afterword

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i think this is one of my most quickly written stories

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i think this is one of my most quickly written stories. the beginning was very slow, but i think i wrote, like, twenty of those chapters within a span of a month. so it was a very roughly planned out type of thing. whatever i was feeling at the moment, i just wrote down and worked it into the story. so of you're wondering why some of the aspects or details of the story seem a little messily put together, it's because it was, haha.

i think many of the stories i've written in the past showcased love in a way of pure affection whereas the relationship between the two in this story showcases what i would describe as an intimacy of intellect.

i was unsure of this story at first mainly because of the lack of tenderness shown in their love. this sort of tenderness (you know, fluff) is what people often read fanfiction for. i wasn't sure if anyone was going to like this fic because of the way i chose to write their love. people love in different ways and love can be portrayed in different ways. in this story in particular, i don't describe them loving eachother directly as much as i do describe them understanding eachother and working through themselves. many of my other stories have that, yeah, but also focus on an aspect of love that is purely affectionate and loving for the sake of loving and being loved and the softness of it all.

i suppose i really wanted to harp on annabeth's character (i mean, the entire story is from her perspective) and how she shows and accepts love and how she perveives it. i wanted to show in her character that love to her is a complete understanding of the self and a complete understanding of the other.

in addition, i wanted to play around with annabeth's fatal flaw- hubris. i translated it to something a little modern where it wasn't about a mortal being just prideful, but annabeth using pride as a way of coping with how small the world makes her feel. making herself smarter, more ambitious, and confident because people don't take her as seriously as she wants them to. really, the story is more about her and her journey and development through love and loving piper than it is about the love between them itself. it's quite a common theme through my more recent works, i've noticed.

maybe i'm getting a bit introspective and pretentious about a story that's literally a fanfiction about characters from a series of books intended for kids, but it's what felt right to write at the time. i want to see myself in characters, you know? i think all artists do. i think all people do. they all want to see themselves in the world. that's why we consume media and culture. we like art that is a mirror and create art that is a mirror. that's why the things we experience make us feel. we see ourselves in them. i suppose fanfiction is the easiest outlet i've found to use as a mirror.

anyway, i'm talking way too much. i shouldn't tell you how to interpret the story. take whatever you want from it.

thank you for joining me on this journey and for all the support! i love hearing all your thoughts and i thank you guys for being a part of my life. it's the most wonderful thing for an artist to know that my work has touched someone. it's good to know that i am not alone in these thoughts and in these words. we're all mirrors of eachother. i'm honored to be a reflection of you.

i hope to see you again in my next project.

thanks always,
starryid.

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