Review 2023 ✨

Words and Fics

106,205 words published to ao3

2 fandoms (9-1-1 and Schitt's Creek)

Most recent drop: it's tempawrary (SC | 3.2k | Teen)

Longest fic: Whatever may come (your heart I will choose) (Buddie | 77.4k | Mature)

Top Fics by Kudos

for the record (Buddie | 2.4k | T)

I know all your secrets (SC | 4.7k | E)

if this love is pain (let's hurt tonight) (Buddie | 3.2k | T)

Whatever may come (Buddie | 77.4k | M)

all in the Jee-tails (Married Buddie | 4.5k | T)

My fandom fic events in 2023

One entry for @911ficletsnotnovels (Madney)

Upcoming Events and Projects for 2024

well, what I hope to achieve in 2024 anyway... let's not get too crazy

finish and publish:

praying to god one day you'll be mine - Buddie oneshot(?) 9 y/o Eddie asks his best friend in the world, Evan, on a date with the encouragement of Tia Pepa. After, the Diaz parents shame the hell out of him for it. As an adult Eddie really wants to ask Buck out but has to overcome all of his childhood queer grief to do so. (okay maybe I'm being optimistic about this being a oneshot... god knows I can't shut up when it comes to queer feels and grief)

come close (let me be home) - a Buddie Bridgerton au with Eddie as Viscount Anthony Bridgerton and Buck as Kate Sharma overseeing Maddie finding a new husband.

you're where i wanna go - Buddie historical au that is set mostly in the 1900's with some travels back to 1899, and forward to 1969. Buck and (single, childless, never been married) Eddie meet in 1899 when Buck is traveling after Maddie leaves. They are later separated and Buck marries Lucy (for reasons that have nothing to do with love and everything to do with queerplatonic goodness). Years later Eddie returns with Christopher...

with my heart in my lap - Twylexis historical au. Alexis and Twyla get together in August 1939, just before Canada enters WWII. Alexis leaves for college but returns almost immediately because teachers, students, etc have left the school to join the war. When she comes home Twyla isn't there. Alexis goes traveling around and ultimately lands in New York. While browsing a junk shop she comes across a necklace she gave to Twyla when they got together and begins a search to find her lost love.

And if I’m super lucky/ambitious

the darkest fairytale - Buddie magic au with witch!Eddie and cat familiar!Buck

run to the water (and find me there) - Buddie au. Kid Eddie is saved by merperson!Buck after a wave knocks him under the water. They reconnect when Eddie moves to LA as an adult.

rules and tags below the cut

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass but don’t feel like you have to do this either.

tagged by @exhuastedpigeon @monsterrae1 @underwater-ninja-13 thank you loves 😘

no pressure tagging @disasterbuckdiaz @daffi-990 @shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @stereopticons @blackandwhiteandrose @rmd-writes @vanillahigh00 @apothecarose LOML @lizzie-bennetdarcy @jamespearce9-1-1 @jesuisici33 @buddierights @watchyourbuck @thewolvesof1998 @giddyupbuck @statueinthestone @spotsandsocks @malewifediaz @spagheddiediaz @wikiangela @loserdiaz @heartshapedvows @theplaceyoustillrememberdreaming @smblmn @ramonaflow @pirrusstuff @welcometololaland @your-catfish-friend @steadfastsaturnsrings @hoodie-buck and anyone else who wants to play 💞

[hgejfmw-hgejhsf]

2023 Writing Roundup

I had to scroll back pretty far to find the tags for this, so if I missed someone who did this already and tagged me, I'm sorry if I double tag you at the end! But thanks to @kiwiana-writes and @inexplicablymine for tagging me in this roundup post!

As the post is going to reveal, I, uh, only just got back into writing a few months back, after taking almost ten years off due to, honestly, a lack of inspiration. I'd lost my voice, and I didn't suspect I'd ever love anything enough to write again, until this little pink book came barrelling into my life in June, followed swiftly by a little Amazon Prime movie in August, and both changed my life forever.

So without further ado, here's my writing roundup for 2023:

January

Nada

February

Zilch

March

Nothin'

April

Not a damn thing

May

Nope, nothing here either

June

Keep right on going, my friends

July

29th - The Lake House The night following the election, Alex has a surprise planned for Henry. A chance to make some new history.

August

8th - What If I Do? What was Henry thinking when he left Alex at the lake house? What were the days that followed like for him before Alex showed up at his door and forced him to face not only Alex, but himself?

18th - Gravity The first time that Henry enters Alex's orbit, at the Melbourne Climate Conference, and all of their subsequent meetings leading to their "violent altercation" at the royal wedding. Inspired by a post about how Henry very pointedly chose not to shake Alex's hand in the receiving line after the wedding and what that could have meant.

19th - The Rope Henry's reaction to Alex nearly telling him that he loves him at the lake house in Texas.

19th - A brief spark of a moment: A Red, White & Royal Blue drabble collection These drabbles are simply my personal challenge to contain myself to 100 words when I've always been…long-winded.

20th - Retaliation Alex and Henry, now dating, attend another state dinner, where they're unexpectedly seated directly next to each other.

21st - Every Version Alex does a magazine photoshoot, and the day that the magazine arrives, he wants Henry to look at it first.

23rd - On my heart just like a tattoo Alex and Henry are married, and on the day of the ceremony, they decide to do something special.

23rd - Ghosts After Henry leaves the lake house, Alex does not go after him. He doesn't storm Kensington in a fit of pique to call Henry an "obtuse fucking asshole." Instead, the pair spend nearly a year apart, both wrecked and miserable, until they find themselves on the list of speakers for an international conference.

27th - Darkest before the dawn The immediate aftermath of Henry discovering the email leak in the movie-verse.

28th - When I taste tequila Henry’s drunk. If the growing mountain of empty shot glasses, drained and discarded lime wedges, and gritty layer of salt on the table in front of him are any indication, he’s very drunk. Only, his brain is having a difficult time catching on to the fact that he’s drunk. And when his brain is this far behind the rest of him, Henry tends to find himself in precarious situations, with no real conscious thought as to how he got there or how he might have avoided them.

September

4th - The Maldives Inspired by a conversation about the zoomed-in and transcribed article about Henry in People Magazine from the movie and how the photos look like they could have been faked.

After their conversation with the king and greeting the crowd at Buckingham Palace, Alex and Henry ride back to Kensington. Alex mentions that his offer to fly to the Maldives is still valid, and Henry admits that he's never been, which sparks a discussion about some of the lengths the crown would go to in order to convince the world that Henry was straight. Alex considers what Henry must have gone through, and the two of them discuss their past and how it might have been different.

11th - Modification to the map of you Henry comes back from a month-long trip with his ear pierced, and Alex has no idea.

14th - Et Max Laryngitis Alex gets laryngitis, and Henry decides to have a bit of fun at his expense.

23rd - How bizarro is that Alex gets food poisoning, and Henry takes care of him…sort of.

27th - Royal Assent “If the boyfriend of a prince of England fails English Legal History, you’ll be the one to blame,” Alex murmurs as Henry sucks a bruise on his neck. Henry had arrived home from the shelter to find Alex buried under a mountain of books, his glasses askew and his hair wild, wearing the same bewildered expression Henry had seen as he walked out the door earlier that morning.

As he climbs into Alex’s lap, jumping a little as a particularly sharp corner of a hardcover book pokes him in the arse, he can feel the tension in Alex’s shoulders relax, ever so slightly.

“You aren’t going to fail. In fact, I’m going to help you,” Henry says, each word separated by a kiss to Alex’s chest, neck, cheek, and finally lips.

OR

Alex is trying really hard to study for a law school exam, and Henry takes it upon himself to...assist.

28th - 5 Times Henry Hated New Year's + 1 Time He Didn't “This is my curse,” Henry mutters, and Pez laughs across from him.

“You can hardly be responsible for the weather.”

“So the glaring fact that every single New Year’s Eve on record in my life has been an utter disaster means absolutely nothing to you?”

“We’re going to make it, so no, it means nothing to me,” Pez says with cheerful optimism despite the constant fluttering of white beyond the plane windows.

OR

5 times throughout his life that Henry's New Year's countdown has been ruined, and 1 time that it isn't.

29th - Stars in the sky are the stars in my eyes The ding of a notification sounds in the otherwise silent living room. As Henry’s eyes continue to scan the page of his book, ignoring his phone, Alex can’t help but glance down at the illuminated screen between them on the couch.

“Is that…a horoscope?” Alex asks, immediately retrieving the phone to confirm his suspicions at the exact moment Henry grabs for it a beat too late. He watches the bright shade of red crawl up Henry’s neck to burn just beneath the skin of his ears.

“Perhaps,” is all he supplies, his voice muffled as he buries his face far too close to the book’s pages to realistically read anything written there.

***

Henry gets his daily horoscope, and Alex is intrigued, so Henry shows him the constellations.

30th - What started in beautiful rooms Henry’s never taken any extra care in his appearance when playing polo. Certainly, he’s given an adequate amount of time and effort to ensure that he appears composed, but the sport itself lends to a bit of chaos, between the pounding of hooves and the whipping of the wind in a frantic rush. It’s all incredibly…well, wild.

No, Henry’s never taken any extra care in his appearance when playing polo…except today.

OR

Henry's point of view during the charity polo match.

October

1st - Do we still have forever? Alex has a sudden, serious allergic reaction, and Henry can't help but think about losing him.

2nd - Dear Dad I should start from the beginning, or rather, I should start by telling you how I got here, to this moment, writing you this letter.

OR

Henry writes a letter to his father on his wedding day.

3rd - Liquor was the only love I'd known June finds them at some point and steals Henry away to gab at the bar. Alex watches them from afar, wondering what they could possibly be talking about that has June nearly falling off her barstool laughing, until the crowd overtakes him again.

3rd - Then came a baby boy with long eyelashes Following their initial spirited entrance into Alex's hotel room following the DNC, Henry asks Alex about his encounter with Miguel in the bar.

13th - Volume Control Prompt Fulfillment: I need someone to write a FirstPrince fic where Henry overhears Alex saying "Henry is so annoying I can't stand him" so Henry says "kneel then" and it short circuits Alex's brain.

20th - 5 Times Alex Made a Disney Movie Reference + 1 Time Henry Did Alex and Henry have watched a significant amount of Disney movies, and well, Alex tends to have questions.

20th - You can't escape this drying ink “There’s…a matter…that requires your attention, in the Red Room. I’d be happy to escort you there.” She glances sideways at Henry’s PPOs, who shift in place, readying themselves to follow where she leads. Henry nods again, uncertain what other options lie open to him even if he wished to take one.

OR

Henry's thoughts at the state dinner as Amy leads him to the Red Room.

31st - Save a horse Alex convinces Henry to dress up as cowboys for Halloween and quickly realizes that Henry dressed as a cowboy was not something he was entirely prepared for.

31st - I'm not a robot without emotions, I'm not what you see At the royal wedding, Alex drinks and dances and contemplates both of the princes.

November

1st - The Candy Tax Ten-year-old Alex has invited his new friend Henry, who just moved to Texas from England with his family so that his movie star dad can be based in the US to shoot more movies, over for a sleepover the night before Halloween.

1st - Through the summer and the fall, we had each other, that was all The mountains are on fire. Red, orange, and yellow leaves cover thousands of acres of land, and the peeking of the sun over the distant horizon illuminates the hovering fog, creating the illusion of a persistent fire burning brightly without causing any damage. Instead, it paints a masterful landscape for an early morning riser to gaze at as he sips at a cup of Earl Grey and marvels at the fact that this beauty is a sight he has somehow been blessed to see.

2nd - Heart enough "...there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement."

Instead of Alex flying to London, Henry is sent to D.C. to do the post Cakegate damage control just in time for Alex and June's annual Halloween party.

2nd - Life is a maze, and love is a riddle Alex, June, and Nora take Henry to his first haunted corn maze.

3rd - All at once, everything is different, now that I see you Alex throws out some possible suggestions for his and Henry's first ever couples Halloween costume, but Henry has something else in mind.

3rd - Halloween at Kensington The Fox-Mountchristen-Windsors may not be able to go out trick-or-treating like a normal family, but they can still celebrate Halloween in their own special way.

4th - No fear, no fences, nobody - no reins Henry takes Alex to a nearby farm outside Austin to teach him how to ride a horse. Eventually, they stop at a log cabin in the words for the night, and they decide to try another form of riding.

4th - I don't know why all the trees change in the fall Alex has had a terrible day. It's raining, it's cold, and he's absolutely miserable. All he wants to do is dry off and collapse in bed. But when he walks through the door, Henry is ready and waiting to take care of him. He even has a surprise that he's cooking up in the kitchen. And Alex gets to take a trip down memory lane.

5th - A-gourd-able “Oh, so that’s the reason you wanted a child so badly. Not for the opportunity to nurture and guide and love another human being that you helped to create, but for the perks of walking around to strangers’ homes asking for candy that our baby can’t even eat.”

OR

Alex and Henry take their daughter trick or treating for the first time, and it's Henry's first time as well.

5th - I want to play a game Alex and Henry agree to watch all of the Saw movies to determine if one or both of them will end up too scared to continue. Do they make it through the series? Or does one of them give in and lose the wager that they've made?

5th - Barbecue Sauce "I want to see your mouth covered in barbecue sauce. And then, I want to lick it off."

6th - With magic soakin' my spine, can you read my mind? What happened after Alex, June, and Nora played their little HRH Prince Henry Fact Sheet drinking game? Well, in this version of events, Alex finds a mysterious bottle containing what appears to be a magic spell for "Clarity of Mind." As dumb as it seems, he does the ritual and reads the incantation and moves on, flying to London for damage control. But when he shakes Henry's hand, suddenly things change, and Alex realizes that maybe magic is real after all.

6th - Don't need no butterflies when you give me the whole damn zoo (podfic included) Henry takes Alex on a trip to visit...a couple of old feathered friends.

6th - It's autumn in New York; it's good to live it again It's the first day of fall in New York, and Alex comes home from class with a special surprise for Henry.

6th - Reciting to the Waterloo Vase: Drabbles for the RWRDrabblePrompts Tumblr

13th - Wind me up, fill your cup like a river, drunk on watching me drown Henry sighs. "Is that the time you threatened to push me into the Thames?"

OR

That time Alex threatened to push Henry into the Thames.

23rd - The injury of finally knowing you (a birthday present for @ships-to-sail) Henry's thoughts just before and immediately after the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve.

23rd - Smutsgiving 2023 Alex's heart rate monitor on his Apple Watch alerts him to some strenuous activity…at the worst possible time.

December

1st - We need a little Christmas The one where I let a random Christmas word generator choose a drabble prompt for a Christmas advent. Enjoy!

20th - Four Christmases From Washington to Austin, London to New York, Alex and Henry spend Christmas with different members of their families from 2020 - 2023. Funny couples' Christmas sweaters, festive swimsuits, statement-making ties, and family pajamas all bring lots of laughs, some tears, and a bit of fun to be had by all along the way.

25th - Oh what a laugh it would have been When Alex dresses as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, their five-year-old daughter makes an extra special, last-minute Christmas wish.

AND

Alex leaves his Santa suit on for a private evening with Henry while everyone else is snug in their beds.

Unpublished but Completed

December 30th - Take Your Time A New Year's Eve AU set in New York City (and that's all I'm willing to give away...for now)

January 1st - NYE Gift Exchange Fic

Tagging all of my lovelies who may or may not have already done this (please ignore this if you have!): @adreamareads @affectionatelyrs @anincompletelist @cha-melodius @clottedcreamfudge @cricketnationrise @daisymae-12 @duchessdepolignaca03 @gayrootvegetable @getmehighonmagic @happiness-of-the-pursuit @heybuddy-drabbles @indomitable-love @indestructibleheart @leaves-of-laurelin @leojfitz @littlemisskittentoes @lizzie-bennetdarcy @magicandarchery @ninzied @priincebutt @read-and-write- @rockyroadkylers @roseharpermaxwell @ships-to-sail @songliili @ssmtskw @statueinthestonetoo @stereopticons @suseagull04 @thinkof-england @tintagel-or-cockleshells @user-anakin @vanillahigh00 @violetbaudelaire-quagmire @whimsymanaged @wordsofhoneydew

[wikiangela]

✨ Fic Writing Review 2023 ✨

Words and Fics

192,761 words published to ao3

2 fandoms (911 and MCU - mcu was like one fic tho lol)

Most recent drop: I wanna spend my forever like that (911, 8.6k, G)

Longest fic: For a holiday (and forevermore) (911, 95k, M)

Top Fics by Kudos

For a holiday (and forevermore) (95k, M)

I can't love you any more (than I do now) (2.6k, G)

I'd marry you with paper rings (3.4k, G)

me, you, our kid and a dog (4.7k, G)

me and you only equals love (6.6k, E)

My fandom fic events in 2023

I don't think I took part in any this year :( maybe next year haha

Upcoming Events and Projects for 2024

well, right now I'm working on a few wips im hoping to get done in the next few weeks/months (depending on time and inspiration lol):

the alive shannon fic - this is my main focus and i hope to maybe finish it sometime next year but who knows hah (I barely started, it's gonna be a while)

buddie coffee shop au - ive been working on this for so long and it's lowkey on hold now but istg i'll finish this

buddie cheating fic

the natalia fic

married buddie smut

another smut I haven't mentioned yet but it's waiting until i finish married buddie smut

bi eddie fic

and probably some more oneshots lol

but tbh, we'll see where the next year takes me, I can't plan too much bc it never works out haha

rules & tags below the cut

tagged by @exhuastedpigeon @underwater-ninja-13 @hippolotamus @jesuisici33 @jamespearce9-1-1 @theotherbuckley @steadfastsaturnsrings @rainbow-nerdss <333

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass but don’t feel like you have to do this either.

no pressure tagging: @malewifediaz @thewolvesof1998 @eddiebabygirldiaz @honestlydarkprincess @spotsandsocks @loserdiaz @lover-of-mine @disasterbuckdiaz @monsterrae1 @jeeyuns @housewifebuck @giddyupbuck @hoodie-buck @spagheddiediaz @daffi-990 and whoever else wants to <3

[ghostoffuturespast]

Works In Progress 2023: A Cyberpunk 2077 Year In Review

I thought for a hot minute about doing one of those snazzy templates that’s been going around, but editing photos just ain’t my MO and rather than going by month I picked 12 favs that I’ve posted in 2023. Some of them were popular, some of them weren't. Overall, I think I did pretty good for just doing vanilla photomode on console.

You might be wondering why there's a picture of a sticky note. I don't remember when I started doing this, and I'm horribly inconsistent as you can see by the dates, but I'll jot down my word count for my wip chapter and then jot it down again when I remember to later.

I write slow. A lot of times I sit down to write and it feels like the wheels are spinning in place. My minutes and hours don't stretch very far, typically don't add up to much. But days, weeks, months. That's when I can at least measure the progress.

Fic: So It Goes 40/44 - 438,946 words

My V x River Ward and tinfoil hat conspiracy theory long fic. I've spent way more hours on this then I have on any of my VP.

I got tagged by @just-a-cybercroissant @therealnightcity and @wanderingaldecaldo to do some WIP Whenevers. I post my VP pretty regularly, so it’s always seemed silly to do work in progress posts for them, and I don’t know when I’ll have any new writing to share since in between work and the holidays, I haven’t had much time to sit down with anything since my last chapter update. And I've been feeling very... stingy, lately. Especially when it comes to mine and other people's writing. So take this WIP/Year In Review as my offering. Both these series, as am I, are all very much still works in progress. 

I confined my reflections for this year below the cut. If you don’t want to read my long-ass essays, you can admire the pictures, maybe check out my fic, or just move along and have yourself a lovely day.

We’ll start with the easy one.

VP

After at least a year of multiple playthroughs (I’ve played all the lifepaths, done all the endings), it only occurred to me at the beginning of this year to start taking VP. Part of the reason I never did before was because I didn’t realize it was a thing and then by the time I did, I figured I didn’t have much to offer. I play on PS5 and only have access to vanilla photomode, so seeing everyone else’s high-fidelity, ultra ray-tracing, modded, posed, full on virtual photo shoot photos, I was like there’s no way. (Not that I’m hating on PC modders, it’s just not everyone has access to mods or a PC capable of running the game, and I’m all for making art and creative endeavors accessible.) On top of that, all I’d ever heard from most other folks was how much vanilla photomode sucked. In the glamorous world of VP, I didn’t think there was any room for me.

But I started snapping pics anyway. And sure, there are a lot of limitations with vanilla photomode. But what that really translates to is opportunities to get creative. I am also a hoe for subverting people’s expectations, and very much believe when there’s a will, there’s a way.

Environmental and landscape shots were my first subjects before I started branching out into portraits and then capturing story moments. Through VP I found an entirely new way to enjoy a game that I’d already played a ridiculous number of times along with also finally being brave enough to share my V with other people too. I’d always worried about that before, if people would like her. Granted, I know Grandpa’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but whether you like her or not, I certainly think she’s made a name for herself over the past few months. Even if most people haven’t really gotten to know her the way I’d hoped. 

I’ve taken hundreds of photos this past year. Most of which I’ll never share. There’s a lot of flops, a lot of weird experiments, ones that didn’t quite turn out the way I’d hoped, but I’ve learned something from every single one of them. I know how to spot good lighting, frame shots to create optical illusions, get a very limited toolkit to work in my favor, parkoured on all of the things, and heck, I even figured out how to make Grandpa smooch other NPCs. I’ve done atmospheric, mundane, down right goofy, as well as things that most people probably thought weren’t fucking possible.

I can’t say how long I’ll keep doing this, I’m sure I’ll move on at some point, but for now I’m still enjoying myself. There's a lot to explore in this game and I just can’t stop digging Night City.

Now, for the more complicated thing.

Writing

So It Goes… My peace, my war, my greedy and most ravenous of ghosts.

I’m operating under the assumption that most people following me here probably haven't read my fic or aren’t all that interested in reading it to begin with. It’s fine. But you need to understand this fic, my writing, is the main thing that brought me here. This is also Grandpa V’s story. Most of you have met her, but unless you've been reading, most of you do not know her.

I wrote around 185,000 words and posted 10 chapters this year. 2022 was about 253,000 words and 30 chapters, along with several unrelated one shots. However, I don’t think I’ve done a single chapter this year that was less then 10k, and my longest managed to hit 27k. As of the last update I posted, the fic is currently sitting at around 439k words, 40 chapters, and still isn’t done.

I have four more chapters to write. I have written a metric shit ton of words. This is, by far, the longest and most intense creative project I’ve ever endeavored to complete.

When I started writing, I was expecting this fic to be around 100-150k. That seemed to be the average for most long fics. I did not plan on being an outlier. I'm not sure you can ever really plan for that, but I guess I enjoy subverting my own expectations too.

For those of you who are reading my fic, it is my sincerest hope that it shatters every expectation of where you think it’s going. It’s not a joke that I tagged my fic “#an ode to my tinfoil hat”. An ode it has turned out to be. I’ve been sitting on this theory for two years. I have told no one about it. I hope it sticks the landing and hits the way I want it to. I don't know if it will. But fuck, I just want to be done with it so I can move on with my life, take a break, and give myself the opportunity to make and focus on other things before I have to get back on the damn horse.

I wrote less this past year then I did in 2022. I had a lot of life changes, most of which were good, but with times of change come times of adjustment. Along with some realizations that maybe you don’t understand as much as you thought you did. Looking back, I’ve been in a state of unsettled, kuzushi, for a really long time. Which is not a good place to be. It’s how your ass ends up on the ground with a knee knocking out all your teeth. I thought I knew better. Thought I had enough practice to get away from it. But bad habits have good memories.

I think given the circumstances, I accomplished a lot with my writing this year. I don’t know if my writing is exactly where I want it to be. I doubt it every will be, but it’s evolved, grown, and I wrote a pretty hefty stack of words considering I started working full-time again, bought a house with my partner, moved, and have been dealing with the millions of other beans that life tends to throw one’s way. That being said, and for full disclosure, I’ve also been dealing with some of the worst cases of jealousy and envy I’ve had since I was a teenager. 

Frankly, it sucks. They walk with me every fucking where I go, hold my hands to whisper back all my doubts. Try to persuade me to my baser instincts, to be cruel and lash out. But that's not aikido. Luckily, I’m not 16 anymore so it’s at least been easier for me to identify the problem. Though I’m still coming up short in terms of actually being able to do anything about it, and will be for at least a few months more. 

Yeah, I keep talking about it because I don’t know how many people know that I've been feeling this way. And I’m tired of not talking about it in a room full of creatives, because yeah, I know I’m not the only one that feels this way. And not talking about it just makes all that pent up resentment worse for everyone.

Don’t get me wrong, I love writing. But with the way I work and think, it’s a slow, tedious, and incredibly time-consuming art. With how much my fic has snowballed over the course of writing, it’s left very little room for the other hobbies in my life. And as my fellow writers probably already know, writing is an incredibly insular craft. And unlike a picture or an image, which only requires a glance, reading a bunch of words requires time and commitment.

So, when you put yourself out there and share what you wrote, it’s a lonely feeling not knowing whether or not anyone connected with what you put on the page. Especially, when the people who do read aren’t compelled to voice anything and when the people you’d hope would read don’t. And then you're stuck in the dark, not knowing, because neither of us says a goddamn thing.

I started writing this fic prior to actually joining the CP2077 fandom. And I joined the fandom because I felt alone. I’ve been here a while now, albeit in a few different places, and that feeling still hasn’t gone away. I’m still trying to find camaraderie with my fellow writers and carve out something that kinda sort of resembles a home or a sense of community. I watch my peers around me as they seem to build that with each other, except me.

I’m envious of the things that people make and jealous of the relationships those have created and fostered between said people, because for the life of me, it’s been a struggle to cultivate that since I got here. I know it’s selfish, but I also don’t know what about me makes people so hesitant. There have been a handful of strangers that have shown up for me regularly, but as far as people I call friends in this fandom that have shown up and actually stuck around, I can only name one right now. (I know we're all busy. And I acknowledge my writing's not for everyone. I know maybe some of you are quiet, or shy, or probably a thousand other things. I get it. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt any less. People will never know unless you say. Never know unless you take the time to interact or engage. Be brave. And that's true for a lot of things.)

The propensity is for the negative to outweigh the positive. I've got a lot of numbers on my fic, so you would think things would be fine, but at this point they just feel empty. They don't bring me any comfort or real satisfaction. And I hate feeling like the people I know don’t care and that most of you are just talking around me. That I’m some kind of annoyance not fit to interact with. Which may or may not be the case. I don’t know. Again, most of you have never said anything. And maybe I need to accept the fact that most of you never will.

But this is me trying to start conversation.

It’s really shitty, knowing that the thing I want the most is also the thing holding me back. I know how to work on it too, not that it’s any guarantee. The problem is I’m still writing and in a needy state of greed. And because I’m slow, I don’t have the time or the energy to be generous. I can only take right now. I can’t give. 

Relationships require both.

I can’t bring myself to read other people’s writing. I can’t comment, or like, or share if I haven’t read anything. I'm desperate for conversation, but I also don't have the time or assurance to facilitate it with other people right now. And for some reason people never seem to want to talk to me, especially when it comes to writing. I want to be part of conversations, talk deeply with other people. But I can’t speak right now, I'm not in a place to offer generosity without someone first giving it to me.

And generosity and grace is what we all need.

Four more chapters and I hope my ghosts will finally let me read in peace.

[discordantwords]

2023 Fic Year in Review

Total number of completed stories: One fic and two ficlets

Total word count: 30,066 for the fic and about 2,700 words in ficlets

Fandoms written in: BBC Sherlock

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected?

Less. So much less. The past few years have been terribly challenging for me. I won't delve too deeply into personal issues, but we've been enduring the painful decline and slow loss of a beloved family member. There's been a significant financial and emotional burden that my family has shouldered as a result of this (on top of typical work/life stress), and it's been very hard to think about writing when each day feels like survival.

That said, writing is my outlet and my preferred form of stress relief, so I try to eke out some time just to maintain some semblance of my own sanity.

What’s your own favorite story of the year?

There's really not any competition this year, so Nothing to Celebrate wins by default. :)

(I am very pleased with how it turned out. There are a lot of complicated emotions at work beneath the plot, and I'm particularly proud of some of the dialogue where characters are talking past each other and not quite saying what they mean.)

Did you take any writing risks this year?

Nothing to Celebrate is the first time that I've written an unapologetically evil Mary Morstan. I like to think I pulled it off!

Do you have any fanfic goals for the new year?

I plan to finish up my current WIP, Time in a Bottle, early in 2024. Much of the last two chapters are already drafted and just need some retooling.

Beyond that-- I have a few WIPs languishing in my WIP folder that I'm absolutely dying to get back to. One is an angst monster of an amnesia story. The other is a cracky AU fusion. Both will get written even if it kills me.

And I'd like to do more ficlets. They keep my writing skills sharp.

Most popular story of the year?

Nothing to Celebrate! I was delighted by the reception this one received.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:

Out of the three (completed) things I posted this year? Probably Distraction, an angsty little ficlet where a captor forces John to hit Sherlock. It didn't get much love compared to some of my other ficlets, maybe because of the subject matter. It's also posted here if you prefer reading on Tumblr

Most fun story to write:

I had a big smile on my face revisiting the storm chaser boys in my ficlet After The Storm.

Biggest disappointment:

Not writing more. But it is what it is.

Biggest surprise:

How warm and welcoming and passionate this fandom remains, even after all these years. I love you all.

[sidekick-hero]

✨ fic writing review 2023 ✨

tagged by my homies (and as always fashionably late to the party): @judasofsuburbia @steddieas-shegoes @steddieasitgoes and @thefreakandthehair 💜💜💜💜

rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass but don’t feel like you have to do this either.

words & fics

263,365 words published

40 fics published

Finished 3 multi-chaptered fics

top 5 fics by kudos

You know I'm a show off (I would let you get some): Pure, self-indulgent smut. My love letter to Steve Harrington's, well, everything. He's a goddamn tease in this and Eddie is along for the ride. Quite literally.

Louder: While laying in bed, the two of them can't help but overhear their upstairs neighbors going at it rather loudly. Eddie turns to Steve after a while, and asks, You wanna fuck louder than them to establish dominance? And that they do.

I’m tired of asking to settle the debt: my first ever steddie fic, written for Lex first seasonal challenge. 5 times Eddie warms Steve's hands and that one time Steve returns the favor.

Run Boy Run: Another self-indulgent smutty piece. I'm a passionate runner, and so is Steve in this one. Turns out, he had been running towards Eddie all along.

 Will you cleanse me with pleasure?: The obligatory monsterfucker, pardon me, monster love making fic. Eddie is a lake monster with way more appandages than Steve can handle. Or can he? 

fandom fic events in 2023

@thefreakandthehair's holiday challenge (2022) but finished 2023: I’m tired of asking to settle the debt

lex's spring challenge: Catch me like the falling rain

Steddie Big Bang with @legitcookie: Suitcase of Memories

Kinktober: we tangle endlessly like lovers entwined (also Eddiemonth), on the tip of my tongue, on top of my thighs, tell me it's love, tell me it's real and wear me like a locket around your throat (last two with @yournowheregirl)

steddiemas and steddieholidaydrabbles: I want you to want me,  let the impulse to love and the instinct to kill entangle to one, we were meant to be (we live happily in my fantasy) and  tangled with what I never said

lex's winter challenge (upcoming)

STuad fic exchange (upcoming)

Reverse Big Bang (upcoming)

continuing wips into 2024

The next chapter of hold me close (I’m shaking apart) in which Steve asks Eddie if he wants to experiment. Eddie wants so much more, but he takes what he can get and tries to not let it break his heart.

Pickup Note, a collab with @thefreakandthehair and @firefly-party about Steve joining Corred Coffin as a sub drummer. Inspired by Kei's fanart HERE and HERE.

Dear Future Self: Eddie is in love with Steve, who has become a fast friend after saving the world together but he's too afraid to make a move. Good thing his future self decides to help things along.

Take your time (I wanna cross some lines): Steve wants to try something new: getting used by strangers. He asks his best friend Eddie to watch over him while he's doing that so he can feel safe. But who watches over Eddie's heart?

History throws its shadow over the beginning: B-side to @legitcookie and my very first collab, I wore his jacket for the longest time. It's the same story, but told from Eddie's POV.

Closing Time with @legitcookie: After the worst date in a long while, Steve decides to take home the cute bartender who cheered him up.

Stranger Things Reverse Big Bang

tagging (with ZERO pressure): @legitcookie @yournowheregirl @starrystevie @scarcrossdlvrs, @henderdads, @stevethehairington, @starryeyedjanai, @cranberrymoons, @steddielations, @maxinemaxmayfield

Thank you to everyone who read my stuff and let me feel loved and cherished by liking, reblogging and commenting on them. It's been such a wonderful experience to be part of this fandom and I wouldn't want to miss it in the world. Here's to hoping for many more fics to come in 2024 💜🥰

[fonulyn]

fon's 2023 in fic

so in order to distract myself from yet another fic flopping miserably i'm gonna do the compilation of all the flops from the entire year! :'D

a big big thank you to those of you who said nice words about my stuff, who left comments on the fics, and who helped me finish surprisingly many works this year. i am truly grateful for every single lovely comment i got! 💖 that is what kept me going, what made things feel worthwhile, and what helped me through many a dark moment.

i do still have works in progress but at the same time this sort of feels like a goodbye. idk. we'll see. but I can't keep pouring from an empty chalice and the fandom clearly does not want to help me fill it so we're at an impasse :'D it feels increasingly much that exiting stage left is the right move, as much as i don't want to and as much as it hurts to let go. but I digress.

on a more positive note, I can, hand to heart, say that I am extremely pleased with pretty much everything i wrote this year :D it's got to count for something, right!

ANYHOO I posted 217k words this year, and it includes:

21 Piers/Leon

5 Krauser/Leon

3 main Piers/Leon and heavily featured past Krauser/Leon

2 OT3

1 Chris/Leon

1 Tyrants/Leon

1 Jake/Piers

1 Marcus/Dom (Gears of War)

fic links and short summaries under the cut.

Piers/Leon

good to be prepared | E | 9k | Leon gets stuck in a snow storm when his car breaks down, and a handsome stranger saves him from the roadside. It ends up in a fun night together but that's only the very beginning for them.

'cause you know the love we have is always gonna be | T | 6.7k | Finally they get to say "I do" to each other.

bad exes and a better future | T | 2.9k | Leon's very jealous ex does not know when to quit, and refuses to believe Leon wants nothing to do with him. So, logically, Leon kisses Piers to prove a point. Thankfully Piers is all in.

i crave therefore i am | E | 7k | Piers has been half in love with Leon for what feels like forever, but there's nothing he can do about it when Leon is in a long term relationship. ...Except he's not.

as long as you'll have me | T | 5.2k | Leon gets infected on a mission, then has to suffer through treatment for an infection. Thankfully Piers is there to help, in more ways than one.

you're a dream | E | 23k | Piers Nivans is eleven years old when he starts dreaming of death and monsters. It takes him well over a decade to find his soulmate, and even then, it's not all easy.

that heaven in your eyes | E | 2.7k | They finally get the honeymoon they deserve.

light in the darkest place | M | 3.6k (WIP) | Leon and Piers grew up together, and when at twenty-one they both got a job at the RPD they thought it was a giant stroke of luck. They had no idea their first day was going to be one hell of a long day.

a shadow of devotion | M | 6.9k | There's a new superhero in town, and Piers ends up being more closely acquainted with him than he ever expected. He's not complaining, tho.

before i even knew your name | M | 6.6k | Leon gets an accidental text sent into the wrong number and it ends up changing his life for the better. Soon he's flirting via texts with this stranger, and before he even notices he's grown feelings.

a dinner to remember | E | 4.4k | Leon wears a nice dress to welcome Piers home.

too much is all that I can feel | T | 4.2k | Leon gets hurt, again, and while he’s concussed and loopy from bloodloss he tries his best to flirt with Piers.

memories beneath the dust of years | T | 1.2k | Piers relives the worst time of his life in a dream, and Leon is there to support him through it.

in the end it's you and I | T | 3.5k | The sound of metal crushing was the worst. It screeched in Leon’s ears even when the car had stopped completely, finally meeting a big enough tree trunk down the hill. He's alone, injured, and unable to leave his car. Might this be the end?

time to finally breathe again | T | 3.4k | Leon tries to bury his feelings but then gets buried underground. Thankfully Piers is there to help. On both counts.

those nights | M | 5k | Leon and his difficult relationship with sleep throughout the years.

life is a chance to try | T | 5.2k |  Piers and Leon have been parents for mere months, and it’s become obvious their daughter isn’t entirely an ordinary human.

everything I've kept inside me | T | 5.5k | The one with severe injuries, some reminiscing, and finally sort of a retirement. Oh, and a blowjob pillow.

at the shore of the unknown | M | 26k | The world ends, but Piers and Leon find each other.

a merry little christmas (make the yuletide gay) | T | 5.7k | Piers and Leon and their first holidays as a married couple in their own home, of course with a visit from those closest to them.

right from the start | E | 19k | Leon gets some unexpected backup on his rogue mission in the Eastern Slav Republic. And it doesn't end there. (Much to his delight.)

Krauser/Leon

question all my doubts | E | 10k | Leon gets back home from Spain only to find none other than Jack fucking Krauser bleeding onto his living room floor. And no matter how many times Leon tries to walk away from Krauser he always ends up back to him.

(it might've been love but) it's over now | T | 1.4k | Krauser is dead and had no next of kin, so Leon goes through his scarce apartment to sort through the meager belongings left behind, while also sorting through his own mess of emotions.

(no one ever died from) wanting too much | M | 1.4k | Krauser gets injured but he can only focus on the dirty thoughts he has about Leon, while Leon tends to those injuries.

my tragedy and my desire | M | 2k |  Leon struggles through the mission to rescue the president's daughter, constantly feeling like he’s being stalked. He has no idea how right he is about that. And how bad things will end for him.

my religion my certain death my salvation my sacrilege | E | 2k | Krauser keeps Leon as his sex-slave. (sequel to my tragedy and my desire)

Piers/Leon with heavily featured Krauser or Krauser/Leon

all the tears and the fears and the lies and the cries of the past | E | 16k | Krauser kidnaps Leon on Wesker’s orders to use as bait. Piers heads out to save him, together with Chris and Jill. Things get really messy.

tear me open (and make me whole again) | M | 7.6k | Piers disappears, and soon after Leon starts receiving videos from an unknown email address. It's bad enough that Krauser is back, but watching him torture Piers to get back at Leon might just be the worst thing Leon has ever been through in his life.

haunt you like it's part of you | E | 3.7k | Krauser brands Leon as his own, ruining him for all others. For a while it seems he's won, but eventually Leon gets the happy ending he deserves.

OT3 (Chris/Leon/Piers)

never without you | T | 1.6k | Leon is tired, so tired, but Piers and Chris will not let him give up.

wish you were here | T | 2k | (pre-OT3) Chris is pathetically pining after Leon, doesn't even let himself examine his feelings for Piers, and then on top of it all he gets kidnapped.

Chris/Leon

whatever comes our way | T | 1.1k | Leon almost drowns and Chris panics.

Tyrants/Leon

buried so deep within | E | 3.6k | Leon finds out there's two tyrants. The tyrants find out that Leon can be used for all sorts of fun things.

Jake/Piers

pull me closer to life | T | 3.8k | Jake and Sherry save Piers when he thinks he’s left behind to die at the underwater facility. Then somehow, Jake never leaves.

Marcus/Dom (largely featured past Maria/Dom)

no battle like that of life | E | 3.7k | After losing damn near everything, Dom learns to live again. Marcus helps.

[lololollywrites]

LoloLolly's 2023 Year in Review

Thank you for the tag, @discordantwords! It seems apt, as you're one of the reasons I was productive (for me, that is) this year - I so appreciate your FTH bid! I participated for the very first time in 2023 and published TWO FTH fics. Such a cool experience.

Here is my 2023 stats page from AO3. I know it's modest for most seasoned AO3 authors, but as a relatively new poster on the site, I've been thrilled so see the constant growth and explosion of support.

Completed fics:

*I currently have no WIPS, nor did I publish any ficlets this year. We'll see what 2024 brings!

Never Been Better

John gets married. Sherlock leaves the wedding reception early, but he’s fine. Fine. The seven percent solution? It helps him think. If only Baker Street didn’t seem so empty. But he’s perfectly okay. Never been better, in fact. Never been better. (Published January 30, 2023, completed February 24, 2023; Chapters 3/3, 16,109 words)

Pressure Points

(My first FTH entry for @discordantwords)

The bonfire doesn't happen during The Empty Hearse. Instead, both John and Sherlock are placed into a life-or-death situation. One that may prove too much for a still-wounded Sherlock. Excerpt: “Pressure p-points. They’re observing our reactions to the situation. It’s possible they’ll intercede should w-we be in any real danger of dying – it’s an ex-experiment. It may or may not be attempted m-murder.” “May or may not be?” “We must operate un-under the assumption that it is, of course.” “Already there, Sherlock. The water’s up to our fucking ribcages.” “Mm. So it is.” (Published May 26, 2023, completed June 14, 2023; Chapters 4/4, 19,892 words)

Cold Inside

(My second FTH entry for @shakespearelovedladymacbeth)

Sherlock has just shot Magnussen, and John feels adrift. Everything is wrong. He's fairly certain he hates his wife, too. The regrets are too numerous for him to count. Sherlock is in prison, his ultimate fate unknown and the isolation slowly (or, rather, worryingly quickly) whittling away at his sanity. Mycroft is equally untethered, scrambling for options. Perhaps John can help. And perhaps, just perhaps, they can manage to save Sherlock and rid themselves of Mary in one fell swoop. (HLV fix-it) (Published October 6, 2023, completed November 3, 2023; Chapters 5/5, 26,843 words)

[inquisimer]

2023 writing round up

bringing back this fun little year-end writing review from last year :3 it's always so fun to look back and see what all the little pieces and all the time adds up to!

tagging if you'd like to join in: @shivunin | @rosella-writes | @fadedsweater | @exalted-dawn-drabbles | @kiastirling-fanfic | and @warpedlegacy

words posted: 109,617

additional words written: 84,453

grand total of words: 194,070

fandoms: 2 - Dragon Age & Dishonored

highest kudos: The Lie Upon Your Sleep at 20 - a bit of fluff & hurt/comfort with my healer OC Ness and Cullen

highest hit oneshot: to be seen feeling at 200 - a piece I wrote for my friend @dreadfutures as part of the DAFF Discord OC Swap. An exploration of her Mahariel as Warden-Commander and Teryn during Awakening and his life with Morrigan and Kieran in the Crossroads.

new things I tried: Writing non-canon romances! And participating in a lot more fandom exchanges.

fic I spent the most time on: hard to say, probably my unpublished Surana Lavellan rewrite! Of my published fics, I think it would be if our demons cannot dance - angst, hurt/comfort, and missing scenes for my anders rivalmance.

fic I spent the least time on: either Not Like This, a character study of Emily's guilt/regret as she flees Dunwall in D2, or I carried my own ashes to the mountain, some light hurt/comfort and fluffy friendship between Brosca & Zevran on their way back to Orzammar

favorite thing I wrote: any of my pieces with Siobhan Hawke, my Blorbo of the Year for sure. She's so different than the type of Hawke I usually play, being Red-Purple and leaning into the politicking aspect of her role in Kirkwall. I've loved exploring a Hawke who doesn't run away from Kirkwall, who stays and works within the system to make things better. And of course writing her different dynamics with Loghain and Sebastian have been both interesting and challenging for me creatively.

favorite thing(s) I read:

Things my heart used to know (things it yearns to remember) by NiriKeehan (@nirikeehan) - the gift I received as part of the DAFF Discord OC swap, an incredibly well-done piece of my OC Neria and Cullen finding common ground in their respective roles in the Inquisition

A Fool's Death and a Hard Choice by RosellaWrite (@rosella-writes) - an beautiful study of Warden Loghain leading up to and through DAI, his journey looking for Mahariel, how he meets up with Hawke, and his reunion with Morrigan & Kieran at Skyhold.

In Flame Forged Anew by Plisuu (@plisuu) - DAI as experienced by Connor Trevelyan, Templar turned mage turned Tranquil turned Herald of Andraste. He's a little fucked up by it all and this compelling story will tear you to shreds right from the start.

Dirty Little Secrets by SylvanRain (@sylvanraindrop) - DAI retold from the perspective of one of Leliana's agents, featuring the smoothest motherfucker Lavellan, lots of intrigue and spy shenanigans, and Cullen being both endearingly soft and Good At His Job

what we talk about when we talk about whalers by patho (ghostsoldier) - a collection of one shots set in and around the Knife of Dunwall DLC for Dishonored, ranging from lighthearted and funny to absolutely heart-wrenching ;-; beautifully well-done snippets that build out the in-game mechanics and lore!

writing goals for 2024: finish my Surana Lavellan rewrite up through IYHSB, which is when I've promised myself I'll start posting it again 😤 and also to finish at least one of the smut pieces that I have half-started in various drafts

new works: 21

template under the cut!

words posted:

additional words written:

grand total of words:

fandoms:

highest kudos:

highest hit oneshot:

new things I tried:

fic I spent the most time on:

fic I spent the least time on:

favorite thing I wrote:

favorite thing(s) I read:

writing goals for 2024:

new works:

[letthemusicmoveyou28]

Fics written in 2023 by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

2023 was the year I rediscovered my love of writing fanfic! Thank you to every one of you that shared this journey with me. I’m looking forward to finding out what 2024 holds.

Below the cut are all the works I posted or updated this year!

*Complete Works*

Your Page was Blank But I Read It ~ (fic post)

3k, E, Harry/Louis

(Or the one where Harry is having some doubts after the Grammys, and Louis is there to squash those for him).

Wanna Feel the Edges Start to Burn ~ (fic post)

6k, E, Harry/Louis, Mpreg

(Or the one where Louis has a meltdown in front of a stranger, but it turns out better than he ever could have dreamed).

With the Bomb Lighting ~ (fic post)

4k, E, Harry/Louis

(Or the one where Harry is doing Zoom interviews to promote his new album, but his time management skills are lacking. Louis is the writer interviewing Harry for Rolling Stone when he accidentally gets an eye full. They figure it out).

Cause You’re My Sunshine Baby ~ (fic post)

4k, E, Harry/Louis, Mpreg

(Or the one where Harry is self conscious performing for the first time after finding out he’s pregnant. Luckily Louis is there to make it better).

It’s Only Sunny Cause the Planet’s Dying ~ (fic post)

13k, E, Harry/Louis

(Or the one where Louis is a thief and a con-artist who’s used to getting what he wants, using any means necessary. And Harry is is the straight-laced detective who might just be tired of always doing the right thing).

Let Me Taste Your Silhouette ~ (fic post)

4k, E, Harry/Louis

(Or the one where Harry accidentally posts a picture to his main Instagram story instead of only to his close friends, and he just happens to be wearing a 28 Official Programme shirt. Louis happens to notice).

Hold You With My Hands Tied ~ (fic post)

12k, E, Harry/Louis, A/B/O

(Or the one where Omega Harry loses his bakery job and is forced to take a temporary position bartending at a local BDSM club. It turns out to be not so bad. Especially when he catches the eye of the owner Louis, who also happens to be a gorgeous Alpha).

Wearing You Like Clothes ~ (fic post)

5K, E, Harry/Louis, A/B/O

(Or the one where Omega Louis accidentally locks himself out of his flat in only his underwear. Embarrassingly help comes in the form of Harry, the beautiful Alpha that lives down the hall. It turns out alright in the end).

Wanna Make Your Body Numb - (fic post)

3k, E, Harry/Louis, A/B/O

(Or the one where Omega Harry is still thriving as the bartender at Alpha Louis’ BDSM club. All the while Louis is helping Harry discover his own submissive side. Harry decides he’s ready for a public scene).

Chew You Up Like Candy ~ (fic post)

4k, E, Harry/Louis, A/B/O (alpha/alpha)

(Or the one where Alpha Harry falls down a Reddit hole, that leads him to discover a few new kinks he never knew he had. It also leads him to Louis, an Alpha unlike any other Harry’s ever met. Louis’ more than happy to help Harry explore his new interests).

Slow Dance With the Tension ~ (fic post)

666 words, M, Harry/Louis, Magic AU

(Or the one where having a powerful witch for a husband is all fun and games until he decides to be a brat).

Got My Chaos Automatic ~ (fic post)

3k, E, Louis/Liam/Zayn

(Or the one where Louis comes home from tour feeling exhausted, yet antsy. Luckily, Liam and Zayn are there to put him back together).

Stuck in Midnight Traffic ~ (fic post)

3k, M, Harry/Louis

(Or the one where two broken people meet in an empty tube car on Christmas Eve. Can they find a way to heal each other?)

We Can Roll in the Darkness ~ (fic post)

29k, E, Harry/Louis & Zayn/Liam, Advent

(Or the one where Louis and his best mate Niall decide to take the plunge and open a pub. The goal is to open Christmas Day, but the building renovations are proving trickier than expected. Insert: a construction company with a questionable name, a certain curly haired builder who catches Louis’ attention, and a little festive chaos along the way).

*WIPS*

K.Y.L.I.S. (Kill Your Local Indie Softboy) ~ (fic post)

Ch: 1/?, 4k, Harry/Louis, Bodyguard AU

(Or the one where Louis is an up and coming Indie artist embarking on his first American tour. The only problem? He's getting anonymous death threats. Harry is former military and now works for a private security firm often known for coloring outside the lines of the law. He's hired to protect Louis during his tour. They have a rocky start.)

One Prize I’d Cheat to Win ~ (fic post)

Ch: 5/?, 31k, Harry/Louis

(Or the one where Louis is a high end escort who swindles rich men out of their money and Harry Styles is not like any man he's ever tried to con).

You Love This Dying Part of Me ~ (fic post)

Ch:1/?, 10k, Harry/Louis, Vampire AU

(Or the one where Vampire Louis has stopped bothering with human emotions. But that could all change when a certain human Barista named Harry catches his eye. Unfortunately, Louis’ enemies have also taken notice).

[just-my-latest-hyperfixation]

I was tagged by @medusapelagia - thx honey! 💖

Words and fics

330,414 words published (and more to come before the end of December)

4 WIPs completed 

3 one-shots completed 

1 ongoing WIP

2 unpublished WIPs

Top 10 fics by kudos 

🐉 Hic sunt dracones 

👪 Someone who cares

🦇 Possession 

👑 See you in a crown

🧜🏻‍♂️ Just add water

🔮 (You got me) in the palm of your hand 

😈 Sweet revenge 

📚 E like enigma

💖 Love, oh love

🩸 Fall, Burn, Rise

Events & challenges

@steddiebang | (You got me) in the palm of your hand, with art by @xgumiho and @peachypurr

@steddiemicrofic | Tumblr link

@steddieholidaydrabbles | Tumblr link

Upcoming projects 

✨️ Finishing Possession (around March/April if everything goes as planned)

✨️ Two fics for the @strangerthingsreversebigbang - coming in March

✨️ @house-of-the-moving-image and I are planning on expanding one of our collabs from the Stedie holiday drabbles into a fully-blown fic and art project. We're currently screaming at each other on discord about it further developing the concept. We're both so incredibly in love with the idea and having heaps of fun bouncing it around, I'm looking forward to it so much!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Rules and tags under the cut

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass but don’t feel like you have to do this either.

Tagging: @penny00dreadful @rainbow-nerdss @rozzieroos @sourw0lfs @wormdebut

[calaisreno]

2022: Writing Year in Review

This year I posted 19 stories, less than my usual, but that was one of my goals. I'm satisfied with what I wrote.

I'm most proud of posting The Last Envoy because that story had been in the works for years and it was time to figure it out and share it. Doing that was a great writing experience and a great fandom experience for me. I'm so grateful to everyone who read it and let me know what it meant to them.

[I also read a lot of stories this year and added authors to my list of favorites. I'll share those in another post.]

My writing goal for 2022 was to post less. Not because I am bowing out of the fandom, tired of writing, or hoping to become a 'real, published writer.' (*sarcasm: fanfiction IS real writing. Fight me.)

I wanted to post less because I needed to write differently and that required a new mental attitude. According to my Scrivener writing history, I actually wrote as many words in 2022 as I have in past years; I simply haven't posted them all. (They are steeping, or ripening, or whatever first drafts do when you leave them be for a while.)

One of the ways I learned to write was simply by writing a ton of stories and posting most of them. This is the Just Get Over Yourself and Do It School of Writing. I've been in the Sherlock fandom on AO3 for five years now, and I've written far more than the 133 stories and 1.6 M words I've posted. I'm proud of some stories, and I cringe at others. They all stay up for anyone to read because in writing them, I became better; they are a record of progress.

But writing well isn't the only goal of writing. Nor are numbers the goal (words, stories, hits, kudos, comments). As I consider where I'm going with my writing this year, I remind myself why I write:

To tell a story I'm excited to tell.

To try out something new that might not succeed, but I just want to see if I can do it.

To thank someone who's been supportive by writing something they will love.

To start a conversation with readers.

To get something out of my system.

To have fun writing a story that's just fun to write.

To work out feelings about something that happened, either in RL or fiction.

To imitate something I admire.

It's a new year! I've got stories in progress, but I'm not making goals. Working on goals implies that "done" is more important than "doing," that "being a writer" is more rewarding than "becoming a writer." For me, goals do not produce joy. If I have to make a goal, it is to carry on becoming a writer, and (I hope) never actually arriving. Being is not as much fun as becoming. Well, if I have to have a goal, it will be to have fun writing in 2023.

As Ao would say (quoting Ursula Le Guin): "It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

I'd love to hear your reflections on the year just ended or goals you have for the new one. Tagging a few; probably not all I should tag; consider yourself tagged.

@totallysilvergirl @thetimemoves @discordantwords @therealsaintscully @shiplocks-of-love  @sherlockwatson-holmesblog @jobooksncoffee @keirgreeneyes @raina-at @7-percent  @a-different-equation @shelleysprometheus  @helloliriels @blogstandbygo @jrow @mydogwatson @momma2boys @thegildedbee @copperplatebeech