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gavisuntiedboot · 1 year

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Just Pretend (Gavi x reader)

Part 1

Tinder is not a great place to look for boyfriends, but neither is the workplace.

Gavi x Physiotherapist! reader. Slow burn. I can't make things fast he's gotta work for it. Smut? Not in this part but maybe eventually.

A/N: Hi everyone! Not super new on Tumblr but I have never been brave enough to post a fic despite my constant maladaptive daydreaming about imaginary scenarios. The stress of being sick and not wanting to write my personal statement have lead me to actually write this and post it online. Please be nice, hope you enjoy!

Song inspo: Just Pretend - Bad omens

Writing inspo: Plot inspired by @zeegaazeegaah and their amazing Gavi x physiotherapist imagine. Other inspirational accounts will be tagged at the end.

TW: None

Word count: 4.8K

"So what do you do?"

y/n hated this question. Even being asked for nudes might be preferable to being asked about her job. y/n had been on 12 first dates since moving back to Barcelona, and without fail every one of them had been ruined by this simple question. She considered lying - she could pass as a student or a waitress or even a model (ok maybe not a model): there were literally thousands of jobs she could pretend to have. But, being the idiot hopeless romantic that she was, she decided to be honest with the man across from her. What if Thiago from Tinder was her soulmate? She didn't want to ruin it by lying.

"I'm finishing my sports medicine and physiotherapy certification, so I am working with one of the football clubs here to do practical training and gain experience."

"Oh that's cool! Which club? You can tell me, I know most of the 3rd and 4th tier Catalan clubs, so I'll probably know it even if it's really small."

Wow. Thiago from Tinder was an overachiever: he messed up before she even said which club she worked for, which was faster than every other man she had been out with in the last four months. y/n took a deep breath and resisted the urge to leave before confessing where she worked.

"I actually work at a pretty well known club... F.C Barca. I think you might of heard of it?" y/n watched this man's jaw visibly drop. His eyes got wide and lit up, like someone had told him he had just won a brand new car.

"You're a physio at Barca?? No way! That's my team! I think I would actually commit manslaughter if Pedri asked me to. So you get to see all the players every day? And Xavi! Have you ever spoken to Xavi? Do you know he won Spain their first world cup? You might be too young to remember. That's so amazing!"

y/n felt all the muscles in her head tense as she focused all her energy on not rolling her eyes. A fanboy. Typical. This was the most common response she got when she said her place of work out loud. 6 of the last 12 first dates had been major fanboys for the club, talking endlessly about how they would steal and kill and get on their knees for Barca. One had even been so bold as to ask if she had ever seen Lewandosky naked, to confirm if some measurements he had seen online were true. While the fans were annoying, the haters were even worse. 4 different dates had said they felt bad that she worked at a "dying club", throwing up football statistics, and going red in the face when she said she could not possibly care less about who had more Champion's League wins.

Then there were those that went out of their way to offend her. You would think that a man trying to get laid would have some more common sense. But that didn't stop one of her tinder matches from calling her a liar in the middle of a restaurant. He was still on his first glass of wine, leaning back cockily in his chair when he said that La Liga would never allow female physios to work with the first team because women couldn't "handle the intensity of football injuries." She should have gotten up and left when he said that, but he was 6'3 with a brand new Porsche, so she let him buy her dinner and drive her home before telling him that she genuinely hoped he never interacted with a female doctor ever again, even if it was to save his life.

The worst had been when she went out with Jose. He had invited her to a pretty expensive spot in central Barcelona. They were having an amazing conversation until the fated job question. She had downed a good amount of wine at that point, and wasn't as cynical about the reaction as she usually would be, so she spoke about her role with pride. Big mistake. He perked up, then threw his head back and laughed. He laughed so loudly it startled the waiter clearing plates from the nearby table. "21 years old and working as a physio for F.C Barca... Who did you have to sleep with to get that job, hm? Xavi? La Porte himself? Or maybe someone at the university? Regardless, you must fuck like a pornstar to have landed a job like that. Can't wait to try it first hand." y/n said some choice words about Jose and his micropenis, and promptly left, seeking to avoid assault charges that night.

The truth was that y/n was extremely talented at what she did. She grew up watching football with her father and brother, developing an interest in working in sports professionally. She worked herself half to death during high school to be accepted into a sports science program in the U.S. She interned with the college teams there, learning about sports injuries and treating them. She finished her program in three years, and despite programs across Europe fighting for her, she came back to Barcelona to finish her physiotherapy certification. She would be lying if she said it was just for her family and friends. The program in Barcelona advertised opportunities to work with F.C. Barca, her favorite football club since birth. It was a love she inherited from her father, as shown by all her childhood pictures in the Blaugrana uniform.

The program was harder than expected. She was one of 7 female first year students, and the only girl in her year that wanted to work with the first team. y/n was made aware that this might work to her advantage now that professional football was pushing for more female representation (in referees, coaching staff, and now on the medical team). The guys in her class either hated her guts or wanted to sleep with her (sometimes both) - it really was like legally blonde without the law.

In the middle of August, close to the beginning of the new season, all the applicants for the Barca placement were called into the university on a Sunday. Their professor introduced Dr. Gonzales, the head physiotherapist for the club. y/n started to sweat despite the air conditioning hitting her directly. She was terrified to even breathe wrong in the presence of this man.

"It's a pleasure to be here with you all today. Thank you for your hard work in submitting to fill the assistant physiotherapist position at F.C. Barcelona. Now, there have been rumors that we are hiring a student to fil this position because it is cheaper and we are broke, but I would like to assure you all now that it's not true."

The two boys in front of her snickered quietly, one whispering a "yeah right" to the other. Dr. Gonzalez looked up at the boys. "You two giggling in the back. You don't seem like the type we need at Camp Nou. You can leave now." Everyone in the room sat up straighter after that. Everyone was on military behavior, not wanting a wrong look or a chair squeak to blow their chance. "As many of you know, one of our strikers, Ousmane Dembélé, presents with consistent right hamstring tightness, leading to frequent injuries."

As Dr. Gonzalez turned to face the screen, y/n found enough bravery to pull out a pen and paper to take notes. The doctor continued to describe the player's condition, his playing style, and the current course of treatment being used. After speaking for 25 minutes (while facing the screen instead of the students), he turned around and addressed them. "Your project is to develop a continuous muscular therapy treatment for Dembélé in the next two days. The best and most cost effective method gets the job placement. You at the back," he pointed at y/n, "Smart choice to take notes. I advise you not to share."

Y/n drove home that evening checking her rear-view mirror every few seconds. The possibility of being followed by one of her classmates so they could steal her notes was low, but never zero, and so she did both of the locks tightly on the door. She sat at her computer and got to work right away. Truth be told, she felt like the whole assignment was kind of a trick. Dr. Gonzalez had told them the current treatment plan for Dembélé, which had obviously been working seeing as they kept using it. She made a few adjustments based on leg dominance and the anticipated excess strain of playing more minutes each game, and then she decided to facetime her friend Angelika while she made the PowerPoint look pretty.

"Good evening Dr. y/l/n, finally ready to ask for my hand in marriage? My parents always wanted me to marry into medicine." y/n rolled her eyes and smirked. She had met Angelika when she was living in the US through a Facebook group for Spanish students studying abroad. Ever since then, not a day had gone by where they hadn't spoken (except once when Angelika had dropped her phone into a pint of beer and couldn't get it fixed for three days).

"You know I'm ready when you are gorgeous, just send your ring size. What're you up to?"

"Nothing much, just scrolling on the internet trying to find clubs that are no cover for ladies tomorrow. You're still coming out with us right?" y/n looked away from her computer and looked at Angelika with the "I'm about to bail on plans look" that was all too familiar. "Y/n!! You cannot be cancelling plans with us again! You haven't been anywhere except your house and the university in like six weeks! People will start to think you're with child and in hiding."

"I didn't know I was the new virgin Mary." y/n quipped, trying to make her presentation equally professional and cute. "You're not, because that would require you being a virgin. I know it feels like it's growing back because you haven't looked in the direction of a man in centuries." y/n could only shake her head. It was not a lack of trying. "Well, I'm presenting to the Barca head physio Wednesday morning, so if you ever want a chance at seeing the inside of that locker room, you need to let me skip out on tomorrow."

Angelika sighed and threw herself on the bed dramatically. "Fine, but you need to be our DD and come pick us up after. Shockingly, it's really hard to order an Uber while drunk." y/n agreed to pick the girls up from the club at the end of the night, an spent the rest of the evening chatting idlily with her friend, living vicariously through the stories she told.

The following day, y/n spent all morning refining her presentation. She spent over an hour watching videos about the Barca training facility to see if there was any equipment she had overlooked in creating her treatment plan. The day progressed as normal - cleaning, cooking, practicing her presentation, watching TV on the couch. As 1am rolled around, she still hadn't received any communication from Angelika. While she was not an inconsiderate person, Angelika did have her moments where she would completely forget about the world around her: that was when she met a man who showed interest in her. Despite being gorgeous and intelligent, Angelika, like most girls in their early twenties, suffered from a condition known as "Nothing is true about me unless an attractive man says it". y/n also suffered (mildly) from this affliction, but being surrounded by weirdos all day in university had helped substantially. She knew that if she did not leave then, she would never get any sleep, and so she grabbed her car keys and headed to the address of the club that she had been sent earlier on.

She parked several blocks away from the club, and called Angelika for a record 41st time. y/n knew she wasn't going to receive an answer, so she changed into a tight satin top and a pair of heels that she always left in her car in case of emergencies (What if Joao Felix decided to take a random trip to Barcelona and she was unprepared?). She could feel the street practically vibrating beneath her as she walked towards the club. She was let in easily - it was a Tuesday night and the establishment needed female patrons. She kept close to the bar, and asked the girls working there if they had seen her friend. Once y/n pulled up a picture of Angelika, the girls laughed to one another.

"Oh yeah, she's up in the VIP section. They've dropped like 6k on bottle service already."

y/n felt the vein in her forehead start to pop out. Of course Angelika had found herself a man that would take her to the part of the club that was the hardest to get into. Especially on the night when y/n really needed to get home. Because why wouldn't that happen? She made her way over to the VIP section, where she was promptly stopped by two large bouncers, who obviously didn't believe that she just wanted to grab her friend. While standing there deciding whether she should just make Angelika order an Uber (or have this new lover order one for her), she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned around and was met by a very attractive man (boy? His age was hard to determine in the dark).

"Hey, do you need to get into VIP? Are you here alone? " "That's a really creepy question to ask a girl in a club." y/n yelled back over the thumping music. What were all these people doing out on a Tuesday? "No not like that. I can help you get in if you want." "I don't really want to get in, I just want to get my friend and leave." The man (boy?)'s eyes lit up. "Perfect! My tea- friend. My friend that I'm with is pretty drunk and the person that drove us is in VIP. I can't leave him by himself because he's kind of rowdy even when sober. Could you watch him while I go grab them?"

y/n didn't want to look too deeply into a good thing, but the offer felt suspicious. She scanned the boy (she had decided that he was young), looking for any indication that he could live up to his end of the bargain. She looked down at his feet, noticing the white Alexander McQueen sneakers. She decided that she could trust him, and if not, she was still in a public place, and someone would notice if she was being dragged out of a club kicking and screaming. She walked over to where the friend was and had to stifle a laugh. Another boy was sprawled across two high bar chairs, legs up and head rolled back. He was wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton sunglasses despite it being the middle of the night and them being indoors. His white button up had the first two undone and the collar popped, like he was Pitbull in 2011. He was in a pair skinny jeans (because, as y/n discovered quickly, everyone in the world had moved on from skinny jeans except for Spanish men) and some white Dolce and Gabanna sneakers. Where were these kids getting all this money?

"Pablo! Look who I brought you! This is..." The first boy looked back at you expectantly. "y/n". "y/n! She's really great and going to take care of you while I go get Pepi so we can go home." The drunk one (now Identified as Pablo) lifted his head, and tilted the sunglasses just enough to get a good look at the girl. "Wow Angel, nice job." The first one (Angel apparently) apologized to y/n, explaining that Pablo was a "really flirty drunk" but that he was never like this sober. y/n showed Angel a picture of Angelika, and off he went back into the beast that was the club. y/n stood awkwardly by Pablo, who appeared to have fallen asleep. Suddenly, he sprung up and asked her, "so what is a pretty girl like you doing in the club by herself?"

"I'm not here to go clubbing, just picking up a friend." "You're dressed like you're going clubbing." "Right, because they wouldn't let me into the club in my scrubs." "Scrubs? You look too young to be a doctor." The music was starting to take a toll on y/n, the thumping rhythm giving her a splitting headache. "You don't look old enough to be let into the club, but everyone is full of surprises." Pablo did not take this comment well. He stood up, feeling all the blood rush to his head as he rested his weight against the bar. He pushed his glasses up his head, and looked straight at her.

This was the first opportunity y/n had to admire how gorgeous Pablo was. The glasses pushed his hair back on his head, showing off his striking eyebrows and cheekbones. His eyes were wide and glassy, making him look like a teenager who had gotten drunk for the first time. For all y/n knew, that could be the case. His nose slopped downward, a subtle bump in the bridge like it had been broken before and reset. His discontent made his bottom lip poke out, and y/n suddenly was overwhelmed by the urge to treat him like a child: make him feel better with a kiss. "I'm 18, and this isn't even my first time in a club. You want to see my ID?" Pablo had gotten much closer to her than she had expected. In her 4 inch heels, y/n was looking him straight in the eyes. He was mere inches away from her face, cheeks flushed from the alcohol and the anger of being called a child. She couldn't stop her gaze from flipping between his eyes to his pouting lips. 'This is normal,' she thought to herself. 'I'm overwhelmed because no man has been this close to me in a while. Even if my scumbag cheating ex was standing this close I would want to kiss him. I am simply in desperate need of affection.'

This internal monologue ended just as another club patron bumped into Pablo, causing him to lose balance. He put his arms around y/n and rested weight against her, head pressed into her shoulder. "I feel like dying. I shouldn't have drank that much." He muttered. She just held him there, scared that he would hit the floor if she shifted. "Then why did you keep drinking?" She asked. It couldn't hurt - in the state he was in, she would be surprised if he even remembered his name in the morning. "So my brain would be a little quieter." y/n's heart ached at the statement. However old the boy in her arms was, he was being burdened by something far beyond his age.

Before she could ask anything else, she was tapped on the shoulder by Angel, who signaled for her to follow out of the club. She put one of Pablo's arms around her neck and began shuffling through the crowd. Once they left the club, Pablo quickly separated from her to throw up on the side of the street. "At least he waited until he was off of you to do that," a male voice echoed from behind her. y/n turned around to see Angelika clinging to a tall brunet. "Thank you so much for carrying her out. I think I can take it from here." y/n said, trying to get Angelika to remove herself from the nice man. "It's ok, I can walk her to your car. It might be easier than you carrying her." y/n smiled apologetically, and turned around to the sound of Pablo continuing to wretch his guts out. She ran over to make sure he wasn't puking blood and didn't need medical attention. "Come on Pablo let's go." Angel said from the curb. "No no, don't rush him. Let him get it all out before he gets into my car. Otherwise he'll have to start taking the city bus to matches." y/n looked up at the new voice. He walked up and stood by Angel, glancing at his phone before looking up at his friend and the girl making sure he didn't die. "Thanks for looking after him. I hope he wasn't too bad, he's a tag aggressive." y/n stood there speechless. The man thanking her for taking care of his drunk friend was none other than Pedri Gonzalez, one of the young stars of F.C. Barca. He was an absolute magician with the ball, and quickly becoming a favorite in y/n's household. She wanted to let out a scream: jump up and down and tell him that she was a huge fan and ask for a picture. But she had her presentation tomorrow. The last thing she needed was to make a bad impression on the player by causing a scene. So she took a deep breath and insisted that it was no problem.

Pablo had finished puking out his guts by that point and stood up straight, gripping his head from the dizziness. "Alright hermano, time to go." Pedri said, turning his back to y/n, Angelika, and the main carrying her. "Wait." Pablo said rummaging through his pocket. He pulled out his wallet, and clumsily pulled a card from it. He turned to y/n and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her close to him. There were shouts from his friends to stop whatever he was doing, but nothing was registering in his liquor-filled brain. "y/n think's I'm a little kid, so I just wanted to show her my ID." y/n shifted her gaze from his deep eyes to the card in his hand. She didn't look at the age. She didn't have to. Her eyes landed on the name: Pablo Martín Páez Gavira. One of the best young football players in the world had just used her as a banister. "Now that you know I'm not a kid, next time, you should let me buy you a drink." Pablo said, pushing a strand of hair from y/n's face before walking (wobbling) back to his friends.

y/n could not process everything going on in her head at that moment. She turned around and faced the man holding a half-asleep Angelika. "You don't play for Barca do you?" She asked, half joking and half fearful. "No. I play for Real Sociedad. I'm Martin." "Zubimendi??" "Yeah." This was too much. y/n, 7 hours before the most important presentation of her life, was surrounded by so much football royalty it made her dizzy. Martin looked like he was going to say something else, but y/n put her finger to her lips and shushed him. "Please, not another word. Just bring her to the car."

They walked silently to y/n's tiny car, Martin helping to carefully place Angelika in the back seat. "So are you the guy she was with while ignoring my calls?" "Oh no, that was my teammate Ander. He was also kind of out of it so I offered to help her out." "Why is everyone getting drunk out of their minds on a random Tuesday in August?" y/n said in frustration, causing a laugh to erupt from Martin. "It's the last week before training for the new season starts. Not a lot of opportunities to black out after this. People like to take advantage." y/n thanked Martin and got into the driver's seat. He stopped her before she drove off. "Do you think I could maybe get your number? Just to make sure you get home safe?" y/n rolled her eyes at the lame excuse for a pick-up tactic, but surrendered her phone number anyway. She drove back to her apartment with her head reeling, as she tried to rehearse her speech in her head instead of thinking of the events of the night.

The next day, y/n looked perfect. She had work her best school-approved scrubs and coat. and slicked her hair back to make her look more professional. She was in her business attire Nikes. Her note cards were neatly written and organized. She sat in the lecture hall waiting to be called on. The students would be presenting in random order. As all the student filled in to present, the tension was palpable. Everyone side-eyed each other, trying to intimidate the "competition". The door swung open and in walked the professor, as well as Dr. Gonzalez. He stood at the front podium, stern as ever, and began to speak.

"Good morning students. Thank you all for the effort you have put into the presentations you will share today. We look forward to all you assessments and insights. As the new season quickly approaches, we want the new assistant to become acclimated to the workplace quickly. Therefore, the decision about the position will be made today following the presentation." The entire room stopped breathing. "In order to do so efficiently, please welcome our other guests and evaluators, Mr. Xavi Hernandez and Mr. Ousmane Dembélé." The pair walked in, and the room engaged in the most "I wish I was dead" sounding clapping known to man. y/n started sweating profusely. If she had known that Xavi and Dembélé were going to be watching her presentation, she would have made Angelika take the Uber. Hell, she would have made her ride a Donkey back home and gotten a full night's sleep.

Dr. Gonzalez drew names for the order, and because y/n has the worst luck, she was presenting last. She did what she does best: panicked immediately. She tried to think of ways to present the information differently than the 6 students before her had. As she listened to the presentations, the more nervous she got. None of the other students had treatment plans remotely similar to hers. Antonio, one of the smartest in their batch and the presenter right before her, even suggested he get surgery.

It was time. y/n stood up at the front of the room and pulled out her slides. "Good morning everyone. Today I will be presenting my comprehensive treatment plan for player Ousmane Dembélé's right hamstring." She got through the whole thing without stuttering or having her knees give out. As she finished her last slide, she let out a sigh of relief. The hard part was over. She asked if their were questions and Xavi's hand went up. "So Miss y/n, the treatment plan presented is very similar to the one we have currently implemented, with a couple changes in training and every day life. What is the anticipated recovery time for this treatment?" Everyone else in the class had said 8-12 months. But no - of course y/n had to be differently. "6 weeks sir." "6 weeks? No one else has given a suggestion that would take less than half a year." "Yes sir, however, if you take into account the availability of daily therapy, cryotherapy, and the current play style and strain distribution, he can be on the field in 6 weeks. He might not be comfortable playing all 90 minutes each game, but that's not the same as being completely out for injury." Xavi nodded and said nothing more. That was the end of the questioning.

It took them 8 minutes exactly to decide who go the job. Dr. Gonzalez, Xavi, and Dembélé came back into the room, thanking everyone again for their hard work. "We are please to announce," Xavi started, "that we will be offering the assistant physiotherapist position for the 2022/2023 season to," he turned to Dembélé, who finished the thought, "Miss y/n y/l/n." All the men in the room turned to face y/n at once as she struggled to breathe from the shock. "We look forward to having you this season."

And that's how it happened. y/n was now the assistant physiotherapist for the first team at F.C. Barcelona during the day, and entertainment for the absolute worst men in Spain in the evenings. She left her disappointing first date with a headache and leftovers, and drove home listening to her "Maybe Love is a Social Construct" playlist. As she walked into her apartment, her phone chimed with a text notification. She let her hair down and grabbed her phone, preparing to update Angelika about the latest in the tragedy that was her love life. Instead, she had two separate text notifications.

[Unknown number]: Hey, is this still y/n's number?

[Gavi]: I need to see you urgently. Tomorrow morning 6:30 am. I'll be waiting outside your office.

To be continued...

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If you got this far, thanks for reading! I have had this idea for a long time and have been writing snippets of it down. I will continue to update whenever I can, as this really is a passion project for me (so it's ok if no one reads it).

GIF credit to @gavidaily

Huge thanks to the following for heavily inspiring me to start writing this on the internet: @missgavi @kyiiansmbappe @julianalvarez9 @milawritesstuff @leeamorgan (there are a couple others I'm forgetting)

#pablo gavi x reader #gavi x reader #pablo gavi #gavi #fc barca #footballer #imagine #barca #gavi x you #footballer imagine

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chuluoyi · 6 months

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LOVER'S PLAYLIST

“can i go where you go? can we always be this close, forever and ever?”

a little thank you from me to you—for all the love and interactions for my silly little blog during two months of me being here!

[ status : closed ! ]

1K MILESTONE EVENT PLAYLIST

. . .

NOTE ok first thing first, this is long overdue already bcs now i've gone past 1k—it's now 1.5k! thank u sm aaa <3 i never expected this. i still think my writing is kinda average and all but thank u for all kind words and interacting with me!

so what is this event? simple. pick your fave, prompt, setting, add your idea—then send it straight to my askbox!

how does it work? let us get a move on...

INFO

i will write 7 fics, ranging from 2k ~ 5k words, and mostly made up of angst, fluff or a combination of both

i will choose from what’s been sent to my askbox. so it’s possible for me to combine two similar requests or drop it (sorry!)

each prompt and setting can only be used once. i'll regularly update this post to cross out prompts and settings that are already taken!

anons are allowed, but since this is a followers event, i’ll prioritize the ones who choose to be off anons—i appreciate you for doing so!

with the speed of my writing, as always, please kindly expect delayed releases. there are still weekly series and regular requests—ah, you just have to make me reach 1k now, don’t you? :')) and now it’s 1.5k… really, love y'all!🫶🏻

now on to ordering...

HOW TO ORDER the format: character — prompts — setting — additional ideas

✧ pick your character ! for this event, the character roster are limited to:

✧ pick your prompts ! rules: max up to 3

1. “nah, i’d win.” 2. “i can show you incredible things.” 3. “i just have to ask. will you go out with me?” 4. “you don't deserve to be unhappy. and i don’t want to be unhappy, either.” 5. “i will protect you.” 6. “why did you do that?!” 7. “we are getting a divorce.” 8. “shut up and kiss me.” 9. “you have been kind of obvious.” 10. “if you feel safer with me being here, then i’ll be here.” 11. “it’s me and not him!” 12. “i suck at telling people my feelings, but i love you. i still do.” 13. “i can't do this anymore.” 14. “don't act innocent when we both know what filth come out of your mouth just five minutes ago.” 15. “tell me the truth. what are we?”

✧ choose your setting ! rules: max up to 1

♡ happy marriage: you are married to the love of your life♡ married on purpose: marriage of convenience with your enemy seems to be what would solve your problems right now ♡ lover’s quarrel: fights, words you don’t mean—is this what it takes for your relationship to end?

ah i ran out of ideas. i’m opening the last four slots to cater to your desired ideas—give me your best!

✧ lastly, shoot it right to my askbox! please tell me it’s for the event so i won’t confuse it with the regular requests! add your own idea too while at it, it'll be waaay more helpful!

if you want to use the available setting:

e.g. “for 1k event, gojo — prompt x and x — married on purpose — and i have an idea: yadda yadda yadda

if you want to suggest your own setting:

e.g. “for 1k event, megumi — prompt x — and i have a suggestion: yadda yadda yadda and it should be yadda yadda yadda

end of the word, thank you again for 1.5k!🫶🏻 if you have any questions regarding this event, feel free to ask me! hope you'll enjoy the 7 upcoming fics from this event!

#—⭐️ chu’s 1k milestone event

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jamesunderwater · 1 month

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20 Qᴜᴇꜱᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ꜰɪᴄ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇʀꜱ

Thanks for tagging me!! @gracelesslady23 @annabtg @kay-elle-cee this was very sweet to get to do.

Ao3 Username: itsjamespotter

1. How many works do you have on A03?

31, wow! How wild, that feels like a lot.

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count?

162k!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Show and Tell (3k, wolfstar smut)

Dead To Me (91k, wip lily evans angst)

Tall Dark and Glasses (3k, jily fluff)

"you have no idea how long i've been wanting to do that" (1k, prongsfoot smut)

Bring Your Kid to Work Day(s never end when your godfather is Sirius Black) (2k, good godfather sirius black fluff)

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to, or at least have the goal to, but admittedly I'm very bad at it. (not to use it as an excuse but my adhd is fully to blame.) I plan to go back and catch up on all of them soon & have a dream of being much better about it, though. I do intentionally make sure I eventually respond to the ones for my WIPs, at least.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

well, since dead to me hasn't ended yet (kidding kidding kidding kidding!!!) lmao I really thought I was gonna have a hard time finding a fic with an unhappy ending but I evidently forgot who I am. I dunno how to choose between: 1. i don't even know where you end and i begin (500 words, canon prongsfoot....you get it) 2. Promises to Keep (1k words, dorlene with canon ending....you get it)

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

Okay listen, do I technically have a fic that mentions living happily ever after in the last line? Yes. Am I choosing that fic? No. I'm choosing Happy Holidays, You Filthy Potters, because 1. smut, 2. sassy young Harry, and best of all, 3. sassy good godfather sirius black 😉

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I've gotten a couple of comments about Lily in Dead To Me but I've decided it's not my problem if people don't have critical analysis skills 💀

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

I do! I write smut for a number of different ships and plan on doing others! Uhhh, what kind? the fact that I don't really know what that means probably means it's pretty vanilla 😆 there's a lot of going down on people 🤐

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Haha, no, but if I did I'd probably do PJO/HP

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge. that would be so heartbreaking.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but that's SO cool that people offer to do that for some fics!!!

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

I have!! @charmsandtealeaves and I co-wrote a fic for a jilychallenge last year, before we were even friends! It was my first time co-writing a fic, which was very cool and different, but also didn't feel that foreign to me -- I think because I've spent a lot more years doing para RP than I have writing fics. It was fun to kind of riff off another writer in a different way. I would definitely do it again!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Okay, this is kind of tough because I only recently got into Prongsfoot, and they are the definition of soulmates... But because I ultimately see Sirius as more of an ace/aro character, Jily wins the place of favorite ship in my heart. <3

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

Well, I really only have two WIPs posted on AO3: Dead To Me and Just This Once, and I have all of DTM outlined and plan to finish it by fall. Just This Once might be a while, but I also have a plan for it and would like to finish it at some point... But I guess there's a chance I won't finish it -- I do have a lot of other multi-chaps I am going to be starting soon.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Hm. I like to think I'm good at getting into the minds of my characters, really thinking through their motivations and emotions and then expressing those to the reader. I also think I'm fairly good at dialogue. I really like writing banter so I hope others think I'm good at it, haha. And based on what I've been told, my smut isn't half bad 😆

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Oh, definitely writing descriptions of any kind. I never remember to describe the scene and when I do, I think it feels clunky. I'm not great at writing in a more direct way, either; I struggle to express a character's emotions without getting a bit flowery with it. Just generally, I think my writing could be tighter, you know? I'm sure I'll realize other things I need to work on as I write more long fics, too.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Ah, haven't done it yet, so don't have any thoughts to share.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

HP -- Jily on the Neopets forums... never 4get <3

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

If we're talking finished works, I'd have to say Tall Dark and Glasses, which I wrote for the masquerade event for Jilytober last year. To me, that fic has a certain je ne sais quois that is hard to replicate. But unfinished? Dead To Me, hands down, and once it's finished it will be very hard to ever top it. It's imperfect and there are a lot of edits I'd make if I were to go back through and polish it up, but it's the first multi chap fic I've ever written, and beyond just feeling immensely proud of that, the story itself and how I'm writing it is one of the most heartfelt and meaningful things I'll ever write in my life.

these were such a pleasure to respond to, thanks again for the tags! <3 I'm tagging: @goldenbi @abihastastybeans & @nodirectionhome-ao3

#hp #me #my writing #jily #wolfstar #prongsfoot

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galadhir · 7 months

Text

Tagged by @aintgonnatakethis and @judgeverse

Thank you! :)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

802,066

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I'm a serial monogamist as far as fandoms go, concentrating on one at a time until I move on to the next. Over the past 15 years I've written

Star Wars (Prequel trilogy - all about Qui-Gon Jinn)

Tolkien fandom (all about Celeborn)

Pirates of the Caribbean (started off with Commodore Norrington/Jack Sparrow, couldn't make it work for me and jumped sideways into Norrington and Lt. Gillette)

Marvel - (the Thor movies reactivated a nascent fascination with Loki, so I dragged a whole bunch of mythology into the MCU fandom.)

Stargate Universe (all about Colonel Young)

Star Wars (Sequel trilogy - all about General Hux)

The Untamed (all about Jin Guangyao)

I've also done a couple of little shorts for Torchwood, Motive and Talented Mr Ripley

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

A Kindness Repaid - in which Loki and Captain America become friends

Supervillain Honeymoon - someone wrote a fic in response to A Kindness Repaid in which Loki and Steve got married, so I had to write a fic in response to that, in which I figured out how the Asgardians and the Avengers would take the news

The Same Last Name and the Same Coloured Eyes - in which Jin Zixuan decides to be a good big brother to Jin Guangyao, and averts most of the tragedy of The Untamed as a result

Defying His Doom - in which Doctor Doom inspires Loki to improve his public image, and they end up winning a Nobel Peace Prize.

Stepping Stones - an epic Stargate Universe fic I wrote with @seekingidlewild, in which an accident with the communication stones leaves Rush and Young bodyswapped and all communication from Earth cut off

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

Of course I do! I've met all my best fandom friends by chatting with them in the comments of fic (mine and theirs.) Also who doesn't love talking to people about their writing?

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I tend to avoid angsty endings if I can. That said, it's probably Battle of the Golden Wood which ends with Galadriel and Celeborn saying goodbye, as she leaves Middle-earth and he refuses to follow.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Hard to say - I tend to make them all as happy as possible. If I can save the world at the same time, I'll do that too. Maybe Seeds of Old Trees, which gets Celeborn and Galadriel back together and sets Tolkien's elves on a path towards a future of exploring outer space.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I have had some rude and entitled comments. People trying to convince me that my blorbo is actually a terrible person who should be locked up (SGU) or that my understanding of the lore is faulty (Tolkien) and therefore I should have written a different story from the one I actually wrote. But I wouldn't really call that hate.

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

Heh, it's funny. I came into fanfic repressed and writing gen. Then I unpacked the repression, had about ten years writing slash, during which I discovered the queer community, wrestled with God and came out as an asexual queer Christian. Then I leaned into the asexuality and ended up writing gen again.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

In general I don't, but the craziest one is also the only one I've written - Strange Meetings in which Qui-Gon crash lands in Middle-earth and meets Legolas. They were going to go to the drowned ruins of Doriath and recover a Silmaril, but I lost interest after a couple of chapters.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

The same last name and the same coloured eyes has been translated into Russian, and I think one of my Tolkien fics was translated into Chinese, but that was on a non-Ao3 site.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Absolutely! I wrote a number of Elu Thingol/Celeborn fics in the Tolkien fandom with Mirien, and Stepping Stones (where Rush and Young are bodyswapped, and Skipping Stones (where Young is age-regressed into a child) with @seekingidlewild

I loved it! It's a great experience writing with someone whose writing you already enjoy. Lots of bouncing ideas off each other and excitement - and of course it's half as hard and twice as fast as doing it all yourself.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

I don't think I have one. I'm honestly a single blorbo at a time writer, and I will read and write fics in which that blorbo is paired with just about anyone. I'm not particularly bothered which ship they're in.

I do have a soft spot for Rush/Young though, because they have such in-your- face dysfunctional obsessional chemistry on the show. And in contrast I also love Xiyao (Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao) because they are so obviously in such a gentle, radiant sort of love, that I choose to believe would have survived the revelation of Jin Guangyao's multiple murders.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I would have said Do Not Bear Grudges, which was going to be my JGY resurrection fic, but it fought me so hard that I ended up deleting what I'd already written and I'm glad to have it gone.

I still vaguely wish that I had finished The Stolen Ones however, which was about Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi and was jossed by the Jedi Apprentice books. (I still think mine was better.)

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm pretty good at description/settings/worldbuilding, and I often have an unusual take on things due to my non-neurotypicalness.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm not great at giving each character their own unique voice, so my dialogue can get a bit samey. Also I forget that characters can lie - all my characters pretty much tell the truth all the time, which makes it difficult writing the kind of sneaky characters I so love, like Loki, JGY later movies!Hux and even Rush.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I could not do it. Massive respect and kudos to anyone who writes in a second language. It is beyond me.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, when it first came out. The internet was on dial-up and fandom was on yahoo groups. It was the first time in my life I'd ever been able to speak to other sci-fi geeks like myself. An amazing experience, and good times!

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

I know it's cheating a bit to choose more than one, but these three hang together as a series, telling the story of Celeborn and Galadriel from first meeting, to tragic parting and final reunion Oak and Willow, Battle of the Golden Wood, and Seeds of Old Trees. At about 140,000 words, it's a good size novel. And of all the characters I've stanned over the years I still feel Celeborn needed me the most. (Though Colonel Young comes a close second there.)

tagging @seekingidlewild @darthlenaplant @darthnostra @wyomingnot @gamebird

and anyone else who wants to have a go! :)

#about myself

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asjjohnson · 1 year

Text

Part 18 of my poll adventure fic. Links: the beginning, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13, part 14, part 15, part 16, part 17.

---

Despite his resolve to graduate high school, Dan still had that itch for destruction.

The thrill of using his power against something and overcoming it.

Doomed, the online game, was different than real life.

The monsters were fake; the town was only disguised computer code.

But blasting everything in the level and seeing the ground littered with nothing but the same three images of splintered wood and drifting smoke, still gave him that giddy feeling of accomplishment.

And when the objects came back after fifteen minutes, he could do it all over again.

It was good enough for now. A way to lay low until he got that diploma.

While Dan was enjoying himself, he heard an unexpected voice.

Well, if 'voice' was the right word. Using ghost powers to physically enter a computer program did strange things to his perception. Everything he saw and heard were signals interpreted by his mind and imagination. Including the very human, but generic voice he imagined hearing behind him. Or, rather than 'behind' him, from outside of the section of code he was paying attention to.

When he 'turned around', he recognized his old Doomed avatar, along with Sam's and Tucker's.

Even while the three of them had a conversation about homework, Dan expected his past self to eventually fight him. If for no other reason than videogame fun or childish morals.

So he was surprised to realize the fight he was waiting for wouldn't happen.

"You're just going to leave?"

Dan had only heard his past self's side of the conversation, Sam and Tucker having whispered too quietly to make out their words, but he gathered that Sam had offered to help his past self raise his grades.

It reminded Dan of how much work he still needed to catch up on.

Too much time had passed since he'd last been in school, making him unable to pick up where he'd left off. And the current schoolwork was a few months ahead of where he'd been. Not that he'd been caught up at that point. He'd been slipping behind as the CAT approached.

"Yeah. You win. Have fun blasting everything."

So much for Doomed taking his mind off of the nearly impossible task for a few hours.

"Wait," Dan said a bit impulsively.

The three of them didn't move for a couple seconds, so he figured they were staying to see what he wanted. He imagined their expressions behind their helmets urging him to continue. He sighed and said, "Look. I have several months' worth of work I need to catch up on in class; can I join you?"

The three of them almost talked on top of each other.

"What's with the aitch-aitch-aitch-aitch-aitch? Is that supposed to be some kind of sound effect?" Tucker asked.

"We probably don't even go to the same school," his past self said.

"You're the transfer student, aren't you?" Sam asked.

"Yes."

"'Yes' you're the transfer student?" his past self asked. "I guess that explains the Phantom username. But you still have no idea who we even are."

"You called her 'Sam'," he pointed out. "And the name 'FRYERTUCK' isn't exactly subtle."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense."

---

Danny was curious about the transfer student, despite being more concerned about Vlad.

Talking to him face-to-face would probably help with figuring out more about him and maybe why he looked so much like Danny, and even had almost the same name.

After agreeing to let him study with them and deciding on the specifics, they all logged out of the game to meet.

---

“Alert me when there’s an update” list:

@charlietheepic7, @chrysanthemum9484, @mymadmedleyw, @dp-marvel94, @aikoiya, @whydouwantmyname, @cinturon-cadena, @freakofyournature, @satanicrutialspecialist, @danphantom80, @kaezer, @chipsyay, @mysterimax, @56thingsinaname, @derpxp, @potatoofweird

(if you want on the list, specifically ask to be alerted for updates in a tag or comment. Ask again if I forget to add you! If I can’t tag you, I’ll send a Message.)

#danny phantom #dan phantom #dark danny #poll fic #poll adventure #asj writing #asj post #I thought I might've had an idea for a possible ending ...but then realized the location was a possible variable and now it may not happen.#...this part would've been really really long if it'd been an ending anyhow. There was too much still to tell.#But I kinda hope the 1st ending will be near. I realized how many parts this has now and I probably can't do the 'go back' poll anymore.#because I want to do 'go back' polls to rewind time and choose other ways.#(suddenly thinks of one more poll option... No! They are Not going to meet up in the Ghost Zone! No.)

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wardenparker · 2 years

Text

You’re So Vain - Chapter 14

Dieter Bravo x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

Oscar winning star Dieter Bravo’s reputation is suffering after the debacle of “Cliff Beasts 6″ and “Beasts of the Bubble”, so his management team has signed him on to a publicity stunt to find his soulmate and show the world a softer side of the erratic and unpredictable star. The plan quickly go awry, though, when Dieter’s soulmate wants nothing to do with him.

Rating: Mature Word Count: 6.2k Warnings: *Blanket warning for chronic illness, cursing, and deceased family members. This is a Dieter fic, folks, so there absolutely will be discussions of drugs, drug use, and addiction.* Mention of sex, drugs, infidelity, media scandal. Summary: Returning home from Switzerland turns into a whirlwind shit show with you right in the eye of the storm. Dieter’s response to the chaos is exactly what everyone fears it will be in some ways, but admirably the opposite in others. Notes: A short but action-packed chapter to keep your Sunday interesting! Gif choice is basically the mood of the entire chapter.

Ch 1 ~ Ch 2 ~ Ch 3 ~ Ch 4 ~ Ch 5 ~ Ch 6 ~ Ch 7 ~ Ch 8 ~ Ch 9 ~ Ch 10 ~ Ch 11 ~ Ch 12

Morning comes faster than Dieter would have ever liked. Up before the alarm, pulling you into his arms for one last frantic round of lovemaking. It bordered desperate, but seemingly mimicked the way the two of you were feeling. Putting you into a hotel car to take you to the airport seemed wrong, but he had to be on set. Now, hours later, he’s rushing back to his trailer to check his phone to see if you’ve taken off.

Libby is at the end of her fucking rope and on the verge of calling the studio to demand to talk to Dieter when he finally picks up the phone – eleven missed calls and as many text messages later. It’s all over the news and she has no idea how to respond to any of it because as far as she knew everything has been great. “Dieter! What the fuck?!” She huffs down the line, checking the clock on the wall. 9am in LA is 6pm in Geneva.

"What?" Dieter huffs, wondering what the fuck has Libby screeching at him. "What do you mean, 'what the fuck'?"

“What do you mean what do I mean?” Things have been so good lately that she feels legitimately blindsided by the headlines she woke up to this morning and she doesn’t like it one bit. “I need to know if it’s true so I can do damage control.”

"What do you mean if it's true?" Dieter is legitimately confused on what the fuck Libby is talking about. "Damage control? You fucking wanted this!" He swears there are times that he doesn't understand the entertainment industry. Be happy and in love, but not too happy and in love. "Of course it's true. I'm not lying."

“Shit.” The disappointment in Libby’s voice is palpable, and she sighs softly before going completely silent for a moment. “Okay. Uh…just lay low for a little bit, okay? Just the studio and the hotel. I can fix this, but it’s going to take a lot of spin.” She can fix it. Because she has to. But there are going to be a lot of upset fans with ruffled feathers who have something to say. Which is the exact opposite of what this entire exercise was intended for.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Lib. I'm confused." Dieter slides his hand through his hair and sighs. "Since when do I need to lay low because I love my soulmate? Wasn't that the entire fucking point of this?"

“Dee…” Libby exhales slowly. “Have you checked the gossip rags yet today?”

“No, why would I?” Dieter asks her, knowing she’s fully aware of how he operates when he’s on set. “I’ve been working since I said goodbye to her this morning. What are they saying?”

“Star magazine released a cover story today featuring an exclusive with a woman claiming to be pregnant with your child.” Libby sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose between two fingers so hard she wouldn’t be surprised if she bruised herself. “It’s everywhere.”

“What?!” Dieter’s eyes widen and he immediately starts panicking. “What the fuck – I haven’t – Libby, I swear, I haven’t slept with anyone but – not since Anika. Well, there was that one – but it was a man! And it was before all this. Months ago.”

“In the article she never says how far along she is.” Libby has dealt with plenty in her years in the entertainment industry, but character assassination scandals are always the hardest. People will believe rumours over fact ninety percent of the time. Just look at every witch hunt ever. “She lists a couple of specific dates of things though, so I’m going to need solid proof of where you were at those times.” It’s quiet for another moment before she adds: “And I think you might to have to do a paternity test. Eventually.”

“Oh fuck, oh fuck.” It’s surprising how fast the tears come. “She’s never going to believe me. Oh shit, I’m going to— she’s never going to talk to me again.” Pacing immediately starts, along with nearly full body jitters. “I’ve lost her and I’ve not even done a goddamn thing!”

“Dee, I need you to breathe for me, okay?” More than a decade with him means she’s seen plenty of his panic attacks, but Libby doesn’t know how this one will play out. He’s never been worried about someone else before. She just needs him to not do anything stupid between now and whenever she figures out her next step. “I will get in touch with her, okay? What time does her flight land?”

“I don’t know— I don’t know!” He cries, furious with this woman, with himself for believing that he could actually have something real. That he might deserve it. “It doesn’t matter. She won’t— I’ve— I love her, Lib.” Breaking down, he sobs into the phone, heart breaking. “I— I was – ask – m-move in – me.” All he can think about is making the pain go away.

“God…” Never in the history of all the time she’s known him, has Dieter ever wanted someone besides his sister in his space. This has gotten serious fast, apparently. And there’s no way in hell that she’s going to let some little twerp at Star ruin that. “I need you to promise me that you’re going to lay low while I figure this out, Dee. And don’t do anything stupid, okay? I’m going to fix this.” If she only fucking knew how.

He doesn’t even acknowledge what she’s said. Doesn’t hear it. Too busy mourning the loss of the life he has started to plan out. Disconnecting the call and wiping his red eyes. He needs something, anything to not feel the gaping hole in his heart.

Dieter Bravo is falling off the wagon.

******

3:35pm in LA seems like it should be such a reasonable, even normal, time to land. The problem is that you’ve been traveling for seventeen hours on a nonstop flight halfway across the world backward for that entire time and to you it should be midnight. The bright sunshine waiting at the end of the ramp as you walk out of LAX expecting to see Rico waiting beside the car at curbside pickup is disorienting — but not as bad as the army of cameras and journalists throwing their microphones and tape recorders in your face as soon as you step through the sliding door with your luggage. Shouts of your name and demands to know if something is true come from every direction and you feel a lot like Dorothy getting caught in the tornado to Oz until a familiar hand reaches the chaos and Rico pulls you out of the crowd into the safety of Steph’s SUV with him loading your suitcases into the trunk faster than lightning. “What the fuck?!” You gasp, grateful for the tinted windows in the car that Dieter had bought Steph months ago.

“Ms. Libby asked me to have you call her as soon as we are in the car.” Rico’s eyes are apologetic as he looks in the rear-view mirror. He’s driving but Steph’s face is set in a grim line.

“If it’s true I’m going to kill him.” Steph promises you, sick at the idea that she could have pushed you into heartache.

“It’s not true.” As his driver and bodyguard, he would know for sure, but Steph hasn’t been convinced so far.

“If what is true?” You haven’t even turned on your phone yet, and you dig it out of your purse now to power it up as Rico pulls away from the curb. “What the hell is going on?”

“Babe…” Steph twists in her seat and holds out her own phone to hand you, the article already pulled up. “I’m— I don’t know what to say.”

“What’s—” The article is topped by an image of a woman with high cheekbones and delicate features cradling a small baby bump in a sundress and the headline reads “Bravo Love Triangle Produces Love Child” in bold lettering. “What the fuck is this?!” You snatch Steph’s phone out of her hand instantly and start speed reading, ignoring the way your phone is blowing up in your other hand. “This is—” There are tears in your eyes almost immediately, streaming down your cheeks as you read the woman’s ridiculous claims to be Dieter’s true love and mother of his unborn child. You’ve never felt this sick to your stomach in your entire life and your head is spinning worse than that day you accidentally took ketamine. “I have to call Libby,” you mutter, barely able to focus your eyes as you find her in your missed calls.

******

It was easy to get what he wanted. Staring at the lines of white powder that he had poured out of the baggie onto the coffee table. The same coffee table that he had laid you out on and feasted on you one night when you were supposed to be watching a movie. Right now, he has no clue what is stopping him from snorting up every line. Maybe it’s because he knows that you would be justified, your early prophesy of him relapsing coming true. Maybe it’s fear of not knowing how he will react after nearly three months sober. “Fuck, I’ve already lost everything.” He murmurs, his phone buzzing beside him as he steadily ignores it.

The phone keeps buzzing, never ceasing, willing him to sit up and pay attention. Relentlessly annoying in its demand to be heard. You will answer, it proclaims, somehow seeming to vibrate louder and faster even though that isn’t possible.

******

“Thank God.” Libby breathes out a sigh of relief when she answers the phone, your name flashing across the screen. “I take it you’ve seen the news?”

“There was a slew of reporters waiting for me to land at LAX.” You breathe out, but it ends up choking on fresh tears. “It’s not true, Lib. It’s not true,” you sniffle, trying to hold back genuine sobs.

“How do you know?” Libby has been trying to pick the dates apart, but honestly, she’s been more worried about getting back up with Dieter. He’s not answering his phone and that’s never a good thing.

“S—she mentioned being out with him at—” A hiccup escapes you and you wipe fresh tears on your shirtsleeve. “At some car show thing in Venice.” It’s humiliating in retrospect, but it thankfully triggered a memory. “It was the same night that he stood me up. He was at home that night.” Your shaky breathing evens for just a second. “He hasn’t been with another woman since Anika. And he—” The second is up very quickly. “He loves me, Lib. I know he didn’t always, but he knows how I feel about cheaters. He wouldn’t do this.”

“Shit, you’re right.” Libby shuffles through the calendar on her desk and lets out a cry of satisfaction at finding the notes. “I was with him. At his house. He wasn’t – he does love you.” She will one hundred percent tell you that. “The next date she says that they were together was…” she scans through the article, “it was that next day. Tuesday – he didn’t have anything on his schedule.”

“Taco Tuesday.” It comes out of you on a relieved sigh and you squeeze your eyes shut tightly. “He was with us that night. Watching Toy Story and eating tacos at my house.” The way your heart is hammering lightens just a little and the tears lessen as you continue to scan the article. “Then she mentions a day this month, and we’ve been in Switzerland together this whole month. I have pictures and all kinds of stuff from everything we’ve done. I know he loves me, Libby. This woman is either looking for fifteen minutes of fame or she’s delusional.”

Libby exhales roughly and she’s leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. “Rico said that he had not seen her.” She tells you. “Can you— can you try to call Dieter? He’s not answering me and he was— babe, he was nearly hysterical at the thought of losing you.” She admits. “I’m afraid of what he might do.”

“I’ll call him.” You nod even though she can’t see you, staring at the article on Steph’s phone while your head spins. “Libby?” She had been quiet for a second and your voice cracks, but you clear it. “I should go on the record, right? Say something to disprove her? I-it should come from me.” Even though the spotlight is everything you never wanted, this isn’t something you can just wait to dissipate. This will not blow over. The hundreds of notifications from your social media when you turned your phone on shows you that. “I need to say something.”

“You saying something would be a very big positive in Dieter’s corner. Especially refuting the dates. Pictures with time stamps if you have them would be perfect.” Libby immediately starts thinking. “I could get you on ET today if you want. Within the hour. They would love nothing more than to scoop Star.”

“I just got off the plane, but I think I look okay.” Whenever you’ve appeared in public it’s been wearing things she picked out, and most of what you’re wearing today falls under that category as well. It turns out the stuff she chose is also extremely comfortable. “Just tell me where and when and I’ll go. The photos on my phone should do the trick, right?” The idea of losing him – or letting him get hurt in any way – just isn’t viable to you. Not now. Not with the way you feel about each other and everything that’s happened. “Libby, I—I love him so much. I just— I can’t let anything hurt him.”

“Did you—” Libby bites her lip. “Are you two talking about moving in together?” She needs to start setting up the interview, but on a personal level – she needs to know. As much as he drives her crazy, she cares about Dieter.

“I—I think he was trying to hint at it last night.” The conversation about kitting out his backyard for Nora had stuck with you, giving you a happy thought to dwell on during the flight while you started missing him. “I mean…he hasn’t asked. But I—I would say yes.”

"I never thought I would see it happen." Libby admits, eyes moist at the fact that you and Dieter are so obviously in love. "Call him. Talk him off whatever ledge he's on and I'll set up the interview." She snaps back into professional manager mode, needing to get ahead of this story and squash it before Dieter can do anything stupid.

“Okay.” Reminding yourself to breathe, you squeeze your eyes shut again and exhale. “Thanks, Libby. Just text me the details. I’m going to call him now.”

"I'm sorry." She murmurs after a moment. "For what it's worth."

“Don’t be.” She didn’t cause this, and you don’t blame her for it. The only person you blame for the hurt in your heart and the pain it may be causing Dieter is the conniving liar on the cover of Star. “Just… please help me fix it.”

"I will do everything in my power." Libby promises you. "Dieter deserves to have someone like you in his corner." She clears her throat. "Right, you call him, and I'll start paving the way for you to destroy that trollop." She doesn't even bother saying goodbye, just hangs up the phone and starts pulling up the number of her contact at Entertainment Tonight.

“It’s not true.” When Libby hangs up, you hand Steph back her phone and start dialing Dieter’s number from memory. “It’s all a lie, Steph. Libby going to set up an interview for me so I can make a public statement against it.”

“How do you know?” Steph asks, wanting to believe you, but she also doesn’t want you hurt.

“Because some of those dates she talks about? He was with me.” It stings that Steph isn’t willing to take your word, but if roles were reversed you know you would require proof, too. “One of them was taco night. He was with us. This woman is lying and I have no idea why, but it probably has to do with money and I need to get him in the phone. Libby is worried about him, and now I am too.”

“Oh hun.” Stephanie reaches back and squeezes your knee. “I’m so sorry that she’s doing this to you. You two have been so happy.” She looks over at Rico and rolls her eyes at his smug expression. “I know, I know, but she’s my sister.” She murmurs to him. “If it were true, I would bury your boss’s body and grin while I covered it up.”

“I would expect nothing less of you,” you promise Steph. Hell, you would do the same for her in a heartbeat. “Rico, Libby is setting up an interview with ET at some point this afternoon. Can you drive me? I—I assume you already know where their office is?” You’re not one to give orders outside of assignments in the classroom, but right now you need all the help you can get.

“Absolutely.” Rico nods and glances in the mirror again. “I will make sure that you get there whenever you need to be there.” He wants his boss vindicated and he’s glad that he can assist in any way. He can’t talk publicly because of his NDA.

“Thank you. I—I just—well, thank you.” With your phone pressed to your ear, the constant ringing and going to voicemail might make you crazy but you’re not going to stop calling. He’ll pick up or you’ll go on camera before you stop trying to get him on the line.

******

He winces every time the phone buzzes and your ringtone plays. Dread curling in his stomach, mixed with the bottle of wine he had drunk. Knowing that you are calling to scream at him and break up with him. Ironic since he had never wanted to do this, and now he’s going to have his heart broken when he’s innocent. Still, the lines of cocaine taunt him, mocking him and begging him to come snort them.

When the Adele ringtone stops playing, it is replaced moments later by a knock on the door of his suite and a young man’s voice calling his name. “Monsieur Bravo?” It sounds tentative and the accent is thick. “If you are able, please open the door! I have been authorized by the manager to use my key if you do not!”

“Go away!” Dieter yells, wanting nothing more than to be left alone to wallow in his misery. His eyes burn from crying and his head is stopped up. Hell, he wouldn’t be able to snort the coke if he wanted to.

“Monsieur Bravo, I have been told to use my key if you do not open the door!” The young man definitely doesn’t sound like he’s excited for that option, but he is following orders.

“Do whatever you want!” Dieter calls back, flopping back on the couch with a sigh. “My life is over anyway.” The room is spinning and he misses you, choking back another sob and refusing to look at his phone. He’ll just get a new one, so he doesn’t have to see the words that solidify the fact that you hate him again.

The door clicks open a second later and a timid, lanky boy in his early twenties steps inside hesitantly. “A Madame Libby requests that I turn on your television, monsieur.” He tells Dieter, reaching for the remote that turns on the large tv in the living area of the suite. He has been told which channel and it’s one of the special American ones. “Please ring if you require anything else, monsieur,” he says, before quickly retreating again.

He doesn’t even acknowledge the man, barely hears the TV. Too lost in his own dark thoughts. Until he hears your name. ‘Up next, we have the exclusive interview with Dieter Bravo’s soulmate. She’s going to talk to us about the Oscar winning actor and set the record straight about his supposed ‘love child’.’ Dieter groans, unable to reach the remote from where he is and he sighs, ready to hear you blast him to the world.

“Welcome to an ET exclusive.” The reporter sitting across from you on the uncomfortable little set speaks directly into the camera as you shift in your seat. Having had no time to change, you’re still wearing the same thing you had on when you left Geneva this morning but the ET hair and makeup team had done their best to make your camera ready. Nischelle Turner has only said a few words to you aside from giving advice about where to look while you’re talking, but she’s all smiles and sunny approachability now that you’re live. “We wish your first time here was under more fun circumstances,” she says to you, turning in her best sympathetic frown.

“So do I.” You admit, trying to keep yourself steady and your voice clear like you were coached. “This is — well, I couldn’t ignore it. As unpleasant as it is.”

Dieter gapes at the tv, hating seeing the hurt in your eyes, knowing that you believe the lies that are being told. He closes his eyes for a moment but then forces himself to open them again. Knowing this might be the last time he ever gets to see you; he doesn’t want to stop looking at you. It’s pathetic, but he loves you.

“Let’s get right down to it, then.” Excitement flashes in the reporter’s eyes that makes you sick to your stomach. “What do you have to say about the woman who claims to be caring your soulmate’s baby?”

Taking a long, deep breath, you sit up in your chair and look the woman right in her eyes. “It’s a lie.” You pronounce clearly, heart hammering with absolute fear in your chest. “A rather vicious one, if you ask me. I’m not sure why she said it or what she hopes to gain, but no matter what…it’s a false claim. Dieter was not with this woman when she claims he was.”

Dieter gasps, eyes widening, and he sits up, instantly sober as your words sink in. You don’t believe it. You don’t believe that he had gotten this woman pregnant.

“You sound very sure of that.” Turner crosses her legs in her chair. “And I’m sure the big question on everybody’s mind right now is: can you prove it?”

“I just…I want to be clear about something.” You’re picking at your nails in your lap, nervous about being on camera and terrified of saying the wrong thing and making the whole situation worse. But you are the person who can help him here. Right here and right now. “I don’t know who this woman is. I don’t recognize her face and I don’t recognize her name, and neither do the other people closest to Dieter.” Neither Libby nor Rico could recall ever having seen her before in any meaningful way, and even Dee’s publicist Phil and agent Malcolm denied knowing anything about her. “I don’t know why she’s saying the things she is, or what she hopes to get out of it, but…yes. Yes I can prove that Dieter wasn’t with her at the times she specified in her interview.” You had given a few relevant photos to the ET crew when you arrived, and they would be pulled up on the green screen behind you in short order.

“I understand we have some private photos you’re willing to share with us?”

“Yes.” Yes, not yeah, act like you’re in front of your class and enunciate, Libby had said. “She mentions four different occasions that she and Dieter were supposedly together in the interview and on all but one of those occasions, he was actually with me. And the time he wasn’t…” Despite yourself, you shake your head and chuckle. Libby will love that – a self-deprecating laugh at your own expense on tv will make you relatable. “The other time was actually…he was with his manager. He missed our date. It was…well, there’s a meme about how we were a little – a lot – rocky in the beginning. But he’s my soulmate and I just— I love him so much. Maybe that makes me a little sappy, but I hate that someone out there is trying to take advantage of the man I love.”

Dieter drops to his knees in front of the sofa and practically crawls around the table, eager to get closer to the TV. You just admitted – to the world – that you love him. You love him. “I love you.” He whispers to the TV, reaching out and touching your face on the screen. “And you look damn good on camera.” He huffs, proud of how beautiful you look.

“That’s beautiful.” Turner hums, nodding slightly. “Walk me through it.” She coaches, wanting to keep you on track. She assumed you would get emotional at some point, but she doesn’t want to lose the entire interview to it. “How did you realize the article was false?”

“Well…I knew it was false immediately.” There had never been a doubt in your mind, honestly, and you were proud of yourself for that. For not falling to fear. “The interview mentions a car show, which he couldn’t have been at because I was there. That was the date he missed because he was working late with his manager.” Libby had enforced that you not mention that he stood you up, because that would sow doubt. “The next thing mentioned is the following Tuesday, which the interview was specific about. And I know he wasn’t having dinner with her and her parents that night because—” The screen behind you changes to show a candid photo of Dieter sitting on your sofa with Nora in her Jessie costume as they both inhale their tacos watching Toy Story. You are clearly in frame in the photo, sitting a few feet away. “We were having family movie night with my sister-in-law and niece that night.” The photo behind you changes again, to the two of you standing outside a bookstore in Zurich. There is a sign for an event in the window reading that day’s date and ‘Huete!’ – Today! – underneath. “The next day she mentions, we were in Switzerland already. I just spent three weeks with him on the set of his next movie. He wasn’t even in the country so he could not have been with this woman. And the last one…” The next photo is of you and Dieter wrapped up in each other on the balcony of your hotel room with Lake Geneva in the background. Directly from your Instagram page. “This was the day after I told him that I love him the first time.”

Your voice softens and your shoulders relax a little, remembering how crazy that day had been but how relieved you had been to find out that he loves you, too. “That—that’s Lake Geneva in the background. We were still in Switzerland. I mean…I just got back today. He’s still there, filming and working so incredibly hard.”

“Oh my god.” Dieter whispers, amazed at the fact that you hadn’t believed it for a second. Even Libby had believed it for a moment before he had convinced her. He had honestly believed that you wouldn’t look at it so rationally. He had underestimated you. “Oh my God!” He yells. “I love you baby! I love you!” Turning around, he scrambles for his phone. Needing to see what you sent him. Needing to talk to you.

Baby: Dee, please pick up your phone. I know Libby told you about the article and I need to know you’re okay. Baby: Baby please pick up. I’m worried about you. Baby: I don’t believe a word of it. Please pick up. I love you. Baby: Libby is setting up an interview for me today. It won’t air until the middle of the night for you but…please. If you can’t talk to me, will you just watch it? I love you so much and I’m really worried, honey. Baby: I need to know you’re okay, baby. Please?

Dieter starts sobbing again, this time with utter relief, scrolling through message after message of your belief in him. Worrying about him. He looks over at the coffee table, ashamed at the powder that is on it, even if he hadn’t taken any of it. “Shit, shit, I can’t call her with this shit here.” He drops the phone and runs to the bathroom, frantic to clean up the mess and dispose of the drugs he had been so willing to take just moments before.

******

The interview only lasts about twenty minutes, but to you it seems to last forever. All you want to do is make your point and get off this set so you can try to call him again. Libby had been worried what he might do, and you know full well that stress could cause a relapse in his road to recovery. By the time the ET tech crew is removing your microphone you’re practically itching to reach for your phone, never mind anything else.

******

Flushing the cocaine down the toilet, Dieter is wiping down the coffee table with shampoo and a wet rag. Still a little drunk, but infinitely more alert than he had been when the hotel worker had let himself in. Cursing himself for almost fucking up. Who knows if you would have stayed with him if he had relapsed. When his phone rings this time, he dives for the device, eager to hear your voice. “Hello? Baby? Are you there?”

“Dee! Oh, thank god.” If you didn’t have Rico physically whisking you through the building and out to the waiting car, you would have stopped dead in your tracks and dropped in place out of sheer relief. As it is, the tears are instant. “Shit baby, I’ve been so worried about you. Please tell me you’re okay?”

“I’m here.” Dieter promises you. “I—I’m a little drunk.” He confesses sheepishly. “I didn’t— I thought you would believe her.” He whispers the last words softly, shamefully. Upset at himself that he had not had enough faith in you. How could he – he doesn’t have faith in himself, after all. “The hotel, they came and turned on the tv. I— I saw your interview.”

“We couldn’t reach you, so Libby called the hotel and made them send someone up so you would see it.” You feel like you can finally breathe for the first time since landing. Fear had stolen that from you but hearing his voice gives it right back. “I just—I—I needed to make sure you knew that I didn’t believe any of it. I trust you. And I know you love me as much as I love you.”

“I’m sorry.” He whispers, kneeling in front of the table. “I—I fucked up baby. I—I thought there was no way, no way you wouldn’t believe it. I thought I was losing you.”

“How did you fuck up?” Rico shuts the car door after you slide into the SUV with your brow furrowed and face drawn in worry. “Did…” Please don’t say yes, please don’t say yes. “Did you take something? Besides drinking?”

“No.” He shakes his head like you can see him. “I didn’t— I was going to. It was right there, all lined up. Cut and ready for me to snort. Taunting me.” He closes his eyes and leans back against the couch. “I couldn’t do it. This voice just kept saying that if I did it, it would just prove that you were right about me.”

“Oh honey…” You know he can hear you sigh on the other end of the phone, but right now you just wish that you could bundle him up in your arms and keep him safe. “I’m so sorry you were scared. But the fact that you had it right in front of you and still didn’t take any shows me exactly how far you’ve come. And I’m really proud of you for listening to that voice, even though me back then didn’t know you at all… Me right now is so proud to love you. I—I hope you know that.”

“I just— I love you.” He chokes out, chin trembling and the fact that you are still talking to him is doing wonders to calm him down. “I flushed it. It’s gone, I promise you. I’ll send you my drug test tomorrow.” He wants you to know that you don’t have to worry.

“I believe you, but if you want to send me a picture tomorrow then I’ll be proud to see it.” All that matters to you, as Rico hops on the highway headed for your house in San Juan Capistrano, is that he knows you’re on his side. No matter what. “Just…baby, please know that if you had done it, the only thing I would care about would be supporting you through whatever withdrawal you had to deal with.” You pause slightly, sniffling back another wave of honest tears. “I love you, Dieter Bravo. Nothing is going to change that, and you’re not going to lose me. Okay?”

“Move in with me.” Dieter breathes out, nearly gasping the words in his need to say them. “Doesn’t have to be right away, but I— the house is huge. You can live with me. Hell, Steph and Nora could move in too if you don’t want to leave them. I just—’ he swallows. “I want you with me. Everyday.”

“Okay.” You’re actually laughing through the tears now, relieved and vaguely amused that Libby was so on point with her question earlier. You have to wonder if he had said something to her about it. “I—I mean yes. When you get home, we’ll work out the details. Jesus, you sounded like you were going to ask me to marry you for a second.” Not that – you think immediately – you would have been upset about that question. You had just never realized before this whirlwind that you really only want him for the rest of your life. Come hell or high water. “I love you.”

“Would you want that?” He asks, surprised by the slightly touch of disappointment in your tone. “For me to propose? We’ve not— it’s not been a conversation we’ve had.”

“I—” Yes. Your heart says, unencumbered by logic or fear. Yes I absolutely want that. And for once, you just sigh and let your heart speak before your head. “Yeah, baby. I do want that. But I don’t want you to ask over the phone and I don’t want you to feel pressured. So let’s work out the kinks in having me move in when you get home, and that can be something we talk about. I’m not trying to rush you or—or trap you or anything. I just want to be with you.”

His brain short circuits for a moment. Frozen with the knowledge that you want to marry him. Unlike with Anika, it doesn’t terrify him. “I— yeah.” He chuckles. “I can’t do that over the phone.”

“I don’t want you to. That’s something we’ll talk about in person, and not until you’re ready.” Sitting back in the SUV as you cruise down the highway, you puff out a deep breath and sigh. “It’s late, baby. It must be like two in the morning there. Do you think you’ll be able to get some sleep?”

“Now?” Dieter feels the weight of the day starting to tug him down. “Yeah.” He nods again, acting like you are just in the room with him. “‘m tired.” He admits. “The sheets still smell like you.”

“I…might have stolen your Lakers t-shirt,” you confess sheepishly. “It’s big and comfy and I didn’t know if I would be able to sleep as well without having you with me somehow.”

Barking out a laugh, he lights up for the first time since you have left, and damn sure since this scandal broke. “Perfect. Although – you know it wasn’t clean, right?”

“Baby, that’s the point.” If he were in the car next to you, you would roll your eyes at him. “It smells like you.”

“Oh.” He bites his lip and feels a little smug that you want his scent around you. “Well then, I guess it’s perfect, huh?”

“Yeah. Yeah, it is.” You sigh slightly, relishing the feeling of stress lifting from your shoulders. He’s safe and he loves you and everything is going to be okay. “You should tuck in, baby. Rico’s driving me home now, and I’m going to have dinner with Steph and Nora. Nice quiet night.” After a long, chaotic day.

“Okay. I’m going try to go to sleep.” A yawn comes over the line, unable to deny how tired he is now. “I love you.” He murmurs, along with your name.

“I love you, too.” Hanging up the phone, you let your head fall back against the seat and you close your eyes. Your body thinks it’s two in the morning and you should be tucked in next to him in that hotel suite. A quick nap on the way home will do you a world of good.

______

Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @katheriner1999 @littlemousedroid @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @hardc0rehaylz @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri

YSV: @tortor-mcgee @hnt-escape @sammus-white @spanishmossmagnolia @frasmotic @quietpainter

My Masterlist!

#Pedro Pascal #Pedro Pascal character fanfiction #Pedro Pascal fanfic #Dieter Bravo #Dieter Bravo x reader #Dieter Bravo x you #dieter Bravo x female reader #The Bubble #soulmate au #Trash Can Man #drug mention

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rosie-b · 7 months

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20 questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for tagging me @aidanchaser! 🩷

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

27 fics.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

201,097! (Wow, the last time I checked it was closer to 100k lol)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Only Miraculous Ladybug so far!

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

From most to least kudos, they are:

1. "Camembert" and Other Magic Words 2. Stealing Freedom 3. A Catching Sickness 4. Married in Black (know that she loves you back 5. A Blessed Curse

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

I try to respond to every comment I get, though I'm slow in my responses sometimes. I value getting comments, so responding to them is a way I show my gratitude!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't write angsty endings; I've never really liked them! That said, home is where the fight is leaves our heroes in a pretty precarious situation, though it's implied that they'll win in the end.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

*stares at my wall of HEA fics and asks them to answer for me*

The Overheating of Adrien's Brain, maybe? Adrien's pretty happy in that one!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I've never gotten any serious hate, no. A couple of demanding fans and people who forgot to read the tags, but beyond that, nothing! (May it stay like that forever 🙏)

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

Nope! I don't read or write smut. It makes me uncomfortable, but it's fine for others to enjoy, of course!

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I don't write crossovers; my brainrot is caused purely by Miraculous Ladybug, so there's no need! I enjoy reading other people's crossovers occasionally though.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of! I don't think any of mine have ever gotten popular enough for that lol

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope! But it would be cool if it happened someday.

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

No, honestly I don't know how that function even works on AO3.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

The lovesquare! I've been a fan of many media and ships that could have dragged me into fandom, but none of them were powerful enough until I came across Miraculous Ladybug. I went from 0 to 100 pretty fast after that lol

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Growing Fangs. (But I will finish it someday!!!!) I have so much lore for it in my head but it's so hard to connect to the published chapters, which are set a decade before the actual plot. Why I did this to myself I will never know!

16. What are your writing strengths?

I've gotten compliments on my dialogue, characterization, and overall writing style, which is nice!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Imagery my beloathed!! I don't quite have aphantasia, but it's hard for me to picture stuff in my head, so trying to write good descriptions is always a challenge for me. The words are words all right, but do they form a picture in someone's head? I can never tell.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I think as long as it feels natural and has a translation in the notes or at the end of the fic, it's fine!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Miraculous Ladybug! My first true obssession 🥰

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

All of them?

I have a lot of fun writing my crack fics, like Erinnerungn't and A Catching Sickness. I also really enjoyed writing "Camembert" and Other Magic Words and A Blessed Curse, and puzzling out True Blue's plot has been a lot of fun!

Thanks again for the tag! 💕

I will no-pressure tag @mostmagical @lady-de-mon-coeur @miabrown007 @wackus-bonkus-maximus and @coffeebanana!

#tag game #rosie-b writing

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kaaaaaaarf · 8 months

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20 asks for fic writers

Thank you for tagging me, @fruityindividual, @lynxindisguise, @butcherbacterium & @spindrifters <333

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

2. what's your total ao3 word count?

56,757

3. What fandoms do you write for?

HP Marauders.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Killing Time (unwillingly mine) aka murder husbands

Now I'm Spreading Your Legs (with mine in between) aka the original hatefuck

soft like silk chiffon aka silk slip Remus

back when we were dinosaurs aka museum

Rolling In The Deep aka divorced sopping wet wolfstar

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

Yes, of course!! I love getting comments, they sustain me. I need them to live.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending

Oh, hmm. I try to give all my fics a somewhat happy ending. I guess my blood is singing with your voice, which is my Midsommar au...I think you can guess how that ends.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think that museum will probably win this once it's finished, but for now I would say I Knew Your Love Before I Knew Your Name and You Grew Tall (I Stayed The Same).

8. Do you get hate on fics?

So far no. I have received some weird feedback before, but nothing hateful.

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

hahaha Listen. When I started writing fic I was like "I will never write smut, it's too hard to do it right." and then the first fic I published was my original hatefuck fic. 🤷 In fact, I think I'm best known for my Hatefuck Extended Universe series.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I have not, I don't really think it's for me.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of. Like Lynx said, I think there are a lot of themes and motifs that float around the fandom so inevitably you're going to find something that is similar to yours. I have had people reach out and ask if they can write something inspired by my fic or like, with a similar theme (murder husbands) and I really appreciated the asking.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not yet! I don't know how I feel about it...there's no way for me to ensure that they have kept the story the same, ya know? I guess it would be a case by case basis.

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

B, Kels and I started a sort of Miami Vice AU, but it sort of fell to the side. It was fun to collaborate, but we collaborate on every fic we write anyways, so.

In general, I don't think I'm the right person to co-write with because my muse is so fickle and comes and goes. I wouldn't want to let anyone down.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Wolfstar at the moment! I will always be an everlark shipper though.

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I have had a wolfstar girldads au sitting in my notes app forever and I would love to write it, but the muse never sticks around for long. I also have a soulmate au that I started but will likely never finish. I think my take is unique, but I've just never been able to figure out how I could make it work.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Oh, I guess I have a really good grasp on the characters I'm trying to write, and I think I'm also good at humour. Also if you need a flowery metaphor, I'm your girl.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

World building. I'm just incredibly lazy and not that imaginative. I also have terrible grammar. I use em-dashes to hide that fact that I have no idea how to correctly use a semi-colon.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I mean I would do it, but only if I had a friend who could proof-read for me. The last thing I want to do is write something in another language that takes a native speaker out of the fic entirely.

The title of my fic In ár gCroíthe go deo is Irish, but it's also a song title from Fontaines DC so I didn't have to worry about that so much.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

This one! Marauders. I've only been writing since April.

20. Favourite fic you've written?

The ones I'm most proud of are The Killing Time (unwillingly mine) and back when we were dinosaurs.

no pressure tagging: @kaleidoscopexsighs, @grimjobs, @vajazzly, @crushofdoves, @greenvlvetcouch, @sommerregenjuniluft, @cancerravenclaw, @facewithoutheart, @sheisraging , @achilleslikespeas, @hihimissamericanbi, @colgatebluemintygel and @thefairylights

#about me #my fics

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bg-sparrow · 6 months

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20 Questions for Fic Writers!

I'm finally getting around to doing this after @professorsaber, @mythical-bookworm, and @daryfromthefuture tagged me! Sorry for the delay (it's been a week)!

Under the cut because it seems I felt the need to write my life story today as it relates to my body of fan work. :)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I'm currently sitting at 51.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

650,606 (of which 58K are shared with co-authors)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Predominantly Back to the Future with a lot of Pirates of the Caribbean, Iron Man, and National Treasure in my rearview mirror. I've also contributed one-shots/ small works to 19 other fandoms over the years!

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

What to Expect When She's Expecting - (137) - Iron Man

Where You Were (Time Circuits #3) - (95) - BttF

Where You're Going (Time Circuits #1) - (72) - Bttf

Principles of Compromise - (70) - Pirates of the Caribbean

A Fracture in the Space-time Continuum - (69) - BttF

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

Most definitely! I love interacting with the people who have taken the time to read and comment on my work, even if it's a simple thank you!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Ooo hoo hoo. I might have to poll some people for this one. My first reaction would be There Are No Roads (Time Circuits #2.5), but as the ending is technically an alternate series of events, I'm not sure it counts as an official 'end'. I'm big proud of it, though, because most initial reactions were somewhere along the lines of "oh my GOD." :)

That being the case, Once Upon a Time in the West wins hands down, mostly because I didn't even see the plot twist coming until the fourth chapter of this six-chapter fic! And it delivered an epic sequel!

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Oof. Don't come at me like this; I'm just now realizing how much angst I really write because I've narrowed it down to maybe two of my Ao3 fics? Sheesh.

I'm going to go with the only 5+1 fic I've ever written, The Manner of Giving. It was five times Marty failed at giving Doc a gift, and the one time (the end) is when he succeeded.

Where You Were (Times Circuits #3) also gets a nod because it's the end of my trilogy rewrite, and I like to think I ended it on the happy note everyone deserved.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I've never gotten a scathing flame of a review, thank goodness. I did have someone ask me on FFN once why I was writing an OC for Marty when he had Jennifer in canon, and while it was tempting to just say "don't like, don't read," we ended up exchanging a mature and constructive dialogue and respectfully parted ways.

I also once, long ago, before I ever planned to seriously pursue writing, had one of my fics added to a "Worst of the Worst" fandom collection on FFN. It was a terrible fic written by an inexperienced teenager, but I still find something like that distasteful and uncalled for, mostly because, as the author, I wasn't able to remove my work from the collection. And it's still there. And I'm still mad about it. Oddly, it's ensured I hold myself to a high standard and never put anything out there that could be considered for a "Worst of the Worst" collection again. So, screw that guy, and thank you.

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

No. I've never wanted a tell a story where that was essential to the story. Now, I've recently included/ alluded to more mature situations in the last year for the first time in my 20 years of writing to get me out of my comfort zone, but no graphic, extended scenes.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I have! And the craziest crossover I have is FFHQ. Imagine all the characters in all the fandoms in one giant office park drawing up contracts to appear in fics, meeting with fanfic authors, collaborating on crossovers, etc. It's a lot of paperwork, meaning each character has a secretary. That's a lot of secretaries, so there is a list of "subs" who fill in as floaters when a secretary is out, and this crazy crossover follows three OCs as they bounce around random fandoms each day. This baby is my crackfic, the idea I escaped to in those eight years of depression when I wasn't doing so hot. If you're up for it, I promise it's lots of fun!

Honorable mention goes to the BttF/Elf AU I wrote for our server's Secret Santa exchange last year: Pennies From Heaven.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

*inserts Ben Affleck smoking meme*

Yes. And it's… I'm just very over this form of "flattery".

When I was still in high school, I was writing a pretty successful National Treasure fic when a reader told me they found the story on another site. The person who stole it was writing author notes at the beginning, like "Find out what happens to them next time! I've got great stuff in the works!" I emailed that website, and they kindly took it down and banned that user.

Last year, I had someone on Wattpad steal the Time Circuits Series, rename it the "Flux Capacitor Series", and switched out Emma's name with "Dawn". Two things that had me cackling: When I have Marty call Emma "Em," Marty was calling Dawn "Da," and you could see several places where Emma's name wasn't backspaced all the way out of the text. I confronted the "author", and they wisely took it down, telling me it was just so hard to write it themselves. You bet your ass I have this person still on my alerts list to keep an eye on them, and once a month, I am searching Wattpad for my own fics.

Novel HD/ Novel WW also stole Time Circuts off Wattpad for their website, scrubbed my name from it so that it said it was written by "Anonymous", and put the stories behind paywalls. I caught wind of this about a quarter of the way into the last story and took everything I had off Wattpad. I saved the links but they no longer work, and I can't even access the website anymore. I'm not sure if it's gone or if, because it is a foreign site, they somehow blocked our region from accessing it.

I also had FictionHunt take all of my stuff off FFN! It took several months, but I finally got them to remove my stuff from their site. I might not have minded so much if they had asked me, but that's too hard, I suppose.

There was one website called MovieFanficChains way back in 2005 I gave permission to to host my PotC fics, but aside from FFN and Ao3, that the only place with my permission to have my stuff.

If you see my work elsewhere and it has not been linked back to me, let me know. I'll do the same for you. :)

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I know of.

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

I've done a few roleplays with @daryfromthefuture, where I wrote for Doc and she wrote for Marty. Our most well-known roleplay-turned-fic would be the 1885 scarlet fever sickfic Lean on Me (When You're Not Strong).

I've also been part of the silly blind writing game in our Discord server aptly named Back to the Future: Discord.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

I don't know. This is hard. I'm a romantic, and I make the excited Andy Dwyer face every time a ship is hinted at. I have so many I love, but the mainstream ones that immediately come to mind are Tony/Pepper (Iron Man), Sherlock/Molly (BBC Sherlock), Jamie/Brienne (Game of Thrones), and Reylo (Star Wars).

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I wrote a National Treasure story in high school called Another Clue, and it was one of my first real attempts at an OC insert. It did fairly well, given my talents at the time; I incorporated an OC, but I focused on crafting a canon-like treasure hunt more, and a lot of people complimented that.

So I started a sequel, One More Clue. It built a bigger story around the first, highlighting a treasure hunt that required the help of a rival and two friends seemingly trying to out-betray one another. I got about 12 chapters and 69K into One More Clue before life took over. I last updated it on June 1, 2010, and I left it at quite the cliffhanger with Riley turning Ben into the FBI only to learn the FBI guy was working for the rival and UGH, I keep meaning to go back to it. I have all the notes!

The problem is, I would have to rewrite Another Clue at this point because it's a hot high schooler's mess. You could tell as I wrote One More Clue that I was applying what I was learning from my writing classes in college. While Another Clue didn't have that luxury, it showcases some strengths that compelled me to pursue a writing major (AKA I can make a decent history-driven treasure hunt).

So, while I could finish One More Clue if I really wanted to, it would be pointless unless I overhauled Another Clue first. Which I've thought about. Because National Treasure is my guilty pleasure. I'm just fairly certain no one would be around to appreciate it if I put all that work in now. :)

16. What are your writing strengths?

I've consistently been told it's dialogue, and I find myself agreeing with that. The single lines of dialogue that turn a whole story on its head or tell a whole story of their own are what I live for.

This is the DUMBEST example, but there is an episode of Spongebob Squarepants where Mrs. Puff is freaking out because she gave Spongebob his boating license just to finally get him out of her class, and she's spiraling. She arrives at "I'll have to change my name, move to another city, and open another boating school!" or something like that.

And then her voice just goes dead flat and her eyes narrow and she says, "No. Not again."

And I lose it every time! But you know there's a WHOLE story there just by that little bit of dialogue! I love that! And I love implementing it where I can, whether it be in a comedic or dramatic setting.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm wordy. When I give myself a word count goal for a project, it inevitably goes over, but it gets shaved down some in editing.

Thankfully, I got a hard lesson in this in one of my college writing classes. I turned in a prose-y poem I was quite proud of, and in the next class, the professor handed out copies to everyone. We proceeded to workshop (i.e. destroy) my work, whittling the word count down by half when it was all said and done. And while I was mortified at the time, I've since thanked my professor a few times for that day. That one lesson lives in my brain every day, and I am right back in that classroom every time I edit a work, trying to figure out what the most succinct wording is, what is un/necessary, and how to play with my line breaks. Criticism is daunting but so, so worth it if you can find the courage to apply it!

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I did this for the first time in Once Upon a Time in the South. I have a headcanon that Buford's baby momma is a Spanish actress at a small theater in Pine City, and he had to get something from her. This woman speaks very little English, and it was a challenge to stay true to that because (a) I don't speak Spanish and (b) my brain just struggles a lot with foreign language translations. Me being me, I wanted the most accurate and realistic translations I could get, ones that didn't sound too formal. Then you add in the fact that it's 1893, so there's a time-period language barrier, too. Ultimately, I'm happy with the end result, but I don't see myself going out of my way to do this again.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Pirates of the Caribbean! What a fantastic playground in which to practice storytelling! What really got me hooked on this "I might try writing for real one day" thing was listening to the writer's commentary on The Curse of the Black Pearl DVD when I was 15.

Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio gave excellent insight to this story I was enamored with and how they came up with it! "We had Sparrow and Swann, so we figured we shouldn't give Will a bird name" cracked me up. They covered everything — what challenged them, what rules ("guidelines") they stuck to ("leave the kiss for the end"), stuff like that. But what lit me up was hearing the entire backstory while the credits rolled, about how Barbossa was Jack's first mate until Barbossa committed mutiny and all that jazz. There was so much story to the story! That was a big, big day that influenced me. :)

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

Oh, gosh. This is tough because the favoritism depends on the reason!

I'll forever love Principles of Compromise because after abandoning it several chapters from the end and not touching it for eight years, it was the first story I came back to and finished before returning to the Time Circuits Series. It was the first plot-heavy story with canon characters I attempted and completed (most of my works up until that point had been rewrites or headlined OCs). Finishing it was the stepping stone to all the writing I've since completed (30-some works)!

Favorite all time though? I'm a mom; you can't just ask me to pick a favorite kid, and this is just as mean. :)

(But for real, it's probably a tie between There Are No Roads (Time Circuits #2.5) and Once Upon a Time in the East )

Tagging @retro-hussy, @jowritesfanfiction, @writingwife-83, and anyone else who wants to play!

Thank you so much for tagging me, friends!! I don't know why, but I love doing these! Sorry again it took so long for me to get to. ❤️

#20 questions for fic writers #ask game #tag game #answered asks #fanfic #fanfic writing #fan fic writer #back to the future #pirates of the caribbean #national treasure #iron man #ao3 #bgsparrow

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