ysande

Gimlet & Bertie, ficlet

2025-08-20T12:21:21Z

In which I inflict things on Gimlet, because a problem shared…

( Read more... )

comments

Prompt meme fill: sunburn (Gimlet, Bertie)

2025-07-26T15:45:37Z

Fill for Tweague’s prompt in the Biggles prompt meme:

Inspired by my day at the beach yesterday: Any characters including / situations (though I feel like this would fit particularly well for Ginger or Gimlet), sunburn. (Degree of suffering up to the writer.)

Gimlet, Bertie, school-aged.

( Read more... )

comments

Bertie-coded

2025-03-17T12:01:30Z

So my two main problems are that I don’t actually have an idea of what any of them look like, and I’m also not experienced enough to get down on paper what I’m aiming for. They all come out as a bit of a surprise. I’m not sure this is what Bertie would look like; at most I’d say that there are Bertie elements. It’s fun to try though!
( Read more... )

comments

HCEx letter

2025-03-16T08:25:07Z

( Read more... )

comments

Gimlet-coded

2025-03-10T09:04:32Z

( Read more... )

One day I’ll work out actual Gimlet :)

comments

Pizza

2025-03-10T00:38:52Z

I’ve made a lot of pizza this weekend so I’ve been thinking a lot about pizza. Which is always a fun thing to do! But I’m also always interested in people’s pizza flavour combination preferences, because pizza toppings can be divisive and it’s nice to have a variety so everyone gets at least a couple of flavours they like. So here’s a poll for entertainment and science :)

View Poll: #32796

comments

Timeline - Gimlet, Copper, Trapper

2025-03-05T12:02:35Z

This is just me thinking my way through Gimlet’s (and Trapper’s and Copper’s) timeline with the barest of justifications; it’s only backed up by Wikipedia-levels of research, so there may be… liberties.

( Read more... )

So there you have it - nothing like a timeline after all, just some musings out loud since either the events are clearly set out, or there’s only just enough information for conjecture but not certainty.

comments

Shipping meme

2025-01-17T12:59:49Z

The shipping meme that’s been going around - borrowed from sweetsorcery, sholio, philomytha :)

My thoughts on this have been percolating for a few days, in large part because I’m not altogether certain what I think and why on a lot of things to do with shipping. Overwhelmingly, I’m not a shipper (although I can be persuaded in certain situations). Not because I have any issue with any combination of sentient beings or gender, but because romance and romantic love just really doesn’t interest me a great deal. The best theory that I can come up with for why that is (because I used to be an avid shipper, years ago) is because what I will always want more from in life is friends; true friends; friends that are unlikely but irreplaceable; friends who will be there forever; friends to have adventures with. And I strongly believe that platonic relationships are just as valid as romantic ones, and just as important. And perhaps it’s because I’ve been very happily married for quite a long time, but I’m in a situation where I keep making amazing friends only for them to inevitably move away, and so it’s those enduring platonic relationships I really pine for, and want from fic.

So these answers are for shipping - but mostly for gen/platonic as well :)

And after that extremely long preamble: ( Read more... )

comments

Biggles Airdrop fics

2025-01-17T08:34:38Z

I received an absolutely delightful adventure starring Bertie, Algy and Ginger’s shenanigans on a case while Biggles is away! <3 What We Did on Your Holiday by cefyr

And I had a week of leave and indulged by writing as much fic as I could fit into my waking hours. I don’t think anyone would be surprised at which fics were mine, particularly as all the titles were just lyrics from Mulan’s ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You’ (it was the song I had in my head when completely at a loss for titles). It worked surprisingly well…

All gen, ranging from about 900-5k words.

In lyrical order:

before we’re through for tweague (a belated Christmas fic!) - Bertie and Gimlet, Bertie recovering from being shot down in CID, bananas, and Gimlet not enjoying having an emotion, I am slightly obsessed with Bertie and Gimlet at the moment. Kind of a sequel to Navigation to Target, or at least, I think of it on the same continuum, but I also think of it in tweague’s Gimlet and Bertie universe <3

find your centre for sheron - Biggles and Erich, hurt/comfort, between No Rest For Biggles and Hatchet. I really enjoyed playing around with some of my favourite tropes (e.g. injury reveal), and also enjoyed poking around in their relationship a little bit in that awkward time after No Rest For Biggles.

catch my breath for sholio - Biggles and Erich, gratuitous sickfic; I’ve wanted to write this ever since I saw sholio’s prompt for ‘Erich being absolutely wretched’ and just had the best fun with this one, it’s entirely gratuitous and OTT!

those who knew me for philomytha - Erich and Fritz, the stories Erich told Fritz about Biggles; also a fic I’ve been wanting to write ever since I saw philomytha’s prompt some months ago, because it’s such a delightful idea!

see right through me - Bertie, angst, just thinking about what type of relationship Bertie might have had with his mother (warning: angst, unhappiness, mental illness, parent death)

swift / force / strength - Bertie and Biggles, three short snippets of Biggles getting to know Bertie in 666

There were so many wonderful fics in Airdrop! I had an absolute blast reading, writing and commenting <3

comments

Fic!

2025-01-02T12:38:52Z

Awhile back I asked if anyone was interested in swapping fics with me for Christmas, and the upshot of that was I ended up with the three most delightful Christmas gifts I could have wished for - they honestly made my Christmas Day <3

Christmas Truce by sholio, in which an exhausted, injured and hopeless Erich von Stalhein accepts the offer of a Christmas truce, and shares in a day of quiet care, comfort and celebration at Mount Street. It’s the most Christmassy, delightful, festive, h/c-fest fic, I love it to bits and have put many metaphorical dog ears on its pages <3

Six Lessons and Carols by gatty, in which the paths of Biggles and EvS cross over six Christmases, ranging from on the front lines of the trenches in WW1, to a Christmas tradition in London. It’s so poignant and funny and atmospheric and touching and slots perfectly into canon as though it had always been part of it <3

Three Gifts by tweague, in which there are snapshots of three Christmases shared by Bertie Lissie and Gimlet King, across childhood, the prime of their lives, and as they start to mellow. It captures them both so perfectly, in heart-achingly beautiful detail, and is just the most gorgeous thing <3

Re: Airdrop - how is it 2 Jan already? But all is well, because I’m on leave for another week and a half and there’s nothing to get in the way of me (finally!) sitting down and writing for days. Which I am so excited about, because it feels like so long ago that I had the luxury of writing in a relaxed fashion! (This may be in large part due to me being able to do anything in a relaxed fashion, even at the best of times.)

Also, someone has convinced me, despite being largely a card-carrying gen fan, that Bertie/Gimlet BDSM is absolutely the thing missing from my life that I need more of, forever, and I’m honestly not sure how I feel about that XD (I lie; I actually feel amazing about it, but talk about surprises!) (Corrections by tweague, mind the tags.)

comments

Canon Bertie whump - compilation

2025-01-02T12:08:39Z

Because tweague casually suggested that I could compile a list of all the canon Bertie whump; and because that combines some of my favourite things (Bertie; whump; Bertie whump; compiling things into tables), here we are. (If there’s more canon hurt/comfort I’m missing, please let me know! I would be so delighted to discover it and add it to the table).

In summary: the Bertie whump is surprisingly prolific and excellent; he suffers a lot of head injuries; and there’s a surprising amount of gentleness and care between Biggles and Bertie. (Interestingly, in relation to the head injuries, WEJ twice provides commentary on how, despite what TV and movies would have you believe, head injuries are serious, and will incapacitate a person for days if not weeks. It doesn’t seem to stop him coshing Bertie over the head on a semi-regular basis though!)

Bertie tends not to let on how badly he’s feeling, preferring to joke about it or put on a cheerful face instead, with this being noted by the PoV character (No Rest for Biggles; Biggles and the Dark Intruder; Biggles Takes a Hand), and often apologises for being injured in the first place (CID; No Rest; Orchids for Biggles). He will push through injury until almost or actual complete collapse, or until the job is done (CID; No Rest; Dark Intruder; Takes a Hand).

The evolution and deepening of the friendship between Biggles and Bertie can also be seen as the books progress: from Biggles’ fairly matter-of-fact approach to Bertie in CID (Biggles almost seems kinder to Von Zoyton) and scant reaction to being told that Bertie’s died in Hunts Big Game - to Biggles telling a miserable Bertie that he couldn’t be a nuisance of he tried (No Rest); referring to Bertie as a “close personal friend” (Scores a Bull); and insisting on taking Bertie’s bullet wound seriously even if Bertie insists he’s fine (Takes a Hand).

Since these are all my favourite whump tropes in the one place, it’s probably not surprising that it’s added fuel to my Bertie-love flames :)
( Read more... )

comments

Tiramisu recipe

2024-12-15T09:27:12Z

This is my super easy super delicious tiramisu recipe that I thought I lost years ago but I just found a scribbled handwritten copy and I’m going to save it here for posterity! Recommended for Xmas dessert :)

( Read more... )

comments

FIAB fics

2024-12-15T02:18:39Z

In what would have been entirely unsurprising to anyone who reads Bertie fic, I wrote Navigation to Target for sweetsorcery who delightfully had a prompt for Bertie hurt/comfort and appreciation which allowed me to have a wonderful time downloading my most id-tastic head canon for how Bertie came to join them forever at Mount St <3

And slightly surprisingly, I also picked up an X-Files pinch hit, In Fire, Redemption, which was a request for monster of the week case fic with lots of dialogue; I toned down the scary a lot because my first attempt was too scary for me (I’m a wimp) and added an emotional support cameo by one of the Biggles crew (extremely AU) and co-opted a villain’s name. I honestly don’t know how I feel about this one! I listened to hours of X-Files podcasts and speed-watched a few episodes but it’s been decades since I actually watched the show properly.

comments

FIAB haul

2024-11-29T19:45:13Z

Biggles fandom, I am overwhelmed by your enthusiasm and kindness and talent and proliferation T__T

I have 5 (five) amazing FIAB gifts, and I know a number of them were picked up as pinch hits with a very short turnaround. I would have been so happy with the original fill alone, and I didn’t want anyone stressing over tight deadlines, and then so many of you did that anyway, and I love all the fics, and just T___T

So here are my wonderful gifts, I am overflowing with joy, thank you so much for writing for me! <333

Melt
The most delightful cuddle!pollen puppy pile of Bertie, Biggles, EvS, Algy and Ginger, with all the warm and fuzzy feels, there is so much cuteness and joy everywhere! <3

In the Aftermath
Flies East AU where EvS’s plane crashes just inside the British lines, and everything that flows from that. Glorious hurt/comfort and just the best exploration of how Biggles feels about EvS, and what he would do if he had to protect him from his own people <3

A Space Between
A coda to a scene in Gimlet Goes Again, where Gimlet, after living about 3 weeks in the space of an evening, casually mentions he’ll go and help Bertie with his dog who’s about to have puppies. It is the most perfect Gimlet and Bertie fic, with Bertie at his absolute Bertie-est, and did I mention there are PUPPIES and one of them is named Spitfire T__T

Rest Cure
The most achingly poignant interlude of Biggles on leave in WW1, just after Flies East and how lost and confused and alone he is, where nothing makes sense and nothing feels like it’s going to be ok (but we promise it’s going to eventually be ok, Biggles T_T) <3

with our full crew aboard
Rawlham team!fic with AWOL Bertie and the best hurt/comfort and everyone coming out in style to show Bertie that they care, with a wonderful appearance from B Flight, and just the absolute joy of seeing how 666 Squadron feel about Bertie <3

comments

Scrap

2024-11-20T11:45:27Z

A scrap - just because I wanted Bertie to punch someone. <300 words

( Read more... )

comments

Biggles Buries a Hatchet pt 1

2024-11-13T11:26:56Z

This is ~~20 minutes~~ 40 minutes of scribbling down thoughts on Biggles Buries A Hatchet, and I’m still nowhere near done (but it’s past bedtime)

( Read more... )

comments

Very important question

2024-11-09T02:46:18Z

Biggles fandom: is there another S after the possessive apostrophe in Biggles’/Biggles’s name??

I feel like the prevailing tendency is Biggles’s. But cf: Biggles’ Second Case, Biggles’ Chinese Puzzle and Biggles’ Combined Operations. Maybe it’s regional? My own tendency is to omit the second S, but also, I went to school at a time when it was deeply unfashionable to teach actual grammar, so I have no idea.

comments

Also FIAB

2024-11-05T09:07:41Z

Edited to add: I know having a one fandom request is a “pinch hits optional” situation and I am so ok with that! Again, just in case this is relevant to someone - situations that would make me happy are:
- the existing gift that’s waiting for me <333
- pinch hits
- no pinch hits
- thinking that you’d like to write something for me sometime but the next 8 days is not that time! (Airdrop? 😇)

Basically: I’m having fun with FIAB, the absolute last thing I want is for anyone to stress over FIAB on my account, I’m happy and want everyone else to be happy too! <333

comments

FIAB <3

2024-11-05T08:20:03Z

Dear FIAB author, just in case you want or need to read this, I 10000% support your default, and if wanted, I’m sending you lots of love and I hope things are ok/not too hectic in your life! <333 Fandom should be fun, not stress!

(If you didn’t need/want to read this and your vibe was more ‘nah not feeling the prompts’ I absolutely support that too! <3)

comments

Whumptober day 15 - childhood trauma

2024-10-15T20:49:47Z

This isn’t a fic, just my thoughts on a story from Bertie’s childhood that he tells in Biggles and the Lost Sovereigns which has stuck with me for the oh - like 4 months now since I discovered Biggles!

No. 15 CHILDHOOD TRAUMA
Painful hug | moment of clarity | “I did good, right?”

( Read more... )

comments

Whumptober day 11: loneliness

2024-10-13T06:29:16Z

I apologise in advance and acknowledge we’re still over two months from Christmas! I blame Yuletide (and all the decorations that popped up in my city on Sept 1, about which I have Views).

No. 11: SEEING DOUBLE
Convenience Store | Loneliness | “Leave no trace behind, like you don’t even exist.” (Taylor Swift, Illicit Affairs)

Biggles & co, 200 words.

( Read more... )

comments

Algy/EvS

2024-10-11T12:50:14Z

So here is a bit of headcanon that’s neither here nor there; but I’ll just blame {circumstances}, my brain’s quite fried, I have to start with that disclaimer bc I also keep saying that I stick to gen (with a very wide boundary for what that is) but this is just shipping so

( Algy/Evs )

I also owe *several* comments for gorgeous, heart-wrenching, id-tastic fics, but I have fallen asleep multiple times while composing this post and I have foolishly committed to social engagements from 8:30am - 4pm tomorrow, which is basically a full work day, I don’t know what I was thinking

comments

Sequel to day 8

2024-10-10T20:11:22Z

Sequel to Day 8: sleep deprivation, because black_bentley wondered how Algy would react once he realised who Major Sterne was, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Which - sleep deprivation is actually what Whumptober is giving me XD

Algy, EvS, Biggles, 1800 words

( Read more... )

comments

Whumptober day 8: sleep deprivation

2024-10-09T02:27:15Z

No. 8: SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Isolation Chamber | Forced to Stay Awake | “Leave the lights on.” (Coldplay, Midnight)

Algy, Major Sterne, 600 words

( Read more... )

Sequel

comments

Sequel to Day 3

2024-10-07T11:50:51Z

Sequel to the prompt for Day 3: Set Up For Failure, and, fair warning, it is the most indulgent thing ever.

~900; Erich, Algy, Biggles.

( Read more... )

comments