ic·tus

I've never done one of these before, but I guess there's a first for everything! In 2021 I wrote over 70,000 words across 15 works, split over two accounts. This is ~20k more than last year, and I attribute that to completing two of the three legs for triplecrownofexchanges. I signed up to three exchanges (Chocolate Box, Kink Lucky Dip, and Yuletide), and produced works in ten different exchanges.

My best received fic in terms of hits and kudos was a short PWP I wrote in an afternoon—isn't that always the way?

unquantifiable, DCEU, Bruce Wayne/Clark Kent (659 words)
Clark sees a different side of Bruce.

Of everything I wrote in 2021, there are a few fics that I'm especially proud of:

the recruit, DCU (Event Leviathan), Jason Todd/Vic Sage (3,707 words)
When Jason is framed for a crime he didn't commit, the one man who believes him is not the man he expected.
Notes: I'm especially proud of my character work in this fic. While it didn't turn out as shippy as I'd hoped, I think that outcome mostly aligns with the fact that these men are incredibly guarded, and I thought that in some ways, a more overt romance would come at the expense of their characterisation.

shadow play, Inception, Ariadne/Mal Cobb (2,220 words)
Even after all these years, Mal still follows Ariadne like a shadow.
Notes: My only F/F fic this year, which seems crazy in retrospect. I'm really pleased with how the dialogue turned out, and I think the "twist" worked well and felt reminiscent of canon.

crossfire, DCU Comics/Batman Movies—Nolan, Jason Todd/Bruce Wayne (16,320 words)
“You’re just full of tricks, aren’t you?” the Red Hood asks, dodging Bruce's attack. “Having the playbook helps, though.”
Notes: This fic was a huge undertaking for me; it was my first ever crossover, it draws on a pretty big comic book arc, the plot was more involved than anything I'd ever written, and it's my longest fic to date. Definitely a challenge but I'm proud of the result!

now and then, Burnt, Tony Balerdi/Adam Jones (11,554 words)
Tony reflects on six dishes, now and then.
Notes: Another huge undertaking for me! Partly due to the length, but also because I wrote this for Heart Attack, and while I took four weeks rather than the prescribed two, it was a push to get this done. The narrative structure was certainly challenging, with each chapter based on a dish and a non-linear narrative woven throughout. But this was probably one of the most satisfying fics I wrote this year, and I massively enjoyed the research side of things.

Here's to a productive 2022! 🥂

Dear Chocolatier,


I can't believe it's that time again already. Chocolate Box has become one of the staples in my exchange calendar and I'm really excited for it. I'm ictus on AO3—thank you for considering writing for me! All of my requests are for fic.

( Letter for Chocolate Box: Gattaca (1997), Kill Your Darlings (2013), Harry Potter )

Dear potential writer,


I'm ictus on AO3, and I'm so unbelievably excited for this promptfest. Thank you for considering writing for me! All of my requests are for fic.

( LBD Madness prompts: Jason Todd and Kate Kane )

Dear Yuletide Writer,


Thank you for considering writing for me! I'm ictus on AO3. This is my first time signing up for Yuletide, and I'm looking forward to receiving fic for some of my rarer canons!

( Letter for Yuletide: À l'aube - Feu! Chatterton (Music Video); Batwoman (comics); Batman: White Knight (comics), Domani è un altro giorno | Tomorrow's a New Day (2019); God's Own Country (2017); Respire | Breathe (2014) )

Dear FAD writer,


Firstly, thank you for considering writing for me! I'm ictus on AO3. Femslash After Dark was the first exchange I ever participated in, and I've been looking forward to revisiting it ever since. I'm a huge fan of smut and darker themes in femslash works, and I'm sure I'll love your gift!

( Letter for FAD: DCU (comics), Gotham, Inception, Star Trek: AOS )

Dear Fandom5k Writer,


( DCU (Comics), Gotham, Midnighter and Apollo, Pokemon, Star Trek: AOS )