Happy 2012, everyone! I spent NYE with my best friend. We collabed a little holiday story together, drank a fair amount, and welcomed the new year with laughter and Mary Poppins on TV.

It was the perfect way to welcome the new year.

In any case, I completely forgot about Yuletide Reveals today! It wasn't until I loaded up my DW reading list that I got the memo. So, hopping aboard the bandwagon ...

My assignment was for a fandom I've never written for + characters I've never written for - with the exception of Jess, whom I play a little here and there in mixed_muses. So - uh. That was difficult! And after not writing anything fic-like for a year, my skills were incredibly rusty. But my recipient seems to have enjoyed it, and I've gotten a lot of good feedback and kudoses, so it can't have been too horrible.

Synthetic silk curtains and pyjamas by zelly for portland_rain
Fandom: New Girl
Wordcount: 3,875
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Nick, Jess, Winston, Cece, Schmidt
Summary: Jess and Nick are pretty sure they're ready to move forward. Apparently they're not the only ones. With two roommates and a best friend set to get involved, antics ensue.

I also wrote a madness treat in yet another fandom I've never written for. It also seems to have gotten some pretty good feedback, which gives me the happies. Seriously, every time I see a little notification in my Inbox, I get a thrill of glee. I am so pathetic.

if it all fits by zelly for aeriel
Fandom: Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld
Wordcount: 1,214
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Deryn Sharp, Aleksandar Ferdinand, Nora Barlow
Summary: A short little humourous piece involving a little cross-dressing and experimentation.

A big, big thank you to rincredible for beta-ing this year! Considering the incredibly tight schedule, I am so grateful for her time. <3 I'd been meaning to get another treat in, but alas. Time and brainspace were not willing to cooperate.

I ... should really finish my recs-lists. I have part one here, but I have another part I was supposed to get to.

I am so looking forward to writing more. yuletide is legit one of my favourite times of the year. Till next Yuletide!

Here is my first fic-rec post for the 2011 Yuletide archives. I've got so many more fics to get through but these are a few to get started. From various fandoms:

( Cook's Illustrated, His Dark Materials, How To Talk To Girls At Parties, Once Upon a Time, Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up) )

More to come!

So, ngl, I wasn't really sure what to expect for Yuletide.

I got this amazing thing. EEEEEEEEEEE. I can't stop squeaking to myself with glee. Heroes of Olympus fic. Starring Leo Valdez, and a couple of fantastic and unexpected cameos.

OH YES.

Runaways, by Anonymous

It’s not in the clothes, he decides, in fact on that count Leo seems to be doing even better, slightly tatty looking maybe and he’s definitely smelt better, god he can smell himself from here, but at least his clothes are still in one piece. Whereas the three of them, even down to their skin, are coated with dirt and something that he doesn’t even want to think about but looks suspiciously like some kind of slug slime times a thousand, a covering of which seems to have matted to Kayla’s hair like a thick wad of gum. They all seem to be wearing the same under shirt though, like they’re all part of the same team, their own unique unit; a vivid bright orange that wouldn’t look out of place on a night time cyclist it’s that blinding, and definitely not something to keep you out of sight on the streets. But it’s more than that that divides them, the way that they sit close together, watching each other’s backs in a way they don’t even seem aware of, all limbs waiting tense, ready to leap into action at a minutes’ notice if need be. A far cry from when he last sheltered alongside some kids and couldn’t help but notice the haunted looks that seemed to be etched into everyone’s faces.

I read it so fast the first time around that I'll definitely have to give it another go (not that I wouldn't have anyway!) to formulate a more coherent comment for my Yuletide Author than a 10-second bout of keyboard smashing.

But.

Yes.

AGH.

It is just so action-packed and exciting, and Leo is so adorable, and the descriptions are so cool and just - everything about it is kind of ridiculously awesome.

And I have a Yuletide Madness gift awaiting me too, once they open up the archives.

Also: I am so, so stoked that I received not one but two gifts. I would have been happy with my assigned fic! (Which, seriously guys - go read it; it's awesome!)

I hope to have one more Madness treat written before the archives close tomorrow, but man. I am going to have a pretty busy day; we'll see.

In the meantime, I hope all of you have an awesome Christmas/Yuletide/holiday/etc.!

"Where did you get that thing anyway?" Rose asks, peering over Albus' shoulder, chin leaning into him.

Scorpius' napkin-note owl bristles its wings once. Then shaking its head, it looks as though it might be sleeping. (Or is attempting to, anyway.)

"No where," Albus replies off-handedly. He returns to reading his really, very engaging chapter on the Revolt of Gurgash the Gross in 1479, pretending to ignore his best friend and -

"It can't just be no where."

- his brother.

James jabs at the little owl with the tip of his wand, forcing it to bristle its wings again. It suddenly looks as though it might take flight. "It's an impressive piece of magic, in any case."

With an internal sigh of annoyance, Albus reaches out to cup the owl between both hands, sliding it toward him and out of harm's way.

"Leave it alone, James," he says.

James leans forward, grinning. He bumps Albus' shoulder playfully. "Come on, Al. You can tell us. Is it from a secret admirer, then?"

"No." He will forever hate his face for the fact that it always fails to conceal his emotions. He turns red.

A second passes as Albus waits for the inevitable.

"Merlin's beard - d'you have a secret admirer, really?" James' grin widens. "Well done, Al. Who is it?"

Does his brother really have absolutely no tact at all?

(He doesn't even want to admit the answer.)

"It's - just -" Albus lets out a huff. "Just leave me alone," he finishes weakly. "We're in a library. We should be doing work. I've got a History of Magic exam in two days, and ..."

Rose ignores that. She narrows her blue eyes in his direction, looking so very much like his aunt Hermione when she's trying to stare into your soul to extract secrets.

(Albus is convinced she can do it. She's nearly always right about things.)

Albus averts his gaze away from his staring family. The owl's wings beat lightly against the insides of his palms.

"I'll tell Lily, and she'll investigate if you don't spill now," Rose says.

"And you know she'll get to the bottom of it," James says. "She's a regular - what was that character you talked about once? 'Homes'?"

"'Sherlock Holmes'," Albus answers reluctantly, "and why can't you just let it go? No one gave it to me. I - I made it myself."

James rolls his eyes. "If you made it yourself, you would've just admitted it in the first place."

"And your face wouldn't have turned funny colours."

"Yours'll turn funny colours if you don't let it alone," Albus threatens.

"It's about time you got yourself a girlfriend, Al," James says sagely.

"Why?" Albus asks. He does not ask why it's got to be a 'girlfriend.'

James says plainly, "Rite of passage."

"Or," Rose says, snorting, "it's just that you're completely fanciable, if you stopped being so twitchy and shy. In fact, I heard Sara McLaggen and Matilda Bennett talking about you the other day in the girl's lavatory."

"What?" James asks.

Albus looks surprised too. No one ever talks about him, not unless they're talking about how strange he is, or how much he takes after his dad, or how much he and his family ruined their families lives, or worse ...

Rose nods. "That's right. I thought I heard wrong, to be honest - no offence, Al - but yeah. They were definitely talking about Albus Severus Potter. They said you had -" She glances up as though trying to recall the exact words "- 'really cute green eyes and a lovely smile'. You know, when you actually smile."

James grins. "Thatta boy, Al."

"I smile," Albus protests.

He stares back at the text before him, watching the words come together in a blurry mess of black ink on paper as he thinks about what Rose said and not about Gurgash the Gross.

If it's true - if what Rose says is true -

But why would it be? And what would that change? He doesn't know either of them, not really. And that little sinking feeling in his stomach has nothing to do with them, not Sara, not Matilda, not any other girl. Not even Alexis Castle. It's -

It's Scorpius.

Merlin's beard, it's Scorpius.

And try as he might to stop it, that sinking feeling turns into something entirely different (not unlike what he used to feel about Alexis) when he thinks about the pale blond-haired boy.

(It's Scorpius.)

"U-um." Albus shuts his book, and in a flurry of slightly shaky movements, gathers the rest of his parchment notes and quills together to stuff into his book-bag. He scoops the owl into one hand and places it into his robes pocket. "I should probably get back to the common room now. It's getting late."

Rose frowns. "What? But what about -"

"Sorry, Rose. Um. I could help you with your potions revision later? Er - tomorrow, maybe?"

"... yeah, all right, Al."

As Albus hurriedly exits the library with his bag slung haphazardly over his shoulder, he can just hear James ask, "What the bloody hell was that all about?"

Rin and Jen proudly present

THE PICTURE!SPIRATION FIC-A-THON

The rules are simple.

1. Leave a prompt; one picture per comment. Leave nothing else but a picture. The rest is up to ~imagination~. Leave as many flippin' prompts as your heart desires; there is no limit.

2. Fill a prompt! Please include a title, the fandom, and any relevant warnings/ratings in the subject line; also include characters or pairings if they fit. Your fill may be any length, it can be prose, poetry, script, or any sort of contemporary writing. If your piece is too long for one comment, feel free to use multiple comment boxes or link to a posting on your journal.

3. You may fill your own prompt if the inspiration strikes.

4. Any fandom, character, pairing, or genre is welcome.

5. PROFIT.

For: rheall
Title: all for one (and one for all)
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing/Character: Neville Longbottom-Luna Lovegood
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 382
Prompt: 'friendship'.
Crossposted: From here.


( Neville had never successfully cast a stunning charm before today. )

For: ninkasa
Title: untitled
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing/Character: Hermione Granger
Rating: G
Wordcount: ??
Prompt: Hermione Granger, this image.
Crossposted: From here.

( The world is a small, insignificant little thing in the grand scheme of the universe; full of instances )