Truthfully, "ministrations" are something a nurse does to a patient, at least in my head: "Nurse Mary moved through the wards like an angel of mercy, selflessly and tirelessly. The patients looked up with gratitude in their eyes, and responded to her ministrations like flowers to sunlight" or some junk. It strikes me, I don't know - clinical.

I don't think I've ever used "caress". But then, I don't much see the reason for wanting to compress the reality of sex into a single word. Hell, the whole thing about writing, the first basic rule: always show, never tell.

Gimme the full description of the hot monkey love. Alternately, touch one finger to the soft pale skin of her thigh. But show me the scene. I really don't much want it in one word.

(sorry - Wednesday is my bad MS day and it makes me ramble.)

"stroke" is a good word. "ran a finger along" is nice too.

I think.

"And then there was this -- um. And it was -- er. And then, whoa!" Suddenly, Miss Dashwood sounds like Keanu.

Suh-nerk!

It's really the generic terms that are the problem--for specific touches, the vocabulary hasn't changed as much. But even my adoring writers' group has called me for overuse of "marriage bed."

Gosh, period terminology for the essential acts themselves that aren't crude. Tricky.

And there really are some good Pacey/Joey stories out there.

Soph, could you email me some recs?

Writing sex can be hard.

Writing sex can be hard.

I'm so trying to get a lewd pun out of that.

Writing TS takes a long time.

Well, it's canon. You could have them debating which breeds taste best. "Now, your common Norwegian brown, that's a bit salty." "That's because all the old fashioned dock rats are extinct now. That's what I was eating when I started this gig."

Just because it's canon doesn't mean it has to happen.

It could be Spike/Angel...

with the soul...

Oh, dear. Here we go.

Hook me up, please?

You did ask for this.

The story proper starts here, but the chapter is question is chapter three, here.

Am, it's marked. I'll curl up with it later, when I'm back.

I won't hold it against you if you don't give me any feedback. I wouldn't.