Shadowheart: I’ve never been able to write my own future. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Faolàn: It doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect. Just dream about what you’d like.

Year of the OTP challenge 2023

So I post a lot of my fanfics on here to share with everyone because well I write them when I'm inspired. That being said last year my dear friend @mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea convinced me to sign up for the @yearoftheotpevent challenge which was unlike any I'd ever taken the opportunity to participate in before where each month you were given prompts to use as guidelines and tell stories with them. I decided at the beginning to go with something that told a WinterIron story from a beginning and over the months evolved through a year's time (or I should say two timelines as the story truly begins decades earlier and is mixed with the 'present'). Throughout the year the story took a lot of twists and turns becoming it's own epic thing in it's 12 different monthly story installments telling a larger picture for these two along the way. It's a lot of story because well it took a whole year to produce and develop, but it's one that I'm particularly proud of because it was a HUGE accomplishment for me that I can proudly say I finished. With that in mind if anyone likes WinterIron and is looking for something with some length behind it to give them a read through the colder time of year, then I welcome everyone to take a look at this year long project under the cut as I had a lot of fun with it!

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this one and encourage me along the way in writing. It was truly a once in a lifetime adventure challenge and so much fun! I learned a lot about myself as an author through it and I would encourage anyone up for a challenge to give it a try in the future as well!

Year of the OTP challenge 2023

For the year of the OTP challenge there will be a story each month tied together by the one shot chapters. They will be listed below:

January: First Meeting(Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating T)  Bucky Barnes is living a life of solitude on the run and hiding from Hydra in the hopes that he can find his way back to himself and his freedom again. On his path to freedom, Bucky encounters a younger Tony Stark hiding out from danger and hoping Bucky will play along in helping him escape the threat he's facing. When the two share an unexpected first meeting sparks fly and it opens the door to something more for each of them moving forward.

February: Surrender (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating M) In the present day Tony wakes up handcuffed to a bed beside the last person he imagined finding in captivity. Together they are forced to face some unfamiliar feelings with one another while in the past Tony spends Valentine's Day morning with someone he realizes he can't live without. Both experiences open the door to something bigger than Tony had imagined possible.

March: Happy Birthday Baby (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) Tony's unable to shake the aftermath of his time spent in captivity with Bucky. When Tony's feelings for Bucky prove to be more than he was prepared to face, Tony looks deeper into the past to discover a shocking reminder of a life beyond his reach. In Tony's search for the truth, he uncovers a secret that could change life for everyone around him.Meanwhile in the past Tony takes Bucky to meet his parents during a weekend retreat, but will their journey together prove to be nothing more than a disaster waiting to happen as a face from the past threatens their future together?

April: Turning Point (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E)  In the present Tony reaches out to an old alliance to cope with the new truths he's uncovered about those he trusted. While revisiting those missing pieces of his past, he finds himself facing a darker truth about those people in his life he'd come to believe held his best interest at heart.

May: The Break (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) In the aftermath of what happened the night of Tony's big presentation, Tony makes a hard choice about the future where his relationship with Bucky is concerned. Pushed into a corner, Tony makes a difficult decision that takes him back down a dark road while Bucky deals with the aftermath. Longing to be together, Bucky and Tony work to find a way to return to what matters most to them in their relationship.

June:  Right Here Waiting (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating M)  It's June and Steve's still struggling with coping over discovering the truth about Bucky and Tony's relationship. When Pepper plans a post-birthday celebration party for Tony's birthday to bring everyone closer together, the scene erupts when tension reaches a boiling point. In the aftermath Tony takes matters into his own hands and has a few surprises in store for those around him.  After a tense night at the tower, Tony takes Bucky back to where it all began for them decades earlier. As they explore the past they left behind them, Tony decides to take Bucky to his very first Pride where the two share a day filled with romantic surprise

July: Betrayals (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) Steve learns a horrific truth from the past that threatens to destroy the future. With the Fourth of July around the corner Bucky and Tony make plans for the future before their conversation leads them to the past where things become increasingly complicated.

August:  If I Could Turn Back Time (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) In the past Bucky's dark history comes back to haunt him in the worst possible way. Meanwhile in the future Tony and Bucky are headed towards happily ever after when tragedy strikes under suspicious circumstances and Loki decides its time to intervene on his friends' behalf to make things right for them once and for all in ways that could change everything forever.

September:  A Whole New World (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Loki/Rhodey Rating E)  Loki and Rhodey discover what other changes have been made to the new world that their journey into the past has created. Although it appears the world has become a better place in some ways, there are changes that leave them struggling to sort it all out. The quiet morning after Rhodey and Loki's return Tony and Bucky share some family time and discuss their friend's strange behavior upon returning from their honeymoon.

October: Making It Work  (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) Now that the threat to the future is out in the open, Bucky is struggling to make things work with the addition of the latest team member's arrival. After the TVA put one of their own into the scene, it feels as all the rules have changed with Bucky trying to figure out what comes next for him and the team. Sensing his husband's discomfort Tony decides to take Bucky away where their time alone refuels and energizes them as they work towards deciphering the mystery that Peggy's journal and Howard's mysterious ending have left wide open for them.

November: The Center of the Universe (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating M) Tony Stark has always had a complicated relationship with his father Howard. Even with all the changes that have taken place after Loki and Rhodey traveled through time and changed the future for the better with Tony's family like with Bucky, Tony is still haunted by the mysteries that Howard has left behind for him to unravel. Struggling to make sense of what's been happening around him, Tony finds himself plagued by dreams and memories involving Howard that could prove to play a big impact on his future.

December:  The Beginning of the End (Pairing: Bucky/Tony, Rating E) In 1989 Tony Stark is convinced that he's found his soulmate in the man who rescued him at a low point in his life. From their first meeting sparks flew, but there's a part of Tony that's seeking out even more from his new roommate. Will Tony be able to convince Bucky to take things to the next level between them.After a year of ups and downs Bucky and Tony's story comes full circle as we travel back to the beginning to see where it all started before finding our way to the present where things reach the dramatic conclusion. Will Bucky, Tony and their friends find their way to happily ever after or crash and burn when the enemy's plans come full circle?

Shipper tag game

Tagged by @sunriseverse thank you!💜

What ship were you completely obsessed with when you were a teenager, but now you don’t care about anymore?

I didn't know the concept of shipping was a thing until I was 29 and stumbled onto fandom on tumblr, (didn't know about fandom either until then), so I'm trying to think of any couples I would have considered cute in anything I watched/read growing up... and I really dont know?? Joshua Jackson was a fave actor from back then and I can't even remember if I had an opinion on the Dawson/Joey vs Pacey/Joey debate on Dawson's Creek. I was always more interested in the story than the ships! (Can you tell I'm on the aroace side of life? Lol)

Which ship would you consider your first one?

Captain America is what lead me to finding fandom in the first place so Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes is the first that comes to mind. But before that I was very into Dr Who, so I'd probably consider The Doctor/Rose Tyler the first fictional couple I had any emotional investment in.

Your first fanfic was about which couple?

My first shippy fanfic (written before I knew what "fanfic" was) was James Bond/William Brandt Skyfall/Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol crossover.

You know the scene in Skyfall when Silva has Bond tied to a chair and starts toying with his chest and teases him about this not being in his training and Bond replies "What makes you think this is my first time?"? And then in Ghost Protocol when Jeremy Renner's character pulls himself out of the vent at the last second and gripes "Next time I get to seduce the rich guy."? I joked to my best friend that "Now we know what James Bond's first time was." And that's how that idea was born.

I started writing it as a joke for my friend but never finished it, and if I find the notebook it was written into I might just revisit it because I still quite like the idea!

Do you remember the first couple you saw fanart of?

Not for certain, but possibly either Dean/Cas or Rose/Ten.

Have you ever gotten into ship discourse?

Like ship wars or 'problematic' kind of discourse? If I did it would have been in my Captain America days (Stucky vs Stony and Peggy vs Sharon being heated topics of memory), and even then I don't remember specific incidents - as a newbie to fandom I tended to lurk and watch instead of engaging. Now I'm very much Ship And Let Ship (and only bitch in private to your mates, not in public!)

Did you use to have any NOTP or have one currently?

There have been plenty of ships I've come across that weren't my thing, Stony for example, but I'm not going to invest enough energy into recalling any others. I'm not here to spread hate on something other people like.

Who were the couple in the last fanfic you read?

On tumblr? Li Lianhua/Di Feisheng (Mysterious Lotus Casebook)

On Ao3? Ming Lou/Ming Cheng (The Disguiser)

Currently, do you have any OTPs?

So many. Zhang Rishan/Ba Ye, Hei Xiazi/Xiao Hua, Steve/Bucky, Steve/Peggy, Data/Geordi, Stiles/Derek, Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang, Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan, and likely more that havent come to mind yet

Is there any couple that, to this day, you are extremely mad about not getting together?

Haha no. I think I've always just accepted canon couples as "the thing that happened in the story", and now when I have my own ship preferences, then I accept that it's *my* headcanon and not necessarily anyone else's (especially not the writer's headcanon).

When Captain America Civil War came out I realised I'd gotten WAY over invested in what was or wasn't included in the movie (although I knew realistically they weren't going to make Stucky canon ) that I took a big step back afterwards and very much made a mental separation between "this is the story those writers want to tell" and "this is the story I like to imagine".

Is there any ship you used to dislike but now you think they are kind of interesting?

Dean/Cas maybe? It wasn't so much that I disliked them but that I didn't read them as a romantic relationship for most of the time I've known the ship existed (I'd always read Cas as ace). It's only been since the show ended that I think my idea of what makes a ship had widened to more than just "stereotypically romantic" which recalibrated how I saw them.

Do you have any ship that, in the past, would’ve been considered normal but now you would be cancelled over?

Incestuous (Thor/Loki, et al,)? Teacher/Student(I blame ABBA)? Torturer/Torture subject (Hydra Trash Party)?

What is your favorite crack ship?

I will certainly have come across crack ships that appealed to me, but honestly if the writer/artist sells it well enough then I stop thinking of them as crack ships and instead think of them as rare pairs.

What is the couple you read the most fanfics about?

Currently? HeiHua. Overall? Stucky.

What do most of your ships usually have in common?

Someone to be vulnerable around, someone who understands you better than anyone else, "you're not alone anymore"

What do you absolutely hate in a ship?

If I don't like a ship it's probably more to do with a singular character I don't like than the couple itself.

Tagging @gaiahenshin @fangdoubing @epicwalrus @tazzy-ace and anyone else who wants to!

Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan (pls) (for the ask thing i mean asdfghjkl;)

lmao ty - lemme do this a sec

1: sexuality headcanon

The boy is bi. Don't ask me how I feel it with such certainty, but I feel it. Also not sexuality, but potentially enby and I feel that in my soul.

2: otp

If I were to put him romantically with someone, I guess Kyle? Those two have a bond that is too adorable however you cut it. I've always had a soft spot for close male friendships in stories goofy or serious, it seems (Egg moment? Egg moment...you don't exactly get that in life when you look like a girl lmao)

3: brotp

Besides Kyle, I'm hoping we'll see more of him and Tolkien hanging out fr. Honestly, I think it would be too niche for an episode but like imagine those two getting Kyle into Warhammer. It would be funny.

4: notp

Sorry, but Wendy can do better. Like maybe they could be friends, and I'm never gonna object to art of the two of them but she really shouldn't stay with him lmao. She's 10 but like...surely even she knows the truth here lmao

5: first headcanon that pops into my head

You know what? He's going to be the second character ever that I claim eats peanut butter with a spoon directly from the jar. That headcanon is so specific and pointless that it's funny. The other one with that honor is one I used to RP from another show back when that was airing (and if you ask certain family members is literally me - someone I know might be reading knows who, but I'll leave the rest of you to guess). In Stan's case, I like to think that Shelley is very vocal about how much it pisses her off and wonders why he can't just make a sandwich lmao.

My other bitter headcanon is the feeling that Matt and Trey are going to keep his family on Tegridy for as long as possible because it's funny to them (both in terms of writing and fan reaction), but honestly kinda breaks my heart that he lives so far from the other three little guys right now.

6: favorite line from this character

Another time where I legitimately cannot think of a single line (but instead many), so I'm just going to embed this because honestly everyone kind of slayed in this scene and I guess technically it's an answer:

7: one way in which I relate to this character

I was about to say I'd probably have an easier time listing ways I could relate him to other people in my life - there's a couple of people I could think a lot more than myself for - but then realized there are multiple non-bad-but-just-embarrassing things I would decline to state here lmao. The joys of having a character be one of the "normal" ones, I suppose.

That being said, we're both depressed af and 10 years old was a time and a half for me mentally; so I guess that. Finishing YGO/Assburgers both made me like him as a character more and had me staring into silence for like five minutes contemplating my life on an existential level for many reasons lmao

Also growing up, I was known for liking animals and didn't want any to suffer without cause. In my case, I got super obsessed with the RSPCA and I would get called brave by girls at school at the tender age of 8 for touching worms to rescue them from drowning in pavement puddles. idk why this was considered brave, as I was in no way scared to touch worms. Lately it's been making me think that I'd like to get a pet snail again, or at least go outside a bit more again since I've always regretted feeling like I couldn't after I lost a lot of hope in my life.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character

I often say he sometimes needs a hug, but sometimes needs someone to absolutely slap him because he can pull some serious dick moves that make me die a little inside. I feel like if someone were to compare me to him, some of the times where I think he deserved someone slapping him would be the reason somehow and I would be offended but understand lmao

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

He's a little problematic, like all of us lmao

Can you imagine any of your OTPs being in a poly or open relationship? I'd love to here your thoughts on which and why yes or not.

I’ve been sitting on this ask for a while, just, like, putting off actually answering it.

So, first off I’m a BIG fan of triads/threesomes in general.  Less so just wide open relationships, though I’m not, like AGAINST it.  Just less personally interested in it.  (I’ve seen SO MUCH poly drama in my RL that though people I love and care about are dedicated to that life, I kinda want to scream and run the opposite direction.)

But let’s get specific: Wangxian...nope.  They are both FAR too possessive to ever make that work.  Like I try to imagine it working on even a really limited, one-time kinda basis and just...nope, Lan Wangji would lose his shit.

My other MDZS OTP is 3zun, which basically already qualifies.  I could even imagine it being more open than just the three of them in the right situation.  They are already so complicated and messy with the various emotional connections between them you might as well add more.

Wenzhou, my current obsession, mmm, Wen Kexing is canonically jealous as fuck and vaguely murderous towards anyone ZZS even talks nicely to, so...probably not.  Though after a certain period of established relationship, POSSIBLY I could see them involving someone else in, like, a kinky way.  Probably not someone emotionally important, but a temporary partner perhaps.

Victuuri...that’s an interesting question.  I think they may somehow be the most emotionally mature of all my OTPs, SOMEHOW, and so...perhaps.  I could see it but probably not having equal emotional connection to each other.  More like maybe sleeping with a friend sort of thing, I could definitely see them going in that direction.  But actually DATING anyone else I can’t see.

Other OTPS:

Narumitsu aka Phoenix Wright/Miles Edgeworth (the forever OTP) - It really depends on what you headcanon as the progress of their relationship because they have what could be either a five year gap where they very well may have dated other people OR they could have been long distance during that time and I could see being open as well.  I know the people who have Wright with Kristophe Gavin in some capacity during this time would probably agree.  So...given the right circumstances, maybe.

Jupeter aka Juno Steel/Peter Nureyev (The Penumbra Podcast) - Totally.  Like, again, they have so much on again/off again to them and they’re both, like, such canonically big sluts, that 100% I could see that.  Though if they haven’t quite worked out everything between themselves then Peter’s insecurity issues might become a problem.

Oh, I thought of one that, while totally an OTP, I’ve never written but WOULD qualify.  Adoribull or The Iron Bull/Dorian.  I totally think they would be open/poly.  I mean Bull is basically canonically poly (and pan) in the game and though they are ASSUMED to make a commitment to each other in the same way both their characters do in their romances, they are separated a good amount of the time and I think they’d be flexible.  

My problem in general here is that in real life I believe in healthy communication and not being possessive and jealous of your partner/the importance of trust...in fiction I find jealousy really hot.  So a lot of my OTPs tend to be jealous and possessive types. 

AO3 meme

Tagged by the lovely @lavellenchanted a loooooong time ago! Being tagged in something else made me remember this!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 81

2. What is your total AO3 word count? 481,758

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they? On AO3 - Downton Abbey, The London Life RPG, Star Wars, The Hour, Mansfield Park, Indian Summers, Timeless, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Sanditon (ITV)

This is not including all my HP fic that is still languishing on FFNet...

I'm also very confused because I definitely wrote a Doctor Who one-shot and it seems to have disappeared into thin air. :/

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. So Well Hidden: unfinished Sidney/Charlotte "only one bed" fic

2. The Premiere: post-TROS social media Reylo fic

3. Growing Beyond: unfinished Reylo teachers AU

4. University Challenge: unfinished Downton Abbey university AU

5. Still Possible: Freddie/Bel one-shot (actually amazed this is so high)

5. Do you respond to comments, why or why not? Generally not. I should but also it takes ages and if I'm engaged in fandom then I'd honestly rather be writing the next chapter. If someone has written a particularly interesting comment or asked a question I try to remember to reply but tbh I often forget. I don't think there should be any expectation that authors reply to comments; the comments are the payment for the writing, you know? I feel pressurised by the idea I'm meant to reply to all comments... so rather than doing it half-heartedly I tend to just... not.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? Snow Falls. I had Matthew die of old age in it, wtf. I never write that sort of a tear jerker.

7. Do you write crossovers? I wrote a very short Downton Abbey/The Hour crossover but I think that's it. I like the idea of them though. I had an epic Doctor Who/Harry Potter crossover live in my head for years when I was in my late teens/early 20s. That would have been amazing.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic? On the fic? I mean, I've had the odd bad or patronising review but nothing that sticks in my mind. I've received anon hate on tumblr for things I've said about writing and my stories though. It was pretty distressing.

9. Do you write smut? If you do, what kind of smut do you write? The only smut I have ever written was co-written with @orangeshipper and I have honestly no idea where that came from or went. It's not something I feel comfortable doing. I sometimes wonder what would happen if I just got a totally new AO3 account and tried writing and posting the most unbelivably filthy, kinky stuff without anyone associating it with me. Sometimes I want to...

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Yeah, several times in Downton Abbey where someone passed off all my fics as their own on another website. And I'm pretty sure the same thing happened with some of my HP ones years ago. I can't really remember now.

11. Have you ever co-written a fic before? See above. Claire and I wrote so much Matthew/Mary things, it was a beautiful time. We wrote so much more than was ever published. I miss nun!AU in particular and detective!Matthew. They were good. And I've co-written stories for London Life as well. 10000s of words of Geoff/Viola fic, my all time RPG OTP, but rather meaningless to everyone else!

12. What’s your all time favorite ship? Of all time? Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. They sum up everything I could ever want in a fictional ship and a real life relationship. To. Be. Honest.

13. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Harry Potter. I was bored on holiday once and very annoying so my mum told me to imagine what would happen next in the HP universe and make up my own story. I don't think I knew what fanfiction was at that point but when we got back from holiday and I somehow stumbled on it online and realised I was already making up these stories. Took a long time for me to start writing mine down though.

14. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written? Consolation Prize, for ever and ever, Amen. Sometimes I worry that I'm actually a one-hit-wonder and that I'll never write anything so good or so personal or so rich or so, uh, completed again. It is my most beloved child.

Tagging: @oldshrewsburyian @qqueenofhades @buildarocketboys @contagiousgrace @dollsome-does-tumblr

Ryooooo! I'm late as always but I still want to hear your thoughts on Mana for that character thing. (I'd ask you to do Kanda for obvious reason but that's too predictable ahah)

This one will be hard since there’s a lot of scattered information about him, but I’ll do my best! Just beware anyone who might be reading that’s not caught up with the manga, there’ll be spoilers.

(Thanks for giving me him btw, Bunny! Mana is such an interesting character <3)

My otp for them: I don’t have one! I see him as everyone’s responsible single dad, sorta haha Mana does deserve love in my opinion, but it’s so hard to piece things together to think of romance when all we know about him is mostly about his life with Nea and Allen, who are family. My brotp for them: Nea! We haven’t seen much of the two of them together, but seeing how driven by fulfilling his promise with him, we can tell Mana meant the world to him, and such a feeling isn’t usually one-sided. The way they hugged each other so tightly, and the look Nea had on his face during their reunion was very, very bittersweet. All I could see were two people who loved each other, torn apart by tragedy, meeting again. It was very emotional and one of my favorite scenes of the manga. Any other ships: None, see why on the first question above! Their best friend: Nea, and later on, Allen, the dog. We don’t know how close past Allen was to him, but he was possibly his friend too, given how Apocryphos said that it seemed they were always fated to meet when realizing Red had met Mana again in the Garvey Circus. My favorite nickname for them: "Father”, by Allen 😢 Not meaning to do any daddy jokes, I just really love that Allen once called him like that. My favorite AU headcanon of them: That the promise Nea made to him is that he would one day come back to him, and then the two of them would be able to finally rest. I would love to see them finally finding peace, together; as it should have been. My favorite outfit they wear: We see Mana in his clown attire a lot, but the one I like the most is the one he’s always wearing when not using his clown outfit, with the black cape and top hat. Defining color: When I think of him, I think of colors like yellow and pink, in calming tones; namely, Banana (# FCF4A3) and Lemonade (# FDB9C8 ). Must be because of the characteristic coat the Earl always has on. Would I date them: I don’t think I would, I feel like I know so little about him haha But seeing how softspoken and gentle he is, I bet he would make an amazing and loving husband! He would need someone that could help him sort out his issues, though. First impression: According to Allen’s memories of him, we can’t be sure of who Mana really is. He always remembers so fondly of him, but there’s something that feels... off. Current impression: Remember that impression that something was off? It was right 😂 But seeing him more thoroughly during Allen’s recall of his past in the Garvey Circus has been a blessing. For someone destined to become the Millennium Earl, he’s the sweetest guy you could ever imagine. You can tell he’s someone who has suffered a lot but still has a way with words, to encourage and cheer others up. What he said in the latest chapter definitely entered my list of favorite DGM quotes. "No matter what happens, I'll always love this beautiful world. Even if I would never receive a thing in return... Once you learn to love something, your path will open up before you."  Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff! His carefree and loving personality, while still being very well aware of life’s hardships screams of this House to me. The type of person who will cheer you up, even if they’re having it rough. Which Pokemon starter they’d be: Bulbasaur! Mana loves flowers, and his prettiest clown trick also uses them, so there’s none more fitting than this grass type for him imo, since Ivysaur has a blooming flower, Venusaur has the full bloom flower, and then mega Venusaur gets even more flowers!

🫂

"How are you?" "Whole - At last."

Bonus:

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❤️

"I thought my faith was the most important thing in my life - I couldn't have been more wrong."

😏

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