Would you let me fall if I asked you to?

Nox. Lesbian. Full time villain. Ao3: NoxCounterspell Contact me at [email protected]

[quentims]

Rumis Cake

[sandgthesequal]

This one’s on me folks. It just that rumira vibe

[noxcounterspell]

The definition of “snug as a bug”

[art-the-f-up]

Rumira photoshoot 👀

Commissioned by @/cremated_remains2 on Instagram

[noxcounterspell]

Not the original anon, but responding to your response to them and the questions you posed.

I would LOVE a “Build Me Up” series. Personally, I’d like to read one shots, Mira’s POV, and any and all additional content after the original story is finished. Especially some pre “Build Me Up” Mira and her experiences, even Rumi suffering Jinu. You write it, I’ll read it.

As a thirty something year old navigating the challenges of living alone for the first time, first time homebuyer and all the hidden surprises that come along with it (my boiler broke over a long weekend and flooded my basement, so the washing machine chapter hit me hard, especially because I didn’t have a Mira to save me), unforeseen changes that altered my carefully laid out life plan, and having a set of impressive windows that make my main living space a sanctuary for plants, but again, no Mira to help me with the floating shelves, “Build Me Up” hits and speaks to me like almost nothing else I’ve read before. I adore your version of Rumi, her well meaning but unintentionally selfish thought process and actions, her reflection on her decisions and life up until this point, and how she’s slowly, sometimes painfully, learning to change and growing into herself and her home. Your Mira makes me sigh and bemoan my lack of lesbian handywoman to hang my shelves, bail out my basement, and correct faulty lighting wiring. I shit you not, almost every house problem you’ve thrown at Rumi I have experienced 😅

I usually don’t re-read, but I find myself always coming back to “Build Me Up.” It’s just so poignant.Rumi’s challenges and reflections landing in just the right way, at the right time for me. I adore how’s she an unreliable narrator, and find her actions and reactions challenging me to stop and think, respond differently to our eerily similar circumstances house wise and life plan being rewritten wise, and to stop watching those YouTube videos that make me feel dumb. I really can’t articulate how much I love this story, and don’t get me started on your interpretation and portrayal of A/B/O dynamics. I feel like you’ve heard all my frustrations regarding it being such a good avenue to explore gender and sexuality and all the societal pressures, expectations, and baggage that come along with it, yet it’s usually never taken seriously, and ends up just being porn without plot. I want to run back a decade and several years to my college critical theory course and slap this story in front of my professor, because good lord, I cannot shut up about your world building, how you apply the A/B/O dynamics, and how they thoughtfully impact and challenge the characters, work as a whole, and readers.

“Build Me Up” hits so close to home for me. Sometimes it’s tender like a bruise when Rumi has a good hard look at herself or at the water leaking all over her floor. Sometimes it’s a cackle and exclamation at one in the morning, “OMFG I HAVE A WONKY LIGHT WITH QUESTIONABLE WIRING TOO!” Sometimes it’s the all consuming fear that your thirties knock you on your ass and all your planning was for naught. But mostly, I adore seeing my joy, satisfaction, and slowly but surely increasing self confidence and worth, all tied up in accomplishing things I thought well outside my power or sphere of control, whether it be how to use a drill or how to embrace your life as it rolls out the punches, in your Rumi.

Thank you, for this story, and any content related to it, now or in the future.

As to my lost in transit lesbian handywoman, parking for the truck is available on my property, height clearance of no concern. 😂

I was honestly floored by this reply. It took me a minute to come back to it because it genuinely put such a huge smile on my face. Thank you so, so much.

What's so funny—and honestly kind of endearing—to me about "Build Me Up" is that it started as a silly, smutty idea between jokes with some fellow Rumira friends. Somewhere along the way, though, the worms got to me. 😭 Once I started outlining, I realized I was projecting a few of my own struggles onto the story, and somehow it grew into something with so much more depth than I ever intended.

I'm also in my thirties, trying to figure out who I am after my twenties, navigating a career change or two, picking up the pieces of old friendships and relationships, and making peace with all the ideas I had about who I thought I'd be by now. Add my love for home repairs into the mix, and somehow this weird little fic became equal parts wholesome, introspective, and uh... very horny.

Your observation of Rumi as "well-meaning but unintentionally selfish" really resonated with me, because I think that's true for a lot of us. When the ground gives out beneath us and we're trying to rebuild ourselves, sometimes we end up hurting people without meaning to. It doesn't make it okay, but it does make us human. The important part is doing our best to minimize that hurt, owning it when we fail, and asking for forgiveness when it's due.

A lot of what Rumi has had to do, recently.

Thank you so much for your appreciation of my take on A/B/O! It's honestly a little nerve-racking because this is my first time writing Omegaverse, and I really wanted to give it my own spin—which, apparently, means a pinch of salt, a healthy dose of angst, and dramatic consequences. 😂 I've spent an embarrassingly long time worldbuilding (the author's notes for the next chapter are ridiculously long), but I've had so much fun with it. I'm really glad this is the fandom where I get to experiment like this. Hopefully it won't be my last Omegaverse fic... I'm just trying to finish this one before my brain convinces me to start another.

One of the things I love most about Omegaverse is how naturally it lends itself to exploring sexuality, identity, gender roles, social expectations, and all the ways those things shape us. I wanted both Rumi and Mira to struggle with those expectations—to both feel like outsiders in different ways—and slowly discover that, together, they don't have to be anything other than themselves. Without even realizing it, they're becoming each other's safe place.

Anon, I genuinely wish you the very best in finding your Handyman Mira. I hope she picks you up in her truck, fixes every annoying little thing around your house, and drives the two of you off into the sunset.

(Also, I'm not going to lie... Build Me Up Mira is probably one of my favorite versions of Mira I've written.)

[noxcounterspell]

Hello

Curious if Build Me Up will be only from Rumi’s POV or we will get Mira’s POV in the future.

Also just want to say this is an amazing fic. I have re-read it a handful of times already.

Hi, anon!

The story is very Rumi-centric, following her journey of “rebuilding” herself through acceptance, change, and learning to embrace the person she’s becoming. A big part of that journey is Mira, who becomes the support Rumi always feared needing—but ultimately can’t imagine doing without.

So, as things stand, the outline is entirely from Rumi’s POV. That said, we’ll be discovering Mira alongside Rumi, which I think creates a really fun perspective as more of her layers are gradually revealed.

And honestly… I’ve definitely been tempted to write a one-shot or two from Mira’s POV, whether set during the story or sometime in the future (the future ones would be unbearably cute). Right now I’m mostly trying to figure out whether people would enjoy a full series, and if so, when it would feel the most rewarding to include.

Let me know your thoughts!

(Also, deeply humbled you liked this story!! Is one of my favorite to write, at the moment).

[arendellesfirstwinter]

Been seeing a number of things recently in fandom on tumblr that have bothered me, so I wanted to shout a couple quick thoughts as a fandom creator who stumbled into a large readerbase:

Please think about what fandom creators can see. If you post something online publicly, there is a likelihood they can and will see it! Fandom creators are not the same as professional creators. We occupy the same tight-knit community online, nerding out the exact same way as our peers! I really don't care what you have to say about my fics, and certainly don't expect everyone out there who reads them to enjoy them, but don't TELL me ajdfkls - do it in private please!

Please think about the intent behind what you're saying publicly for fandom creators to see. Speaking personally, I love seeing people theorize and talk about my own works (shoutout to a lovely shark friend of mine <3)! That being said, I'm also fiercely protective of my versions of these characters, and get genuinely disheartened if someone reads and declares malintent into characters that I love. Those takes have been thankfully rather self-contained (and none public beyond ao3 comments sections), but I can't express how sad and discouraged I'd be if they spread and convinced others that that was the story I was telling, let alone if they'd spread while I was actively writing the fic.

It stings. We see these comments and takes, and some I still think about months later, wondering if there's any other way I could've made my narrative and my love for the characters within it clearer.

Fandom creators and fandom enjoyers: all of us are here to have fun together and are doing this for free - all we ask is that you please be respectful of that. <3

[dremenec]

Hi Dremnec I was the anon on the Prince post that you reblogged. It hurt to get called out like that cause I love their work and I was not trying to be a negative in any way towards them but you are right. I didn't really think about how that could negatively impact Prince (and creators) and I will try to do better! Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Hey anon, thanks for messaging! No shade at all to you, I know you meant well with it. I said it in the tags I think, but it's also not a 'you' thing, it just happened to align with behaviours I've been seeing more of recently.

I spend most of my time in creative circles, and have for a long while. And at a certain point the patterns really jump out. I think the unifying factor is what I'd call misguided compliments. Comments made by people who are excited about the content, but the message doesn't quite land, and ends up with the creator feeling hurt or disappointed with the reaction. Some examples of things I've seen creators get upset by multiple times:

Expressing strong reactions that weren't intended by the creator — so, for example, finding something serious funny/goofy; or crashing out about something that was intended to be light and fluffy. Obviously having these reactions can't be helped, but it can make that creator question why they failed to illicit the reception they intended.

Self deprecating, or implying the work is SO GOOD that it makes them feel insecure about their own creations. It never feels good to know your creative work is making someone feel bad, for any reason!

Putting down other creators/works, like "This is sooo much better than XYZ" or "Normally I hate this genre, but yours is the good one". Most of the time people writing a genre/trope also love consuming it, so you're kinda insulting their taste, as well as shading people who are their friends and peers

Pestering/pressuring for updates — I totally get it, I know there's tons of works I am absolutely chewing the walls to read more of. There's just a very fine line between expressing excitement and making a demand, which leaves a sour taste, and can suck the fun out of creating

Comparing to other works. Occasionally, this can be a huge compliment. But unless you know the author likes/admires that work, then this can very easily backfire. Comparisons can rub up on insecurities, make the creator feel like the work was misunderstood, or imply the work isn't being original (or at worst, derivative).

Again, these are comments that are almost always made in good faith, but a hint of negativity can entirely overshadow any positive message.

This isn't a demand or a callout by any means. Only a nudge to remember that sharing creative work can feel very vulnerable, and that we can all stand to think a little more about how sentiments might come across.

Creators are the lifeblood of fandom, and when they feel understood and supported, the community will thrive!

[noxcounterspell]

Remember fan creators are people behind a computer doing their best and trying to give you content, but ultimately they are still people with feelings doing this out of love!

Comments and crashouts are incredibly valid (and appreciated), but sometimes a compliment can feel backhanded or wrong if pushed straight into your face.

Echoing that last sentence—support your artists, make them feel the love!

[sagrogostuff]

[noxcounterspell]

curious if are you following the World Cup?

I like soccer (football) as a sport, I don’t necessarily like the World Cup (mainly around all the political/social impact it has and how some countries have been treated) but I have seen some of the games for the smaller countries because it’s impressive how they could match some of the bigger teams (go Cabo Verdeeee!).

That being said, I’m a great supporter of the Women’s world cup, which is happening the next year! If you can, support the women’s teams as they are not as supported/recognized as the men’s teams!!

[princington]

Now I’m curious what your favourite pairing is to draw?

dont think i ever posted this here so have this - big siren mira and scientist rumi

[noxcounterspell]

It’s always rumira

[princington]

pre-interview scrolling

[princington]

runway ready

[noxcounterspell]

rereading Build Me Up as I anxiously await the next chapter. my guess is if Rumi isn’t pregnant already, she will be by the next chapter. with all the meds stuff, I feel like you won’t go the obvious route of her needing to be in heat and all that.

You caught me working on finishing next chapter!!! We’ll have to wait and see what happens… but I’ll just say that I like the way you think

[dremenec]

What is it about Rumira that draws you in?

iunno. i could throw out a bunch of justifications about why, but ultimately I don't think rumira are remarkable in any way that the other pairings couldn't be. I just like what I like

that said, the rumira community across all platforms is an absolute blast, and the value of a fandom that's so uplifting and collaborative can't be overstated. Every few days I stumble upon posts in the tag where people are tearing the ship down or bitter about how unbearably popular it is (for the record it's like 10% of all polytrix+ fics). Or people will comment directly on my posts to twist them into polytrix somehow. It stings! And it makes me so grateful to have friends and spaces where I can just hang out and have fun with the ship and not feel judged for creating what I wanna create

[noxcounterspell]

Guess who’s back in the house~

Chapter 14 of Coda is finally live!

🔗 archiveofourown.org/works/70452501…

Happy “this movie gave us yearning lesbians” day!

Rumira, how have you changed my life.

[noxcounterspell]

hello! I’m probably late to ask but I would be interested in these question from the list: 7, 8, 34, 76, 77

Never late to the asks!

7. Post a snippet from a WIP

Sharing two snippets because I had these open: For Chapter 13 of Coda (Acacciatura):

Idol life had come with a substantial amount of money too, once their fame had solidified. Fame had added a quiet a few zeroes to Mira’s life, sure—but that money had been hers. Earned. Built through sweat, exhaustion, endless rehearsals, bruises, flights, and performances. HUNTR/X had become Dongji’s most profitable act in what had felt like the blink of an eye, and with that had come a level of wealth that had changed life for all three of them—Rumi, Zoey, Mira.

Now, the numbers in the sheet? Idols like them made good money. Enough money that most people would never have to worry again. But it wasn't the kind of money you could simply reach for overnight. It lived in investments, contracts, properties, and long-term accounts.

Liquidity like this belonged to a different world entirely. It belonged to the realm of her family's wealth. The kind planted and cultivated across generations until it became something that moved almost independently of the people attached to it.

A different kind of beast entirely.

For a Detective/Mafia AU I have in the works, I've been thinking about this AU a lot lately:

Rumi started with the one thing she’d spent months avoiding: her own reflection.

There was no hiding in the bathroom light now that she had to pay attention to details. The clinical light dragged every flaw into view, exposing the rough edges she had allowed herself to overlook—the grown-out roots of her hair, the exhaustion painting itself in bruised halos beneath her eyes, the sharpness in her cheekbones that came from weeks of forgetting that food was more than fuel.

She leaned closer, palms pressed to the cold sink.

In another life, she might have been beautiful enough to belong to a different world. The kind of woman who commanded center stage, whose face stretched across billboards and magazine covers. The kind people remembered because they admired her, not because they wanted something from her.

Instead, that same face had become a tool.

It was beautiful enough to draw attention, memorable enough to linger in people's minds, and ordinary enough in the right circumstances to disappear beneath a new name, a different smile, a carefully crafted story.

The world had handed her a face meant for the spotlight.

Rumi had learned how to use it to lie.

8. Out of context spoiler for a WIP

The accident happens because one of them gets sick enough that the other forgets what they should do.

34. How much of your personal life/experience do you like to include in your fics?

I project A LOT on my fics. Like probably the worst traits I assign to each character are my own. That's why I like focusing specific character/ships that are my favorite, because I usually resonate most with them. My life experiences are not necessarily used in the fics, but reactions or feelings... yes. I also like to include topics or areas I have some knowledge of—for example, I know my way around tools and home repairs, so Build Me Up has been fun to write because I can include little views of things I know.

76. How do you deal with writing pressure, whether internal or external?

Must say I am BLESSED that most of my readers check in on my work when it's been a while since I posted, and always from a very respectful standpoint. Most ask if I'm okay, which warms my little Grinch heart. And a lot get settled when I tell them I have been overwhelmed with work/real life. The real enemy is myself because I start freaking out when I see the weeks go by and I haven't been able to write/post.

But as a good noodle friend has been repeating back at me: creativity is a muscle that can get tired, and we have irl that can suck the energy out of us. So I'm trying to meditate over it and accept that I will deliver when I can, so I can give readers the best version of me.

(That doesn't mean I don't freak out at least once a day).

77. Why do you enjoy writing fanfiction?

Probably the hardest question of all—and also the simplest. I've been doing this thing since I was 14 (currently 32, you do the math), and I've found myself just loving to live so many lives through fanfiction. Getting to know characters and diving into them, making some of my wildest adventures real through words, admitting things I may never say out loud through characters who resonate with me.

Fanfiction is a safe realm in which I get to experiment as much as I want, however I want it. And that just makes my mind go crazy. I'm an avid day dreamer; my brain never really shuts up, so I'm bombarded with ideas and scenes and phrases that later I can get to use in fanfiction.

It's also a little vault of time, really, seeing how I started so many years ago, what I thought and wrote about back then, and what I do know. I've made many a great friends through it and I hope to keep on doing so). Really, I can't honestly remember what life was like before fanfiction.

I hope to be the 90y/o n/b typing about whatever ship in the future.

[eldergoblin]

Glad we all agree she’s a self-sacrificing idiot [affectionate]