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shellibisshe · 11 months

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–oc tag game

tagged by @corvosattano @jackiesarch @marivenah @nuclearstorms @leviiackrman @nightbloodbix @chuckhansen and @queennymeria thank you all!

i think this has made it's rounds but tagging @loriane-elmuerto @jendoe @florbelles @unholymilf @denerims @risingsh0t @indorilnerevarine @lizzywizzy @ladysanjo @teamhawkeye @benwishaw @ghostfvcker and anyone else!

buckle up yall im going to get sappy. also super ungodly long post under the cut IM SAPPY

– favorite oc.

spencer clarke [the quarry]

i say it a lot but. she is me i am her. like actually, spencer has only been an oc for like a week and she has taken such a tight hold on my brain. I pour a lot of myself into my ocs, but i think spencer is the oc that has really gotten the most. she is the closest to a self insert i think out of all of them, she shares a lot of my behaviors and such. but she is just so fun for me to talk about (im sorry to lori and aj) and figuring her out has been such a blast.

amara owens [infamous: second son]

MISS AMARA CELESTE OWENS. I've had her for as long as i've had the fc5 clowns, or maybe even longer. Amara is an oc that makes me really happy. for a while, i never knew where i wanted to put her; i tried making her a multifandom oc but it just didn't feel right. then i played infamous: second son and it felt like everything just clicked with her. she's one of my most important ocs, no one else have i played the same game 6 times for.

marian ramos de-león [red dead redemption 2]

ms marian is also one of my oldest ocs, she's a little younger than the fc5 clowns, but she's also one of my favorites. she's another really fun character for me to think about. it was so fun to play the game and know exactly where she would be and what she would say. while i haven't done much with her canon or sadie au, making this new, spooky au for her was some of the most fun i've ever had with an oc. using concepts that i've always been a fan of but never really used has been so fun and it all clicks so well with marian

sylvie green [call of duty: modern warfare 2019]

my child whom i share custody of with lori. she has been one of my favorites for almost a year now, another one that has helped me figure out some stuff about myself, and like spencer she truly did grab onto my brain and has not let go. i never thought i'd make an oc for cod, let alone like,,,22 including side characters. half the fun has been getting to bounce ideas off of lori, and sylvie is absolutely one of those ideas. most things about her-- her name, her face, her backstory, even her ship-- are all lori's amazing ideas and i am so happy to have both of them in my life.

honorable mentions: elenore parker, hanan shepard, iseul jeong, corinne sorrell

– newest oc.

spencer clarke [the quarry]

like i said! i've only had spencer for like,,,4 days i think atp. but i love her a lot. with it being summer time here, i started thinking about the quarry again and jacob those that have been here u know i see a himbo i have to make a partner for them and decided it might be fun to make an oc for a horror game for a change! and i'm really happy i did.

jackie castillo [marvel]

more of lori's influence, seeing them talk about Asra and the rest of their marvel ocs made me want to make my own. Jackie is still a bit of a wip, but i love her all the same and i really do need to do some development on her.

blake liu [marvel]

my other marvel girlie. even more of lori's influence. Riri's roommate turned fellow kidnappee turned girlfriend. Asra's adopted daughter. Blake is so many things but everything clicks so well for her. another one i need to develop more, but i am so happy to have her as well.

thalia [assassin's creed: odyssey/origins]

thalia's some kind of phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes deal, but in a like, i scrapped one oc and made her. when i was overhauling Amara, i decided her assassin's creed au didn't really work, but i wanted an oc for odyssey so bad; so enter Thalia. she's one of my more stick in the mud characters but i still love her a lot.

honorable mentions: daphne palmer, silas kane, noah callaghan, andy kwan, rhea dawn

– oldest oc. (also; the favorites pt.2)

elenore parker [far cry 5]

you all knew she'd be here. the blueprint. the very first clown. the batshit insane queen herself. the reason i made this blog. Elle has been through a lot. and i've been through a lot at the same time. she's been there for me as a creative outlet through a lot of bullshit and i am so thankful for her. making her let me deal with some of my own trauma in a way. she's one of the only ocs that i shove into different ships and aus, and every one just works so well for her. she's gotten a bit of an overhaul recently and i'm even more happy with her now.

emily parker [far cry 5]

i can't talk about Elle without Emily. Emily is also a very self inserty character but she's also someone i wish i could be somehow. I don't lean on her as much as i lean on Elle, but i enjoy messing with her every time i do. she's an older oc, but there's still things that are up in the air about her namely if i will ever commit to shipping her with Wheaty.

margo seed [far cry 5]

Margaret Elizabeth Seed, the only oc i have argued with someone about. she was the very first ship kid, such a commanding presence; ever since making her it almost felt like she made herself if that made sense? another one that things just really clicked with; she's also my first aroace oc, and that has become very important to me. she stands on her own, she's another one that i want to be like when i grow up.

daniel seed [far cry 5]

the second ship kid. Daniel almost didn't exist, but i decided Margo could benefit from a narrative foil of sorts. he was a bit of a hassle, he was my first male oc and as such i couldn't land on a face claim for the longest time which was really frustrating for me. he and Margo are both such fun characters to write for, i love how i've managed to make them so similar and so different at the same time.

warren armstrong [far cry 5]

Warren was made at the same time, or close to the same time, as Daniel. he's the first oc that I have actually come up with a family for though, and that has become somewhat of a trend because of him. Warren took a second to really figure out, but he fits in so well with the twins and their shenanigans once i did. I don't talk about him nearly as much as i should, but he is also one of my favorites.

honorable mentions: fern solace, ashlee burrell, katherine boyer, judith burch, kennedy ryder, amara owens

– meanest oc.

ines cousland [dragon age origins]

I have a lot of violent or manipulative ocs (i think, at least), but none of them are on the level that Ines is. Ines walks around with a sort of chip on her shoulder about the world she lives in. she's composed and calculating and power hungry. she makes a lot of cruel and sort of impulsive decisions as a warden, but she is always one step ahead of those that challenge her. she knows she has enemies and she will stop at nothing to ruin their lives just for the fun of it. she's also incredibly ambitious as well; she wanted to be one of, if not the most, powerful people in Thedas, and she would stop at nothing to get herself there.

rhea dawn [fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood]

Rhea is not nearly as malicious as Ines is but she has her moments. she's not technically a villain, but she's also not really going out of her way to help the heroes either. she's never really had any second thoughts about her actions, she will take her own side before anyone else's. she knows she's one of the most powerful alchemists in the world, and if that inspires some fear then so be it.

levi choi [call of duty: modern warfare 2019]

he has to be here, but he's not really that mean compared to the two above. Levi's that friend that is always brutally honest, the one that you just want to fight sometimes because of it. he's not afraid to say what he thinks, he never writes a check that his ass can't cash, and you will hear about it if you piss him or his friends off.

honorable mentions: raina hawke, scott ryder, morgan brooks, noah callaghan, althea elowen, minerva siobhan, katherine boyer, shannon turner

– softest oc.

melanie vargas [the last of us]

Mel is another oc that got somewhat of an overhaul. when hbo tlou came out, i decided i didn't like the direction i went with her, so i scrapped it and started over. she turned out a lot softer this time, being reworked to be one of the friendliest faces of Jackson now. she is a bit more of a background character now because of her role in the universe, but i think that works out better for her.

amara owens [infamous: second son]

my favorite daughter here once again. Amara is one of the softer characters in the main cast of second son but that's not to say she's a pushover either. she would do anything for her friends, she would give anything to help a stranger. she's just one of those ocs that radiates a lot of positive energy and light.

kennedy ryder [mass effect: andromeda]

another one that's soft but is not a pushover. Kennedy would do anything to help anyone in need, but she will not let her kindness be taken advantage of by anyone. she's seen a lot, she's been through a lot, but she doesn't let it get to her. she's also the resident optimist of the gang, which can be a blessing and a curse.

nettie hayes [red dead redemption 2]

nettie, however, is too soft for her own good. maybe. she's the most optimistic oc of mine, always has her rose colored glasses on. in her mind, her world is a lot more idyllic than it is. she is a bit of a pushover as well; she can recognize when she's being screwed over but she won't do anything about it. she wears her heart on her sleeve and is probably the most sensitive of my ocs

honorable mentions: veris lavellan, bea morgan, daphne palmer, taylor ross, daniel seed

– most aloof/standofish oc.

arden [potion permit]

she's quiet, she keeps to herself, she doesn't say much. Arden's not like this because of something that's happened to her, i think you could say; moreso, it's her line of work that made her like this. Arden tries to not get attached because she knows most people she deals with will only be in her life a short period of time. most people, not all of them.

honorable mentions: rhea dawn, spencer clarke, thalia, katherine boyer, ines cousland, nadine hayek

– dumbest (affectionate) oc.

veris lavellan [dragon age: inquisition]

Veris Rila, my first inquisitor, one of the dimmest lightbulbs in my chandler but she still shines. she is the very definition of 'just trying her best.' she's smart in her own way, one that does not make sense to anyone but herself. she's also impulsive, almost out of spite at this point.

honorable mentions: daniel seed, margo seed, blythe trevelyan, silas kane

– smartest oc.

gwen khoury [uncharted]

Dr. Gwendolyn Mila Khoury, Ph.D. Gwen learns shit just for the fun of it honestly, and she will spout off if given the chance. she is incredibly, and sometimes annoyingly, curious. Gwen will pick up a new language or skill just to learn something new.

hanan shepard [mass effect]

another knowledge sponge, Hanan loves to learn about anything she can get her hands on. ship engineering, biotics, alien languages-- Hanan will find something new to learn whenever she can. and she will not hesitate to info dump on the nearest person.

andy kwan [tomb raider]

Andy! another incredibly bright mind. she's working on her masters in ecosystems ecology for much of the tomb raider shenanigans, and she uses these trips for her own personal research. she's not quite on the 'learning something new just for shits and gigs,' but that does not stop her from constantly taking in some knowledge somehow

honorable mentions: amara owens, ethan moreno, taylor ross, spencer clarke, emily parker, iseul jeong, daphne palmer, nadine hayek, alicia rossi, jules rossi, blake liu, arden

– oc you'd be friends with irl.

spencer clarke [the quarry]

we're ending where we started. i put spence in this category because i really do mean it when i said she is me. her behavior and personality is so similar to my own. she's another oc that is really someone i wish i could be like.

honorable mentions: daniel seed, taylor ross, ethan moreno, veris lavellan, blythe trevelyan, amara owens, blake liu, kennedy ryder, bea morgan

#im not tagging all of them if you want to know more than check out my oc page!#long post #tag game

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illusivesoul · 13 days

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THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT MY FELLOW WRITERS

Was tagged by @timesthatneverwere Thank you :)

I'll tag @mtreebeardiles @starlightwrites @mxanigel @anneapocalypse and @marythegizka . Only if you feel like doing this, of course.

I'll post the questions here and my answers under the cut.

Last book I read:

Greatest literary inspiration:

Things in my current fandom I want to read but I don't want to write:

Things in my current fandoms I want to write but I think nobody would be interested in them but me:

You can recognize my writing by:

My most controversial take (current fandom):

Top three favourite tropes:

What’s your current writing mood (10 – super motivated and churning out words like crazy, 0 – in a complete rut):

Share a random frustration:

Last book I read: Sapiens: From Animals to Gods by Yuval Harari. A really good and interesting book about the evolution of humanity and religion, societal developments, where humanity may be in the future, etc.

Greatest literary inspiration: Not sure I have any, to be honest.

Things in my current fandom I want to read but I don't want to write: I'd love to read a fic that centers around big events in DA history like the fall of the elvhen empire after Solas brings up the Veil, the fall of Arlathan, the Exalted Marches, etc.

For ME, I'd like to read fics set in what the me2 characters were doing before the events of the game. Garrus in Omega, Samara searching for Morinth, Zaeed looking for Vido, etc

Things in my current fandoms I want to write but I think nobody would be interested in them but me: I mean, I mostly write rarepairs, so that doesn't get much attention already. I'm currently writing about Leliana's mom, who I hc was a Carta dwarf that through the twists of fate ended up working for Lady Cecile.

I love writing about obscure characters and giving depth to characters who have 2 lines of dialogue in the games lol.

You can recognize my writing by: If you find a ME or DA rare rarepair on ao3, there's a good chance that it was written by me lol

I always open fics with either descriptions of scenery ("It was a busy day at the Grand Cathedral") or direct dialogue (“Shouldn’t be much longer now, Natia”). And my fics very rarely go over 2k words.

I think this is a common thing for writers, but I've always felt that most of my smut fics are quite similar to each other.

My most controversial take (current fandom): I have a lot lol. I'll give 2 for Mass Effect and 2 for Dragon Age.

As much as I enjoy them, I don't like how most of the squadmates don't ever stand up to Shepard and are pretty much just yes men and women who go along with everything Shepard does (it's also why Ash and Kaidan are among my favs)

I think curing the Genophage in me3 is a mistake (I prefer Mordin surviving and going to work on the Crucible and then continue working on a cure to be used later when the galaxy is more stable, as his ending slides show)

For Dragon Age, Loghain was right in retreating from Ostagar cause the battle was unwinnable, and (not sure if this qualifies as a controversial take) Vivienne is the best Divine imo.

Top three favourite tropes: Not sure if these are tropes per se, but I enjoy Fighting before kissing, reuniting after being separated for years,

What’s your current writing mood (10 – super motivated and churning out words like crazy, 0 – in a complete rut): 6.

Share a random frustration: My lack of a proper schedule to write. I always try to get a some words into wips each days, but sometimes I spent days without writing followed by a sudden burst of activity lol.

#tag meme

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brilla-brilla-estrellita · 8 months

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WIP Wednesday

Hiya! Thanks for the tag @cutestkilla!

So last week I posted about a new WIP that features a deaf character that I am trying very hard to write. Over the last week I have spent many many hours reading everything I could find on writing deaf characters, types of hearing loss, types of assistive listening devices, mainstream schools vs specialized schools, and what support students are entitled to in the classroom (and what support students actually get in the classroom -- they are, unfortunately, not the same list). I also spent hours just writing about this character -- her likes, dislikes, her family, childhood, etc.

Next up I plan to do more reading about the kinds of support available in schools both in the US and in the UK and the experiences of being deaf or hard of hearing in mainstream school, and whatever else I happen upon along the way. I also have more to write about this character just to flesh her out some more, and I often randomly think of something about her while I'm in the middle of something else and have to stop what I'm doing and write it down. After I feel like I've got her character and her role in the story pretty well built out, I'll write out a nice summary and look for a sensitivity reader to hopefully talk through it with! (If you are deaf/HoH and interested, pleaaaase hmu!)

Anyway, here's a short snippet of the WIP, and more Penny POV. I'm not sure if it will stay or not. I may be projecting my own practices onto Penny.... (Also no shade if you do use tarot cards as divinatory tools rather than self-reflection tools. This is just Penny's judgy scientific side coming through.)(We all know she's not the spiritual type.)(Scientific sounds weird though since it's in a very magical setting, but that's what it is? Magical science?)

Penny:

Journaling is a practice I started when Shepard and I started dating and I realized it was serious (it didn’t take long after that first kiss, really). I wanted to pay more attention to myself and my actions. I didn’t want to repeat past mistakes. It has served me well, so far. I even go so far as to use tarot cards sometimes when I’m having a hard time identifying what I’m experiencing. Tarot decks aren’t innately magical items. They’re not even a tool typically used by mages. They’re primarily used by Normals who believe they can see the future— a claim yet to be proven. I reluctantly picked them up at Shepard’s suggestion. Apparently there are some Normals, even therapists, who use it as a tool of self-reflection. I hate to say it, but it does help to get myself unstuck and get my thoughts flowing. The thoughts are coming, but the connections aren’t forming. Something about this is itching me, telling me there’s more to scratch. (That’s a feeling I’ve picked up on in journaling, too. That I’m not quite getting to the truth of my own psyche.) I pull a card.

Thanks for reading! Tagging @onepintobean @martsonmars @thewholelemon @technetiumai @agni-ashes @ileadacharmedlife @iamamythologicalcreature @facewithoutheart @shrekgogurt @raenestee @skeedelvee

#wip wednesday #stormchaser #penelope bunce #shepard love #even though he's not really in this snippet whoops

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omniblades-and-stars · 12 days

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🐚 🪲 🥐 listen you know I usually go hunting for what’s been answered but it’s been a long day so here’s a few of my favorite things

🐚 ⇢ do you like or dislike surprises?

Hmm... I am generally ambivalent to surprises. I don't hate surprises, but I do love spoilers ... so maybe ... I do? Maybe it's just that I have some of the worst luck in the universe so I feel like if I just say, "Yeah, I'm fine with surprises" something really bad will happen.

🪲 ⇢ add 50 words to your current wip and share the paragraph here

You want us all to suffer, don't you? Well, fine. More of Shepard's hallucination upon you.

"I met your sisters, Ash," Shepard said as she struggled to stay conscious. "They're good kids. Wish I'd met them under better circumstances." The edges of her vision were growing darker, ringed by a harsh, blurry halo of light. "They look like you." Her voice was cracking, and soft, like there wasn't enough air to push the words out. Ashley smiled, but her head snapped to attention as she picked up her rifle and stood up. "Hold that thought, Skipper. I heard something, need to go check the perimeter." "Wait, Ash -" "Hold on until I come back, Shepard. Just keep breathing."

🥐 ⇢ name one internet reference that will always make you laugh

Drink my hot kool-aid:

youtube

Fun fact, I've met Julian Smith a couple of times back in high school and just out of it. He was friends with a guy I had a huge crush on.

#this is my ask game tag now

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rotschopf-thedrow · 3 months

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7 snippets, 7 mutuals

Got tagged by the awesome @cr-noble-writes <3 Thank you!

No pressure tags: @lonesurvivorao3, @ficbrish, @valka-arialitan, @mallaidhsomo, @nyamadermont, @clericofshadows & @kalliesa, if you feel inclined ^^

I only have one WIP I'm currently working on - The loneliest Hour - and the story only has 6 chapters. Ah well. Something from a one-shot, then? Perhaps? ;)

So, one snippet from every chapter of TLH + an yet untitled one-shot.

1. The music turned to a slower, more sensual rhythm that belied the lyrics accompanying the song. They spoke of hurt, of loneliness, of devastation; of loss so profound it threatened to rip you apart on the very seams of your being; of not being alone in that moment, of being allowed to lean on someone. Kaidan put up no resistance when Coats pulled him closer, encouraging him to accept it. It would take Kaidan a long time to come to terms with losing Shepard, to accept that he himself was still alive when so many good people had gone down with the Normandy.

2. He took a sharp breath when he felt Coats’ fingers sliding under his uniform shirt, unto his bare, sweat-damp skin on the small of his back.

“So, do I get to call you Daryl?” Kaidan whispered against Coats’ ear, revelling in the shiver that travelled through Coats’ body.

“You sure as hell get to call me Daryl,” Coats replied just as huskily, and Kaidan had to suppress a moan when Coats’ lips travelled along his hairline. Fuck.

3. He knew he would if he were interested in someone. “You know, you have an awful tendency to show up at the most convenient opportunities, Daryl,” he finally said, placing the glass back on the table and making sure his fingers brushed against Coats’.

A glint lit up Coats’ eyes, and he smirked. “Do I now.”

“Yes.” Kaidan narrowed his eyes, inclining his head slightly. “And you’re a shameless flirt, who neither calls nor writes.”

Coats snorted. “Same goes for you, Kaidan.”

“True. What’s your reason you never got in touch with me?”

Coats took a deep breath and stole Kaidan’s shot of whiskey, sniffing it before he took a careful taste. “I didn’t think you wanted that kind of attention from someone like me.” Coats’ words hit Kaidan directly in the gut. “The longer I didn’t hear from you, the more I believed it. What’s your excuse?”

4. “No need, James. It’s just that someone needs to drill it into the head of this idiot from time to time that he’s worth it. Especially when his man is not around.”

“Wait, what?” Vega’s eyes jumped from Kaidan to Shepard and back. “I thought… you two are… you know. Most of the crew do.”

Kaidan groaned. He had been waiting for it to happen and, frankly, it amazed him that it had taken so long to come up. Back on the first Normandy, Ash had waited a full two days to ask him if he was dating Shepard.

“We’re not together, James,” Shepard finally said after a moment of awkward silence.

“Why not?”

“Because I won’t fuck up the best friendship I’ve ever had for a lay I wouldn’t enjoy anyways,” Shepard replied. “But that is beside the point.” He sighed. “I appreciate the sentiment, Kaidan. I really do, but it had to be me. Leviathan only let me go because it was me, because of who I am. It would’ve killed you, and that is something I wouldn’t have been able to bear.”

5. He would probably never get used to Shepard just turning himself into a weapon, but it was still a sight to behold. “So what? I’m not allowed to kiss my man goodbye?” he asked, emptying a clip into a couple of marauders.

He hated those things. They were somehow capable of bolstering the armour of close-by husks and cannibals, turning a skirmish into a fully-fledged battle in no time if they weren’t taken out as fast as possible.

“Maybe the James-human does not understand those things since he has no mate,” Javik commented, and Kaidan was almost certain that this was a smirk he could hear in Javik’s usually solemn voice.

“The James-human does understand it very much,” Vega retorted, stomping on the neck of a downed marauder with more force than necessary. “The James-human just chooses his mates as carefully.”

6. “I joined because of Shepard, Cool Aid down there,” he continued and gestured towards a huge marine at the end of the line, “as well. Martens was in Coats’ company before they arrived at the FOB, and you, sir, saved my sorry ass from a banshee. We owe you, and with your permission, we’d like to join your efforts in finding Shepard, and Major Coats as well.”

For a fleeting moment, Kaidan didn’t know what to say. They knew. They knew about him and Coats and had just made it their objective to help him find his man and his best friend. This was loyalty no amount of pay could buy. This was loyalty forged on the battlefield, and Kaidan was thankful for it.

He nodded. “Permission granted, marines. Thank you.” “Hooyah!”

And now for the snippet of a yet untitled one-shot that is set beofre The Loneliest Hour:

7.If there was one trait Daryl Coats attributed to himself, it would be “stealth”. He had been stationed far behind enemy lines, had stood knee-deep in batarian corpses and still made the enemy believe their people had died in a freak accident. One well-placed shot from his sniper rifle exploding one fuel tank had put an end to the uprising on Mavigon, effectively saving todays Admiral Mikhailovich’s arse from getting busted.

Stealth was his business if he wanted to and, thus, it didn’t come as a surprise to him that no one seemed to notice him slipping into Court Room 3. No one had bothered to inform him of the proceedings though his sister had died in the Battle of the Citadel. There were a lot of people missing from the court room: All the families and friends of the 2,400 soldiers and crew who had died defending a Council they had only heard of in tall tales. The least he could do to honour their sacrifice was to be here and look their murderers in the eye.

#7 snippets 7 mutuals #mass effect #kaidan alenko #writing #rotschopf shares #verse: the loneliest hour #kaidan alenko x major daryl coats

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clericofshadows · 6 months

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WIP MEME

tagged by @rotschopf-thedrow thanks! as always, tagging anyone who sees and wants to play along <3

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

I have a few folders, since I keep mine organized by Shepard these days.

REGIS SHEPARD

trust doesn't come cheap

zorya (mission)

zorya (after)

a night to remember (cit dlc casino)

relationship shenanigans

post arrival

NYX SHEPARD

weapon maintenance

ash and kaidan talk about nyx

awkward elevator convos

two spectres and an admiral

I have a couple of things brewing :)

#tag game #cleric's wip

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shepardsherd · 5 months

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Me: I will focus om the wips I have now

Eventually, my brain: WHO WANTD A NEW WIP

#writblr #writeblr #ash shepard wips

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breadedsinner · 10 months

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WIP Wednesday

Tagged by @seraandthebees, thank you!

“So, they just put you right to work, huh?” said Ashley.

Shepard’s turned his head slightly, making sure Miranda and Jacob were still working on the second tower, well out of earshot. “They did. Still feels like I was jerked out of a long sleep, got a briefing and my armor slapped back on.”

“And … that’s all?”

Shepard’s fingers froze. For all the things he wanted to say to Ashley, the topic she was tiptoeing towards was not one he was ready to face himself. There was no time. “Ash, your sister’s high school graduation party still feels like it happened last week. Now she’s in university. You were anxious about your transfer, but now look at you.”

Ashley tilted her head, the beginning of a cautious smile. “Yeah? What about me? Do I look different?”

“You haven’t aged a day, if that’s what you mean.”

“Oh, no,” she laughed, a brief flourish on her face. “This doesn’t fade or crack.”

Shepard fully turned from the console. There was an uneasy silence, a rigid breeze against burned tree branches, ready to snap. A flap of bird wings far off in the distance. Two years ago, two days ago, this colony probably looked very different.

Not Ash, though. Same knowing smirk. Same brown eyes, flickered with gold in the sun. Eyes that knew his worth, knew his intent, before he even said anything. If not for the upgraded armor, he would hardly be able to tell a day had passed from last he saw her.

“You, ah, you look good,” he said. “A bit tired.”

“Yeah, well, I am tired.” The gold specks beamed as she squinted. “Your scars are all gone. You had one against the left side of your face, from when you first used biotics.”

“I nearly gave myself an aneurysm. It’s not a happy reminder, but it’s strange to be without it. To just be clean slate.”

Ashley put her hand on the side of his arm, her eyes never left it. Her fingers slowly shifted upward; she wanted to slide up slowly and touch his face, where the scar used to be, and he wanted to let her.

#Mass Effect #Commander Shepard #Ashley Williams #Shepley #Fuck it we're tagging it #Crystallize Fic #I have not forgotten about this fic t's just gonna be cooking for a while #Writing Tag

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mtreebeardiles · 1 year

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WIP Whenever

Finally managed to write something! Just some voice testing for Nico Shepard and Ash, post-Eden Prime:

It took all of Ash's discipline not to reach out to the young man lying prone on the bed in Dr. Chakwas's medbay. He was still asleep, eyes fluttering behind their lids and brows furrowed even as his fingers twitched by his sides and his head rolled on the pillow. A dream, the doctor had said, something vivid and strong enough to set off her sensors, and Ashley wasn't sure how much of that had to do with that…thing, that strange force that had grabbed first Alenko and then Nico when the younger man had surged forward to pull his lieutenant away. It had happened so fast -- talking with Nico one minute to catching the look of alarm on his face before he'd pushed past her and then --

--watching, horrified, Alenko holding her back as Nico was wrenched into the air, body struggling --

"--no signs of permanent damage." Dr. Chakwas's voice cut through her thoughts and Ashley blinked, refocusing on the doctor.

"You mentioned unusual brainwaves?" she pressed.

"Won't know more about that until he wakes up."

It's been hours already. She knew she didn't have to stay here, watching over him like this. But with Alenko already discharged and the persistent sense of limbo from her own abrupt reassignment to the Normandy…

And the fact that if I don't make sure he's okay Lynn will have my head…

She suppressed a smile at the thought, shaking her head. Of all the people she could've expected to run into on the Eden Prime assignment, Nico freakin' Shepard hadn't exactly been at the top of her list.

The universe was funny that way.

He shifted on the bed, drawing her attention, and she couldn't help but take in all the ways he had -- and hadn't -- changed since she'd seen him last.

He was taller, bulkier, far and away from the scrawny kid he'd been when he was a cocky, know-it-all teenager still dating her little sister. Same cap of thick black hair, ends trying to curl despite how short he had it cut, and that smirk may have been hidden by his helmet back planet-side but she knew it was still there from the way his eyes crinkled at the corners.

New scars ran along his upper arm, but she remembered the one on his cheekbone, knew the little ones on his fingers. Hazards of a teenage smart-ass, as she'd liked to tease him back in the day, always straddling that line between brilliance and impatience, with the burns to prove which side he tended to land on.

She wondered if that was still the case. Wondered how different Nico-the-Alliance-solider was from Nico-the-cocky-tech-genius.

"Mmm…"

"Doctor?"

"Give him some space."

Ashley hopped off the neighboring bed where she'd been perching during her vigil, watching as Nico's eyes fluttered and slowly opened. Warm brown eyes blinked in confusion until they settled on her.

"…Ash?"

She grinned, stepping to his side while the doctor pulled out her 'tool on the opposite side of the bed. "Hey, kiddo," she murmured, keeping her voice soft. "How ya feelin'?"

"…You remember Lynn's after-graduation party?"

"When you all got absolutely shit-faced?"

"I feel like the next morning."

She laughed, shaking her head before offering her hand to help him sit up. He pulled himself into a seated position with a wince, his free hand moving to rub at the back of his neck.

"What even happened?"

"What do you remember?" the doctor asked.

"Uh…" Nico squinted in thought. "Some ancient alien bullshit?"

Ash snorted. "Very helpful, kiddo."

Nico glared her way, the effect undermined by the fact he was clearly trying not to laugh.

"But accurate, eh?" He cocked his head at her. "And excuse you, that's Commander Kiddo these days." This time he did grin, then winced, and they both looked toward Dr. Chakwas.

"I'll get you something for the pain, Commander."

"Is everyone okay?" Nico asked after swallowing down some pills and giving the doctor as many details as he could remember -- including the unsettling dreams that had been plaguing him while asleep. "Alenko?"

"LT's doing okay," Ash assured him. She'd moved to sit on the bed beside him, their legs dangling over the edge. "Whatever that was didn't have a chance to work him over like it did you."

"Good."

"You really doing okay, Nic?" she asked after a moment, voice soft. He had that stormy expression she remembered so well, the one that told her he was in deep thought and the thought wasn't a pleasant one. Jaw set, slight pull at his lower lip indicating he was biting at it from the inside, a tightness around his eyes that could've easily been discomfiture as much as lingering pain from his headache.

"Yeah," he replied after a long moment. "Just… s'been a weird day. Days? Fuck, I don't know. Went from being told I was participating in a standard shakedown for the Alliance's hot new toy to finding out that wasn't the case -- I mean, I kinda suspected as much, but…"

"They didn't tell you about the beacon?"

"Not til we got in-system." He picked at the seam of his pants, mouth a tight line. "And apparently that turian I mentioned, the one we found dead at the space port? He was a Spectre, sent along to evaluate me."

"Evaluate…? They want you for the Spectres?"

"Mm."

Ashley watched him, frowning. Nico was… gifted. Always had been. He'd gone from being one of the youngest students accepted into Grissom Academy to spearheading their engineering program to graduating early, his senior thesis being put to the unexpected test during the Blitz -- and earning him the title Hero of Elysium. He enlisted in the Alliance a year later on his eighteenth birthday, and she knew he'd been invited to the Villa shortly after his first year of service. Hadn't gotten the N7 designation yet, but she knew it was only a matter of time.

Being called to represent humanity as their first-ever Spectre was something she would've thought he'd want more than anything.

"Nicky," she murmured. "What's going on?"

He blew out a sigh. "Just… don't like being kept in the dark about that shit, you know? Maybe if…" He chewed on his lip, almost hard enough to bruise. "Maybe if I'd known a bit more before all that shit went down, I wouldn't have lost Jenkins."

Ah.

She bit back the obvious words -- the truth any soldier knew, that coming back from any given mission was never a given. Something she knew Nico understood, deep down, and something she also knew would ring like empty comfort if she bothered pointing it out now.

Knowing the score didn't stop her young friend from keeping that tally carved into his soul.

"Anderson said it was a need to know situation," Nico went on after a moment. He huffed, rolling his eyes. "Load of crap, if you ask me. He could've said something…"

"He's as bound by that red tape as any of us, kiddo," she pointed out.

"Or he still sees me as a child," he grumbled. She cocked an eyebrow, folding her arms over her chest until he glanced her way and she caught his eye.

"I don't think he sees you that way," she began. "But you are kind of acting like it, yeah?"

He narrowed his eyes, but his lips twitched in a smile when she nudged his ribs with her elbow.

"I'm just sayin'," he started.

"That as the Alliance's resident golden boy, you should be given higher clearance than everyone else."

"Exactly!"

He was smiling fully now, a dimple flashing in one cheek.

"Glad to see your humility is still intact after all these years."

"Pretty sure it's grown, even," he replied, tone lofty. "I'm the most humble son of a bitch you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting; revel in my graciousness."

Ashley rolled her eyes, grinning, and promptly elbowed him again.

#my writing #Nico Shepard #Ashley Williams #ME1 #mass effect #transmasc shepard

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whimsyswastry · 6 months

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AO3 Asks

Tagged by @quietborderline 💛 (I'm still working on the last writing asks you sent me! But this one looks like is much easier than picking out specific lines from my writing, so hopefully it won't take two months plus to publish lol)

Tagging: All you writers out there. I'll tag a couple of you directly, but please don't feel pressured to answer. And if I didn't tag you, it's my lizard brain. Please answer them and tag me so I can read your wonderful answers 💛

@flamehairedsiren @pigeontheoneandonly @greypetrel @destiel-wings

How many works do you have on AO3? 39 (Mostly one shots)

What's your total AO3 words count? 105,481

What fandoms do you write for? The last year has been Mass Effect only, but I have a few Dragon Age and Greedfall pieces as well. And there might be an Anthem ficlet? I can't remember.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos? (1) Masquerade & Mysteries (Greedfall) (2) 31 Days of Kurtober (Greedfall) (3) The Hot Zone (Mass Effect: Andromeda) (4) Unharrowed (Dragon Age) (5) Operation Leviathan (Mass Effect)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Almost always. I really enjoy getting comments and even though I get incredibly anxious to respond because even though I feel like an imposter to be like "OMG THANKS!!!" I am truly thankful for the time they took to not only read, but to reach out, too.

What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Unharrowed; but only because it's plotted out to be a trilogy. So the first book ends with a high level of angst. Unfortunately, the one that's currently published to AO3 is not only unfinished, but also COMPLETELY different from the re-write I'm working on.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Masquerades & Mysteries, but technically it's not done yet. Because...I feel way too intimidated to finish the story, because in truly 10K story fashion, it ends with a smut chapter. And I don't really do that.

Do you get hate on fics? I've gotten some...disappointing comments that paraded under the false pretenses of "constructive criticism" but as they were from strangers, it mostly just felt like criticism. But only on Unharrowed which makes sense because Unharrowed (the version that's published on AO3) is very weak. It was my first story coming back from a 15 year hiatus of writing fiction (I'd been too busy writing academic research papers). And...you can tell.

Do you write smut. If so what kind? I do, but usually fade-to-black scenarios before it gets explicit. I have one story that I wasn't planning on fading to black, and it has been sitting in limbo for like 3 years because I'm too intimidated to try and write it.

Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? I don't do DIRECT crossovers, but I will definitely take pieces of other fandoms and just apply them to my own. I haven't written it yet, but I do have a pretty wild pseudo-crossover planned. It's the plot of House of Ashes by Supermassive, but instead of the HOA characters, they're all the characters from Mass Effect.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I know of, but that's probably because every single fic I have published so far is only half done. And also because I have a couple dedicated readers, but I don't advertise my writing very often (not advertise, but things like blogging the links)

Have you ever had a fic translated? Not that I'm aware of.

Have you ever cowritten a fic before? I've never co-written, but I've had the opportunity to give my input while beta-ing my best friends Dragon Age fic.

What's your all-time favourite ship? I can choose favorites in each fandom, but probably not all time. Kaidan and Shepard have been reining supreme lately though.

What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? I am uncertain I'll ever finish Unharrowed. I had planned on writing 50k of it this year for NaNo, but due to health issues, I have chosen to not participate in NaNo this November. Hopefully I can still crank out 50K in April during camp.

What are your writing strengths? Plot. My plots are banger. Dialogue sounds pretty natural, I think.

What are your writing weaknesses? CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Which sucks, because you can have a weak story, that people will still love if your characters are strong. And my character aren't weak, but they are not dynamic. They don't tend to grow. Hopefully, realizing that about myself over the last year, maybe I can change that.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? I don't mind if it makes sense storywise, or if it's a nickname for another character. But in general, I think it just creates more work for the reader, which isn't always a good decision.

First fandom you wrote for? Ever? Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place way back in 2002. It still gets a few likes every couple years and it startles me lol but it's on FF.Net, not AO3. The first for AO3 was Dragon Age.

Favourite fic you've ever written? It's not done, but The Hot Zone is definitely one of my favorites.

Answering these made me realize I really need to finish a story. Like..badly. Lmao they're all half drafted or half edited or just pseudo-abandoned.

#about whimsy #tag games

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sketchyfletch · 6 months

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20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @feralkwe (thank you!)

How many works do you have on AO3?

11. I also have various ones scattered on ff.net, as well as lost to time on livejournal and a graveyard on my googledrive.

What’s your total AO3 word count?

77246. In terms of fic writing output, I’m one of those little pilot fish that hangs around friendly sharks.

What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly Dragon Age and the Arcana mobile game. I want to write more Mass Effect and I’ve done a Yasmin/Thirteen Dr Who ficlet. I used to write a lot of stuff for Naruto in my teens.

What are your top five fics by kudos?

A Little Tender Loving Care - Arcana. Smut. Giving Nadia a massage.

A Little Stronger You Thought - Arcana. A sparring practice with Nadia gets a bit hot and sweaty. Not actually smut this time.

Won’t You Cleanse My Soul - Arcana. And we’re back to Smut. The bathroom scene taken to a conclusion not in the game.

Not So Clean - Mass Effect. Smut again! Shepard and Traynor share a shower.

Alone At Last - Dr Who. After Ryan and Graham leave the TARDIS, Yasmin and Thirteen finally push past a barrier in their friendship.

Do you respond to comments?

Yes. I didn’t used to, but I love giving energy back to the people who took the time to write.

What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Back in my ff.net days, Leliana grieving after losing the Warden to the Ultimate Sacrifice. It implies Leliana dying as well. The angiest one on AO3 is Let it All Out, with Hawke spilling her guts to Leliana over everything that’s happened since they last saw each other in Lothering.

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably Alone At Last. Most of my one shots have a happy ending but this in particular.

Do you get hate on fics?

I’ve been fortunate enough to avoid it, although I have had a couple of ‘helpful’ comments telling me what I should do with the characters next (which is a guaranteed way to make me go in the opposite direction, not least so the commenter can’t claim credit for the idea).

Do you write smut?

Cough. See above.

Do you write crossovers?

I sort of am between Dragon Age games as I like bringing characters from one game and putting them in the setting of another. I’ve also been picking at a ‘Shepard crash lands on the Wounded Coast’ fic which I’m not sure will ever see the light of day.

Have you had a fic stolen?

Not as far as I know.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I’ve co-written a lot of storylines on forums, some of which have sprung out into me working on fics separately, but not collaborated on a fanfic before.

What’s your all-time favourite ship?

That’s a tough one. I adore Isabela/F Hawke, and ship Leliana very specifically with my jabby Siali Tabris, but if I was to pick one it would be Korra/Asami. When the first season of Korra came out I made a post on tumblr commenting on the chemistry between the two and really liking the idea of them together, but stating that the network would never, ever let it happen. (Child of the mid-2000’s ‘bury your gays’ wars here.) Having it come true was huge from a cultural standpoint, and I remember sitting at the computer sobbing my eyes out at the finale. It was so important to me so for that reason, I think they’ll always been my OTP even if I never write a fic for them.

Which now I want to. Dammit.

What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I really, really want to write more of Aliyah Hawke’s story. I love DA2 but Hawke as a protagonist never grabbed me by the brainstem in the way my Warden and Inquisitor did. I want to build her up some more. She has five chapters up on AO3 and I want to save her from the ashes.

What are your writing strengths?

I’m told I’m good at distinctive character voices. I like to switch around POVs a lot during fics to give different perspectives on familiar scenes, and the way I write inner monologues is very specific to the character who is the focal point at that time.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I’m not an especially funny writer. Some people have a real knack for turns of phrase that leave you rolling on the floor, and sadly I am not one of those people.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I have done this a lot as Nicolette is either Orlesian or French depending on what world she’s inhabiting at the point I’m writing her, and in reference to her faceclaim also has Indian/Rivaini ancestry, so I’d sprinkle her speech with bits of whatever her mother tongue is. I’ve learned to be increasingly careful about this because a) a lot of free translation tools are absolute arse and b) context is very important.

Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

I’m actually currently writing it. ‘I Cannot Fly, So Let Me Sing’ started as a joke of me taking my very pacifist wandering minstrel character who I have been playing for years and playing with the canon like a ball of yarn until I could justify making her Inquisitor. It has been great working her into the story and also trying to weave in other character POVs, but I am currently taking a bit of a break as I have two bridging/important infodump chapters to write before I can move onto the next bit and I am STUCK.

Tagging @shenaniginstigations, @aithne and @zombolouge

#writing #fics

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