will write for food...

[edenfalling]

I am having serious trouble working up motivation to write, which is frustrating. Like, I will open a document, check where I was in the story, type maybe five words, and... nothing. Blank. It's particularly annoying if I've been mentally juggling and arranging ideas earlier in the day so I know roughly where I want to go and just can't quite get there once I am actually trying to type letters on a keyboard.

One thing that I've found helpful in the past when I've had trouble writing is to switch gears and write something completely different, and also -- this is the key part -- something with an external rather than internal pressure/reward system. Like prompt!fic.

So.

Give me one to three characters plus a mood, a scenario, or a prompt word, and I will write you a ficlet that is at least three sentences or 100 words long.

Help me out, please?

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1. Kiss the Bride: Susan Pevensie as Queen of Narnia, coping with marriage proposals. 425 words, for madamehardy. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

2. In Sure and Certain Hope: Dave, John, Jade: somber but hopeful. 275 words, for shinyrock6498. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

3. Under Pressure: Lessee. How about some Naruto: Sakura, building pressure. 400 words, for branch-and-root. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

4. Literal Interpretation: Jade, John, Davesprite, god worship. 675 words, for asukaskerian. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

5. Freedom Ride: Kanaya, Aradia, Prompt word: whoops. 425 words, for gracefularchitect. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

6. Tall Ship of War: How about Shezan and/or Ilgamuth, and boats? 225 words, for autumnia. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

7. My Sorrow's Share: Arwen and the pro/con of choosing humanity. (I'm on a Silmarillion kick.) 125 words, for mmarycontrary. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

8. Crowning Glory: How about Susan Pevensie, combs or haircombing? 625 words, for cat_i_th_adage. (Also a cottoncandy_bingo fill, because why not!) [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

9. Picture Perfect: Karkat, Dave, Davepetasprite, likeness. 150 words, for primtheamazing. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

10. Pay It Forward: Ayakawa Yukiko and educating the next generation, please. :) 1,150 words, for wistfulmemory. (Also a cottoncandy_bingo fill!) [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

11. Mischief Night: Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke; "strangely satisfying". 550 words, for eos_joy. (Also a cottoncandy_bingo fill!) [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

12. Necessary Measures: Rose, Jasprose, and Kanaya, bickering. 200 words, for primtheamazing. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

13. In Abeyance, In Arrears: Bro, Dave, dour. 150 words, for anonymous on Tumblr. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

14. Broken If Revealed: Daredevil: awkward reveal, "This is- it's not what it looks like...?" 2,150 words, for shinyrock6498. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

15. An Unorthodox Pedagogical Approach: If you’re willing (and can without spoilers), I would love a future fic showing Naruto, Shinnin, and Sakura working together as a team while on a mission. 300 words, for wistfulmemory. [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

16. Part of Your World: Jade, Rose, prompt word: adventure. 675 words, for gracefularchitect. (Also a cottoncandy_bingo fill!) [Tumblr crosspost; AO3 version]

Comments

Crowning Glory

[edenfalling]

This is both a response to your prompt and a Cotton Candy Bingo fill for the prompt lazy day, because I was feeling efficient. Vinyedvyeri is a country to the northwest of Narnia, first encountered in Queen Lucy, the Firebird, and the Death of Koschei the Deathless, and yes, the stealth crossover element still applies. *grin*

I am not entirely sure how this ended up in Edmund's POV when he wasn't even in the prompt, but he's sneaky like that.

-----

"I have decided to cut it all off," Susan says as Edmund runs a comb through her hair. It's still damp from its weekly washing, gleaming in the sun, and the warm scent of lavender rises from the dark, heavy mass as it spills over Edmund's lap.

"Again?" he says absently, most of his attention on a particularly stubborn tangle.

"I mean it this time," Susan insists in sleepy indignation, not bothering to raise her head from her arms, which are crossed on the balcony rail. "'Tisn't practical. I'm forever losing minutes here and there maneuvering plaits around, to say naught of the time spent putting those plaits in, or brushing the whole dratted mess, or wasting an entire afternoon with washing and combing and letting it dry. Even discounting the misuse of time, I have come a paw's breadth from strangling or smothering myself in my sleep more times than I can count, and two nights past when I let my hair down to impress Lord Auditor Arseny of Vinyedvyeri, I stepped on some strands and nearly screamed in open court from the pain. Lucy never has to deal with any such nonsense. So I shall cut it off."

Her skirts swish in Edmund's general direction, disrupted by a mostly-symbolic kick.

"Valid points, all," Edmund agrees. "As they were last week, and a fortnight ago, and so on back for years." The tangle unknots itself and he makes a little noise of triumph in the back of his throat.

"You might at least pretend to believe me," Susan says.

"Would that not be a waste of time, such as you were only now disdaining?"

Susan snarls, a soft, unserious echo of a rumpled cat, and tugs one of her hands free long enough to flick a hairpin toward Edmund. It strikes him directly on the forehead, her aim impeccable as always though she is working only off of memory, sound, and the rhythmic pull of the comb through her hair.

"If you are awake enough for that, I think you are awake enough to review the latest harvest estimates from the Beruna valley or the Lone Islands' petition for adjusted trade terms," Edmund says. "And so we will turn this time from one useful purpose -- that being to give you a space to breathe without the press of duty -- to another. Or you could continue to enjoy the sun and the breeze and save the business of government for the evening."

Susan sighs into her sleeves. "Someday I will convince you that it is neither unsafe nor unseemly to ask for respite on your own behalf rather than concealing your own needs as concern for mine," she says.

Edmund's hands still for a moment. He always forgets how well his sister knows him in particular and can read people in general, though she turns her skills to gentler pursuits than his. He forces the comb back into motion and hopes Susan won't mention his lapse.

She is kind: "Yes, brother, let us continue to enjoy the afternoon. And when you have finished with my hair, I shall claim recompense to play with yours, which has grown far too long for you to continue ignoring it the way you are wont to do. I have quite the collection of beads and buttons to weave into plaits, and you cannot deny the Crows will appreciate such a gesture toward their ways."

Edmund thinks of the likely results, and the pompous Lord Auditor's likely reaction to them. He lets his smile rise to his lips rather than bite it back the way he so often does in court.

"As you wish," he says, and begins to separate Susan's hair into strands for plaiting.

Re: Crowning Glory

[cat-i-th-adage.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's just lovely - the quiet intimacy of it, and the hint of subtle politicking, and the mirth at the end.

Also, that's some seriously long hair she's got.

Re: Crowning Glory

[edenfalling]

Thank you!

(I am only exaggerating a tiny bit about the hair. In the final pages of LWW, Lewis says that 'Susan grew into a tall and gracious woman with black hair that fell almost to her feet', so we know it's ridiculously long. I also assume she wears it up most of the time since Shasta doesn't notice its length during HHB. I just decided that for at least a couple years, 'almost to her feet' meant actually to her feet, though Susan probably did trim a few inches off eventually in the interest of not tripping herself.)

Re: Crowning Glory

[edenfalling]

I just realized I've forgotten your AO3 username. *headdesk* Please tell me (again) so I can correctly gift this to you over there!

Re: Crowning Glory

[cat-i-th-adage.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's Thimblerig.

(Sorry for replying so late: I only just realised that you'd asked.)

I loved reading it through again.

Re: Crowning Glory

[autumnia]

I always thought Susan should have cut her very long hair -- it's totally not practical unless a Queen does nothing but sit and look pretty. :-)

I suspect this is just a nice ritual between the middle siblings where confidences can be shared as well as spending some quiet time with each other.

Re: Crowning Glory

[edenfalling]

Super-long hair is definitely one of those beauty ideals that are predicated on the assumption that women are to be decorative objects in others' lives rather than active subjects in their own. Which is not to say that people can't be active with hair down to their feet, just that it takes a fair bit of doing to work around the obvious impracticalities.

This is absolutely Susan and Edmund's weekly private ritual where they get to (ha) let down their hair and just relax and chat with each other. I suspect all the sibling pairs have something that serves a similar purpose, though obviously the details will be different in each case.