Anchor: An Expanse Fanfic Joe Miller/Octavia Muss

Late to the party, but better late than never!

I give my humble offerings to this tiny, but amazing pairing. 

Part 1: Anchor   She knows he’s watching as she leaves.But she’s learned you can’t save those who don’t want to save themselves.

Part 2:  Lost Things    She’s still not sure of him, even after six months of working together. He’s not exactly volunteered more information about himself. She’s not inquired, even though everyone at the station, it seems, has their own theory.

Part 3: Regrets? I Have A Few    She has always been too good for him.In the end, he fucked it all up. Story of his life, really. But this time, he cannot escape the mistake.Because he sees her, each and every day.He sees her when she doesn’t think he’s looking. But even when he’s caught, he never looks away..

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17868248/chapters/42168602

Back With A Rant: Siren TV/Freeform

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about Freeform’s show, Siren. If you haven’t seen it and are a fan of mythology/folklore, you should. I want to start with everything I find great about this show.

1) MERMAIDS! There be merpeople in the waters. And it’s glorious. I love how this show explores the lore around mermaids, but it goes beyond that--establishing a culture around these creatures, how they relate to each other and the world. And it also grapples with how a species hidden for the world for hundreds of years must now fight for its survival in the wake of man-made disasters such as over-fishing, climate change, and other perils. 

2) DIVERSE CASTING! Yes, yes freeform is serving black mermaids, white mermaids, hispanic mermaids, asian mermaids--everyone is represented, and guess what? Colors don’t matter! Same as with the humans--a great representation of people being people. And grappling with everything real people grapple with: family issues, drug addition, income insecurity, poverty, etc. And all without ever pitting one group against the other.

3) INTERSPECIES/INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS: It’s all here, and it’s all (mostly) a win. As a woman of color married to a white guy, I ship it.

Really, this show is good, and I hope more people are watching. 

BUT...

I’ve been struggling recently with the main characters of Ben, Ryn and Maddie, who I love as individuals but not as the (SPOILER) polyamorous throuple the show is making them out to be. Here’s my issue.

My Personal Serenity Prayer

Trying to write...Give me strength!

God,

Grant me the serenity to accept the plot lines I cannot change,

Courage to edit the typographical errors that I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference between an original thought and dated cliché.

Amen.

Saving Grace: A Brotherhood Fanfic

Picks up from my “Fresh Air” story. What if Maggs made a different choice? What if she chose to be there for Michael when he was in the hospital? Could things have been different? Could he have made better choices?

Chapter 1

The monitors beep steadily beside the bed, draped in white and light blue coverings, it’s occupant prostrate and still, chest rising and falling seemingly in tune to the artificial rhythms set by the dimly blinking lights of the equipment. It is there to keep track of temperature, heartbeat, mental activity and, she shudders to think it, urination, the catheter on the side slowly filling with dark yellow (tainted with blood). That is to be expected.

He was brought in under the worst of circumstances. Traumatic Brain Injuries can be win or lose, seldom in-between, and for those that do occupy that gray area, life altering with effects that either rip families apart or seal them closer together through shared support or sheer emotional exhaustion.

Magellan almost wishes it had already been decided before Michael got here—life, or death. Because waiting on the outcome, to her, is far worse. Only now, in a quiet moment, when most families have gone home for the night, and the nurses and staff can try to do some of their work without the constant nagging and fretting of concerned loved ones, does she come to him. Six days after he arrived in her ward. Six months after they said goodbye.

No Party Afilliated Voter In The House!

Just switched to NPA and boy, does it feel great! My last primary as a member of one of the two major parties is done. It's not like it was ever a good fit anyway.

Am I a liberal Republican? A conservative Democrat? Once upon a time Republicans used to be Democrats and vice versa. Fact is, both sides have caved to their extremes, and sorry, not interested in either.

Now, I get. I may have disenfranchised myself. But we shall see. Despite the common narrative, I understand the elections that matter the most are the ones nearest to me--my city/county races. I'm blessed to live in a place where those are non-partisan.

I think we'd be better off as a society if we cast aside party labels and argued over ideas. But until that day comes, I am casting off mine.

Reflections/ The Other Part 14: The End.

 Stray Thoughts: Katrina/Lorca/Michael

“You chose to do the right thing over what was sanctioned. Even at great cost to yourself…context is for kings…”  (But what’s a king without a queen?).

“That’s the kind of thinking I need next to me.”

.

.

Katrina is the only woman Lorca ever loved…

Michael is the only woman Gabriel ever loved…

.

“The truth is, you’re not the man I used to know.”

“I watched you change these last months, it’s upsetting. And it’s definitely not how it used to be.”

.

.

“I did want to thank you, sir.”

“I’m grateful to serve under a captain like you.”

Reflections/The Other Part 13

Green Eyes  

Merkin in her arms.

Three lifts, down into the lower decks of the ship until she comes to a place she hasn’t been in months - Gabriel’s lab.

The doors open and she steps through. Everything is as he left it, save for the dead and dissected creatures that someone has removed. The weapons and other specimens remain pristine in their cases, the metal tables shine like new.

Nothing has been touched.

But some things are missing.

The man himself.

Once again, she finds herself thinking of Gabriel as she settles onto a chair, Merkin’s gentle purring just enough to take a piece of the edge off her sorrow.

A touch of a smile, as she remembers his reaction when she told him about the tardigrade. Two eyebrows raised, arms crossed.

“Well, as long as there’s a plan B in place,” is what he finally said when he spoke, surprising her with the gentleness of it.

“Don’t worry, Michael,” Gabriel told her. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste. And yours is priceless. That was decent of you. It was a good call.”

Now, she looks at the space where the tardigrade was. The creature she set free.

Maybe it’s what Lorca needs, too…she thinks.

This must have been what Gabriel felt when he learned of her and Ash.

Fresh Air, A Brotherhood Fic.  Now Complete! https://archiveofourown.org/works/14245653/chapters/35778633

Reflections/The Other Part 12

(Dear God...this is the last time I upload a story of this length to tumblr. This is starting to feel like the fic that never ends...but I swear it’s starting to wrap here in a bit).

I’d Rather Go Blind

“Admiral,” Lorca greets her as he comes on the bridge. “This is…unexpected.”

Katrina eyes him up and down, critically. Uniform immaculate as always. His hair slightly mussed, as if he were sleeping, but when he gets close, she catches a whiff and frowns, knowing that smell. She’s known Gabriel too long to be fooled. His default when shit goes awry, when he’s stressed to the point where he can’t deal. And she senses something else too—the way he’s standing, slightly back from her, guarded, and…she gets to his face, noting the blue in his eyes, the slightly withdrawn look: he’s hiding something.