catsdreams

random musings from a cat's tongue - my writing, a few random musings and a bunch of reblogs of fandom (The Foxhole Court, various anime, whatever catches my interest) and various things. Art by @still-waiting-for-godot

[nekojitachan]

So uh I started 'Black As Is The Raven, He’ll Get A Partner' just because I haven't touched Raven!Neil fics so far and your story blew me out of the water completely, it's absolutely stunning!!

(I came for the andreil endgame but for some reason I'm staying for the Neil/jean moments [though I'm only at the first game foxes vs. ravens so we will see lmaoo])

Thank you! in a way, I feel for everyone who comes to Black As Is A Raven (or whatever it's being shorthanded as now) for the Andriel and being sucked in for the platonic Neil/Jean (which, really, is so adorable in a sarcastic way).

I'm getting in a better headspace (slowly but surely) and really, there needs to be more Neil/Jean in various permutations (and yes, I've received the pleas for Andrew/Neil/Jean).

I'm also deadset on finishing the Death!Neal series.

[nekojitachan]

Hi !! Firstly, I FREAKING LOVE your writing! To me, your work is basically Art! <3 May I get some tips on how you manage to organize your ideas and write such long-ass addictive chapters? I'd love to have some writing tips from my biggest inspiration/fanfic idol!

Wow, I guess I don't start anything until I have a good idea of a plot (meaning how it begins, how it middles, and how it ends). I'm a firm believer of leaving wiggle room for stuff, because things can twist on you for good and bad, but mostly for good.

I know there are some people who are in the 'you should plot things out in detail' but I'm not one of them. I am not saying that is bad (sometimes I wish I was in that category, I WISH I WAS when thing warp into another x100 pages or so- really, 1000pages or so), but really, as my Irish gram always said 'to each their own, said the maid who kissed the cow'. Basically, I believe you have to figure out your own way to plot a story.

My way is a little looser than others, but I DO plot out the basics of the story so I have an idea of where I'm going. That gives me some leeway in case I get stuck and need to jump around. But I always know where I'm going to land (I might add an additional x amount of chapters to get there, which may or may not be good).

Though really, fleshing out stuff - is it bad? Readers on Ao3 seem to enjoy it. Publishers, not as much.

(sorry for taking a while to get to this).

[nekojitachan]

That scene from way down we go where Andrew kisses the whiskey shot into Neil’s mouth at Eden’s lives rent free in my head just want you to know

You and me both

[nekojitachan]

probably there was already such a question. But I’ve been wondering for a while why „Armies“ is called so.

I mean there isn’t even this word in fic. What was your inspiration?

(one of the greatest fic I’ve read in this fandom)

I named it after a song called Armies by an artiist called Kaye.

Basically, I thought the lyrics rather fitting:

One word Would move you backwards and away So I won’t say what I want to say No, I’d rather Swing both my fists Watch your teeth kiss that dirty ground Did you know I keep having dreams of mine all bleeding Falling out

[Pre-Chorus] Cause you know that What terrifies me (heavy) Are the signs I can't see

[Chorus] Don’t tell me me I'll just have to wait for the gun It’s gonna go off either way So I won't wait any longer

Don't tell me I’ll just have to wait for your love I can make you my enemy But I won’t wait any longer

[Verse 2] One word You know that’s all you'd have to say Stone walls (stone walls) keep all your secrets in place

You might also like

Honey

KAYELabyrinthMiracle MusicalIs It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]Taylor Swift

But can’t you see that Our flags fly in tatters The colors went and faded back to white But we’re both preparing for one last appearance of the armies In our minds

[Pre-Chorus] And now I can't breathe Cause you're all that I need

[Chorus] Don’t tell me me I'll just have to wait for the gun It’s gonna go off either way So I won't wait any longer

Don't tell me I’ll just have to wait for your love I can make you my enemy But I won’t wait any longer

[Bridge] I won't wait any longer

[Chorus] Don’t tell me me I'll just have to wait for the gun It’s gonna go off either way So I won't wait any longer

Don’t tell me me I'll just have to wait for the gun It’s gonna go off either way So I won't wait any longer

[Outro] I won't, I won't wait any longer I won't, I won't wait any longer I won't, I won't wait any longer I won't, I won't wait any longer

[nekojitachan]

WTF, Jin Zixuan??? Now you want five word pages? You and your gold-plated issues!!!

I really want to finish this chapter (with Lan Wangji being all 'MINE! towards WWX and the kiddies) and then do a AFTG chapter.

And of course I have an arranged marriage MDSZ fic, which I'm so far resisting writing because of my backlog. Unless there is a MDSZ big bang at some point?

[nekojitachan]

Hmm, still writing (trying to get one or two more chapters of Burn it all Down out then back to AFTG), but the last couple of weeks have been busy/full of drama so pecking away at it. I'm getting there!

[nekojitachan]

this might be a random and weird question but how do you pronounce your handle/username? i've been saying it as neko-hita-chan in my head for the longest time but i recently realized that it might not be correct? 😅

I'm thinking you're right for the languages where the 'j' sound is pronounced as an 'h' sound! So close! Here you go:

Nekojita Pronunciation

How to say nekojita in English? Pronunciation of nekojita with 2 audio pronunciations and more for nekojita.

[nekojitachan]

Hi! I love your fics particularly way down we go and I've read the related ficlets you've posted on here a few times. I was wondering if you'd be willing to post some of them on ao3 to make it easier to find? Particularly the Mary lives au?

I did have a lot of my oneshots/tumblr fics on AO3 at one point, and then when I was deep in depression and anxiety, I deleted them (because thinking everyone hated my writing was a thing at the time, among other stuff). I should still have the file somewhere, so I'll look into posting it and any ones that I missed back on AO3.

[nekojitachan]

i love love love your aftg fics, esp black as a raven, i even included a bit of it in a weird sound thing i did (tell me if you wanna see that, it’s not published anywhere) i wanted to ask what are your favorite aftg recs/authors?

Thank you SO MUCH.

Ah. To be perfectly honest, it's been a couple (longer?) of years since I've read any AFTG fics. And I somehow don't have any bookmarked, which is very odd.

I did have some favorite authors, though (in no particular order):

badacts

constellationqueen

moonix

puddlejumper99

fuzzballsheltiepants

flybbfly

spanglebangle

apprenticedmagician

[nekojitachan]

Hello, i really like your There For You fic and i'd translated it in Russian. Can i publish it? I will specify the link to you

I'm not sure if I replied to this via comment, but sure. Also, while I read every comment left on my fics (I do!), and I mean to respond to some of them, I can get sidetracked (I can often get sidetracked).

My inbox is insane.

As long as you ALWAYS link back to the original fic, CREDIT me as the author, AND don't post the translation on a site where users have to pay to see it/make money off the translation, and keep in mind that others may be translating it, you may translate my stories.

[nekojitachan]

So I've been reading way down we go (of course) and i really truly absolutely love it but every time they break a cell phone i have to think GOD do they know that they could just get a new sim card. ive been pretending this is an alternate universe where sim cards are not removable. But it's absolutely amazing anyway I'm nearly done with it and it's been barely a week...

LOL, I've had a few (probably more than a few) people point out the SIM card thing, and yes, it's so very true. However, it's much more satisfying to break an entire phone than crack a little-bitty SIM card. The boys (especially Andrew) were venting! Venting, I say! And dramatic AF!

Oh so dramatic.

[nekojitachan]

armies is by far my favourite aftg fic of all time just thought i would let you know

Aw, thank you.

I'm still amazed by how many people enjoy that story. Truly.

[nekojitachan]

do you think you will ever continue the dragon andrew series?

Hi, thanks for asking this. I know people enjoy the story and I still have a part or two planned out, so I'd like to finish it. Some feedback put me off of the story, sadly, but I'd like to go back and wrap it up.

[nekojitachan]

Uhm...I forget how long it's been since an update (refuses to look at word doc), but there IS an update! Ch 8 of Everything That Is, Casts A Shadow is up on AO3!

[nekojitachan]

It had been a shitty week; Andrew barely saw Nathaniel off the court on Friday night, nor did he get to bash Riko’s head with his racquet. Then Pig Higgins showed up on Saturday, entirely unwelcome and unwanted, the bearer of news that only reinforced Andrew’s belief in how shitty the universe was. He had to deal with another round of questions from Aaron and the upperclassmen. Then there were the terse texts from Nathaniel during the week, sparse that they were, which indicated that all was not well at the Nest (as if one couldn’t tell from Riko’s unhinged interviews where he ranted about the Ravens ‘decimating’ the Foxes during their game on Friday).

Andrew had a little to vent during his training session with Val on Sunday; they were out in the backyard, sweatshirts discarded on the porch and tank tops damp with sweat from the intense practice. Val had taken Andrew down twice so far, but he’d landed a killing blow on her once and aimed to do so again before they called it quits.

Val feinted to the left, which Andrew pretended to fall for while preparing for a strike at his ribs. He ‘dropped’ his knife and caught it with his left hand while he blocked her weapon and allowed her to barrel him into the ground, intent on raising his blade to her throat.

They stilled on the ground, Val half-sprawled on top of him with his knife below her chin and hers off to the side, their eyes locked on the other. Then she laughed as she leaned back onto her haunches. “Ha! That was good.” She rocked onto her feet and held out a hand, which Andrew begrudgingly accepted. “You’re becoming an actual challenge now.”

“So happy for you,” Andrew drawled, voice thick with sarcasm.

“Yeah, you’re a real sunbeam like that.”

[nekojitachan]

Hey!! So ive been reading and reading some of your stories on ao3 the past few days and stumbled upon “The Real Thing” in the Ravrn Soulmate Series. Is there gonna be more in that ssries or is it completed? I really really love your writing and enjoy reading and reresding your stories a lot so im happy wither way.. i just wanted to ask to make sure to check back :)

Yes, I really need to finish the part I started (along with everything else) and continue on. I'm slowly getting back into writing!

[nekojitachan]

In Raven’s Partner, Andrew makes a comment about “this is your brain on mood altering drugs, this is your brain after” and says Neil didn’t get the reference (he’s not the partner to have for a pop culture quiz, is what Andrew says about Neil’s confusion), but I didn’t get it either, so what was Andrew referring to?

Ah... Well, it's definitely a US thing, and a bit old? During the... 80s? Maybe early 90s? There was an anti-drug campaign that featured commercials with a person holding up an egg, stating that's your brain. Then they crack the egg into a hot frying pan, and show it being fried, stating 'that's your brain on drugs'. It was referenced in pop culture for a good while, and I can imagine Andrew latching onto it somehow (especially with his eidetic memory).