#chevalle

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass on to at least five other writers (◠‿◠✿)

I think this is fun, and will add to the meme “and say why you like them especially” because I always love to hear writers talk about their work.

I got tagged by @the-feels-assassin for this one, so here we go:

Second Fiddles

This is the one I’m proudest of, by far.  It was only supposed to be a thousand words long, but it turned into an actual-facts novel.  I love Phil Coulson in the Marvelverse (I’m sure you’re all shocked to learn this) and while I adore Clint/Coulson as a ship, I wanted to give the vaguely-referenced Cellist some love.  Basically, I started this fic as the closing credits to “The Avengers” were rolling up the screen: I wanted poor Phil to live and to get a happy ending.  Alys began life as a Papagena to Coulson’s Papageno - a career-obsessed nerd in love with her job and a total Captain America fan - and she grew into her own person from there.  There are a LOT more stories in this version of the ‘verse that I hope to get to someday, but we’ll see.

They Say

My first Phlint fic.  I’ve always been happy with the creepy post-apocalyptic tone in this one.

Interregnum

My first longish fic, and it was like pulling teeth.  When “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” came out, I was mad as hell that Commodore Norrington got killed (anyone noticing a trend?) and decided to fix that in fic, like you do.  I had (still have?) a gigantic long fic plotted out about Norrington’s rescue from the creepy place with all the boats by a lovesick marchioness (aka Cutler Beckett’s ex-fiancee), and their subsequent UST in London as the backdrop to an overly researched legal drama regarding Cutler Beckett’s last will and testament. This is not that fic. In plotting out that as-yet unwritten fic, I realized I needed to figure out exactly what happened to James Norrington in between “Curse Of the Black Pearl” and “Dead Men’s Chest.”  THIS is that fic.  In it, I show a realistic and logical progression from Norrington the Commodore to Norrington the Tortugan Drunk.  One of the comments I received on it was “Huh, that actually makes the whole thing make sense,” and it’s one of the best compliments I’ve ever gotten. I keep thinking I should go back and write the gigantic fic that inspired this, but PotC is kind of a dead fandom.  I dunno.

In Perpetuity

My 15 seconds of fandom fame.  This is the most popular fic I’ve ever written.  It was for the Torchwood fandom right after the “Children of Earth” season came out, because THEY KILLED IANTO, GOD DAMN IT.  (What can I say, any character I love is pretty much doomed.)  I was very happy with as a concept, and the detached-but-not-detached tone I gave the narration.  Also, your inbox filling with lovely comments is a fabulous way to spend a weekend.  :)

In Love and War

This one I love because I took a really implausible concept and made it work.  One of the PotC writers back in the day loved the idea of Governor Weatherby Swann/Chevalle the Penniless Frenchman.  (Hey, let she who has never shipped a rareship throw the first stone...)  I drew her name in one of the fic exchanges this year, and this was the result.  By God, I made it work!  It’s a romance set in the hothouse atmosphere of the French court in the second decade of the 18th century. 

Ideas from my head to bring more life and depth to a character that had like 30 seconds of screen time. I put WAY too much thought into these. 😅

1 - Chevalle is a nickname. It’s not a real French name. It’s silly and fake and just screams Captain Horsey! And while French spelling wasn’t standardized until around the 1740s, I refuse to believe the writers were thinking that deeply. I firmly believe they saw a Chevrolet Chevelle on their lunch break, and were just like “Wait - write that down. Write that down!” I personally have him as: François Chevalier d’Aubagne -> still not historically perfect, but works better, especially with him canonically being from Marseille.

2 - The Fancy was originally called La Fantaisie, but the name got worn down through mispronunciations and word of mouth. When it was eventually misprinted on a warrant as The Fancy, Chevalle decided to keep with it. 

3 - Chevalle is gay. Not really groundbreaking, I think most people agree that the man likes men - BUT the earliest version of the crew was just a circle of societal misfits he used to gamble and drink with. The real turning point came when he fell in love and imagined something ✨more✨ Wanting a place for him, his lover, and his friends to live together, openly and without fear of the law and church. Unfortunately it all backfired, the relationship failed, the crew became pirates, and Chevalle somehow ended up with the piece of eight, making him an accidental Pirate Lord.

But do not fear! The Fancy is still, very much, a gay party ship. 🪩🏴‍☠️

Sexism. Pure Sexism.

How embarrassing.