Wait till you tell someone that you're writing original fic without the intention to publish. That's the worst crime of all. You don't want it critiqued cause it exists to make you happy? Blasphemy.

They do like your writing. I could write popular pairings and they never got that many hits. To me, it's about finding a way in for the Reader. Like if a novel is a dark forest, fan fic you start on a path. And a lot of people like that. Especially if you don't have a friend recommending it - if you're going in cold. After that, it's how much they like your forest. But that path is what gets them in.

Likes mess me up. Do not let me quantify how popular I am. It will end in despair.