#to provide a touchstone of compassion to efnisien

[not-poignant]

What plots or characters did you not plan ahead to write and their time suddenly came when the next light bulb on the garland came on? UtB

I won't be able to remember them all but here's a few:

Anton deciding to be Gary's supervisor.

Me realising that's actually a terrible idea because Gary isn't an alpha companion and Efnisien isn't an omega

That making sense anyway to roll back lmao

Faber gaining his own story.

Faber becoming Efnisien's friend.

Flitmouse becoming Efnisien's friend.

Flitmouse calling Gary on the phone and having a go at him.

Efnisien's first corrupted heat being "solved" with a combination of a bunch of things but especially Gary spitting into his mouth.

Temsen just having so much chemistry that he ends up in a bunch more scenes than I planned.

The teacup. The teacup being broken.

Gary's office being destroyed by Efnisien in that methodical, deliberate fashion.

Size training before sex, I really didn't think Gary initially had the patience for something like this but he realised it'd be better if he did. Thank god.

Faber being attacked by Lludd

Faber disclosing that he's in love with Caleb to Efnisien

Flitmouse and Efnisien nesting together.

Efnisien nesting in general (though I had a faint idea? It was never a sure thing).

Gary joining Efnisien in his nest and actually really liking it.

Efnisien meeting Marikit (and it being Faber's idea). (And, Marikit in general).

The bit about 'choosing your own birthday' from Flitmouse

Efnisien loving photography

The bushwalking trail and Efnisien's agoraphobia in general

Cella visiting and Efnisien mounting the challenge immediately after and being smacked down with ardolphogen.

'Ardolphogen rage.'

Temsen calling out Efnisien's emotional abuse and telling him he expects better from an alpha even when it's hard and unfair.

Efnisien actually really responding to that.

Efnisien realising he's also an omega (again, I realised this one fairly early on, maybe chapter 3/4 that Efnisien might be genderfluid, but it wasn't a sure thing. There's a point early on in my comment responses where it's clear I'm like 'he's an alpha, he's not an omega' and then there's a pivot where in my comment responses I start saying 'actually, I don't know where he's going to land.')

Efnisien calling out Temsen for betraying his confidentiality and Temsen respecting that.

Efnisien and Enris reconciling. Efnisien apologising to him.

The story about how Kadek ended up at Hillview.

PACS / Gary's heart condition.

Some of these were also strongly influenced by reader response - people wanting to see Efnisien and Flitmouse meet, folks falling in love with Faber, people wanting to see Efnisien have more friends who aren't alphas etc. This is specifically what I love about serials. While I don't do everything everyone hopes for (that's a fast track to ruining a story) and I don't do things that don't make sense for the characters, the fact is that serials are made stronger by keeping your ear to the ground and seeing where folks are gravitating (this used to be true for television shows, once upon a time, as well).

ETA: It's wild to think of all the things we never would have gotten, if I adhered to a really strict chapter plan.