choo choo

The fabulous noblealice has outdone herself again, and wrote me (!!!! I'm so spoiled) another birthday fic this year. Trust me when I say this had me swooning in delight.

Title: never go to bed angry
Pairing: clint barton/natasha romanov; the avengers
Rating: r
wordcount: 2,000+

“Y’know Tasha, my mama had this rule ‘bout going to bed angry. Said it wasn’t healthy.”

Her hair had grown in some, long enough that he had to brush it to the side over her shoulder, leaving more skin for his hands to explore. “And I’m picking up some traces of anger here.”

He made a fist with one hand and kneaded a line down between her shoulder blades with his knuckles and her head tilted slightly forward, giving him the signal he needed to continue.

He began running his palms down her arms, expelling more tension with each pass, “Got me to wondering, if that’s how she felt about sleep, you can imagine how she’d feel about starting a highly dangerous mission when wanting to kill your partner.”

“That’s a bit extreme, Barton.” She twisted her chin to the side so he could see the beginnings of a smirk. “I don’t want to kill you. Perhaps maim you.”

Sometimes an actor can be a character's greatest and most powerful advocate, and that is definitely the case with Astrid's actor, the amazingly multi-talented Jasika Nicole. Not only does Jasika do a fabulous job portraying Astrid, she is also an articulate and thoughtful spokesperson about her character. She understands Astrid, and sympathizes with her, and that brings so much more to the character's depth--even when we see her so little! Beyond Fringe Jasika is also a talented writer, artist, cartooner, blogger, comedian, singer, dancer, baker, knitter... god it exhausts me just thinking about it. She's also FREAKING ADORABLE. Basically, all around amazing human being.

But don't take my word for it--check out her words for yourself!

"I would like to see more Olivia and Astrid scenes. ‘Cause I had that awesome scene, and it was a few episodes back, when Olivia kind of opens up and is a bit vulnerable to Astrid for probably the first time ever. And it was so nice to have a scene like that with her because she’s [Anna] such a fantastic actress but her character is so—like, you just wanna give her a hug ‘cause she’s really pitiful sometimes. And I feel like Astrid can be her new BFF. And I want that to happen at some point in the future. I don’t know if it will, but that’s my wish."

Source.

"Interviewer: Does Alt!Astrid have an onset nickname like Fauxlivia and Walternate?

Jasika: Kickasstrid."

Source.

"Astrid’s lack of back­story has been a sen­si­tive spot for me, and a lot of her fans, for a while now. I am ecsta­tic to have been a part of the Fringe team from the very begin­ning, but I have fallen in love with Astrid and I want to see so much more of her. At the same time, it is impor­tant for me as an actor to rec­og­nize that Fringe is not about Astrid’s char­ac­ter, and that she is on the show to sup­port the big­ger story of the three main char­ac­ters. I have talked with the writ­ers about what I could expect from Astrid in this fourth sea­son, and while they admit­ted that they will not be explor­ing her back­story, they did say that there would be an Astrid-centric episode, and more impor­tantly, that her rela­tion­ships with the other char­ac­ters was going to be dif­fer­ent in this new Peter-less real­ity. I can only hope that if Astrid doesn’t get much more to do this sea­son, her own spin­off, Farnsworth P. I. will debut on Fox in the next few years to extremely high praise. And John Noble will guest star."

Source.

And if you're a fan of Jasika Nicole's (and why wouldn't you be by now?) please do read this wonderful article she wrote for The Advocate this May. While not specifically about Fringe and Astrid, Jasika writes so openly and frankly about being an American in Canada, about living as a Queer woman of colour, the differences and similarities between our two countries, about being in a committed relationship, being twenty-something, working, finding time for yourself. There's just really something I think everyone can relate to on some level and she's just so interesting. Read it!

"The United States is a work in progress, but it is still my home. It feels comfortable and easy, and even my struggle as a queer woman of color is necessary and important to the history and the future of the country. I have learned now that embracing one territory doesn’t mean I have to exclude the other one, and it is entirely possible, healthy even, to have an open relationship with both places."

Source.

For day two of my not-at-all-official participation in the womenlovefest--focusing on Fringe's fabulous FBI Agent Astrid Farnsworth--I thought it would be good to share a few of my favourite fics about Astrid. Funny, serious, or sad, all have great insight into Astrid's character.

1) Piece it Together
by danniisupernova
She knows that Olivia appreciates her more then most agents would. Olivia knows what backbone means and she knows that Astrid could pick an easier job, a better job. Or maybe she knows what the chain of command is like, especially for a woman.

2) The Wolf at the Door
by indiana_j
Astrid Farnsworth was actually an FBI agent, junior or no. Sometimes she thought people forgot that part (god only knew what Walter thought). She'd gone through the same training, the same field tests, as anyone else had. Just because she was a junior agent and current assistant/erstwhile babysitter to Walter didn't diminish that.

She had a badge, she had a weapon, she had the guts. She wouldn't have made it that far working with her current group if she had been lacking.

3) Everything in its Right Place
by littledust
“There is a sixty-eight percent chance that the perpetrator is located at the corner of Smith and West,” she says, enunciation crisp. The mathematics appear as green numerals on a black computer screen, but they exist in her mind as complex, crystalline structures, rather like snowflakes. Perfect, if perfection is a concept the human mind can ever grasp. (AltAstrid!)

4) The Art of Fugue
by BlackMamba
Astrid is a hero. The world may not know it, but she is.

Not everyone can say that. The average person doesn’t wake up each day with the power to change lives by pecking away at a keyboard or thrusting their hands into some gooey mass of bloody organic gunk that’s never been seen before. They don’t work with geniuses who ask for their opinion and actually listen when they give it.

5) Footnote
by prochytes
Astrid’s vision swims with asterisms (Walter would be so pleased); her knees buckle beneath her. Not... not long now. Her legs are kaput. You can’t fight without your footwork, Great-Uncle Farnsworth always said.

Although I'm not always one to pimp something--this is my LJ and I'll pimp if I want to. My multi-talented and always adorably enthusiastic friend, Sara, has just set up a tv blog called The Viewing Party. And she asked me to write a Fringe review for "Reciprocity"! Which I did. :)

(Well actually, she asked me to write one about "The Firefly" last week, but after rambling on for 900 words and never getting past the wonder that is Olivia's Sadface I didn't quite get around to posting that)

So if you want, check out my thoughts on The Thrills and Chills of Fringe. It is slightly more coherent than my usual Fringe thoughts. Though not by much.

(You mean I CAN'T sum up a whole episode by waving my arms around going "ANNA TORV!!!!")

Guys! ineffort's Ladyfest '10 is super awesome a lot of fun! If you haven't yet heard of it--do you like the fictional ladies? Do you like fic? Do you think a combination of the two would be totally rad? This fic fest is for you!





If you'd like, you can check out my one offering thus far: Fringe, Olivia, The Strong Ones. But there's a tonne of great stuff there that is much better than anything I could write.

Must start on my recs list!

*does a happy fic dance*

A girl at work yesterday told me that today is World Wide Knit in Public Day. So Xtiney, your scarf is coming to the museum with me today. Never underestimate my capacity for dorkiness. ;DDD

Also! Do not forget that Seeker Kink 2: Bigger, Better, Faster, Longer ficathon is now in session here at sword_of_lies! I haven't had a chance to give it more than a quick glance-over, but already it's looking more awesomer and sexplosive than it was before! If you're looking for me this evening, that's where I'll be.

And last but certainly not least... lily_268 wrote me Bridget/Craigy RPF and it was the Best Thing Ever. Next stop to Special Hell here I come! (Choo choo!)

Aaaaand now I better leave or I'm going to be late for work. Bye!

COMING SOON TO A sword_of_lies COMMUNITY NEAR YOU (okay, the sword_of_lies community)...



Friday April 17 to Saturday April 25, it's gonna be awesome! So clearly, if you haven't seen Legend of the Seeker yet, you've got until tomorrow to watch it and then go prompt/write the porn for me. *g*

Rules and specifics here.

SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN.

Thanks to my genius to this thread, _deejay_'s latest picspam in the GAY FOR KAHLAN PARTAY&trade series follows the theme of KAHLAN'S SEXUAL FRUSTRATION = LOTS OF VIOLENCE. It's messed, and it's hot. ;) Check it out.

I feel like I should say something about BSG, but well, a lot's been said, and I liked most of it, had issue with some of it, teared up over someone (if you take a wild stab and guess that that someone has a callsign that starts with 'H' and ends in 'elo' than you are correct, sir) and am mostly intrigued as to HOW they're going to pull off the end to all of this in the next two weeks.

What was slightly more enjoyable however, (I love BSG, and I love watching it, but I'm not sure you could define its "HERE'S AN HOUR OF PAAAAAAIIIIIIIN" as strictly enjoyable) was hanging out with my friends today. One of the guys who was tinkering around on a piano started playing something very familiar sounding. So of course I turned around, grinning, asking "Is that..." and he's all blushy and, "Yeah. I figured out the arrangement for Kara's piano version of All Along the Watchtower."

And I knew he watched BSG, but this was just about the nerdiest thing he'd done. And along with my CUTE NERD BOY Helo!conversation on Tuesday (which was fun while it lasted), I've got to conclude that the imminent ending of our show is pulling everyone's love out into the open, right into public sight so we can talk and nerd about it while we still have the time.

OH, SHOW. YOU ARE GOING TO BREAK MY HEART, AREN'T YOU?

---

So in happier tv news, THERE'S A NEW SEEKER TONIGHT, WHEEEEEEE! That seemed like a really short break. Probably because all the AWESOME YOU KNOW *wink wink nudge nudge* sustained me through the usual slump of waiting between episodes. So clearly the answer is that they should do it more often. *G*

Did I mention that lily_268 wrote me a FABULOUSLY HOT Richard/Kahlan fic about circumnavigating boundaries? Did I mention I love her to death? Read. Enjoy. Spread the porn love.

Toronto is rainy and vaguely warmish, so pretty much like Halifax. I'm driving to Ottawa tomorrow with my cousin (we'll be there for about an hour, see my friend, pick up my other cousin and the baby, and then drive back, oy gevalt) so I hope that I'll at least get to glimpse snow there! But there's still 10 days until Christmas, so I'm optimistic that some fluffy white stuff will show up before then. This is the only time of year I'm partial towards snow, winter! Don't disappoint me now.

You remember how nearly a year ago now, the Robin Hood writers decided to be "shocking" and kill off Marian? Yeah. Well, every time I feel I've pretty much come to terms with it, I let myself go and watch old episodes, and read fic, and then get really irrationally upset again. IT WAS SO GOOD (especially all the fic). AND IT WAS FUN. AND REALLY, REALLY ROMANTIC AND HOT AND LOVELY (cuz have you seen Jonas and Lucy?) AND THEN THEY RUINED IT. AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHYYYYYYYYYYYY.

And now it's got me wondering if it's why I'm so reluctant to watch Merlin. Because I've been burned by cheesy, horribly anachronistic, retellings of British legends before, and oh yes, they start all sweet and innocent and we-would-never-do-anything-see-how-fun-and-non-serious-we-are-here-have-a-unicorn AND THEN THEY BREAK YOUR HEART. (Not to scare off any Merlin fans, I really hope you keep enjoying it. And I'm sure the BBC would never take another something silly and fun and effervescent and then... You know this totally doesn't work 'cause y'all are Who fans too. YOU KNOW HOW IT IS. BE PREPARED.)

So Robin Hood heartbreak still in place? Check. Tried to turn to Life on Mars for a balm, but then of course you have the ( Ashes to Ashes Spoilers ).

So I could turn to American television, except The Office has been kind of disappointing of late, and Chuck is sweet and fun but nothing too substantial and Pushing Daisies is WONDERFUL and is better and better with each episode but I can't watch it now without constantly reminding myself that its expiry date is completely un-cheeto like and is instead fast-approaching.

SO... Robin Hood breaks my heart, Life on Mars just makes me wibbly, American tv is a wash, Slings and Arrows is over and done so let's not get into the Canadian options, and REALLY IS IT ANY WONDER I CONSTANTLY CYCLE BACK TO MINISERIES AND YES THAT MEANS OH, MR. CLENHAM, I MISS YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU! Yeah that whole "I'm not going to talk about Little Dorrit anymore after it finishes" was a total lie.

The obvious solution would be to give up on tv all together but... pfft. Like that's going to happen. ;) No, I'll just read more fic, and watch Robin/Marian scenes of awesome super-spyness, and remember that when it was good, it was good.

(And fervently hope that Jonas and Lucy have future projects together, with 100% more hot make-outs and 100% less stupid death. *G*)