2019 started with an exercise video
Happy New Year!
Author names for the Man from U.N.C.L.E. holiday fic exchange are visible now, so: I wrote Grounded. (AKA the story with Gardener Gaby.)
My recipient misura’s first request mentioned her enjoyment of Gaby’s dance scene in the film; she wanted more of Gaby outmatching Illya and/or charming him. In a separate prompt she talked about protectiveness within the team
So I wrote constantly concerned Illya who is charmed by Gaby’s gardening abilities. This allowed me to throw in a new headcanon about Gaby’s childhood: that she learned to garden from her foster family.
Things I perceive as clues that it was my story:
- lots of Gaby, including a mention of Gaby’s childhood
- I included a research note at the end
- excessive use of the word ‘soft’ when besotted Illya is staring at Gaby
- repressed Gaby x Illya feelings
- probably more stuff that I’m totally unaware of in my own writing
Fun fact: the story was supposed to be a short and easy five times fic (five times Gaby and Illya surprised each other, and one time Solo surprised them both), but the first section never stopped growing. To the point of “I’m still writing this two days before it’s due?!”
Other fun fact: as soon as you post your first draft to AO3, that’s the date listed on the story, even though it doesn’t get revealed until later. Going back and looking at dates for works submitted, I concluded that the creator of this challenge, @deducitetemporacarmen, must have had some sleepless nights, worrying about the many people who didn’t submit a draft until well after the official deadline for it.
Final fun fact: that was my first time to write Illya’s POV.
An anonymous commenter on Tumblr guessed my story correctly, so they win a ficlet. Which is turning into something slightly longer, so Anonymous may have to wait for a finished product.
Posted at Dreamwidth: https://rose-griffes.dreamwidth.org/299158.html. Comment where you wish.