Love Me Darkly

fanfic writer, fantasy reader, elder millennial, twin mom

[lovemedarkly29]

LoveMeDarkly on ao3 here! I started writing Fourth Wing fanfics a few months ago and it’s become my whole personality. Write mostly Riorgail but Liam is my favorite. My finished fics:

The Agreement: short (20k words, 4 chapters) finished, AU in canon feel-good and very smutty fic about Xaden and Violet making a casual sex agreement to help each other out when their dragons are mating.

Only Temporary - (58k words, 18 chapters) Finished Riorgail Modern AU, one-night-stand-turned-boss fic.

The Continental Games: (65k words) finished in canon AU Riorgail fic where the apostasy was successful, Xaden is a prince and he and teams from all of the kingdoms come to compete at Basgiath. Riorgail HEA. Hunger Games meets goblet of fire vibes!

Where I Left You (45k words) - canon divergent AU where Xaden fakes an engagement to Violet to avoid an arranged marriage. Riorgail HEA.

Hit That High - (40k words) a kinktober fic where Violet is still dating Halden during her first year at Basgiath and catches him cheating. Enter Xaden.

Use Somebody: (9k words), Violet/Liam - what if Violet ended up with Liam that first night Tairn channeled to her? Smut ensues.

Rewritten: (10k words) finished one-shot, Sloane/Cam-Aaric, canon compliant fic about her finding out his true identity

No New Scars: (12k words) finished Mira/Drake one/bed second chance romance when they are reunited years after the war.

WIPs 🚧

Warded Heart - a Mira/Drake Continental Games offshoot, on hiatus

[lovemedarkly29]

Years after the war is over, Violet puts her baby to bed and Xaden reminds her how much he loves her.

A little 1k word one shot for Mother’s Day 💕

What We Hadn’t Known to Wish For on ao3.

[lovemedarkly29]

Well, I’ve had an unusually long spell of being burnt out on reading and writing fanfic, but today had a stretch of quiet time while my husband took the kids to SkyZone and opened up a WIP for the first time in 11 weeks 🫣

More on that…maybe…but for now, I’m just reposting my little Mother’s Day ficlet from last year. Because I miss writing and miss all of you but …the brain just isn’t firing.

[lovemedarkly29]

Sorry I’ve been MIA but… it’s WIP Wednesday!

The word is “soft” — and omg I actually have a WIP long enough to play this game again. From something new I’ve been wanting to do for ages. Coming along at a snail’s pace but here it is. 🐌 —

“Listen, Riorson. You might be used to everyone dropping everything to cater to your whims, but you’d better not be expecting that from me.” There’s a flicker of indignation on his face before it returns to that slightly bored default he seems to favor.  “Please, no need to address me with such formality,” he mutters, sarcasm laced through his words. “What? You’d prefer I call you ‘your highness?’” I ask with a scoff. “Forgive me, I thought we were tossing manners out the window when the first words out of your mouth were to take a jab at my size in there.” “A jab at your—” he trails off, his eyebrows narrowing in thought, as if he’s replaying the conversation before it clicks.  “Yeah,” I say, crossing my arms across my chest. “That wasn’t a stab at your stature. You misunderstood my comment.” Gods. The nerve of this guy. Are all princes entitled narcissists? Well, I for one, refuse to be gaslit by this prick.  “Really?” I snap. “You blatantly insult me in front of my superiors and then try to tell me I imagined it?” “If I wanted to insult you, it’d be a lot more direct than that,” he says evenly, his tone still slightly bored. “I assure you, that wasn’t meant as an insult.” “I highly doubt that. I could see you sizing me up.” It’s true. His eyes had blatantly flicked down over my body before he implied I was physically not up to the task of flying half way to Aretia. I know I wasn’t imagining it. “You’re just backpedaling now that I’ve called you out on it.” He shakes his head, letting out a disbelieving laugh. “Backpedaling?” He echoes softly.  “Yeah,” I double down, lifting my chin.  “I don’t backpedal. I mean what I say when I say it. And I made that comment because you’ve been bonded to Tairn all of—what— three days? It'd be insane to expect you to do two eight-hour flights within the week.” ”I can manage,” I insist, admittedly with a little less conviction in my voice this time. 

[plum-petals]

Any Fourth Wing fanfic recommendations? Because rereading Spyverse and the extended universe for the tenth time is not healthy💔

Oh, anon, I'm sorry! I haven't read FW fic in a pretty long time, especially since I've been in a Heated Rivalry mood since the winter, with breaks for The Pitt.

The last time I binged Empyrean fic was Kinktober............ so um, here are some of my more recent smutty recs for Riorgail from my bookmarks I guess! They are all NSFW.

Hit That High by lovemedarkly @lovemedarkly29 > set in a world where Violet doesn't find out the prince is a cheater until after she enters the Quadrant... Halden cheats, Xaden eats! I am a few chapters behind, but from what I've read, it's soooo good.

Are You Offering? by FairieQueen @fairiequeen> Yoga instructor Violet and Xaden in a tank top... it speaks to me and I am listening.

+ pretty much everything in hurricane @skyfallscotland's kinky in every universe collection. There is really something for everyone in there 💛

Sorry I don't have more! Blame the gay hockey players and medical professionals with trauma taking over my brain

Honestly I'd love to get back into reading more FW fic now that I'm not avoiding post-OS works as a trauma response, but we'll see! I'm still writing it 😂

[lovemedarkly29]

Ahhh, thank you for the shout out!

[caeli0306]

chapter 1 of sincerely, your enemy is now posted

Chapter 1 is now posted on AO3: READ HERE

This fic is dedicated to @aroacemushroom, who gave me the idea for this one. No clue when I'll write the next chapter, but I don't like just sitting on finished stuff so up it goes. Hope you guys enjoy!

Summary:

Violet Sorrengail, number one student in her class at Harvard Law, has a secret: She has a penpal. And she has absolutely no idea who he is. He's a bit of an ass, but after years of anonymously writing to one another, he knows her better than almost anyone.

But after Violet graduates, the letters stop, only to suddenly start again when she moves back to Boston two years later for a new job — a new job that comes with a new coworker who manages to infuriate and attract in equal measure.

or

Violet and Xaden are lawyers who are really sharp about everything except what's right in front of their stupid faces (I wanted to find a way to write friends-to-lovers AND enemies/rivals-to-lovers at once, so here we are — lawyer idiots)

===

“Will you ever let this go?” Setting her half-empty mug on the water-ring-stained coffee table, Violet swung her legs over the edge so her feet touched the floor.

“Nope!”

Leather groaned beneath her as she shifted her weight, rolling her eyes. “Fantastic.”

Violet turned the missive over in her palms. The envelope was unremarkable, but it always was — plain white, with her address written in swooping black ink. Single postage stamp. The elegant penmanship was something Violet envied, her own swift chicken scratch barely legible even to herself at times.

Ironic that whoever possessed that penmanship was anything but elegant. The author of these letters she secretly looked forward to receiving every few days managed to make an art out of how many f-bombs he could fit into a single paragraph.

The harsh scratch of paper tearing was the only sound that pierced the air as Violet worked to rip open the envelope. Sawyer winced as he watched — he always opened mail from the flap, careful not to rip apart the envelope itself

Paper from a yellow legal pad fluttered into Violet’s lap a moment later, covered in that same handwriting. It sent a swoop of excitement through Violet’s stomach.

“Read it out loud,” Ridoc urged.

“Yeah, no.” Ridoc would find a way to get his hands on it once her back was turned, anyway. “Nice try, though.” Flipping the paper to it’s front, Violet scanned the letter eagerly. It had been two weeks since the last one, longer than it usually took to receive a reply from the mysterious penpal she’d gained on accident her freshman year of college. It started the way it always did — with that stupid fucking nickname.

[lovemedarkly29]

low key (okay, high key) obsessed with this. I love a good epistolary and these two even have chemistry as strangers in written letters. Can’t wait for more!

[lovemedarkly29]

I am curious about your modern magic AU? 👀👀👀👀👀👀

thank you for the ask, anon!!

So, this WIP doc is a bit sparse, but essentially — I’ve been toying with this idea of a modern AU where some people have magic. But magic became controversial and deemed dangerous because of the resurgence of “dark wielders” and corrupted magic that has been used to do horrific things.  

Xaden is from a wealthy, elite magical family, and Violet’s mom is the head of a special task force to regulate magic and eradicate those using magic for terror. They knew each other in college and had a budding relationship until Xaden disappears amid questionable circumstances surrounding his family. 

That was 6 years ago. Now Violet sees him again and gets sucked into his world, turning her whole view on magic upside down. I’ve shared this excerpt before. But here it is again with the context:

For as long as she could remember, Violet had always felt that there was something missing in her life. Something big. It was never more than a fleeting feeling, but she felt it often enough to know that it was real. When she was younger, she sometimes wondered if everyone experienced these sudden waves of hollow gnawing at their insides from time to time. But now, as an adult, she’d come to understand that this feeling wasn’t something anyone else around her had experienced, let alone something they could name. And Violet had come to accept it as yet another thing that was different about her. It was another way she was unlike the rest of her family. Outside of the physical traits that made her stand out from her siblings— her petite frame, her fragile bones, her silver-tipped hair—she’d always been just a little… lost. And now, as she stands in the TSA precheck line at National Airport at 5:43 am staring at the unmistakable broad shoulders of the one man who’d ever made her feel even a little less incomplete, she wonders how she’d ever let that feeling slip away. He’s in the CLEAR line, about to cut in front of her — of course he is, the elitist prick. She hadn’t seen Xaden Riorson in six long years, but some things never change. His gaze passes over her as the agent beckons him forward, and then he does a double take, locking those golden flecked black eyes right on her. Violet’s heart skips a beat. Yes, she thinks to herself, some things really never change. 

So, what do you think? Should I write more of it?

[lovemedarkly29]

Wait. I said I have no WIPs because I thought I decided not to write this one. Buttttt I went back and read this and…I think I might 😳

[lovemedarkly29]

Hit that High - Chapter 11

Well, we made it to the end. Let’s see how Violet reacts to Xaden finally sharing the truth…

This is the last full chapter (finally!) and there will be a mini epilogue shortly. Enjoy!

[butchdogs-md]

you need to understand that i have two sets of headcanons. there's the set of realistic headcanons based on my genuine reading of the show, and then there's me playing pretend with my dolls.

[socialistexan]

[rederiswrites]

History will remember you today, Minnesota. Well done.

[theseinfernalangels]

Xaden Riorson would beat the shit out of ICE agents

[lovemedarkly29]

Yes. Because the revolution is all about sharing resources and safety with those across borders who are in need. It’s a moral imperative.

ten toes down ✊🏽 fuck 🧊

[lovemedarkly29]

Hit that High - Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Hit That High is up! Please enjoy Xaden doing his absolute best to redeem himself and the return of smut to this fic.

Fic Summary:

All Violet really wants is a little relief.

Newly bonded and channeling pure dragon lust thanks to Tairn, she heads to the Infantry Quadrant in search of her boyfriend Halden—only to find him in bed with someone else.

Lucky for her, her stupidly attractive wingleader has no problem stepping in. Determined to show her a better time than her ex, Xaden makes it his mission to help her hit that high—again, and again, and again.

OR

What if Halden and Violet never broke up and are still dating during her first year? And what if she finds out he’s cheating and Xaden is there to help her get over it?

[fairiequeen]

If you're not reading @blackthornagain's does it feel alright not to know me you're missing out on so much impeccably written angst.

This scene is from Chapter 4, and it's such a beautiful and sad moment, I just had to! Don't want to spoil too much. Anyway this is for the @fanartfrenzy prompt "create art for a WIP"

Drawing shadows is hard and I'm still not sure how but we're rolling with it. And again art-style pivot, this is way more comic-y. I think I'm going to try to split the difference on whatever I do next, see how I can mix the brushy, more painterly vibes with this. We're still figuring it out, who needs a signature style anyways?

[lovemedarkly29]

highly recommend this fic and love the beautiful art! Xaden returns with amnesia and doesn’t remember Violet, but his shadows do 😭 oh my heart.

[copperfirebird]

So @overjoyedisland I may have had an ulterior motive when I asked about illustrations. I love the gentle intimacy between Xaden and Violet in Long Time Coming, it feels so well-earned.

This is my first Fanart Frenzy drawing but I'm still hoping to get a bingo. ;)

[lovemedarkly29]

Such sweeet art for a sweet fic!! And so excited you’re doing fanart frenzy!

[lovemedarkly29]

My fanart frenzy drawing for today is from Blind Tiger by @serahadmoni - her writing is just something else! It’s so beautiful and there are probably dozens of scenes I could draw from this 1920s prohibition fic, but I chose my favorite side character - Liam (in a newsie cap!)

@serahadmoni do you remember us talking about this scene? Well, I did my best to create it! I hope the motivation comes back soon and we get more of your amazing writing.

From a digital art perspective, I think I’m getting better with the smudging and blending on the iPad! Every day it’s getting a little easier and I’m discovering new techniques ☺️

[fairiequeen]

Ok ok, so I'm lightly trying the @fanartfrenzy bingo since @lovemedarkly29 suggested it, going to try for one row, lets see!

This is a lil Violiaden from You Make it Feel like Christmas by @xadensbiceps for the prompt "a fic you've left kudos on". Its such a lovely lil holiday oneshot, and Xaden making size appropriate sugar cookie people for the three of them is my favorite thing! Bee is amazing, so you should check it out ❤️‍🔥

Messing around with different brushes and how to paint digitally because its sooooo different, but having prompts has been fun! Still figuring out how I wanna draw these idiots. Ok! Hope you like it byyyyeee.

[lovemedarkly29]

looooook at this!!! Ahh! @fairiequeen I am so happy you’re doing fanart frenzy and love that you started with a whole ass three person Christmas baking scene. (And let’s be honest, I’m just excited for Liam art!) I love it.

[lovemedarkly29]

Ok so today’s fanart frenzy contribution is not Riorgail for once. It’s fanart of the fic that @saranova wrote for me called Under Her Command. The prompt for this fic was basically “Mira having hot sex with lots of hot people” or something to that effect - and Sara knew I wanted to read a Garrick/Mira in Samara scene. And the fic did not disappoint! We have a scene with Nyra Voldaren (RIP) and Mira in Athebyne on the left and Garrick with her in Samara on the right. Mira is my favorite!!

@fanartfrenzy