KnockOffPropMaker

their reasoning being that "we couldn't ban it even if we wanted to, every writer already uses it anyway"

"Every writer"?

Whumper chasing an escaping whumpee, whumpee thinking they’re safe when out of nowhere they get shot in the leg/stomach/somewhere that makes it hard to run

The realization of a whumpee that there will always be an unseen enemy at whumpers command, ready to take them down

OR

But the city was starving, the siege had gone on too long, and the king's troops were still a week's march away. The scorched earth would be fertile again in time, but right now it was barren. Right now there were mouths to feed. So they changed their crossbows for butcher knives and got to work.

None of the royal commanders asked any questions that could not be answered. After all, their aid had come shamefully late. The dragon's horned skull made a noble gift, a fitting tribute from a triumphant city to its humbled king. Who would have thought to question them?

And none of the townsfolk spoke up, when the first golden-eyed babes were born. Children who grew up barefoot and fearless, clambering over the city's patched and rebuilt roofs like they had no notion of falling, with a strange glitter to their skin when the sunlight hit it just so. No one breathed a word about dragons.

Because soon enough there were deft, young hands taking loaves straight out of the oven, heedlessly lifting iron from the forge, plunging into boiling laundry water. And some of them more wondrous still, wild, warm-skinned youths, with inexplicable knowledge and peculiar remedies.

they’re sharing

it’s a key difference in perception. fic isn’t given. it’s shared. it’s part of a fandom community— in which readers are also an integral part.

it’s probably inevitable mission creep from the increasingly transactional nature of the internet and fandom-as-consumerism, which was always gonna happen after corps worked out how much bank there is to make from those weirdo fan people

First and foremost, fandom is community. That's WHY fandom is sharing.

It happens that we, as a community, have many hobbies, some of which produce things which our fellows may then further enjoy - writing, art, crafts, costumes, games, music, videos, etc. - but the soul of fandom isn't the fanworks, per se, it's the gathering around the thing we're all fans of.

We, the writers, the artists, the costumers, the filkers, the con-runners, are not doing this for you.

It takes him a few tries to speak, his voice hoarse from screaming and refusing to work the first few times.

"Wait-"

Whumper turns slowly, hands still on the whip. Their face is blank, as always, but they turned, and so Whumpee goes on. His mouth opens once, twice, but as tired and aching as he is, it's not easy to let Whumper win.

They turn away, and Whumpee feels like he's lost his chance. They fold the whip carefully, setting it down quietly before reaching for the taser. And then -

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, sir- "

Whumper turns slowly, taking a few steps towards Whumpee. They stop just out of his reach - but he's not out of theirs - arms dropped to the side. Whumpee waits as they consider him, hoping to finally see that glint of satisfaction in their eyes.

They take a single step forward.

"Say it properly."

He uncurls a little, trying to sound even more pathetic and sorry than before. "I'm really sorry-" Whumper's arm moves and Whumpee only has time to think, 'oh it was a taser-gun' before his head hits the floor as he barely holds back a scream.

The current stops and he pants, still twitching.

"Say it. Properly."

They give him a few moments, enough for him to understand what is it they want. He struggles to push himself to his knees : he has to uncurl and his back screeches at him for that, one of his shoulders is painfully pulled behind him by a chain, and the only hand he can support himself with is at the very least sprained. His balance is off and he almost face-plants, putting more pressure onto his hand than he'd like to prevent that.

He bends forward as low as the chain will allow him. "I'm sorry, sir." His voice breaks again, but this time there are tears in his eyes to accompany it. "Please, forgive me."

Whumper neither moves nor speaks for a bit, and Whumpee doesn't dare to look up - out of fear and pain both. They take a step forward and he closes his eyes tightly. A hand grips his chin, tilting his face roughly. He opens his eyes and finds himself staring into Whumper's, which finally - finally - contain some sort of emotion.

ID credit: 7555554168 on 小红书