Exploding Poohsticks

The squee: emungere was playing the write-the-next-five-lines meme at her journal, and humored my request for a glimpse of Dee and Berkeley at the U.S. Open.

The drabble:

( 100 words, Roger/Rafa, Dee/Ryo, worksafe )

Musigneus has written Not About You, which is Ryo/Dee (FAKE, NC-17), and it is AWESOME.

[For those of you newer to Snape/Lupin: Mus is one of THE classic writers of the ship (you don't have to take my word for it -- six other people have rec'd her work on crack_broom; here masterlist is here (including translations in Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and Czech). Hie thee to her stories if you are not yet acquainted with them!]

Title: Not As Dumb, part 3 of 6
Rating: M. I've deferred the explicit smut to part 4, but this one has a bit of skin, some kissing, and a lot of cussing. And handcuffs.
Wordcount: ~ 4,200 this part; 13,100 total so far, with at least three more chapters ahead.
Warnings: issues of consent, privacy, quality of life, and handling of bodily waste. (Put bluntly, this chapter includes discussions of rape, aging, and suicide/mercy killing. So sexy, I know, but the characters insisted; please know your triggers and boundaries before proceeding further.)
Notes: Ryo and Dee belong to Sanami Matoh. Their beliefs and opinions do not always correspond to mine. Written for LJ:springkink.


Part 1
Part 2

Part 3

( Ack! What the FUCK!? )

Today's NaPoWriMo prompt from Poetic Asides was "travel." I started to write about Amsterdam, but somehow ended up with this:

Souvenir

( Last summer, while in Chicago, I gave away )

Oh, and I've got two cinquains in the new issue of AMAZE. One of them was inspired by the Japanese Festival of Seven Herbs.

In other news, all y'all can go ahead and laugh at me: I have indeed been staying up until stupid hours with part 3 of "Not As Dumb" -- and I think it's on the verge of done. (The smut's been deferred to part 4, however - there's a reason I've mentally labelled this fic "The One Where the Characters Will Not Shut Up"...). I'll post it in a day or two (i.e., after I finish this Sunday's sermon, and provided I don't find anything unspeakably irreparable when I go tidy it up).

Remember a couple weeks ago, when I begged the boys to go back to their own story and start talking to each other already? And remember how I decided yesterday, oh, how much harm could there be in visiting them for a couple hours before dinnertime?

...Here's the weekend report. The story is looking more and more like a six-parter. The fest gods have got to be laughing at me, considering all I had in mind when I claimed the original prompt was a drabble.

... and speaking of springkink, the new round of prompts is now available for signup. There are at least four prompts for FAKE (not all of them from me), two for Harudaki, and one for Umaimon Kuwasero available for claiming. No, I'm not touching any of them, but it'd be really cool if some of you did, especially considering the minimum's only 100 words. *is so Not Subtle about catapulting bunnies at friendslist*

ETA: I keep forgetting to mention that I did finish the Embracing Spring ficlet, and it was beta'd by the ever-encouraging geri_chan, who has a story in the fest as well that's both wicked hot and a fun study of several secondary characters (especially given how said characters are notable in how they don't like being secondary, which is admittedly a theme I am myself drawn to). I ended up calling mine "Gimlet"; my working title for the series is "Squeeze," but first I need Ryo and Dee to get to that Crisco. *resumes glaring at characters*

ETA 2: I'm currently wearing a tank top with the word "POWNED" on it -- it's the name of a heavy metal band for which the painter of my Mom's house is the lead singer. When he saw the logo, my husband demanded, "What's that 'O' doing in there?" -- the same thing I did when I grabbed the shirt this morning. We both spend way too much time online, is what.

Dear Detectives Maclean and Laytner:

Guys, behave already. Enough of your straying into the universe of my Embracing Spring ficlet. I'm aiming for less than a thousand words, so there won't be enough scenes for you to steal (even if the darn thing balloons to two or three K), and it's a Nitta fest, so I'm not about to indulge in an Exposition of Doom to explain how the hell you ended up staking out Roppongi clubs in the first place (especially considering that, in my fanon, neither of you speaks Japanese).

Do me a favor, please: get yourselves back into the story that IS about you and get on with yelling at each other about what you've each been holding back. I mean it. There's some majorly kinky sex ahead for you, but until you come clean about some of the things you haven't been telling each other, your clothes are staying on and the Crisco's staying in the kitchen.

[Don't give me that look, Ryo. It'll be worth it. You'll see.]

Exasperatedly yours,
Ribbons

Title: Professionals
Characters: Sawa Nagisa is Youka Nitta's. The inspectors and Kohaku are mine. The American in the second drabble is Sanami Matoh's.
Rating: G
Notes: Two 100-word drabbles. They are prequels to the ficlet I am currently working on for the Embracing Spring fest (caveat: if the plot gets any more out of control, I will table it for later and come up with something simpler and fluffier for the fest). There is in fact a travel advisory currently in effect regarding Roppongi bars. Originally written for youka_nitta's current drabble prompt, "Business," for which I also wrote "Fountains of Opportunity".
Summary: There has been an epidemic of drinks being spiked in Roppongi. Some of the patrons are professionally interested in the situation.

( As Assistant Inspector Akatsu led away the perpetrator... )

* Coming across Spanish scanlations of the extras from the Japanese reissues of FAKE. Now if I could only find a reputable North American source for the licensed Spanish editions. (I'm steering clear of alibris.)

* Ryotaro Iwanaga's Pumpkin Scissors: Imperial Army State Section III. The manga is up to nine or ten volumes in Japan, with four volumes translated into English so far; I borrowed the first three from my local library and devoured them this afternoon. I am impressed by Del Rey/Ballantine/Kodansha's efforts: the first volume includes a good guide about Japanese honorifics, and each volume includes some translation notes at the end, where Ikoi Hiroe notes several spots where different choices could have been made, or provides additional cultural context.

Also, it has several kickass female characters - the field commander of the unit is 2nd Lt. Alice Malkin - and there's a doggie, and some cats... (am softie. Don't tell! *g*).

* We're currently stove-less, so we've been exploring various "just add hot water" and/or microwavable products. Today's was Shirakiku brand "Fresh Japanese Style Sanukiya Udon." I admit to picking it up partly because I just liked the cartoon of two country dudes with their noodles (whoa, that came out way more filthy than I intended), and this review pretty much nails the experience (including the spongy veggie bits I didn't care for either; I can't comment on the openability of the packets, though, since I approached the bowl with scissors in hand). In a nutshell: good noodles, and the water doesn't actually have to be hot before you add it.

Title: Some Glimpses of More Than Anything
Fandom: FAKE
Pairing: Dee Laytner/Ryo Maclean
Challenge: 1 sentence (50 prompts, 1 sentence per prompt)
Theme set: Gamma
Rating: up to light R in a couple of spots

( After the aborted test drive... )

Title: Not a Floating Spar
Author: bronze_ribbons
Fandom: FAKE
Characters: Diana and Carol
Timeline: After Like, Like, Love
Words: 130
Rating: G
Note: One last post for halfamoon 2009. Title from Edna St. Vincent Millay.

( Read more... )

Title: Developing
Fandom: FAKE
Characters: Ryo thinking about his Aunt Elena
Rating: G
Word count: 100 words
Notes: Takes place after the series. Direct references to the Ryo "side story" published a couple years ago as extra chapters in the Japanese reissues (scanlations here - listed as "FAKE extra ch 4" and "ch 5"). Written for halfamoon 2009, day 11.

( Ryo and his Aunt Elena seldom talk about the summer he was eighteen... )

Title: When Damsels Grow up
Fandom: FAKE
Character: Carol
Rating: PG (references to violence)
Timeline: After Like, Like, Love.
Words: 100. Written for day 8 of halfamoon 2009.


( Read more... )

Title: Emiry Nightingale
Fandom: FAKE
Character: Emiry
Rating: G
Timeline: spoilers through Book 4
Words: 100
Note: Written for halfamoon 2009, day 4.

( Before she became a nurse, Emiry had made her living as a contralto. )

Title: Any Direction in High Heels
Fandom: FAKE
Character: Diana Spacey
Rating: G
Spoilers: takes place after Like, Like, Love
Words: 218
Note: Written for day 3 of halfamoon 2009, a multi-fandom fest celebrating female characters (no minimum length or posting requirements; recs, icons, and other forms of fan participation welcome; info/rules here).

( Diana hasn't forgotten how Ryo said he'd be 'rooting for her'... )

What-all I've Posted So Far (Work-safe unless indicated otherwise. Drabbles are 100 words exactly.)

[Tennis RPF] [HP] Three ficlets: Sisterhood (Mirka and Xisca, 200 words), Furthermore (Hooch and Snupin, 400 words), and In the Present (Del Potro/Monaco, 200 words)

[Tennis RPF] Not Yet Cooked. Roger, Mirka, Rafa. G. 617 words.

[Haru] Deserving. Yoshizumi, Iwaki/Katou. PG. 1054 words.

[Tennis RPF] [FAKE] Comparisons. Roger/Rafa and Dee/Ryo. G. 100 words.

[Tennis RPF] Cover. Roger/Rafa. PG. 400 words.

[Tennis RPF] It's Okay. Rafa/Roger. G. 300 words.

[Tennis RPF] Private Feelings. Andy Roddick; background Roger/Rafa; Rafa/octopus. Non-explicit but with tentacle sex. 500 words.

[Tennis RPF] Interrobang. Roger/Rafa. PG. 2400 words.

[Tennis RPF] Preparations. Roger/Mirka/Rafa. PG. 700 words.

[HP] Nineteen, in New Orleans. Victoire; reference to Snape/Lupin/Tonks. G. 200 words.

[FAKE] Not As Dumb (WIP - 6 parts planned): Part 1 (2000 words). Part 2 (6800 words). Part 3 (4200 words) of "Not As Dumb." Ryo/Dee and others. M. (Part 1 and part 2 were posted fall 2008.)

[Haru] Gimlet. Sawa. PG-13. 1000 words.

[Haru] [FAKE] Professionals. Sawa and Dee. Drabble pair.

[Haru] Fountains of Opportunity. The guys discuss Asano vs. Katou. 200 words.

[FAKE] Some Glimpses of More Than Anything. Dee/Ryo. 50 sentences, some light R.

[FAKE] Not a Floating Spar. Diana and Carol. 130 words.

[FAKE] Developing. Ryo (about Aunt Elena). Drabble.

[FAKE] When Damsels Grow Up. Carol. Drabble.

[FAKE] Emiry Nightingale. Emiry. Drabble.

[FAKE] Any Direction in High Heels. Diana. 218 words.

[Haru] Indispensable. Shimizu. 300 words.

[Haru] Bonsai. Shimizu. Drabble.

[Haru] More to Grow On. Katou/Iwaki. Drabble.

[Haru] [Umaimon Kuwasero] Experience is an Ingredient. Yoshizumi, Iwaki/Katou, and allusion to Masanori/Yasaka. Drabble.

[Haru] [Hamlet] More Than Kin and Less Than Kind. Kaneko and Katou. Drabble. For geri_chan... who then proceeded to follow it with Realism and Strange Bedfellows, which are both hilarious must-read ensemble pieces. *glee*

Happy 2009, all y'all! My year so far has included some hardcore polka (not an euphemism - I was at a dance gathering), five hours of driving, and a worsening head cold, so I'm feeling more achy and addled than usual, which means it will take me even longer than usual to be less behind on reading your posts and responding to your comments. But I do hope to get to most of them sooner rather than later -- there are so many new stories that look so very delectable, and the encouragement is always, always much appreciated, even when I don't quite get around to saying so right away.

It has been a good day regardless - the Irish set (= the ten-odd rounds of polkas) was humongous fun, I spent the later part of the afternoon with friends, I have a bowl of soft tofu and seaweed next to me...

...and, Yuletide reveals are up! veracious and paperiuni gave me great joy with the FAKE fics they created for me, and so did the lovely commenters and rec'cers for the pieces I posted.

I wrote one assigned fic, three Treats, and a last-minute stocking stuffer. (I'll separate my gabblings about processes/influences into a different post to spare those of you who wish to avoid extended spoilers, don't wanna know how the bunnies got into their hats, and/or don't want to hear about what didn't get written.) They are listed here in the order I completed them. (It is likely not coincidental how the wordcounts and ratings progressively went down as the days marched toward and then past the deadline, though I'm amused that the pattern is so marked in this set.)

Other Work for Us to Do for Bebe. [The Dark is Rising, 3645 words, R] ( summary ) Beta'd by aunty_marion.

Room for edenbound. [FAKE / The Dark is Rising crossover, 2187 words, PG] ( summary ) Beta'd by geri_chan.

Witches Can Be Right, Giants Can Be Good for Aja. [Rahm Emanuel RPF / Harry Potter crossover, 1689 words, PG] ( summary ) Beta'd by marginaliana (of Snape/Miss Piggy fame).

Ten Hats and a Gallon for Cendri. [FAKE, 1665 words, G] ( summary )

Filling for glass_icarus. [Embracing Love / Haru wo Daiteita, 427 words, G] ( summary )

[What I wrote for past Yuletides: A Donne Deal (Wimseys + Arbuthnots), Unspeakable Beauty (Angels in America), and Bringing His Lordship Around (Lord Peter/Bunter; not actually in the archive, because I missed the posting window that year by a week or two, but it was written in response to a NYR prompt).]

SQUEE! FAKE fic for me! "you, me and none of the others." I have reread it several times already and will continue to revisit it, because it is so good - it's seven vignettes from Ryo's point of view, and I especially love #4, because the interactions amongst the guys at the 27th as well as Ryo's internal thoughts - pitch-perfect. *glee*

And someone else was kind enough to give me an extra treat in the form of "Shrapnel," a FAKE ficlet. Lyrical, vivid, jaggedly sad, and yet ultimately hopeful.

---

Some notes and recs, ( featuring Lord Peter Wimsey (with major Mrs Climpson), Vicky Bliss (with major Schmidt), Aphrodite/various, Tennant/Barrowman, Will/Bran, Emanuel/Obama, Schroeder (Peanuts), and Federer/Nadal )

Title: Not As Dumb, part 2 of 6 (see part 1 for full header info)
Author: bronze_ribbons
Word count for part 2: a bit over 6800 words

Part 1

Part 2

( The second pair of handcuffs arrived two days later, in an envelope identical to the one used for the previous mailing. )

Title: Not As Dumb [1/6]
Author: bronze_ribbons
Rating: PG-13 for now, but heading towards R
Warnings: stalking, swearing, and other unsavory stuff
Word count for part 1: ~ 2000 words
Summary: Ryo receives a peculiar present. Dee doesn't like it one bit.
A/N: The prompt was "ryo/dee: handcuffs, police business"; I was thinking "teeny fluffy PWP with sweet bondage" when I claimed it, but then the plotbunny hopped sideways and all hell broke loose. Written for LJ-springkink (fall round - my assigned due date was Nov. 17).
Timeline: Several years after Like, Like, Love. Includes references to first season extras and second season (through "chapter 5," which was in HUG 2008/04). ( spoiler note about the second season )

( When the first pair of handcuffs slid out of the padded envelope addressed to him, Ryo immediately narrowed his eyes at Dee. )

Part 2

[continued from this entry]

So what does this mean in terms of my fascination with Ryo Maclean and Dee Laytner?

( spoilers for FAKE beneath the cut )

(And, on yet another tangent, it's probably no accident that I'm attracted to Ryo and Dee because of how they stand out apart from the herd: when you get right down to it, my basic Snape/Lupin dynamic could be summarized as "two guys who never truly had a prayer of fitting in with the rest of society eventually realize that their soulmate is someone likewise deeply damaged and similarly ruthless when circumstances and/or love compels him to be."

*rereads last tangent* And I wonder why my PWPs invariably spiral out of control? Jeez, Ribbons, talk about self-honesty...)

(And all of this said, I'm not sure I'll be doing any justice to the theme within the current fic -- it's not where the plot sprang from, and it's not the kind of story I've previously spent much time trying to write -- but it is giving some shape to part 3 that hadn't materialized before last night, which is good, because I really do want to finish this sucker sometime before Valentine's Day...)

[still with me? the squid'll be up in a minute, in the next post]