should have known right from the start, you can't predict the end
Ugh, people. Stop being annoying.
***
Posted a story yesterday:
Ink for Yourself
Superboy; Kon/Tim; adult; 5,220 words
"You entertain yourself by drawing on your arm with a Sharpie?"
First off, I didn't know how to label it, fandom-wise, since I mostly see it as a Superboy/Red Robin crossover, since those are the two comics I've actually read, and where a lot of the characterization comes from (also, the first 12 issues of the original Young Justice), and I haven't really read Teen Titans, though that would probably be the most logical label. So there was that. (That's also why only Cassie and Bart appear, because I don't know who else is on the team at this point.)
Next, on the purely labeling front, is the fact that Tim is still 17, which is of age in New York State (fyi, it's 16 in NJ and CT, if Gotham is in either of those states), but 18 in California, which is where Titans Tower is, which is where the sex actually takes place. And which is also the age listed on the form at AO3. It did not even occur to me to label this story "underage" until I got to that box on the upload form, and I first posted it without, then I added it, and then I removed it, because even though technically he is 17 (I...don't know how old Kon is, though he's obviously underage if you go by when he was released from the lab v. how old he's meant to look/act etc.), it just feels like labeling the story with something that isn't actually relevant. They could be 18 if that makes you feel better for some reason.
Then there was my still ongoing inability to really connect with Tim on more than a superficial level. Like, I feel like I get the various other characters to some degree, even if only in their animated forms (v. their comics characterizations), but Tim is still a mystery to me beyond the surface - I don't feel like I have a real "in" to his inner life. All I know is Kon really likes him, and I really like Kon, so I let him guide me. (I really do like Kon a lot, which I wasn't expecting, and completely separately from how much I like the Superboy character on the animated YJ, who has a completely different personality. I think it was easier for me to write from Kon's pov, but I wouldn't have minded writing from Tim's just so I could be all, "KON IS AWESOME!" in a very understated and Tim-like way.)
Which brings me to the part where the stuff they've said to each other in canon ("You'll always be my Robin." "You'll always be my clone-boy.") felt too over the top romantic when I tried quoting it in the story. (and also, it kind of wasn't relevant at the point? It could have been, had the conversation taken more of a turn towards Tim's ~feelings~ about Robin, but I really didn't want to get into it, especially with his feelings about Dick, because there was also that bit about making very clear that when they're both horrified by sexualizing Batman, the Batman in question is Bruce. Hopefully, subtextually it's there - there's a reason it's the Robin symbol and not the Red Robin bird thingy that Kon uses at the end. Also, fyi, it's totally true that while yellow marker does sort of fade if you're kind of olive-skinned, it pops when you outline it in a darker color. Not that I, um, field tested that this weekend or anything. *cough*)
The thing about Tim and Kon is that they embody my favorite BFF-OTP dynamic: Kon is loud and flamboyant and doesn't really care what you think of him and he'll do anything (up to and including looking ridiculous) for someone he cares about. Tim is quiet and repressed and geeky and did I mention repressed? and it's not that he cares what you think, because he doesn't really, except for how it will make it more difficult for him to do the shit he needs to do if you realize he exists. Tim will also do anything for someone he cares about, and his anything is a lot more... disturbing than just looking ridiculous. (Except when he's being a judgey asshole.)
I was afraid there was too much MWPP-era Remus/Sirius in this when I started writing, because that is a pairing I'm very familiar with which has that dynamic, but I don't think it happened? But what do I know? I also thought the Gaston song parodies were funny. ("Tim, I'm afraid I've been thinking. "A dangerous pastime." "I know. ...That crazy old coot is your mentor, and his sanity's only so-so.")
You should see the chat logs and emails that arose out of that (Snacky: "He uses batwings in all of his decorating!"). If I were better at it, I'd do the whole song, because it is hilarious ("He's especially good at intimidating"). And since I can't get the freaking song out of my head, at least this way I'm amusing myself.
Which is why I added in Clark's line about Kon not joining up with Voldemort. I was half-asleep the other night, and it was already 1:30 am, but I was like, "Why didn't Clark say that? He should totally say that!" So I got out of bed and I added it in.
And then Snacky and I sorted the Justice League into Hogwarts houses, because you know Clark is totally a Harry Potter fan and he spent a few JLA meetings doing that - he is totally a Hufflepuff and Bruce is a Slytherin and Diana is a Gryffindor, as are Shayera and Wally (and Lois) (I'd also put Kon in Gryffindor, but Tim would be Ravenclaw). J'onn is Ravenclaw, and I can't decide whether John Stewart is Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. And Clark totally annoyed the rest of them because he was spoiler-free and he warned them all he would have words with them if he got spoiled before each book came out. Can you imagine being told by Superman that you better not spoil him or he would be disappointed? *shudders*
We make our own fun. I guess this is proof.
Which is why this a story started out as a joke, because of Kon's apparent tattoo in the reboot, and I was like, "I bet he just draws it on every morning," and well, I like to amuse myself and the people I know. The fact that it ended up 5K words long is... I don't even know. Once I got started writing, I wanted it to be a story instead of a one-joke ficlet. And I really do ship them pretty hard. I suppose I could have given it a summary like, "Six times Kon drew on his arm and Tim was annoyed and one time he wasn't and there were makeouts," but that seemed like a little too much info.
I'm pleased with how it turned out, at any rate, and I think I have finally found another pairing about whom I can write romantic comedies, which, let's face it, are my strong suit as a writer, and it's been years since I've been able to really do it.
***
Oh, man, I totally forgot even though I have the links right here - reena_jenkins recorded podfics of Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc, and Backwards and in heels for your listening pleasure. \o/
Also, it says this in my LJ user info, but just to reiterate: everything I have written or created is fair game for further transformative work, including, but not limited to: podfic, remix, sequels, meta, negative reviews that will make me cry, and commentaries. Just credit me for the part of the work that I did, and let me know if you get a chance.
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/338421.html.
people have commented there.
***
Posted a story yesterday:
Ink for Yourself
Superboy; Kon/Tim; adult; 5,220 words
"You entertain yourself by drawing on your arm with a Sharpie?"
First off, I didn't know how to label it, fandom-wise, since I mostly see it as a Superboy/Red Robin crossover, since those are the two comics I've actually read, and where a lot of the characterization comes from (also, the first 12 issues of the original Young Justice), and I haven't really read Teen Titans, though that would probably be the most logical label. So there was that. (That's also why only Cassie and Bart appear, because I don't know who else is on the team at this point.)
Next, on the purely labeling front, is the fact that Tim is still 17, which is of age in New York State (fyi, it's 16 in NJ and CT, if Gotham is in either of those states), but 18 in California, which is where Titans Tower is, which is where the sex actually takes place. And which is also the age listed on the form at AO3. It did not even occur to me to label this story "underage" until I got to that box on the upload form, and I first posted it without, then I added it, and then I removed it, because even though technically he is 17 (I...don't know how old Kon is, though he's obviously underage if you go by when he was released from the lab v. how old he's meant to look/act etc.), it just feels like labeling the story with something that isn't actually relevant. They could be 18 if that makes you feel better for some reason.
Then there was my still ongoing inability to really connect with Tim on more than a superficial level. Like, I feel like I get the various other characters to some degree, even if only in their animated forms (v. their comics characterizations), but Tim is still a mystery to me beyond the surface - I don't feel like I have a real "in" to his inner life. All I know is Kon really likes him, and I really like Kon, so I let him guide me. (I really do like Kon a lot, which I wasn't expecting, and completely separately from how much I like the Superboy character on the animated YJ, who has a completely different personality. I think it was easier for me to write from Kon's pov, but I wouldn't have minded writing from Tim's just so I could be all, "KON IS AWESOME!" in a very understated and Tim-like way.)
Which brings me to the part where the stuff they've said to each other in canon ("You'll always be my Robin." "You'll always be my clone-boy.") felt too over the top romantic when I tried quoting it in the story. (and also, it kind of wasn't relevant at the point? It could have been, had the conversation taken more of a turn towards Tim's ~feelings~ about Robin, but I really didn't want to get into it, especially with his feelings about Dick, because there was also that bit about making very clear that when they're both horrified by sexualizing Batman, the Batman in question is Bruce. Hopefully, subtextually it's there - there's a reason it's the Robin symbol and not the Red Robin bird thingy that Kon uses at the end. Also, fyi, it's totally true that while yellow marker does sort of fade if you're kind of olive-skinned, it pops when you outline it in a darker color. Not that I, um, field tested that this weekend or anything. *cough*)
The thing about Tim and Kon is that they embody my favorite BFF-OTP dynamic: Kon is loud and flamboyant and doesn't really care what you think of him and he'll do anything (up to and including looking ridiculous) for someone he cares about. Tim is quiet and repressed and geeky and did I mention repressed? and it's not that he cares what you think, because he doesn't really, except for how it will make it more difficult for him to do the shit he needs to do if you realize he exists. Tim will also do anything for someone he cares about, and his anything is a lot more... disturbing than just looking ridiculous. (Except when he's being a judgey asshole.)
I was afraid there was too much MWPP-era Remus/Sirius in this when I started writing, because that is a pairing I'm very familiar with which has that dynamic, but I don't think it happened? But what do I know? I also thought the Gaston song parodies were funny. ("Tim, I'm afraid I've been thinking. "A dangerous pastime." "I know. ...That crazy old coot is your mentor, and his sanity's only so-so.")
You should see the chat logs and emails that arose out of that (Snacky: "He uses batwings in all of his decorating!"). If I were better at it, I'd do the whole song, because it is hilarious ("He's especially good at intimidating"). And since I can't get the freaking song out of my head, at least this way I'm amusing myself.
Which is why I added in Clark's line about Kon not joining up with Voldemort. I was half-asleep the other night, and it was already 1:30 am, but I was like, "Why didn't Clark say that? He should totally say that!" So I got out of bed and I added it in.
And then Snacky and I sorted the Justice League into Hogwarts houses, because you know Clark is totally a Harry Potter fan and he spent a few JLA meetings doing that - he is totally a Hufflepuff and Bruce is a Slytherin and Diana is a Gryffindor, as are Shayera and Wally (and Lois) (I'd also put Kon in Gryffindor, but Tim would be Ravenclaw). J'onn is Ravenclaw, and I can't decide whether John Stewart is Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. And Clark totally annoyed the rest of them because he was spoiler-free and he warned them all he would have words with them if he got spoiled before each book came out. Can you imagine being told by Superman that you better not spoil him or he would be disappointed? *shudders*
We make our own fun. I guess this is proof.
Which is why this a story started out as a joke, because of Kon's apparent tattoo in the reboot, and I was like, "I bet he just draws it on every morning," and well, I like to amuse myself and the people I know. The fact that it ended up 5K words long is... I don't even know. Once I got started writing, I wanted it to be a story instead of a one-joke ficlet. And I really do ship them pretty hard. I suppose I could have given it a summary like, "Six times Kon drew on his arm and Tim was annoyed and one time he wasn't and there were makeouts," but that seemed like a little too much info.
I'm pleased with how it turned out, at any rate, and I think I have finally found another pairing about whom I can write romantic comedies, which, let's face it, are my strong suit as a writer, and it's been years since I've been able to really do it.
***
Oh, man, I totally forgot even though I have the links right here - reena_jenkins recorded podfics of Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc, and Backwards and in heels for your listening pleasure. \o/
Also, it says this in my LJ user info, but just to reiterate: everything I have written or created is fair game for further transformative work, including, but not limited to: podfic, remix, sequels, meta, negative reviews that will make me cry, and commentaries. Just credit me for the part of the work that I did, and let me know if you get a chance.
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/338421.html.
people have commented there.