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AI scraping and AO3

FYI folks! I have archive locked all my fic because of recent AI scraping. I know that's sort of like closing the barn after the horse has gotten out, but it should help prevent some scraping in the future.

I've also placed some of my fics with the most original elements into an unrevealed collection. Having those scraped could hurt my ability to write something original based off those ideas in the future, which is why they're unrevealed. If AO3 manages to put in some scraping safeguards, I might reveal them again.

If you find yourself unable to access one of my fics, I'd be happy to send you an epub version.

I don't think this will really affect anyone though, as my fic, especially OFMD fic doesn't really get reads anymore! So the chances of an unregistered user wanting to access my stuff is small.

But still, if that's you please feel free to reach out.

#fanfiction #our flag means death #fanfic #ao3 #ofmd #fanfic scraping #ao3 ai scraping #ao3 scrape #our flag means death fanfic

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Old Guard (Movie 2020) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova Characters: Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, First Meetings, First Kiss, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani and Nicky | Nicolò di Genova are in Love, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon Compliant, Historical Inaccuracy, Crusades, Muslim Character, Catholic Character, Action/Adventure, Star-crossed, True Love, Destiny, Soulmates, Immortality Summary:

It's the time of the Crusades. A Catholic and a Muslim, both gifted with immortality, find themselves drawn together despite everything in the world wanting them to be apart.

---

This is my version of how Joe and Nicky first met. Please excuse the no doubt several historical inaccuracies. I did do some research but there was only so much I was going to do for a 3000 word story! Hopefully nothing is too egregious.

This story contains no spoilers for the movie, and nor do you need to have watched it to follow this.

---

The first death was agony. Returning to life after he was cut down by a crusader felt like a blessing. Yusuf Al-Kaysani prayed and gave thanks for the blessing he’d been given as he woke from what he thought would surely be his eternal rest.

When he revived from the second death as his horse crushed him in battle, Yusuf prayed again after he’d wriggled out from under his bloody and broken mount.

By the thirtieth death, Yusuf stopped praying. His resurrections, which at first were treated as miracles, were greeted with increasing suspicion by his fellow soldiers. They began to suspect he was cursed, or perhaps he was a demon instead of a man. So one night when he could take the whispers no longer, he deserted his comrades by the light of the moon, nothing but pack and scimitar and a vast expanse of a world gripped by holy war.

That was when the Italian began to stalk Yusuf. He’d dreamed of this man, in flashes and with vivid detail. He saw an Italian monastery high on a cliffside, where the switch was employed with the same frequency as benediction, and where the young men, discarded by their families, were honed into weapons of righteous fury.

Yusuf drew the man in his notebook on precious reserves of parchment, sketching his aquiline nose and heavy brow, dedicated to capturing his essence. There were pages of charcoal sketches of his clear blue eyes, brimming with righteous fury beyond which lay a poet’s soul damaged and reshaped by shame and guilt into the tool of a distant Pope.

One night, by the light of a small fire in the rubble of a destroyed village mosque, Yusuf was engrossed in the study of the man’s hands on the pages of his book. He saw long, elegant fingers and struggled to capture their form. His palms were calloused from wielding a longsword, the clang of metal as it struck metal over a hundred battles banishing softness from him one strike at a time.

Yusuf didn’t know his next death was upon him until he looked down to see the angry point of a broadsword piercing his heart from behind. He never saw his face, but he knew the man in his sketches had taken his heart.

Keep reading.

sicklesium-moved-deactivated201

i dont get offended at white people jokes even though im white because:

i can recognize white people as a whole have systemically oppressed POC in america, which is where i live

most people when they make white people jokes only mean the shitty white people and i am not a shitty white person

im not a pissbaby

damncommunists-deactivated20180

my white friends that have reblogged this give me life

zelda-tempest

4. Sometimes I am a shitty white person and the jokes remind me to FUCKIN STOP

lallamariamhabibi

If ur white and like this post I fux with u

birdpapi-deactivated20171121

^absolutely

verdant-witch

5. It’s hard to be offended when white people jokes involve bland food/tourist dads in socks and sandals/white girls in yoga pants obsessed with pumpkin spice/suburban PTA moms and other harmless and mostly true stereotypes while jokes about POC involve them being called thugs/criminals/slurs/uneducated/illegal immigrants.

blackpoeticinjustice

i fucks with u heavy if ur white and you reblog this

sm0k3-ring-deactivated20160109

6. They’re usually really fucking funny and don’t perpetuate stereotypes that will ever affect me economically, politically, or cause me any true harm, let alone create risks that “justify” my murder and/or death

satyrical-prince

Waits for my white mutuals to reblog😌

anar-tea

yesyesyesyes

tomuratoons-moved

👀

diangelo-supporter10

As a white person, I wholeheartedly agree with all of this👆👆👆

1zashreena1

I recognize that even tho I’m actively fighting to fix the fucked up system,

unfortunately

still

benefiting

from

fireflyxsky

Why yes, please do make fun of us. It makes me happy in lots of colorful, beautiful ways XD

theoneandonlyredrobin

This post. All of it. Just. Yes.

what-shitfuckery-is-this-deacti

white people who reblog this are just really cool people

manpo5

Ngl love hearing ‘white people when you tell them there will be cheese at the function’ because i am just that

olderthannetfic

Unpopular Opinion but I think AO3 should try going a year with all Comments and Kudos disabled, if that's what it takes to teach this generation of writers that (fandom) writing shouldn't be able Making Number Go Up

prismatic-bell

And then you’d have no more writers.

Because nobody likes screaming into a void.

What an assholish thing to suggest.

futureevilscientist

The writers who are supposedly obsessed with having "number go up", btw, are almost invariably people with a median of zero comments on their fic.

Nobody bathing in feedback because they write popular fics for a juggernaut fandom talks that way.

attackfish

Writing, scratch that, telling stories, is an attempt to communicate, to connect with our fellow human beings. It's a fundemental need, to connect, to be heard, to not only have a story, but to tell it to others. And writing a story out is hard fucking work. It's draining. It is psychologically, emotionally, and intellectually hard fucking work. And in the end, we post our stories so that they will be heard, so that other people will read them, so that the connection will be made. Posting a story is reaching your hand out into the dark, hoping someone will take it.

Getting a kudo, or even better, a comment, tells a writer they've been seen. Someone has heard their story, and liked it, liked it enough to respond, to reach out from the dark and take their hand. And when that doesn't happen, when your fic you worked hard on gets nothing, it hurts. It hurts really bad. Acting like people are selfish or entitled because they tried to make a connection, and they worked really really hard to do it, and nobody reached back, just means you have no idea what's really going on. No one's entitled to a connection with you, but you're not entitled to people continuing to reach out to you if you keep slapping their hands back.

Fanfic writers aren't trying to be influencers. We aren't obsessed with the line going up, or numerics, or whatever it is people who make their living vying for our attention need to be obsessed with. We are people telling stories who just want to know that somebody heard it and enjoyed it.

toastweasel

fiction-is-not-reality

In bigger letters for those in the back:

As a critiquer, your job is not to “make this piece of writing better” but to understand what the writer wants to achieve and help them to achieve it

notactuallyaduck

Applies beyond writing as well.

jordanlhawk-deactivated20260503

Also applies to editing. I was recently talking to another writer whose editor (at a publisher) almost destroyed her desire to keep writing. Writers, know the signs of a shitty editor versus one who actually wants to help you achieve your vision, and don’t be afraid to ask for a different one. (Or fire a bad one if you’re indy.)

downstarr

In the course of my career, I met a lot of people who dreamed of being an editor. I've never really understood why that was a dream job for so many people.

Then I realized that some people have a fundamental misunderstanding of the duty of an editor.

The duty of an editor isn't to change the story into something they think is better. It isn't to shape the story in their image. It's to make the story best serve the author's vision. It's a service, not a collaboration. And it certainly isn't a remix. Being a good editor (and thus giving good feedback) requires understanding what a writer is trying to achieve and helping them get there. But some people see editing as someone providing raw material that they can then shape into a story.

That's not how it works - at least not how it should, in any case.

And then there are people who want to bully others into writing a story the way they want it and calling that critique. Also BS.

#on writing #writing #editing #critiquing #creative writing #writer

berlynn-wohl

someone I follow on the bird app just announced they're starting a very exclusive private fic server because they and a bunch of other people want to talk about how much they love the fics they're reading, and as an author can I just say that a really great place to talk about a fic you love is in the comments for that fic

I understand that people are trying to create safe spaces, but as the number of comments that I get on my fics dwindles with each passing year, knowing these spaces exist where my fics are being discussed, places that I am excluded from, makes me want to write fic LESS

I mean I guess who cares, right, because if I stop writing, there's 10,000 other people that will continue...but if you participate in a fic "book club" server and you say nice things there about a fic you loved, maybe copy and paste that into a comment on AO3?

the only thing fanfic writers are asking for in return for hours of hard work is attention. please don't rob us of the one thing that we hope for when we hit "post"

berlynn-wohl

this is directly related to this post I made about how fanfic authors now are treated like content mills, and not like valued members of a creative community who thrive on interaction. for the past decade, we've watched the fandom ecosystem disrupted over and over, as NSFW fan artists seek safety by putting their work behind paywalls, and self-conscious fic readers squirrel away their feelings in invite-only communities

an easy way to do your part to fight against the evils perpetrated by social media is to leave a comment on a fanfic you love

berlynn-wohl

but don't take my word for it -- here are some responses that my fellow authors have left on this post:

mrlarkstin

The fact I had a fic that was fairly beloved and NO ONE commented on it because it was all being done in a fucking book club server made me want to scream.

I haven't updated that fic in two years now.

maxima-priscus

I cannot express enough how imperative it is to show the writer how much you love their work. The comments don't have to be novels themselves - even just an "I loved this so much!" Or keyboard smashing works wonders to keep the writer going. Please, we need to bring back supporting writers and artists now more than ever!!!

googledocsdyke

remember when you were 10 and you would hang out with your friends in order to Look At The Computer together like you went to their house and experienced the information superhighway together. and then leave

mostlybats-partiallyrats

How fucking old are you people?

googledocsdyke

normal amount

downstarr

The Butchered Heart - Geralt x Jaskier

Back on my multifandom BS and trying my hand at Witcher fic!

I'll probably write something Jaskier x Radovid too, but I had this idea first! The Butchered Heart (2126 words) by downstar Chapters: 1/? Fandom: The Witcher (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion Characters: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion Additional Tags: Snowed In, During Canon, There Was Only One Bed, Aphrodisiacs, Sex Magic, Unrequited Crush, Jaskier | Dandelion Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Trapped, Post-The Witcher (TV) Season 1, Bisexual Jaskier | Dandelion, Bisexual Disaster Jaskier | Dandelion, Bisexual Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Summary: What if the mountain Geralt left Jaskier on was a different one? And what if it was under different, much more intimate circumstances? Jaskier and Geralt are subjected to a mystical aphrodisiac from a monster horn, unbeknownst to them. They're waiting out a storm in a cozy little cabin, the aphrodisiac getting more potent by the moment. But those kinds of magical herbs aren't supposed to create feelings where none already exist. So what's happening? This will be a short fic! Probably 3 chapters. And it will be updated regularly until complete.

downstarr

“You know, I’d have more faith in your abilities as a Continent-renowned monster hunter if you didn’t come up against monsters you’ve never seen before with alarming frequency.” “It’s happened once, Jaskier,” groused Geralt as he tossed the horn of the creature that had been tracking them down on the table of the abandoned mountaintop cabin. He hadn’t been planning on hunting the beast, but it had attacked them. Besides, there was a reward to collect in the village at the base of the mountain for proof that any monster had been killed. “Yes, well. I’ve seen you be wrong about more than a few.” Jaskier wrinkled his nose as he eyed the strange horn. It had the look of a gnarled tree branch, except it was dripping a black ichor. “Did you have to put it there? Tables are for eating, Geralt! Not for storing your trophies.” “We won’t be using it for eating. We haven’t got any food. We just have to hope this storm lets up before we starve.” “You mean before I starve. I’d wager you,” Jaskier pointed, “...can go without a nice chunk of juicy meat a lot longer than I can annnd that sounded a bit less rude in my head.”

This fic is now finished!

#fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 #the witcher #geralt x jaskier #jaskier x geralt #the witcher netflix #the witcher fanfic #the witcher fic #witcher fic #geraskier #ao3 writer

The Butchered Heart - Geralt x Jaskier

Back on my multifandom BS and trying my hand at Witcher fic!

#fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 #ao3 writer #the witcher #geralt x jaskier #jaskier x geralt #the witcher netflix #the witcher fanfic #the witcher fic #witcher fic #geraskier

ernmark

In writing, epithets ("the taller man"/"the blonde"/etc) are inherently dehumanizing, in that they remove a character's name and identity, and instead focus on this other quality.

Which can be an extremely effective device within narration!

They can work very well for characters whose names the narrator doesn't know yet (especially to differentiate between two or more). How specific the epithet is can signal to the reader how important the character is going to be later on, and whether they should dedicate bandwidth to remembering them for later ("the bearded man" is much less likely to show up again than "the man with the angel tattoo")

They can indicate when characters stop being as an individual and instead embody their Role, like a detective choosing to think of their lover simply as The Thief when arresting them, or a royal character being referred to as The Queen when she's acting on behalf of the state

They can reveal the narrator's biases by repeatedly drawing attention to a particular quality that singles them out in the narrator's mind

But these only work if the epithet used is how the narrator primarily identifies that character. Which is why it's so jarring to see a lot of common epithets in intimate moments-- because it conveys that the main character is primarily thinking of their lover/best friend/etc in terms of their height or age or hair color.

caffeinewitchcraft

I have never thought of it this way! That’s so interesting. So maybe you’d replace those descriptors with actions - reaching up to rub X’s blonde hair between their fingers, following the path of X’s tears dripping pat crow’s feet, etc

So you maintain the intimacy but keep the visual component? I love this, brb gonna go make some edits

mala-taste

There's a thing I really love doing with this and it's using an epithet to signify that the POV character suddenly sees the other person differently.

For example, imagine a mild-mannered mother who's a judge by profession, in a book from the POV of one of his children. She is referred to as "mom" or something similar, but then the kid gets into trouble and the next sentence goes:

"You are NOT allowed to use the computer until you have repaid Mr. Smith for the damage," the judge said.

This isn't just an epithet, it's also a tone indicator. By drawing attention to the fact that she's "the judge" and not "mom" or "Alice", and seen by her kid as such, it's telling you that the mother is putting on her authoritative work persona to effectively discipline her child, and that the child is fairly unused to this so the only point of reference they have for it is how she acts at work.

Or imagine having a childhood friend with whom you're still close, you meet up with them often and you shoot the shit and are just generally silly, but then one day you visit them at their workplace and see them acting super serious and competent and trustworthy. And you think holy fuck this isn't just Alice from high school who has MLP pajamas and does five shots of tequila in an evening and then cries in the bathroom over how hot Alexander Skarskgaard is, this is Dr. Smith. Like there will be a split in your brain between how you usually see this person and how they're acting in this moment that warrants the epithet.

Or imagine, if you will, your classical "secret nobility/royalty" fantasy trope. This guy spent most of the book with you, he acted like a peasant (if a sorta weird one) throughout and you thought that you became friends or even lovers, but then suddenly you reach the castle and SURPRISE! Your guy is a nobleman, and he gets put into fancy clothes and slips into his old nobleman behaviour patterns and you are shocked because it's like he's a whole other person. If during this section he's described as "the marquis" or whatever, it's because you're still trying to reconcile "the marquis" with "Jack", and the person in front of you feels more like the former (a marquis who's a stranger to you) than the latter (Jack who gave you a blowjob behind the barn last week).

The trait has to be something that's NEW to you or that stands out or that has not been salient before but is suddenly triggered by the situation. Describing Jack as "the tall man" in the same scene is weird because presumably Jack has always been tall, and if you've spent weeks with him presumably you have already integrated the fact that he's tall in your general concept of Jack. Describing him as "the well-dressed man" might work if he comes back to the adventure party in his marquis clothes and sticks out like a sore thumb. Describing him as "the well-dressed man" probably won't work if you're describing him that way in the castle, with another 5 well-dressed nobles standing around in your general vicinity.

fianightshade

This is all a valid point. However! I would also like to remind people that writing rules are rules made to be broken! I use a lot of epithets in my own writing, I'm sure people have noticed. It's easy enough to name drop your characters, and important to do so. But reading the same name ten times on the same page can be distracting to your readers! If written well, people will know who's talking and doing what. Epithets can help maintain the flow of a script while pointing out differences between the characters in scene, helping to immerse your reader. They aren't purely to dehumanize them. They're to describe them. (Just don't use too many.)

mala-taste

Agreed, I think every rule has reasons behind it and also specifics instances where the reasons don't apply or when you want to achieve the opposite effect of what you're normally aiming for. I took your post in the spirit of helping people understand why something works or doesn't so that they can decide for yourself if it's the right word to use, and I wrote my additions in the same spirit :D

downstarr

I am of the opinion that this is one of those "rules" in writing that is very good to not use when you're starting out. Then you can start using it deliberately and in appropriate places.

It's a "learn what the rules are (and WHY they're rules) before you break them" thing. Usually there are other ways other than epithets to provide clarity in a scene, so you know who's talking and who's touching, etc. But using names all the time can get repetitive, and if they're people who use the same pronouns, it can get muddled. Using the occasional tonally-appropriate epithet in that situation I believe is valid. It also is a function of POV. If you're writing third-person with a lot of psychic distance, suddenly writing things intimately could be jarring.

I don't agree that using epithets is inherently dehumanizing. That may be the case with a certain POV and psychic distance, but not in every case.

There really is no one way to write and no rule is absolute! But I do believe that it is smart to try and reduce your use of epithets just because there are usually better an more interesting ways to provide clarity.

#writing

Versus, an OFMD Spy AU - COMPLETE!

40k and some months later, my homage to action-romance spy thrillers is complete!

Versus (40453 words) by downstar Chapters: 15/15 Fandom: Our Flag Means Death (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet, Blackbeard | Edward Teach & Israel Hands Characters: Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Stede Bonnet, Israel Hands, Ching Shih | Zheng Yi Sao, Chauncey Badminton, Nigel Badminton, Declan Finch Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Spy - Freeform, Alternate Universe - James Bond Fusion, Alternate Universe - Our Flag Means Death Fusion, Enemies to Lovers, Spy thriller, Action/Adventure, Action & Romance, Gun Violence, Blood and Violence, spy vs spy - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Action, Intrigue, Espionage, Jealous Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Seduction, Jealous Stede Bonnet, Trust Issues, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, spy gear, Disguise, Travel, World Travel, Trains, On the Run, Mystery, BAMF Stede Bonnet, BAMF Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Falling In Love, Blackbeard | Edward Teach Loves Stede Bonnet, Stede Bonnet Loves Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Competent Stede Bonnet Series: Part 7 of Gentlebeard Modern AUs Summary: Edward Teach, codename Blackbeard works for an intelligence and assasination agency for-hire. He's sent to kill the socialite Stede Bonnet after seducing him, but discovers that the man is much more than he appears to be. He's actually an MI6 agent, codename Gentleman, hiding in plain sight. Things quickly go off the rails when an attempt on both of their lives leaves them wondering who they can trust. As they become an unlikely duo, they are forced to reckon with the chemistry between them - and how that complicates their adversarial relationship. --- This fic follows in the grand tradition of James Bond, Salt, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Long Kiss Goodnight and Lucky Number Slevin. Featuring action in the tradition of spy thrillers, with a healthy dose of queer romance and an enemies-to-lovers arc.

#our flag means death #fanfiction #ofmd #fanfic #ofmd fanfic #ao3 #ao3 writer #fic rec #writing #ao3fic #our flag means death fanfic #our flag means death fic #gentlebeard #spy fiction #blackbonnet #ed teach #stede bonnet #edward teach

I'm very nearly finished my Spy AU, Versus. This suit, which I found months ago, finally makes an appearance in chapter 14!

Part 2 of the finale will be published in a few days, followed by an epilogue. It's been great fun to teach myself how to pace an action-oriented story and write fight scenes.

I realized that the story is structured very much like the season of a TV show. So maybe there'll be a season 2 in the future?

Versus (37927 words) by downstar Chapters: 14/16 Fandom: Our Flag Means Death (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet, Blackbeard | Edward Teach & Israel Hands Characters: Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Stede Bonnet, Israel Hands, Ching Shih | Zheng Yi Sao, Chauncey Badminton, Nigel Badminton, Declan Finch Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Spy - Freeform, Alternate Universe - James Bond Fusion, Alternate Universe - Our Flag Means Death Fusion, Enemies to Lovers, Spy thriller, Action/Adventure, Action & Romance, Gun Violence, Blood and Violence, spy vs spy - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Action, Intrigue, Espionage, Jealous Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Seduction, Jealous Stede Bonnet, Trust Issues, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, spy gear, Disguise, Travel, World Travel, Trains, On the Run, Mystery, BAMF Stede Bonnet, BAMF Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Falling In Love, Blackbeard | Edward Teach Loves Stede Bonnet, Stede Bonnet Loves Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Competent Stede Bonnet Series: Part 7 of Gentlebeard Modern AUs Summary: Edward Teach, codename Blackbeard works for an intelligence and assasination agency for-hire. He's sent to kill the socialite Stede Bonnet after seducing him, but discovers that the man is much more than he appears to be. He's actually an MI6 agent, codename Gentleman, hiding in plain sight. Things quickly go off the rails when an attempt on both of their lives leaves them wondering who they can trust. As they become an unlikely duo, they are forced to reckon with the chemistry between them - and how that complicates their adversarial relationship. --- This fic follows in the grand tradition of James Bond, Salt, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Long Kiss Goodnight and Lucky Number Slevin. Featuring action in the tradition of spy thrillers, with a healthy dose of queer romance and an enemies-to-lovers arc.

#our flag means death #ofmd #fanfic #ao3 #ofmd fanfic #ao3 writer #fic rec #writing #fanfiction #spy fiction #ao3fic #ao3 fanfic #ao3feed #ao3 link #archive of our own #ao3 stuff #gentlebeard

majoringinsarcasm

DONT BE AFRAID TO COMMENT ON OLD FICS DONT BE AFRAID TO COMMENT ON FICS IN A FANDOM THE AUTHOR MAY NO LONGER BE ACTIVE IN. IF THE STORY IS STILL UP LET THEM KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IT MIGHT JUST BE THE REMINDER THAT MAKES THEIR DAY.

SINCERELY SOMEONE WHO JUST GOT A REPLY THAT MADE ME WANNA MAKE THIS POST

iggy-gotthisaccountunderduress

op's tags:

In the Shadow of the Mirkwood Tree - Bilbo x Thorin

I've started a new fic that continues in the continuity of The King and The Hobbit and The Consort, though you can jump right into this one with little issue! In the Shadow of the Mirkwood Tree (2169 words) by downstar Chapters: 1/? Fandom: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Thranduil (Tolkien), Thorin Oakenshield, Balin (Tolkien), Dwarves of Erebor Additional Tags: Consort Bilbo Baggins, POV Bilbo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins and the One Ring, Hurt Bilbo Baggins, Sassy Bilbo Baggins, Domestic Fluff, Developing Relationship, Thranduil Being an Asshole (Tolkien), past thranduil/thorin, Possessive Bilbo Baggins, Jealous Bilbo Baggins, Dark Bilbo Baggins, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Dragon Sickness Series: Part 3 of The Quiet Moments - Bilbo and Thorin Summary: On the first anniversary of the retaking of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain hosts a banquet with the elves of Mirkwood and the men of Laketown. Bilbo is tasked with hosting Thranduil. In the course of their conversation, it's revealed that Thranduil and Thorin were once lovers. That confession stirs up dark feelings of jealousy that is deepened and magnified by the ring Bilbo carries, and the vestiges of dragon sickness that linger in Erebor from Smaug's long brooding. Bilbo is forced to reckon with the darkness. He must separate his own feelings from the evil influences that linger around him. -- This story continues on in the continuity of my other Bilbo/Thorin shorts. See the collection for previous stories, though you don't need to read them first to follow!

#fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 #ao3 writer #writing #bagginshield #bilbo baggins #bagginshield fic #bagginshield fanfic #bilbo/thorin #thorin x bilbo #bilbo x thorin #fic rec #the hobbit #thorin oakenshield #erebor #thorin #the hobbit fanfiction #the hobbit fic

lt-kaollumn

why are all the star trek games based on war and ship command and galactic fighting and war. i want diplomat simulator. i want skyrim for star trek. i wanna talk to a bunch of aliens about their farming rivalry and then go to the planet where everyones an italian mobster. i dont give a shit about upgrading the torpedoes on my battle cruiser to level up and destroy other ships in the New Online MMORPG. i want my entire ship to malfunction because an alien laid an egg in the nacelles and then i want to fix it by raising the alien as my own and then tossing it into space. what’s so hard to understand.

jvlianbashir

i want to play the equivalent of papa's pizzeria/overcooked but set in quark's bar

wanderingwriter87

our man bashir dating sim

#No but seriously #Like 10 percent of trek is ship battles #So why is it 90 per cent of trek games?

I have a theory that white, straight, cis dudes who rail against fantasy adaptations including women/BIPOC/queer people are doing so because a story set in a world in which their supremacy is unquestioned is an integral part of their enjoyment of said story.

Some might not even realize that is why they feel so strongly that the stories should continue to centre straight, cis white men in the way the source material did. They explain it away as 'defending the canon' or 'historical accuracy.' I have this theory because no amount of strong and logical arguments change their minds. Because, well, it isn't history because there are dragons and magic. Or, the writer of the original story signed off on the changes and agreed with them. Or, the original story came from another generation and the author was a product of a different time - a time in which their publisher might not have let them publish a diverse story. Or, the author never definitively said a character's race or sexuality. Or that genderswapping a character or having that character portrayed by a person of colour doesn't fundamentally change the story.

These arguments don't work because the centring of people they can strongly identify with is a key part of the experience for them. The appeal is escaping our world, where there is a push for diversity and acceptance, into an imagined fantastical, fictional past. Not only do they get to shoot fireballs, but they return to a place where women had far less agency, BIPOC were second-class citizens or worse, and queer people were invisible or persecuted. And they can indulge all of this without judgment because they "just liked the original story."

Admitting this would mean admitting they are shitty people. So instead they fight in the name of 'preserving the canon' or 'keeping to the author's vision.' It's all an excuse.

If these men truly love these stories, they would realize that the stories have to change and reflect the world we actually live in. Otherwise, the work will become dated and irrelevant, and eventually forgotten.

#fandom #fandom meta #adaptations #meta commentary #fantasy adaptations