it probably says something about me as a fanfic writer that i am the most delighted by comments expressing that they think the base concept is way too out there, or is very bland, or has been overdone, or is just nonsensical, or usually is something they hate, or should not work, or is otherwise unsuitable
BUT
B U T
THAT I'VE DONE IT IN A WAY THEY ARE ENJOYING IMMENSELY
oh man
those are my favourite fanfic comments ever
tbh i feel like most of what that says about me is that it reveals one of my main motivations for writing fanfic is.... frustration, lol
like, an idea might be popular, commonplace, or even canon! but i feel like so much meat has been left on the bone that i have to get in there and ACTUALLY CARVE UP THOSE TASTY BITS for people to dine on
though honestly the last point deserves several fics in and of itself, i'm just not that good at writing political intrigue
i mean even masquerade is like
ok so vader's fighting for the good side now
how fucken awkward is that gonna be for everyone tho
like sure the rebellion is the heroes but also. just imagine having this known war criminal casually sitting in the mess hall with you. imagine having to serve him mashed potatoes. oh man. there's so much juicy bits there
@wigglytuffitout I dunno if I go for the same specifics but I am 1000% on board for zutara as "excrutiatingly slow-burn where neither of them realize it's happening for literal years"
@wigglytuffitout zutara where they both are kind of into the other person but can't admit it to each other or themselves because they're fire and water nation
zutara where they don't realize they're into each other but then for Some Reason I Haven't Thought Through, the two nations decide a political alliance through marriage would be the way to go and For Some Other Reason I Also Haven't Thought Through it's Katara
@wigglytuffitout my god imagine Katara actually being like an empress though
@InspectorCaracal a lot of "well this is awkward"
"katara did you forget you're literally the chief's daughter. you're like a princess"
"YEAH, OF LIKE, FIVE PEOPLE, AANG! I THINK MORE THAN FIVE PEOPLE LIVE IN THE FIRE NATION!"
bonus points if she comes prepared for everyone to hate her but it turns out the vast majority of the fire nation love her a la Princess Diana and she's just like "oh my god this is so much worse actually"
@wigglytuffitout ahahhaghakj oh dammit I have never written Avatar fanfic in my life and I am loving the hell out of this idea and want to write it, nooooo, nooooooooooo
@InspectorCaracal WHOOSH I CURSE YOU WITH PLOTBUNNY
@InspectorCaracal YES EXACTLY
especially because even if zuko realizes it, you know that fool's going to immediately jump to CONCEEEAL DON'T FEEEL
but also zuko is the last person to know what is going on with zuko at any given time. the rest of the gaang will be "so when's the wedding date" while he's still "whaaaat nooooo there's no way she likes me!! it's just IMPOSSIBLE" right up until katara grabs him by the collar and kisses him and Zuko.exe Has Encountered A Problem And Needs To Close
@wigglytuffitout I'm just sitting here giggling like a maniac at this visual
for example - yeah i like zutara but i like it mainly as a "the gaang does their own thing for a decade, then zuko and katara meet up and have a big mutual OH FUCK WHEN DID YOU GET HOT moment"
also the political aspect of zutara rarely gets addressed - how does the fire nation take to this? (how does it work with the rebuilt southern water tribe?)
also also what are the ramifications of the fire nation spending 100 years as a colonial war economy and then having that Abruptly Halt