Amedia

Ficlet roundup: Guardian Bonus Bingo prompts for July

amedia — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 03:56:44 GMT

Guardian Bonus Bingo features another (3) prompts for July! This time around, I really wanted to do all three; I managed two, but I have another one partly written that I will keep in mind for the amnesty period.

Summer 2025 Guardian Bonus Bingo prompt for July: "Reconciliation."
Title Members Report
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Weilan (mentioned), a group of nosy neighbors
Word count: 997
Summary: Remix of tehfanglyfish's amazing fic Ordeal, which gave us Shen Wei's perspective on helping Zhao Yunlan to his apartment in Episode 8, along with a brief encounter with a neighbor. This humble fic offers the perspective of Zhao Yunlan's gossipy neighbors on the same event, including the neighbor whom Weilan encountered on their way up the stairs.

Summer 2025 Guardian Bonus Bingo prompt for July: "Cake."
Title Celebrate Good Times
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: ChuGuoYeHuo (mentioned), Zhao Xinci, Zhang Shi, GCC's aunt and uncle
Word count: 453
Summary: Zhao Xinci decides to crash a party the SID is throwing. Fortunately, Yu Jinlan is there. (Part 7 of Heart Fire.)

Today’s Online House Party with DC Slash

amedia — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 14:01:17 GMT

The first Saturday of the month is a party rather than a binge: there’s a panel followed by a movie!

All times are Eastern Time (US)
1:30-2:00: Zoom open to Chat
2:00-3:00 Panel: A Panel about Panels - What do you want to talk about at cons?
3:15 - Movie: El Dorado

Here's the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/91462849358?pwd=TzNLZnplUDFCcVVTUE96dzhmam9Odz09

In other news ...

amedia — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 05:38:00 GMT

Buckle in, it's a wild ride!

1. The kitties
Yang, our easy-going gentle giant, has settled in very well. Yin has established himself as a neurotic little psychopath (though also a cuddlebug), and ever since we got back from the trip to see the grandchild, has been peeing on the bed every few days. *sigh* It was worse right after we got home - he both peed and pooped on the bed one day, and again on TODS's recliner downstairs. Pretty sure he did not like us going away.

We love him, and we realize he's been traumatized in the past, and we want him to feel secure. We've been following all kinds of expert advice, and I took him to the vet again and she's given him a probiotic that I sprinkle into his food that's supposed to help him feel better. If that doesn't help, he might wind up on fluoxetine (Prozac). But we love on him and pet him and tell him he's a good kitty, and he's going longer between incidents. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

The funniest part of all this is that he and Yang are littermates - essentially twins - and they remind me an *awful* lot of Shen Wei and Ye Zun from Guardian.

2. TODS's latest physical
TODS saw his doctor for a routine checkup last month and was surprised to get a phone call shortly after he got home. When he got off the phone, he told me the doctor had looked at the EKG and called to say, "Don't overreact, but you had a silent heart attack sometime this fall." I believe my exact response was, "THE FUCK??!!!"

I mean, damn. I don't go on about it as a rule, but I'm sure y'all can infer that I'm kinda fond of TODS. This was hanging over us during Christmas and the trip to see the grandbaby. (No, we didn't tell Metherion and Daughter. We're not on crack!) The doctor himself called a cardiologist in a nearby city and TODS got in to see him surprisingly quickly - right after we got back from seeing the grandbaby - for a consult, then tests, and finally a few days ago to go over the result. There was no significant damage to the heart. [I took a deep breath just typing that. It was SUCH a relief!] He needs to watch his diet, exercise, lose some weight, the usual advice. But he's not going to need surgery or anything like that.

Fic: Whatever We Deny or Embrace (Barney Miller, slash and het, 4203 words)

amedia — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 04:07:00 GMT

Title: Whatever We Deny or Embrace
Fandom: Barney Miller
Relationship/Characters: Harris/Dietrich, Luger/Agnes, Phil Brouwer/Harriet Brouwer, Barney, Wojo, Levitt
Word count: 4203
Summary: As Thanksgiving approaches, Harris and Dietrich get into a serious argument, Luger plans to propose to his long-time girlfriend, and the Brouwers show up with their usual chaotic squabbling.
Author's note: The earliest draft I have of this fic is from 2008 ... somehow I never quite finished it. Then I attended a panel on WIPs at Con*Strict in September 2024 and felt inspired! I dug it out and worked on it in fits and starts throughout the last few months of the year and finally gave a completed version to my beta-reader (TODS), who went through it with me today!

Recovering!

amedia — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 01:45:29 GMT

I would say we're both completely recovered from covid, but the first couple of class days this week were more tiring than usual--which I understand is normal. Still, we're getting into the swing of things again and it's good to be back. And we're getting our vaccinations this Friday!

Of course, after a week of resting, I'm way behind on both work and play; I owe everything thanks for their kind wishes, and I have other cool posts here as well as lovely fic comments on AO3 to respond to, but it's going to take me a while!

I've barely managed to squeeze out ficlets for four people for the Guardian_Wishlist ... I would really like to do more, but TODS (who has been working on course lectures) and I compared notes and realized that we both had a hard time composing last week, be it fanfic or academic work. Hopefully I can do some more this week!!!

New recruitment slides - Ancient Detective - image heavy

amedia — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 21:14:47 GMT

Some of y'all may remember the Guardian Recruitment Slides I made a while back.

I'm at it again! Click to see Ancient Detective Recruitment Slides - to be shown at DC-Slash Con!

One more photo from South Korea, but it's sad

amedia — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 04:31:29 GMT

I've written a lot about SIL (TODS's sister) here over the years, but I never thought I'd be writing something so sad. Please feel free to skip if you need to protect yourself from sadness right now; I totally understand.

Our niece Emily, SIL's daughter, has led a troubled life, involving substance abuse on and off since her teens, including the hard stuff. We got a call from SIL shortly before we left on the Study Abroad trip, telling us that Emily had died at the age of 34 from an overdose of crack. We had mixed feelings. We felt sad for our niece, but at least her troubles are over and she is finally at rest. But we felt heartsick for SIL. No one should have to bury a child.

Now, around that same time, our t-shirts from an academic conference on Star Wars that we had attended earlier in the month finally arrived, and TODS suggested we pack them to take with us. (They squish them so flat in those plastic bags, they hardly took up any room in the suitcase!) I learned a few days later that Emily's visitation would be on May 30, and family members would all be wearing Star Wars shirts in her honor; it was a passion she shared with SIL and some of their happiest moments together were at Star Wars conventions. Since we had luckily packed those shirts on the spur of the moment, we had our picture taken on May 30th wearing them and sent the picture to SIL, explaining that we wanted to show our support for Emily; she was very touched.

Pictures from South Korea!

amedia — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 04:28:36 GMT

Rather than write an exhaustive account of the trip, I'mma post some photos and say a little bit about them. Hope y'all enjoy!

One of the first places we visited was Gamcheon Culture Village, which was very enjoyable. The place had an affinity with the Little Prince, claiming that he had visited there in his travels - since TODS and I translated a number of graphic novels about the Little Prince from French to English, the character holds a special place in our hearts, so we *had* to get our picture taken with various murals there! I thought this one came out especially well.

On the way up to the Seoul Tower, we passed a number of railings to which people had attached padlocks to represent their love for the K-Pop group BTS (a.k.a. "love locks"). I noticed that there were far more locks than room to attach them directly; a lot of people were attaching their locks to other fans' locks, so that the fans supported one another in their mutual love of the fandom. So the locks struck me as a symbol of one of the best and most beautiful things about any fandom. So I got my picture taken there.

We visited the royal palace one day and the students were very excited because they all wanted to rent and wear traditional clothing (hanbok), and somehow they coaxed TODS and me to join them. Since they're marketed to tourists, the rental stores carry large sizes, thank goodness. TODS looks very much himself (IMHO) as a Confucian scholar; they didn't have scholar clothes in my size, so in this picture, I am a female scholar (like "Kim Yoon Shik" in Sungkyunkwan Scandal) undercover as a princess. ;-) The students were pretty excited about visiting the palace, not only because they wanted to wear the costumes, but because they all had to watch Goblin for the anthropology class on Korean popular culture, and some of the critical flashbacks take place on a set that was built to be a replica of the exact palace complex that we were looking at.

This picture puts a big grin on my face! The entire back row are people from our trip (the anthropology prof on the far left is in mufti because she did not want to wrap herself in three layers of polyester and stand in the hot sun, she'd done it enough times before thankyouverymuch).

The two people kneeling in front, on the other hand, are complete strangers and fellow tourists! They saw our tour director getting a photo of all of us, and asked if they could get their picture with us, because from their perspective, *we* were a tourist attraction! There were a lot of other visitors wearing hanbok, but mostly in ones and twos, so they were excited to get a photo with the whole line of us.

On the penultimate full day of the trip, we started with a K-Pop themed cafe, where I got to sit on a bench inspired by the Blackpink song "Ice Cream," from which I got the title for my 69th Guardian fic (I'm Sweet For You, Come Put Me in a Cone). I love Blackpink and I was very excited! (I'm wearing a Oneus t-shirt from a K-Pop band that I got to see in Fort Worth last year with my anthro professor friend.)

That afternoon, while I took a student who didn't feel well back to the hotel, the rest went to a site called K*Star Road, and even TODS got his picture taken with a giant tribute to Psy, best known for his much-remixed hit "Oppa Gangnam Style."

I took a lot of pictures of TODS teaching in his natural habitat--historical sites and museums--and made a collage that he liked very much. In the central picture he's sketching the golden rectangle and how it forms the basis of a golden spiral (in discussing the use of proportion in certain religious statues).

Mom, Comfort Reading, and Amazingly Good News

amedia — Tue, 21 May 2024 00:40:21 GMT

My visit two weeks ago was a sad one compared to my visit in March. Mom has declined sharply. Her grasp on reality is not consistent, she is rarely willing to eat, and she hasn't gotten out of bed for a long time. But when she was awake and lucid, she was happy to see me, and I enjoyed reading a few chapters of Busman's Honeymoon to her. I didn't try to do special voices for everyone, but I had fun with a speech in which Harriet imitates Bunter, and that made Mom laugh. I was able to help with moving Mom from rehab back to the assisted living place, plus I got to see all my siblings and Mom was very glad to see all of us together (in her room, for a little while, until she got tired).

When my plane landed in Houston, I had a whole bunch of text messages from my siblings back and forth with the latest (not good) news about Mom, but the one that broke me was from Mary, who said, "[Amedia], you were here when she needed you most." I sat in the airport bawling and called TODS just to hear his voice.

******

One of the ways in which I coped while I was there was to reread a novel on AO3 that I had gobbled down a year or so ago and wanted to take time to reread. So I did that on my phone, and also opened a Notes document to write down comments for each chapter, which I later posted to AO3. I sooooo enjoyed the novel the second time through--it definitely rewarded rereading--and leaving a comment on every chapter was happy-making for me as well as a way to thank the author. It wasn't exactly Guardian fanfic, but an AU in which I could easily picture the main actors, and tremendously enjoyable: Peculiar Circumstances by sakana17.

BTW, I did something similar a while back with an excellent Guardian novel written by tehfanglyfish with illustrations by highlynerdy: Anywhere Beside You Is A Place That I'll Call Home. It's another one that rewards rereading, and there's something very soothing about it: I can just disappear into that novel and be in a happy place.

******

Meanwhile, the sad news about Mom has been balanced by some incredibly happy news from Metherion and Daughter. They are both in their late thirties and have been struggling with infertility since they got married. They've been very excited recently to be trying a new technique (IUI) but I will honestly say that I was astonished when they called a few weeks ago to say that it worked on the first try!!! Mind you, it's early days, and a lot can happen over the next eight months, but TODS and I are over the moon.

Metherion and Daughter wanted to tell Grandma (my mom) on Mother's Day, and my siblings were eager to help, but Mom didn't have enough lucid time that day. Mary finally let them know yesterday that Grandma was up for a conversation, so they called Mary's cell phone, which she held up to Grandma's ear, and they told her the news, and she was thrilled. I'm so glad she was well enough to hear and understand that!!!

Movies: O Brother Where Art Thou, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle; Knives Out

amedia — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 22:04:10 GMT

My sister and her husband love to watch movies in the evening, so I watched three movies with them while I was visiting. These were movies they'd seen and thought I'd enjoy. They were right!

I had actually been avoiding O Brother Where Art Thou because it sounded too much like work, to say nothing of depressing. I mean, a retelling of the Odyssey in the Depression-era South? Oy, was I wrong. Why didn't anyone tell me it was hilarious??? Or that it was only loosely based on elements of the Odyssey that permeate pop culture, not on the work itself; the Coen brothers say they never actually read it. So I didn't feel like it was a test to make sure I'd catch every analogue. The IMDB trivia section lists out the obvious Homeric references; I spotted two more that jumped out at me, but I didn't go looking for 'em. Loads of fun and great music.

I'm going to have to go back and watch the original Jumanji now, which I've never seen. The second movie was tremendous fun. I never thought I'd say this about a movie with the Rock, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan, but I especially admired Jack Black in this movie.

Knives Out is one I had been wanting to watch, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's a dense movie and there's a lot to pick up; my sister and brother-in-law say they "get" more of it every time they watch it, and I can understand that! It works on many levels other than analytic mystery-solving; the characters and especially their relationships are highly entertaining.

Fics for Guardian_Wishlist 2023

amedia — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 02:48:07 GMT

I managed to write a few things for this year's Guardian Wishlist, which opened today. I kept running out of ideas, and then I would stop trying to think about it, and come up with a few more--I wound up with eleven fics and ficlets, all told. One of those rare times when I feel like I can use this icon with a clear conscience, lol. Links and summaries below!

1. Gift for yaaurens
Title: Not a Scrap Left
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: WeiLan and their Cat
Content Tags: Post-Canon AU, Hungry Da Qing, Thirsty Zhao Yunlan
Word count: 635
Summary: A remix of yaaurens' delightful fic "Leftovers" from Da Qing's POV.

2. Gift for miss-ingno
Title: Settling Fur
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Xiao Que, Da Qing, Zhu Hong, Ya Qing
Content Tags: Yashou High Chief Zhu Hong, Da Qing just wants his bells back, Magpies love shiny things, POV Outsider
Word count: 500
Summary: The grownups wanted Xiao Que to give back the bells she found. But they were shiny. A remix of missingnowrites's marvelous fic "Ruffling Feathers," retelling a portion of the story from the perspective of the young magpie who found Da Qing's collar.

3. Gift for china_shop
Title: In Bloom
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: WeiLan and their Cat, ChuGuo, Shen Wei & Zhao Yunlan & Chu Shuzhi (& eventually Guo Changcheng)
Content Tags: Team as Family, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Everybody Lives, Gardens & Gardening, Slice of Life
Word count: 498
Summary: Chu Shuzhi is becoming part of Weilan-and-their-cat's little family. Guo Changcheng finds himself welcomed.

4. Gift for locketofyourhair
Title Taking Care
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng
Content Tags: Idiots in Love, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Everybody Lives, Hurt/Comfort, Caretaking, Love Confessions, First Kiss
Word count: 1822
Summary: Chu Shuzhi is badly injured by a weapon designed to inhibit dark energy, and awakens in Guo Changcheng's care.

5. Gift for jayswing101 (jayfire on AO3)
Title: Something Like a Gecko
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan (pre-slash), Da Qing
Content Tags: Tiny Dragon Shen Wei, Cat Tribe Best Tribe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Food is Shen Wei's Love Language
Word count: 1770
Summary: Zhao Yunlan comes home grumpy because he couldn't get hold of Shen Wei all day, and finds Da Qing playing with some sort of lizard.

6. Gift for mjsakurea
Title: Frosty the Diplomat
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Da Qing & Frosty the Great Pyrenees Dog
Content Tags: Remix, Drabble, Fluff, Domestic fluff, So Much Fluff
Word count: 100
Summary: How did Frosty thaw Da Qing's heart? A "missing scene" from mjsakurea's wonderfully fluffy fic "Home is a Big Silly Dog."

7. Gift for justacoyote
Title: Find Me in the Club
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, Zhu Hong/Li Qian (maybe?), the SID ensemble
Content Tags: Undercover as a Couple, Idiots in Love
Word count: 3812
Summary: Chu Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng go undercover as a couple to serve as backup on a dangerous mission.

8. Gift for Shadaras
Title: A Light Other Than My Own
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng/Ye Huo
Content Tags: Threesome-M/M/M, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations
Word count: 291
Summary: Ye Huo doesn't want to intrude.

The title comes from a passage from C.S. Lewis's The Four Loves, which I thought of so immediately after writing the ficlet that it may even have unconsciously inspired it. I've always loved this idea, and while it may be subversive to apply it in this particular context, yay subversion.

"In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets." C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

9. Gift for sakana17
Title:Professor Shen Checks His Email, Experiences Regret
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Shen Wei, Jiajia
Content Tags: Shen Wei's Adventures with Technology, Ficlet told entirely in emails
Word count: 276
Summary: Shen Wei forwards a terrifying email to Jiajia. Which was exactly the right thing to do.

10. Gift for HSGWrites
Title: Just Hold On
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan; Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan, and Chu Shuzhi
Content Tags: Hurt Shen Wei, Protective Zhao Yunlan, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Snake Medicine, Blood and Injury, Shen Wei Coughing Blood
Word count: 350
Summary: Zhao Yunlan drives like a maniac while in the back seat, Chu Shuzhi tries to keep Heipaoshi alive until they can get him help.

11. Gift for SEF
Title: Zhao Yunlan's Round Table
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Relationship/Characters: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan; Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan, and Da Qing. SID Ensemble mentioned.
Content Tags: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Arthurian Fusion
Word count: 867
Summary: The new king, Zhao Yunlan, selects knights for his round table.

a Time of Technological Transition

amedia — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 05:01:49 GMT

First, I'm not complaining. :-)

Dear old Big Bit, my desktop which I have had for a long time - it was built for me by a local mom-and-pop store back when Windows 7 was relatively new - has finally crashed completely. I've had it for so long that I can't remember when I bought it, and it has served me well for a number of years. I bought myself a new computer sometime last fall, but I wanted to make sure I copied everything off of Big Bit before I swapped in the new one. Which I'm pretty sure I finished up last week.

If not, I'm sure I can take it somewhere and have them download everything on all three internal hard drives.

I was going to set up the new (as yet unnamed) computer today, but we went shopping for ingredients to make goose sandwiches from the leftover Christmas goose, and I got tired, lol. So I set up little Speed Racer, a laptop I usually only use when I travel, and managed to watch the Guardian rewatch this afternoon which was SO MUCH FUN.

Except - Speed Racer had trouble handling the video or something - it usually works quite well, but it was lagging in terms of typing and posting comments to the chat. It was so slow that I couldn't proofread for typos before I posted ... so at one point I typed (and posted) shipping when I meant whipping. As one of my delightful interlocutors observed, that might have been a Freudian slip!

Hoping to have the new computer set up (and named!) sometime tomorrow.

Brief report on today's due South bingewatch

amedia — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 02:20:16 GMT

Today's DC Slash bingewatch had a small but enthusiastic attendance! Of course, I wore my "due South stealth slash T-shirt" and *points to icon* made an icon from a photo of it to use with this post! Of the four episodes we watched, I had only seen the last one. Shinykari, Kerguelen, and I watched and enjoyed the following:

The Gift of the Wheelman
This episode was both serious and funny, and I was happy with how it ended.

I loved how many quirky bits were simply taken in stride, like a policeman leading a line of Elvis impersonators into the station, only to be told by an irritated detective, "I said ELVES!" Meanwhile, Fraser & Vecchio glance, shrug, and get back to work without comment.

My watchmates let me know that this was the first appearance of Bob Fraser (yay!); Vecchio's dad appears too, which I didn't realize ever happened!

Irish gangsters! (Hey, it was fun to see Irish guys who weren't policemen or drunks.) The Irish music on the soundtrack, from a merry jig to a sad story-telling folksong, was lovely and a propos.

I liked the interlocking themes relating to fathers. Also a great Christmas episode!

The Deal
Ooh, I agree with my watchmates that Zuko was a great villain (though not a great human being). I appreciated how, in a conversation with Zuko, Vecchio is rude and easily dismissed, while Fraser, though super polite, makes a great and subtle zing about people who think they're respected.

Quirkiness shows up again with Fraser's childhood memory of the bully who came into the classroom swinging an otter over his head!!! (My watchmates assured me that the otter was dead at the time, which we do find out later in the episode. Because, after all, "swinging a live otter is illegal in the territories.")

I agreed with the others that this was a great episode for Vecchio. I was impressed with the actor who plays him; he experiences a wide range of emotions in response to both past memories and current happenings in the episode, and conveys them all with clarity, leading up to barely-contained rage in a dramatic one-on-one basketball scene. I also agreed with Ker that, in this episode, you can see how he was able to go undercover with the mob later on.

Juliet is Bleeding
I was assured that this was another great Vecchio episode, and it was! I didn't realize Carrie-Ann Moss had an important role in this episode as Zuko's sister. Wow!!! I had just seen her recently reprising the role of Trinity in Matrix: Resurrection. I really liked her character in this episode, and her strength and her sass.

I also greatly enjoyed a dryly humorous exchange between Fraser and Charlie, Zuko's right-hand man.

This episode was very sad for a couple of reasons, or should I say, a couple of deaths. One of the characters who dies seemed very annoying in previous episodes, but when he is killed it's a terrible shock. The achingly beautiful song "Full Circle" by Scots-Canadian singer Loreena McKennitt is played over his funeral and the final line especially fit the moment, "In your heart, in your soul, did you find peace there?" Another character dies later on, and while I found that death sad as well, somehow the episode wasn't syrupy.

The Vault
This was the only episode of dS that I saw when it was originally on - we were going to go to Kowalski eps, but when I asked if we could watch this one, the others kindly and cheerfully agreed. OMG, it was even more fun than I remembered! Frannie was a hoot and Diefenbaker was a joy - I love the scene where Dief stealths up into the bad guys' van ... but only to steal food! And what I remembered best--Fraser and RayV, locked in the vault, bickering hilariously--was a delight.

Fic: Missed Chance (due South, Fraser/RayK, 388

amedia — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 02:41:04 GMT

Story title: Missed Chance link to fic on AO3 (update before releasing)
Author: Amedia
Rating: Explicit (briefly)
Fandom: due South
Characters: Ray Vecchio, Ray Kowalski, Benton Fraser
Ship: Fraser/RayK
Summary: Ray Vecchio reflects on the hints he deliberately passed by.
Word Count: 388
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 21), inspired by the prompt "On the outside looking in."

I'm not stupid, Ray Vecchio thought to himself as he finished his third drink, trying not to look at one particular table across the bar.

He and Fraser had had a few veiled conversations during the time they worked together, usually in one of their apartments over a couple of beers from the fridge. Each time, Vecchio knew what was being communicated, and each time, he managed to suggest that while he wasn't opposed to the idea, it just wasn't the right moment for him to take that step.

He figured there would always be another chance ... until there wasn't. Maybe I really am stupid.

As soon as he saw Fraser and Ray Kowalski sitting together at that table, he knew instantly. They'd had the same conversation—and it had ended very differently. There wasn't anything blatant about the way they interacted, but to Vecchio's knowing eyes, Fraser's body language spoke of an intimacy beyond detective partnership.

Naw, not stupid. Just unlucky. It could have been me.

If he closed his eyes, he could easily imagine them together. Fraser nibbling down Kowalski's spine. Fraser throwing his head back in ecstacy while Kowalski traced his scrotum with his tongue. Kowalski on Fraser's lap with Fraser's cock up his ass, undoubtedly encased in a condom that was reasonably protective against HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, and the sadly-underestimated chlamydia.

Vecchio shook his head. That was the problem with fantasizing about Fraser—he knew his friend's speech patterns too well and they always intruded just at the hottest part. "And anyway," he mumbled aloud to himself, "I already missed my chance."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Ray," said a familiar voice beside him. He turned to see Fraser and Kowalski standing at the bar and cursed his lack of observational skills; he hadn't even noticed them leaving their table.

He was hoping to make a snappy comeback, but what came out was, "Um ... really?"

Kowalski leaned a friendly arm around his shoulders. How does that guy manage to look so cool wearing those dorky glasses? Vecchio wondered.

"Yah, really," said Kowalski with a grin. "Fraser and me ... well, we've been talking and ... we'd like to share."

Maybe I'm lucky after all, thought Vecchio. He paid for his drink and followed his new lovers out of the bar.

This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/490631.html.

Fic: One Tied, One Tying (due South, Fraser/RayK, 539 words)

amedia — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 02:27:59 GMT

Story title: One Tied, One Tying link to fic on AO3
Author: Amedia
Rating: R (fairly spicy)
Fandom: due South
Characters: Ray Kowalski, Benton Fraser
Ship: Fraser/RayK
Summary: RayK, Fraser, and a lot of beautiful knots.
Word Count: 539
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 17). A serendipitous birthday gift for ride_4ever, inspired by ride's exquisite poem "Kinbaku-bi". [There's another note at the end, just so you know.]

"Oh ... oh, Ray."

Ray Kowalski listened to the sudden catch in Fraser's voice, the hesitation, the hoarseness for cryin' out loud, and felt a sense of deep satisfaction. It took a lot to rattle Fraser's calm demeanor, and it always amazed Ray when he was the one doing the rattling.

Fraser finished tying the last knot and stepped back to admire both his handiwork and his partner. Ray felt trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey until Fraser brought out a large mirror and Ray found himself looking at a work of art, with carefully looped and knotted ropes laying out a tracery as intricate as lace across his unclothed body. "That's ... that's beautiful, Fraser," he said, awed.

Fraser ducked his head, embarrassed by the compliment. "Thank you, Ray," he said, "but don't underestimate your own contribution. The art of shibari depends as much upon the one tied as upon the one tying for its ultimate effect." He pulled what appeared to be a complicated system of bars and pulleys from the closet and began arranging it. Then he stopped momentarily and smiled at Ray. "And in this case, on the one suspended, as much as one the one setting up the suspension."

"Ha, well, don't keep me in suspense for too long," said Ray, suddenly nervous.

Fraser moved back to Ray's side and stroked his cheek. "Never, Ray, never. I promise."

Reassured by Fraser's touch as well as his words, Ray wanted to move his hand to cover Fraser's and found that he couldn't because of the binding. And yet ... he didn't feel as frustrated as he expected. There was something kinda nice about knowing that Fraser could do whatever he wanted, while just by standing there—or apparently, just by floating in the air suspended by ropes—he was turning Fraser on like whoa. He felt simultaneously powerless and powerful, as if he were floating already.

The mood was abruptly broken when the phone rang. Fraser picked it up and Ray groaned—not in the good way—when Fraser said, "Yes, sir, I understand. We'll be right in." He put the phone down and turned to Ray. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's an emergency. Work before pleasure."

"Well, yeah," said Ray. "But this took an hour to put on. How are you gonna—"

Fraser chose a section of rope that lay just next to Ray's navel, apparently at random. He gave it a gentle tug, and the entire intricate setup came undone and landed at Ray's bare feet. He watched it fall, then looked up at Fraser. "Whoa."

"As I told you before we started, Ray, safety and consent are the watchwords!" Ray took a step and swayed. Fraser steadied him. "You've been standing still for quite a while. You also appeared to be entering a typically altered state of consciousness, if I'm any judge. Why don't you sit down over here and I'll bring you your clothes." Ray allowed himself to be guided to a comfortable chair.

As Fraser handed him his clothing, Ray asked, "We'll do this again though, right? Soon?"

Fraser smiled. "Very soon, Ray. I promise. And I always consider myself bound by my promises."

"Well, in this case," said Ray, "so do I."

the end

Note: I originally had Fraser say that Ray was entering subspace, but that led to a whole new branch in which Ray thought that was a Star Wars reference, and Fraser had to correct him twice: once, that he had confused Star Wars with Star Trek, and twice, that he was using the word in a different context. And that would have made them late for work. So I went for periphrasis instead.

This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/490357.html.

Fic: Hear the Noises You Make (Tatort Muenster, Boerne/Thiel, 98 words)

amedia — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 02:14:50 GMT

Story title: Hear the Noises You Make link to fic on AO3
Author: Amedia
Rating: R (spicy)
Fandom: Tatort Muenster
Characters: Frank Thiel, Karl-Friedrich Boerne
Ship: Boerne/Thiel
Summary: Thiel teases Boerne about his vocabulary.
Word Count: 98
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 3). Prompt: "Hear the noises you make"

This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/490053.html.

Fic: On the Outside Looking In (Tatort Muenster, Boerne/Thiel, 247 words)

amedia — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 02:05:41 GMT

Story title: On the Outside Looking In link to fic on AO3
Author: Amedia
Rating: PG-13 (mildly spicy)
Fandom: Tatort Muenster
Characters: Nadeshda Krusenstern, Wilhelmine Klemm, Frank Thiel, Karl-Friedrich Boerne
Ship: Boerne/Thiel
Summary: Nadeshda & Klemm can easily see what Thiel and Boerne don't realize.
Word Count: 247
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 18), in response to the prompt: "On the outside looking in"

Work Text:

"The two of them!" Detective Nadeshda Krusenstern said, exasperated.

"What have they done now?" asked Public Prosecutor Wilhelmine Klemm, amused at the detective's frustration.

"The usual," Nadeshda said. "They're both reasonably intelligent--how long is it going to take them to get a clue?"

"Let me guess," said Klemm. "Our dear Professor Doctor Doctor walked into a trap and had to be rescued by the gallant Hauptkomissar."

"Got it in one," replied Nadeshda.

"Whereupon ... " Klemm thought for a moment. "How does it usually go? Oh, yes! Thiel accused Boerne of interfering in his case and Boerne flounced back to the morgue."

"It's just as if you'd been there," laughed Nadeshda. "We can tell they're in love—why can't they?"

"Because we're on the outside looking in," proclaimed Klemm wisely. "It's harder to see what's right in front of your nose."

"Well, yes," agreed Nadeshda. "Also, they're guys. Which makes them ..."

The two looked at each other and said at the same moment, with a firm nod, "Hopeless."

"Agreed," said Klemm. "Would you pass me my cigarettes?"

Nadeshda reached over and got Klemm's cigarettes from the nightstand. "Mind if I have one, too?" she asked.

"Of course I don't mind," said Klemm, shaking one from the box and handing it to her. "I didn't know you smoked."

"Only after sex," said Nadeshda, lighting up with a saucy wink.

"Then I hope you get to enjoy them often from now on," said Klemm, and leaned over to kiss her.
This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/489788.html.

Fic: At the Old One-Two (Barney Miller, Harris/Dietrich, 448 words)

amedia — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 19:46:34 GMT

Story title: At the Old One-Two link to fic on AO3
Author: Amedia
Rating: PG-13 (mildly spicy)
Fandom: Barney Miller
Characters: Harris, Dietrich, Luger
Ships: Harris/Dietrich
Summary: Harris and Dietrich settle an argument.
Word Count: 448
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 15).

"The Old One-Two" is Luger's nickname for the 12th precinct.

When I set out to write up this scene for the Spicy Advent Calendar, it took on a life of its own; the original outline didn't even include Luger here, but he strolled in, tucked the prompt "outside looking in" under his arm, and took over.

This ficlet is an excerpt from a longer fic in progress that begins with Harris and Dietrich fighting. Each of them takes the seldom-used back stairwell in order to avoid the other and they accidentally collide on the landing, each carrying a folder of paperwork.

Dietrich looked at the pile of papers intermingled on the floor. Mr. Brouwer's arrest sheet, Mrs. Brouwer's list of personal effects, Mrs. Brouwer's complaint against Mr. Brouwer, Mr. Brouwer's fingerprints ... and several more documents, all mixed together. "Well, damn," said Dietrich. "I'm sorry. For bumping into you, I mean."

Harris held a hand up to stop him. "I'm sorry for everything, Arthur. Including bumping into you, but also what I said before. I shouldn't--"

Dietrich cut him off with a hand on his arm. "What you said was true." He took a deep breath. "I was never really angry with you; I was projecting. I should be the one apologizing."

"Arthur," said Harris quietly before Dietrich could move away. "We have better things to do than argue about who should be sorry." He stepped in, closing the distance between them with a kiss.

Dietrich hadn't realized how much he missed Harris until that moment. He felt the tension drain from his body, replaced by warmth and pleasure spreading through him. He had just put his arms around Harris to pull him closer when a familiar gravelly voice said from the top of the stairs, "Ahem. Don't you two know enough to set a lookout? This stairwell isn't as private as you think."

Harris and Dietrich looked up to see Inspector Luger standing at the top of the stairs, and hastily disentangled themselves. Dietrich began picking up the paperwork while Harris called up, "Sorry, Inspector. This was something of an impromptu incident."

Luger chuckled. "Well, just be more careful in the future."

Dietrich stood up, papers in hand. "You're taking this very calmly, Inspector," he said as he and Harris began climbing the stairs.

Luger shrugged. "What, you think the old inspector doesn't know the ways of the world? I used to play lookout for Foster and Kleiner, you know, at the top of these very stairs, back in the day. They did a lot more than kiss, I can tell you that." Luger paused thoughtfully. "You know, that's the real reason I never got married."

Harris and Dietrich both paused on the stair. Harris asked in a disbelieving tone, "Wait ... are you telling us you're gay?"

Luger shook his head. "Not me. But I never could find a woman who looked at me the way those two looked at each other." He winked. "Or the way you two look at each other, when you think nobody's looking." Harris and Dietrich looked startled. "Don't forget, boys—the old inspector used to be a detective, too."

Dietrich nodded. "Credit where credit is due," he said. Luger patted him on the back as he ushered both detectives back into the hallway. This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/489639.html.

Fic: Just for Show (Guardian, Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, 400 words)

amedia — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 21:42:43 GMT

Story title: Just For Show link to fic on AO3
Author: Amedia
Rating: R (just a little bit spicy)
Fandom: Guardian
Characters: Guo Changcheng, Chu Shuzhi
Ships: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng
Summary: When you wander into a nest of vampires, the safest thing to do is play along.
Word Count: 400
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 11), in response to the prompt "just for show."

Another night-dark street, another empty search. "It's time for us to check in, Brother Chu," said Guo Changcheng. Then he noticed Chu Shuzhi's sudden wariness. "Unless we shouldn't."

Chu Shuzhi looked around, eyes narrowed. "They're here, Changcheng. A dozen, at least. Don't turn around."

"Acknowledged," Guo Changcheng whispered, motionless.

Vampires. The name conjured up terrifying images: dripping fangs, drained victims, perpetrators escaping as clouds of bats. Guo Changcheng had never understood how some people found that fantasy attractive. And now real-life vampires, risen from the grave of Professor Ouyang's forbidden experiments, were stalking the streets of Dragon City at night.

"We can't take down that many by ourselves," said Guo Changcheng softly. "But since we haven't checked in, the team will be here in about five minutes." We only need to survive that long, was his unspoken thought.

Chu Shuzhi nodded. "Changcheng, I need you to trust me," he said. Guo Changcheng barely had time to nod before Chu Shuzhi had pushed him up against the nearest building, one hand on Guo Changcheng's shoulder, the other cupping his chin and pushing it up so that the back of Guo Changcheng's head was against the wall.

Then Chu Shuzhi put his mouth on Guo Changcheng's neck. Guo Changcheng gasped. The sharp contrast between Chu Shuzhi's domineering body language and the tenderness with which he was nuzzling Guo Changcheng's neck was electrifying; the contact of Chu Shuzhi's lips and teeth, intensely erotic.

Guo Changcheng couldn't think clearly; his mind buzzed with half-formed thoughts: Chu Shuzhi must be trying to pass himself off as a fellow vampire to buy time until the rest of the team showed up. Guo Changcheng wondered whether it was working ... he also realized now why some people found vampires attractive ... could Chu Shuzhi feel how hard his heart was pounding? ... the vampires hadn't attacked yet ... was it possible they were fooled?

A single overriding thought stood out clearly against the buzzing background: If only this were real.. If only Chu Shuzhi were really kissing him, rather than pretending to bite, if only this could be a prelude to more ... He couldn't resist reaching up with one hand and stroking the back of Chu Shuzhi's head, hoping his colleague wouldn't mind. After all, it was just for show.

Chu Shuzhi made a sound—a deep, guttural, hum—in time with the stroking, and Guo Changcheng allowed himself to hope.

This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/489419.html.

Fic: Unsure of What I See (Guardian, Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, 796 words)

amedia — Sat, 20 Nov 2021 02:33:44 GMT

Story title: Unsure of What I See link to fic on AO3
Author: Amedia
Rating: R (just a little bit spicy)
Fandom: Guardian
Characters: Guo Changcheng, Chu Shuzhi
Ships: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng
Summary: Guo Changcheng isn't entirely sure of what he thinks he sees in Chu Shuzhi's eyes. But he's hoping to find out.
Word Count: 696
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 1), in response to the prompt "unsure of what I see."

The SID team had worked far into the night, but after a break in the case, Zhao Yunlan was sending most of them home.

“It’s too late for me to go home," said Guo Changcheng. "I already told Uncle and Aunt that I’d be here all night, and I don’t want to wake them up.”

Chu Shuzhi’s tone brooked no arguments. “You’re coming home with me, Changcheng.”

Was it Guo Changcheng’s imagination, or was there a softness in Chu Shuzhi's expression? Sometimes it wasn’t easy to distinguish fondness from impatience when it came to Chu Shuzhi, but Guo Changcheng felt that he was beginning to learn. "Thank you, Chu-ge," he said, and followed him out the door.

It was a cold night, but fortunately it didn't take long to walk to Chu Shuzhi's studio apartment. The decor was mostly black—no surprise there—and it was pretty much bare bones, but it was quiet and clean. "It's not much," said Chu Shuzhi, sounding slightly embarrassed, "but you're welcome to my home, Changcheng."

"Thank you for your hospitality, Chu-ge. This is much nicer than trying to sleep at the office." As Guo Changcheng looked around, he couldn't help but notice that there was only one bed and no couch. "Shall I sleep on the floor?" asked Guo Changcheng.

"Of course not, idiot. You’re the guest. You sleep on the bed. I’ll take the floor." Chu Shuzhi began pulling extra blankets out of a chest.

Guo Changcheng looked at the bed. It was big enough for two, wasn’t it? "I can’t make you sleep on the floor, Chu-ge," he said firmly. "We can both fit on the bed." He wasn't sure, but it looked as if Chu Shuzhi might be wavering. His face was frowning, but his eyes seemed gentle. Guo Changcheng pressed his advantage. "Besides, it’s chilly tonight. I’ll get cold in that big bed by myself. Please."

“Oh, all right,” said Chu Shuzhi, sounding grumpy and reluctant. But they were both exhausted after a long day, and he didn't seem to have the energy to argue. They both stripped down to undershorts and t-shirts and crawled into bed. Chu Shuzhi lay on his back and pulled Guo Changcheng into his arms, pillowing Guo Changcheng's head on his shoulder. "Warm enough, Changcheng?" he asked, a tender pet to the back of his guest's head belying his grumpy tone.

"Yes, Chu-ge," Guo Changcheng answered. But the truth was, as nice as it was to cuddle with Chu Shuzhi, he found himself wanting more. Gathering his courage, Guo Changcheng shifted so that he was on his knees, one knee on each side of Chu Shuzhi’s hips, one hand supporting himself on the bed next to Chu Shuzhi's head. Mustering just a little more bravery, he brought the other hand to cup Chu Shuzhi's cheek. Looking down into Chu Shuzhi's eyes, he saw startlement, but not anger. Quickly, before he could lose his nerve, Guo Changcheng leaned down and kissed Chu Shuzhi on the lips.

At the last moment, as their lips first touched, Guo Changcheng almost panicked and jerked back, afraid he hadn’t seen what he thought he had. But then Chu Shuzhi’s arms came up around him and he realized he’d been right after all.

Chu Shuzhi returned the kiss tenderly, running his tongue gently along Guo Changcheng's lips. Guo Changcheng opened his mouth to welcome him in; he felt Chu Shuzhi move one of his hands down to his thigh, moving it up under his boxers until he was cupping Guo Changcheng's buttock, skin on skin. The intimate touch was so warm and pleasurable that Guo Changcheng moaned into Chu Shuzhi's mouth and lowered himself, relaxing his knees so that he was lying fully on top of him instead of kneeling over him. “Changcheng, oh, Changcheng,” Chu Shuzhi whispered, breaking the kiss for just a moment. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Positive,” Guo Changcheng whispered back, stroking Chu Shuzhi’s cheek. “Please, Shuzhi.”

It was Chu Shuzhi’s turn to moan, as if that simple plea had undone him. He pulled Guo Changcheng even closer. “Whatever you want, Changcheng,” he said, and plunged back into the kiss.

This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/488003.html.

Promptfic: About Time (Star Trek/Sherlock Holmes crossover, slash, 2962 words)

amedia — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 00:39:35 GMT

Story title: About Time link to fic on AO3
Author: Amedia
Rating: PG
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (book-verse), Star Trek TOS
Characters: Holmes, Watson, Mycroft Holmes, Spock, McCoy, brief cameo by Captain Kirk
Ships: Holmes/Watson (pre-slash), Spock/McCoy (background)
Summary: In which Spock and Sherlock squabble like brothers, Mycroft gets to strut a little, McCoy is far too modest, and everyone except Holmes and Watson realizes that Holmes and Watson are in love.
Word Count: 2961. Yes, this was supposed to be a drabble, but I couldn't seem to stop!
Author's note: Based on Noxelementalist's highly inspiring prompt, Sherlock/Watson, Kirk/McCoy (or Spock/McCoy, or all 3, your call). In which Spock meets his ancestor and McCoy drinks heavily. I went with Holmes/Watson and Spock/McCoy, wound up soft-pedaling the drinking a bit, and had tremendous fun with the whole idea. For logic nerds, Sherlock and Spock are arguing about the significance of existential import.

Prologue
"Gentlemen," said Kirk to Spock and McCoy. They were sitting in McCoy's office with the door closed. "I've just received a private message from Temporal Investigations. They've received a report from the 19th century of a minor temporal distortion field in London that is beginning to cause problems. They want me to send my top scientist and my best doctor."

Spock quirked an eyebrow at him. "As heads of those respective departments, I'm sure the good doctor and I can make recommendations as to suitable personnel." McCoy snickered.

Kirk tried to look stern and failed. Smiling, he said, "Report to the replicators for suitable clothing and be ready to leave in one hour."

******

I remember very little of the first day I took ill. I heard the clattering of crockery as Mrs. Hudson brought a tray into the sitting room, followed by a muffled conversation. Then my bedroom door swung open, letting in an appalling amount of light, and Holmes's voice said, "Rise and shine, Watson! You're in danger of missing your breakfast."

I put up my hand to shield my eyes and managed to form the words, "Let me sleep, Holmes. It's too early. Let me sleep."

His voice still jocular, Holmes said, "You must have been burning the midnight oil last night. It's nine o'clock in the morning."

I ignored the jest. "Please close the door," I said. "The light is too bright."

Holmes sounded puzzled now. "What are you trying to say, Watson? I can't understand you. Is it too dim in here?"

I tried to shake my head, only to find the action tremendously painful. I heard footsteps approaching my bed, and then a chilled hand was laid on my forehead. Holmes drew his breath in sharply. His footsteps receded again and then the door was closed. Blessed darkness returned, and I drifted back to sleep.

******

Over the next few days, I felt rather like a laboratory specimen, as I was poked, prodded, questioned, and scrutinized by one doctor after another, each one more arrogant than the one before. None of them seemed to have a clue what was wrong, although I heard them expressing ridiculous theories in confident voices. Each one asked about my activities the day before and suspected I had caught something from my emergency house call that evening, only to have their hopes dashed when they learned that I had attended a case of injury rather than illness.

Finally I could stand it no longer, and told a particularly pompous popinjay, "Get the hell out of here and let me die in peace!"

"Well, at least we know his temper is working," the man said drily to Holmes. Holmes gave a bitter chuckle, and the man continued. "Unfortunately, very little else is, and I refuse to prevaricate. I cannot tell what is wrong, nor how to treat his condition."

I decided this popinjay wasn't as bad as the others.

"What I can tell you, Mr. Holmes," the popinjay continued, "is that Dr. Watson's condition must be somehow alleviated in the next few days, or he will not survive."

Holmes made a slight choking sound. "Sit down, man, before you fall down," snapped the physician, and led Holmes from the room. They continued to speak in the other room for no little time, too quietly for me to eavesdrop even had I cared to. Just before I drifted back to sleep, I thought I heard the name "Mycroft" jump out from the blurry morass of words.

******
The next visitor of whom I was cognizant was indeed Mycroft. He did not bother to speak quietly and I heard his voice in the sitting room questioning Holmes on my activities the day before I took ill, and when he learned that I had gone out that night on an emergency call to attend a young man grievously injured in a sabre "accident," he demanded a map of London and the exact location of the residence. "From Dr. Watson's account as you have summarized it, Sherlock," he said, "he was at a lodge on this property"—I could imagine him stabbing his finger down firmly onto a spot on the map—"which is commonly used for duels when dissipated young aristocrats do us the favor of reducing their numbers."

"Your inference is sound, Mycroft, but I fail to recognize its relevance to Watson's illness."

"Don't feel bad, dear boy," said Mycroft, sounding amused. "I am privy to information to which you do not have access." There was a pause, and then Mycroft said, "Yes. Yes, I'm sure it was here. Is Watson older than thirty?"

Holmes confirmed that fact, sounding puzzled, but Mycroft said only, "Yes, yes. The young are generally spared the symptoms because they have not yet set rigidly into their timestream, while the old are unconsciously preparing to leave it, but those in between can suffer greatly from chronostatic syndrome in the right—or I should say, the wrong—circumstances." There was a silence during which I amused myself picturing Holmes's expression, which was no doubt a mingling of curiosity, frustration, and disbelief. Mycroft continued, "Fortunately, I am able to summon a couple of experts who can quickly put your Dr. Watson to rights."

"Then what are you standing here for?" Holmes snapped. "Fetch them at once!"

"My dear brother ..." Mycroft began in a quiet, more soothing voice. I must have fallen asleep again, because I awoke to a most curious tinkling sound, as if someone were trying to imitate the cooing of a dove using a glass armonica. I heard what appeared to be a flurry of brief explanations and then Mycroft Holmes ushered two men into my bedroom.

"Dr. Watson, this is Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy. They're here to help you."

In the dim light, with my blurry vision, I could make out that one was dressed as a non-descript civil servant in a plain black suit, while the other looked more like a country doctor in bluish tweed. It was this latter who came forward to examine me. "Don't you worry, Dr. Watson," he said in a kindly voice—American, with just a touch of the southern United States. "We'll have you well again soon."

I must have been more ill than I realized, because the next thing he appeared to do was to open a small case and take out two curious devices: a small silver cylinder and a sort of machine about the size of a cigar box. He activated the cylinder somehow and ran it across my body, listening to complex musical sounds it was making, and then studied the face of the machine as though it were revealing the secrets of the universe. I gave up my vague impressions of his actions as some sort of fever dream, and closed my eyes. I heard the two newcomers conversing quietly, using terminology I had never heard, perhaps nonsense syllables that my own imagination was supplying as I drifted off to sleep.

*****
When I awakened, I had the impression that I had slept longer and more restfully than I had in the past several days. My arm was slightly sore as though I had received an injection. I opened my eyes and found my vision considerably clearer; even more welcome, my head ached far less. I could hear the quiet hum of conversation from the sitting room, and as I turned my head with remarkably little pain, I saw the doctor who had examined me before I fell asleep.

Dr. McCoy was sitting in a chair near my bedside, a large snifter of brandy at his elbow. "Are you back with us, Doctor?" he asked.

I considered. I was still exhausted and mildly achy, but I also felt more like myself than I had in days."Weary," I said, "but ... yes, I would say definitely say that I am returning to the land of the living."

McCoy smiled kindly and brought out his devices again. "What are you doing?" I asked, now that I realized I had not dreamt his curious machines.

"Scanning you to make sure your body has finished shaking off the destabilizing effects of the temporal distortions you experienced," he said. The words were clear, but they still made no sense to me. He studied the larger device for a moment, nodded, and put them both away.

"When you visited the estate where the young men were duelling, you were exposed to a phenomenon involving ... a kind of slippage in time," he explained. "It disturbed your metabolism at the molecular level."

"A slippage in time?" I asked. I studied him more carefully. "Are you—and Mr. Spock—from another time period? The future, perhaps?"

He nodded. "Mycroft Holmes contacted us to request that we make the journey back in time not only to treat you, but to seal off the temporal distortion field so that others do not suffer as you have. Mr. Spock took care of that task while I completed your treatment. We will be returning to our own time shortly."

I pushed myself up to a sitting position; McCoy rearranged my pillows to make it easier, and handed me a glass of water. "I cannot thank you enough, Dr. McCoy," I said, sipping slowly. "I thought I was on the verge of death."

McCoy looked down and said quietly, "You were." Then he looked back up at me. "Don't thank me alone. It was Dr. Schroff who suggested that Mr. Holmes consult his brother, his brother who sent for Mr. Spock and me, and it was Mr. Spock who determined the exact parameters of the phenomenon that you encountered. This old country doctor just gave you the shot."

"I suspect, Dr. McCoy," I said, "that you are far too modest."

He merely smiled and took another sip of his brandy. We sat in companionable silence for a little while, and I noticed that the pleasant hum of voices from the other room had become louder and filled with tension.

"What are they talking about?" I asked, feeling my sense of curiosity returning.

McCoy sighed and took a longer pull at his brandy. "Some sort of logical convention that is now under debate. My colleague knows how it will be settled, of course, and he is trying to draw out your friend's opinion on the matter without giving away any of his own knowledge."

"I don't think Holmes is cooperating," I said with a chuckle.

The voices had now grown loud enough that I could now understand what they were saying. "But you must recognize that establishing the validity of arguments will ultimately depend on how this question is decided," Spock was saying. "It is not a matter on which anyone serious about logic can remain neutral. One of your contemporary logicians, the Reverend Dodgson, has taken a definite stand on the matter."

"Tosh," snapped Holmes. "In my opinion, such theoretical questions are of no import whatsoever. I deal only in facts and deductions."

"To be more precise, you deal primarily in observations and inferences."

"Why, you presumptuous—"

"Gentlemen!" called out my doctor. "May I remind you that my patient requires a quiet and peaceful atmosphere!"

"My apologies," said Holmes immediately in a much softer voice, and I could imagine him bowing to Spock as he said it. "It shall not happen again."

"Agreed," said Spock in a quiet rumble.

"Listen to the two of you," said Mycroft, his voice also soft, yet clearly amused. "You sound like squabbling brothers."

McCoy rose from my side. I made as if to hold him back, but he looked down and said, "Join us when you feel up to it."

When I feel up to it? I thought to myself, incredulous. I heard silence fall as I traced McCoy's footsteps to the center of the room. "Now that you have ceased to upset my patient, gentlemen, I have a request for you."

"Please," said Holmes, sounding as apologetic as I have ever heard him, "forgive our importunate behavior, and tell me—is there any news?" I must have imagined that his voice seemed to break as he spoke that last question.

I could tell from McCoy's voice that he was smiling. "There's every hope, sir," he said firmly. "I expect a full recovery. Now about that request ..."

"Yes, yes, whatever you need," said Holmes, his voice sounding considerably less stressed than it had been since my collapse.

"I'd like to test a hypothesis," said McCoy, "that you and my colleague here might be related. If I may use this scanner to determine your genetic makeup, I can compare it with Mr. Spock's to see whether he may be one of your descendants."

"You have my permission," said Holmes, in the clipped tones that I recognized as meaning that he preferred to speak as little as possible on an unpleasant topic. "I assure you, however, that what you hypothesize is entirely impossible. I have no interest or aptitude in such vagaries as love, marriage, or the begetting of children. My life is my work."

McCoy said quietly, "I honestly doubt one third of that disclaimer," he said. There was a brief silence and I imagined the questioning looks that apparently McCoy had no interest in answering. Instead, I heard the complex musical sound again and realized he was using his scanning device.

Drawn by the drama unfolding in the next room, I rose from my bed, more easily than I expected. Fastening my dressing gown about me, I stole quietly into the sitting room.

Dr. McCoy was looking down at his diagnostic device and shaking his head. "No, Mr. Holmes, you're quite correct," he said. "You are not one of Mr. Spock's human ancestors. However, the two of you share an impressive amount of genetic material ... Mr. Mycroft Holmes, may I scan you as well?"

Mr. Mycroft Holmes made an accommodating gesture, and I saw Dr. McCoy moving the little cylinder up and down his body much as he had done when examining me. Next he studied his machine for a moment, and finally looked up with an expression of both surprise and satisfaction. "Bingo!" he said. Gesturing toward Mr. Spock, he announced, "Mr. Mycroft Holmes, allow me to congratulate you on your many-times-great-grandson."

If McCoy had appeared mildly surprised, Holmes looks utterly astonished—much to Mycroft Holmes's amusement.

"Are you so surprised, little brother?" asked Mycroft, his eyes twinkling. "One need not be attractive to be successful in such endeavors—exceptional skill can overcome every other drawback. Was it not you who said that I am, in so many words, England?" Holmes nodded dumbly. Mycroft smiled broadly. "There's a reason that bored wives are told to lie back and think of England, my dear Sherlock."

No one spoke for some moments after that. I could not, however, hold back a chuckle. Holmes turned and saw me standing near the door to my room. His eyes widened; his entire expression changed into an expression of joy and relief such as I had never seen on his face.

"Watson, my dear Watson!" he exclaimed. He moved swiftly toward me; putting his hands on my shoulders, he studied me carefully, now looking utterly astonished. "You look ... a hundred times better. I can scarcely believe--" I found myself gripping his arms, so obviously did he seem to need support. He made a visible effort to pull himself together, and said so quietly that I had to strain to hear it, "I thought—I thought I had lost you. I could not bear it."

In my peripheral vision, I saw Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock looking at each other, apparently in agreement on some unknown topic. But it was Mycroft Holmes who spoke. Gently, he said, "My dear brother, I don't believe your claim that you have no aptitude for love. Were it not for your love for Dr. Watson, and the lengths you were willing to go to in order to preserve his life, he would not be standing here now."

"I cannot deny that," said my friend, although his voice was shaky. "Still, I would not admit of any ... depth of feeling that would be burdensome or unwelcome to Watson."

I moved my hands down Holmes's arms to take both of his hands in mine. "There can be no such depth," I said firmly. "Whatever you may feel is appropriate and ..." I gathered my courage fiercely, "and reciprocated." I looked around the room, determined to face the disapprobation I anticipated, but Mycroft Holmes and Dr. McCoy were both smiling broadly. Mr. Spock's expression was more reserved—but as I looked at him, he reached out and took Dr. McCoy's hand in his, and nodded to me.

The events of the past few days, as well as my lack of food, were catching up with me. I remembered now with regret the delicious scent of Mrs. Hudson's soups, and how firmly I had refused them, and found myself swaying on my feet. Holmes steadied me. " You're not yet ready to be up, Watson," he said. "Let me escort you back to your room."

As he resettled me in bed, I heard that odd tinkling sound again. "Our friends have returned to their age of wonders," Holmes said with a sigh, seating himself on my bed.

"It seems to me," I said, "that we have found wonders of our own. Holmes, may I ask a great favor of you?"

"Anything, my dear Watson."

"I am reluctant to have you leave my side," I said. "Would you please send Mycroft to ask Mrs. Hudson to fix me some more of her delicious soup?"

The laughter that followed my request rang of amusement and joy as Holmes squeezed my hand in his. This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/487135.html.

SHareCon 2021 Premiering Vid Show Report

amedia — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:51:28 GMT

I watched Starsky & Hutch casually in the 1970's, but I never got bitten by the fannish bug for it. Still, since I know the main characters and a few of the plotlines, I generally enjoy S&H fanvids--and wow, this year's SHareCon, which ran from October 15-17, 2021, had some great ones!

There were actually three vid shows: the premiering vids, the dance party, and the historical vids. I took notes on the Premiering Vid Show, which was very impressive. And fun to watch!

A couple of notes: A. The vids were pretty much all slash, and B. There are probably subtleties in these vids that I didn't catch, and if anyone wants to share their knowledge to clarify things I missed or misinterpreted--I would love to have learningz!!!

1. The show's organizer chose the perfect vid to start with! Back in 1989, Kandy Fong (inventor of fanvids) made her first Starsky & Hutch vid using the cutting-edge technology of the time: videotape. It was a light-hearted vid to Bobby Goldsboro's "Leaving the Straight Life Behind." I had one of her tape collections and I remembered that vid as being well done and fun to watch. Well, this summer, Kandy and I were classmates in Aaron Antium's (computer) vidding bootcamp, and for SHareCon she decided to try an interesting experiment: remaking the vid with today's technology without rewatching the old one. So the show began by showing the 1989 and 2021 versions of the vid back-to-back.

The 1989 version holds up! But the 2021 version put the new technology to excellent use. The clips appear to change about twice as fast, still in time with the song. The larger number of clips allowed for additional clip-to-lyric playfulness: I really liked the use of a close-up on Starsky's butt for a line about an "impossible dream," as well as putting in a reaction from Captain Dobey after a scene of the two of them tangled up on the floor. The vidder used the same clip of Starsky with the baskets and other products for the line about Mexico as in the previous version--but also zoomed in on Starsky's bare chest in that scene as if Hutch was ogling it--a yummy use of computer vidding capabilities! I also enjoyed the switch for the lyric "golden girls in the sand"; instead of cute beach girls as in the first version, here we saw older guys, which made me think of the Golden Girls tv show. The earlier version repeated at least one clip in the refrain each time (which totally made sense; there were other vids back then that had a visual as well as an audio refrain), but the new one used different clips, and saved the one that had previously been repeated for the last one, where it landed with especially good impact for not having been used before. The line was about "blowing in my ear" and I'm sure you all know what scene that was! In the new version, it was followed by a scene of Hutch in a shower, which made me think he needed a cold shower after that scene! I really felt that the new technology didn't just make the vid technically sharper; it allowed the vidder to play around more with the ideas inspired by the song and introduce additional layers of meaning to the vid, without losing the light-hearted charm of the original.

2. The second vid was "I Want Candy" by ACL. We got three levels of candy by my count: eye candy for the viewer, literal candy nibbled by Starsky and Hutch, and affection between the two of them. It began with scenes of the boys in showers, in their underwear, in towels, in super tight jeans ... that was candy for us, the viewers! We also got scenes of the two of them giving each other candy, and then we also saw them dancing and playing around with hats. Or, as I wrote in my notes: So much closeness! Catchy and sweet.

3. The third vid, "Isn't it Time" by Gail Lowry, took us on an emotional journey. According to people in the chat, the clips were all in chronological order. The vid started slowly, as does the song, and even as the song revs up to the chorus, the clip changes didn't speed up, but instead depicted building levels of intimacy. Toward the end, we got a scene of Hutch worrying about Starsky in the hospital, over which were played scenes of the two of them together, providing an angsty frame for flashbacks of their loving interactions. The vid finally ended the flashbacks by popping out to Starsky's successful recovery to give the vid an upbeat ending. Happy sigh!

4. "What Have I Done" by Amber Raine was dark in mood as well as literal appearance. It looked as if the vidder used a brown or sepia filter to darken the clips and tone down the bright colors, and also blurred the edges of the frame so that the center stood out more, in a way that tightened the focus on the characters. We could hear faint dialogue from time to time, but could only make out the tone of voice, not the words. The storyline was shown from Starsky's point of view, and it was slow, angsty, dark, and beautiful.

5. Next we saw a vidlet called "Afterimage" by Hardboiled Baby, and even though we knew from the term "vidlet" that it would be short, we were left wanting more. It began with a bit of dialogue from an episode in which--ironically--Hutch tells Starsky to be careful, and is then shot himself. Then the vid cuts to a black screen with diegetic hospital sounds (monitors beeping) over the music, then flashbacks of S&H interacting, with dialogue, then finally we see Starsky angsting--or grieving. Ohhhhh! It hurt, but hurt so good.

6. "Love Lies" by kat-byrd used a song with two different singers, one male and one female. I wasn't 100% sure if each singer represented a different POV, but I was caught up in the rhythm of the song and how the clips moved with it. The title made me think it was going to be angsty, but the full line is "show me where your love lies," and the vid struck me as hopeful.

7. "Everything We Need" by Truelove 11698 included dialogue over the lyrics, which sometimes made the lyrics hard to make out, but I enjoyed the way the clips chosen for the choruses stressed hurt/comfort, and the lyrics laid extra emphasis on the comfort, and the way Starsky & Hutch rely on each other and how each is truly everything that the other needs.

There was a moment that I found very meta in the vid. At one point, for the line "ride on a boulevard," we see Starsky standing still on one of those rotating playground things we called a "merry go round" when I was a kid, with Hutch standing next to it. The clip ends and we move on to an entirely different scene *before* Hutch starts pushing the merry-go-round so that Starsky has to grab on--but if even *I* know that's coming up, I'm sure the dyed-in-the-wool fans know it, too. So just from seeing Starsky on that device, everyone has a mental picture of what happens next--he is about to "go for a ride." It struck me as a really nifty piece of shorthand!

8. I was super happy to see "Hey Na Na" by Garrideb again--it debuted at the DC Slash virtual con and I loved it to itty bitty pieces. The vid proposes that maybe Starsky has a little crush on Hutch. The song is so sassy and the clips, with their repeated parallel motions (like Hutch patting Starsky on the tummy in different eps) and perfect timing, echo and amplify the sass! I appreciate it more every time I see it.

9. "Bang!" by Elizabeth Lowry was quirky and fun; the driving, energetic song highlighted and celebrated the action scenes. I enjoyed the vid and I really liked the song!

10. kat-byrd's vid to the Linkin Park song "Numb" offered a scenario in which all is not well in S&H's relationship; the clips supported the story that Hutch isn't happy because he feels that Starsky finds him unsatisfactory as he is and constantly pressures him to change. The vidder used skillful recontextualization, as well as sparing use of special effects, to tell a disturbing story.

11. "Land of Confusion" by T. M. Production seemed mostly serious, although the line in the refrain about "not much love to go 'round" consistently used a scene involving spinning, which seemed disconcertingly amusing. I probably need to watch the vid a few more times to capture the feeling. I really liked how the bridge of the song used flashbacks to early parts of the series (possibly the pilot?) to represent "so long ago."

12. The next vid, "Lift up your Face" by Elizabeth Lowry, used an intriguing song with spiritual overtones. There were interesting effects with color and movement, and an emphasis on hurt/comfort (possibly from one specific episode) with Hutch worrying about Starsky. In a section of the vid where Hutch saves Starsky, the fight scenes were especially well-timed to the music.

13. "Walking on Sunshine" by Hardboiled Baby used a remake of the original song by the Distractions, which I quite liked. (Pretty sure I saw this vid at some point over the summer, but since I haven't finished writing up my other vid reports, I can't remember where.) The cutting was great and the clips chosen made the vid cute and sweet. For the bridge of the song, which interpolates the "olay olay" chant from "Hot Hot Hot," the vidder used delightful clips of the characters dancing as if to the music.

14. "I Hope You Dance" by kat-byrd was a wonderful choice to wrap up the show! The clips for the verses were nicely chosen, slow and romantic, and then the choruses gave us a surprise: instead of clips from the show, every chorus featured several pieces of gorgeous erotic fanart--everything ranging from hugging while completely clothed to partially-naked afterglow snuggling to at least one outright act of lovemaking. (I think the art was all by the same artist, with a name like Montmere?) I loved it, and so did the audience.

As you can see, there was a well-organized mix of moods and styles, so my kudos to the vid show organizer(s)!!! And my praise and thanks to the talented vidders who contributed their excellent work. This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/486520.html.

Promptfic: No Heteronormativity Here, Please (dS/Guardian crossover)

amedia — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 04:12:54 GMT

Story title: No Heteronormativity Here, Please link to AO3
Author: Amedia
Fandoms: due South/Guardian
Rating: General Audiences
Characters: Benton Fraser, Ray Vecchio, Ray Kowalski, Shen Wei
Pairing: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan (background), Ray Vecchio/Ray Kowalski (by the end) (maybe) (I hope)
Summary: Fraser can do many things, including speaking Mandarin, but can he get Vecchio and Kowalski to like each other?
Word Count: 400

Author's notes:

Prompt fill for cruisedirector, who requested, "Anything with Fraser and both Rays. :)" I took considerable liberties with that "anything"!

This ficlet takes place in a strange little universe in which, at the beginning, no one is in a relationship with anyone (well, except for Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan).

It also takes place in a strange little universe in which people from the planet Seastar can visit the planet Earth, as long as they don't show off their cell phones or other advanced gadgetry.

due South folks, please let me know if I've made any egregious errors!

It wasn't every day that an unusually good-looking, well-dressed man came into the police station and asked for help in Mandarin Chinese. Fraser was relieved; this arrival gave him a break from trying to keep Vecchio and Kowalski on a civil if not amicable footing. Turning to Francesca, he asked, "Would you please find an interpreter who speaks Mandarin?" he said. She nodded and went out.

He could hear the other two in the background. "Hey, how'd he know that was Mandarin?" asked Kowalski.

"Don't tell me you're surprised," said Vecchio. "Fraser's basically a walking encyclopedia."

"Ya got me there," said Kowalski.

At least they agree on something, thought Fraser. He gestured to a chair near his desk, and the man seated himself. Calling upon the lessons he had taken years ago, Fraser spoke slowly and carefully in Mandarin, hoping that he really was welcoming the visitor to Chicago and asking how he might be of service.

It appeared he was successful, as the visitor responded immediately, enunciating slowly and carefully for Fraser's benefit. Fraser nodded, pulling out a form and a pen.

"What'd he say, Benny?" asked Vecchio.

"My grasp of Mandarin is most rudimentary—" Fraser began.

Kowalski rolled his eyes. "C'mon, cut to the chase," he said.

"--But his name is Shen Wei, and he is looking for the love of his life, who is lost somewhere here in Chicago. I'm sure the interpreter will help us to garner more details."

"The love of his life, eh?" said Vecchio, looking interested. "Sounds like a good story. What's her name?"

"Please, Ray," said Fraser, "Let's not be heteronormative. Since spoken Mandarin lacks gendered pronouns, there is no reason to assume the person in question is female." He turned back to Shen Wei and spoke to him again, hesitating over vocabulary, and finally sketching a rectangle in the air.

Shen Wei looked at him for a moment, then said, "Ah," nodded, and pulled out his wallet, from which he carefully extracted a photograph. Fraser smiled and held up the photo for the others to see.

"Well, hurray for not being—that thing you said," said Kowalski, visibly relaxing. "Hetero-something."

Vecchio looked at Kowalski. "Wait a minute, you too? Why didn'tcha say something?"

"Well, why didn't you?" said Kowalski.

Fraser smiled. "Looks like this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship," he said quietly to himself.
This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/485670.html.

Gift fic (Guardian Wishlist): Yard Sale Find

amedia — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 02:50:10 GMT

Story title: Yard Sale Find (link to AO3)
Author: Amedia
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Rating: PG
Characters: Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei; mention of Da Qing
Relationship: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Summary: Zhao Yunlan buys a comfy old sweater at a yard sale, and thinks it's his. Da Qing and Shen Wei have other ideas.
Word Count: 354
Author's Note: Response to buriedbybooks' wishlist, specifically Random weakness of mine: Shen Wei or Ye Zun in soft/baggy comfort sweaters.

Zhao Yunlan got the tea things ready and put the kettle on to boil. As he came out of the kitchen area into his living room, he stopped short in astonishment.

The previous week, he had been interviewing a witness at their home and noticed that the house next door was having a yard sale. He sauntered over, glanced at a few items, and spotted a baggy old purplish sweater that looked warm and clean and comfortable. Best of all, he was able to buy it with the change in his pocket.

The weather was about to turn cool, and something like this would be good for evenings at home. Shen Wei probably wouldn't approve, but Zhao Yunlan figured he could sweet-talk his way past any objections.He took the sweater home and tossed it on the couch, where it promptly became Da Qing's favorite spot to curl up for a snooze.

And now, Shen Wei, wearer of collar stays, arm garters, and everything crisp, was wearing the sweater. Zhao Yunlan gaped. He thought Shen Wei's most dramatic transformation was surely the Black Cloaked Envoy, but no. The Envoy was, after all, very neatly put together. Shen Wei in a comfy old sweater was like a completely different person.

"Wherever did you find this?" Shen Wei asked. "It's perfect! Is it for me?"

Zhao Yunlan stood and smiled at this fuzzy new version of Shen Wei, yet another Shen Wei to love. "It is now," he said.

Shen Wei looked down at the sweater, running his hands over the well-worn knit. "Aw, look," he said. "You even got Da Qing to pre-season it. There's nothing like claw marks and cat hair to add that personal touch." He looked up at Zhao Yunlan with a soft smile. "What do you think? How do I look in it?"

Zhao Yunlan held up a finger. "Just a minute," he said. He went back into the kitchen and turned off the burner under the kettle, then returned. "You look so good in it that all I can think about is taking it off you," he said, and pounced. This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/484568.html.

Gift fic (Guardian Wishlist): Tea for Two

amedia — Sat, 18 Sep 2021 23:45:56 GMT

Story title: Tea for Two (link to AO3)
Author: Amedia
Fandom: Guardian (drama)
Rating: G
Characters: Shen Wei, Professor Zhi (an elderly OFC), Zhao Yunlan
Summary: Shen Wei is enjoying tea with a colleague when Zhao Yunlan barges in.
Word Count: 695
Author's note: A brief attempt to respond to yaaurens's lovely prompt asking: Does [Shen Wei] have friends in general, pre-SID? What happens if/when they meet Zhao Yunlan? This is set very early in the series.

Professor Shen picked up the tea from the counter and sat down at a four-person table in the student center coffeehouse to wait for his friend. Professor Zhi was a pleasant colleague, but such earthly concepts as "being on time" did not penetrate her otherworldly mind.

They had met on a boring committee whose charge he could no longer even remember. Sitting next to him, she casually remarked on the tea he was drinking and identified it correctly from its aroma--and a friendship was born. He got along better with this elderly philosopher than with most of his scientific colleagues.

He saw her pausing at the entrance and waved; she came and set an untidy stack of books and papers on one of the chairs (his reason for choosing a larger table than two people usually needed). She was about to turn and get herself tea, when he moved a flyer standing in the middle of the table to show a cup behind it. "They were about to run out of this week's special flavor, and I thought you might like it, so I got you a cup. Be careful, it's still hot."

She turned pink with pleasure and sat down immediately, lifting the cup with both hands to her nose to savor the aroma. "Oh, that's going to be lovely," she said, setting it down. "Thank you!"

"It's no more than I owe you for letting me know about this place," said Shen Wei. "Who would have thought that the student center would have a far better tea selection than the faculty lounge?"

"Anyone who's been in academia as long as I have would have guessed it," she said with a grin. "Now it's part of the deposit of wisdom that you can hand down to younger faculty in your turn."

He crinkled his eyes in response and took a sip of his tea, which was finally just cool enough to drink. "Mmm," he said, closing his eyes to savor the delicate flavor.

"Why, Professor Shen!" called a familiar voice, more loudly than necessary. "Fancy meeting you here!" Shen Wei opened his eyes to see Zhao Yunlan barreling through the coffeeshop, headed for his table. And it had been such a quiet day.

Zhao Yunlan grabbed the fourth chair at the table uninvited, turned it around, and sat on it backwards, leaning his arms over the top. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your lady friend?" he asked, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

"I'm perfectly capable of introducing myself, young man," Professor Zhi said sharply.

He turned to her with a questioning look, clearly expecting her to do just that. She took a sip of her tea, mulled it over, nodded at Shen Wei, and set it down. Then she turned to Zhao Yunlan. "You're the stranger here," she said.

Zhao Yunlan put a hand over his heart. "You," he said, "are absolutely correct. I am Zhao Yunlan, humble Chief of the insignificant Special Investigation Division."

"Thank you," said Professor Zhi. "You may address me as Madam Professor."

Shen Wei covered his mouth with his hand, so as not to laugh openly at Zhao Yunlan's disconcerted expression.

Professor Zhi was sweeping her eyes up and down Zhao Yunlan, looking thoughtful. "I'm glad you're here," she said abruptly. "I'm retiring this year, and Professor Shen will need a new friend. You'll do."

Zhao Yunlan turned to Shen Wei, now with an expression of disbelief; Shen Wei managed to school his face into its usual impassive calm just in time. Zhao Yunlan turned back to Professor Zhi. "Thank you, Madam Professor," he said, sounding surprisingly sincere. "I'm glad to have your approval."

Zhao Yunlan's cell phone beeped; he glanced at the number and said, "Duty calls. My apologies."

"It's no problem," said Shen Wei. Professor Zhi took another sip of tea and waved goodbye without speaking. Zhao Yunlan left without further ceremony, his phone glued to his ear.

Once he was out of earshot, Professor Zhi leaned forward. "Be careful of that fellow, young man," she said. "He's quite the charmer. The charming ones are the dangerous ones."

Shen Wei could only agree. This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/484251.html.