Archive of Our Own

Springcest is a shipcest (fictional incest) bingo event with a special challenge: to include all 3 squares of your bingo in one work. 

You can choose to make your bingo from any of three of the 3x3 cards.

The goal is the same as any other bingo: to make a row, column, or diagonal by using each of the prompts, except this time you have to include them all in one work… or if you’re feeling particularly inspired: a full blackout card where you fill every prompt in one work. 

This event will run from April 20th to June 20th.

Works do not need to be posted specifically on AO3, they can be posted anywhere. Any type of creation is accepted for this event except those generated by AI. Examples of what you could create: fic, digital art, a painting, a moodboard, a rec post of a book that fits the prompts, a playlist, origami, a sweater, a pie… If you can make it fit the prompt then go for it!

Q: Do I have to post on AO3?
A: No, it's alright if you post in some other way, or not even post your work at all and just participate along with us.

Q: Can I use each prompt in a different chapter?
A: Yes, as long as they are all in one single work.

Q: Can I post the bingo card on social media?
A: Absolutely! And if you want you can tag us too!

Q: Can we write NSFW for a prompt?
A: Absolutely!

Q: Could I make art?
A: YES!!!!

Q: What about non-traditional art like origami or sewing or cooking?
A: YES!!!! If it relates to the prompts to you then you're good!

Q: Would you allow podfics of existing works to be part of the collection?
A: Yes, you could do podfics of existing SpringCest works and any incest works that fit the prompt can be part of the collection.

Q: I am not much of a writer, could I make a fic rec post on Tumblr of works that fit the prompt(s)?
A: Yes, that would be an amazing way to participate. Incest fics don't usually get a lot of attention, kudos, or comments so a fic rec post is really good for the community!

Q: So... I can still do last year's prompts?
A: Hell yeah! Go for it. Just put them in last year's collection so the prompts line up.

Q: Can I combine a prompt here with another event?
A: Yes! As long as it follows the rules of both/all of the events!

Q: Will you reblog my post?
A: Yes, we will reblog every fic that tags our Tumblr/Bluesky account. Give us 72 hours to have it reblogged before reaching out to us about it.

Q: How should I incorporate the prompt into my work?
A: Feel free to use the exact word/phrase in your work, or just use the prompt as a general idea. (Example: if the prompt is ‘not in the swimming pool!’ then you can use that as a quote from one of the characters, or simply write about a scene where something ensues that maybe shouldn’t be done in a swimming pool). The prompt can be a big or small part of your work, it's up to you how you decide to incorporate it.

Q: What is the word count requirement?
A: There are no word count requirements! You can go as short or as long as you would like.

Q: Is faux-cest allowed? As in people not blood-related partaking in roleplay?
A: Yes! Faux-cest, pseudo-incest, step-siblings, incest play, implied incest, etc. are allowed.

Q: Are “imagines” allowed? (aka nonspecific little brother x big sister Tumblr-type short stories)
A: Yes! Original characters and content are allowed in any format. There is no minimum word count and works are not required to be posted on AO3. If you post exclusively on Tumblr, just tag us and we’ll reblog it!

Q: If they aren’t blood-related in canon, can I write them as siblings/parent-son/daughter?
A: Yes. They do NOT need to be related in canon for it to count in this event. You can make them related in any way that you please (including siblings, parent/child, long lost uncle/aunt, or even pseudocest like step-siblings, godparent/godchild, whatever!) You could even make it incest-roleplay (aka fauxcest) between non-related characters.

Q: Do reader-insert fics count?
A: Yes! We accept reader-insert fics!

Q: Do you allow RPF (real person fiction)?
A: Yes! We accept RPF works!

Q: Do you allow really dark content? Or extremely taboo content?
A: Yep! Just use your best judgement as a community member for what to tag. Remember, tags that are trigger warnings for some are kinks for others. It's in your favor to tag your content.

Q: I don't think I understand this prompt...
A: Do not be afraid you will get the prompt “wrong,” they are all up to your interpretation. However, if you really need a clarification or there is a confusing typo, please email us.

Q: Can I change the spelling in my prompt?
A: Yes! You can change the spelling since they are all Americanized, and you may do the in-universe equivalent of the object (e.g. “Family Portrait” instead of “Family Photo”).

Q: When are these works due?
A: The official due date is June 20th, 2026, however the collection will remain open for works indefinitely. If it’s past that date and you want to post, please do! 

Q: It's past June 2026. Can I still post a fic/art in this collection?
A: Yes, you can still submit a work after June 2026.

Q: Can I mix 2 of the bingo cards?
A: Yes, you can mix the prompts into one story and cross off both prompts! However you still need bingo on at least one card to get an official bingo. 

Q: Can I write a whole fic with each chapter being about one prompt?
A: Yes, you can definitely write one fic where each chapter is a different prompt! It does not need to be a oneshot.

Q: I liked a prompt so much I used it for another pairing that's not incest. What should I do?
A: If it is pseudocest or fauxcest or has incest themes then it can still be used in this collection. But, if you use a prompt for a non-incest pairing with no incest themes, just add it to our Oops Not Incest collection instead!

Q: Can I submit the work on AO3 anonymously?
A: You can absolutely submit your work anonymously. If you want an easy way to make your work anonymous you can add it to our AnonCest collection in addition to the Cestember collection. (The AnonCest collection will forever remain unrevealed; it makes your work anonymous but not orphaned.)

Q: I have another question that wasn’t answered here. Is there somewhere else I can ask?
A: Any other questions can be asked by sending us an ask on Tumblr or emailing us at [email protected].

1. All works/creations need to include incest (see FAQ for non-incest), but every fandom is welcome (including original works and RPF)
2. Relationships can include more than just the incest pairing, but the incest pairing must feature.
3. NSFW, Dead Dove and dark content is welcome, but please tag them accordingly.
4. No AI or LLM (Large Language Model/Generative Artificial Intelligence) works allowed.