So I’m working on both the final chapter of The Birdcage with Vampire Bucky which is apparently going to be the longest goddamn chapter in the history of fan fiction and chapter 5 of Blood and Music, where shit gets all kinds of complicated. Why both at the same time? Because I’m so in ADHD mode right now and the Adderall doing absolutely dick for my concentration.
So, here’s six or so sentences of chapter five of Blood and Music and thank you for tolerating my nonsense.
From chapter five…
The first threat James took seriously came the next morning from a perfectly innocent-looking tea tray.
Billy was up at the crack of noon, and querulously demanding his tea. It was one British staple he insisted on, full tea service upon arising, which was at noon so perhaps the traditional afternoon observance of tea was - sort of - close to the mark. James opened the door and looked the widely grinning room service waiter up and down. Excited but harmless, he thought, and let the young man in. The waiter carefully laid out the tea service and stood with gloved hands folded, trying to not stare at the muttering Billy, strolling around in a silk bathroom flapping loosely around his boney knees. Lea passed by, still on her headset and turned the waiter in the direction of the suite’s door. “Thank you, dear. So- Riley I think you and I can both agree…”
James was also on his headset, coordinating security for the next two concert dates when there was a strangled shout from Billy.
“I’m dead! Bugger, shit, goddamn and fuck I am dead!”
Snatching the slip of paper clutched in Billy’s wrinkled fist, James scanned it quickly.
Congratulations! There’s arsenic in the tea, something a pissy old bitch like you should appreciate. Goodbye and good riddance, Billy!
His finger was on speed dial for Billy’s physician instantly while his other hand pulled the cup away, smelling it. “I don’t smell anything like garlic, or horseradish,” he said tersely, “Billy, calm down. Lea, get him water, we need to get a full bottle in him as quickly as possible … Dr. Horton? We have a poison threat, I don’t-”
“OH MY GOD, I’M DYING, WHY?” Billy was howling and dodging Lea’s best efforts to get him to drink the water. “I have so much to live for, the people need meeee!”
A phone appeared in front of Lea’s face and Maila took the water bottle. “Poison control. Tell them his doctor is on the other line. You and-” she wouldn’t look at him, James noticed, “you two talk together, I have Billy.”
She straddled Billy’s lap and kissed him soundly. His wailing cut off instantly and he stared up at Maila, who had his head firmly between her hands.
“Well, this is a surprise,” he preened.
“Relax, Billy,” she laughed, “I just needed you to shut up for a minute. You’re going to be fine, someone’s just being a douchebag and trying to scare you.”
“But- but the tea!” he wailed, “It tasted of almonds!”
“You’re thinking of cyanide,” she interrupted. “You’re fine.”
Thank you @caffiend-queen ! This is from the as yet unnamed Adam & Kay story that you requested.
“The heels of the pink and black polka-dotted high heeled Mary Janes Kay had given herself for her birthday made a soft clipping sound even through the worn out, faux-Persian rug runner that ran between the shelves of the history section and seriously needed to be cleaned.
Lost in thought about if she could wrangle some window display co-op money from the store’s sales rep Kay had completely missed a customer when she made the five minute call and now all but jumped out of her favorite plaid skirt and gave a little shriek when he unfurled himself slowly from where he was crouched looking at a red-leather bound set of the works of Osman Aga with deckled edges and a sad amount of dry rot.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Looming above her, his broad shoulders blocking the one light that Kay had somehow forgotten to turn off, the customer’s voice was so rich and deep it was like pomegranate molasses that had been warmed and was being poured very slowly over her bare skin. The really expensive kind of it that you had to order from Milk Street.
“Oh my goodness!” Kay put a hand to her heaving chest, trying to not have such terribly inappropriate thoughts while at work.”
@caffiend-queen Is your Billy modeled after Billy Mack from Love Actually? Because I totally heard him in the “I’m dead! Bugger, shit, goddamn and fuck I am dead!”
@nildespirandum I looked up what polka dotted high heel Mary Janes would look like. Cute!
Thank you both for the tags. Tonight I was working on Chapter 25 of 30 Days of Debauchery. Here’s a bit:
It was a busy Sunday afternoon, and although she was tired after closing, she didn’t want to turn down Marc and Samantha’s invitation to join them for drinks and appetizers. She needed to eat, anyway, and it had been too long since she had gotten a chance to catch up with them on gossip.
Unfortunately, the duo spent much of the time trying to get Clíodhna to spill details on what was going on between her and Loki. After his unsubtle visit to her office, it was clear to her staff that things had progressed well beyond your typical manager/customer relationship.
“Even our VIP customers don’t get that kind of service. Or at least they didn’t previously,” said Marc with a smirk.
“So are you sexing up all the handsome wealthy shoppers these days, or…?” teased Samantha.
How do booktubers read so many books in a month???
If I finish one a month I’m proud of myself. It’s a process of reading. Setting the book down to stare at the ceiling. Crying and smiling while saying “It’s so damn brilliant”
Or putting the book down and staring at the camera like I’m in the office because its so irritating.
Then there’s the two week period of book hangover when you can stop thinking about how brilliant this author is for making you feel things again.
I have to collect my thoughts and then write my opinion to sort out how I actually feel about it (welcome to this blog)
Pairing Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes (Shrinkyclinks); background Sam Wilson/Bucky Barnes UST
Additional Tags trans masc Steve Rogers; hookup apps; alternate universe - Canon Divergence; real-world political events; additional warnings in author’s notes; no beta we die like men
Summary Who uses their mug shot as their dating profile pic? Steve Rogers, that’s who.
Katherine Applegate tweeted this letter yesterday in response to the absolute bullshit going down in the Texas and her intent on missing the TLA conference (click the link for transcript in tweet form).
Cassidy Blake and her ghost bestie Jacob are back for another haunting adventure, this time, in Paris.
I know this series is meant for middle graders but IT’S VICTORIA SCHWAB! I had to read it! ♥️
This follow up was so good! It’s full of suspense and action making it such a fast read. Cassidy and Jacobs friendship is evolving and I love how the two are growing independently and as a team.
The witty banter and Harry Potter references are strong with this one. And Victoria’s descriptions of famous Paris landmarks really helps transport the reader and create a atmospheric tone.
ALT
