#or like in the atla fandom i’m always down for fics about how the palace staff view zuko ya know. stuff like that

[flameohotwife]

2022 Writing Year in Review

Yeah, I know it's 2023 already. I'm just now finding a smidge of time to get to the asks/ask games/etc. that I've gotten bc the holidays have been so busy. Thank you @benwvatt and @chocomd for the tag!

1. Number of stories posted to Ao3: 13! one of those was started in 2021 though with the last chapter of it posted in 2022, so 12 fics (+ one chapter) written entirely in 2022

2. Word count this year: 105,816 according to ao3

3. Fandoms I wrote for: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Avatar: Legend of Korra (which I tag most of my adult kataang stories as, especially if they include cloud-babies or spice, to be safe, even though I know it is between the two series. But tagging adult kataang as only AtLA seems to invite the pedo-accusations, despite the fact that we KNOW Aang and Katara grew up and had babies together which means they did the deed at least a few times, but ya know... that's a rant for another day.)

4. Pairings: Aang/Katara

5. Stories with the most:

Kudos: Unspoken, Undeniable (rated T)

Bookmarks: Growing Pains (rated E)

Comment threads: UU and then GP, because they are both multi-chap stories. After that, though, it was Free as the Wind (rated T) which is still *technically* 2 chapters although I only decided to split it in two at the last minute since it was so long for ease of reading. It is more of a one-shot in my head still.

Word count: UU, definitely, at 44,409 (51,354 if you include the epilogue)

6. Work I’m most proud of (and why): Probably UU, because it was the first ever intentional multi-chap that I planned out, wrote out, and finished, all in the span of this year!

7.   Work I’m least proud of (and why): Probably Silence and Sparrowkeets (rated T). I wrote it for kataang week theme quiet moments/healing, and while I still do like a lot of elements of the story that I incorporated, it just falls a little flat for me for some reason.

8.   Share or describe a favorite review you received: Some of my favorite reviews this year have been from @kataangisforlovers and @chocomd, because they always manage to see the underlying themes I'm pulling in or the things about the AtLA world that I'm trying to expose (often having to do with canon racism). I cannot express how much I have valued their input, both on ao3 comments and behind the scenes.

9.   A time when writing was really, really hard: omg, so many times. I have had a harder time separating from my daily life stressors in order to immerse myself in my writing. Part of that has been guilt over what I *could* be accomplishing instead of writing. And I have been more productive irl. There were also a few times where fandom drama really felt like it was imploding and I wasn't sure I *wanted* to write anymore. And interaction has definitely been lower this year. Overall though I still have things to say about kataang and their relationship and their family and Aang and Katara as individuals with a lot of trauma, so I keep writing when I can.

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you: Absolutely hands down the entire second chapter of Free as the Wind. I've said it before, but I did not ever want to go there as an author. It's been done so many times and there are too many cultural elements that I was afraid of misusing or appropriating or being accidentally insensitive about. So I did NOT want to write that ever ever ever. But once I started with the "sneaking off" prompt, thinking it was going to be a sweet and probably a little spicy little one-shot, the characters took me in an entirely different direction and I wound up writing myself into a corner where that was the only way out. I'm still half waiting for an angry comment or dm one day, telling me how I messed it up.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing:  It's long, but I love this mashup of dialogue and introspection from chapter 5 of UU:

“I could sense them still looking at us,” he explained in a whisper. He turned them out of the palace walkway and they continued down the streets of the Inner Ring and out towards their home. “I’m sorry if that was too much, I just wanted…”

“No, it wasn’t too much at all,” she interrupted, trying desperately to quell… whatever it was that was making her body tingle and her heart race and her mind spin. She felt her heart dropping down to the soles of her feet at the realization that this was all for the press. You need to get your feelings back under control, she scolded herself. This was pretend and you know it. “I didn’t realize they were still watching us—good catch.”

“Earthbending,” he said simply and shrugged.

“I know,” she said, feeling incredibly awkward. How was she going to go back to being just his friend when they were alone, now? To go back to not expecting him to kiss her hair or wrap his arm around her or press his body so deliciously against hers… 

They finished their walk back to the house in silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was different. She wasn’t sure where they stood or what he was thinking, and she was afraid to ask. He walked her to her door, and things started to feel almost normal again when he leaned down for a hug. “Thanks again, Katara. For everything,” he murmured in her ear. She shivered.

“Anytime, Aang. Goodnight,” she said as she walked into her room and closed the door. She exhaled heavily and pressed her forehead against the ornate wood, not knowing that Aang was doing the exact same thing on the other side.

12. How did you grow as a writer this year: I think I learned to show more, and to be more descriptive of the scenery and surroundings. I'm still working on it, but I think I did better than last year!

13. How do you hope to grow next year: I hope to be able to add more metaphor, symbolism, and overall meaning into said descriptions. I am also hoping to branch out and write out of my comfort zone a bit (maybe something that is not kataang/aang/katara centric? Maybe original fiction? WHO KNOWS). I was hoping to use fic-writing to kind of run the rust off the rails of my writing skills and get back to writing original fiction or creative non-fiction, which had been my life's dream and something I studied for a bit in school, but that takes a kind of bravery and vulnerability I'm not sure I have in me, yet.

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

@coyotelemon was my beta for UU and absolutely pushed me to grow in ways I could not have without her help. The number of times she had to write "PAINT MOAR" in the comments of my googledoc because I had completely left out the details, and the number of ideas she came up with when I was stuck show the sheer impact she had on this work, and I could not have done it without her <3

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year: Absolutely. Ties That Bind (rated G), my Katara Week piece for the prompt "Katara and her family" included a lot of elements of parenting and connecting with family that I have experienced in my own life. But pieces of my life show up in all areas of my writing.

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers: I don't think I have any *new* wisdom. Just keep reading, keep writing, and keep experimenting with those elements you love from your favorite stories. Don't be afraid to research and take risks. And find your people who will help you and cheer you on when you're feeling discouraged.

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year: I'd really like to write that kataang/cloud-babies mixed race fic. I have bits and pieces, but as I've stated before what's really holding me back is research. Fingers crossed!

18. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read: I know it's 2023 now, but if you're so inclined... @coyotelemon, @shameaboutthedilettantism, @anervoussapphic, @itsmoonpeaches, @juicypersimmon, @cats-and-metersticks, @northerngoshawk... or anyone else who wants to do it!

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

A collection of fics I’ve read (/reread) and thoroughly enjoyed in the past week-ish from all kinds of fandoms and genres.

ATLA

Icarus, Point to the Sun by aeoleus               

Zuko tries.

Agni, he tries. Uncle wants so desperately for him to do the right thing, and he wants to, he does, he does, he does-

So when the Water Tribe girl looks at him with wild eyes, begging for help, and Azula raises one eyebrow with a sneer, Zuko chooses.

Azula’s scream of anger when he blasts a fireball in her direction is almost worth the twenty Dai Li agents that immediately surround him.

(or: Zuko is taken prisoner by Azula in the catacombs. Turns out, being kept miles away from the sun isn't so great for your bending.)

Like a Baby Shirshu by mindbending        

Despite the fever and the barely-healed burn scar, the boy’s fast. June avoids his blade, but still he jams his limbs into her, desperate to scratch and kick and bite off her hand…

(Just like a baby shirshu, spitting poison from behind the bars of its cage. The comparison shouldn't be so endearing.)

Or: the AU where Zuko flees the palace after his Agni Kai, running right into Nyla and June.

How Dare You? by Reaganrose1513 (Note: Based off this post I made a month back)

They sent a child. They wanted him to marry a child the same age as his own kids. What in the name of Tui and La- How dare the? How dare they!?

OR: The 100-year war is more of a 95-year war, end earlier for reasons that don't matter right now. After a few years of negotiations, Firelord Azulon wants a marriage alliance between the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe and a member of the Fire Nation royal family. No one really wants this, but after five years, Hakoda can tell his people are tired and want to move on, so he's willing to do what it takes to make peace happen. That is until the Fire Nation sends him a child to marry, and there is no way in hell that is happening.

Harry Potter

The Foundations of Family by waitingondaisies

Ron and Hermione spend a lot of time alone together while Harry is off at Quidditch practice. On one such occasion, Hermione finds herself revisiting her childhood dream of playing house with her friends.

BNHA

Apex Predator by silver jackdaw (idyII)                

Every single school had one: someone at the top of the food chain. An acme. Someone who could do things under a teacher's nose, escape consequences, and terrify other people. Someone who looked down on everyone else like they were prey. An apex predator. And Izuku couldn't count on teachers and adults to protect anyone. Even a hero school wasn't safe from the phenomena. When Izuku gets to Yuuei, he's determined to find out who it is and ensure they can't hurt him or his new friends.

...and accidentally, in the process, becomes the apex predator (though he is mostly unaware of this, and uses it for good. But still, people are terrified of him.)

(Or, a snowball chain of events wherein Izuku's paranoia leads to 1A becoming a family, everyone in school being in debt to him, Aizawa adopting everyone in his sight and slowly growing closer to committing acts of arson, the League gaining redemption and working with the resident Apex Predator to combat the Hero Commission whilst gaining technically legal identities, and Hawks finding a family. Hurt people help other hurt people, and they're all doing their best. Some laws may or may not be broken in the process.)

but I have promises to keep by SpiritusRex                

“I’m fine.” Midoriya repeats, calmer after a few large, uneven breaths, “This is i-important. This is more important than me.”

“Midoriya,” Shouta starts.

“We’re wasting t-time.” Midoriya cuts him off, “I have a list of Sensei- I mean- I- All for One’s current quirks, and I n-need to tell you them.”

(Late at night, Aizawa Shouta gets an unexpected phone call.)

TMA

Like I Was Inside by voiceless_terror                

Tim decided to do what he did best- roll with the punches. Even though the punch, in this case, was his prickly cactus of a boss suddenly deciding he needed affection like a dying plant needs sunlight.

In which Jon encounters a cursed object, and the rest of the archival crew suffers for it. If you can call it suffering.

Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System

by omission by Yuu_chi                

Shen Qingqiu had always hoped that if the chance arose he’d be able to tell his friends about his life as Shen Yuan on his own terms. It had never even crossed his mind that the day would come where his deepest secret would be outed in front of his husband, his friends, and his entire sect.

I Wish You Were My Husband by Feynite (+ podfic)

AU based on The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir (familiarity with that story's not required).

Wherein Shen Yuan transmigrates into a harem intrigues romance novel (gay edition), Yue Qingyuan really fucks up, Liu Qingge is not suitable for his job, and no one even remotely sees Luo Binghe coming.

He Was Made For Untidy Rooms and Rumpled Beds by Bluethursday                

Shen Qingqiu kind of, sort of, does not have the same modesty standards as a xianxia novel set in some form of Ancient China? He also hates the heat, who knew right?

[fictionalsownme]

Congrats on 200!!! I didn't know you were in the atla fandom too!!! If it not too much, can I rq a drabble fic of zutara with the prompt 'id rather not lose you again'. Can go in any direction you want, and again, congrats on the followers!!

send in a request!

thank you so much!! sorry for the wait! 💞💞 fun fact about me! ATLA is actually my all-time favorite piece of any media ever, by like a lot. I love it so much, and it’s my dream to one day create a story on it’s level 😩✨ that being said, I’ve never written for zutara before! 😅 I’m normally a kataang shipper (ik, pretty vanilla hehe) but I’m gonna try!! thank you so much for the request and I hope you like it!! 🥰🥰💞

warnings: slight arguing, zuko is stressed, kataang is not canon in this so no cheating or anything, secret relationship, lightly edited

She knew Zuko was wearing himself too thin. And if he was trying to hide it from anyone, he was miserably failing.

Katara had been staying in the Fire Nation palace for weeks now, under the guise of being a representative for the Southern Water Tribe. No one had yet to find out about the secret trips to Zuko’s chambers in the dead of night, nor why she hadn’t left the palace yet.

It was like they were getting to know each other, both for the first time, and all over again. They’d stay up until sunrise, talking, laughing, learning. Katara would stay tucked under his arm, and he’d keep the silky blankets tucked up to their chins. They had kissed many times now, and though they weren’t entirely sure what they were to each other, and though they still drove each other crazy, Katara knew she was nearing a point of no return. She really liked him. And she was pretty sure he felt the same. He wasn’t very good at hiding his emotions, to be honest.

She worried about him constantly, and the ever growing bags under his eye. He looked more sickly by the day, always sighing, rubbing at his temples, waking up from nightmares nearly every night. Now that he was the Firelord, he was crushing himself with the weight of it all. Katara was trying to give him his space, she didn’t know much about what it took to rule the Fire Nation after all. But she finally had enough when she noticed him dozing off at a royal party, despite the fact that he was standing up.

She waited until she caught his eye, looking past advisors and servers and citizens, just to meet her gaze. She stared into his eyes for a while, making sure he was paying attention, then took a step backwards. He raised his brow, tilting his head. The sight reminded her of a baby otter penguin, but she suppressed her giggle and slinked back into the hallway behind her.

She waited a few moments near a wall lantern before he peered his head around the doorway. She extended his arms to him.

“Katara? What are you—“

She cut him off with a kiss to his forehead (one she had to move to her tippy toes to complete, mind you). The effect was instant and he melted against her, wrapping his arms around her back. This time she couldn’t help the giggle that left her mouth as she took his head in her hands.

“We’re not going to stay a secret much longer if you start doing stuff like this.”

“I’m rescuing you, thank you very much.”

She could tell Zuko wanted to be mad, but all he gave her was a lovesick smile. She found herself thinking that if he had a tail, it’d be wagging. But when she saw the exhaustion on his face, her smile faded. Like it always did.

“You need to take care of yourself, Zuko.” He rolled his eyes as she took on a harsher tone. “When was the last time you had some water?”

“I’m fine, Katara. I’m just…”

She poked at some wrinkles forming at the crease of his brow. “Wearing thin?”

He pulled away from her with a sigh. “It’s not like I’m trying to feel like this. There’s just so much on my shoulders. I can’t let anyone down.”

“Zuko, I know.” She touched his arm. He was always so warm against her skin. “But you’re no good to anyone like this.”

“What do you suggest I do, then? There’s no time to rest, you and I barely have enough time to see each other, let alone taking care of myself.”

“Us seeing each other is not more important than taking care of yourself.”

He went silent.

“Zuko!”

“What?!”

“I’m serious!”

“So am I! It’s taken a long time for us to get to where we are now. I don’t want to… go backwards.”

“That’s sweet, Zuko. But what’s gonna’ make us go backwards is you being all cranky and on edge because you aren’t sleeping.”

He glared at the wall, but it was softer now. Like he was more frustrated with himself than Katara.

Zuko started talking again, almost mumbling. “I’ve messed up with you a lot in the past, Katara… I’d rather not lose you again.”

He was so stubborn. And so… so sweet. Ugh, why did he make seeing him so difficult?

She tried to make her voice soft, gentle, as she said, “Come here.”

He looked up at the ceiling, like he was debating ignoring her. Eventually, he made the smart choice and yielded, stepping closer to her once again.

She brought his face down closer to hers. “If that’s the case, take my advice. I’m not going anywhere. You just need some rest, Zuko.” She placed a kiss against his scar, just under his eye, and felt his lids flutter closed.

When she pulled away he looked at her like he was in a daze.

“And hey! Maybe you could take a break soon. We could go visit Sokka, and my gran. Together!”

He nodded weakly in her grasp, then gave a raspy, “okay.”

She smiled, and pulled him in for a kiss. He tucked her hair out of her face and took a breath. A good, refreshing breath that soothed Katara’s worries.

With a few more pecks and a little wave, she headed back into the party, knowing Zuko would be in soon after. Hopefully, feeling a little better and ready to survive the rest of the night. At least until he could return to her always open arms.

(this was so much fun! totally not used to writing them at all, so let me know how I did! thanks again for requesting!!)

[xiyao-feels]

new tu and xiyao fan from earlier. i searched ao3 as per your suggestion and there's only 500 or so fics for them. :( however, i do have a legit question - what are the differences between mdzs and tu (i've never read the latter). and if you want expand on nieyao (or xiyao) please feel free! i love reading meta! one of the few reasons i miss old school fandom spaces lol. thank you!! :D

Hmmm, I see about eight hundred if I limit to English? But I take your point! But that was just as a way to start; once you do find an author you like, you can look at their bookmarks, for example. (Also I'm not sure if you're familiar with the AO3, but if not, sorting by kudos when doing a general search is a way to get stuff that at least lots of people thought was good. I'm not saying it's perfect, but when you're starting in a fandom it can be better than the default by-date-updated.)

Also I'll take the opportunity to plug my absolute favourite xiyao author, roquen. I didn't mention them last time because they haven't I believe written a post-canon fixit, and you should know that they're mostly sticking to MDZS instead of CQL canon, although with some sprinkling of CQL elements and characterization. Some particular favourites of mine include their AtLA AU and their Sunshot/on the run fics (both series with a couple of short fics), their what you might call a mid-temple hopeful fix-it (divergence where LWJ strikes to kill and LXC takes the blow), the baby LXC fic ("Lan Xichen reverts to being a fifteen-year-old junior, and immediately gets an epic crush on Lianfang-zun"; disclaimer that I was fairly involved with the creation of this one but it's GREAT) and, of course, above all, their gigantic canon fix-it verse, it's worth it every time. It's SO GOOD and the characterization is fantastic and the prose is excellent and UGH. It's so good!!!!! Disclaimer that the second fic in the series, which is the main work, is still WIP, but roquen updates regularly and there are only a couple of chapters left; if you're still wary of WIPs, I'd at least recommend the first fic, which stands alone and is brilliant in its own right.

As to the differences between MDZS and CQL…ho boy. There are quite a few, both major and minor, and I'm by no means familar with all of them—especially the ones that don't involve 3zun, lol. I tried to google around but unfortunately the ones I found tended to be either short or, if more in-depth, contain inaccuracies about JGY/LXC—I think people tend to be more interested in the Wangxian, and then this stuff goes by the wayside. The wiki can be a good source for differences for specific incidents, and although I think it's not always accurate it /does/ usually cite chapter or episode, which can be pretty helpful. 

This, by hualiann, looks like a good overview, though I'd add that JYL, WQ and WN didn't study at Cloud Recesses in the novel and that more generally MDZS has a lot of actual undead.

In general my advice is to take things people say about the novel with a large grain of salt, myself included. And about CQL, too! I have no idea if this is you but when I joined the fandom, if people asserted stuff about CQL I tended to just kind of take it as fact—oh, I thought, I must have misremembered! My memory is pretty terrible, and honestly there was absolutely stuff I did misremember. But also sometimes other people misremember, or fanon gets taken as canon, and then there's stuff like—I mean, I'm certainly not going to blame people for not realizing that "JGY conspired with XY at the Unclean Realm" is a lot more uncertain than you might guess at first, especially if they're more Wangxian focused which most people in the fandom are, but I'm still not going to present it as straight-up fact. (veliseraptor has a recent post examining this here which I would very much recommend).

Honestly I think I'd recommend reading the MDZS NMJ Empathy flashback—chapters 48, 49, and the beginning of 50. That gets you a lot of the JGY, LXC and NMJ backstory, and then you can compare for yourself! I'm also going to recommend Mercy's thread, here, listing common fanons about MDZS (I will add to the list, since it's a bugbear of mine, the idea that LXC recognized NMJ's fierce corpse by his abs).

Okay with all that out of the way, and in no particular order, Sun's extremely idiosyncratic and particularly- aka mostly JGY-focused differences list:

-In MDZS, LXC doesn't become Sect Leader until the burning of Cloud Recesses by the Wen, when his father is injured and then succumbs to his wounds. In CQL, he's Sect Leader from the beginning of the show, his father having apparently died not too long before the show started.

-In MDZS, MY wasn't working for the Nie at all before the beginning of Sunshot; he joined the Nie forces just after Sunshot began. NMJ didn't instantly promote him to be his deputy when he's telling at the Nie men for bad-mouthing him; it takes a few more encounters and/or battles with the Wen (after which MY clears the battlefield and helps the commoners).

-In MDZS, xiyao's first meeting happens when LXC is on the run with the Lan books after the burning of Cloud Recesses. We don't see it happen on the page, and we don't know any details of that time beyond, like, MY helped LXC.

-NMJ willingly sends MY away from the Nie, with a letter of recommendation for JGS, after, uh, an extended overhearing of a conversation between MY and LXC wherein MY's desire to be recognized by his father and gain a proper place in the Jin, the opportunity offered for that by JGS recruiting talent at Langya, and the possible difficulty of obtaining permission from NMJ are all established. 

-NMJ sees MY stabbing a /Jin/ captain, at Langya, after he goes looking for MY. Rather than taking a blow for NMJ, MY stabs himself, faking suicide, then immobilizes NMJ (who's trying to save his life) and flees. This is because NMJ wants MY to go turn himself in for killing the captain; MY thinks they'll kill him, while NMJ says that if the captain has actually been mistreating MY as MY said, MY won't be killed. Personally I think that all the evidence suggests that MY is right, and NMJ is blind to the effects of his position to the extent it's a not insignificant moral failure.

-Okay, so, you know how in CQL MY stabs WRH while he's distracted with WWX, outside on the steps with the Sunshot alliance right outside? In /MDZS/, they're in the Sun Palace, WWX isn't anywhere near the place, he does it to save NMJ's life, and then he starts lugging NMJ's unconscious body out of the palace. And then NMJ comes to consciousness amd demands his sabre and tries to kill him. He likely only survives because of NMJ's wounds, and if LXC hadn't shown up (responding to a message MY sent for aid for NMJ) NMJ might easily have killed him. If you want a more in-depth analysis, I take a close look here in my response to someone's, er, imaginative interpretation of NMJ and JGY's relationship in MDZS.

-In CQL, NMJ's qi deviation happens at the stairs incident. In MDZS, it happens later, when he overhears JGY being upset to LXC about how NMJ treated him at the stairs, and, overcome with rage that JGY would dare (arguably in combination with being polite and pleasant to NMJ's face, although the last time he was confrontational to NMJ's face NMJ kicked him down the stairs and tried to kill him so), he kicks open the door and tries to kill him. He also kills several people as he's qi deviating (seeing them as JGY—while in CQL he also sees several JGYs they seem to be just illusions), and injures NHS.

-In MDZS, NMJ sets fire to all of NHS' nice things. I don't think we're told either way in CQL, although it's worth noting that in MDZS this happens after the stairs (and before JGY starts playing for him again). (I think they do something in FJ?? But I don't take FJ as canon for CQL; see confusion-and-more's post here).

-In CQL, JGY suggests to NMJ that he's always played the corrupted Clarity for him (though granted this is in Empathy, so it's hard to say for sure if this is what he actually said, but in any case it's the only version we're given). In MDZS, it's strongly indicated that JGY only started playing Turmoil for NMJ /after/ the stairs—there's a variety of evidence, but I think the most objective is that WWX, who in MDZS Empathy can literally feel NMJ's anger, actually observes it working beforehand:

Since [JGY started playing for NMJ], Jin GuangYao would travel from Lanling to Qinghe every few days, playing Sound of Lucidity to help quell Nie MingJue rage. He tried his hardest, without speaking even a single word of complaint. Sound of Lucidity was indeed effective. Wei WuXian could clearly feel that the hostile energy within Nie MingJue was being suppressed.

(Exiled Rebels translation, ch. 49)

And then the next scene is the stairs incident, so.

-In general, the degree to which JGY's position is completely awful is played down in CQL. confusion-and-more talks about it a bit here; I'd also note that some of JGY's dialogue defending himself is removed ( “Some trivial achievements?” He spoke in a shaking voice, “…What do you mean, some trivial achievements? ChiFeng-Zun, do you know how much work I put into such trivial achievements? How much I suffered? Glory? Without the handful of glory I have nothing!”, for example), we don't hear about his mother at the guqin scene, the temple flashback where his mother is dragged naked outside by a client and he's kicked down the brothel stairs is eliminated, etc etc.

-There is absolutely no second flutist in MDZS; also JGY tells us in the temple that QS was already pregnant before he found out about the incest. I think even in CQL it's questionable whether he actually intended to kill Zixuan (see this whole conversation), and significant unveiling or no CQL never actually says QS wasn't pregnant before their marriage so I tend to go with that too, but certainly it's easy to walk away with the impression that he definitely did both deliberately, especially if you aren't familiar with the novel.

-(In general, I think CQL JGY is a lot more sympathetic than most people think once you look closely, but he's also very much set up to look upon a more casual watching as Villain, so.)

-In CQL it's All A-Yao All The Time but in MDZS we see LXC calling him san-di after the sworn brotherhood, and then it's back to A-Yao in the present day (see my last addition on this chain here).

-In MDZS, JGY doesn't shove JL out of the way of the incoming attack.

-The LXC lifting JGY out of his bow thing is from CQL

-The watchtowers! Oh /man/ the watchtowers. God the watchtowers are so much. Uh, confusion-and-more has a post about how much they're mentioned in MDZS vs CQL here, and see my last addition to this thread for an argument that the watchtowers were indeed a force for good. God. Twelve hundred watchtowers. He must have saved so many lives...

-confusion-and-more's watchtower post also reminds me that CQL has the Guanyin temple giving out medicine, while MDZS does not

-The episode 23 scene where Sect Leaders Jin, Nie, and Lan agree to spare some of the Wen doesn't exist in MDZS (though I'll take the opportunity to observe that I disagree with popular interpretations of that scene, see point three here).

-In MDZS NMJ's fierce corpse is literally trying to kill JGY, there's no saber spirit. And like, it's been trying to kill JGY for a long damn time, that's why JGY dismembered him.

-The XY plotline—in MDZS, JGY recommends a young XY (who at thay point has a reputation but is not known to have committed any massacres) as a Jin cultivator, as part of an effort by JGS to recreate the Yin Tiger Seal. JGS has multiple people trying, but most of them aren't getting anywhere and XY is getting furthest. It's during this time that XY kills the Chang clan, and is discovered as guilty by XXC, who brings up the evidence at a conference happening in Lanling; the Jin are stalling, MMJ gets angry and shows up, he almost kills XY on the spot and gives JGS a lecture such that he's forced to relent and sentence XY to death (and incidentally scares JGY, imho quite seriously, while he's at it). Then JGS turns it into life imprisonment once NMJ has left, and then NMJ is extremely angry and attacks JGY at the stairs. (Ch. 30 and 118)

-I mentioned before but I'll add it here too: in CQL JGY asks LXC to stay and die with him, and LXC agrees.

-The CQL ending in general is...hmmm. Despite having most of the elements which complicate MDZS' ending (JL is in a terrible position!), it kind of presents as...happy ending all is fixed now? In MDZS I think it's presented as—more complicated, even though Wangxian do very much get their happy ending.

-Also LWJ is a lot less. uh. Okay, so in CQL he's more Mr Morality, and in MDZS it's much more Wei Ying Right Or Wrong. Also, he doesn't become Chief Cultivator in MDZS! I think that's my least favourite change, because it's like...LWJ hates politics, hates compromise, and never attends the cultivation conferences. At least one of 'this is going to be a major diisaster' and 'LWJ is going to have to go through some significant shifts in his worldview and approach' are going to have to happen, but that's not the vibe CQL gives off at all, and I think it really works against some of the major themes of the text :/

-OH RIGHT I knew I was forgetting something—in MDZS MXY's revenge is focused solely on the Mo; JGY is not part of the curse.

Okay I don't want to go too much on about xiyao or nieyao, because this is already quite long and I don't want you to be waiting forever, but broadly although I certainly think NMJ cares about JGY a great deal it seems to be about his competence and potential; he doesn't really seem to, like, actually like who he is as a person. JGY, meanwhile, is at first very grateful to and then increasingly exasperated by and very much fucking terrified of NMJ, but...well, he doesn't seem to be into him or interested in spending time with him for the sake of it or etc etc.

On the other hand—xiyao. Man, xiyao!!!! They just—they get each other so fast, they're /partners/, they work together so well, they like and they respect each other, they're both like—LXC and MS are on their own tier for JGY, LWJ and JGY are on their own tier for LXC, they're for each other in a way neither is for anyone else, they care a lot about the same things—it's not perfect overlap, obviously, but it's more overlap I think than either has with anyone else, they—invest, they're builders, JGY was planning the watchtowers project from way back and although I have no doubt he was driving it LXC was with him and!!!! ugh!!!!! xiyao are REALLY GREAT, okay.

[thevagueambition]

Atla, Zukka and Sokka :)

ATLA

Favorite character: Zuko, 100%. He’s a character I relate to a lot, eg the whole “hard work vs natural talent” thing... I even have a costume, although I didn’t get a chance to use it when I meant to so I haven’t really done so yet OTL

Least Favorite character: Hmm, god, I don’t know.... Bumi, maybe? As a comedic character he feels a bit too “haha crazy” and he doesn’t really (imo) work well as a dramatic one... 

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon):

Zukka

Hakoda/Bato

Roku/Sozin

Tyzula

Jetko

Character I find most attractive: Zuko. Particularly s3 ofc lol

putting the rest under a cut for length

Character I would marry: idk. not big on marriage really

Character I would be best friends with: Sokka

a random thought: The true hero of ATLA is Iroh and I feel ashamed of not having mentioned his name yet in this

An unpopular opinion: The age difference between Kataang is 2 years which is the exact same age difference between Zutara and neither are particularly weird regardless of the fact that I don’t care about either ship

My Canon OTP: Don’t have one. Sokka/Suki is cute I guess is the closest I come to having strong feelings on a canon ship

My Non-canon OTP: Zukka

Most Badass Character: Toph but also low key Sokka bc he’s a non-bender

Most Epic Villain: That old blood bending woman who gave us all nightmares

Pairing I am not a fan of: Zutara, but that’as as much about fandom behavior back in the day as anything else

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): Korra, all of LoK 

They gave Toph too little to do in s3 and she SHOULD have had her Zuko outing like all the others >:( Actually Zuko and Toph have a lot in common in certain ways and that was never fully explored

Also obviously SOOOO many characters in this series who were written as straight when they shouldn’t be lol. We get it, it was a kid’s cartoon in the 00s, but they didn’t have to agressively pair off everyone in neat m/f couples by the end of the series

Favourite Friendship: Aang & Zuko

Character I most identify with: Zuko, as mentioned above. He’s also the same MBTI type as me haha (INFP). Also, Sokka mix of being simoultaneously really clever and extremely stupid is a gigantic mood.

Character I wish I could be: Idk... Iroh, in some ways, certainly. Honestly, by the end of the series all the main kids are pretty admirable people. Who wouldn’t want Aang’s kindness, Katara’s righteousness, Zuko’s determination, Sokka’s cleverness, Toph’s independence, Suki’s leadership, etc? Hell, Mai’s bravery and Ty Lee’s loyalty? I love all the main kids.

Zukka

When I started shipping them: Only a year or two ago, actually! I think last time I rewatched The Boiling Rock I was like 👀

Originally when I was an ATLA fan I was still in the “we must adheer to canon” phase of my existence in fandom and then for a good while I was still affected by my... hesitance to look like a, idk, stereotypical slash fan, in the sense that back in the day people were REALLY hostile to slash ships that seemed, idk, contrived. Zukka also just wasn’t a big ship back in the day I don’t think, Jetko has always been more popular. 

My thoughts: The cammaraderie that developes between them over their stay at The Boiling Rock is incredibly compelling to me and I think that... the ways in which Sokka holds Zuko accountable through “jokes” but still allows him the space to prove himself is really interesting and probably... something that is actually better for Zuko than either Katara’s rage or Aang’s kindness? Idk. 

Also they both have pretty complicated relationships to masculinity and what it means to be a man in their respective cultures and their sort of struggles with that and how those struggles look different due to circumstances like their parental situations and different cultural expectations... Zuko’s is less directly about masculinity per se because the Fire Nation has less strict gender roles, or at least ones that don’t code certain activities as purely masculine endeavours (eg warfare) but certainly there are shades of Ozai’s treatment of Zuko and Azula that are gendered as well as about birth order and it’s interesting how Zuko and Sokka both impose restrictions on themselves about how they should behave and what they should live up to culturally.

What makes me happy about them: I think they complement each other really well. They have a lot in common but are pretty different about their approach to things... I also just really like battle couples lol 

What makes me sad about them: Their respective trauma is part of what makes them compelling but it’s certainly also sad, so in that sense...

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: So much of it is modern AU and i don’t care for it lol. Completely ignoring any sense that the Avatar world must have some elements of homophobia bothers me to exist in the ways it does, but as does completely overplaying it, idk. It’s a balance not everyone strikes well. Also obviously when people demonise Suki or Mai to account for them not being in the picture that’s bad.

Things I look for in fanfic: Honestly, more than anything? Good characterisation. This is a ship that lives and dies by good characterisation. I also really like when they’re set during the time at the Western Air Temple.  

My wishlist:

Swordfighting duels!! Practicing swordfighting together!! Bonding over swords like the dumb teenage boys they are!! Yes I know about the innuendo that only makes it better!! 

Hakoda not just being cool with it but realising about Zuko’s abuse and being like Actually I Am Your Dad Now

I always want fic where the gaang find out about how Zuko got his scar and that with Zukka is even more *chef’s kiss*

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Hmm ending up with, huh? I like Jetko for the drama but not necessarily as endgame. Sukka is pretty cute so I’m down for that but Maiko is.... look, it made sense for the time that Zuko was back in the Fire Nation because but I 100% don’t think it’s something either of them benefits from afterwards. They’re better off as friends imo also Zuko’s gay

My happily ever after for them: I want them to travel the world together tbh? I never quite know how to account for Zuko becoming Fire Lord in my thoughts about him post-canon because... well obviously I hate monarchy and I don’t actually think Zuko would be particularly comfortable being the leader of a nation, so... I don’t know. Maybe after some years, maybe a decade, of guiding the nation back towards stability Zuko starts reforming the country towards something more democratic and becomes less personally involved in the affairs of running the country? I don’t see them as people who would or really could be tied down by each other because they each have responsibilities to their respective communities and I don’t necessarily find “and then they lived in the Fire Nation palace together for the rest of their lives” compelling... 

Sokka

How I feel about this character: I love him so much. His character developement is so compelling and as one of the very few prominent non-bending characters he is also compelling in the ways that situate him within the world and forces him to look for other things to contribute with. Again, the ways in which he is undeniably very clever but simoultaneously kind of dumb is also just... Very Good and Relatable lol. He was someone I overlooked a bit for a while but I think Sokka’s Master really awakened me to how great he is and on rewatches he became one of my faves. Also, you just gotta love any character that uses sarcasm as a shield lol. 

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Zuko, primarily, as discussed above. I’m fine with both Yue and Suki as canon ships but I’m not really invested in it. When I was younger I liked Sokka/Toph somewhat but actually Toph is a lesbian so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You could always do Suki/Toph, kill two birds with one stone you know

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: Gotta love a good father-son relationship <3

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don’t know what the popular opinions about him are tbh. I’ll use this to say I think ADHD!Sokka makes sense though

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Hmm, idk... the episodes he had that were focused on him were very good and did a good job of exploring his inner life in the face of how often he’s a comedic character, so it would have to be more in terms of his relationships with other characters. More interactions with Zuko would have been good ofc ! :3c

Favorite friendship for this character: Hm, probably Aang. Protective Older Brother Mode for a character that isn’t even technically his sibling is Very Good.

My crossover ship: I don’t really have crossover ships

[youcantkillamutant]

A Map Made in Heaven (Epilogue)

Prologue…Chapter 1…Chapter 2…Chapter 3…Chapter 4…Chapter 5...Chapter 6

Author: youcantkillamutant

Fandom: Marvel (Black Panther)

Pairing: Erik Stevens/Killmonger x Black!OC

Summary: Erik ‘Killmonger’ Stevens is the biggest bootlegger in South Carolina, but he wants to be more than the middle man. After he receives a letter from an ‘old friend’ of his father, he embarks on a quest to find his homeland. Enter Audrey Cade, the finest mapmaker in the County.

Warnings: None!  😊😊😊Okay maybe a lil angst but other than that....

Words: 1K+

A/N: So...This happened! This is the last bit of my 1920’s AU! Thank you to everyone for reading liking and reblogging and recommending (!?!??!) this story. I love that y’all read and review. That stuff always makes my day! 😘😘😘

I only own my original characters of course. As usual Marvel don’t sue me I’m broke.

Listening to: Bitter End by the Dixie Chicks, Shine by Leon Bridges, and Redemption Song by Bob Marley

EPILOGUE

July 10, 1922: Charleston, SC

Two years, four days, and…5 hours, since Audrey Cade left Erik in Wakanda. She never heard from him again, and after that first year she stopped waiting. Well as much as she could. That first year was…a bit of a frenzy. She convinced the US government to commission her to remap that Francis Marion National Forest in Awendaw, and she spent half a year searching for that tree.

Audrey mapped over 200,000 acres of vast expansive green searching for a baobab that shouldn’t have been there. It took her six long months to find it within the maze of slender trunked trees, and when she did Audrey lost her breath. Where there was once a strong wide tree, stood only a stump. It was withered and wilted, rotting from the inside and curled in on itself.

Audrey had held out hope for a while that Erik didn’t do it, that he didn’t destroy Wakanda. But she hadn’t heard from him, or Shuri, or even Ti for that matter and seeing the entrance to Wakanda shriveled and dying… She cried for hours that day, gut wrenching sobs pulled from her aching heart. Audrey felt as though an entire part of her had been scooped out and left bare and raw.

To be fair, Junie let Audrey wallow for a while. Too long if you asked Junie, but she could hardly get Audrey to talk about it. In all honesty Junie had never been one for feelings, her husband took over when the kids were crying but this is Audrey. Her little sister, her partner in crime, the smartest person she’d ever met.

Junie will never forget what Audrey said at Oakies, that first night back.

“I found it Junie. I found home.”

Audrey did her best to tell Junie all she could stomach.

“Erik is—was a prince. Lost royalty.”

Junie lost it of course, couldn’t understand why Audrey left Erik in the first place. Audrey tried to explain, she really did, but it seemed that the difficulty of the situation was between her and Erik.

“They hurt him and I couldn’t—he wouldn’t listen Junie. I’m afraid I’ve—”

All Junie could do in the end was hold her friend. She took her home and fed her sweets, and when that didn’t work she forced her back on a schedule. The shop reopened two months after Audrey returned, and she would go running with Junie every morning before the shop doors creaked open to the public.

Mrs. Floyd from the County Clerk’s office was the first to click her heels through the door, on the third day she opened. A few of her grandchildren tumbling in alongside her. Audrey softened at the babbling children, setting them up with paper and crayons at a smaller desk she reserved for these occasions.

“You let Mr. Stevens know I am keeping his place nice and clean sweetheart. And when you get a chance, come on down to the library and read to the kids, they’ve been missing you while you were away.” Audrey jolted at the mention of Erik. Junie hadn’t said his name since she had spilled everything, and to hear about him when he wasn’t there…hurt.

“Oh—okay Mrs. Floyd.” A deep inhale. “Is there anything I can get for you now?” Mrs. Floyd went on to describe the commission she needed and Audrey did her best to focus. That’s how it’s been since she reopened.  

Audrey used some of the money she had gotten from Shuri to make some upgrades to the shop as well. She’d found the best mechanic around to rig her a lightbox like the one in Wakanda, and a carpenter to get her the smoothest table money could buy. It still didn’t compare to vibranium, but her commissions shot through the roof after.

She had three sketchbooks full of Wakanda and Jabariland. The ornate palace halls, shining solar paneled automobiles, and the vast fields of Wakanda colored the pages. When she flicked through them now…It all seemed like a dream. She still reads the letter she got from Ti all those years ago. Ran her fingers over the splotchy ink of the map and uneven pulp of the paper.

Some days, bad days, she thought about what life would have been like if she had stayed. We he have burned her with all of Wakanda. Would he have reconsidered? Would she have ever returned home if he did? Erik was so set on his ambitions, Audrey was never truly sure if he had enough time for her. Sometimes she wasn’t sure she would have time for him. After she found Wakanda, her thoughts opened up to finding other lost lands. Discovering worlds people hadn’t seen in centuries somehow seemed possible after finding Wakanda.

The door to Cade’s Atlas swung open interrupting her musings, and all Audrey heard were the pitter patter of little feet.

“Bincinke!”

“Ti?” Audrey could barely speak. Before her was a girl, skinny and sprouting and covered in furs from the mountains, hopping from foot to foot.

“You remember! I knew you would! Baba wasn’t sure but I knew it!” Audrey’s heart was full to bursting when Ti released a triumphant smile. Babbling on and on.

“Uncle said I could run ahead if I bring you this!” She waved a wooden box around, nearly dropping it before she set it down and leapt into Audrey’s arms.

“I missed you bincinke.” Audrey squeezed Ti tight. Please don’t let this be a dream.

“I missed you too princess.” Another squeeze and Ti jumped out of her arms, shoving the box into Audrey’s shaking hands.

Ti gestured for Audrey to open it, so she did. It took her a moment to find the silk pull tab on the sleek box and the tab pulled the lid off slowly. The inside of the box was laced with soft, shining fabric. Silver, like vibranium. Inside was a beer bottle. Long necked and clear, filled with glittering blue liquid, the label read: Wakandan Brews, Est. 1921. There were a few Wakandan words at the bottom, Audrey only catching the words ‘home’ and ‘family’ before it fell from her hands back into the box.

She was so busy staring at the bold lettering that she barely heard the door clink open. Soft boots squeaked on the wooden floorboards, and long denim pants covered the man up to his waist. A soft cotton shirt hugged his shoulders and Audrey stopped breathing when she got to his handsome, brown face.

“Hey babydoll.”

“E—Erik?” Audrey’s breath left her in a rush. Wakanda lives.

—o—

Translations

Bincinke: Explorer (Hausa)

A/N: So here we are! The finale! This is the scene I imagined at the end, no crazy touching reunion, just Audrey seeing that Erik is alive. That’s all I wanted, I nice soft ending 😊

I know I say this in every chapter, but I want to thank everyone for reading this little AU. This is my first fic ever, and going into it I wasn’t confident that anyone would even read it let alone like it. I am forever grateful that I started writing fic for this wonderful fandom. I know that there are sometimes petty squabbles and shit, but everyone of y’all is amazing and I’m so happy to write amongst my amazing peers 😘😘😘

Taglist: @muse-of-mbaku​ @k-michaelis​ @princessstevens​ @nemesispawn​ @queenamaniii​ @dreadedphilosphy​ @killmongurl​ @thelovelyliterary​ @elaindeereads​ @thedom223​ @bidibidibombaclaat @thatrandomfangirl98​ @panthergoddessbast​

[shadowsong26fic]

Coming Attractions

Yes, I know it’s technically not the first Monday of the month, but the first Monday is the seventh and that just feels weirdly late to do this, haha.

So, a few more general announcements, if you don’t want to go through my rambly notes beneath the cut!

First, as always, my writing discord is open--it’s a pretty quiet place, and more or less designed to be a slightly-more-interactive extension of this blog.

Second, I’ll be around for another Open Question Night tonight because why not! Anything I’ve posted about here or on AO3 is open for questioning--fic projects, original fiction, general writing, whatever’s on your mind!

Third, I’ve been promising a Precipice announcement for a while, and here it is!

The current plan is to post one Preludes segment (i.e., seven short stories that will take place during the timeskip between Precipice and Protectors) every month for the remainder of the year. So, the first one, featuring Kallus, Lavinia, and Mara Jade and set just before Kallus gets reassigned to the Lothal system, will be out sometime this month!

As for the main body of Protectors, my plan is to get at least the first chapter out this month as well, ideally before or around the same time as the first Preludes story, and then post between one and three chapters a month. I haven’t yet finalized an official posting date or schedule, but I will make an Official Announcement post in the next couple of weeks.

Okay! That all out of the way, keep on reading behind the cut if you’re interested in a more detailed ramble/updates on other projects!

SWBB

I was right down to the wire but I did manage to finish posting by the deadline, go me! Even if the update schedule Did Not Happen. Part of that was because the first chapter that was due to go up was Bo-Katan III, aka her duel with Viszla, which I think I rewrote a bunch of times, even through the weeks when I was delaying posting it. It was. Difficult.

It’s not quite what I wanted to be--I think the last section feels a little bit rushed, and there was more detail about the different backstories/etc. For example, what went down with Shmi. I wanted to get out, but I think it turned out pretty good in the end. I might return to this AU at some point to flesh some of those bits out.

One thing that surprised me, though, was that it ended up being mostly about Padme and Bo-Katan, and how they relate to one another? I was expecting Anakin to be a bit more of a focus, in part because he has the most interesting and complicated relationship to being a dragon, and in part because by the time I figured out what the Actual Story was going to be, I knew it was going to end with the confrontation with Palpatine. Instead, Anakin was basically there to push the plot forward and uncover the necessary information, and the real meat of the story was Bo and Padme learning about each other and coming to an understanding/becoming friends; and Bo in particular softening a little bit. Which was kind of cool, if not what I expected.

(Also, the last Padme POV chapter before the Coda was subtitled ‘But Brutus Is An Honorable Man’ XD Which may or may not mean much to anyone, but I amuse myself.)

Anyway, I’ve already started thinking through what I might want to do for next year--hopefully, if I start early enough, I won’t end up in quite as much Crunch Time and will actually be able to keep to some kind of update schedule once I start. One option is to use our faces like a mirror; there are a couple miscellaneous AU prompts I have floating around in my head, such as a Bail time-travel AU, a couple of crossovers, one where ROTS happens with Anakin presumed dead (though I haven’t quite ironed out where that one would go, and it’s kind of similar to my project from last year...) We’ll see. I’ve got some time to sort through it, but that’s in the back of my head already lol.

AtLA Fics:

Later this summer (though I don’t have a specific date yet), I’ll start posting the still-untitled Avatar Zuko AU fic. I’m still working on how I want to structure it, and exactly how much of the first two years of the altered timeline I want to show directly (the first year is basically him and my OC Kirana hanging out at the Western Air Temple while he tries to figure out how the hell airbending works from. Like. Mosaics and stuff. And on the one hand, that’s important world- and character-building stuff, and while he starts that year sort of intending to come back with the comet and Prove Himself to his father/etc., he’s definitely less sure of that after spending a year in the temple. And then the second year, the two of them go up to the North Pole and he starts on waterbending, which also involves a lot of OCs since he doesn’t learn directly from Pakku. But, on the other hand, more worldbuilding/character stuff, so...who knows. ...the third year, they’re hanging out with Toph).

I’m also sort of...poking in my brain how to handle the endgame in terms of the Fire Nation throne. Zuko can’t be both Avatar and Fire Lord, obviously; Iroh might work, but there are some other issues with that; Azula taking it immediately post-war has its own set of problems, depending on exactly where she ends up going over the course of the story. So, I need to turn elsewhere.

I’ve got a couple options I’m thinking through? The first few involve resurrecting/rebuilding some old OCs of mine--one of Azulon’s bastards or if Ozai had a bastard child; the third one involves completely ignoring The Search, and giving Zuko and Azula a full sister (Ursa was pregnant when she left but not yet aware. ...funnily enough, this OC was named Izumi XD).

The other option would be for Iroh to step in as regent for Zuko or Azula’s future children, or Azula herself, or some kind of weird setup like that. Most other alternate heirs I have floating around in the back of my head involve much more significant changes to the timeline, and/or are the subject of another unrelated fic.

...anyway, the point is, once I figure out some of those questionable bits, that story should debut sometime this summer! I’ll make an official announcement when I have more details.

(The other main fic I have planned is...may more back-burnered, lol. Lu Ten and an Earth Kingdom Princess who snuck out of the palace; canon-compliant; fun times with Long Feng and figuring out what kind of man he is; Iroh has an unknown granddaughter; etc. I do plan to write it at some point, but who knows when that’ll actually happen XD)

Other Fanfic Projects:

I do have a BSG/SG-1 crossover outline in the works. I’ve written...all of the BSG backstory and the first chunk of the first connection between the two worlds/cultures. But I have a lot more to go before I can post it. I might actually end up doing it in two or three chunks, since there’s a couple natural arcs (the initial connection and dealing with the ~2k people left behind on New Caprica when the Fleet and the Cylons leave; reconnecting on the algae planet and figuring out how the Fleet and Earth and the Haven settlement are going to relate to one another; and then sneaking onto a Resurrection ship because the Cylons have encountered at least one goa’uld and it. Did Not Go Well. side note i really should figure out if i’m supposed to capitalize that or not XD

Anyway, goals is to post at least the first chunk of that this month, and maybe more.

I don’t have anything else specific planned at the moment, but I might drift into more BSG content, because that’s one of my forever fandoms (a couple possible crossovers with SW are in fact among my potential plots for next year’s SWBB...but we’ll see how it goes.)

Original Projects:

I didn’t get anything done last month/in May, but I’m hoping to write at least one short story this month. Maybe return to my Regency/Bridgerton AU, because that was a lot of fun. But we’ll see.

I also want/plan to do some work on non-RF stuff. Even if it’s just plunging into the bonkersness that is Arthuriana so I can start actively working on the Lady Mordred story that wants to be written?

Also a couple of old stories I’d like to return to, and a culture I’ve done most of the worldbuilding for that has yet to find a storyline to exist in it. Anyway, I’m hoping/planning to get at least a little bit of non-fanfic writing done this month. And/or research/pre-writing/etc.

...I think that about covers it, for the next month! We’ll see how much I actually accomplish. But I’m looking forward to trying!

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

A collection of fics I’ve read (/reread) and thoroughly enjoyed in the past week-ish from all kinds of fandoms and genres.

ATLA

Fire Lily Oil by mindbending                

There’s an assassin in Sparky’s bedroom. It’s the only explanation for the extra heartbeat. The sounds of exertion. The ominous thumping of furniture. Fueled by both duty and friendship, Toph crashes in, ready for battle-

Only to get smacked by a faceful of Sokka’s new perfume.

Ambassador Sokka and His Very Bad (Turned Very Good) Idea by gaydaractivate04

Part 1 of The Adventures of Ambassador Sokka    

The war is officially over. With Fire Lord Ozai and his daughter dead, Fire Lord Zuko now takes the throne.

He takes the throne, and sets to fixing the destruction left over from the war, starting with his own people and ending with everyone else's.

That was how Sokka found himself, the next chief of the Southern Water Tribe, negotiating new treaties in the heart of the Fire Nation with the new Fire Lord.

Who, if he must say, is really good looking for a guy who spent the last few years in the cells beneath the palace.

BNHA

For The Greater Good by Cornflower_Blue       

Of course, from the moment he knew One For All was passable, Izuku had carried a quiet hope that All Might would pick him. But until that moment in the sunset, it had always been more like a far off fantasy, a bedtime story he would tell himself at night. How could he hold a candle to someone like Kacchan, who had the perfect heroic quirk that would only add to One For All.

But All Might had seen something in him, and Izuku had promised himself he would never let his hero regret giving him that chance at his dream.

He did kinda wish he had agreed to let All Might’s team install the panic button in his phone back when his name had been leaked though.

Harry Potter

the end of being alone by rexcorvidae                

When Harriet Potter asks Hagrid questions about her parents that he doesn't know the answers to, he directs her to one of their old friends, and in doing so changes the course of history.

The Happy Smiles Recipe by MayMarlow                

After Sirius's death Dumbledore is ready to send Harry once again back to the Dursleys. Molly Weasley is not about to let that happen.

Untamed

Five Dogs, One Cat by ryfkah (+ podfic)     

If you’ve ever believed me in anything, believe I want what’s best for Jin Ling, the first line of the letter reads.

Jiang Cheng has to stop and take a moment before he continues on to the next line:

 You must come to Carp Tower as soon as you can and lavish praise on the ugliest dog I’ve ever seen.

  scatter and sunder by silversshadow               

When Wei Wuxian dies at the Burial Mounds the backlash tears his soul apart.

The cultivation world is left to watch the pieces.

TMA

nor any more youth or age than there is now by Ravenesta    

The local Primary school has a new teacher. He is, to say the very least, odd.

A series of statements regarding the interactions of the townsfolk with one Jonathan Sims, never formally given.

"Have You Tried Turning It Off And On Again?" - How the Magnus Institute learned to embrace the IT ticketing system, upgraded their antivirus, and still found the time to teach one old man how to copy and paste by shinyopals

Part 2 of The Magnus Institute vs the 21st Century: a series of emails and IMs

I hope you find your new role as Head of the Institute as rewarding as captaining the Tundra, wrote Elias Bouchard, to Peter Lukas. There are so many people working there: all with their own interesting lives, and all desiring your attention and support. I'm sure you will relish the challenge it will bring and enjoy every moment spent with the fine men and women of the Institute. In time I'm confident they'll become like a family to you.

The Magnus Institute has a new boss. The Magnus Institute also has a new tech support technician. These two facts are unrelated, except they both happen at the same time.

Meanwhile Jon's woken up from being dead for six months and for once he's trying his best. He just wishes Martin would stop avoiding him and answer his messages...

TMA/TUA

just stopped believing in happy endings by  chahakyn              

“I know that. I’m just…” Sissy frowns, biting her lower lip. “I just wonder whether staying here would hurt less than going out there.”

Vanya covers Sissy’s hand with her own, turning to kiss the inside of her palm.

“It’ll hurt equally either way. Does it matter to you, as long as we’re together?”

-

The Archivist Vanya Hargreeves goes on a journey to hunt down her Avatar siblings in their respective Fear Domains post-Watcher's Crown.

(A Magnus Archives AU)

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

A collection of fics I’ve read (/reread) and thoroughly enjoyed in the past week-ish from all kinds of fandoms and genres.

The Witcher

I Have Heart-Fire and Singing to Give by inexplicifics (+ podfic)

Jaskier is invited to come and sing at Oxenfurt - an honor he has never dreamed he would be granted so young. But leaving Kaer Morhen has its perils...and there are those who would very much like to get their hands on the Consort of the Warlord of the North.

ATLA

This Barefoot Estate by JustGettingBy

The palace staff can't say they're exactly pleased with the attitudes of the royal family, to say the least. Now, after a few wild fights, the old banished Prince is sitting on the throne and leading their nation. What are they supposed to make of it all?

OR

The five times the palace staff weren't sure what to think about the new Fire Lord + the one time they were.

Untamed

✩ my age has never made me wise by idrilka

“We hear that His Excellency might be married by summer’s end,” the merchant’s wife says and Wei Wuxian freezes, his heart in his throat. “The Gusu Lan sect has been buying enough red silk and brocade that the merchants in Caiyi can’t satisfy the demand.”

He feels himself grow brittle inside, like a flick of a finger to his temple might make him shatter. His ears are ringing.

“Who’s the lucky bride?” he asks despite himself. His tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth.

Or: The story of a marriage.

蓝色生死恋; a blue love (to live and to die for) by yiqie

Wei Wuxian separates his life, without noticing, into three chapters. Some days, they’re hard to look at, hard to read, harder to know he wrote all of them himself. Some of the words are in blood.

hunters seeking solid ground by Attila (+ podfic)

“Hanguang-jun,” Wei Wuxian repeats. His heart clenches. He wants—but he’d really meant to have this nightmare stuff down before they met again, so he wouldn’t find himself relying on Lan Wangji’s nearness. He’s not supposed to go back yet. But he’s so tired, and his will crumbles. “Yeah,” he says. “All right. Take me back to Gusu with you.”

grow by cafecliche

“Okay,” Jingyi says, as Sizhui puzzles this out aloud. “Okay! So the demon has been turning its victims into children.”

“I think so,” Sizhui says.

“To make them easier prey,” Jingyi says.

“Yes,” Sizhui says.

“So—” Jingyi’s voice cracks here, “this kid is Senior Wei.”

Wei Wuxian, still tangled in his own massive robes, blinks politely at them.

(Or: Wei Wuxian is cursed on a night-hunt, and the junior quartet rapidly finds themselves in over their heads.)

let me come home by cafecliche

Lan Wangji always says the same thing when they’re preparing to leave Gusu: “If you want to stop anywhere, tell me.”

“Hm?” Wei Wuxian always says, still surprised by the suggestion. He is, after all, only a marginally more acceptable dinner guest than he used to be. “Where would we stop?”

Yet every time they travel, the number of unexpected detours only increases.

(Or: seven nights on the road.)

✩ Linger in the Sun by etymologyplayground (+ podfic)

"Tell Lan Zhan that I'm weeping uncontrollably," Wei Wuxian says to the juniors. "Tell him I'm truly pitiful and he needs to do everything I say until I'm well again."

Lan Congyi is in the middle of carefully holding his eyelids open to check his pupils, but he still obeys, bless him. "Hanguang-Jun, Senior Wei would like us to tell you that he can't stop crying and he'd like for you to do everything he says until he's better." There's a moment of silence, and then Lan Congyi says to Wei Wuxian, "Hanguang-Jun says he already does everything you tell him."

(Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji find themselves cursed, unable to see or hear each other. They figure things out anyway.)

Wei Wuxian’s Kidnapping Back and Forth Farce (Starring Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji) by misscam

Truly, only Wei Wuxian could manage to get himself into a kidnapping back and forth farce. Jiang Cheng just wants to mend things. Lan Zhan just wants to start things. Neither is willing to let the other have the last say when it comes to Wei Wuxian, and Wei Wuxian... Well. He’d rather like to have both a (to-be) husband and a brother, actually. (Or in which Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji kidnap Wei Wuxian back and forth until Wei Wuxian has had it.)

Five Times Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng Had a Civil Conversation, and One Time They Didn't by tabulaxrasa

Wei Wuxian's life is almost perfect now. There's just that one, angry, purple hole in it. If only there was some way to fix it.

(There is. It's using their words.)

Attempt the Impossible by acernor (+ podfic)

(Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian swap bodies, and have to pretend to be each other. GOOD FUCKING LUCK hahaha)

“Don’t get so close,” Jiang Cheng snaps out as the children crowd into him, then catches himself.

When he drilled Wei Wuxian on acting like him… he forgot to think about how to act like him?!

He can feel his face turning a strange color.

Acting like Wei Wuxian… It’s too shameless! He can’t do it!