Meet Emily! Known as ‘KouriArashi,’ she is a 35-year-old fanfiction author and fandom member from the United States.
How long have you been writing?
Since about fifth grade. I might have been writing even earlier than that, but the first thing I really remember writing was a story about a cruise ship that crashed and left its survivors on an island. I think I was a very morbid child.
How did you get involved in the Shadowhunters fandom?
I saw a gifset of the first Malec kiss on Tumblr and was immediately like, ‘I have to go check out this show!’ I was vaguely familiar with it before that, but that was definitely why I wanted to see it. There are so many talented gif-makers in this fandom! I binged the first season on Freeform in a couple days and got addicted.
What is the appeal of fanfiction to you?
Getting to explore what the canon leaves out. I love all kinds of fanfiction – behind-the-scenes, canon divergent, total AU. I love being able to put the characters I care about into different scenarios and see how they’ll react.
What character or aspect of the Shadowhunters world makes you want to write?
Well, Malec, obviously. I think one of the things that draws me in the most is Alec’s struggle between who he is, who he wants to be, and who he’s expected to be. I had very demanding parents, so I really relate to that struggle. I also love writing Magnus because he’s so capable and badass, but also very caring and kind, which is a combination that you don’t see in a lot of characters. The two of them together just have a really beautiful relationship, and I love to write about them building that relationship in all sorts of different contexts.
What emotion do you most like to write and why?
I’m a total angst and hurt/comfort gal. I love to be mean to characters and then watch their loved ones comfort them. I’ll occasionally write fluff when I’m in the mood for it, but hurt/comfort is my jam.
What is your favorite fanfiction trope?
I’m not sure if hurt/comfort in and of itself is a trope, but I love soulmate AUs, especially playing with the mechanics of them and thinking about how soulmates would affect society. Found families/families of choice is another big one that I adore.
What ships do you ship, and why do you love them so much?
Obviously Malec, for the reasons stated above, as well as the fact that they have such a healthy, supportive relationship. So much media focuses on unhealthy relationships or uses relationship problems as a way to create a story, but I much prefer to see a healthy couple face adversity together, and that’s what Malec is all about. Banter and dialogue are so much fun to write.
What’s your favorite scene you’ve ever written?
Oh, that’s a tough call. I’d have to say that it’s from Chapter 3 of ‘One Show Only,’ when Alec is telling Magnus about what happened when his mother found out he was gay, and going through conversion therapy. I packed a lot of emotion into that scene and it resonated so much for so many people.
Share with us an out-of-context line from one of your stories.
Magnus winks at Alec and says, “Was it so bad, seeing me without my clothes on?”
What has been the best part of your fandom experience so far?
I always enjoy interacting with my readers, and I’ve gotten a lot of great, supportive comments. But I particularly was amazed by the reaction I got to ‘Setting Fire to a Stone.’ It’s a fanfic that goes into the effects of Maryse’s emotional abuse of Alec, and Magnus helping him recognize and cope with it, and I got a lot of comments from people telling me that it helped them process things in their own lives. As a writer, it was really amazing for me to hear that I had a positive impact on real peoples’ lives. Also, it doesn’t come up as much in the Malec fandom, but over in the Teen Wolf fandom, I have a series I write with an asexual character and I’ve gotten to meet lots of amazing people through that and talk about the importance of representation. I’m so glad that Shadowhunters has revealed that Raphael is canonically asexual, and I hope I get the chance to write about that in the future.
Like what you see? You can read KouriArashi’s fanfiction on Archive of Our Own or follow her on Tumblr.
