Just let me lie here on the tile

I posted the final chapter of my Guardian AU today:

Close Your Eyes and See Me (88053 words) by marycrawford
Chapters: 17/17
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Summary:

It seemed like a good idea to Zhao Yunlan at the time. Take a job as a life drawing model, observe the students, try to figure out if one of them murdered the previous art professor.

Get paid to sit on a chair, basically. Piece of cake, right?

It was a whole new thing to me, posting a story in chapters, and I enjoyed it (people yelled at me about the cliffhangers, which was delightful).

Except for my dilly-dallying over the final chapters, which I started rewriting back in October as I posted the first chapters, and then...kept going. Or rather, not so much going as opening the file and closing it again before running away in a complete collapse of confidence. Without a dorinda to gently poke me into actually Doing the Thing, it might never have gotten there. But now it's done, happy sigh, and I can start poking at other ideas that have been lying fallow (and the other AU that I wrote 20K of in the before times, do I even remember where I was going?)

I haven't done Yuletide in its true form since 2013, but I do like writing a treat now and then. dorinda pointed me to raspberryhunter's excellent prompts for Nirvana in Fire, and I thought hmmm. Post-canon, consort Jing free to roam, a possible fix-it for Mei Changsu's whole everything? Yes please.

I've never written for Nirvana in Fire before, and I love the show so much in all its complex glory that it felt pretty intimidating, but this idea was compact enough to make it manageable. I wanted to evoke the breathless feeling of the show, where two masterminds drinking tea together can have all the lethal energy of a cagefight.

and remains quiet (1711 words, rated G, no warnings)

She picks up her cup and sips delicately of the chrysanthemum tea she brought. It is cooling and calming. She doesn’t need calming, but Mei Changsu might. She is about to administer a medicine that the patient will find disagreeable.

The patient looks fevered, at the moment. “What is wrong with Jingyan?”

fandomtrees just went live after a week's delay, and there are 8 Guardian stories!

I had too little oomph to sign up, but I was treated extremely generously last year, so I can only pay it forward. What I really needed this year was a deadline, to get anything done at all, and it worked!

For laireshi, who always has the best hurt/comfort prompts, I wrote:

Snowmelt (2790 words)
(Guardian, Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan)

Shen Wei felt heavier when he was unconscious. The idea was ridiculous, of course. Or maybe it wasn’t. If anyone could find a way to make himself less of a burden, it would be Shen Wei.

killabeez posted: The Kirk/Spock Fanfiction Archive is Moving to the AO3

Reading about the K/S archive migration, I realized I had once posted a story on the K/S archive that I never copied anywhere else, so today I put it on AO3:

The Wake, (719 words), rated T, no warnings.
Summary: After Spock's sacrifice, Kirk and McCoy share some Romulan wine.

(I also dropped a note to the Open Doors archivists that I was going to import this story myself, so it doesn't get archived twice. More details about what to do with stories you do or don't want to be archived can be found in killabeez' post.)

I enjoyed the fandomtrees experience a lot: it felt very low-key and enjoyable, and I managed to write two short stories in a weekend, which is a record for me. Deadlines are magic.

Threat Level: Bears (3492 words) by marycrawford

Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei (Guardian)
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Rescue, Established Relationship, Post-Canon, Bears
Summary:

It was ironic, Shen Wei thought. After all the nonsensical information he had made Zhao Yunlan sit through, he had still not expected to be attacked by bears.

the food of sweet and bitter fancy (2278 words) by marycrawford

Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Shen Wei (Guardian), Zhao Yunlan, Original Male Character(s)
Additional Tags: Uneasy Allies, Cooking, Pining, Ye Olde Haixing Era, POV Outsider
Summary:

It was all wrong. Why didn’t anyone else seem to see that it was all wrong?

They were all falling over themselves to welcome General Kunlun, to show him the camp, to vie for his attention, and there were rumors that the Black-Cloaked Envoy had smiled at him.

So @glymr declared @Pornday, which I hadn't heard of before, but it's basically a fantastic way to give yourself a very, very tight deadline to write something rated Explicit.

I had about 600 words lying around based on this prompt, that I wanted to get back to, and then thanks to the deadline, I did - I wrote 3000 words in a day and it was a long day but I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Plus @torch cheered me on and helped me get over the hurdle of the ending. (Why are endings always so difficult?)

Long Distance Call (3612 words) by marycrawford
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shěn Wēi/Zhào Yúnlán
Additional Tags: Phone Sex, Porn Video, Porn with Feelings
Summary:

Zhao Yunlan discovers Shen Wei’s other research. Shen Wei discovers phone sex.

Yuletide reveals are live (so many Guardian stories!) and I'm happy to reveal that I wrote two Yuletide treats, one for bonibaru:

Get You A Man Who Can Do Both (10976 words)
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shěn Wēi/Zhào Yúnlán, Dà Qìng & Zhào Yúnlán
Characters: Dà Qìng, Zhào Yúnlán, Shěn Wēi
Additional Tags: Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Cat Tribe Best Tribe, Yashou customs, no spoilers past episode 13, Unreliable Narrator (LIES - Cat Narrator is Best Narrator), Secret Identity, Misunderstandings, Canon Related, Yuletide Treat

The first time Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei met was while they were both petting Da Qing, so it was only reasonable that Da Qing got invested into their relationship right from the start. Also, Shen Wei’s first words to Zhao Yunlan were “This is a very intelligent cat,” which was the best and most appropriate come-hither line anyone ever used on anyone about anything, end of discussion. Da Qing just prayed that Zhao Yunlan wouldn’t fuck this up.

and one for qikiqtarjuaq:

Three Moments in Dixing (1529 words)
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shěn Wēi/Zhào Yúnlán
Characters: Shěn Wēi, Zhào Yúnlán
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Canon Related, set during ep 33, Yuletide Treat

Shen Wei has been chained forever. There is no past, no future: not here in Dixing, where clocks have never been invented and the night has never surrendered to the day.

I had a lot of fun working on these. The first is pure cat-snark where Da Qing becomes convinced that Zhao Yunlan is making terrible dating decisions (I really can't say I blame him), and the second is a little ball of angsty hurt/comfort that lets me wallow in episode 33 some more, because I love it so.

Also, it didn't occur to me until I was nearly done with the second story, but one of my sundial_exchange prompts talks about the same moment I used here, the "Why is that blade in your hands?" one. It's unlikely, but if someone happens to be planning a story around that moment for me: I want to read it, I want all of the stories around chained up Shen Wei, it is A+++ prime angst and you will not disappoint me if you choose to use it, I guarantee.

Many thanks to dorinda for cheerleading and beta, and to my cat beta for invaluable insight into Da Qing. XD

 

Strung out in heaven’s high (6782 words) by marycrawford
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Shěn Wēi/Zhào Yúnlán
Characters: Shěn Wēi, Zhào Yúnlán
Additional Tags: Angst, Tentacles, (sort of), Rope Bondage, Fix-It
Summary:

“You threw yourself in front of those creatures’ claws,” Shen Wei says, icily calm. He’s behind Zhao Yunlan now, still circling slowly.

“You’re welcome!” Zhao Yunlan says, grinning. He strains against the thick, pulsing, gold-flecked rope of energy around his wrists, flexing a little to show off, canting his hips, because why the hell not, right? If the stage has been so obligingly set for him, then at least he can put on a show. The movement zings an unwelcome jolt of pain down his left side, and he sucks in a breath, but keeps the grin on his face as Shen Wei strides back into view again.

After the Rains (5667 words) by marycrawford
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shěn Wēi/Zhào Yúnlán
Characters: Shěn Wēi, Zhào Yúnlán, Dà Qìng
Additional Tags: Missing Scene, set during ep 22 (the one with The Rain Scene), Let's Get You Out of Those Wet Things, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Blindness, Blind Character, Canon Compliant, Angst, Domestic Fluff, Exhaustion, Episode Related, Comfort Food
Summary:

Shen Wei is wet. Not just wet, sodden. Soaked.
For one single terrifying moment, Zhao Yunlan thinks blood, but he can’t smell anything like that, it’s just…water.
Of course. The rain.

I love seeing all the author names go up. Now I can thank quasar237 for The First Time is the Hardest, and zortified for A Good Day, and roga for I Friend You, You Friend Him, and falzalot for Festival Day! Woot! I was so, so lucky this year.

I was lucky in my assignment, too, because I got vongroovy, who asked for the fandom I had just fallen for, the Real Ghostbusters (the cartoon based on the movie, where Peter is gorgeous and still sarcastic as hell, and Egon has Serious Moonlight hair, and both the writing and voice acting is absolutely first-rate -- ahem. Yes. More about RGB later) and who added great details, along the lines of "Peter/Egon slash with ghosts and adventure would be great, and plz hold the tortured emo wangsting and gazing into each other's aquamarine/jade/crystalline eyes." Yay! said I, and wrote this:

Into Still Water Like a Star
Real Ghostbusters, Peter/Egon, PG.

"I'm not having fun, Egon. And I'm hungry." Peter leaned a little to his left, giving Egon the 'poor pitiful me' look in full-color closeup. "You know not having fun is bad for me."

Many thanks to aka_arduinna, ltlj andtherienne for beta, and my love to flambeau, who is entirely to blame for the ending.

So, aka_arduinna gave out a deadline. "Post something every month!" she said.  "Deadlines help!" she said. "Get typing!" she said.

*glares*

Luckily falzalot gave me a great idea for something short while I was panicking, and so I wrote a tag to her wonderful Yuletide story Hercules Ex Machina, which you should definitely go read before reading this, if you haven't already.

Thanks to therienne, elynross and aka_arduinna for beta.

Title: Under the Sun
Fandom: Hercules: the Legendary Journeys.
Rating: PG, Hercules/Iolaus.
Summary: Dealing with demigods. Spoilers for Hercules ex Machina by falzalot.

( Under the Sun )

I've updated my website with two recent Hercules snippets/short stories:

Long Day
Both of them had been up since yesterday morning.
6 Kb, rated G, written for the International Nap Day Challenge.

Legendary
Five things the legends got wrong about Hercules and Iolaus.
9 Kb, rated PG, Hercules/Iolaus, written for a Five Things challenge.

plus the twelve HtLJ Livejournal icons I posted earlier this week.

The last of the Five Things! Yes, I slowed down a little on these. *g*
Many thanks to aka_arduinna for beta'ing.

For swiss_kun:

( Five things that make Hercules regret being a hero )

For elynross:

( Five ways in which Sarah met Jareth again )

And therienne gave me "Five things the legends got wrong about Hercules and Iolaus", but it wouldn't stay in the numbered list format; instead it turned into a small story.

1200 words, PG, Hercules/Iolaus.

( Legendary )

I have the Vividcon DVDs, (WOoooOO!) so at some point this week there will be vid recs. Meanwhile, there is TOO MUCH LIGHT IN THIS BAR. Hee. Seriously, you should download this, especially if you are having a bad Monday. It's a Life on Mars vid, but you don't need to know even that much. Walks! No, wait...swaggers!

And there is a miniature Labyrinth vid in that same post, which you should also download and snicker at. And then kill absolut3destiny for claiming he made the latter in 'a few hours', because OMG. I know how hard it is to make those bloody muppets lip-synch, okay?

Right, Five Things now:

For roo2:

( Five ways Iolaus didn't die )

For spikeface:

( Five reasons Ares only wears black leather )

For cyloran:

( Five (and a half) things Captain Jack can do better than the Doctor )

Today is a frabjumptious day, for it's ltlj's birthday, woohoo!

By way of a birthday present, here's "Clean", a tiny, somewhat slashy Hercules and Iolaus story, rated G. Happy birthday!

( Clean )

I'm doing these in random order, so here goes. Offer's still open!

For dgcandace:

(  Five non-weapon objects Iolaus has hit a bad guy with )

For gryphonrhi:

( Five things Autolycus didn't actually steal (but takes the credit/blame for anyway) )

A Hercules: the Legendary Journeys story snippet to cheer up marinarusalka, who has the world's worst cold. Hope she's feeling better by now.

Thanks to elynross for beta'ing, and to one of my favorite movies for providing me with a last line. *g*

Rated G, gen.

( In Sickness )

These three drabbles belong together, so I'll post them in a row, but the first is for marici, the second for svmadelyn (or so she claims), and the third is for aka_arduinna, who gets a freebie on account of being a wicked enabler and beta for the first two. *g*

Thanks to elynross for making the third all better!

( The gilt-edged paper dangled from Jareth's fingers like a dead leaf )

( Sarah hunted him through the dancing throng )

( As they waltzed down the long gallery for a second time )

ETA: I have one no more drabble slots! Will post the last three drabbles later - other fandoms, mainly SGA.

I offered to write drabbles, and got three takers, so clearly the rest of you are determined to make my life easy. Heee.
Thanks to the versatile aka_arduinna for beta on all three!

ltlj asked for a Hercules: the Legendary Journeys drabble, with a missing scene for one of her stories. I chose Home Is Where The Heart Is, because I love it so.

( Nesmut sidled into the bedchamber )

elynross asked for Labyrinth, with grown-up Sarah meeting Jareth.

( The second time )

halimede asked for Labyrinth too.

(  The Labyrinth is growing wild, my lady, Sir Didymus said )

ahary has translated my Hercules story Five Things That Never Happened to Iolaus of Thebes, and it's now available in Russian on the Iolausian Corner. I've had some bad experiences with translations that I hadn't even been approached about, but this is different, and a strange and flattering thing - to read your own story in another language, transformed with great skill and sensitivity. I particularly like what she did with Charon, who uses some fantastic expressions that my dictionary doesn't even list.

In talking to Ahary, I was struck by her comment:

Sex scenes and fighting scenes are the hardest for me. We don`t distinguish the same body parts, and even if we do, they often don`t move the same way as in English. I translated a book once where the hero`s stabbed toe was an important part of the plot and I was stuck with "палец на ноге" for hundred plus pages and author didn`t even specify which toe it was. *g*

The word for 'toe' and 'finger' is the same in Russian. So is the word for 'arm' and 'hand', and the word for 'leg' and 'foot'. And this seems perfectly natural when reading Russian novels, but imagine having to translate an English one. Or even a slash story.