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As some of you know, I was recently made aware that my fic Drink With Me had been plagiarised, and was being monetised as an erotic audio by a company called Best Kept Secret (BKS).
I'm relieved to confirm that this has now been resolved, and I cannot express how grateful I am to each and every person who rallied behind me on this — those who left comments under the audio, those who filed reports on YouTube and Patreon, those who reached out to me to offer condolences and advice, those who helped spread awareness to get the word out further, those who were simply enraged on my behalf — you have no idea how much it meant to me to have a community of people at my back during what was an extremely upsetting and stressful time. I truly don't think this would have been resolved (or at least not nearly as quickly) without your help. Thank you. And I hope you know that I am always ready to throw a molotov for any one of you too <3
Now, because I'm a propa Brit who loves a cuppa, I'm going to spill the tea (Jokes aside – I'm sharing this because I think it's important to have an open record incase anyone else finds themselves facing a similar situation in the future, god forbid).
[[OG tumblr post for context if needed]]
On 15th May it was brought to my attention that my Silco fanfic Drink With Me had been plagiarised, and was being monetised by an erotic audio company called Best Kept Secret.
The full audio story was locked behind a subscription paywall on Patreon, but I was able to access the free SFW sample via their YouTube channel. I listened to a few random snippets at various different points in the audio — it couldn't have been more than 30 seconds worth in total — and this, along with the story description, was more than enough to convince me beyond a shadow of a doubt that Drink With Me had been plagiarised in its entirety. Even the story title, In The Dark With Me, was a poorly veiled appropriation.
It was late, I was tired, I had just finished watching Project Hail Mary on discord with some buddies and was feeling some type of way about Rocky, and the realisation that my beloved fic had been stolen sent my brain into a weird sort of frozen state between fight or flight. I left a number of comments on the YouTube video calling them out, and went to bed feeling sick to my stomach. In the morning, I checked again, but none of my comments had been responded to. After attempting and failing to find a method of communication via Patreon, I was able to locate the company's website and submitted a message via their contact page form, providing them with my email address and urging them to contact me as a matter of urgency.
Maybe I could have given them a little longer to respond, but by this point I was completely gutted and felt utterly helpless. My words had been stolen, and now my words were being ignored, and it made me feel voiceless. So, by lunchtime, I sent a message to a few Silco friends to ask for their help, hoping that if a few other accounts were to leave comments under the YouTube video it might help to get BKS's attention and put some pressure on them to respond...
Boy howdy did y'all cause a ruckus. Their YouTube video was flooded with angry comments calling them out, and within 12 hours it had been privated. Big shout out to @bethegusto and @silcozaunite for making awareness posts on TikTok, Twitter and Tumblr – thank you for leading the charge whilst I was incapacitated by my bum-ass nervous system <3
That evening, an employee of BKS (Ellie) reached out to me directly via Tumblr dm to initiate conversation. She informed me that this audio script had been licensed to them by an external author claiming it as their own original work. So, not only did this author steal my words, they got paid for them. We then moved the conversation over to email, and Ellie asked me to send her the link to Drink With Me so that she could check the source material against their audio. I have to say, I felt very vindicated that it only took her a few minutes to confirm blatant plagiarism, and that the matter would be immediately escalated to their CEO.
I went to sleep that night feeling cautiously optimistic, but also incredibly moved and loved by the Silco fandom.
The next morning I woke to an email from Rob, the founder and CEO of Best Kept Secret. He offered his sympathies and apologised for what had happened, and corroborated what Ellie had said previously; that this audio script had been submitted to them by an external writer claiming it as their own original work, and that they had paid that author a license fee to use it. He confirmed that they will be blacklisting this author from any future projects, and that their new Head of Writing is looking into implementing plagiarism protections going forward.
He then offered me two options for resolution:
1.) They change the writing credit to my name, and pay me a license fee for the continued use of the audio across their platforms
2.) They remove the audio from their platforms entirely
I chose the latter, and responded with the below on 17th May:
[Quick interjection here to say that this email is exempt from the whole 'hey don't fucking steal my words' thing — if anyone ever needs to use it or any part of it as a template or verbatim to battle their own case of plagiarism then please do so]
During the time in which I was waiting for a reply from Rob, I decided to reach out directly to the author who had plagiarised my work. I don't know why exactly, or what I was hoping to achieve, I just felt that it was right they should face the person they hurt.
I'm not going to share any screenshots from that interaction, because at least one of us knows it's wrong to share another person's words without their permission, but it was a brief conversation, and not particularly dramatic. They had the grace to be ashamed of their actions, and apologised for the hurt they caused. They also confirmed that they will be paying BKS back the money they took as a license fee.
On 19th May Rob replied to my email to confirm that they have deleted the audio from their Patreon and website, and that their social media team have removed any content related to it from Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. And that if any instances of it appear again on any of their platforms, in any capacity, to let them know so that they can remove it as fast as possible. Additionally, they ran the author's other BKS works through a plagiarism checker and manually looked through those results, and were able to confirm that the rest of their scripts were at least their own original works.
They also posted the following public announcement on their Patreon:
[[Direct link to the Patreon post here]]
Finally, Rob thanked me for raising those other points regarding genAI usage and a donation to AO3, and said they will feed these back to their marketing and tech teams which in my opinion is corporate slang for "lmfao we definitely aren't going to do that"
From the sounds of it, this isn't the first time this company has had an issue with stolen works, and despite their assurances that plagiarism protections are being put in place, I would urge writers and creatives to keep an eye out regardless. If anyone ever finds themselves needing to reach out to BKS to contest their own cases of plagiarism then please don't hesitate to DM me and I will happily supply the relevant email details.
So that's all folks. I'm pleased to be wrapping this whole mess up so I can get back to what's important; daydreaming about crusty old men. Thank you all, once again, for your incredible fighting support. Silco would be so proud of his fandom. And I also want to thank @dudewithastick for bringing this to my attention in the first place. You the MVP for real <3
Friends - I'm aware I've been quiet since that whole plagiarism mess went down. I've been working on a full update/play-by-play which I'm hoping to post tomorrow. It's just been a seriously insane week (honestly just the worst timing for this shit to go down) and I want to make sure I've included everything I want to say in the post because I really don't want to have to revisit it.
Hi Inky it’s been a while since I’ve dropped an ask/message/etc
So uh… when do we ride? Dawn’s a bit early for me but I’m willing!
Jokes aside, plagiarism sucks and I’m genuinely sorry this happened to you. You’re an incredibly talented writer. I know it’s unlikely to happen but I hope you’re compensated in some way because for them to make money??? Off of your work??? Just by basically whiting out a couple things and slapping on different names???? Absolutely outrageous and completely unacceptable.
Much love to you. Remember to take care of yourself ❤️
Lokiiii 💜 I hope you’re well bubs, and thank you for reaching out, it really means a lot.
The whole thing sucks ass, but I’m hoping it can all be put to bed before too long. I’m currently in discussions with BKS and will post a full update once everything is done and dusted.
our beloved @ink-and-dagger (InkAndDagger on ao3), and author of the iconic Silco fanfic ‘Drink with Me’ has had their work plagiarized & monetized by a large erotic audio company called 'Best Kept Secrets' WITHOUT her permission.
Inky has not compensated, nor even credited. she has attempted to reach out to them to resolve it, but those attempts have been ignored.
if y’all can spare few minutes to flood that video’s comment section on youtube to call them out on their theft, it could help put the pressure on them to respond to her.
SUPPORT INKYS WORK HERE
💬 7 🔁 139 ❤️ 984 · Drink With Me 🥃 · Banner by @kikorenart 🖤
[Main fic link 👆🏼 ]
Silco x Fem!Reader | Explicit, NSFW | Wc: 138K
Slow Bur
The Silco community is honestly full of just the absolute best people ever. Thank you to everyone who has rallied behind me on this, and to @dudewithastick for bringing it to my attention in the first place. I started the day feeling sick to my stomach about it all, but now, whatever happens, I feel so much better just from seeing all the people who are willing to fight for me on this. This really is the best community ever. Love you all <3 <3 <3
No because what's actually getting me is not even the similarities anymore.
It's the fact nobody even asked Inky.
Like you loved Drink With Me enough to shuffle around the furniture, lie about the zipcode and attach a fake mustache, but not enough to send a two-sentence message to the person who wrote it???
The lack of basic courtesy is what's taking me out. And this is a pretty big ASMR channel so they must have known at some point someobody would notice?
Like damn. Stand up. Have shame.
Reported that whole mess and I hope others follow.
Just to confirm, I am currently in direct communications with several team members at BKS about this, and I will post a full update on my page once the matter has been resolved.
our beloved @ink-and-dagger (InkAndDagger on ao3), and author of the iconic Silco fanfic ‘Drink with Me’ has had their work plagiarized & monetized by a large erotic audio company called 'Best Kept Secrets' WITHOUT her permission.
Inky has not compensated, nor even credited. she has attempted to reach out to them to resolve it, but those attempts have been ignored.
if y’all can spare few minutes to flood that video’s comment section on youtube to call them out on their theft, it could help put the pressure on them to respond to her.
SUPPORT INKYS WORK HERE
💬 7 🔁 139 ❤️ 984 · Drink With Me 🥃 · Banner by @kikorenart 🖤
[Main fic link 👆🏼 ]
Silco x Fem!Reader | Explicit, NSFW | Wc: 138K
Slow Bur
The Silco community is honestly full of just the absolute best people ever. Thank you to everyone who has rallied behind me on this, and to @dudewithastick for bringing it to my attention in the first place. I started the day feeling sick to my stomach about it all, but now, whatever happens, I feel so much better just from seeing all the people who are willing to fight for me on this. This really is the best community ever. Love you all <3 <3 <3
hello, beloved :) big fan of you, big fan of your writing!! would you ever consider writing some soft cock terzo action? i would love to see your take on it ♡✨
Perhaps this isn't the graphic scene we once might have imagined, but I thought perhaps Terzo, so often used, should be given grace tonight. <3
Terzo did not like being surprised by his own body.
He had made a career, a religion, out of command. A glance, gesture, a lazy curl of his mouth, and rooms shifted around him as though he were the axis upon which the world turned. Even age, for the most part, had been something he wore well. Silver threaded through his black hair, and he had laugh lines that were proof of a life thoroughly indulged. His hands were still elegant enough to make the faithful tremble during worship, liturgical or otherwise.
However, there were nights when sixty announced itself without courtesy.
His breath came slower, knees complained. His body, traitorous and beloved and unfortunately mortal, did not always rise to meet desire with that old, theatrical certainty. Though he would have rather swallowed incense ash than admit it aloud, shame still found him...in the quiet after kisses, or when his beloved's fingers rested against his chest and he could not quite become the man he imagined she deserved.
She noticed, of course. She always noticed.
"Terzo," she murmured, her voice soft enough that it did not wound.
He gave her a smile meant to charm. "Ah, cara mia. Forgive me. The old devil is...perhaps not as impressive tonight, eh?"
Her expression changed, and he braced for that familiar look on a hundred past lovers' faces, but what reflected back at him was not pity. Never pity. It was something fiercer, something tender enough to frighten him.
"Don't do that," she said.
His brows lifted. "Do what?"
"Talk about yourself like you are disappointing me."
He had no ready answer. She touched his face first, because she knew him. She knew pride live there in the lifted chin, the expressive mouth, and the eyes that had learned to seduce entire cathedrals before ever asking to be held. Her thumb brushed the corner of his mouth, then his lower lip.
"I want you," she said simply. "Not a performance. Not proof. You."
Terzo inhaled, slow and uneven. When she kissed him, it was not with urgency, but patience. She let him feel the shape of being adored without demand. Her hands moved over him with no expectation except his pleasure. Over his shoulders, around his ribs, the softened line of his stomach - all the places time had changed and therefore made more precious. Every touched seemed to say...
Here too.
Here, especially.
He closed his eyes. At first, he tried to joke. "You are very determined for a woman seducing a tired old pope."
"I am worshiping," she corrected, kissing a line along his jaw. "There is a difference."
A quiet sound left him then, almost a laugh, but infinitely more vulnerable. His hand found her hair, not guiding, only holding on. She took her time with him, and let pleasure be unhurried. Let it gather in places he had forgotten were allowed to matter. The warmth of her mouth at his throat. The press of her palm over his heart. The slow, devastating devotion of being touched with no goal but to make him feel good.
And gradually, the embarrassment loosened. His body softened into hers in every sense, no longer something to judge or measure, but something to inhabit. Something still capable of sweetness. Still capable of shivering beneath her hands.
"See?" She whispered against his skin. "You are so lovely like this."
Terzo's eyes opened. They were dark, damp at the edges, and stripped of every mask but wonder. "You are cruel," he said hoarsely.
She smiled. "For telling the truth?"
"For making me believe it."
She kissed him once more. And when he finally surrendered, it was not with the grand arrogance of Papa Emeritus III. None of the old tricks. It was as a man of sixty, beloved beyond performance. Held in the warm dark by someone who wanted him exactly as he was.
I was fighting hard not to watch Arcane for no reason other than being difficult so now I am so late to everything and I just finnished reading your amazing amazing DWM fic and some bonuses (still have some more to read thank youuu!!!) and I am so whenehsbbss… I mean I just love everything about it. I noticed you still repost stuff about Silco so you are still interested in him so I was wondering if you think you might still write more maybe. I am usually not a fan of established relationship but theirs is so delicious bcs of the fun juicy banter. I wonder how their life went, I hope Silco never died like in Arcane and they could live happily ever after together with Jinx somehow. Anyway I just want to thank you for the amazing gift the Fic and all the bonuses have been, you are an amazing writer and I am in love with your Silco so much and with Astrid too she is such a good protagonist I wish to have her for a friend. (Also I see you like Astarion as well, you really have good taste in man lmao)
Thank you so much sweetheart, and welcome to the party!! <3 I'm so glad you enjoyed DWM and that all the bonus ficlets helped keep you fed for a little while. Silco is very much a tenured blorbo for me, so I absolutely intend to continue sharing posts about him and there are still some pieces of writing I intend to work on when time and headspace allow. Basically, any character you see on my tumblr banner casting couch is a life long love and is constantly rotating in my mind like a rotisserie chicken.