#the aspec year challenge

[aintgonnatakethis]

Skirting The Vague Outline Of A Boundary

SGA • 2.8k • Sheppard/McKay • Asexual John Sheppard

Sheppard has always had trouble connecting with people, for one reason or another. It usually comes down to them needing something from him he's incapable of providing, so for a long time he's avoided letting anyone get close enough where they feel able to ask in the first place. Of course then along comes Doctor Rodney McKay, who always manages to disrupt even the most carefully constructed of Sheppard's plans... It was a Saturday evening when Rodney kissed Sheppard for the first time. My entry for both this month's Aspec Year challenge and Gateathon challenge. February prompt: Cuddling.

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis

Category: M/M

Relationship: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard

Additional Tags: Sheppard POV, Angst, Coming Out, Asexual John Sheppard, Hopeful Ending, Internalized Acephobia, Sex-Repulsed, Touch-Positive, Romance-Positive, Cuddling, Worldbuilding, Rodney's Rambles

Collections: The Aspec Year 2025, GATEathon Works 2025 @theaspecyear @aroaceineveryplace @gateathonworks

[mari--lace]

I’ve been thinking of this story for a while now, it felt good getting it off my chest.

I present to you: demirose Morgana!

(But the story focuses on Arthur&Morgana’s relationship and is mostly fron Arthur’s pov, honestly, not on Morgana’s orientations.)

This fills (tries to?) december’s prompt of The Aspec Year: cuddling. 💜

[theaspecyear]

November’s prompt for The Aspec Year Challenge is break-up, so how could I not write on My Goodbye?

Athena & Odysseus hurt my heart. Also Athena is aroace, she told me herself. 🦉

[rolaplayor101]

Chapter 2 of Away From This or That is up! For TheAspecYear!

Chapters: 2/4

Fandom: The Sea Beast (2022)

Rating: General Audiences 

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply 

Relationships: Maisie Brumble & Jacob Holland, Maisie Brumble & Sarah Sharpe, Jacob Holland & Sarah Sharpe 

Characters: Maisie Brumble, Sarah Sharpe, Jacob Holland 

Additional Tags: Found Family, Comedy, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adopted Children, Adoption, Aromantic, Asexual Character, Asexuality, Aromantic Jacob Holland, asexual Jacob Holland, Nonbinary Character, Family, Family Feels, Family Drama, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Family Dynamics, Funny, aromantic asexual Jacob Holland, Coming of Age, Parenting, No Romance, Secret Crush, First Crush, no romance but Maisie still has a small crush on someone, Pride, pride 2023, Event: The Aspec Year Challenge @aroace-kodama-sakuko

Summary: 

Jacob has a daughter now and needs to teach her some of the facts of life. Maisie now has a father and wants a mom. He is having trouble with the whole parenting thing, and with the comings of Maisie’s monthlies and her first crush, he doesnt know what to do about being neither a woman or one who dabbles in relations.

Had to use the art I drew last year cause I didn't have anything new 😭

[judgeverse]

When a strange alien chemical affects the entire Icarus Base crew like a love potion, only Rush and Telford have an inexplicable immunity to the effects. (wordcount: 3541, rating: T. Written for the Aspec Year challenge)

The Icarus base crew seems to be completely affected by the love potion. It’s turned them all into drooling imbeciles about each other, in ways that I’d find personally amusing if it weren’t so bloody juvenile. The only other one with enough of a cool head to maintain order is Colonel Telford. TJ wanted to help us develop an antidote, but she’s rather incapacitated by mooning over Colonel Young. And so, it’s just David and I, the only sane men amid the madness. Relatively speaking. We’re proceeding based on David’s theory that his own immunity could be transferred to the others to neutralize the love potion effects, rather like that one offworld incident with Scott and Chloe. I haven’t a clue where he got that idea -- and altruism is not a renowned David Telford trait -- but we’re trying. 

[tg-pilled]

My first contribution to the Aspec Year Challenge by @aroace-kodama-sakuko . The link is below the read more thingy.

I hope you all enjoy :)

[variousqueerthings]

for next year's aspec challenge am thinking about the doctor, obviously... just. the doctor. in many different iterations. unsure what to focus on, ten is obvious as character, but I'd love to look at some connectivity, if I finish whittaker in february perhaps all the way back to the fugitive doctor, also theta sigma, through classic who... hmmm

but yeah could just rotate the doctor in every regeneration around in my mind for twelve months of aspec writing, why not...

[romancerepulsed]

maybe this is a "hot take," but it's something i genuinely believe is true. aphobes can broadly be sorted into 3 categories: the uninformed, the bigot, and the bully. there is overlap between all 3, and i'm sure there are some people out there who are aphobic in a fun new way that i can't possibly conceive of yet, but i think these categories are fairly accurate and helpful for an aspec to recognize.

the uninformed aphobe is what it sounds like– they either don't know anything about the aspectrum or they've been fed false information about it. this is the only type of aphobe that is ever worth engaging with, and only to politely correct them and point them towards resources that would help them broaden their understanding. i'll be completely honest though: you'd be pretty damn lucky if you managed to actually singlehandedly change their mind. if they're not receptive to your corrections, simply move on. it's not worth the headache. you at least gave them something to think about.

the bigot, in contrast, is absolutely never worth engaging with. the bigoted aphobe is aphobic simply because aspec people are queer and they hate queer people. terfs famously used (and still continue to use) aphobic rhetoric as a sort of gateway drug for transphobia. the people who will argue that aspec folks aren't queer are often the same people who despise us because they associate us with queerness.

the third aphobe is actually the most common on this website, i think, and they're the reason i'm making this post. the aphobic bully may know full well the fundamentals of the aspectrum, but they will simplify and misrepresent it on purpose in an attempt to make aspec people look bad. aspec people have long been "acceptable targets" of bullying on this site for a reason that is fairly obvious to me but one i haven't seen anyone else point out: aspec people are largely neurodivergent. it's really no coincidence that ace discourse and cringe culture peaked at around the same time– they were one in the same, and the treatment aspec and autistic people received were (and still are) damn near identical. portraying aspec people as cringey teenagers who watched too many cartoons and are just too socially awkward for anyone to love them or whatever... it's a sentiment thats existed for years and years now. it took me a while to realize it, but this is why so many "tumblr funnymen" and other assorted popular blogs were/are aphobes too– they've got egos the size of china but they know they can't get away with blatantly picking on autistic people. so they'll hide behind a guise of aspec exclusionism, something that's unfortunately viewed as a real and valid ideology for someone to have. even aside from the thinly veiled ableism, bullies are always coming from a place of insecurity and projecting it onto other people. i've found that a lot of the most vicious aphobes are people who are struggling romantically or sexually. you can see them post about it, you can see even in the most recent discourse so many of these people are deeply stressed and hurt from whatever romantic or sexual struggles they're facing. to them, someone being unconcerned with those sorts of things is almost offensive because it means so much to them. they read it as a challenge to their own allo identity. so, why not take out that frustration on the aspecs?

it goes without saying that the bully isn't worth engaging with, either. they want to rile you up because it makes them feel better about themselves. don't give them that satisfaction.

[dollopheadsandclotpoles]

Arthur's definitely not SO attached to Merlin that he can't do without him for a few weeks. Right?

Excited to share my contribution for this year's @wipbigbang! Immense thanks to the mods who did such an amazing job organising it.

Mega thanks to my incredible artist @idkmyartwork for the amazing piece of fanart that is embedded in the fic. Thanks also to @smallblueowl @tonkshamsandwich and @imagine-dragonlords for their feedback! I have also written Arthur as aroace so that I could contribute to @aroace-kodama-sakuko's The Aspec Year fanfic writing challenge.

Hope you enjoy! ❤

[idkeither223]

An unlabelled aspec dating show in a warm European holiday location with chill, non-pressuring challenges except a series lasts a year to allow people to see how their feelings towards others develops

[literaryspinster]

I'm really hoping to finish this story, which is basically the first draft of my second novel, by the end of this year. It's eventually going to be a romance between an agoraphobic aspec librarian (FC: Kiki Layne) and a sentient android (FC: non-human but also somehow Manny Jacinto). I'm liking my progress so far, here's the latest chapter.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25361137/chapters/61492363

I'm also easing myself back into the fanfic mood by rereading and editing an existing fic. If you ever feel like revisiting this one, expect a few extra lines --I'm always trying to improve my writing of love scenes, those who do it extremely well are so impressive to me, and depicting consensual sexual roughness was an exciting challenge. I hope you like the slight differences.

As for Tiger Boy And The Witch Girl, the last chapter is finally in progress, stay tuned!

[aintgonnatakethis]

Chivalry Isn't Dead (it's just at the dentist)

SGU • 3.5k • Rush/Telford • Found Family

Telford was the first one to admit the 'leadership meetings' could get dull at times, full of arguments about stone-time allocation and ideas for recreational activities for the crew. It was the small day-to-day details that could really bog you down in command, though he had to say Everett kept admirably soldiering on regardless of how boring the topic or how infuriating the relaying complaints were. Booking dentist visits for the crew was, however, a new low for him, both personally and professionally. Can be read as a stand-alone.

Fandom: Stargate Universe

Category: M/M

Relationships: Nicholas Rush/David Telford, David Telford & Everett Young, David Telford & Camile Wray

Additional Tags: Telford POV, Established Relationship, Aromantic David Telford, romance-repulsed, Found Family, Friendship, Cuddling, casual touching, Protectiveness, Toxic Masculinity, Worldbuilding, Everett Young Backstory

Collections: The Aspec Year 2025, GATEathon Works 2025 @theaspecyear @aroaceineveryplace @gateathonworks

[zayne-s]

fic recs | answered asks | venmo | my posts | bsky | graphics | pillowfort

DNI: minors, terfs/radfems, HP blogs

..............................⋆⁺₊❅. ao3 fics .❅₊⁺⋆.................................. (registered users only)

+ starry eyed love - G, 1.1k, complete outsider pov, established relationship, corroded coffin

+ haunted by the ghost of you (take me back to the night we met) - T, 2k, complete kas/vampire eddie, established relationship, temporary character death

+ the magic that we'll feel is worth the lifetime - M, 7.7k, complete established relationship, eddie's birthday, post season 3/pre season 4

+ constant, pleasure - E, 3k, complete dom/sub, daddy kink, praise kink, spit kink, dry humping, babygirl steve

+ silent spark - G, 4.1k, complete animal crossing au, aspec steve, lex's spicy six summer fanworks challenge

+ there's comfort in the panic - G, 1.2k, complete hurt/comfort, panic attacks, established relationship, lex's spicy six spring fanworks challenge

+ they said it all comes down to you - T, 1,5k, complete demon eddie, sacrifice steve, soulmates

+ she put her love down soft and sweet - E, 5.7k, complete modern au, dom/sub, aspec steve, transmasc steve, daddy kink, emma verse

+ i'll be yours if you'll be mine - E, 1.9k, complete hand kink, spit kink, daddy kink, secret relationship

+ it's the spirit of the season - T, 3.8k, complete established relationship, christmas fluff, crack treated seriously

+ sugar sweet as dixie crystal - E, 4k, complete established relationship, high school sweethearts, transmasc steve, aspec steve, daddy kink, nipple play, emma verse

+ a whole lifetime - E, 1.6k, complete rockstar eddie, older/married steddie, daddy kink, dom/sub, babygirl steve, birthday sex

+ mamma mia (spit your love on me) - E, 1.8k, complete transmasc eddie, puppy play, dom bottom eddie, sub top steve, mommy kink, breeding kink

+ gold-skinned eager baby - M, WIP series rewrite, childhood friends, secret relationship

.............................⋆⁺₊❅. tumblr fics .❅₊⁺⋆............................. (clink link for more fics)

+ i saw daddy kissing santa claus - modern au, pibble dad eddie, fluff & humor + counting constellations - fluff, established relationship, eddie loves steve's moles + eddie my love - new years kiss, fluff, established relationship + honkytonk badonkadonk - established relationship, fluff & humor, steve's ass appreciation + jezebel munson - crackfic, raccoon dad eddie, established relationship + strawberry wine - famous corroded coffin, hurt/comfort, established realtionship, songfic + good 'ol boys, never meanin' no harm - eddie & uncle wayne, appalachian eddie, post season 4, eddie lives + friend of dorothy - gseb verse, robin pov, established steddie, secret relationship + single dad eddie - fluff, parental comfort, transmasc eddie + surprise - established steddie, platonic stobin, stobin as excited puppies + the seventh son - appalachian eddie, traditional folk medicine, appalachian folklore, established steddie + capital P - platonic stobin, established steddie, robin being a clothes thief + found out - established steddie, steve's parents find out,steve has decent parents + er nurse steve/security guard eddie - established relationship, secret relationship that's not so secret, steddie dads + tear us apart (baby i would rather be dead) - post season 4, eddie lives, established relationship, gseb verse, hurt/comfort

divider/banner credits: me last updated: 12/1/24

[theaspecyear]

Let’s have a look at some of the most popular tags for The Aspec Year stories!

40 works so far, at least twenty different fandoms and a lot of rep. Come check it out! :)

If you want to join and write something for november or december, you can find all the info and prompts here.

The prompts aren’t obligatory, you can use them or not; the only must is writing about (at least) one aspec character.

November prompt is Break-up, December’s is Cuddling.

May the inspiration be with you! ;)

(By the way, fanarts or other media fills are totally welcome as well!)

[rolaplayor101]

Chapters: 3/5

Fandom: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences 

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply 

Relationships: Ethan Winters & Rosemary Winters, Ethan Winters/Original Male Character(s), Ethan Winters/Original Character(s), Past Ethan Winters/Mia Winters - Relationship 

Characters: Ethan Winters, Rosemary Winters (Resident Evil), Original Male Character(s), Original Male Character(s) of Color, mentioned Mia Winters - Character, Zander (OC) 

Additional Tags: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma, Psychological Trauma, Canon Disabled Character, Disability, Physical Disability, Disabled Character, Asexual Character, Asexuality, Asexuality Spectrum, Asexual Relationship, Minor Ethan Winters/Mia Winters, Caedsexual, Horror, Psychological Horror, Dreams and Nightmares, Nightmares, Family, Budding Love, Eventual Romance, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Romance, graysexual, graysexuality, Graysexual Original Male Character(s), Caedsexual Ethan Winters, Ethan Winters Lives, Ethan Winters Needs A Hug, Biromantic Ethan Winters, Molded Ethan Winters, Tired Ethan Winters, Hurt Ethan Winters, Coming Out, Asexual Ethan Winters, Ethan Winters Goes to Therapy, Black Character(s), Asexual Awareness Week, Asexual Awareness Week 2022, Ace Week, Ace Week 2022, ace awareness week 2022, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gray-Asexuality, Gray-Asexual Original Male Character(s), Alloace, Delloromantic Ethan Winters 

Summary: 

Ethan sees his daughter in a dream, but it’s already been 16 years, and he’s a different person now. Literally, he’s not the same Ethan that conceived her. That, and he has someone new in his life.

This chapter dedicated to Arospec Awareness Week, The Aspec Year Challenge, and Ethan’s Deathday! @aroace-kodama-sakuko CW: body horror, death, panic attacks

Quotev

fanfic.net

[thearoacescout]

Ok so like I don't know if I've talked about this much, but I am a Scout in Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) and before I go into my main rant, let me just say that I am proud of the progress the organization has made with inclusion. An organization that once fought to keep queer people out now accepts and celebrates them with open arms. The various inclusion spaces at this one event celebrate and inform people about women in scouting, scouts of color, scouts with disability, and scouts who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I am able to go in and learn about other people's experiences and how I, as a white AMAB, can support others.

Now with that being said, I just attended a discussion about LGBTQ+ people and their experiences on a college campus. I wanted to see if their experiences matched up with mine as an aroace. It was a tad disappointing for a few reasons.

The panel consisted of 3 gay men and one bi enby and it was an interesting talk. A lot of what they said made logical sense and lined up with what I would expect it would be. Things like take care of yourself, go to therapy if you need it, find people who accept and love you for who you are. But there was a lack of something that affected me during my first year of college: the challenge of finding others like you.

While yes I do have a few friends who are aspec in college (and a great queer friend group in general), it is still incredibly rare to find someone like me. It is rare to see myself represented in the various queer clubs my uni has. It is rare to see my flags represented in a parade. It is rare to see my experiences addressed and considered. It feels lonely sometimes like I am out of place or that I am broken (i'm not broken i'm just built different).

The reminder that I rarely see myself just kinda bums me out. This group has made progress with respect to aspec identities but it is relatively small and not as much as I would like to see. There are more aspec youth and adults in Scouting than you would think. Fun fact: the first fellow asexual I ever met in person was through Scouting (thanks black ace ring).

I guess this was one of the first times that I was confronted with how similar but different my experience is from the general LGBTQ+ community. It is a feeling that I can't quite put into words except for a general meh.

Also one of them said the A stood for ally and I was about to throw hands. But thats a whole other issue

Despite my dissatisfaction with it, I still greatly appreciate it. Progress is progress and we have to start somewhere. I know that this small talk made a difference to some youth (and adults) out there. And I, as an adult (almost adviser), am here to encourage the youth to keep growing and be their best authentic selves.