For the fanfic Ask question, for "astronomy in reverse" s, z, q, f.
S: Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?
For this particular story? ‘Meeting in spite of everything’ is probably a big one here, in a ‘meant to be’ way. Just, you know... the thought of them affecting each other’s lives in pretty much the same way regardless of the circumstances is what always gets me. The idea of their fates - mostly through the TARDIS and, along with it, Time itself - is fascinating to me and that’s pretty much the reason why this fic is taking so long; it’s one of the bigger, deeper fanfic projects I’ve tried to delve into.
Telepathy/mind links are also a big thing in it (and also a big thing for me in general, honestly), in the sense that there’s a looot of focus on looking into each other’s thought processes (especially since I want River to essentially be close enough/intertwined enough with the TARDIS to be her daughter in an even more literal sense towards the end).
Z: Major character death–do you ever write/read it? Is there a character whose death you can’t tolerate?
Big fan. I’ve written it plenty of times and it’s mostly for the sake of writing the reaction from the people left behind, so no, I wouldn’t say there’s anyone untouchable for me. In fact, I’ve killed off the majority of my favourite characters the most times in fic, regardless of fandom. ;D As for reading... Less so. It’s not a limit for me or anything, but I’m very sensitive about character deaths and the way they’re carried out - I prefer ‘em the specific ways in which I imagine them and sort of try to ignore the rest.
Q: How do you feel about collaborations?
I like them! They’re a bit tricky, considering that my writing schedule (when mixing with work and uni) is hectic at best, but I do love doing them when I have more free time/am sure that I’ll be able to do my part in time.
F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.
This one is long as hеll, but I really do love it. It’s from yet another Jonerys Parental Reveal (TM) fic from last summer:
Her gaze darted towards him again. “Does the fire bother you?”
“No.” It was rather warm, now that she’d mentioned it, but not enough to distract him from the swift change of topic. “What does it matter?”
“Give me your hand.” He did. Daenerys intertwined their fingers and brought them closer to herself, her hold light and casual as always even as Jon’s grip tightened around her reflexively at the sudden influx of heat. “Does it burn now?”
“It’s—.” This was important to her, but figuring out how exactly was a struggle. It wasn’t unbearable, but it wasn’t far from it either; just the worse side of ‘unpleasant’. “It is really hot.”
“But you’re never cold.” The statement was stuck somewhere between an accusation and a question.
“I told you; I’m just used to it. I lived on the Wall for years.” Jon didn’t move away, eager to get as close to the bottom of this as possible. “What—”
It was too late – she’d let him go and had recoiled once again, somehow even more distant than before. Her hand was inching closer to the crackling fire at the edge almost absently. Jon forced himself to look away. “It’s nothing.”
Jon suppressed a sigh. He loved her, he knew that much by now, but it was so much easier when she wasn’t holding back so much; when they could be open in their questions to one another.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said at last, voice oddly uncertain.
“No.” Her smile was much more genuine now. “It doesn’t.”
Daenerys shifted around in the limited space between them until they were pressed closer to each other and Jon could feel the warmth of her washing over him when she leant in, hair cascading over her shoulders and brushing his chest. This he loved far too much already – the occasional playfulness and all the life that poured out of every gesture she made. “Because you’re never cold.”
Her enthusiasm was infectious. Jon wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her, but made no move to get either of them in a more comfortable position. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“It does,” she assured him; a promise as tinged with sadness as it was with hope. Her fingers were tracing over his cheeks, down his jawline, as if she was trying to map out his features to remember later. “It will.”
I love it because it was my best case scenario for this plotline - I wanted Dany to learn it first, somehow, and get the chance to get used to the idea of what it means as far as her idea of family and belonging and Jon goes. Obviously it was never going to happen - the ball had to be dropped on Jon first, since it’s his ball - but it was fun while it could still count as potential canon.
Also, can’t resist, I’m going to add another one under this question because I’ve been going through the outline of the sequel of this fic for literally over a year now and the canon happenings mostly solidified my Lannister-related thoughts on this matter. It’s Jaime and Cersei, in a conversation about kid #4.
“By the time she was born, I had already realised what the outcome of the war might be. If I were to run—” A pause. “She would become a target too. For all I know, she already has.”
“Tyrion wouldn’t allow it,” Jaime protests immediately. “He loves the children, and since you spared his life—”
“I didn’t spare his life because of this,” Cersei says, irritated. “It’s just—Father said it himself: it’s the family name that matters and we’re the last of us.”
Father. Jaime isn’t sure why his siblings keep squabbling between each other when they’re so much alike; trying to defy their family and follow its words to the smallest detail at the same time. For a quick, fleeting moment, he hates them all, but then his sister speaks again. “And I was not referring to Tyrion.”
“The remaining Targaryens could feel threatened by a Lannister heir,” Jaime nods and the mere possibility of that sends a cold frisson of fear down his spine – he doesn’t know either of them well enough to be able to tell what they would do.
“They won’t ever find us again either way,” Cersei shrugs, “but threatened suits me just fine.”
Ah, there she is. This is what Jaime had been trying to coax out of her on their first night on the ship, because it’s what she is, for better or for worse; irrational and frustrating and unpredictable, and the return of it all is only made better by the sailor coming back, this time not alone.
Just... I love character study seen through the eyes of people conflicted about their identity, future, and place in the world, what can I say.
