I'm Not Gay But My Girlfriend Is 'Verse by clevernotbrilliant/clairevergreen

[clevernotbrilliant]

What's that? Ashley is going to sign up for yet another Camp NaNo with a project that she's probably going to abandon three days in because focusing is too difficult?

You bet your ass I am.

I'M NOT GAY BUT MY GIRLFRIEND IS 'VERSE

aka Marlene is in love with Emmeline and Sirius is in love with Remus and instead of using logic and talking to them, they decide to date each other

As some of you may know, I made a bet with @poppunkpadfoot about two years ago that if she wrote a Straight Sirius fic, I would finally finish my Marlene/Sirius beard story I started for her challenge. Well, I finally made good on that promise a few months ago and now I have a new favorite pairing that isn't really a pairing, but seems to be the only way for me to break out of a writer's block, SO...I'm gonna try and write as many different versions of these two idiots being idiots as I can in July (and obviously after bc I love them so much) with any kind of premise I can pull out of my ass.

Current ideas/in progress fics include:

• Marlene asks Sirius to pretend to be her boyfriend to make Emmeline jealous enough to make a move and it definitely works, just not on the person they thought would
• Sirius asks Marlene to be his 'date' to a donor dinner his parents have coerced him into going to except it accidentally worked too well and now they have to pretend to be in a long term relationship or else he is Fucked

Any and all requests or ideas will be added to the list as the month goes on as I am irrationally committed to writing the exact same story in as many different settings as I possibly can.

Thanks for reading!

+pinterest board [M]

Incredible picspam by @crowsb4bros

[poppunkpadfoot]

THIS IS UHHHHHHH THE MOST EXCITING NEWS I HAVE RECEIVED IN SEVERAL WEEKS (AND I LITERALLY GOT ACCEPTED TO UNIVERSITY A FEW DAYS AGO)

1. can you tell us what it is that you like so much about this not-pairing? (bromance???)

2. it seems from the scenarios that there isn't going to be any sort of continuity between these different fics - do you think there might be character choices that won't carry over between fics?

3. will these all be fluffy/humorous, or can we expect some sweet sweet angst thrown in as well?

4. is there anything that you find challenging about this pairing?

5. are these all going to take place in HP canon, or might we see some AUs here as well?

6. just out of curiosity, do you have any sort of word count goal or a certain number of stories you're aiming to get to?

7. does this mean i have to write more straight sirius? bc frankly i refuse

 

[clevernotbrilliant]

13 minutes ago, poppunkpadfoot said:

THIS IS UHHHHHHH THE MOST EXCITING NEWS I HAVE RECEIVED IN SEVERAL WEEKS (AND I LITERALLY GOT ACCEPTED TO UNIVERSITY A FEW DAYS AGO)

Okay, first off, THAT'S SO EXCITING OMG CONGRATS!!!!

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1. can you tell us what it is that you like so much about this not-pairing? (bromance???)

I honestly did not realize until it was pointed out to me, but the dynamic between them is honestly one of my absolute favorites in any friendship. They're just so easy to write and they play off each other so well and their problems compliment each other so well that it just makes so much sense.

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2. it seems from the scenarios that there isn't going to be any sort of continuity between these different fics - do you think there might be character choices that won't carry over between fics?

Hmmm...I honestly didn't think about this. I think their backstories may change between each fic just to fit the premise of each one and probably their exact feelings for their respective people based on whatever they need to be (obviously they will always be in love with/end up with them)

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3. will these all be fluffy/humorous, or can we expect some sweet sweet angst thrown in as well?

I honestly couldn't tell you lol, but it is Sirius so like...I feel like some angst is to be expected.

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4. is there anything that you find challenging about this pairing?

Hmmm...honestly, I don't...think so? Which is probably why they seem to be the thing that gets me through writer block. They're just fun and easy.

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5. are these all going to take place in HP canon, or might we see some AUs here as well?

These will exclusive be AUs unless I find the holy grail of canon plots. I just want to see these two idiots be idiots in as many scenarios as possible lol

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6. just out of curiosity, do you have any sort of word count goal or a certain number of stories you're aiming to get to?

Not really? I just want to force myself to write anything. If I finish a single story, I'll be happy

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7. does this mean i have to write more straight sirius? bc frankly i refuse

Absolutely not. The world has suffered enough

 

Thank you so much for the questions!!!

[nott theodore]

Ashley!  I've seen you tweeting about these stories and I'm so excited that this is getting you out of writer's block!

 

1. Why Marlene and Sirius?  What is it about these two that works so well for these stories?

2. Which scenario are you most excited to put them in?

3. Do you have any music or playlists that inspire you to write these stories?

4. Will their respective others (the people they're trying to make jealous/really in love with) be the same in each story?

5. Aside from Sirius and Marlene, which of the characters in these stories do you like writing the most?

6. Are people going to find out about the fake-dating being fake in each of these stories, or are you just planning to see how many different ways you can spin the trope (I'm very here for the second option)?

7. Have you learnt anything about Sirius and Marlene's characters that's surprised you from writing them so far?

[clevernotbrilliant]

Hey, Sian!

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1. Why Marlene and Sirius?  What is it about these two that works so well for these stories?

I really couldn't say? I kinda pulled it out my ass for Kayla's challenge lol and I've always enjoyed the idea of Marlene from the other things I've read with her in them. I know a lot of people ship them together if they don't ship Wolfstar and I kinda did as a default before so it was kinda just the idea of taking a trope with a fairly well-known couple and just mixing it up completely.

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2. Which scenario are you most excited to put them in?

Honestly, any scenario that helps me finish a story lmao

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3. Do you have any music or playlists that inspire you to write these stories?

I have a general Marauders playlist [M] that I made for a different story that kinda fits, but I'm hoping to create one specifically for them as I write this month.

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4. Will their respective others (the people they're trying to make jealous/really in love with) be the same in each story?

Yes, it will always end up with Sirius/Remus and Marlene/Emmeline (even if they're not explicitly together by the end of the story.

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5. Aside from Sirius and Marlene, which of the characters in these stories do you like writing the most?

For sure James. I know my AP says otherwise but he is one of my absolute favorite HP characters and definitely my fave Marauder. He's just so fun to mess around with in the background of stories like these since he really has no personal stakes in anything that's happening between them all.

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6. Are people going to find out about the fake-dating being fake in each of these stories, or are you just planning to see how many different ways you can spin the trope (I'm very here for the second option)?

I think it'll depend on each story and their reasons for faking it in the first place. I think at the very least, James and Remus will more than likely find out in each scenario, but that's very subject to change.

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7. Have you learnt anything about Sirius and Marlene's characters that's surprised you from writing them so far?

I've been writing Sirius so long (since at least high school lol) that there's not much that I don't know about my own personal version of him. Obviously it's changed through the years, but at his core, he's definitely still the same. Marlene, on the other hand, is a complete wild card. I never really considered her as someone I'd write about before Mutually Beneficial, so she's surprising me left and right as I throw her into different stories. For example (minor spoilers for Mutually Exclusive), I had no idea that her mother was the one who made her feel like she needed to stay in the closet until it just appeared in the story, so I'm hyped to figure out more things like that with her as I get to know her better.

 

Thank you so much for the wonderful questions!!

 

[Archer Rose]

Heyaaa!

Some questions!

1. Do you ship wolfstar/marleline(?) OR just more interested in the dynamic between Sirius and Marlene?

2. Describe Marlene's character in three words?

3. Same with Sirius?

4. Do you see the stories as being more romance based (wolfstar) or based around the friendship between marlene/sirius? 

5. How many different ideas do you think you can come up with to play on concept? 

6. Would you ever mix it up and try Remus/Emmeline fake dating in order to get Sirius/Marlene?

7. Is there anything that people can do to encourage you during NaNo?

❤

[clevernotbrilliant]

Hey, Abbi!

On 6/29/2020 at 4:34 AM, Crimson Quill said:

1. Do you ship wolfstar/marleline(?) OR just more interested in the dynamic between Sirius and Marlene?

Definitely ship both of them. I've shipped Wolfstar pretty much forever, I just never was super dedicated to it until a few years ago when I started reading more of it. Marlene/Emmeline is definitely a very recent development, but from the very little I've written of them, I love them to death.

I mean, I also love the Marlene/Sirius bromance, but the other ships are pretty cool too lol

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2. Describe Marlene's character in three words?

Bold, insecure, loyal

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3. Same with Sirius?

I just want you to know that this question is the reason it took me so long to answer these questions. You would think I could do this in my sleep but alas

Charismatic, reserved (god I can't think of the word, but more like that John Mulaney bit about keeping all your emotions bottled up and then you die), brash

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4. Do you see the stories as being more romance based (wolfstar) or based around the friendship between marlene/sirius? 

Hmm...I think a mix of both? Obviously, Wolfstar/Marleline are the endgame goals, but for most of the stories, they won't be together for 95% of it, so definitely a heavy focus on the bromance.

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5. How many different ideas do you think you can come up with to play on concept? 

Honestly, I have no idea, but we're gonna find out!

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6. Would you ever mix it up and try Remus/Emmeline fake dating in order to get Sirius/Marlene?

I hadn't thought of that, but now I'm just picturing Sirius and Marlene fake dating bc they think Remus and Emmeline are dating and everyone just being full on idiots until they all realize none of them are actually dating.

...so maybe

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7. Is there anything that people can do to encourage you during NaNo?

Probably just yell at me to stop getting distracted and procrastinating and actually write the damn stories.

 

Thank you so much for the questions, Abbi!!

[just.a.willow.tree]

THIS CONCEPT IS SO FAB. It's so hilarious seeing the traditional Sirius/Marlene ship being subverted in this way! It's such a hilarious, funny idea, and I Love It Very Much.

I have a couple questions for you!

1. What about Marlene and Sirius's personalities make their friends think/believe that they're compatible? (At least, enough to actually be convinced by the fake dating?) And what about their personalities, do you think, make them incompatible (apart from just straight-up not liking one another -- though I suppose that's reason enough )?

2. How close is everyone? I mean, are there some friends like Lily or James who hear both sides of the story and are forced under oath to keep their mouths shut?

Good good luck with this project! It'll be so great!

[clevernotbrilliant]

54 minutes ago, just.a.willow.tree said:

THIS CONCEPT IS SO FAB. It's so hilarious seeing the traditional Sirius/Marlene ship being subverted in this way! It's such a hilarious, funny idea, and I Love It Very Much.

Right??? Honestly, I'm impressed with myself that I managed to come up with this, so I'm glad you're so into it!

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1. What about Marlene and Sirius's personalities make their friends think/believe that they're compatible? (At least, enough to actually be convinced by the fake dating?) And what about their personalities, do you think, make them incompatible (apart from just straight-up not liking one another -- though I suppose that's reason enough )?

I think they're very similar on the surface and they have that banter back and forth that can easily be seen as flirting. They just seem comfortable around each other and while they're definitely not as close as James and Sirius or Marlene and her friends, they are super close which when you add the pretend parts of a relationship (kissing and such), they're that couple that everyone just Knows is going to work when really they probably never would. And I think Marlene is definitely the kind of girl Sirius would go for if he wasn't so wrapped up with Remus.

I actually think that if Marlene were into guys, they probably would be a pretty decent couple (hence why she is a lesbian lol). But there's really nothing that would help them last. I don't really know how to explain it, but they're just better as friends and neither of them see each other like that. Basically kinda like Lucas and Hayley from One Tree Hill. They're just bros and they both prefer it that way.

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2. How close is everyone? I mean, are there some friends like Lily or James who hear both sides of the story and are forced under oath to keep their mouths shut?

For the most part, I think no one is technically supposed to find out about the fake dating (at least with the ones that I've come up with so far). If it did get out, James would for sure get Sirius's side and Lily probably would hear Marlene's side, but I don't think anyone would get both...unless Jily is Established in one of the fics, in which case they will both spend the entire story trying not to let everyone know that they know bc they are also both disasters (James obviously cracks first).

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Good good luck with this project! It'll be so great!

Thank you so much, Eva!!!

[clevernotbrilliant]

@poppunkpadfoot You asked about angst, so how about Sirius asking Marlene to pretend to be his girlfriend because his ex that things didn't end well with is coming back into town for a visit and he doesn't want him to know that he's still absolutely in love with him

[poppunkpadfoot]

39 minutes ago, clevernotbrilliant said:

@poppunkpadfoot You asked about angst, so how about Sirius asking Marlene to pretend to be his girlfriend because his ex that things didn't end well with is coming back into town for a visit and he doesn't want him to know that he's still absolutely in love with him

..........................................yes. i need it. now.