The USUKUS Network!

★ Welcome to the network! Here you can check out artists, fanfic writers and people who just love USUKUS! Feel free to ask any questions you may have! Please follow, check the blog for updates, and read the FAQ & Rules before leaving a message! Blog banner by @captainjellyroll. Profile picture by @KCFilomeno

[usukustwiceperyear]

RELEASE:

USUKUS Twice Per Year 2024-1: "Cards, with Spades to Start"

After many delays, at last: Featuring 7 fanfics and 12 fanarts by 18 dedicated creators, people have come together to celebrate one of this fandom's most beloved 'verses. From the comedic to the tragic, we hope you'll find something new to love about Cardverse!

Additionally! Stay tuned, as the Admin Team has an announcement to make within the next 24~48 hours.

[usuknetwork]

Hello everyone! Here are the results of the USUKUS Fiend Fest 2024.

WE GOT A BINGO!!!!

Read all the works here, including past events!

Artworks

Beieibeing

Dragons - Twitter

hydraespacial

Siren or Swamp Monster - Twitter - Tumblr

Miyu

Media Crossover + Ghosts/Spirits - Twitter - Instagram - Tumblr Cyborg or Robot - Twitter - Instagram

Spadeset

Werewolf or Kemonomimi + Vampire - Discord

Fanfiction

Charlotte Kensington - Vampires (Read Warnings) - AO3

Aiwendor - Vampires (Read Warnings) - AO3

DonkeyHotay - Uncommon Mythology - AO3

nyoengland (mika) - Undead/Ghoul + Witch/Wizard/Warlock - AO3

Squirrelgirlies (Sarah) - Werewolves AO3

[hwsforeignrelations]

A closer look at my piece for @usuknetwork’s recent USUSKTwicwPerYear event

[usukustwiceperyear]

Hello everyone,

Congratulations on another amazing Twice Per Year! We hope everyone has been enjoying the batch of new content, or if you haven't had the chance yet, we encourage you to take a look.

This publication was a bit rough going, and largely because of that, the Admin Team has decided to write this post to share with everyone the state of TPY and our (tentative) plans moving forward.

The Process

First, we'd like to explain a little about our process. At the beginning of a year, we open up a poll to take idea submissions from everyone, regardless of whether they hope to participate or not. The admins then compile these submissions into specific choices and themes for people to vote on what they'd like to see for the coming year. This is what acts as our "interest check," to see a birds' eye view of not just participants but also readers. After that, we open sign-ups for the selected theme. While we underline the fact that sign-ups are a show of commitment and there are penalties for dropping out later, we have also attempted to emphasize that these penalties are mild and temporary and mostly just to discourage noncommittal sign-ups. The admin team uses sign-ups to gauge the size of TPY (both literally in page numbers, and fandom-wise in "activity" especially in comparison to interest check numbers), and has to manually collate a spreadsheet of each participant's sign-up info and progress at every check-in. Then, the check-ins. These are checkpoints at set dates during the TPY "term" where we message participants to get an idea of where they're at in the creation process and answer any questions or concerns they may have. The actual status of the work isn't really what matters here - the more important function of a check-in is to open an avenue of dialogue with people so they don't feel shy or hesitant to message the admin team. We understand that stuff happens, and either people don't want to be a bother, or it slips their mind because they're busy with other things, so the check-ins function as, well, a check-in to see how things are going. Finally, the submissions. This is where the admins' crunch time begins, as we rush to begin production of the actual zine itself. If participants do not submit their works correctly with the template provided, then this stage can also involve chasing people down for info within a timely manner (and if responses are slow, can delay production). Unfortunately, this part has been a struggle over the last 3-4 TPYs, as participants have not consistently submitted their works as requested (mostly artists). At this point we are aware that things tend to drop into radio silence, so we'd like to briefly list what we're busy working on. In addition to participants' submissions, the sum total of a TPY publication is made up of: a cover page (whose artist is selected from the sign-up sheet); a disclaimer and thank you page; original graphics for the acknowledgements, table of contents, and contributors pages; original graphics for the SFW and NSFW category pages; and an original document template for written works. It is a large amount of work and can take time to get looking right. We also re-format and SPAG (spelling and grammar) check written works, and resize any incorrectly submitted artwork. Once everything is made and ready, it is compiled with Adobe Acrobat into a single PDF.

The Numbers

There are a couple of pain points in this process that we'd like to elaborate on.

In 2022, we took over TPY from the old team, and as such only ran one theme as we built our new system and processes. We are missing full voting and participant information from this time, but we do know that there were:

24 sign-ups, with 12 final participants (12 drop outs/potentially ghosted)

Last year (2023), TPY had:

52 votes on the themes

23 sign-ups for part one, with 19 final participants (4 drop outs)

31 sign-ups for part two, with 24 final participants (7 drop outs)

This year (2024), so far TPY has had:

43 votes on the themes

26 sign-ups for part one, with 18 final participants (8 drop outs - 5 of which ghosted)

Overall numbers are varied, but it's the ratio for each year we're looking at. For 2023, the percentage ratio from votes to sign-ups were 44~59.5%, dropping to 36.5~46% for final participation (a drop of 7.5~13.5%). These are pretty good numbers - it means roughly around half of the people who voted were planning to participate! For 2024 however, it started out strong (60%!) but dropped to 41.9% upon final submissions (a whopping 18.1% right out of the gate). But more importantly: not only did it drop below the participant threshold that the admin team has set, but there were a staggering number of people who simply vanished and did not inform us of dropping out. This was when we posted our notice saying that we were extending the submission deadline, in hopes to get word from those people on their status - which severely delayed the production of the zine. We received 2 further submissions in this way, but the rest remained MIA.

But What Does It Mean

The takeaway here is the growing number of drop outs (not to mention the ghosting). Sign-up numbers are largely looking great, as it's natural for that number to rise and fall as people come and go from the fandom, get busier or have more leisure time, are interested in that term's theme or not, etc etc. The admin team's threshold is for a 20 participant minimum, as we believe this is a reasonable number for current fandom activity/popularity, in addition to allowing for a wide variety of fanworks submitted (the ratio of written works to artworks can be very skewed). Dropping below this number is concerning, as not only does it mean decreasing interest, but it also starts tipping the level of work needed by the admin team into unbalance. We're working adults, with jobs and responsibilities, and dedicate not only our personal time but also our personal money (Adobe ain't cheap) to this fandom tradition. Understandably we want TPY to be the very best it can be, but that does require others to "meet us halfway," so to speak, by participating. If not enough people do so, the work involved begins to feel less like a willing celebration to contribute to and give back to the fandom, and more like we're, well, wasting our time and effort (and money).

And while we understand life does happen and sometimes it's necessary to drop out despite original intentions to participate, the Admin Team would like to re-emphasize that if you don't believe you can fully commit (perhaps you don't have a solid idea for the theme, or you know you'll be gone on holiday for an extended period, etc.), then please don't sign-up. If you must drop out - no worries, truly, but please let us know! Don't just disappear! Conversely, we really hope that more people do consider signing up - there's no "requirements" you must meet (anyone can participate), the process is easy (all we ask is you respond to the check-ins and follow submission rules, otherwise we do the rest), and you get to be published in one of this ship's longest running events!

We hope that by making all this information transparent, we can empower and encourage people to be more willing to participate and support TPY. The Admin Team has occasionally received some absolutely lovely and kind messages thanking us, which we appreciate more than words can say, as this really is a labor of love. But we'd also love to see those feelings returned to the fandom at large, not just kept in our email inbox!

Moving Forward

Thankfully this time, we were able to get TPY out at the very end of September/start of October, but unfortunately this has messed up our timeline for the remainder of the year.

The Admin Team took some additional time to discuss whether TPY would continue or not, after this rough term, but we didn't want to just end things with no transparency and no chance for people to have their say. So we've chosen to continue for now, with some changes.

As there are only 3 months left in the year, it would be a very rushed term (not to mention end of year holidays), and we have decided that that would be unfair to hopeful participants. As such, the Admin Team has made the decision to push the voted-on theme, "Ocean's 1923" (love at sea), to the beginning of next year (2025-1).

Sign-ups will start December 1st and run through December 31st. (A further timeline of check-in and submission dates will be shared later.)

As the numbers start rolling in, and we see how that term fares in sign-up and final participant rates, we will make a final decision on the ultimate fate of TPY. If interest has simply waned over the years and people no longer wish to participate, then we would like to end TPY with dignity, and would likely hold one final wrap-up theme to top things off.

Final Words

We know this was a lot to get through, so thank you if you got this far. We are so appreciative of everyone who has touched TPY in some way - whether as a participant or a reader, you are an important part of this ship.

We understand if there's questions or comments people would like to make in response to this. Our email is always open (usukustwiceperyear (at) gmail (dot) com), or feel free to message Narcoleptic via Discord (@narcoleptic).

Thank you again, and until next time, The USUKUS Network & Twice Per Year Admin Team

[usuknetwork]

USUKUS Fiendfest 2024

What is it?

This is an event that is themed around Monsters as a preparation for Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve. Our event’s goal is to attempt to increase the overall amount of fanworks for the pairing, USUKUS in the show, Hetalia.

How does it work?

The rules of this event are as follows:

There is no need to sign up to join. Anyone can participate!

 There are 25 slots in the picture, all pertaining to a specific theme of Monsters. It is your job to pick any one of these squares, and make USUKUS content based on the Monster referenced in it.

The intent is to collaboratively, as a community, fill out as many as possible, much like a blackout board on a bingo sheet.

We’ll be keep count through the following:

Posting in the USUKUS Discord (not required but highly recommended)

On Tumblr, Twitter or Archive of our Own, using #USUKUSFiendfest2024

When posting your content, include in the description what part of the bingo card this is supposed to fulfill.

We accept multiple entries for the same bingo slot, but it will only count as one dauber on the card.

Although the subject matter for Halloween can sometimes border topics of horror and unhappy endings, we’re hoping that we can encourage a more romantic approach to USUKUS. So let’s try and keep it positive and focused around these two in love :heart:

But! What if I already drew/wrote something that already exists that can count for the event?

As was mentioned, the purpose of this event is to encourage more fanworks for the USUKUS pairing. If this is a theme you’ve done before, try something new! Or even better, encourage your current work to be a reference for someone else to use!

What is this monster? What does this phrase mean?

Check out the documents below for details!

Fiendfest 2024

Welcome to the Fiendfest 2024! This page contains all information pertaining to this event. What is it? This is an event that is themed aro

FAQ:

Fiendfest FAQ

When will the event end? When will the #USUKUSFiendfest2024 tag be checked Our event will end on October 31, 2024, but we will not check the

[usukustwiceperyear]

TPY 2024-1 Spades

Status Update

Hello everyone,

The admin team is currently in the middle of compiling the zine and hope to have the release out within the next 2 weeks.

Unfortunately, there were many participants who did not submit their work with no notice of dropping out. Although our rules state we do not give extensions, as current participant count is below our preferred threshold, we are offering this FINAL CHANCE to submit your work before August 14th.

After the release, the admin team will have an important announcement to make. Please check back soon.

Thank you,

USUKUS Twice Per Year Admin Team

[usuknetwork]

Deadline: July 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM PST

Hi guys just a reminder!

Twice per year entries are required to be submitted via email and are due July 31, 2024 11:59 PM Please make sure to review the Tumblr page for the way on how to format your files and fiction (as we had some issues in the past with incorrect sizes sent).

We are also going to start rejecting emails if they do not fit the format also, since we need to be a bit consistent now.

For example:

3 correct submissions and 1 incorrect one will be rejected if not re-submitted

Link to the Rules

Email: [email protected]

[usukustwiceperyear]

Twice Per Year 2023-2 "Across the Universe" second check-ins!

Hey there participants, messages will be sent out via Discord (if ID provided) and e-mail (if no Discord) for the second check-in November 15th. We're just asking a couple of questions to see where people are at with their creations!

Keep an eye out for a Discord DM from either @verusmayaii or @narcoleptic, or an e-mail from usukustwiceperyear (at) gmail (dot) com!

We hope to hear back sometime within the week. If we don't hear from you, we will try an alternative method of contact.

Thanks in advance!

[usukustwiceperyear]

Announcing:

USUKUS Twice Per Year 2023 Part 2: "Across the Universe"

Themes based upon the fusion of USUKUS and other media franchises. This can include other AUs, such as Star Wars, Good Omens, Skyrim, and other TV shows/films/videogames. (* Due to the recency of the "Based On A Book" event, unfortunately we are disallowing book-based franchises. Please contact an admin if you would like to base your work on a series that originated as a book but is now multimedia, i.e. has a TV show.)

SIGN-UP FORM

⮞ CLICK HERE ⮜

Form closes on October 2 at 11:59 PM PST.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

General Rules

General - Progress updates are required monthly for the next 3 months before works are due. We will contact you on the dates below and give you some pointers on recommended progress. This does NOT mean that we expect you to have your work completed at time of check-in. People work at different paces, after all!

Check-in #1: October 15, 2023 - 25% complete Check-in #2: November 15, 2023 - 50% complete Check-in #3: December 15, 2023 - 75% complete

FINAL DUE DATE: December 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM PST

Regarding Drop Outs - If you have to drop out of the event at any point, that’s totally okay! Life happens, or sometimes motivation wanes. Just let us know via Discord (@narcoleptic or @verusmayaii), email (usukustwiceperyear (at) gmail.com), Twitter DM (@usukusnetwork), or Tumblr Ask so we can adjust for you. - However, please note that if we notice you’ve dropped out of 2 consecutive events, we reserve the right to bar you from the following Twice Per Year event (next soonest half of the biannual year). You can reapply for the one after! (I.e.: If you dropped out of 2023-2 and 2024-1, you will be barred from 2024-2 and eligible again for 2025-1.)

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Event-specific Rules

About Crossovers/Fusions - Every submission must be based on an existing media such as a manga, anime, videogame, film, or TV show. - The work must include America and England as the focal characters and elements of the selected media. Characters from the medium itself are NOT ALLOWED to be included directly in your work.         >> Example: If Pokémon is the selected media, England and America can engage in a Pokémon battle and exist within the known Pokémon world. However, they cannot interact with the canon cast (Ash, Red, Team Rocket, etc.) - The selected media must be submitted to the admin team ahead of time so choices can be reviewed and approved. If you want to change your choice at any point in time during the creation period, please let us know as soon as possible so there is time to re-review. - The admins reserve the right to reject any media chosen by creators and categorize works as NSFW at our discretion. - If there are any questions regarding crossovers/fusions you may have, please don't hesitate to message the admin team via Discord (@narcoleptic or @verusmayaii), email (usukustwiceperyear (at) gmail.com), Twitter DM (@usukusnetwork), or Tumblr Ask. We're happy to help!

Crossover/Fusion Rules - All variations of USUKUS are allowed, including but not limited to 2P, Nyotalia, Nekotalia, etc. - Non-English language media is allowed, however, the submitted works must be in English.         >> We encourage you to select media that has an English option (dubbing, subtitled, iteration, etc.) so that people can appreciate your work as both a fanwork for USUKUS and the respective media. - Please try your best not to spoil any important plot, story, or character elements from the selected media. This is at your own discretion. - If the media you wish to select contains explicit material (referenced drug use, sexual activity), any work made for it will be marked as NSFW regardless of if your work contains any NSFW elements or not. >> If you are an underage writer or artist, any media selected that contains NSFW elements will NOT be accepted.

Writer-specific Rules - If your selected media includes terminology that is not otherwise discernible from the text alone, please do your best to elaborate/explain in the story itself for people who may not be familiar with your selected media. Likewise, if there are any unique aspects to the media's world or its functioning, please do your best to elaborate/explain in the story itself. Do not assume the reader knows anything.         >> World Example: If Genshin Impact is the selected media, then explain its in-universe magic system, especially if applicable America and England within your story.         >> Terminology Example: If Star Wars is the selected media, then explain in-universe proper nouns like the Force, Jedi, and Sith, especially as it relates to America and England within your story. - OCs are allowed to be used as long as they are not the critical focus of / do not have a significant impact on the story.

Artist-specific Rules - Outfits, iconic poses, specific locations/scenes, are all allowed, however, please use discretion when considering any spoilers for the viewers. - Please use any direct visuals listed above at your discretion as this can be considered plagiarism.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us!

[usuknetwork]

Less than 10 days to sign up as a reminder!

[usuknetwork]

Last two days to sign up!

[usukustwiceperyear]

Announcing:

USUKUS Twice Per Year 2023 Part 2: "Across the Universe"

Themes based upon the fusion of USUKUS and other media franchises. This can include other AUs, such as Star Wars, Good Omens, Skyrim, and other TV shows/films/videogames. (* Due to the recency of the "Based On A Book" event, unfortunately we are disallowing book-based franchises. Please contact an admin if you would like to base your work on a series that originated as a book but is now multimedia, i.e. has a TV show.)

SIGN-UP FORM

⮞ CLICK HERE ⮜

Form closes on October 2 at 11:59 PM PST.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

General Rules

General - Progress updates are required monthly for the next 3 months before works are due. We will contact you on the dates below and give you some pointers on recommended progress. This does NOT mean that we expect you to have your work completed at time of check-in. People work at different paces, after all!

Check-in #1: October 15, 2023 - 25% complete Check-in #2: November 15, 2023 - 50% complete Check-in #3: December 15, 2023 - 75% complete

FINAL DUE DATE: December 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM PST

Regarding Drop Outs - If you have to drop out of the event at any point, that’s totally okay! Life happens, or sometimes motivation wanes. Just let us know via Discord (@narcoleptic or @verusmayaii), email (usukustwiceperyear (at) gmail.com), Twitter DM (@usukusnetwork), or Tumblr Ask so we can adjust for you. - However, please note that if we notice you’ve dropped out of 2 consecutive events, we reserve the right to bar you from the following Twice Per Year event (next soonest half of the biannual year). You can reapply for the one after! (I.e.: If you dropped out of 2023-2 and 2024-1, you will be barred from 2024-2 and eligible again for 2025-1.)

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Event-specific Rules

About Crossovers/Fusions - Every submission must be based on an existing media such as a manga, anime, videogame, film, or TV show. - The work must include America and England as the focal characters and elements of the selected media. Characters from the medium itself are NOT ALLOWED to be included directly in your work.         >> Example: If Pokémon is the selected media, England and America can engage in a Pokémon battle and exist within the known Pokémon world. However, they cannot interact with the canon cast (Ash, Red, Team Rocket, etc.) - The selected media must be submitted to the admin team ahead of time so choices can be reviewed and approved. If you want to change your choice at any point in time during the creation period, please let us know as soon as possible so there is time to re-review. - The admins reserve the right to reject any media chosen by creators and categorize works as NSFW at our discretion. - If there are any questions regarding crossovers/fusions you may have, please don't hesitate to message the admin team via Discord (@narcoleptic or @verusmayaii), email (usukustwiceperyear (at) gmail.com), Twitter DM (@usukusnetwork), or Tumblr Ask. We're happy to help!

Crossover/Fusion Rules - All variations of USUKUS are allowed, including but not limited to 2P, Nyotalia, Nekotalia, etc. - Non-English language media is allowed, however, the submitted works must be in English.         >> We encourage you to select media that has an English option (dubbing, subtitled, iteration, etc.) so that people can appreciate your work as both a fanwork for USUKUS and the respective media. - Please try your best not to spoil any important plot, story, or character elements from the selected media. This is at your own discretion. - If the media you wish to select contains explicit material (referenced drug use, sexual activity), any work made for it will be marked as NSFW regardless of if your work contains any NSFW elements or not. >> If you are an underage writer or artist, any media selected that contains NSFW elements will NOT be accepted.

Writer-specific Rules - If your selected media includes terminology that is not otherwise discernible from the text alone, please do your best to elaborate/explain in the story itself for people who may not be familiar with your selected media. Likewise, if there are any unique aspects to the media's world or its functioning, please do your best to elaborate/explain in the story itself. Do not assume the reader knows anything.         >> World Example: If Genshin Impact is the selected media, then explain its in-universe magic system, especially if applicable America and England within your story.         >> Terminology Example: If Star Wars is the selected media, then explain in-universe proper nouns like the Force, Jedi, and Sith, especially as it relates to America and England within your story. - OCs are allowed to be used as long as they are not the critical focus of / do not have a significant impact on the story.

Artist-specific Rules - Outfits, iconic poses, specific locations/scenes, are all allowed, however, please use discretion when considering any spoilers for the viewers. - Please use any direct visuals listed above at your discretion as this can be considered plagiarism.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us!

[usuknetwork]

Less than 10 days to sign up as a reminder!

[usukustwiceperyear]

Announcing:

USUKUS Twice Per Year 2023 Part 2: "Across the Universe"

Themes based upon the fusion of USUKUS and other media franchises. This can include other AUs, such as Star Wars, Good Omens, Skyrim, and other TV shows/films/videogames. (* Due to the recency of the "Based On A Book" event, unfortunately we are disallowing book-based franchises. Please contact an admin if you would like to base your work on a series that originated as a book but is now multimedia, i.e. has a TV show.)

SIGN-UP FORM

⮞ CLICK HERE ⮜

Form closes on October 2 at 11:59 PM PST.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

General Rules

General - Progress updates are required monthly for the next 3 months before works are due. We will contact you on the dates below and give you some pointers on recommended progress. This does NOT mean that we expect you to have your work completed at time of check-in. People work at different paces, after all!

Check-in #1: October 15, 2023 - 25% complete Check-in #2: November 15, 2023 - 50% complete Check-in #3: December 15, 2023 - 75% complete

FINAL DUE DATE: December 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM PST

Regarding Drop Outs - If you have to drop out of the event at any point, that’s totally okay! Life happens, or sometimes motivation wanes. Just let us know via Discord (@narcoleptic or @verusmayaii), email (usukustwiceperyear (at) gmail.com), Twitter DM (@usukusnetwork), or Tumblr Ask so we can adjust for you. - However, please note that if we notice you’ve dropped out of 2 consecutive events, we reserve the right to bar you from the following Twice Per Year event (next soonest half of the biannual year). You can reapply for the one after! (I.e.: If you dropped out of 2023-2 and 2024-1, you will be barred from 2024-2 and eligible again for 2025-1.)

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Event-specific Rules

About Crossovers/Fusions - Every submission must be based on an existing media such as a manga, anime, videogame, film, or TV show. - The work must include America and England as the focal characters and elements of the selected media. Characters from the medium itself are NOT ALLOWED to be included directly in your work.         >> Example: If Pokémon is the selected media, England and America can engage in a Pokémon battle and exist within the known Pokémon world. However, they cannot interact with the canon cast (Ash, Red, Team Rocket, etc.) - The selected media must be submitted to the admin team ahead of time so choices can be reviewed and approved. If you want to change your choice at any point in time during the creation period, please let us know as soon as possible so there is time to re-review. - The admins reserve the right to reject any media chosen by creators and categorize works as NSFW at our discretion. - If there are any questions regarding crossovers/fusions you may have, please don't hesitate to message the admin team via Discord (@narcoleptic or @verusmayaii), email (usukustwiceperyear (at) gmail.com), Twitter DM (@usukusnetwork), or Tumblr Ask. We're happy to help!

Crossover/Fusion Rules - All variations of USUKUS are allowed, including but not limited to 2P, Nyotalia, Nekotalia, etc. - Non-English language media is allowed, however, the submitted works must be in English.         >> We encourage you to select media that has an English option (dubbing, subtitled, iteration, etc.) so that people can appreciate your work as both a fanwork for USUKUS and the respective media. - Please try your best not to spoil any important plot, story, or character elements from the selected media. This is at your own discretion. - If the media you wish to select contains explicit material (referenced drug use, sexual activity), any work made for it will be marked as NSFW regardless of if your work contains any NSFW elements or not. >> If you are an underage writer or artist, any media selected that contains NSFW elements will NOT be accepted.

Writer-specific Rules - If your selected media includes terminology that is not otherwise discernible from the text alone, please do your best to elaborate/explain in the story itself for people who may not be familiar with your selected media. Likewise, if there are any unique aspects to the media's world or its functioning, please do your best to elaborate/explain in the story itself. Do not assume the reader knows anything.         >> World Example: If Genshin Impact is the selected media, then explain its in-universe magic system, especially if applicable America and England within your story.         >> Terminology Example: If Star Wars is the selected media, then explain in-universe proper nouns like the Force, Jedi, and Sith, especially as it relates to America and England within your story. - OCs are allowed to be used as long as they are not the critical focus of / do not have a significant impact on the story.

Artist-specific Rules - Outfits, iconic poses, specific locations/scenes, are all allowed, however, please use discretion when considering any spoilers for the viewers. - Please use any direct visuals listed above at your discretion as this can be considered plagiarism.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us!

[hwsforeignrelations]

Southern Nights and a Balled Up Shirt

AO3: Leave kudos and and comment! Starved for feedback :)

Words: 2k+

Summary: Queen Arthur Kirkland is joined by Army General Alfred Jones for the centenary Royal Southern Spadinan Tour.

Based on the song Southern Nights by Glenn Campbell for 2023 @usukustwiceperyear Zine: “I Love You Like A Love Song” hosted by the amazing and fantastic TheNarcolepticOne and VerusMayaii II!

Beta-ed by the magnificent @corvussei. Thank you so much friend!!!

Alfred Jones grasped the top of his hat to fan his face, blond eyelashes fluttering blissfully over flushed cheeks. Air sweeping across Southern Spades' dusty earth provided momentary cool. When it passed he pried open his eyes with great reluctance.

Replacing the wide-brimmed hat over sweaty hair Alfred peaked over his shoulder as a crumpled figure adorned with inadequate purple fabric swelled with breath.

"Have you ever felt a southern night like this, Your Majesty?"

"Gmungh." Alfred lazily dodged an unmotivated pinch.

No matter how many times Arthur Kirkland set foot in any of Spades’ southern regions, the monarch of an empire spanning several continents never could appropriately pack for the weather. Personal aids, Alfred himself, and Jack Yao’s cajoling to make the man see reason stood against the latest (urban) Spadian fashion.

They had no ghost of a chance in influencing Arthur’s packing.

Three hundred years of rule made anyone accustomed to prioritizing appearance- a ludicrous endeavor traversing lands like these, not running into another soul for days at a time.

"I know you’ve taken these tours before - the people need to see their leader every once and a while. Why pay taxes if you've never heard of the peeps representing you up at Parliament, amirite? Yao and I tried to tell you- YOUCH"

This time, Arthur’s pinch struck its victim with the invigorated purpose of its perpetrator.

“That’s what you get for being a smart-ass.” Arthur straightened and held his reins with more purpose, sniffing his way past America's horse. Eyes stared down his nose at the road. ”I refuse to be seen, the only Spadian royalty these people might ever meet in their eighty-odd years, gallivanting about wearing anything less than a proper shirt.”

He kicked out the leg closest to Alfred for inspection. Alfred smirked at the pristine pair of jeans Arthur submitted to at the castle, after Alfred took every opportunity they spoke to nail in the supreme importance of denim pants during their tour. “Look at these-these… these things,” the queen’s regal lip curled in distaste while Alfred’s eyes laughed behind his glasses. “You couldn’t understand, Alfred,” he intoned, concealing his amusement at Alfred’s scandalized expression.

Arthur continued, “As leader of my most excellent military, public appearance speaks well for Spades in your creased, town-to-earth glory. You need only slip into a uniform for ceremonies. Not present the best Spadian fashion in crisp, tailored form every waking moment.“

Alfred scoffed, stabbing a thumb towards his puffed chest, declaring, “My taste in fashion is the pinnacle of class and culture. With our Jack and Queen and every Royal Guard maintaining Spades’ image of fancy-schmancy puffs and ruffs, it all comes down on my shoulders to show the people that their government, too, drips hip and trendy with Timeless Togue.” (Famous Spadian magazine equivalent to Vogue).

This is why Arthur preferred summers in the capital. Unbearable heat was less unbearable with flash showers to cool the air and wet cobblestone, with morning fog to beat back the sun a few hours before it broke through. Arthur did not want to be here - would not be here but for Yao and Alfred’s insistence. The affection he felt now started budding years ago. He liked being near his Army General so much, it often frightened him.

Many Christannikas ago Arthur addressed a holiday card to his Army General’s office. Then existed a grudging hope in Arthur’s mind that the handsome and highest member of the Spadian Royal Guard should receive said card - unlikely given the honey blond’s habit of not staying in one place longer than duty demanded. A week later Alfred responded with his own motley card. From there, infrequent casual letters greeted their desks. The now-weathered papers signified their first non-diplomatic interactions.

Never terribly personal, but consistently cordial, their exchanges contained areas which held mutual interest: travel, gossip, which fashion trends were lively to survive the decade. Especially gossip. Which members of the military were boning which of Parliament, which international relationships exceeded diplomacy. Occasionally politics, and the general wellbeing of their respective personnel.

Alfred enjoyed his Queen’s company, his quips and snark and resilience in the face of struggle. He knew Spades stood stronger for their royalty (not always a constant in any monarch’s history) and respected Arthur, cared for his well-being.

Every hundred years, the Queen made tours through the southern regions, Spades’ most rural, sparsely-populated towns and farmland. Alfred spent many decades living in the South. Due to homesickness and knowledge of the terrain, combined with concern for his Queen and a desire to be with Arthur (a desire Alfred wasn’t completely conscious of), he offered early on to escort Arthur through this years’ Southern tour.

The Queen struggled to acclimate to the southern region’s dry, humid, dusty plains. His centenary “cultural tour” was a nightmare for someone accustomed to chill to moderate temperatures. Cowboy camping under the stars, baking under an unrelenting sun and swallowing mouthfuls of dust, and watching Alfred charm small-town Spadians with broad smiles, full pockets and good labor at every wooden welcome sign their horses trotted past was their life during the twelve weeks.

Arthur held town meetings, presented state of affairs with overconfidence, shook hands, handed out stickers designed with the Spadian Coat of Arms, answered basic questions, ate (and drank) well, slept in a proper bed, then left for the next town. It was a dull, sweltering business. On the off chance his neck was exposed, mosquitoes ate him alive.

Between towns the occasional tree, Alfred and the horses’ shadows, and the tall slabs of limestone speckling the landscape provided the only shade to be found. SPF 500 did nothing for Arthur’s cheeks and neck, baked a bright red with not even the beginning signs of a tan.

Alfred’s bronze complexion seems to laugh at him and the freckles which dotted his nose. “Freckles look healthy on you,” Alfred offered once, unprompted.

Within the first week, Arthur was ready to return to the Capitol City. Eleven weeks left.

Arthur would never admit to enjoying the sight of Alfred in his element, broad shoulders stretched out in the unconfined outdoors. If the brown and beige ground existed for anything, it was to provide a flattering background to Alfred’s portrait. An eagle riding the wind cast ethereal sun rays over his General, the light bouncing off his lenses so his expression seemed mature. Capable. His relaxed silhouette upon the horse looked free as a breeze.

It was hard to imagine Alfred indoors now that he’d seen him like this. The landscape, although dry and hot as all Oracle’s worst punishment, was beautiful. The clear skies and uncrowded sounds of nature were so different from the crowded stress of urban living and the rolling Spadian countryside he was familiar with. Plants adorned the land even in this heat. Their survival reminded him to straighten his back and keep his chin up. If these resilient plants wouldn’t be caught drooping in this damned heat, neither would he.

Arthur imagined his countryside estate, the twisting mountain range of paperwork bending the thick wood of his desk. Though he shouldn’t be capable of the sensation from deskwork alone, his back ached at the prospect of pouring over thousands of documents, of the weeks it would take to make up for this damned cultural tour.

“- An’ I had a hotshot blast right past my year just five years ago. Seafaring is hard work, Queen Arthur, I commend your take-over of the Royal Navy from my management. The people you selected to run really know what they’re doing, and it gives me a more comfortable bandwidth- Royal Army’s always gonna be my favorite, y’know. Anyways, after that hotshot tore through the beam over my head I swore I’d never step foot in another boat. Besides awful seasickness, I’d much rather kiss the earth goodbye than some crummy wooden deck.”

Arthur tuned into Alfred’s narrative. He raised an eyebrow, though Alfred couldn't have seen it behind him. “If I didn’t know you better, it sounds like you’re running from danger,” he said it was a slow shoulder roll to tell Alfred he was joking. “But I agree. It’s far better to have the Navy under more specified command, and as you know from my early days working as a captain under the previous Queen, I do so enjoy taking more of a role in Spades’ overseas trade.”

Alfred hummed, considering Arthur’s contribution. In casual conversation, Alfred’s expressiveness meant you could perceive him regardless of whether your eyes were on him. He could imagine Alfred tapping his stubble with a dusty, gloved finger, and he could hear the other hand drumming over his saddle. Arthur found the repetitive action more soothing than agitating. Which was… perhaps a strange thought. Arthur further imaged Alfred blue eyes peering at the back of his head behind their lenses, was somewhat disturbed by the detail in which he could recall the likeness. Lost in thought, an unnatural shifting of dust behind them alerted Arthur’s senses.

Gooseflesh rippled over Arthur’s back and he whipped his head around.

“BLAM!”

In a flash Alfred's firearm was pulled an inch from his nose into the belly of a blue wolf. Arthur's ears rang momentarily.

Silver blood met his tongue in the same moment he opened it in shock. So rarely could anything sneak up on him, much less magical beings. Their auras alerted Arthur miles away. Arthur perceived Alfred’s heightened breathing after the encounter and internally berated himself, so distracted by present company he’d endangered them.

Alfred was fussing over Arthur when he broke the silence. “By Oracle, man! Let’s get a wiggle on before we shoot more poor beasts.” He still couldn’t hear so well and fixed it with a thimble of magic. Much better.

Now thoroughly awake, Arthur took his Stallion round and broke into a trot, Alfred coming up alongside moments later. Both men breathed closely as they surveyed their surroundings, Alfred with his natural senses and Arthur with his magic, exhausted though he was. Whispering wind was equivalent to a scream in an otherwise silent landscape.

Alfred spoke, “Poor buddy musta lost his pack, looked awfully skinny.”

Arthur knew that, of course. Even predators as powerful as a blue wolf had to have been starving to attack two humans. On horseback, no less.

“There’s no town for miles, Your Majesty. I’ll start setting up camp.”

Even for the bureaucratically-resentful Alfred Jones, no one ordered monarchs to perform domestic tasks. As the Army General, a high agent of state, the man wouldn't dare ask Arthur to get off his ass and help.

But he wanted to.

A golden sun cast its remaining specks of heat over the horizon and a breeze picked at their skin - Alfred’s unsubtle eyes ran over their stash of firepacks (self-contained fires) before busying himself with the horses' care, their sleeping arrangement, and supper.

Arthur flicked his index and a spark of blue erupted in a circle of rocks, the fire spitting at the air. Arthur watched Alfred labor. When the sun fully set the Queen and Army General sat close, eating their sandwiches and soup in silence. After supper they laid on cots under a clear Southern sky, stars brighter than anything either man was used to in the light-polluted city.

Neither man said a word when Arthur abandoned his cot altogether and buried his nose against Alfred’s warm neck. A chill swept the land, and Alfred had heat to spare.

–

When morning broke their bags were already packed.

Arthur shrugged into his warm long-sleeved, navy blue shirt (the coolest he’d brought) and felt sweat pouring from his pits before he saddled his horse. They went an hour before Alfred stopped them.

Arthur dismounted without question, already exhausted from the heat, irritated by the warm dampness of his torso, and sleepy from getting up earlier than usual.

He didn’t realize what was happening until Alfred’s hand offered a baby blue, light-weight shirt. Arthur looked up into Alfred’s smiling, slightly anxious face. “No use overheating when I packed plenty of tops.”

Arthur didn’t bother to fight that sound statement. He felt beyond grateful as he took the shirts from Alfred’s hands, but the day he displayed weakness to Alfred-Golden-Chucking-Jones was the day his heart stopped.

“Thank you, Jones.” His fingers reached the button over his collarbone on the queen's damp shirt, and Alfred’s ears turned a funny shade of red. He looked away, pretending to watch a cloudless sky and chattering nonsense while Arthur changed.

“King Ivan and Francis’ dispute over Campbell River’s gone south- well not actually but, like, figuratively, y-know. Anyways, the last town we stopped at had a few telegraphs from General Maisie. She’s got a few squadrons keeping an eye on things and looking after Spadian press- not to mention Francis feels safer with someone other than his and Ivan’s men to back up stories if shit really goes down. It’s worse than when we left, not sure quite how bad but we’re gonna have our work cut out when we return to the capital. Fact, I might be flying right back out. Real glad I was able to join you out here through, Yer Majesty. I woulda been worried if anyone else were out here guarding during your tour,” Alfred flicked one eye down to Arthur, who was just buttoning the last shirt.

“Does it feel better?” he asked.

Arthur moved around a bit. The shoulders looked ridiculous and it was very roomy, but he felt a million times better than he had inside that stuffy dress shirt. The collar smelled like Alfred. He was warm for an entirely different reason now, but he ignored it.

“Much,” he paused before adding. “You might know more than I do, right now. Yao insisted I take this tour as a break from diplomacy beyond interacting with these people. He must realize this forced ignorance only causes me more pain. But… it is a possibility we might be taking a more physical presence as Diamond’s ally if this dispute broadens.”

Alfred nodded, still flustered. For a man who didn’t hesitate to take off his own shirt during sparring practices, he went awfully red at the sight of Artur’s bare neck.

They had, of course, engaged in physical relations once or twice. Perhaps, Arthur admitted, with occasions ranging in the 50s (56 times, he knew. But who was counting?). After working alongside one another for over 100 years, who doesn't want to release a bit of tension after a stressful meeting, then and again? Or after a particularly merry holiday ball, or an unplanned run-in in an otherwise empty meeting room?

The detail that neither of these men knew was that this boning had been monogamous. Neither Alfred nor Arthur had engaged with, nor desired, another sexual partner in all their years of intimacy.

As they continued their ride along the humid landscape, Arthur’s gratefulness for Alfred lending his shirt expanded with every breeze which broke through the loose collar and cooled his skin. By the afternoon, thanks to their early start, they reached the next town and conducted their usual business with its population.

The inn-keeper set down a heaping plate of sauteed vegetables and shredded chicken with a liberal portion of gravy, eaten over corn muffins fresh from the oven and slathered with butter before the Spadian officials. They watched behind the counter with a prideful expression as Alfred tore into it with his usual gusto and the Queen polished his own portion at a slower pace, humming appreciatively.

Arthur didn’t bother interrupting Alfred’s fork romance with conversation and took his chewing breaks to watch Alfred enjoy himself. To see someone as expressive as his General unabashedly taking pleasure in a simple, good meal made the Queen’s breast grow warmer than any spiced brandy could hope to. Once you worked past Alfred’s generally animalistic method of consumption (which didn’t include a whole lot of chewing) it was a gratifying sight to see another human take such delight.

The night’s inn, the Blue Wolf, was better than most Arthur had slept in. The hesitant knock on his door was expected and he opened it in the nude, hand on hip and swung Alfred shirt, held between his two hands, around the Army General’s neck.

“These Southern nights felt so good, Your Majesty,” Alfred breathed against Arthur’s forehead, “Wish I could…”

Arthur pulled him inside.

“Bit warm, luv.” Arthur teased gently, “And… you can.”

Alfred shut the door behind him.

[charlotte--kensington]

Rock 'n' Royal

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Words: 20,000

Summary: Arthur Kirkland had it all: a successful band, a loyal fanbase, and a celebrity-crush on the Prince of Spades that he would never act on - until a small spade-shaped mark appeared on his skin. Amongst the chaos of being dragged off to the royal palace, learning the behaviours and whatnot of a future Queen, and trying to find his place in this new world he's been thrown into, how will he deal with his mixed emotions for Prince Alfred?

Based on the song My Love by Florence + The Machine for the first of two @usukustwiceperyear events, "I Love You Like A Love Song"

Not beta'd, but occasionally test-read by the lovely VerusMaya 🩷

Below you can find an excerpt - I hope you forgive me for not leaving the full 20K here.

---

Arthur picked at his dinner with an expression so utterly dour and miserable, one might have thought his entrée had consisted of attending a funeral.

The salmon was cooked to the point of perfection, with crunchy skin and flesh soft enough to tear apart with a fork - which was, coincidentally, what Arthur was doing at that moment. What was left over was no more than a pile of some shredded substance that only vaguely resembled fish. The salad the poor creature had been served alongside lay discarded at the edge of the plate.

A soft ahem from the other end of the table interrupted his maltreatment of the salmon and made him look up from the gold-rimmed plate before him. 

Beyond miles upon miles of starched tablecloth, two candelabras and the myriad of cutlery surrounding his plate, Alfred Jones sat in silence. He was visibly uncomfortable with their situation, not that either of them would have been able to describe this mess they found themselves in.

The prince cleared his throat a second time. Arthur met his eyes, gaze caught halfway between a glare and something just as uneasy as the expression he was faced with. 

“So, Arthur…” The way he spoke his name sounded as though he was still learning to pronounce it, clumsy in the way it rolled off his tongue. “How do you feel?”

Arthur averted his eyes, picking up some of the remnants of his meal with the innermost of the forks surrounding his plate. His brows furrowed as he took a bite simply to make that uncomfortable silence last, to make the prince stew in it just a little longer.

“Oh, I don’t know, Your Highness,” he mused, not bothering to hide his hostility even as he gave Alfred a smile as sickeningly sweet as the wine. “How would you feel if you were in my situation?"

If he could have, Alfred would have run away; that much was obvious. Good. Maybe he’d run away so far the kingdom forgot all about this marriage mess. Arthur would be able to go back to how things had been before.

“I… I think I’d feel anxious.” 

“Pardon?”

The Prince of Spades bit his lip, suddenly overtaken by an incredible interest in one of the candles between them. A moment passed as Alfred watched a single droplet of wax crawl down along the candlestick. 

Arthur raised a brow. “Pardon the impudence, Your Highness, but could you perhaps repeat that?” he asked a second time.

For a split second their gazes met, and Arthur could see a familiar softness in the way Alfred looked at him, a kindness that had drawn him in from the very first time he’d ever seen the crown prince of the Spadian monarchy. How stupid he’d been.

Alfred Jones was as much of a spoilt brat as any kid at a private school, any 20-something intern in daddy’s law firm, any politician. 

“I said that I’d- I’d probably feel anxious, if I was in your shoes,” Alfred repeated. “I-I mean, I’m anxious right now, so I can’t even imagine what you must be feeling like.”

He gave Arthur a smile, nowhere near as bright as the one he, like anybody else in the kingdom, knew so well. It looked dim, pitiful. Like Alfred was trying too hard.

Arthur snorted. “Of course not,” he replied bitterly. “Of course you can’t. You haven’t watched your dreams die through a car window, have you? You’ve never had to take care of yourself or reach your goals on your own, you’ve never even set a foot outside this damn castle of yours!”

With a sharp glare across the table he said: “You have no idea what I feel like, just like you have no idea what your kingdom is like.”

The prince stared at him with an expression as empty as the yawning abyss inside of Arthur. Alfred had paled more with each word that passed Arthur’s lips, as though the venom in them had entered his bloodstream. His face was the colour of the tablecloth, his fingers clawed into the fabric of his napkin. 

So why was it that Arthur didn’t feel content?

“I… I see,” Alfred said. He set down his fork and knife, seeking out Arthur’s eyes again. Arthur avoided his gaze, burning a hole into the opposing wall with his stare alone. At last Alfred spoke up again: “Tell me, then. Please.”

“Tell you what?” Arthur asked flippantly, putting down his cutlery as well. He hadn’t been hungry to begin with, but this conversation was rapidly draining whatever appetite he might have felt. Inside of him there was nothing left but the scorching anger that seemed to sear his veins from within.

He was burning, furious like he’d never been, if only underneath the cold, still as stone surface. So why did Arthur look up again? Why did he meet those bright eyes again?

Why did he hope to find Alfred looking back at him?

Alfred did, if only for a moment. “Tell me about what it’s like,” he said, pleaded. “I want to know more about you, what it was like for you.”

Again there was this terrible honesty  in his gaze, the look of a man who had never told a lie, never been dishonest. But Arthur wanted him to be. He wanted Alfred to be dishonest, wanted him to be mad, as angry as Arthur was. He wanted him to lie and to scream, anything so Arthur could be mad at him for a little while longer.

Anything so he could push those persistent feelings back down into the deepest, darkest depths of his heart, as though they hadn’t existed in the first place.

[resting-rosy-rabbit]

my submission for @usukustwiceperyear :) the song is Beautiful World by Westlife

I'm not even entirely sure myself how to describe in words why I think of them when I hear this song, it just is. Even though it isn't the "point" of the song I'd like to think "yeah (going through all of that shit, and still being able to forgive the other, enjoying life along the way) that's just how they are"

also around the time I made this I figured out clip studio paint has a timelapse feature

[nalidyne]

Here’s my piece for @usukustwiceperyear “Love You Like a Love Song” theme!!

> Link to the full collection The song I chose is Telepath by Conan Gray ~ It’s the first time I join one of these events and draw these two together in a very long time, I hope I did well—

(cropped version for deets under the cut)

[usukustwiceperyear]

RELEASE:

USUKUS Twice Per Year 2023-1: "I Love You Like A Love Song"

With profuse apologies for the extended delay, we now present to you the release of the first half event! Featuring 9 fanfics and 12 fanarts by 19 dedicated creators, this collection clocks in at a whopping 202 pages. Please enjoy the incredible fruits of everyone's labor, and make sure to listen to the real Spotify playlist set up with the songs that inspired it all!

EDIT: Due to an error, a v2 has been released! The link above is updated to the most recent version. Apologies!

[usukustwiceperyear]

2023 Theme Winners & Event-Specific Rules

Poll results are in, and you guys have chosen "I Love You Like A Love Song" and "Crossing Over" for 2023's events! As a reminder, here are the definitions of these two themes.

"I Love You Like A Love Song": Themes based upon songs, lyrics, or melodies. "Crossing Over": Themes based upon the crossover or fusion of Hetalia and other media franchises. This can include other AUs, such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, and other TV shows/films/videogames. Each half will have its own rules and requirements, to keep things in-theme and on-topic. See below for the first half's rules. ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Event-specific Rules

Part 1: I Love You Like A Love Song General - Progress updates are required monthly for the next 3 months before works are due. More details on this will be announced in the sign-up form. About Songs - Every submission must be based off an existing song. Any music genre is allowed, not necessarily just love songs. - All songs must be submitted to the admin team ahead of time so they can be reviewed and approved. If you want to change your song choice at any point during the creation period, let us know ahead of time so we have time to review it. - All songs should be available on both Spotify and YouTube. This is because we intend to make a playlist for this event on these services, and to have everything available would be awesome to make a full playlist possible. - The admins reserve the right to reject any songs chosen by creators, and categorize submissions as NSFW at our discretion. - If there are questions regarding songs you might want to consider, please let the admins know via Discord, e-mail, Twitter DM or Ask on Tumblr. We'll help you! Song Restrictions - Lyric-less/instrumental songs are allowed. - Non-English-language songs are allowed, but please supply the admins a translation if available. - Songs taken from non-traditional or exclusive sources such as movies and video games are allowed. - Songs that contain profanity are allowed. However, any songs that contain racial profanity are NOT allowed. Please use your discretion when picking a song. - Any songs that discuss the use of illicit drugs or sexual activity, either directly or through euphemism, will be marked as NSFW. This applies regardless if the content made for it is SFW. - If you are an underage writer or artist (under the age of 18), any songs that contain NSFW elements will be NOT accepted. - If the song you want to use contains explicit material (referenced drug use or sexual activity) in its music video, any content made for it will be marked as NSFW. - If the song you want to use is part of a series of songs, such as a musical or album, you must only use material that is covered in the selected song. Writer-specific Rules - It is alright to use music lyrics within the fiction itself, but try your best not to just copy/paste whole stanzas as this can be considered plagiarism. - You are allowed to base your story upon your song's music video, but we do strongly recommend that you make your own independent story instead of copying the MV's story entirely. Artist-specific Rules - Outfits and poses/scenes that are used within your song's music video are allowed. However, use any visuals at your discretion as this can be considered plagiarism. - The above also applies to both SFW and NSFW videos.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us! We will post again when the sign-up form is ready.