A willingness to try something so completely stupid with the characters to see if it will work--
And you do this better than anyone I know. Add to that using odd and different venues--like the setting for 'Seeing Red' and 'Dreaming Spires.'
I can identify with what you had to say about 'a spare style that gave me hope for myself.' It's one of the things I covet most in fics I read that manage to do that.