Flutterings

Biddable - 5.9K, explicit

It's a standalone story, but in the same universe as "Wonder Women in Schenectady" (percussionist/music librarian), "Of Figures and Fingering Things Out" (bassoonist/violinist), "Accidentals" (recorder players + loud instrument gal) and "To Hone High and Low" (oboist/science teacher). My author tag will take you to all five: https://www.shousetsubangbang.com/mirror/tag/greta-jia-kang-cabrel/

Of Figures and Figuring Things Out - 5.5K, explicit

It's a standalone story, but in the same universe as "Accidentals" (recorder players + loud instrument gal) and "To Hone High and Low" (oboist/science teacher). My author tag will take you to all three: https://www.shousetsubangbang.com/mirror/tag/greta-jia-kang-cabrel/

Happy birthday, plaid_slytherin! This cupcake brought to you by my own current adventure in preparing pandoro for this evening's trifle. (About to pour the backup cake into its pan, that's how well things are going at the moment.)

[100 words, T (for homophobia), with characters/fanon borrowed from The Apple, the Snake, and the Angel. Apocrypha for now (will add to series later, if nothing's jossed it by the time we get Bruno to Balliol)]

When the agents gathered in the smoking room, Clearwater hadn’t expected the conversation to remain centered on literal trifle, but Margaret Gudgeon had been much taken with Curtis’s rendition of the dessert, and all their colleagues fascinated—not entirely willingly—by Curtis’s easy recital of the domestic debacles he’d had to muddle through in the course of mastering company-worthy cake.

With Curtis out of earshot—seeing to a cranky child—young Simmons cheekily suggested, “Isn’t he good at cake because he’s a poof?”

Clearwater retorted, “He’s good at seeing things through—and seeing through things, be it cakes or façades.”

The end of 2025 has been riding me hard - I'm making lists of things to punt to March and beyond to manage my priorities - but it's also 59 F and sunny (so deadlines be damned, I'm going to do some cleaning up around and under the hellebores...) and the season has brought some pleasant surprises, including today's revelation from a Swedish Sayers fan on the KJ Charles Discord that "I am the Queen Aholibah" comes from Swinburne's "Masque of Queen Bersabe." I have been wondering about this for literally decades, and the LPWC compiler-in-chief insisted it was original to DLS back in the late nineties/early oughts when we were trading emails for the 2nd edition, etc. As another Discord possum summed up, "what a time to be alive."

At any rate, I have managed a bit of non-work publishing and posting since All Hallows...

In the newest issue of Shousetsou Bang*Bang, my story "Of Figures and Fingering Things Out" is third in the TOC. Bassoonist/violinist f/f wlw, mild age difference, 5.5K, in the same universe as my other S2B2 contributions but you don't need to have read them to enjoy this one. (That said, I'm now tempted to work in a mention of cheap soprano recorders into all the WiPs. We'll cross that bridge or burn it when I get closer to done.)

And, I contributed a half-dozen drabbles to Wanksgiving the Third:

(anti)dote (100 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Zidian/Sandu/Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin
Characters: Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Sandu (Modao Zushi), Zidian (Modao Zushi)
Additional Tags: Sentient Zidian (Modao Zushi), Sentient Sandu (Modao Zushi), Threesome, Pegging, Bottom Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Smubbles Challenge: Wanksgiving 2024
Summary:

When the world is too much with Jiang Wanyin, Zidian and Sandu do their best to loosen its hold.

Clenching and Sucking, Up and Down (100 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, England Series - K. J. Charles
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Archie Curtis/Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Jiang Yanli/Nie Huaisang, Lan Huan | Lan Xichen/Daniel da Silva, mentioned Nie Mingjue/Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin
Characters: Archie Curtis, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Jiang Yanli, Nie Huaisang
Additional Tags: Crack Crossover, Orgy, Bottom Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Canonically Huge Dicks, Smubbles Challenge: Wanksgiving 2024
Summary:

There's a sex party in progress. Lord knows its participants deserve a break.

quaesivi illum (100 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Goblin Emperor Series - Katherine Addison
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Thara Celehar/Iäna Pel-Thenhior
Characters: Iäna Pel-Thenhior
Additional Tags: Pining, Smubbles Challenge: Wanksgiving 2024, tfw what you write kicks you in the teeth with the feels
Summary:

Iäna listens and yearns.

wedi ei dreiddio gan pannas mawr (100 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Duolingo
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sioned/Owen
Characters: Sioned, Owen
Additional Tags: Welsh Character, Parsnips, Pegging, Vegetable Insertion, Smubbles Challenge: Wanksgiving 2024
Summary:

The parsnip was thicker than any tongue, fist, or cock Owen had previously allowed into his arse.

Fire Doth Find Its Sphere (100 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: England Series - K. J. Charles
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Archie Curtis/Daniel da Silva
Characters: Archie Curtis, Daniel da Silva (England Series)
Additional Tags: Waxplay, Established Relationship, Smubbles Discord's Wanksgiving Challenge 2024
Summary:

Archie was unprepared for how painfully hard his cock would become as Daniel lathered up his chest and thighs.

Our sweet affections, like the spheres (100 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: England Series - K. J. Charles
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Archie Curtis/Daniel da Silva
Characters: Archie Curtis, Daniel da Silva (England Series)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon Jewish Character, sufganiyot, Smubbles Discord's Wanksgiving Challenge 2024, Alternate Universe - High School
Summary:

The English teacher makes a show of assembling a jelly doughnut in Archie's lab.

It's pedal-to-the-metal with various projects through mid-July, which is of course the cue for plotbunnies to pounce. During Sunday's paddle, I was trying to piece out the next paragraph of "Silt" and ended up thinking about Susan Lazarus's hairpins and Wen Qing's needles, so this happened:

I Have No Choice But To Watch The World (1494 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Lilywhite Boys Series - K. J. Charles, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Susan "Sukey" Lazarus/Cara Pyne-ffoulkes, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin/Wen Qing
Characters: Susan "Sukey" Lazarus, Cara Pyne-ffoulkes, Wen Qing (Modao Zushi)
Additional Tags: Cara lives AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Victorian, MDZS & CQL frankencanon, Major Illness, Coughing
Summary:

The first time Susan Lazarus meets Wen Qing is at the end of a horrible night, Cara’s lungs having done their utmost for hours to heave themselves out of her body in sticky, raggedy clumps.

===

The YouTube jukebox served up Les Le Forestiers singing Georges Moustaki's "Joseph" just now. I'm not sure it would've snagged my attention most nights, but I've been thinking of old movie soundtracks and folksongs the past 48 hours, and there's something about seeing those two, and that sound . . .

A heads-up for those of you near Wellfleet - calligrapher Margaret Shepherd has a show with works inspired by the Song of Songs up through tomorrow: https://provincetownindependent.org/arts-minds/2023/10/11/margaret-shepherds-approach-to-an-ancient-sensual-text/

The incomparable jennisaisquoi is in the thick of good things, including new MDZS/Untamed stories to relish. She's also updated her archives across the board, which has meant lovely new covers for her recordings of my Band Sinister fics, which focus respectively on a character's conversion to Judaism and a threesome with that character:

( Read more... )

And, ICYMI, there's also her collaboration with HowOldAreWe on 18 of my No True Pair drabbles:

[Podfic] Skylarks Wounded in the Wing (4 words) by HowOldAreWe, jennisaisquoi
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: England Series - K. J. Charles, Green Men Series - K. J. Charles, Psmith - P. G. Wodehouse, David Blaize - E. F. Benson
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Daniel da Silva, Randolph Glyde, Mike Jackson, Frank Maddox, David Blaize, Archie Curtis, Sam Caldwell, Fenella Carruth, George "Bags" Crabtree, Saul Lazenby
Additional Tags: Drabble Collection, Podfic, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes
Summary:

Drabbles prompted by the No True Pair Challenge, September 2022. Title from William Blake's "Auguries of Innocence"

Listen! Enjoy! Kudo! :D

[Subject line extracted from Rilo Kiley's "Portions for Foxes"]




Things recently made for or in response to me:

( 18 England World x Green Men x Psmith x David Blaize drabbles now in audio! )

Storms and Accidents (1156 words) by BuddyWritesFic
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Original Work
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character, Not Helpless Wizard/Not Meathead Warrior
Characters: Original Male Character(s)
Additional Tags: Clothing Porn, Fantastical Landscapes, Mountains, Ice, Broken Bones, Huddling For Warmth, Dark Magic, Wilderness Survival, Dangerous Landscapes, Storms, Accidents
Summary:

Wizards and fighters, will they ever get along?

Yes. Yes, they will. Shippily.

And then there's what I wrote between FFFX (starring "Wear This For My Sake") and the current hiatus:

A Quest for Cake (100 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: A Charm of Magpies Series - K. J. Charles
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Hawkes (A Charm of Magpies), Cheney (A Charm of Magpies), The older St. Merrick boy
Additional Tags: Future Fic, Drabble
Summary:

At least one of the sprogs shares Lucien's love of sartorial finery.

The Point of Different Faces - England World with cameos from Sins of the Cities, Will Darling Adventures, Green Men and elsewhere


Thou breathe loving air (300 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: England Series - K. J. Charles
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Archie Curtis/Daniel da Silva
Characters: Archie Curtis, Daniel da Silva
Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Fisting, Triple Drabble
Summary:

They couldn’t have got this far if Archie wasn’t so good at breathing.

Flickering like a wolf in and out of view (1280 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Original Work
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: oblivious dogwalker who does night shifts/werewolf who's tired of being picked up by animal control
Summary:

The oddest thing about Lew Blaidd is how he somehow ends up naked in Animal Control’s holding pen for its biggest canines once a month.

Wear your rue with a difference (400 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Original Work
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Male Villain Grudgingly Being Redeemed/One He's Wronged That's Helping Him Redeem Himself
Additional Tags: past trauma, Developing Relationship
Summary:

Hedge can’t believe he’s spending this much time on the fucking centerpieces.

[with a little sequel in the comments]


For ever shattered and the same for ever (400 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: England Series - K. J. Charles
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Archie Curtis/Daniel da Silva
Characters: Archie Curtis, Daniel da Silva
Additional Tags: Caves, Torture, Rescue



Like a Boat from Shore (400 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: A Charm of Magpies Series - K. J. Charles
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Esther Gold
Additional Tags: Ceremonies and Rituals, Family, Vacation, Reunions
Summary:

Ten years after "Five for Heaven": Esther wants her children to see more of the world.

Relief: Finished a challenging assignment earlier tonight. Getting a less hard but time-consuming chore out the door tomorrow. (Then I get to whale through things I didn't get to while these things were being massive, but tonight I sleep the sleep of This Round Is Bloody Done.)

Squee: jennirach recorded another one of my fics!

And She Dwelt [podfic] (33 words) by jennirach
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Band Sinister - K. J. Charles
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Amanda Frisby/David Martelo
Characters: Amanda Frisby, David Martelo
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Canon Jewish Character, Judaism, Podfic, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes
Summary:

"Will I have to study a lot?"

"You'll have to take instruction." David looked stunned. Amanda could have that effect when she'd made up her mind about things. "If you're sure you want to, once we've talked properly about what it means for you. Which we are going to do first," he added, with decision. Guy wished him luck.

-- Band Sinister, chapter 12

The one she posted earlier features the same characters:

Enfolding by ribbons [podfic] (28 words) by jennirach
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Band Sinister - K. J. Charles
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lord Corvin/Amanda Frisby/David Martelo
Characters: Lord Corvin, Amanda Frisby, David Martelo
Additional Tags: Threesome - F/M/M, Podfic Length: 10-20 Minutes, Podfic, also appearing: Amanda/research, took me three tries to say Olivenca and I bet it's still wrong
Summary:

“It's been years since we fucked,” David stated. “With reason.”

“How closed is that door?” Corvin asked.

“You’ll have to ask Amanda.” David’s fingers began moving in Corvin’s hair again. “She may well fling it open.”

Happy 2023, y'all! Here's to as happy and healthy a year as the fates allow.

( December. Well. )

Yuletide 2022: Being as extra as last year wasn't in the cards, but it was still a fine time. ChalionKat picked me up as a pinch-hit and sent Sins of the Cities' Mark Braglewicz and Justin Lazarus to fix Oliver Twist - a gift that was a delight to find under the tree not just for its own sake but because of the longtime grudge my husband holds against Dickens, who dissed a great-great's manuscript with the words "I would sooner dine on a boiled glove." Take that, Charles!

I was assigned to lnhammer, which delighted me because the prompt for "A Poem Thrown at Martial Duke Pei" began with "WTF was Duke Pei thinking, burning a poem he knows is by a ghost?"

What with Fic in a Box (FIAB) fills and the promised continuation of a birthday present occupying the front burners, I didn't plan to draft the story until December, but after poking around the web over a couple of nights, it was clear that I would need to visit both the public and university libraries to get a better idea of (1) what the armor looked like, and (2) the terrain the ghost and the duke had traversed.


The top volume is Donald B. Wagner's Iron and Steel in Ancient China (Leiden: Brill, 1993).

Not pictured: Charles Benn's Daily Life in Traditional China: The Tang Dynasty (Westport: Greenwood, 2002), which was so idiosyncratic in style and substance that my eyebrows were hitting my hairline before I'd made it through the front matter. I'd also worked on an exhibition of samurai armor some years ago, and while its objects were of a different country and a later era, I revisited the catalogue anyway, as part of a general feeling-around-to-find-the-story phase.

Around this time, I also took a stroll through the FIAB list of mediums while compiling my pinch-hitter's wishlist, and that's when I learned about the golden shovel poetry form originated by Terence Hayes. Despite the game plan I'd sketched out, and my history of being able to write 1000-3000+ words of solid fic in a single night when necessary (or inspired), I was feeling twitchy about not having locked onto any part of the story yet, so I started a set of shovels to have something potentially submittable, with an idea of working through "Sir Orfeo" as well as the Chinese ghosts.

But then the key questions materialized in my head. Specifically: how did the ghost throw a sheet of paper, and how did the words get to us post-incineration? Once I realized those were the questions I wanted to answer, I started a file with the working title "The Stick Avenges the Sword." The first two paragraphs were slow to take shape - I think I was averaging 2-3 sentences a day - but then the rest of the story jelled in one or two sittings. I waited until the 8th to upload them in case anything else came to mind, and finetuned some spots on the 14th.

Paper Beats Duke (1384 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 掷裴武公诗 | A Poem Thrown at Martial Duke Pei - 介胄鬼 | An Armored Ghost, Unspecified Fandom
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Additional Tags: Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), Blacksmithing, Ghosts, Poetry, War, Brush Writing
Summary:

Where the poem thrown at Martial Duke Pei came from.

Shovels Stranded on a Riverbank (353 words) by ribbons
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 幽恨诗 | Poem of Hidden Resentment - 安邑坊女 | A Woman of Anyi Lane, 掷裴武公诗 | A Poem Thrown at Martial Duke Pei - 介胄鬼 | An Armored Ghost, 虎丘石壁鬼 | Three Poems by a Ghost on a Stone Wall in Huqiu, Unspecified Fandom
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Additional Tags: Poetry, Ghosts, Don't Have to Know Canon
Summary:

A trio of golden shovels based on the following:

1. Poem of Hidden Resentment, A Woman of Anyi Lane
2. A Poem Thrown at Martial Duke Pei, An Armored Ghost
3. Three Poems, The Ghost of a Stone Wall in Huqiu

ETA: It turns out there are several makes of golden shovels. The one in play here is the Masterclass variation, where a word from each line of the source is used as the end-word of the corresponding line of the new poem.

In addition to savoring the comments on and recs of my own work, I had the pleasure of secretly, gleefully delighting in the reactions to PerfectlySteadfast's "Courtship," which I beta'd.