sam_storyteller: (Blue Moon Coffee)
sam_storyteller ([personal profile] sam_storyteller) wrote2005-07-15 02:51 pm
Entry tags:

Because I Can. G, HP self-insertion flopsy

Summary: Sometimes even fictions need guardian angels.
[livejournal.com profile] kungfooqueen did a meme a while back where she advised people to draw or write a shameless Mary Sue self-insertion fic. This isn't quite a self-insertion, it's more meta, but I had fun with it :D
Warnings: None.

First Posted to this journal 2.21.06.

Also available at AO3.

***

"But why?"

"Oh, because I can."

They're sitting across from each other at the table, tea for both. He never smokes, or at least never used to, but Remus does sometimes and he offered, so the other man took one and lit it with a cocky grin and a flame that danced up from pad of palm to fingertip.

"It's a sort of magic, anyway," he continues, exhaling, the smoke intermingling with the steam from their tea.

"But I'm not all that interesting," Remus protests, taking a sip. It's proper English tea, thick and stewed and caffeinated. The other man is drinking herbal tea, which as everyone knows isn't real tea at all.

"But you are!" the blue-eyed man laughs. "Besides, there's always a happy ending. You survive, at any rate. You still live while others die."

Remus studies the tea. "I had noticed. Thanks for that."

The other man grins and knocks some ash off the end of the cigarette. "My pleasure. I've done well by you, anyway."

"You're too much inside my head."

"We're too alike," he answers, and anyone looking at them edge-on might see a similarity in the cut of their hair, the set of jaw and shape of nose, though one's hair is brown shot with silver and the other's is sandy-yellow. They're much of a height, the two men smoking together and drinking tea.

"Must be off, then," says the man with the yellow hair. "Keep safe."

"I trust you."

A quick smile. "Wise of you."

Oddly, he bends over the edge of the table and as Remus turns his face up to ask why, a kiss is pressed lightly to his forehead.

"It's a bad world out there," Sam says. "You need guardian angels to make sure of happy endings."

[identity profile] fleur-de-liz.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam, this was the best shameless self-insertion ever. MarySues everywhere are trembling in fear now.

[identity profile] medicinal-mirth.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"You need guardian angels to make sure of happy endings."

Ain't that the truth.

Still -- and yes, I think way too much on this sort of thing -- when we write fics that give our favorite characters their happy endings, who's the actual guardian angel? Us for them, or is it the other way around? I can bitch and moan about how canon treats one of my favorite characters, but then I can write -- or read -- a fic with my more preferred outcome and amazingly I feel so much better! Gotta love that. And, of course, the characters certainly let us escape from real life difficulties, at least for a while, and sometimes we certainly need that break. So ... yeah, I think way too much.

Neat idea, though, and interesting -- and rather sweet -- little ficlet.

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:37 pm (UTC)(link)
It's true, though -- I wouldn't think of the happy-ending ficfolk as guardian angels, precisely, but they do help us to deal with, well, not only the mistreatment of characters but also our own RL issues. I find writing Remus to be very cathartic for me; instead of whining about my life, which in some ways is very similar to his, I can write about his life and work through my need for self-pity that way :) So you definitely are on to something there.

(no subject)

[identity profile] lilian-cho.livejournal.com - 2006-02-27 01:06 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] zooey-glass04.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Awww, Sam, that's the sweetest little slef-insertion ever. Lovely :D

[identity profile] cerridwen666.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
You give me hope that self-insertion can be done right. I love this.

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:41 pm (UTC)(link)
It was fun :) I do like to toss myself into a story from time to time, like the brief passage in Games Almost Played where I visit the Hogwarts Yule Ball :D
ext_1798: (Default)

[identity profile] wildestranger.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. That's just lovely. *shameless grin*

So, do you often plot out scenarios where you kiss Remus? ;)

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:53 pm (UTC)(link)
:P Forehead! Kiss on the FOREHEAD! Platonic affection! *laughs*

(no subject)

[identity profile] lilian-cho.livejournal.com - 2006-02-27 01:07 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] ltlredhairdgirl.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)
This was just wonderful. You bring all the Mary-Sues to shame. I could see this happening in my head and it's just so sweet. I am always amazed by your writing.

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:53 pm (UTC)(link)
*laughs* Well, it was fun to do. A little self-insertion never hurt anyone, I suppose...

[identity profile] winstonmom.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 05:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Lovely done!

[identity profile] bluejeans07.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 06:46 pm (UTC)(link)
That was lovely! Best self-insertion I've seen! Now I'm going to go and shamelessly copy you!

Bwahahahahahaha!

*all HP characters run away in fear from the girl yelling at them to strip so she could draw them*

[identity profile] wanderingwidget.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 06:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Very cute ^^

[identity profile] chocolatepot.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 07:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam! That's the cutest thing I've read! *huggles ficlet*

[identity profile] cleversimon.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 07:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Dear Stephen King,

This is how author-as-God self-insertions are supposed to work, you fucking hack.

Love,

Z.

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 05:18 am (UTC)(link)
*laughs* I feel like I should finish the DT trilogy just to see how he does it, but I know how it ends and it's not really worth the time invested, unfortunately, much as I love King.

I actually have a cameo plotted out in LC, but not for some time. *enigmatic look*

In reverse

[identity profile] cleversimon.livejournal.com - 2006-02-22 05:25 (UTC) - Expand

Re: In reverse

[identity profile] blythely.livejournal.com - 2006-03-08 21:21 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] theresamd.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Best platonic kiss in fandom history. That was beautiful, you're beautiful, and I'm glad you're out there taking care of our characters.

[identity profile] nakki.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 07:41 pm (UTC)(link)


"It's a bad world out there," Sam says. "You need guardian angels to make sure of happy endings."

[identity profile] somnia-lustre.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Many things about this fic make me happy. We have Remus alive and with tea, even if he doesn't have chocolate. The we have you keeping him alive, and witty banter, even if your tea is herbal. The finish is just pricless. Mary Sue Fluff that doesn't cause cavities? I think we have the fic version of Xylotol, and that isn't a bad thing.

[identity profile] booklady.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Awwww. You have done well by him.

Well done.

[identity profile] elucreh.livejournal.com 2006-02-21 08:36 pm (UTC)(link)
*gets trembly happy face involuntarily*

[identity profile] chicleeblair.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 12:34 am (UTC)(link)
Sooo sweet Sam!

[identity profile] gothicauthor.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
[dies laughing]

Oh, that's brilliant... And I mean that seriously. I can totally see this scene, even if I have no idea what you look like.

...Is it bad that I'm sort of hoping you'll expand this.

Gothic Author

[identity profile] gothicauthor.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
...That should definitely have been a question mark.

Because it's a question.

Yes.

Gothic Author

Guardian Angels

(Anonymous) - 2006-02-23 00:43 (UTC) - Expand
ext_39476: Found it in an lj-friend's comment (Fey ...)

[identity profile] ajat.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 01:36 am (UTC)(link)
HEE ! Teh Fonny !
ext_39698: (science bitch)

[identity profile] coffeebased.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
this made me grab my chest as my heart couldn't take the squee

because I love you

[identity profile] flamingsword.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
Image (http://pics.livejournal.com/flamingsword/pic/0002razy/)

May you use this with joy, or pass it to another to whom it gives joy. Yes, it is Natalia Tena. I geek for you, to prove my fangirlish love.

Re: because I love you

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-23 05:12 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! What a nice thing to make and share! I'm not sure I'd have much call to use it, but I'll be linking a few other people to the comment, who are Tonks fans :) Thanks again!
ext_47882: (*fangirl!*)

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_xanthia/ 2006-02-22 05:22 am (UTC)(link)
Gotta say. Best. Self-insert. Ever.

Liek whoa.

[identity profile] vimeslady.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
That's sweet and warm, without being the least bit saccharine. I could see and hear the whole thing.

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 05:31 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! It was fun to write. I actually am quite fond of authorial inserts when they're done well -- particularly of this brand, where the author is detached from the world, all-knowing but not participatory.

[identity profile] rudetuesday.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 06:41 am (UTC)(link)
As much as I enjoy your Remus, I really like your Sam.

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-23 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! I'm fond of him, myself :D
ext_9905: (HP - colin's a hopeless fangirl)

[identity profile] soloproject.livejournal.com 2006-02-22 09:58 am (UTC)(link)
I generally dislike self-insertion fic with a burning passion but damnit, Sam, you are this close to making me a believer.

[identity profile] sam-storyteller.livejournal.com 2006-02-23 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
Well, most self-insertion fic is fundamentally about stroking the ego, whereas for me it's just fun to play pretend for a bit *grins* To be honest, I'm realising that it doesn't really match the meme -- I'm not a Mary Sue or a real character in a non-meta fic.

*ponders how to insert himself into a "real" fic*

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