#prompts & the other wips languishing in my docs

[ladytauria]

to celebrate hitting 50k i'm sharing a snippet of the longfic i'm currently working on <3 (thank you v much to both @deepwithintheabyss and @paprikadotmp4 for the encouragement & brainstorming help <3)

still untitled (i've been calling it the "aob dubcon fic" lmao) but i have written a summary:

Jason tries to sell off his first heat to make ends meet for the upcoming winter. When he’s taken by traffickers instead, he’s sure that’s the end of him—until he’s rescued by a mysterious alpha. That “rescue” comes with a price: Jason’s heat hits shortly after, and… one thing leads to another, and now Jason and Tim are bound together by a fledgling mate bond. It’s not the first time Jason’s had to make the best of things, but… he finds it a little bit easier this time, especially as he grows to genuinely like Tim. Unfortunately, just as they're starting to settle into mated life, Tim’s ex-pack starts getting involved, and they don’t exactly approve of Tim’s choice in mate—never mind that it wasn’t really a choice at all.

cws/tags for this snippet: reverse robins, aob dynamics, underage jason (15), first aid, medical inaccuracies (probably; i'm not a doctor, so i'm warning to be safe), hurt/comfort, touch starvation, anxiety, allusions to captivity related ptsd, self-deprecation, brief memories of non-consensual touching

editing to add: this snippet takes place in the 2nd half of chapter 2 <3 (& was originally the second scene for the fic lol)

i have also previously shared a snippet of the scene after this, when jason's heat hits, here.

Tim parks outside of an old apartment building. The brick facade is worn, cracked and peeling in places. Most of the windows are intact at least, though; two of them have lights on, the rest dark.

Tim gets out first, already having rounded the car by the time Jason is swinging his legs out. His hand rests on the door, waiting patiently for Jason to join him on the sidewalk. Then he shuts it. One hand rests on Jason’s back again, a gentle guide inside.

There’s a man at the desk near the front entrance, reading a newspaper. He spares them a brief, bored glance before going back to it.

There’s an out of order sign on the elevator, so they have to take the stairs. It’s just two flights, but by the end, Jason’s slightly out of breath. He’d thought he was in pretty good shape, but—

He guesses spending nearly a week in a small, windowless room hasn’t done him any favors.

Tim stops at a door in the middle of the hall, unlocking it and letting Jason go in first. The main room is all one room; living room transitioning to kitchen, separated by an island counter. Tim guides Jason to the couch, directing him to sit while he gets the first aid kit.

The couch is worn but comfortable, cushions sinking under Jason’s weight, cradling him.

Tim disappears down the hall, and returns a few moments later holding the biggest first aid kit Jason has ever seen. Not that he’s really an expert on the things, but— The one at his house was pretty small.

And mostly empty, honestly.

The coffee table looks comically small under it. It makes Jason’s belly flip with nerves, remembering the feeling of latex covered hands on his body, spreading him open.

He bites his lip.

Tim doesn’t open it, though; instead, he slips into the kitchen. He comes back a moment later, holding a bottle of purple Gatorade. Then, he kneels in front of Jason. It’s—odd. Having an alpha kneel in front of him, voluntarily. Even though Jason knows he doesn’t exactly have any power here, the visual dissonance is—

Odd.

He offers up the bottle. It takes a moment for Jason’s hands to move, but he does take it. His fingers fumble with the cap; he flushed, embarrassed despite himself, but gets it open.

As soon as it touches his lips, his thirst hits him full force. He allows himself two large gulps to wet his throat, and then forces himself to slow down, sipping instead.

When he screws the cap back on, he finds Tim still there. Waiting. He twists his hands around the plastic nervously.

“Alright,” Tim says gently. “Other than the bruise on your side, and the rope burns… are you injured?”

Jason shakes his head, twisting the sleeves of the alpha’s jacket. “Nn-nn. Just some bruises,” he says softly. He pauses. “And, um. I did hit my head once. It still hurts, but— I’m not, like, dizzy or nothin’.”

Tim nods. “Alright,” he says. “I’d like to do a head injury evaluation anyway. I’ll just feel over your skull, and then use a penlight to evaluate your pupil dilation. I’ve got cream for the rope burns, and for the bruise—” Tim hesitates a moment, then continues, “I’ll need to check and make sure nothing is cracked, and there’s no internal bruising.” He pauses again. “As long as there’s nothing serious anywhere else… I have some painkillers you can take, when we eat.”

Jason takes a moment to absorb all of that, and then nods, tipping his head forward obediently.

There’s a part of him screaming at himself not to be so compliant. To kick and claw and scratch and bite and fight, the way he has been for the past week. But he’s— He’s so tired, and sore, and—

The alpha smells so good, and— The smiles he keeps giving Jason melt something inside of him. He wants to keep seeing them. Keep earning them.

Tomorrow that might scare him.

Tonight—

His eyes fall closed when Tim’s fingers slide into his curls. The touch is achingly gentle. It feels— It feels good. Nice. Jason can’t help but lean into it. He thinks Tim’s hands linger a little longer than they need to, like he’s indulging Jason’s obvious enjoyment of the touch.

He does pull away eventually. Jason bites back his whine, instead sitting back up against the cushions.

“No bumps,” Tim murmurs. He gets out the penlight next, and cups Jason’s face as he shines a light first in one eye, and then the other. Jason grimaces, hissing a little as he squints. The light aggravates his aching head. “Pupil dilation is normal.” He pockets the light, and strokes Jason’s cheek with his thumb before he pulls away. “Now, I need to check your bruises.”

Jason bites his lip again. The constant worrying is starting to make the top layer of skin break and flake under his teeth. He averts his eyes, rolling the sleeves of the suit jacket up, exposing his hands. Then he pulls his shirt up, bunching it up just beneath his breasts.

His stomach jumps when Tim touches him. Tim pauses, hand hesitating, just barely touching Jason’s skin, and then— He starts to rumble, low and deep.

Jason whines. He doesn’t mean to—but it bursts from him; he can’t stop it, can’t muffle it. It’s a soft, helpless little keen, and the alpha’s rumble gets louder in response. He scoots closer, until he’s between Jason’s knees. His hand settles onto Jason’s skin, curving around his side. His other hand comes to cup Jason’s shoulder, thumb rubbing gentle circles through his clothes.

“It’s alright,” he soothes, the rumble deepening his voice. The sound—

Jason has only vague memories of his father rumbling for him, from when he was much, much smaller. Before working as a henchman had stolen much of his father’s good will. Other than that, Jason has only ever heard alphas rumble on TV. It’s—

It’s a really nice sound.

Against his will, tears fill his eyes, and he raises his hand, pressing his palm over one, like he can force them back inside. Tim’s hand settles against his side, just underneath the bruising. “You’re alright,” the alpha murmurs. “It’s okay to cry, pup.”

Jason sniffs, loud in the quiet. “I—I—”

“Shh, puppy.” Tim’s hand doesn’t leave Jason as he rises, slipping onto the couch beside him. His other hand cups the back of Jason’s head, tugging him forward—Jason’s arms come up automatically, wrapping around Tim’s neck, his shirt falling back over his abdomen. The alpha’s scent drips with comfort and the promise of protection and Jason—

He feels… He feels warm, and safe, and—

A sob rattles through his chest. Tim holds him closer, tighter, his arm winding around Jason’s waist. He buries his nose in Jason’s curls, stroking his skin with his thumb as he rocks him, slowly.

Jason’s chest heaves. His whole body shakes with each sob, so much that Jason is worried he’s going to shake himself apart. Tim’s steady hold feels like all that’s keeping him together.

It’s not just the last few days, it’s— It’s everything, since his Mom got sick and Dad turned to working as henchman and their lives just… fell apart. He’s— Jason’s been on his own for so long. Longer even than he’s been on the streets. Every day has been a fight for survival and Jason—

Honestly, he thought he’d finally lost.

Tim murmurs in his ear. Jason can’t hear a word of what he’s saying, but the tone is low and gentle, and Jason clings to it.

It takes a long time for Jason’s sobs to subside. Jason— He doesn’t know how long exactly. But he does know that when he’s done he feels exhausted. He slumps into Tim’s chest, tremors still running down his spine. His face is sticky. He definitely got snot all over Tim’s nice shirt, and that—

He’s too tired to even worry about Tim’s reaction.

Fingers comb through his hair again, lightly scritching his scalp. He lets out a soft sigh, slumping even more against the alpha’s chest.

Tim hums. He noses at Jason’s temple; a gentle nudge Jason grumbles at. “C’mon, pup,” he murmurs. “I still need to look at your bruises.”

Jason whines—the same plaintive little puppy whine he used to give his mom when he wasn’t ready to get up yet, for one reason or another. It makes Tim huff, amused; the humor reflected in his scent. It’s nice. Really nice.

He noses at Jason’s temple again. “Pup.” His voice is a little more stern. It’s not threatening, though—doesn’t even make Jason’s hackles raise. Tim is still rumbling. Close as they are, it feels like it’s seeping into Jason’s bones. It lessens the ache in him. His skin— His skin has been itchy for years, but. The creepy crawling of it has subsided, for now at least.

He’s comfortable. Jason doesn’t want to move.

He does anyway, sitting back with a scowl on his face. It makes Tim smile—his scowl deepens.

“I’ll be quick,” Tim promises.

Jason huffs a little. He leans back against the couch cushions. Tim’s hand is still under his shirt, sliding back over to the injured side as Jason lifts it. He feels— He feels more settled now. Less nervous, though butterflies still flutter between his ribs.

Jason watched Tim’s fingers probe gently around the bruising. The purple has started to fade to a greenish hue, but it still hurts when he prods it. Jason’s quiet, pained noises are soothed with soft rumbles and fingers rubbing his shoulders.

When he’s done, Tim’s hand lingers, laying casually on his waist. Jason’s skin would normally be prickling, but—

It isn’t.

It hasn’t this whole time, any time the alpha touched him.

“I don’t feel any cracks or breaks. Did— Were there any injuries to your back?” He’s no longer rumbling.

Jason misses it already. There’s a part of him that wants to snuggle up to him, see if he can’t coax that rumble back out.

He ignores it; instead shaking his head. “No. They— The, um, the boss said they were supposed to keep me as uninjured as possible. Any punishment had to be careful not to leave a mark.”

Tim hums. He strokes Jason’s skin with his thumb, and then slips his hand from Jason’s waist. It—

Jason finds that he misses it.

Tim leans forward, finally opening the first aid kit. It’s stocked, full of things Jason has names for and things he doesn’t. Tim takes out two things: the first, a small jar, and the second, a bottle of puppy’s Tylenol. Jason—he doesn’t like it, but he can’t really argue with it. Not at his size and weight and everything. They’re pills, at least, and chewable too,

Jason examines them carefully before he takes them, washing away the chalky flavor with the drink he’d been given before.

Tim unscrews the lid of the jar. The cream inside smells herbal, though not unpleasantly so. Jason holds out his arm, relaxing into the couch as the alpha works the cream into his skin.

It’s easy to let his eyes fall half-lidded. Jason is warm and sleepy. The air is thick with protective alpha scent; it soothes his hind-brain, the part that is purely omega, purely pup and longing for the comfort and safety of pack.

A small voice in the back of his mind is screaming, telling him he needs to keep his guard up.

It’s easy to ignore like this. To focus on nothing but gentle hands on his skin and the ambient noise around him; the hum of electricity and the distant noise of outside traffic.

Jason drifts.

He barely registers when the alpha switches arms, coming back up only to croon confusedly when Tim stops touching him. He blinks up at him, and gets a kind smile in return.

“Hush, pup,” the alpha soothes. “I’m going to get us something to eat.”

Jason blinks slowly at him and hums in acknowledgment. Tim gets a blanket from—somewhere, and lays it over him. It’s soft. Jason likes it. He nuzzles into it, into more of the alpha’s scent, and sighs.

He can hear Tim moving around in the kitchen—the clatter of dishware and pans, the bubbling of boiling liquid, the sound of his soft footsteps. He can smell something savory—chicken, he thinks, and garlic.

He drifts again, stirring only when Tim nudges him gently. A steaming bowl of soup is pressed into his hands.

“It’s hot,” Tim warns, a bit unnecessarily.

Jason still burns his tongue on the first mouthful. He doesn’t care. Having the food in front of him has made him realize how ravenous he is. His bowl is empty far too soon, though he’s too stuffed to go back for seconds.

His empty bowl is taken from him, and then Tim returns again. “C’mon, pup,” he murmurs. “I’ve got a spare toothbrush you can use. A spare den, too. I’ll get you some nesting materials and pajamas while you brush your teeth.”

Jason reluctantly leaves the couch and blanket behind, shuffling down the hall and into the bathroom. Tim procures a toothbrush for him, and then leaves.

It’s a relief to brush his teeth.

His captors had done it for him, so rough his gums had bled and ached. They still bleed under Jason’s gentle ministrations, but at least it doesn’t hurt. By the time he’s rinsing his mouth, Tim has returned, a bundle in his arms. He offers it to Jason.

“Clothes,” he says, a little unnecessarily.

Jason takes them, and Tim leaves again, giving him privacy. Jason goes to shut the door and then—

Hesitates.

He doesn’t want it open. But— He doesn’t…

What if he shuts it, and it won’t open again?

He’s. He’s being silly.

There’s no way this apartment has more than one bathroom. Trapping Jason inside here would be dumb, and he doesn’t think this alpha is dumb.

Jason takes a deep breath. He shuts the door.

Except—

He doesn’t. The latch hits the frame and Jason stops. His heart thunders in his ears. His breaths come sharper, quicker. He can’t. He can’t, he can’t, he can’t.

Tears burn in his eyes.

It’s not fair.

He rests his head against the frame; one hand cradling the bundle of clothes to his chest, the other gripping the doorknob.

God. He’s so fucking pathetic.

He shudders. Takes a deep breath. It shakes on his exhale, a tremor in his chest. It’s fine. He doesn’t have to shut it all the way. He can leave it like this, with the metal latch over the door frame, only the tiniest sliver of hallway visible.

It’s fine.

He’s fine.

Jason strips quickly, clothes falling into a puddle at his feet. He yanks on the pants the alpha provided. They’re a little short at the ankle, and he has to draw the drawstrings all the way out for them to stay up, but. They fit well enough.

The shirt, too, is a little big, hanging off slightly at one shoulder. It doesn’t show his breasts, and hangs down to his mid-thigh, so Jason doesn’t mind.. Both pants and tee are soft on his skin, not scratching like the other set did.

There’s a hamper. Jason drops his old clothes in, though he’d much rather see them in a dumpster somewhere. The jacket—

Jason hadn’t realized how much it had been comforting him until now. Without it, he feels almost naked. Exposed. He wants to put it back on again. He resists the urge, though. Instead, he straightens it as best he can, then folds it in half and lays it on top of the hamper before he exits the bathroom.

Tim isn’t in the living room any more, and Jason stands, nibbling on his lip. Maybe he should go for the door… but. He can’t bring himself to. Instead he stands there, uselessly, until he hears rustling further down the hall.

He approaches tentatively, and finds Tim in the den at the end of the hall.

Tim glances up when he hears Jason approach, and smiles a little. “I was just getting out some nesting materials,” he says, gesturing.

In front of him is a cushioned nest base, held off the ground by a wooden frame. Piled on top of it is—

Jason had been expecting maybe a couple of blankets and some pillows, but—

The blankets are piled tall; the one on top Jason recognizes as the blanket he’d been using on the couch. There are plenty of pillows, too—and padding, for added layers, and cushions, and, it’s… It’s a lot.

Jason’s throat feels a little tight. “Thanks,” he says, voice small.

“Of course, pup,” Tim says gently. He’s pulled his scent in tight now, but when he draws nearer, Jason catches a whiff of safehere and everythingsokay drifting off of him. His hand moves slow enough it would be easy for Jason to avoid it, but. He stays still, letting the alpha brush his knuckles over his cheek.

“Goodnight, pup,” he murmurs. “If you need me, I’ll be just down the hall.”

Jason nods. The alpha’s hand drops, and then he leaves.

The rest of the den… It’s not bare, but it lacks a personal touch. There’s a chest of drawers in the corner closest to the closet; a nightstand by the nest; and curtains hanging over the window. He shuffles further in, leaving the door open behind him.

He leaves the nest alone for now. Instead—

He goes for the closet first, opening the door. It’s bare inside, except for a thin layer of dust. Jason shuts it again. He opens the drawers, as quietly as he can. Empty as well. The den smells— Not stale, it’s definitely been used before, but. He catches the barest hints of alpha scent, and other than that… It just smells clean.

Jason rubs at his eyes.

No more putting it off.

As much as he doesn’t want to… Jason doesn’t shut the door all the way. Instead, just like in the bathroom, he leaves it open the tiniest sliver. Anything more, and he won’t be able to sleep. Anything less—

Panic.

Even the thought makes his heart race.

Jason rubs his face. He hates this. He hates it so much. Fuck. Sometimes it feels like life is just out to get him. Like—someone or something out there wants him to suffer.

Stop it. Plenty of people have it worse than you do, he scolds himself. He’s safe right now, or— He has the illusion of safety, at least. The alpha is being nice. Jason is— He’s not bound up. The door isn’t locked. There are no bars on the window. Tim treated his injuries. Held him when he cried. Gave him food and something to drink and soft clothes.

And he’d given Jason plenty of material to make a nice, comfortable nest to den in. One that might finally satisfy the instincts that have been screaming at him.

Jason takes a breath, and pads over to the nest. The sheer amount of material before him is almost overwhelming, but… He goes through it slowly. He starts with the padding, layering it into the nest base and using the cushions to help give it shape. He tests it as he goes, until he has something that’s plush, but not so much that it will engulf him. He works a nest cover over it. It’s a bit of a struggle to get it on, but Jason manages; only a little winded by the end. What padding and cushions he didn’t use—

He decides to put them in the closet, where they’ll be out of the way.

Blankets next.

Jason sorts through the pile slowly, rubbing each on his cheek. Scenting them. The one he used on the couch is the strongest scented; still thick with the contentment he’d felt in the alpha’s arms, and the protective, comforting scent Tim had drenched the air with.

He ends up using a little over half of the blankets Tim provided. The rest he puts in the closet.

Pillows—

Jason doesn’t use as many of them. He ends up putting most of them in the closet. And then, finally—

His nest is done.

He stands back, surveying his handiwork. He trills with pride, running his hand over the edge. His nest is soft. Cozy. It needs— It needs books. And— His fox. He misses his fox, the one his mom gave him. He kept it— He managed to keep it safe, all this time.

It’s probably gone now. Or ruined.

His eyes sting, and he swipes at them roughly.

Jason is so tired of crying.

He climbs into bed, pulling the blankets over and around him, snuggling down into the pillows. It feels—

Safe.

There’s something missing, though. Jason— He’s not sure what it is, but—

He’ll worry about it in the morning.

[hgejfmw-hgejhsf]

Fic Writer Interview

So I decided to snag this from @sparklepocalypse and fill it out because I'm cozy on my couch on New Year's Eve and fighting off a nap like a grumpy toddler. I'm actually fairly certain I've done this one before, now that I think about it, but oh well. The numbers are different since last time, so...

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

60, apparently! 61 being posted later today!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 

178,579

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Ghosts

Do we still have forever

Volume Control

Retaliation

Modification to the map of you

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I respond to each and every comment that I receive. I try very hard to leave a personalized message for each person, but no matter what, even if it's just a "thank you," I will always respond! Even if it takes me some time!

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

To this day, the angstiest ending is Darkest before the dawn, which ends with hope, even if it doesn't end with an actual resolution. It's during canon, so the reader know what happens next.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

I think my most recent Christmas fic, Oh what a laugh it would have been, has probably now overtaken one of my previous fics for overall happiest ending!

7. Do you write crossovers?

I haven't yet, but I'm absolutely open to it given the write parameters!

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I haven't yet, and I hope I never do, although I know that the internet can be a wild place.

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

If you'd asked me back in July of this year, I would have said that I primarily write fade to black. Since then, I've written ridiculous amounts of smut. I'm still learning about various kinks I'd like to write about, because I don't want to just write without knowledge of the act itself, but I'm wading into the smut-verse now. I'd say the water's up to my knees, at this point. Got a ways to go.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope, not that I've been made aware of, but I think it would be so neat.

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

I haven't but catch me and @thinkof-england cowriting something amazing now that the new year has arrived.

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Y'all are gonna need to sit down for this. I don't think you're ready. Deep breath in. Hold it. Now let it out slowly. Calm your mind. Are you ready? Okay because I know this is going to come as a shock to you when I say that it's FirstPrince.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

A Star Trek fic with Jim Kirk x an OC. I started it back in the spring and then RWRB happened and now it's just languishing away in my docs at just shy of 18,000 words.

15. What are your writing strengths?

I've been told that I have realistic dialogue, so I'll count that as a strength. I also think I'm pretty skilled at metaphors. Love a good metaphor.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

The description of surroundings, including clothing and scenery. I feel like I don't do enough of this sometimes, and I'm trying to better at painting a proper picture.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I've done so! Lots and lots of research and consultation with native speakers to confirm accuracy.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Pirates of the Caribbean, apparently.

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

There isn't really one out there. I'm super content with the permanent campsite I've built in FP land. Hopefully I'm allowed to hang out there for quite some time.

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

How am I supposed to pick a favorite out over 60 fics?!

I suppose if I absolutely HAD to pick right now, right this second, I'd say Ghosts, because the prompt for it as my first ever reader-submitted prompt on a comment from another fic. The reader enjoyed my fic so much that they asked if I'd write another, and Ghosts it what came of that interaction. I loved writing it and sharing it not just with that reader but with the fandom as a whole.

Gonna post my tag list for anyone who wants to participate!

@adreamareads @affectionatelyrs @anincompletelist @cha-melodius @clottedcreamfudge @cricketnationrise @daisymae-12 @duchessdepolignaca03 @gayrootvegetable @getmehighonmagic @happiness-of-the-pursuit @heybuddy-drabbles @indomitable-love @indestructibleheart @inexplicablymine @kiwiana-writes @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 

[violettduchess]

Hiya Violettttttt 💕 I hope you're having a good day!

I was wondering if you had any plot ideas wandering around in that brain of yours that you haven't gotten to writing yet? Aside from asks/prompts/reqs from other people.

💕

Hello you wonderful person you 💜

Although I have a pretty full inbox, I do have a few ideas that are my own including headcanons about early mornings with the Ikepri suitors as well as more for that Silvio Pirate AU I've written two fics for and is morphing into a series. It would follow the Only One Bed trope but with a pair of ex-lovers which I've never done before and I think would be really fun to explore.

(Those are here if you haven't seen them yet Pirate AU ,Pirate AU Part 2)

I also have a Leonardo Royalty AU which is totally outlined but needs to be written and a sci fi Gilbert AU that is over a year old and still languishing in my docs as a WIP which I would eventually like to finish 😆

[rowanisawriter]

wip title ask game

thank you @theluckywizard and @nirikeehan for the tags!

rules: reveal the titles of the documents in your wip folder and tag as many people as there are documents. let others ask questions about the ones that interest them and post snippets or explain the contents as you see fit!  

i’m in a pretty manageable spot with wips at the moment which is kinda unusual for me. just a lot of fandoms lol i can’t focus on anything not even a hyperfixation… also most of these are final titles because i am weird about titles and usually pick them early on

version control (dc/young justice) something about nightwing, zatanna, and the different people they become day to day

version control (ii) (dc/young justice) same story as above but i needed to restart it so i created a new doc and called it the same thing lol..

treasure hunter (dragon age) working title for my cullen/trevelyan treasure hunter au

fairy tale (dragon age) amell, alistair, and how love isn’t like how it is in the stories, i’ve had this gathering dust in the wip folder for almost a year so i really need to dust it off and just wrap it up 💀

almost prayer (dragon age) more cullen/trevelyan bonding over something that feels almost like prayer… also been languishing in the wip folder for a century and i kinda want to dump it but there’s some good stuff here so i’m keeping it to reuse pieces elsewhere at some point..

where there’s smoke (dragon age) working title for my murder mystery au

hanker sore (dragon age) rewrite of a drunk writing circle prompt fill so i can push it to ao3… it was pg when i wrote it to fill the prompt but now it’s slowly becoming a fuck fest��� oops..

dry drowning (deathloop) something about fia and charlie and dreams breaking through their time loop

after (deathloop) fia and charlie again, before and after. this is the oldest wip in the folder rn it’s been collecting dust for a couple years but there’s some good in it so i’m just going to reuse pieces elsewhere lol

iteration (original work!) something about two unwell people finding and escaping different versions of each other over the years… scared to even discuss because the motivation to write outside of fandom is so fucking fleeting that even mentioning this work could give me the ick and i’ll just throw the whole thing away lol anyway! anyway

tagging… @charmcity-jess @samseabxrn @greypetrel @hannahmationstudios @zenstrike and YOU! if you’re reading this and want to play, tag me so i can read about your wips!!!!!!!

[qqueenofhades]

Tagged by @oldshrewsburyian (thanks, m’dear) for this mini tag game:

Favorite color: Purple, which has been the case for my entire life (as a gothy teenager, I had contacts that turned my eyes purple, as evidently I wanted to be a My Immortal character or something)

Currently reading: Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts; The Light Ages by Ian McLeod, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova, and The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah are the other items currently in the bedside table stack

Last TV series: Well, if you don’t count my three straight Obi-Wan Kenobi rewatches among my larger Star Wars rewatching spree, then The Umbrella Academy, season 3.

Last movie: Rogue One, which I rewatched last night and am now having Many Thoughts About. And the SW prequel and original-trilogy movies in general.

Currently working on: My active multi-chapter WIPs are The Immortalists (Shadow and Bone/Fivan) and In the Light of Strange Suns (Star Wars/Kenobi). I have several other SAB AUs in various stages of completion, and have also promised a patient anon that I will finally get around to editing and posting the two completed chapters of The Key of Solomon (TOG) that have languished in my Word docs for two years. I also have a new idea for a long Star Wars oneshot, and some fic prompts in my inbox.

In the real world, I’m editing an academic article, applying for more jobs, and trying not to go totally crazy, with varying degrees of success.

Tagging: @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels, @extasiswings, @ofhouseadama, @daisyyydaisyyydaisyyy, @mearcatsreturns, @natascha-ronin, @onlymorelove, @winterbythesea

[strangesoulmates]

Also, is there some story of inspiration behind your specific works? For example, As Certain Dark Things Are to be Loved? You called it comfort food and it definitely is, but what inspired you to start it? Same goes for More Precious than Rubies, Pledged in Blood, Good Intentions, Matelotage, and basically every other story of yours. Their plots are so different, united only by most delicious characterization. Was there smth. big that gave you any of these ideas?

I know I've answered this at least a few times before for some of these fics, but since my tagging is garbage and I can't find any of them, I'd be happy to do it again, especially since it was awhile ago and I know that lots of new people probably don't know.

I guess I'll answer about them in the order I published them to try and make the timeline clearer?

More Precious than Rubies was...God, I don't even know how the hell I had the courage to post it, it was so far out of left field compared to most of what I was reading.  Anyway, I somehow wound up in the depths of Tomarry hell my last year of college right before finals, and since I was supposed to be, you know, writing papers and taking exams and shit, I couldn't actually channel any of that into writing, when my summer research internship started, I lost my fucking mind when it came to writing.  I have two different WiPs from that period that still haven't been published but stand at several thousand words (one is...jesus, nearly 100k and no where close to done).  There was a throwaway line in that fic

“You’re like a dragon,” Harry said with a fond, if exasperated sigh. “Hoarding treasure.”

Tom found himself quite pleased and flattered at the comparison. No one had ever put his need to collect trophies in such terms before. It didn’t hurt that it clearly showed that Harry thought of Tom as dangerous and powerful, for all that it was clear Harry felt himself safe with him.

Staring into emerald eyes, he barred his teeth in a vicious grin.

“A dragon. I quite like that. Yes. I am a dragon, and you, my beloved,” Tom said, wrapping his arms tightly around him and pressing a lingering, covetous kiss to his forehead, “you are my most prized jewel.”

Tom watched Harry’s expression in fascination, watching as surprised pleasure and irritation warred across his face.

And that idea stuck with me and ate my brain until More Precious than Rubies was Born.

Fun fact, Harry is also compaired to a magical creater in the fic languishing on my harddrive:

“He’s like a bloody niffler, sniffing gold out of places no one else would think to look,” Tom ground out, voice reluctantly impressed and immensely frustrated. “I don’t understand how he finds these people, let alone how they end up being so bloody useful.  And yet he does it, time after time.”

The rest under the cut, because theres A LOT

As Certain Dark Things Are to be Loved is actually because of a prompt meme I've never been able to find again that I read when my brain was in just the right place to latch on and have a complete breakdown over (in a fun, creative way).  I forget what the theme of the list was, but the prompt that caught my attention was something along the lines of "Character A and Character B were childhood friends.  Character A kissed B before moving away.  In college, they discover Character B living across the hall."  And then things just spiraled totally out of control.  

It started out as just imagining how I could twist things from Cannon to make them fit and what that would look like. It was also my first time writing a nonomagical AU so it involved a lot of thought.  I had also just graduated college and was at home while all my friends were in grad school (which I talked about here) and I really missed it.  All of that came together to write a whole lot of this very quickly, and I, after some hemming and hawing, decided to post it.  Visits to grad schools I had been admitted to only added fuel to the fire. 

Good intentions came, of all places, out of watching an episode of Lie To Me (a very interesting TV show that I enjoy revisiting from time to time).  In a particular episode, the main character deals with like, a suave, sophisticated character who ran a criminal empire and clearly some kind of sociopath and I was like “TOM!  THAT’S IT!  IT’S MODERN DAY TOM!!!” and then several episodes later (or earlier?) they were trying to get something out of a criminal who was in prison who ALSO reminded me strongly of Tom and I was like “Harry would absolutely be how they got him to talk, by putting him in that room” and  like you know, even little flashes of dialog because apparently James arrested Tom and the little bit of dialog was “He’s not obsessed with the son because he hates the father.  He hates the father because he’s obsessed with the son.” (none of this is in the fic or will be in the fic, but it was a big part of its genesis).

Then I asked myself follow-up questions, like “how does Tom even know Harry?” and the answer I came up with at first was them getting to know each other while Tom was in prison. So I thought, okay, well, pen pals maybe?  As like part of a college class (since I think think that’s the only place that there could be an assignment like that)?  Because at some point around here I fixated on the idea of like, them meeting for person the first time in prison and that being where their relationship really developed (originally this was called Cellmate AU in my docs)

And then I decided for some reason that Harry should be a little kid, just because I kind of loved the idea of the contrast between his childish innocence and Tom’s…Tomness.  And that’s the convoluted story of how Good intentions first came to be.

Pledged in Blood was my attempt at trying to write something small and self contained for a Tomarry Big Bang awhile ago.  The initial idea came out the idea of wanting a grown up criminal mastermind Tom to run into Harry who is a police officer and for that to lead to desperate makeouts because they were very close as kids and Tom thought Harry was dead.  And so then the thought was, "okay, what the hell situation could they have been in where that could have happened?"  Kidnapping was the answer I came up with.

I started out with it as a Muggle AU, but it just didn't feel right. But the idea of Tom and Harry being kidnapped together got stuck in my brain and thus Pledged in Blood was born. The idea that sparked it actually got partially used int the deepest secret nobody knows] because I liked it too much not to scavenge it for something else.

The Heart of a Star and Matelotage are both gifts for @acciotomriddle based on her prompts for some kind of gift exchange. I couldn't finish one in time because it got out of control (surprise surprise) and then THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE OTHER ONE.   But I posted them both because I was attached at that point.

And I'm not going to talk about Janus because telling  you about what inspired it would spoil everything. When it's no longer a spoiler, maybe I'll make a post about it.

[pseudofaux]

Author (!) Interview

Thank you for the tags, @alloveroliver and @otonymous!

Name: pseu (I lowercase it on purpose, but it doesn’t bug me if you treat it as a proper name/capitalize!)

Fandoms: Now: SLBP (lingering-- I love some of the characters too much to quit!), Cybird’s Ikémen series, FE3H. I’m also reading STUPID amounts of BTS stories lately, those writers are amazing! Looking forward to: Hopefully getting back into The Arcana when some of the routes conclude. I started TAISHO x ALICE recently and I’d love to write stories for that and some of the other otome I’ve enjoyed. And like so many other writers, some original projects. :)

Where You Post: pseu slings and gift stories are here on tumblr, and everything pre-dumblr. Longer/refined pieces on Ao3. Many, many things languish in my google docs or emails I’ve sent myself and don’t get posted. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Most Popular One-Shot:  Not what I thought it would be! Here it is Venture (Kanetsugu/MC). On Ao3 it’s Something Blue, IkéSen Masamune/MC. I tried really hard last year to edit Something Blue to bring it up to where my writing is now, but couldn’t get through it. Learned my lesson in letting things be. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Most Popular Multi-Chapter Story: Real (ao3 / tumblr), which is Shigezane/[named] MC. Another one I feel compelled to edit, because I would change a lot about it if I were writing it today. But I also cherish it for what it is.

Favorite Story You Wrote: Oooooh! Hard! I think from last year that is Frost-Edged Fire, a “what happened” story for Sansa post-GoT. I like the way it reads, it felt good to make, and the response has been positive somewhere where I didn’t have my name to stand on, so I feel very satisfied with that one. I also really like one of the pieces I wrote for an Arcana zine coming out this year. :)

Story You Were Nervous to Post: I swing back and forth between “what happens, happens, I’ve written what I felt l needed to” and “PLEASE LET PEOPLE NOT HATE THIS sob sob sob”. I remember when I was working on Real I was trying to let go of some of my own standards for MAKE IT MAKE SENSE BACK FIVE GENERATIONS, so I was scared people would pick it apart even though it was such a soft, smooshy story and such a soft, smooshy thing to write. It still makes me feel vulnerable! I had my first run in with an anti in 2018 and for a while that shook me. I didn’t change what I wrote after that, but the experience was so jarring and gross I was tense.

How You Choose Your Titles: I like sideways titles, in the way of allusions and references. I usually choose single words that are either meant to encapsulate the tone or primary action of a story, or a word or short snip from a phrase, which I hope a reader will read in full in their head even though part of it isn’t there. But I understand that once something is out there, it’s really up to the reader to make of text and title what they will! That or phrases in French I try to make myself but often have to run by a native speaker to make sure they mean what I think they do (often: not quite).

Completed: I have no idea. The pseu slings bump the number way up, it’s probably around 150 total? For non-snippets, around 50? (Ao3 has 53 works, some of which have multiple sections)

Incomplete: I have an idea, and it is mortifying. There are some things I’ve written a little bit for but I know I won’t go back to and sometimes I think about putting them up as free prompts for others. Things I’m really trying on? 7. Given up but not ready to say so... 15ish? More I’m forgetting?

Do You Outline? Sorta! I start with the scene or scenes that motivate me to write in the first place, and then I have to outline to connect them. They are not usually the beginning or end because life is not fair and those parts are really hard.

Coming Soon/Not Yet Started: More IkéVamp! More parts in at last (MLQC). More FE3H! Maybe this will be the year I finally write the Isshiki-sempai story I’ve had floating in my head for Shokugeki no Soma. WHO KNOWS?! (I do. I won’t.)

Do You Accept Prompts? Sometimes! I love doing pseu slings twice a year (once in March and the other later in the year for a follower milestone or something). tbh it can be incredibly freeing, motivating, and feel-goody to write what I know someone has asked for-- connecting to requests and filling them feels wonderful and I have less time to dither or gather rosebuds or whatever, so it’s productive. I think some of my best work is writing that others have requested. 

Upcoming Story You Are Most Excited to Write: 

More of aesthetes, belligerents, contortionists (IkéSen Yoshimoto/MC).

♥️ ASH EXTRAS! ♥️

What do you use to edit?: Just me! I’m not flawless, but I trust myself more than any automatic service. I consciously choose to ignore several best practices when writing anyway. When I’m not as confident as I would like to be about something new, I may ask someone I trust in fandom to look it over as a one-time thing.

Writing setup: This is my desk right now! That’s a draft of this post on my laptop screen.

I need silence and steady lighting to write, so I set up my ~space~ in our basement. When I get a better desk chair and my cozy chair in here for brainstorming, it will be heaven! 🥰 Need: better record storage, more bookshelves, to paint, a rug instead of one of those Barnes & Noble quote blankets on the floor...

Do you use a beta reader? No. I love the just-right feeling of a good collaboration with (or being!) a beta reader, I’ve had it and it is magic! But it has proven incredibly difficult to find anyone who can be trustworthy long term + available. + interested. adflkjsf

Where do you get your writing inspiration?: Nature, conflict, and consuming other media. Museum trips. New foods. Sometimes dreams!

Can we get a quote from an upcoming WIP?:

Every lord of Kasugayama (even the lord of Kasugayama) had given her fine thread and cloth. It was Yoshimoto who made a quiet gift of needles before she could attempt to find them herself. They were in a slender little canister, painted blue and cream and gold, and when he placed it in her palm goosebumps bloomed over her arms and legs. One of his hands held hers from below and the other lingered on the other side of the needlecase, close enough for warmth, close enough that she felt like a carefully-captured butterfly. A part of her soul waited to be appraised and wished she had wings.

If you see this and you wanna do it, please do, and please tag me so I can see! I’d love to know more about your process.

[malenkayacherepakha]

WIP Monday/Tuesday

Thanks @shealwaysreads for the tag and for the push to actually look through my WIPs and figure out what the hell I should be working on right now. I am currently fest-less which is a bit crazy, so all of these are kind of as and when I want to work on them WIPs.

And in no real order other than the ones I thought of first:

Red, White and Royal Blue Christmas Fic

I started this fic this morning and we’re up to 1.5k words so hopefully this one will be finished soon. It’s a nice little bit of Christmas fluff, and my first attempt at writing Alex and Henry so fingers crossed it works. 

Cheeky excerpt: Henry had left nearly a week ago, family duty calling while Alex’s school schedule demanded that he remain at home for a little longer. The week has felt endless, Henry’s absence somehow so much worse now that Alex is used to waking up to his face on the pillow next to him, the apartment feeling stripped of its soul without Henry pottering around and leaving books on every flat surface. Alex is aching to see Henry again, every fibre of his body missing him, and phone calls and nightly facetimes just aren’t cutting it. 

The Big Harry x Ginny Fic

I’ve been planning this fic out in my brain for a while now, and I’ve finally started writing it. I’ve got an outline written and now have a whopping 255 words written. I’m really excited for this one. It’ll feature Harry at MACUSA, a letter from the British Ministry, and an attempt at casual sex which is doomed to fail. 

Harry buys a house

This fic has no plot other than Harry buys a house by the sea and does it up. I know exactly which house I’m basing it on, but haven’t got any further than that - I haven’t even decided if this is a Harry x Draco or a Harry x Ginny fic, but I love the idea and really want to figure it out properly soon. 

Drarry Roommates Fic

I’d forgotten about this entirely until I just looked through my gdocs but I’ve got nearly 1k words written so shouldn’t take too long to finish this off. 

Drarry Dirty Talk Fic

This has been languishing in my docs for AGES. It was a tumblr prompt and I so want to get this finished soon. 

French Speaking Draco Fic

This was prompted in the Drarry discord ages ago - essentially Draco can speak French and Harry gets far too turned on by that. This is half written in a notebook so needs typing up and finishing off. 

There are way more WIPs than this hiding in the recesses of my folders, but these are the ones I’m most keen to get finished off and published. It’s weird working without a deadline so any encouragement and cheerleading is always greatly appreciated! 

I feel like most people have been tagged so instead I’m just going to say if you want to do this, do it, and tag me so I can get excited about your WIPs too 😊

[laynefaire]

WIP Folder/List Tag 📝🗃🗄

The Rules: List the names and a short description of all the files in your WIP folder, then tag some fellow writers to do the same.

i was tagged by… @lululawrence (after expressly begging NOT to be tagged) 

Since I try not to ignore these memes, I’m going to concede and do it. I’ll get my revenge on Sus by torturing her favorite character in one of my stories - all’s fair, right? 

I’m going to keep this strictly to the 1D fandom. If I delved into the other fandoms and my original fics, this would be a novel all on it’s own, and I barely have time to write as it is. 

SO let’s start with the ones that are pressing on me the most - 

Take Your Time future take - A fandomworks for charity piece that River, the wining bidder, has been incredibly patient over. It’s set five years in the future, and that’s all I’m willing to share about it, since River deserves the first read on it.

the rest are under the cut - 

Untamed Hearts - I already have 13K words written for the next (and hopefully final) part of this fic.  If you’managed to not be exposed to this fic in the last year, it’s a Ziam AU summer love? fic. From the first time they met, two summers earlier, Zayn has been a thorn in Liam’s side, especially given the fact that Liam was attracted to Zayn. Zayn’s feelings were impossible to read, his actions even more confusing. Infatuation turned to animosity. Now, Zayn goes out of his way to bait Liam, and Liam does his best to ignore him. Meanwhile, their friends are sick of watching them dance around each other every summer, and have a bet on whether or not Zayn and Liam will finally hook up. The first part ended with Zayn having been injured in a skateboard accident and Louis and Liam bringing him home from hospital.

Wild Horses Run Free - also affectionately known as the OBX fic in my tags. This was supposed to be fore last year’s Larry Abroad challenge, but that was about the time my work schedule went fucking haywire.  Louis is an equine veterinarian, Harry is a documentary photographer. The fic is set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and revolves around the Banker ponies, wild horse herds descended from Spanish Mustangs, that have lived on the dunes for centuries. The herds are at risk due to human encroachment on their environs, and Louis works for the Conservation determined to protect them. Harry is brought in to work on a new public service campaign by the Conservation’s board of directors. Of course, sparks fly. 

Heritage Fic - This doesn’t have a title yet, despite having over 3K written already. This is for a 1000 feelings prompt. Harry is a research librarian and Louis is someone utilizing the facility where Harry works. Also features Nick Grimshaw as Harry’s interfering best friend. 

This Fragile Heart - This fic has been on hiatus, though I do want to finish it. I’ve struggled with revisiting this story since Jay and Robin passed, as they both featured so prominently in the storyline. This is popstar Louis/model Harry fake dating, The first chapter is posted, the second one is almost done. I won’t post any more of this, though, until I have at least half of it finished. Don’t expect much for this before the end of the year. 

My Kind of Love -(working title that will likely change) - Ziam AU with Famous Zayn/non-famous Liam. It’s a child hood friends to lovers fic, with all the angst you all know me so well for. 

Now for the fics that will likely languish in my docs forever.

When I Find You - this was a Larry headcanon based on events in spring of 2013, including the nightmare horror that was the Tea Train, Harry always being in LA, and the part that is written is angst hell. This fic will likely never see the light of day. 

Right Foot Blue - Larry fic - drunk strip Twister with food. Don’t ask. I drank a lot of Jameson’s the night I thought of this. 

Heart by Heart - Ziam AU - Liam is still auditioning for X-factor, Zayn is a guardian angel.

Need You Now - Ziam headcanon of Summer 2012, specifically Las Vegas of the UAN tour. 

Taste Of Your Lips - Ziam headcanon involving lollipops and sexual tension 

February 14th - Ziam AU - a fake dating AU Liam and Zayn are tired of their friends meddling in their lives, and decide to fake date in order to get a reprieve from it after they are set up on an unexpected blind date. The relationship is scheduled to spectacularly explode in a very public breakup designed to embarrass their friends into realizing that they should stay out of other people’s lives. Strangers to friends to HAHAHA it’s a joke to..... maybe lovers? 

And that’s that about that. I’m not tagging anyone, mostly cause I think everyone has been tagged.