Fics Written in the Stars

Nobody notices the sound of something being turned on and dragged until Silent Salt is getting sprayed with the hose, followed by the others.

"Calm down," Rich Cheese orders, jiggling the hose threateningly.

I imagine, bc Shadow Milk ran off, that it's only the other four.

And White Lily had, obviously, heard Salt's side of why they were all sealed and hidden from the world.

But now, in the middle of nowhere where they all agreed to meet, these mortals are watching the most indescribable battle between these gods.

Silent Salt, with his body of ichor and oil and flame, shouting that the other three deserved what came to them.

Mystic Flour, made of fog and limbs and decay, sitting back and throwing Salt's argument back in his face.

Burning Spice, made of sand, weapons, destruction, staying with his girls and arguing that they were each freed at separate times, so clearly there was a need for their return.

Eternal Sugar, a mass of vines and eyes and teeth and wings refusing to go back to her job but also threatening to not be sealed without a fair fight this time around.

Their worshippers are obviously concerned about these "great levels of destruction" they're threatening and the lives that'll be destroyed by their argument.

But Pure Vanilla keeps scanning the horizon, hoping to see his celestial chaos god emerge from the darkness.

Just a few quick peeks at the clones and the set up of a plotline...

Mirthful Stevia I promise I'm working on your intro chapter, I don't have an excuse for writing it yet like I do Valiant...

Hey there, I’m Charlie!

I’m taking any extra money I can make, so I’m opening 10 commission slots a month.

You can either message me on Tumblr or email me at [email protected]. I find it easier to send it through Ko-Fi, which I’ll send a link to. I will send a finished first draft for the client to look over to see if anything needs to be added or removed. Please keep in mind that there might be a time difference in communication. I will ask for details. If you want a story with your OCs, it will be incredibly helpful to have a description of these OCs.

I will possibly crosspost the commission on Tumblr and AO3, unless requested not to, and you will receive a PDF version of your story. You are allowed to crosspost it yourself if credit is given back to me. I do have the right to deny anything that makes me uncomfortable.

There will be a $5 discount if the story requested is for any of my prior writings or for anything on my fic list.

Prices below:

Camilo was rarely ready for when the homesickness would come.

It would just hit. Eda humming as she made eggs, like how Tia Julieta hummed as she made arepas, King's laughter sounding like Antonio when Mirabel made him laugh, the absence of the sweet smell of flowers… It would hit and he would suddenly feel like the loneliest person in the world.

He wasn't alone in that, he knew that. Mirabel had her moments too, and so did Luz. But, during those moments, it was hard to remember them.

This was different. He was prepared for it.

It was raining again.

It wasn't like the rain back home. The rain back home made things wet and cool, not make things shrivel and burn. But the sounds were the same, with gentle pitter-pattering and splashes. If he closed his eyes, he could almost hear his Mama sob gently at her book.

He missed her. He missed her rain.

"Hey. You okay?"

He opened his eyes and glanced back. Emira, with no Edric by her side for once, stared at him. "Oh, hey. I'm fine, technically."

"Technically?"

Camilo turned his gaze back to the rain.

"…I miss my mom."

"Oh." Emira walked up to his side, staring out at the rain. Her hand gently bumped his. "…I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He would be content to leave it there, but something tugged at him. "Thanks for asking."

"Don't be," she parroted. "I know what it's like to miss a parent, especially like on days like these." He glanced at her, raising a brow, and Emira smiled. "My dad, before he got really busy, liked to go on walks on days like these and watch the bugs."

"The bugs?"

"Some bugs have some kind of healing magic that helps them survive. So, when it rains, they start to…"

Camilo felt a smile grow as she talked.

He should've known.

The minute he had gotten up onto that rooftop and realized that this other monkey wasn't his mentor, he should've realized. The minute he told him he was a weapon, he should've realized. All the signs were there. All he had to do was look.

Well, he realized as Macaque smirked up at him, it was too late now.

Then Macaque was gripping his wrist. Hard enough to bruise.

The staff was too heavy. He released it and Macaque swung before he could realize that was exactly what the dark-furred monkey had wanted him to do. Xiaotian didn't scream as he fell, too shocked and horrified to even manage a wheeze.

Underneath him, the shadows twisted and shifted, until the giant shadow monkey peered up at him, twisting open its jaws.

He fell in, barely only hearing a familiar cry of "KID!" A flash of gold coated his eyes.

And then the world went dark.

Xiaotian blinked. Once. Twice. Finally, his eyes adjusted to reveal... nothing. Just a void. A dark, empty, void.

Where was he?

He tried to speak. Nothing came out.

Someone else spoke instead. "Golden like the sun..." It took a moment but... that was Macaque. Macaque, sounding absolutely fascinated.

Macaque spoke again before Xiaotian could wonder what was golden. "Yes, my King!" He sounded excited, hopeful.

My King?

Like... Monkey King?

"I need to tell him."

Tell him...?

Was Macaque trying to show him something? Something about his mentor? Well, whatever it was, Xiaotian didn't want to hear it. It was probably going to be another lie.

He tried to speak again, but a "I love you!" made him pause. Then a quiet "Wha...What do you mean, you don't feel the same?" Oh boy. If this was true, that meant Macaque had been rejected.

Xiaotian couldn't blame Sun Wukong.

Silence.

Was it over? Right. He needed to focus-

"WHY! I'm your equal! Doesn't that matter more than whatever you have with them?!" Fury made him clap his hands over his ears. "No! No no no no- I'm more important to you. You need to know that!"

A little snippet for Web of Diplomacy...

"Are we ready for this?"

"I think so…"

"Of course!"

"Great!"

Gingerbrave was gonna lie his butt off!

The moment the Cookie Kingdom heard what the Creme Republic was trying to do, trying to force Pure Vanilla into an arranged marriage, all three had agreed to help complicate the divorce. The other Ancients had accepted their help happily, and had coached them on what to say.

Gingerbrave knocked on the door.

"Come in," the clerk sighed.

He opened the door, revealing a small office. There were two chairs pulled up. The clerk peered over his glasses at them. "Oh, my apologies." He didn't sound sorry. More tired than anything else.

"It's okay!" Gingerbrave said. "I can stand." Wizard and Strawberry settled into the seats, both trying to sit up and look focused. "So, we heard that you're the clerk involved in Pure Vanilla's divorce… case?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Well, um, we're…" Gingerbrave paused, just for effect. "We're the-"

The clerk blinked, looking a little more focused and a little bit more concerned. He squinted, and his eyes grew wide. "Are you his children?"

…what.

Actually…

"Yes!" Strawberry chirped, somehow sounding peppy. "We are." She grabbed Wizard's arm and pulled him closer. "Wizard and I are his biological kids, while Gingerbrave is adopted."

The clerk blinked, and the concern visibly grew on his face. "How old are you?"

"Twelve!"

"I'm fourteen."

"…you can't be his children," The clerk started typing, summoning folders and going through them, each motion faster and faster. His eyes were wide now, almost bloodshot. "You all are too young to have been-"

"You don't know what weird sex stuff he was doing out in the desert."

The clerk froze.

The jam visibly drained from his face as the words, the implications that the saintly Pure Vanilla, Ancient of Truth, was having weird sex stuff out in the desert, settled.

And then he collapsed.

-_-

"…you made the clerk faint?" Dark Cacao said, raising a brow. "I thought the plan was to discuss the various trade relationships. How did you manage that?"

"…he mistook us for Pure Vanilla's kids," Gingerbrave said. "We went with it because we thought it would make things more complicated." Strawberry and Wizard nodded. Dark Cacao and Pure Vanilla's eyes both went wide as Golden Cheese started to giggle. "We told him that Strawberry and Wizard were his biological kids, and he started getting weird because apparently they were too young…"

"And Strawberry told him that he didn't know what weird sex stuff he was doing out in the desert," Wizard said. "Which was very inappropriate-"

Golden Cheese burst out into full laughter, her wings spreading out and shaking with her mirth. The force, however, was enough to tip over her chair, leaving the radiant queen cackling on the ground as Pure Vanilla went red.

She tried.

She tried so fucking hard.

All Kevin had to do was let her and Chum help him, and he would be fixed. She was sure of it.

However, he refused. The last time Chum managed to get him in the safe spot, he had kicked and punched and screamed so hard that he had to expel him and a few teeth. Kevin Barnes was a stubborn brat, a problem child who refused help at every turn.

So, no.

There is a tendency in writing spaces to diminish popular tropes as overdone. But these tropes didn't become popular by accident. They persist because they work. Here are some commonly criticized tropes that are still incredibly effective when written well:

Enemies to Lovers Still works because: ♡ Built-in tension ♡ Strong emotional stakes ♡ Natural character development What makes it effective: ♡ The conflict is meaningful, not superficial. ♡ The shift in dynamic feels earned ♡ Both characters change in some way

There Was Only One Bed Still works because: ♡ Forced proximity creates immediate tension ♡ It accelerates emotional and romantic development What makes it effective: ♡ Focus on character reactions, not just the situation ♡ Use the moment to reveal something deeper ♡ Let the tension linger afterward

Fake Dating Still works because: ♡ It creates structured intimacy ♡ It forces characters to act like they care before they admit it What makes it effective: ♡ Clear stakes for why the arrangement exists ♡ Gradual emotional bleed-through ♡ The moment where pretending stops feeling like pretending

The "We Shouldn't Be Doing This" Dynamic Still works because: ♡ Immediate internal conflict ♡ High emotional stakes ♡ Creates tension without needing external conflict What makes it effective: ♡ The reason matters (power imbalance, timing, loyalty, etc.) ♡ The conflict is not easily resolved ♡ The consequences feel real

Hurt/Comfort Still works because: ♡ It creates vulnerability ♡ It allows for emotional intimacy What makes it effective: ♡ The comfort feels specific and personal ♡ The hurt is not purely physical ♡ The moment changes the relationship in some way

A snippet from the future of Sweet, Beastly Children

Crunchy Chip stared at the door.

Logically, he knew what he had to do. He knew he had to knock, be let in, but he found himself freezing.

He had failed in his duty.

His king had trusted him with the safety of his family, his own safety, and he had failed.

Logically, he knew nobody blamed him. Prince Dark Choco and Princess Impartial Oat Flour had been quickly guarded and the trepassers had been rooted out. The temple had been safe for years. Nobody had expected sabotage, let alone strangers to get so close.

Yet, he had been trusted. And he had failed in his duty.

He did not deserve forgiveness.

Yet, he was still going to ask it, beg for it. If his king refused, he would accept it and his punishment with grace.

Crunchy Chip straightened up, let out a huff, and raised his fist.

"Come in."

He did as commanded, opening the door and closing it behind him.

His king sat in a chair next to the bed. Lady Mystic Flour was sitting upright, one half of her face bandaged up. Her hair was loose and it occurred that it was the first time he had ever seen her without the veil. Her soul jam was tucked against her chest instead.

They appeared to have been in conversation. Lady Mystic Flour appeared to be smiling, but it was faint. It disappeared as she took notice of him.

His king turned, and he could practically see the concerns of kingship weigh upon his brow. "Crunchy Chip? What is it?"

He took in a deep breath, held it it, like Wild Berry had told him to do so. He let it out slowly, and lowered himself to the floor. "I have come to apologize, to both you and my king, Lady Mystic Flour."

"…apologize?"

"I failed in my duties to protect you and your family, and for that, you were hurt." He could still hear her scream in his ears, followed by Dark Cacao's silent rage as he scooped her up and walked out, leaving a trail of jam behind him. "I should have done more. If I had done better, perhaps-"

"Look at me."

He raised his head on sheer instinct. Mystic Flour stared at him.

"…this is not your fault."

"But-"

"Did you weaken the anchors? Did you welcome the invaders in?"

"…No?"

"Then," she huffed. "It is not your fault." She smoothed out her blanket, which only revealed how one bandaged hand was gripped by the king. "I was unsure myself. The only reason I came to check was because of a feeling-"

"A feeling?" his king asked.

"Hush, and the thought that, if Dark Cacao was dead, Impartial Oat Flour would be sad." Mystic Flour eyed him. For once, those dark eyes didn't seem threatening. They seemed surprisingly gentle. "You cannot be aware of everything. Trying will only drive you to madness. What you could, you did well."

Crunchy Chip blinked. He was tempted to push, to argue back, but the firmness of her words made it stall. "…Thank you, my lady."

Sun Wukong, mid-lunge, paused at the words. "Show you who's tw-?" he parroted incredulously.

Hey there, I’m Charlie!

I’m taking any extra money I can make, so I’m opening 10 commission slots a month.

You can either message me on Tumblr or email me at [email protected]. I find it easier to send it through Ko-Fi, which I’ll send a link to. I will send a finished first draft for the client to look over to see if anything needs to be added or removed. Please keep in mind that there might be a time difference in communication. I will ask for details. If you want a story with your OCs, it will be incredibly helpful to have a description of these OCs.

I will possibly crosspost the commission on Tumblr and AO3, unless requested not to, and you will receive a PDF version of your story. You are allowed to crosspost it yourself if credit is given back to me. I do have the right to deny anything that makes me uncomfortable.

There will be a $5 discount if the story requested is for any of my prior writings or for anything on my fic list.

Prices below:

okay but can we talk about writing advice that actually made my writing worse for a second

like not in a “this is bad advice for everyone” way in a “this absolutely sabotaged me personally” way

because ??? some of this set me BACK

1. “show don’t tell” (taken too literally) this one almost ruined my prose

i got so scared of “telling” anything that every sentence turned into… over-explained action

instead of writing:

she was nervous

i’d write:

her fingers tapped against the table, her leg bouncing, her breath uneven, her gaze flickering toward the door--

and it just KEPT GOING

like yes, showing is important but at some point you’re not “immersive” you’re just exhausting

2. “cut all adverbs” this made my writing feel so stiff it hurt

i started replacing simple phrasing with weird, clunky sentences just to avoid using one single “-ly” word

like… why am i doing gymnastics to avoid “quietly”

no one is giving out medals for adverb avoidance 😭

3. “write every day no matter what” this one burned me OUT

because instead of listening to my brain when it was fried, i forced myself to produce words i knew weren’t going anywhere

and then i’d reread it later and hate everything i wrote

which made me want to avoid writing even more

consistency matters, yes but forcing it when you’re running on fumes just trains you to associate writing with dread

4. “plan everything before you start” this killed my excitement SO fast

i’d spend weeks outlining every detail and by the time i actually started writing…

the story already felt “done” in my head

no curiosity left. no momentum.

now i leave gaps on purpose so i actually want to keep going

5. “make your writing sound pretty” this is the one that made my writing feel the most fake

i was so focused on making sentences sound “good” that i stopped focusing on what was actually happening

everything turned vague. floaty. kind of… nothing

like yeah it sounded nice but nothing hit

now i care way more about clarity and impact than sounding impressive

6. “your first draft should be terrible” okay this one is half true but also messed with my head

because i took it as: “don’t even TRY”

so i’d write things i knew weren’t working and just leave them

instead of… fixing them a little? making them better?

your draft doesn’t have to be perfect but it also doesn’t have to be painful to read 😭

idk i think the biggest thing i’ve learned is:

advice isn’t universal

what helps one writer can absolutely wreck another

so if something is making your writing worse, harder, or more miserable

you are allowed to drop it. immediately.

no guilt. no “but everyone says this works”

like okay… it doesn’t work for ME.

This helps me in two ways:

1: it gets me the gist of what I need down on the page, so I can come back to it later and know the base idea of what I was looking for

2: the TK (or a similar set of weird letter combination, maybe QQ or QW, etc.) doesn't really show up in an English letter together (afaik), so I can Control+F to find it later to quickly get back to that passage in the story when I want to come back with more details.