Absurdly Profound or Profoundly Absurd

I don't mean like those prepper type people. I mean keep a granola bar in your purse or backpack. If you have a car, keep a jar of peanuts in there.

This is good for if you miss your bus, or forget your wallet somewhere, or get stuck in traffic. You never know when you are going to feel shaky, and it's better to have something quick and easy on hand, in case you need it.

Like Wing would have probably had quite a fair share of suitors in the City (why wouldn’t he, just look at him!), most of which Dai Atlas would have approved of, or at least have been able to tolerate.

Then, one day, Wing comes home carrying a half-dead Decepticon who turns out to be slightly insane, and insists on helping said ‘con get better.

Dai Atlas then had to watch Wing and this feral Decepticon bond and see them slowly fall for one another. Mourning the loss of any good taste in mechs Wing was thought to have had. Wondering where he’d gone wrong for Wing to choose someone like Drift.

Wing getting thrown trustworthy and skilled mechs who wish to court him, only to choose the feral cat he’d found outside in the dirt…

By metatext I mean like tagging, summary, and authors notes (especially initial authors notes at the beginning of a fic). The means by which we communicate to our readers what they’re getting into.

Because we kind of all have to learn it by osmosis and there are conventions but nobody’s really taught them at the start, so there’s inconsistencies and misunderstandings or people just not knowing things through no fault of their own.

This ends up breeding frustration and confusion and in the worst cases resentment, hurt, and aggression.

I’m severely tempted to make such a handbook and get it circulating.

Go here for the PDF, or here to view the whole document as a tumblr post.

I recommend the PDF.

By metatext I mean like tagging, summary, and authors notes (especially initial authors notes at the beginning of a fic). The means by which we communicate to our readers what they’re getting into.

Because we kind of all have to learn it by osmosis and there are conventions but nobody’s really taught them at the start, so there’s inconsistencies and misunderstandings or people just not knowing things through no fault of their own.

This ends up breeding frustration and confusion and in the worst cases resentment, hurt, and aggression.

I’m severely tempted to make such a handbook and get it circulating.

Go here for the PDF, or here to view the whole document as a tumblr post.

I recommend the PDF.

Thank you for the kind words on Finding Equilibrium! It's been a joy to get back into writing these characters that are so dear to me, and knowing there are still others out there who love them and crave content is an inspiration! I appreciate your patience with delivering this too, I wanted to write something for it as a thank you for your support and encouragement. ^_^ 

"Wing's confession" is the oldest among my "Drift Mini Deleted Scenes" ideas.The original concept was that Wing held himself back until the very end, not revealing his feelings or attraction until Drift had fully made his choice. I set the scene in that interlude between leaving the council chambers where Wing says 'come with me, if you're with us, you need to look the part',  and going to the medibay for Drift's final rebuild. Wing chooses that moment to confess his feelings and they get their first kiss. It's peak bittersweet drama because we know that Wing doesn't make it, but it's Drift's first indication that he's still a person deserving of love.

Obviously that premise will change a little bit now that they have their first smooch in Finding Equilibrium. So the confession becomes less about attraction and more focused on love and depth of feeling, but the confession still has weight and impact because it's not like a few kisses change everything between them immediately. Things with these two are messy and complicated, and Drift has a lot of issues to work through. Those issues are a big reason Wing treads carefully and waits for Drift: Wing knows it's a pivotal time in Drift's life and is aware of how easy it would be for him to manipulate the situation to his own benefit. And during the Mini, Wing IS manipulating Drift to an extent--don't get me wrong--but Wing's moral alignment is do what is right by Drift, and keep his personal feelings out of it. That's not to say Wing 100% succeeds at this, he's not perfect, but he does far better than most because that's just part of who he is. (I could reference his martyrship patterns here too, but that would get loooong).

But I digress. "Wing's confession" has the potential to be a full-fledged fic with potential smut at the end, so I plan to write it in depth at a later date and won't share more here yet (I'm a tease, I know). That said, I DO have something for you on your other request, "Wing confronts Drift after sneaking out to meet Braid and Lockdown, except done right." 

The ficlet below expands on this scene, with a deeper conversation and an exploration of both character's PoVs. I generally try to stay to one PoV per scene, but you know there is SO much going on in this scene that is left unsaid, I wanted to explore it more deeply. Enjoy!

"It was that message, wasn't it?" Wing demanded at Drift's back as the grounder turned away, arms crossing over the white chest, posture entirely closed off.

Beyond the cavern's rocky upper rim on which they stood, the bright lights of Crystal City shone with vibrance, haloing Drift in soft light. But the shadows were deep on his back, clinging to every surface, and his frame's shadow stretched long like the dark past he'd apparently not yet left behind.

A painful revelation for Wing, as he stood in that shadow. 'I thought that we... I thought that you wouldn't try.'  Had it been foolhardy to think that nameless bond they'd formed would sway the Decepticon from opportunity? Did they even have a bond, or was it Wing's wishful thinking?

YES Wing's confessions is a thing I always trying to imagine but it was hard to find right moment, with original concept it become 'OUCH MY HEART' level cuz of the ending is literally peak bittersweet, I adore I always says this but I adore how Wing hold his emotions and actions for Drift. For Drift's choices and his space. He is aware and care about Drift's inner thought fights. This is the Wing's one of the best way to show he cares about Drift even Drift is not aware of this. Thats why I adore, he is doing it for Drift even it means he has to helf himself he loves Drift he wants genuinely help him, help him to find his right path. Anyways I went off topic, you already know all of this. The moment you choose in original concept is amazing, amazing tool for later coming dramatic ending, also it has a meaning in it. Its the moment where Drift joining them, joining the knights, joining Wing. Its adorable.

But, we have awesome fic called Finding Equilibrium! Gosh I love this fic, I think its better this way I mean after this fic and more focused on feelings when it comes to confessions. Yes they explore each other in the fic AND that time Wing is still holding himself, asking permissions to touch him and searching his EM field thinking about his next more and like that, when Drift has a acceptance with this vulnerability and then it evolves to they both enjoy it and feel comfortable with this new feelings, oh it was a delight! yep they got it, they break another layer between them but its not exactly a confession rights? Things are still complicated. So we are going deep in this feelings! I cant be more excited about it!!! I love confessions I love talking about feelings and they will have it! I will giggling and kicking my feet under sheets when I get to read it. Also I understand dont worry! Wing's manipulation was never for his own benefit, he always wanted to help Drift and do what is right by him. Ohh yes he does absolutely amazing work when he keps his own feelings. Okay okay I will wait for more it has GREAT potential like you said, i love deep connections and please dont feel pressured! I will happily wait.

AND YESSS HERE WE GO! THIS! THIS SCENE. Is favorite moment in whole minicomic! It has SO MUCH going on and VERY little being said. I've come back to this panel many times and spent quite a bit of time along side rereading the comic.

OH I READ IT I ENDED UP SAYING "WAOW". I really really appreciate you write this!! A real feast for my day!

First how patient Wing is. He confronts first and wait till Drift comes to terms with his thoughts and make a choice. And second I love every bit of Drift's inner battle.

AND you really doing amazing work at depicting the environment and their postures, their little acts! I enjoy this a lot. Drift finials, the city lights especially city lights, its like poetic. Like look at this, "But the shadows were deep on his back, clinging to every surface, and his frame's shadow stretched long like the dark past he'd apparently not yet left behind." Muah so good.

While he is having inner battles, his EM field pulled close to his protoform and Wing want to reach ahh I cant, and he again holds himself the way Wing is acting I'm in love he wants so much but he stops he gives space to Drift, sorry I feel like I'm too much repeating myself but i love this mech and the way you write.

"You made a similar choice once, didn't you?"

AND HE HITS THE MARK WITH THAT QUESTION! "and their gazes held for a long moment, one testing and one patient." SO SO GOOD and now Drift is diving deeper in himself. This was so cool to see, all of it was perfect. Decepticons wasnt like this it should be a opening for his dream, the way his life is repeating around surviving, the vicious circle will continue and he will be trap yet again. He wants to hold what he has right now, he wants to hold his dream despite war. How Wing did it as not depending surviving, broke the knight rules, how he risk it bring a decepticon to the city, he helped to another and how Wing is lot of things for him now. All of this was fantastic writing, I reread couple times.

Also I found Wing's EM field is heavy was greeaaaat touch! I really liked his apprehension

"But Wing couldn't save him from this. He had a choice to make."

Drift's full thoughs and realization was DELICIOUS to read. He finally came down to a choice and we all know the rest. Drift's poor face haha. I found it so good how he isnt meeting with Wing's optics instead he is looking at the city, if he doesn't do anything about this, the city will be gone and within all things he wanted on Cybertron his dreams will be gone as well, he cant do that. I love this character arc in Drift.

I'm sorry im not fully capable of explaining with English but I hope I did.

Thank you so so so much for this beautiful fic and for answering! I enjoyed it so much!!!

The candy shop fic is the sequel to Finding Equalibrium that @euphorbic dared me to write, and soon I'll post a little teaser of it as the last response to this tag game. It's a little less serious but still has its own poetic symbolism because I can't seem to write without that, ha.

Black people fight for everybody. We stand in solidarity with women, lgbt people, poor people all over the world of every skin color and background. Every religion and nationality.

Today, stand with us. Be with us. Tell a black person you love them. Hug a black person (with consent). Ask that hot black girl out today. Make a black person smile. Black lives matter to everybody and you matter to us.

Stand with us on Juneteenth like we stand with you all year round, and I hope a happy Pride month continues for all of us