"Uh, I don't think it's that kind of transition," Martin said. "Kenneth said he wants to apologize for trying to whack my father-in-law." Martin moved back—Paul always wanted to be too close, even from the time they'd been boys together and Martin had saved him from a seventh-grade ass-kicking.(This was also where Martin found the scary part of himself, besides the guy that wrote song lyrics on his notebooks. So he guessed he owed Paul too.) "So it's Kenneth now?" "Yeah, sure…he texted me. Don't tell him, but I *was* having some trouble putting his name with a face." "Is that safe?" Paul said, fidgeting a little as he always did during emotional conversations. "A guy like that having your number, I mean." "Paul," Martin reminded him. "I'm a guy like that. Leaving that aside, though…I have a special line for…compatriots. Besides, you were going to sell him a trendy loft." " I would have sold you your house," Sperwicki said. "Taken a hit on the commission, too, had you not forsaken us for the fickle charms of the Golden State….You know one thing, though." "What's that?" " If he is apologizing for an attempt on your father-in-law, he never met him." They both laughed, and it felt good, even though the joke wasn't that funny. "I gotta go…I've taken so long picking up this paper, Deb will expect me to be in the next edition." "I wasn't kidding that much… your FIL is a scary dude. Still looks at me as a bed-wetter. If business doesn't pick up, maybe I can take over for Kenneth." "Don't even joke about that!"

I wrote a thing! [link]

It's a Good Omens story, about 3k words, and it only took me, uh, nine months? Thanks to Steph for looking it over for me. Maybe in another year I'll write something else!

Gggguuuh. After roughly a quarter-century of not being able to finish a single piece of fictional writing in any form or any genre, yesterday I finished my second OFMD fic. Even if it sucks, it at least has a clear arc and a proper end, and I already have a bit of a plot bunny for a third. I can't even... my brain has been so hungry to be in this space, and I've failed so many times in the last 20-mumble years, and now this stupid goofy pirateverse broke something open and I'm hearing stories in my head again. Not just characters or general fuzzy ideas, but clear entire stories. This silly bit of queer romcom fluff gave me a huge vital piece of myself back, and I'm just so stunned I could cry with it.

(Grinning like crazy watching JZ writing. Also somewhat envious, but that's okay. Go, woman! Write like the wind!)

So happy to see this, JZ, and the joy it brings you.

Thank you, Karl! So very good to see your pixels!

Chapter 2 posted, and I'm almost 2200 words into the third fic (Mary and Stede backstory).

4900 words! So far.

Woot!

Second fic posted through chapter 6, and third one is up to 7300 words.