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August 6th, 2007

The Only Living Boy In New York

by Shukyou (主教)



Day #527, 6:20 AM - Wake up, dose #1

Evidencing once more an uncanny ability to beat the alarm clock, Jonah opened his eyes at 6:19 on the dot, reached over, and clicked off the alarm before the morning talk shows could filter their way into the bedroom. Tony stirred, but only enough to steal all of Jonah's covers, roll over, and go back to sleep. Jonah let him.

... )
 

From Fairytale to Reality

by Yoiyami (宵闇)



The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was that there was an angel looking at his painting.

Specifically, at the part of his painting that was still incomplete. No one was supposed to see anything that he worked on until it was completed. That was the one rule that he always insisted on. But he was so hot and everything felt strange. He blinked, wishing his eyes didn't feel so gritty, but the vision was still there. In fact, it looked so realistic that, even with his blurry vision, he could see the way that the sunlight created blinding highlights in hair so blond, it looked as if it were white. He moved a hand to try and wipe his face; the action caught the attention of the angel so that it calmly walked over to where he was lying... on the floor? Covered in blankets, which was also weird, but definitely on the floor. He ached and felt filthy. He wondered how he had ended up in this position, and how long he had been there.

... )
 

заморозьте что проломы врозь (Zamoroztye chto prolomy wroz / Breaking Ice)

by Seiwa Kaiyura (性和界由来)
illustrated byt [info]tongari



I

Yarka turned away from the rehearsal stage, murmuring irritably through his lines; he had better things to do than watching Andêl[1], the ass, practice with Jurinka. It might be true that the girl was improving, but he never would acknowledge this in front of the guy who had made it his hobby to annoy Yarka out of his skin. His ears still burned when he thought what of what Andêl had pulled earlier. Yarka raised a hand to rub against the much-too-sensitive skin of his neck, then stopped mid-motion to scowl. He hated to be touched there, but of course Andêl had to try and feel him up, in front of the rest of the cast even. Yarka had fled quickly, cursing the older man to the deepest of all seven hells.

... )
 

When 'No' Means Yes

by Eric Shun (エリック旬)



They say orange is the new black.

"They" were the fashion magazines Tray flipped through. The pages scented faintly of perfume and cologne flashed past his eyes in a blur of mismatched, vivid colors, but none of it motivated him for his assignment. He threw the issue of Vogue magazine onto the floor and its covers sprawled like a dilapidated tent, the pages crushed by the weight of its spine.

Then, mostly out of pity, he picked the most recent issue of Vogue back up and walked to the cashier where he paid three dollars for its uninspiring pages.

... )
 

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

by Matsuoka Haruka (松岡春香)



Once upon a time, there was a boy in a little town with pale white skin and bright blue eyes. He had pale pink lips that were always turned in a smile, even as the girls of his small town crowed and flirted with him.

He knew he was different from the other boys. He didn't like the big-breasted girls with their wide hips and broad smiles. He found flaws in their rough hands and their rough hair, held back in sensible braids. They were too sensible when they spoke and too blunt. Sometimes they called him dreamer, for he would take books from his adopted father's library. ... )
 

An Impossible Meeting

by Murakami Kasumi (村上かすみ)



It wasn't the first time that Eric's subconscious had a disagreement with his conscious mind, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. He had to admit, his subconscious made a pretty convincing argument. There was no way he had just spilled his orange juice all over the attractive, rich-looking man completely by accident. His subconscious must have been the one calling the shots. Eric watched in abject horror as a drop of sticky juice dripped from the gentleman's earlobe to fall onto his already-stained-beyond-repair, no doubt mercilessly expensive, dress shirt.

... )
 

Vampire Dressup

by Kabu no Sokuseki-zuke (蕪之即席助)



Characters )

"Fritz, we have called you here, to Night's Sanctum-"

"You mean the living room."

Andros continued as if he hadn't been rudely interrupted. "-Night's Sanctum to address your inability to garb yourself appropriately for a newborn creature of darkness."

It took a moment for Fritz to figure out what was just said. "What's wrong with the way I dress?"

Rueben tossed his magnificent mane of ringlets and sneered. "Baby blue cashmere? Ass-hugging girl jeans? Sneakers with skulls?" He looked down his nose at Fritz. "Okay, I will give you the skulls. They're almost appropriate."

... )
 

Black And White Photographs

by Bloodsucking Llama



Clutching the wrinkled, creased, and coffee-ring stained purple flyer, Brent looked up at the Tudorbethan house with raised eyebrows. Mahogany Estate 126, was it? Naturally, Brent had assumed that he would end up in a shoddy, graffiti-embellished district in the middle of the city – that's where these escapades usually led him, anyway – so unexpectedly finding himself in a well-to-do suburb, complete with white picket fences, made him hesitate.

Brent and rich folks... well, they just didn't mix. He had little to no respect for the wealthy. Often, the feeling was mutual. ... )
 

Summer Option

by Hacy Morris



"It's considered tacky for a father to whore his son out, George," Julian observed, watching the spread of begged, stolen, borrowed clothing on the bed.

His stepfather gave him an impatient look. "We've discussed this before," he said. "The trial will be in two weeks, and unless you'd like to see your mother and your stepbrothers-"

"Not to mention you," Julian muttered.

"-destroyed by those trumped-up charges, we have to appeal to a higher authority, and-"

"And writing a letter of appeal ain't going to cut it," Julian finished for him. "Right. I got it the first time." ... )
 

Luck Of The Draw

by Ms. C. Mouse



The click of plastic hangers bumping against each other was the sound of seconds ticking away. Feeling dizzy from too many choices, Kenji scowled at the maid costume before him. After rejecting it, he shoved it aside. Click. This one was too girly. Click. This one had too much lace and ruffles. Click. This one did NOT have enough fabric. Click.

Kenji glanced over his shoulder at the clerk who was assisting a customer on the other side of the store. If he asked her to help -- no, forget it, he refused to let anyone know that he needed the costume in his size. ... )
 

…But You Can't Take Him Out

by Tsukizubon Saruko (月図凡然る子)



He only noticed the guy was following him after he'd passed Penn Station -- around the corner of 36th and 7th. Before that the press of people was so bad that you could've been walking in any direction and somebody could be guaranteed to be following you, but when he crossed 7th Avenue to the east and then jogged across to the shops on the other side of 36th just for the hell of it, his messenger bag bouncing on his hip, he saw as he was checking over his shoulder for traffic the guy in the sunglasses completing the same weird-ass maneuver at the same time. If he hadn't crossed the street just then he probably never would have known, but as it was he faced front again frowning. Still, could be nothing. Coincidences happened.

... )
 

This Night My Soul Laid Bare

by Ashkta



Author's Note: All names, both of individuals and of ships, are entirely fictional to the best of my knowledge.

***

From the personal log of Captain Edmund Burgess, H.M.S. Vigilance —

I write this knowing that I must burn it soon after. Should it be read, there is no doubt that I, and those involved in the detailed events, would be set upon at once by the Admiralty and all the force of the law. I'm certain that they would descend like a swift knife to cut the bulbous tumor from the face of the Service.

... )
 

Metronome

by Hana Chikai (羽名血海)



Benjamin Ong should be the model instead of the one behind the scenes. Clad in a pair of Levis 501s, a lavender Calvin Klein shirt and a black jacket of his own design, the twenty-four year old designer is every inch the epitome of a pretty boy, with a warm smile, glowing skin and perfectly-styled brown hair (psst – he spends 25 minutes on his crowning glory every morning! How's that for metro?).

And as if good looks and talent (he plays the guitar and piano, and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Design) weren't enough, the self-professed caffeine junkie, who was on his third coffee of the day during this interview, co-owns a successful online clothing shop with his best friend and business partner, Ridhuan bin Ahmad.


... )
 

Jhaellyn's Bargain

by Usagi Anami (兎あなみ)

(Takes place in the same world as "The Heart Eater's Children")



Amirel should have known not to try sneaking into the orc encampment.

An elf, Amirel was naturally agile and stealthy. The orcs were chatting excitedly from the rush of combat, their stolen goods noisy as they marched. His eyes adjusted easily in starlight, but the treetops obscured his vision as he stalked his foes.

He should have remembered orcs saw better in the dark than his race. He should have realized they would spot him: it was the one in the front with the missing eye who pointed at him and shouted. He should have known it wouldn't work.

... )
 

The Way You Move

by Hinotori (火鳥)



Prologue

In the end it was blind luck, not skill, that let him track down the Magpie.

The Magpie had been flapping about town for almost three years when they put Nathaniel Temperton on the case - much to the horror of the art theft department.

"He's unpredictable"; "He's a loose cannon"; "He's unconventional"; "He's a perfect match for the Magpie, then."

The last comment had made Nathaniel smile.

... )
 

Strays

by Tamari Erin (玉里えりん)

This follows the events in 'A Night in Blue' from the December '06 issue of Bang*Bang.)


Simenon held the field-glasses to his eyes. A trail of sweat oozed past his right eye and he alternated squinting and blinking furiously in an attempt to divert its path. The desert air shimmered in the heat, blurring and reshaping the horizon like the reflections in a rippling pond.

Major Tarquil's voice rang out. "Anything?"

He lowered the glasses and wiped at his damp brow. "Nothing, sir. I can't see a thing."

The major climbed up the wadi to Simenon's side. His heavy boots barely disturbed the sand. He took the field-glasses from Simenon. "What are you looking at?"

... )
 

Grim Disguise

by Sora Junko (空 純子)



Marseilles was a beautiful city, though like many European cities, it subscribed to the 'densely packed' school of architecture. The stone buildings practically climbed on top of each other as they marched up the sides of the hill that the city was built into, and the roads were so narrow and parking at such a premium, that most people drove their little cars up onto the sidewalks to park.

Those few who had cars in working condition, that is. Petrol was hard to find these days - as James well knew - and working car parts even more so. ... )
 

Butterfly Hum

by Hashinaka Choko (橋中蝶子)



Dante leaned over the counter, carefully dragging the glitter brush over his cheekbones. He heard the doorknob turn and glanced in the mirror, his mouth pulling down in a frown when he saw their manager.

"How much longer are you going to take, Dante?" Jerry asked, sounding exasperated.

"As long as I need to, Hitler," Dante said. "This is our biggest gig. Everything has to be perfect."

"Perfect includes the lead singer coming out on stage when he's cued," Jerry said. "Don't talk to me about how big this gig is, I booked it."

... )
 

Egyptian Night

by Omi



331 BC

The sun beat down relentlessly, as it always did these days, as the men marched across the sands. And marched, and marched, and marched. None complained. Each man bred for battle, they'd trained under worse conditions. They'd learned to ignore heat and cold and pain. They'd learned to worry only about their enemy, to work thousands of men into a single unit. To accept nothing but victory or death.

For a man of eighteen years, Vasilios had been in more than his fair share of battles -- each one he'd come back from with his shield, and often a new scar. But each had been a success. ... )
 
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Terry Potter And The Double Vision

by Purrsia



"Dad, look!" Chris ran ahead of me. "Wow."

Wow indeed. The bookstore was glittering, and there were faces peering out of every window-- some painted on, some real. Kids and adults, some in costume, some not.

Chris and I were in costume; I'd found an old velvet cape my mother had made in high school, when we all played Dungeons and Dragons, and Chris had been fitted out perfectly: a deep black robe, wand, the works. His mother had made the robe and hat, but I was proud of the wand I'd carved. I'd done a little carving in high school too, and was pleased to discover I hadn't forgotten all of it.

... )
 

The Ballad Of Barefoot Robin, or The Ridiculous Seduction Of Lieutenant Worthington, Part 2

by Roumonte Emi (竜主天 蝦)


PART ONE


... )
 

The Ballad Of Barefoot Robin, or The Ridiculous Seduction Of Lieutenant Worthington, Part 1

by Roumonte Emi (竜主天 蝦)



1.
In all the years to come, whatever else Thomas Worthington did or did not blame for his predicament, in the end it was always the chains he came back to, always the chains he laid the blame on, often with a resigned little smile on his face.

They were the first thing to catch his attention, after all, because they were so out of place on such a harmless-looking prisoner. The cell itself was well-built, a double layer of stone and deep-set iron bars--he'd tested all three cells for himself on the very first day he arrived, shaking all the bars and prodding at the mortar, squinting at the heavy black locks with a critical eye. Finally he had pronounced himself satisfied and gently chastised the jailer for not replacing the thin, filthy layer of straw on the cell's stone floor.

... )
 

液体の説得 (Ekitai no settoku)

by Torino Koji



In the six months that Yamagawa Buki had been 'seeing' Torisu Hanabi, he had never seen the third-year junior high student in his school uniform. He supposed it only made sense: he rarely saw Torisu-kun within school hours (generally, they met up in parks on the weekend), and when he did it was usually during his school hours, not Torisu-kun's—which had been a shock, the first time he'd seen him at the university and nearly blown their meager cover in front of his Literature professor (Torisu-kun's father; clearly Buki was cursed).

... )
 

The Revenge

by Zack (ザックス)



The witch's cabin lay in the middle of the forest. It was run-down, broken roof and dusty windows, and the mere sight of it sent a shiver down my spine. I raised a hand to knock, but wasn't surprised when the door opened out of its own accord — before my knuckles had even touched the rotten wood.

I stepped through the door. It was warm inside, despite the chilly night air outside. A fire burned, embers occasionally falling out to die on the dirt floor.

"What brings you here?" The female voice had a disturbing ring to it, intensified by the fact that the body it must belong to was nowhere to be seen.

I took a deep breath, before letting a sneering smile twist my lips. "Revenge."

... )
 
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Sleeping

by Dr. Noh



Title Image )

"You make a terrible drag queen," Carla said.

"Hey, this was your idea. And make sure you get all the fucking glitter off, yeah?" Rey peered at his reflection in the mirror. Freaky as it had been to see it all go on, it was weirder watching it come off. She rubbed a cotton ball along his cheek, and his scar was back like it'd never been gone.

Most of the make up was gone now, and he had his normal clothes back, which was fantastic. Those shoes, Jesus wept, worst thing to happen to him in pretty much ever.

She gave a last wipe at the pink glitter on his lids. "There," she said. "Done. You're big and mean again, so walk me to my car, 'kay?"

... )
 

Arizona Ford And The Golden Legend

by Domashita Romero (地下ロメロ)



1938

"Archaeology is the search for fact. Not truth." It was how Dr. William Ford began every one of his introductory undergraduate courses; it usually came followed by a rattle of how if any of his students were pursuing a career of adventure and treasure hunting, they were more likely in for a life of bronchial infections from inhaling dust, and back pains from hunching over the tiniest shard of something that might have been of interest to someone two thousand years ago. It discouraged some of them. Some.

... )
 

ムーン パウアー メイク アプ!(MOON POWER MAKE UP!)

by Nijiiro Sumi (虹色 墨)
illustrated by Pepperoni (ペパロ)



The idea hit me in the shower, and of course the first thing I did was call Leslie while my hair was still dripping and I had a towel wrapped around my waist.

"Mhullo?"

"Okay, you're probably gonna yell at me a lot, but--" Then it occurred to me that Leslie usually sounds pretty okay on the phone, but he'd sounded kinda fuzzy just now, and maybe he was sick or--had he been sleeping? "Were you asleep or something?"

... )
 

Uneven Odds

by Shinko Hisada (身固之妥)



The atmosphere in the field headquarters of the Istrion Army was one of barely-controlled chaos. Units drilled on the outskirts, the shouted commands of the sergeants mixing with the dull thud of weapons impacting. Dogs barked and horses whinnied, couriers ran in all directions, and even an entire squad of Elite hardly drew a blink from the surrounding men. The closer they got to the centre of the camp, the more gold and silver ornamentation they saw on the uniforms around them, until the bright metal almost overwhelmed the dark green and pale blue of the cloth.

... )
 

Of Dead Plants And Weird Love

by Rei (レイ)
illustrated by [info]ah_chan



Sato always knew that his family wasn't normal. He knew it the moment his mother explained why they named him Sato.

Well, we actually wanted to name you Sabbath, but that sounded a little weird, can you imagine calling you Sabbath-kun? It's also a little hard to write out in katakana isn't it? So we decided on Sabato, but your first cousin is named Sabato, do you remember him? He came to our house last year for Halloween, dressed as a psychopathic killer, I remembered how you screamed when he tried to stab you--

... )
 

Fire

by Tsukizubon Saruko (月図凡然る子)



They had been seven, in the beginning, who had come to the desert to battle Fire.

Now she was the only one. The rest were dead. Seven was a number of power, a number that looped around and swallowed its own tail, but so, she supposed, was one. The last two to fall had been the twins: tall brothers, albino and born hairless as well as pale and crystal-eyed, smooth of head and cheek and even eye. They had been like white blades, going arm-in-arm in the city, always keeping their own counsel. They had been brave and noble to the utmost, and fought like demons, and she had not been surprised that they had lasted longest of all but her. ... )
 

Red Velvet, She Said

by Ora



(Vogue Nippon, 2004 interview with the creator of White Sun)

Rue Kobayashi is sixteen. She's sitting in the lobby of the hotel where we planned to meet, and when I approach she looks directly at me and smiles brilliantly.

"I ordered tea. I hope you like it," she says.

The tea comes. I'm captivated, watching her. She blows on her hot tea warily. Her hands look barely big enough to cradle the teacup. Her hair is long and dark, and it falls heavily around her shoulders. She looks like a normal teenager, if an extraordinarily well dressed one, which is common in Shibuya. She has just disembarked from an eighteen-hour flight.

... )
 

The Humbled Princess

by Matsuoka Haruka (松岡春香)



Once, there was a beautiful princess. Of course, there are many of those, but what makes this one exceptional is that she was particularly cruel. She had broken a number of kings and knights with her sharp tongue. She was the eldest of twelve sisters, and after her youngest sister was married to a fairy prince, her father quickly became frustrated. She was approaching midway through her twenties and not a suitor could stand her cruel tongue. If she wasn't married, and soon, then she would never be married.

One day, a suitor came, an unusual kind of suitor. ... )
 

Masks and Stockings

by Torino Koji



Alex, despite popular belief, did know exactly what was being said about him around school. He had come to terms with what people were saying about him when he was eight years old and the girls at school had shoved him into the bathroom; they had refused to let him leave until he admitted that his name was not Alex, it was Alyssa and one day he'd grow breasts and have pretty hips and wear dresses. He had come to terms with gossip when he'd had his first boyfriend and it had gone around school that he was on the rag within the first three days of their dating—it was his shortest-lived relationship to date.

... )
 

The Passion of Saints Tryphaena and Tryphosa

by Shukyou (主教)



translator's notes )


AUTHOR'S PROLOGUE

My story is not the one to be told, but I shall tell it, that a greater story, in which I was but a small part, becomes to you known, all to the Glory of God.

Brought was I to the great city of Rome at tender age, into the service of a house of a Roman senator. Though my name my pagan parents had given me was Armani, I was from Persian lands, and so to the Romans around me became Persis, a name which has followed me through my life. ... )
 

A Patchwork World

by Tamari Erin (玉里えりん)



Esmah tripped, her foot catching on something hidden in the tall grasses.

Rill stopped running as soon as he realised she was no longer by his side.

She looked up from where she'd fallen and watched as he trotted back. He was breathless and redfaced when he reached her, and whooped down a few mouthfuls of air after he sat down. Esmah studied him sharply. They'd been running for nearly a quarter-turn, and he'd not once shown any signs of exhaustion. Nerves, she suspected, and dipped her head down to hide her smile.

... )
 

The Love Letter

by Crystalwren



I don't know what it is that makes you glow.

You are not beautiful, not movie star gorgeous. Your hair is long and straight, your lips red. Soft skin over hard, even bone. Breasts neither small nor large, nipples ringed in delicate, transparent hairs. Attractive, yes, even pretty, but not beautiful. You are not beautiful and I don't know why you glow like you do. You glow.

In the middle of summer I will lead you to the top of the hill, though the long grass burned golden and crisp, over sliding layers of leaves that move treacherous under our feet. Be careful. Don't slip. Here: take my hand. ... )
 

Where Is The Sun That Leads Me To Rome

by Rei (レイ)



I have no idea how I managed to get dragged into this. No, coerced was more like it, that damn Mei and her bloody ideas, I never wanted to do this in the first place!



It took eight days, four hours and the constant promise that Mei would do anything if Yun would just agree to it, so pretty pretty please? It wasn't a difficult request or anything, but Yun hated cosplaying -- she'd rather just sew the outfits -- and that was exactly what Mei was asking her to do.

... )
 

Ash

by Murakami Kasumi (村上かすみ)



The sun wasn't even fully up yet, and already the early summer day promised to be a scorcher. Sango stretched as she stood up from the milking, and promised herself that she'd get to those weeds in the far patch before the sun got too high. She gave the cow's brown side an affectionate pat but ignored the calf in the next stall. No sense in getting attached to it anyway, she reasoned to herself as she grabbed the pail and left the small shed.

The wind that came from over the hill caught the door, and the milk nearly spilt as she wrestled it closed. ... )
 

Ghost

by Numaguchi Iku (沼口いく)



I sometimes wondered if I was making her up.

Sometimes.

She existed in a haze, a sort of bubble that nothing could permeate. She was invisible, drifting through the world like a ghost as the rest of us moved at light speed around her. Alone. Forgotten.

I would notice her in the hallways at school, moving against the flow, but still unnoticed. She never moved with a purpose, but always in a definite direction. None of this wandering like everyone else did. I began to think, for a time, that she was a ghost, because she moved along exactly the same paths every day, without changing.

... )
 

The Heart Eater's Children

by Usagi Anami (兎あなみ)

(Takes place in the same world as "Jhaellyn's Bargain")



Faerith, goddess of subtlety, forethought, and tactics, betrayed her lover Jhaellyn during his 20- year absence in Gaaresh's service. She maintained that Jhaellyn had abandoned the elven race, even going so far as to claim he had sided with Gaaresh against the elves. She was quickly appointed to lead the elves for her great wisdom and intellect.

She encouraged the elves to develop their martial and magical skills over poetry, song, artisan crafts, and the natural and spiritual philosophies. The majority of the race developed into a crude and warlike people only slightly more sophisticated than their orc foes. Those that lacked cruelty, questioned Faerith's leadership, or doubted Jhaellyn's betrayal were quickly and quietly disposed of.

... )
 

Intervention

by Shouga Naiko (生姜ないこ)



"It's been a while."

"Mm." Sofia slid onto the neighbouring stool, signalling to the barman for a whiskey-and-water. "I suppose it has."

She glanced sideways at the other woman. Valérie had been immediately recognisable to her, even through several years and the half-light. Her dark skin and hair, the cut of her clothing. The lines around her mouth had hardened, but the way she held herself was just the same.

She took the Camel Valérie proffered, dipping her head to catch the flare of a cardboard match. She hadn't smoked Western cigarettes in some time. The taste brought on an almost jolting nostalgia.

... )
 

The Archive

by Kagamino Kage (鏡乃 影)



As a child, Robin had thought sunlight was a kind of liquid, and continually tried to catch it in jars to keep. Bafflement led to tears of frustration as the glass failed time after time to contain it.

... )
 

Vade Retro Satana

by Shinko Hisada (身固之妥)



It was a beautiful old cathedral, small but lovingly built. The heavy quarried stone walls had withstood the test of time, as had most of the roof. Sadly, most of the stained glass had long since been shattered and the empty holes of the windows had allowed the elements and animals to wreak havoc on the inside. But the rose window, the great round stained glass picture over the door, was still intact.

The moonlight streaming through the red, blue and green glass fell almost directly in front of the altar, creating an otherworldy aura. ... )
 

Shopping Trip

by Purrsia



The store had called her name for a couple of weeks now. It was clearly a porn shop, but it seemed like one of those girly ones, with decent lighting and a policy of cleanliness. Linda thought she might just walk in after work one night. She wouldn't have to look at the... stuff. She could just look at the nightgowns, if she wanted. There were some pretty ones in the window, next to the... vinyl ones.

She finally got up her courage on a Thursday night. Alan had kept her at work late editing the final proofs for their catalog; she thought the store might ease her frustration. And a little... alone time might help with her fatigue and stress as well.

... )