@rowofstars thank you so much for the tag! š I wasnāt sure whether to do this for Rumbelle, Rumbelle + anyelle, or all Once fic. Iāve gone with all Once fic in the end so basically my entire AO3 š
What are your five most popular works by kudos? (in descending order)
1) Painting Layers of Love – [Tumblr, AO3]
Kudos: 128
Belle French lives alone and she likes it that way. Sheās lived alone ever since the terrible car accident which killed her mother and claimed her eyesight. Belle spends her days painting, in complete solitude, until one day she wakes up and hears movement outside. Somebody has moved into the cottage next door. She had grown comfortable in her solitary existence until Mr Gold crashes into her life. Now her future is uncertain, like a blank canvas, waiting for her to apply the paint and decide what kind of story she is creating.
With this story I kinda feel like Iāve created something bigger than me. It started by accident, I wrote a little ficlet to go with a prompt aesthetic and I deliberately left the end open. Shameful confession time, I did that deliberately because I hoped people would ask for more. It was soon after I joined the fandom and I guess as I was new I felt a little invisible, I know I shouldnāt try and justify the deliberate baiting by having the ficlet end on an argument, as thatās probably wrong. Like I said shameful confession. Anyway I didnāt plan this fic, it just sort of evolved into a monster WIP and it means an incredible amount. I promise, I know I keep saying that but I do mean it, I will update at some point *hides*
2) Fall All Over Again – [Tumblr, AO3] [NSFW]
Kudos: 116
Before the first Dark Curse the Evil Queen had a paranoid moment, which meant in cursed Storybrooke, Gold and Lacey were married. Therefore when Belle falls over the town line – Lacey returns. Everyone is shouting at her, and everything is wrong, so Lacey does something she never did once in 28 years of marriage, she turns to Gold for protection. In turn Rumplestiltskin does something that Gold never did in 28 years of marriage – he tells Lacey that he loves her. Belle loved him, so can Lacey fall for him all over again or will the curse mask true love forever?
I think this fic should also be entitled āSam had a stupid amount of funā because well yeah I did š This was my first Lacey fic and I had an absolute blast. Iād actually quite like to revisit this verse and write a couple of prequels, and possibly a short sequel. I have so many new ideas though itāll probably never happen but never say never.
3) Transposing Digits –
The phone in the library had always been silent, until one day it started ringing. Belle French answers it and discovers that life really can turn on a dime – or in this case a wrong number.
Aka the little fic that could. I wrote the first chapter as a oneshot for last Septemberās AMR prompt. I confess I thought it was cliched rubbish and was amazed at the response. I got prompts and it became my fluff verse and I adore it for that. The mutual support, love and care and general fluff is off the charts. I know itās bad form to stupid grin at your own work but itās just so fluffy!
4) All I Needed – [Tumblr, AO3]
Kudos: 76
When Emma told her high school sweetheart Neal, that she was pregnant a month before graduation, she didnāt know what to expect. The last thing she expected to find was a family, and a place to call home. This is a prompt verse. Mostly Swanfire at the moment, with a side of Rumbelle. Prompts welcome.
Wow. You can tell I havenāt looked at my kudos list in ages because Iām really surprised this is #4. Iām pleased though because I do have a soft spot for it. Again āitās so fluffyā but then angst gives me a stomach ache so not too surprising I lean more towards external conflict, and a sickly sweet amount of mutual support, love and care. As it is says in the synopsis itās a prompt verse. So if thereās something you want to see let me know š
5) Once Upon a Lifetime – [Tumblr, AO3] [NSFW]
Kudos: 66
Belle Frenchās life revolves around books. During the day she works as a librarian, and in the evenings she writes stories of her own. Everyday she watches Mr. Gold lock up his shop and everyday she swears that sheāll wave or do something, but she never does. If this were one of her stories then Mr. Gold would have noticed her watching him, and one day their eyes would meet and he would confess that he liked her as well. The problem was, life wasnāt a story. If it was, then Belle would have written herself a happy ending a long time ago.
You know I was just thinking about this story the other day. I promised a sequel back in January and it is definitely a story arc that I want to pursue. A while back I had a mini-prompt-a-thon and as part of that I wrote three linked ficlets. I was thinking that Iād merge that verse with this one as they are both basically running on the same lines. Itās on the list at least heh.
What are your five least popular works by kudos? (in ascending order)
1) Never Let the Pirate Babysit Alone – [Tumblr, AO3]
Kudos: 4
Set about 18 months before the events of Heās Behind You. David and Snow want a night to themselves. Emma agrees to babysit but is called back to the sheriffās station, leaving Hook alone with three-year-old Neal and baby Johanna.
Thereās no rumbelle in this, itās actually Hook-centric and basically a comedy fic. I donāt really think itās bashing Hook but I suppose it could be construed that way. I wrote it intending that Hook meant well but was completely out of his depth. Itās part of my War Within verse and the third Once fic I posted.
2) Hands All Over – [Tumblr, AO3] [NSFW] Kudos: 8
Set during a fade to black moment of Under My Skin. Lachlan and Belle have been dancing around one another for weeks. Finally they surrender to the inevitable.
This is really short and just pwp basically. I wrote it as a gift for the1ultimatefanās birthday back in January which was probably a mistake. Not the gift, never that, but writing a āsequelā to a fic I hadnāt finished yet. I basically wrote the happy ending, now I still need to write how they get from A-B and I havenāt updated since February. I feel terrible about that.
3) Trouble Sleeping –
[AO3] [NSFW]
Kudos: 8
Missing moment between Chapter Five and Chapter Six of Conspiracy Afloat.
I wrote a long plotty fic for Rumbelle Secret Santa last year and this was the only smut in it, so I pulled it out and put it into a oneshot so I could rate the main fic T. I figured that would mean more people could read the main fic. Plus as this was the only smut, rating the entire fic at E would imply it was more smutty than it was. So itās just pwp basically as all the plot is in the main fic.
4) The Quest –
Kudos: 9
When SGA-5 gate to just another planet in the Pegasus galaxy, Rush thinks itās going to be a waste of their time. Belle is intrigued when a village elder informs them of The Quest, a perilous mission which is not for the faint of heart, left for those who seek the wisdom of the ancestorās. Soon they are hip deep in Ancient traps, designed to test whether they are worthy of the grand prize, culminating in a terrifying battle with the guardian creature of legend – the griffon.
This was my actual assignment for Mayday Menagerie this year. It should probably also be known as āSamās indulgent ficā or āa love letter to Stargateā because I let my Stargate fan out and oops. Thatās not selling it very well is it? How about there are several smut scenes, including a threesome, the one and only time I will ever write such a thing. I think this fic is what killed the smut writer in me, I havenāt been able to write smut since.
5) Swim to the Stars – [Tumblr, AO3]
Kudos: 9
When Nicholas Rush is forced to attend a mandatory math conference in Hawaii, he is counting down the days until itās over. Once he meets Belle French he stops itching to return to his research, that would still be there when the conference ended but Belle wouldnāt be. His life was in California, and hers was in Colorado, unless something changedā¦
I actually do want to sell this one. Yes, my inner Stargate fan had fun, but itās very sweet and very fluffy. Rush buys palm print swimming trunks and has swim dates with Belle. Rubyās in it briefly. Rush and Belle are basically both dorks and thereās nearly several misunderstandings but because Iām me, they get fixed quite quickly. Itās just really sweet.
Tagging
@mariequitecontrarie, @little-inkstone, @ifishouldvanish, @sarashouldbestudying and anyone else who wants to do it!