Fanart, Fanfiction and Fangirling

One of my goals for 2025 is to draw at least one thing every month and I'm already off to a good start! I need to thank martina_a_duck and gladia.delmarre for coming up with this challenge: I don't know if I'll use any of the other prompts, but as soon as I read the first one, I knew what I wanted to draw.

( Enchanter )

Challenge #1
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It's time for the Snowflake Challenge! My DW and LJ profiles weren't too outdated, but I changed a few things and fixed a broken link. I'm glad this challenge gives me a reason to check my info, I always tend to neglect doing it during the year.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the month!

Like every December, it's time for the usual end of year memes, both fannish and not.

( End of year memes 2024 )

It's already been a month since my last entry. My colleague is still on sick leave and just prolonged for another month. October is usually a quiet month for us, but this year we have 6 visits going on (luckily another colleague is helping, otherwise I'd be going crazy). Something might change in the not so distant future, but until I see it, I'm not going to believe it.

Other than that, I started thinking of this year's Advent Calendar. I don't think I'm gonna do a whole calendar like I did for the last few years, just the thought of writing 24 drabbles/ficlets makes me tired. But I'd still like to do something and I've actually already written a ficlet, so I'm thinking of just writing four, one for each Advent Sunday. I want it to be something fun, something I look forward to, not an additional source of stress. If I have the time and energy to write more, or draw something Christmas-related, all the better, but my goal right now is just those four.

I should probably write a recap of my trip to Tuscany, but for the moment have a quick Jigen sketch I did while I was in Lucca.

There was a pub near my B&B where each table had some pens, you could draw something on the paper table mat and the owners would then hang them on the walls (there were drawings everywhere), so I decided to doodle something too. Someone had already drawn Lupin, so I had to draw Jigen. I mean, you can't separate those two...

( Jigen sketch )

I've wanted to draw silver fox Jigen and Queen Malta ever since I read this post by thelavendercatalogue on Tumblr some time ago, and I finally found some time to do it.

( JigMalta fanart under the cut )

I started writing this fic a while back, I think I got the idea shortly after watching "Jigen's Gravestone", but then work got crazy and I was always too tired to finish it. Work is still crazy, but I finally found the time (and energy) to finish it. So here it is, my first smutty Lupin/Jigen fic. It feels kinda weird writing smut about this pairing after being in the fandom for such a long time (I literally grew up with these characters), but what can I say, I've been a little obsessed lately...



Title: Not friends
Fandom: Lupin III
Pairing: Lupin/Jigen
Rating: NC-17/Explicit
Summary: Lupin and Jigen take a little holiday after the events of "Jigen's Gravestone".

...

"Let's take a holiday," Lupin suggested as he threw the cigarette butt away and slid back behind the wheel of the dilapidated car. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and East Doroa was just a dark silhouette against the purple sky, dozens of tiny lights glittering in the twilight. "Somewhere warm and quiet, far away from secret dossiers and international intrigues. We both need a break after the week we've had."

What he didn't say out loud was that he wanted them to stick together so he could keep an eye on Jigen and his wound, but the gunman read right through him. He told the thief in no uncertain terms he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself and didn't need a babysitter, but Lupin wouldn't budge. Jigen knew trying to argue with him was a lost cause, so he just sighed and reluctantly agreed to go along.

Two days later, they were on a ferry boat headed towards a small Mediterranean island whose name Jigen had never heard before.

Read the rest on AO3

I've been working on a smutty Lupin/Jigen fanfic inspired by "Jigen's Gravestone" for a while. It's almost done, but then the other day I got an idea for a ficlet inspired by "Lupin Zero" and I just had to write it. Because I still haven't recovered from that scene, and I don't know if I ever will.



Title: The greatest constant
Fandom: Lupin III
Pairing: Lupin/Jigen (or Lupin & Jigen)
Rating: G
Summary: School uniforms make Lupin feel nostalgic.
A/N: Spoilers for "Lupin Zero". Lupin and Jigen's relationship here can be read as romantic or platonic, I left it intentionally vague.

...

"Shouldn't we leave the country? Or move to another city at least?" Jigen asks as he lights up the umpteenth cigarette of the day. "It's not wise staying so long after all the ruckus you caused for that old piece of wood."

"First of all, that was an original woodblock from the Edo period, used to print one of Hokusai's Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, and it's worth millions of yen," Lupin replies, sounding mildly offended.

"Whatever," Jigen grunts. "Then why did you gift it to Goemon if it's so precious?"

Read the rest on AO3

This weekend has definitely improved my mood. The Madame Sadowsky concert on Friday was excellent as usual, and they even dedicated "Black Celebration" to me! :3 I was secretly hoping they would, and was so happy when they did. ♥

And Depeche Mode on Saturday were unbelievable. Dave is still the same spectacular performer, he never stood still for more than a handful of seconds. We almost lost him in the '90s because of his drug addiction, but after that, he aged like the proverbial fine wine. When he walked on stage, with his hair slicked back and his sparkly suit, I thought: "He's so hot, he looks like Count Dracula." XD

I mean:

( Am I wrong? )

Of course he soon got rid of his jacket and, later, of his shirt. He only kept his waistcoat on, and I was reminded of a description I found online years ago: overpriced stripper. XD Whoever came up with it was absolutely right, and anyone who has seen him perform can confirm.

The next weeks are going to be extremely busy at work, just like the last two were, but for the moment I'm happy. And I already have another concert on my radar: as I was going to my parents' place this morning, I saw a poster for a gig of "The Jesus and Mary Chain" in April, and thought why not? It's after the first big event we are organising, so it will be a nice way to wind down from the stress. Like I always say, concerts are my natural habitat.

The AU nobody asked for: genderbent Lupin III gang!

I got this idea the other day and it wouldn't leave me alone, I just had to draw it. I might tweak the design a little, but I'm really pleased with how Lupin turned out.

( Fanart under the cut )