Prompts, please!

[nineveh_uk]

I know that I am supposed to (a) be working and (b) be writing the Nine Tailors DLS-didn't- write, but in the meantime, I am feeling bored and uninspired, and so naturally I turn to the internet to cheer me up.

Give me a prompt for a short fic. I will write whatever the first five people to respond ask me to write. I will refuse nothing*, although I may wriggle creatively if necessary. [I may go past 5, but only if I feel like it and the prompt in question is sufficiently intriguing/inspirational/funny/bizarre.]

*Except for anything in the Aubrey/Maturin world. It's just too difficult.

Includes:
Peter and Harriet in Paris
Lord Peter in the Tardis
Bunter meets the Doctor

Comments

[missfoxie.livejournal.com]

I am intensely predictable so I'm asking for: Harriet/Peter, birthday

(I can't think of any decent prompts, sorry!)

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Between the end of Busman's Honeymoon and the start of Thrones, Dominations)

Golden light poured from the shops of Paris. It was not the first time that Peter Wimsey had roamed these streets with a woman on her birthday, buying chocolates, gloves, books, silk underclothing, scent. He had even visited this jeweller before, almost fifteen years ago, the son had taken over the business since, and did not recognise him. Only this time, none of it was good enough. He was conscious that he had proposed the trip by means of an apology, and was horribly aware that it was entirely inadequate and that at some point this would have to be faced, but Harriet didn’t seem in any hurry and so he let himself ignore it. The mere fact that they were sitting besides a baize-covered table with Harriet turning a diamond brooch over and over in her hands was astonishment enough for the day. He had a feeling that she was laughing at him. He had approached the question of her birthday somewhat tentatively and been rather relieved when she had responded to the hint for suggestions with a determined wish to choose for herself. He had not quite expected her to choose this. Certainly he would never have dared to buy it for her. It winked at him from her dress during dinner as he ordered champagne, and twinkled knowingly as he glanced sideways at her at the theatre, wondering if there were any way he might promote a small fire backstage. She kissed him lightly in the cab.

‘It’s been a lovely birthday, Peter.’

‘It isn’t over yet.’

‘It’s past midnight.’

‘Nanny used to say, it isn’t tomorrow until morning.’

‘Did she? Well, you’ll just have to try to convert me.’

[missfoxie.livejournal.com]

SO pretty and sweet. Thanking you kindly!

[azdak.livejournal.com]

In that case...

Hustle/Wimsey crossover. In the early 1960s, Albert Stroller tries to sell Hearst Castle to a ridiculously wealthy English aristocrat.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I have never watched seen Hustle! Are you happy with "generic quite clever conman", or do you want to pick something else?

(Who is in the icon?)

[azdak.livejournal.com]

No, no, I expect you to DO THE RESEARCH and watch at least ep 1 of S1 of Hustle. Cunning, eh?

The chappie in my icon is Evariste Galois and he is there to inspire me in my struggle to abuse and exploit the higher reaches of mathematics (in Da Vinci Code-like fashion) for the purposes of Thrilling Plot.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

But I have no internets at present that would permit it! (The previous inhabitant of my flat is still paying for the phone for some reason, and whilst this means I get free phone calls, I can't get the internet. And none of the neighbours has unlocked wireless. Believe me, I am suffering. Will it do if I promise to watch it at a future date?)

*looks up Wikipedia* An interesting chap. Good luck with the Thrilling Plot.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

But I have no internets at present that would permit it!

::severe tone of voice::

Go to Oxford City Library and borrow the DVDs. I refuse to believe they don't have them.

*looks up Wikipedia*

I knew I could rely on you :-) Ever since you looked up Turing's date of death I have known your google-fu was black belt class.

An interesting chap. Good luck with the Thrilling Plot

Luckily there are lots of mathematicians who died in Suspicious Circumstances after doing work so insanely arcane that no layperson knows what they were on about anyway, which makes coming up with conspiracy theories ridicuously easy. However, I'm finding it much harder working out how the hero figures out that there is a sekrit society suppressing the truth. At the moment he's fleeing through the wilds of Estonia with mathematical assasins after him and no idea why...

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Oh, and Oxford Lib DOES have Hustle on DVD, I just used my own google fu to check. And it's not even out on loan :-)

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Oh all right. I'll go down there at lunchtime tomorrow.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

YEEEESSSS!!!!

You'll love it. Ep 1 of S1 is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

You can reserve it on-line :koff koff::

[azdak.livejournal.com]

So how did Hustle go down? Are you cursing me like a dog for inflicting this rubbish on you, or are you so strangely silent because you're inhaling episodes like cocaine?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I have it, but I haven't managed to watch it yet. Tonight is the night!

[tree_and_leaf]

That sounds like Hitchcock with extra maths. Which I mean as a compliment, honest!

[azdak.livejournal.com]

::Punches air::

Yes! That pretty much sums up what I'm going for!

Only it's much harder than I expected...

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

he's fleeing through the wilds of Estonia with mathematical assasins after him and no idea why...

I'd have thought that the fact that it sounds like he's a member of U.N.C.L.E. might have given him a general clue...

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Ha ha, it may sound like he is a member of UNCLE but in fact he is a humble (or, to be honest not very humble at all) drama student who has trouble making 2 + 2 equal 4 (see your icon, ahem) and can't quite work out why doing a quick favour for a friend has got him into this exceptionally unpleasant situation (I thought I might try my hand at writing someting that wasn't UNCLE for a change).

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Sounds interesting. Original work?

[I have Hustle. Verdicted awaited.]

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Yup. I went off writing fanfic, for some reason, and I didn't want to stop writing altogether.

I'm so glad you've got Hustle! I thought it was just wonderful, so shiny and clever, and S1 is the most character-driven of all (which isn't saying much, but hey, that's what fic is for, right?)

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

WEll, if you ever want someone to read it, mathematicians fleeing through the forests of Estonia sounds very good fun indeed.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I really appreciate that offer, and if it ever reaches a form where even part of it is readable I shall send it to you with much gratitude.

[white_hart]

Bunter gets a trip in the TARDIS. Any Doctor.

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

Oh, genius prompt.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I think I'd rather see Lord Peter in the TARDIS, actually.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Harriet looked at the two men standing side by side, and collapsed in what could only be described as giggles. Bunter's poke face suggested that he would not forget the encounter in the near future. Peter looked at the other figure peevishly.

'He looks nothing like me.'

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-)

[tree_and_leaf]

That's brilliant

I keep thinking I want to write semi-serious Sayers-Who crossover fic with Peter and Five, but this is fantastic, and you've just made me snort with laughter in the library....

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

You do want to. You do. Although I think that Peter would also be appalled at the celery.

[tree_and_leaf]

The celery is rather appalling, isn't it? But my basic trouble at the moment is Lack of Plot (and also lack of time, but the former's a bigger issue!)

Also, I think Peter would regard having question marks on your collar is a sever lapse in taste, and while I can pardon the celery, I cannot disagree with his Lordship on the latter. Although I generally just pretend they weren't there.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Who needs plot?

Is a question mark on the collar when one is "Doctor Who" really any different from a regimental tie or an elderly cricket blazer? At least, if I were the Doctor that's what I'd argue.

[tree_and_leaf]

Well, it's certainly all ridiculous flummery when you get down to it, but IIRC the Doctor has never been refered to, by himself or by others, as 'Doctor Who'....

[elsane.livejournal.com]

He was at least once, I think, in the very early days when it was still getting all sorted out.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Bunter had long ceased to be astonished at the ability of men of all social positions to be oblivious to the bloody obvious. Nonetheless, the Captain’s willingness to volunteer his sergeant, having accepted that the young man in a kilt was simply a member of a Highland Regiment, and the so-called Doctor on a secret mission from M.I., reached heights of stupidity rarely encountered even within the classes that a young footman had been professionally obliged to consider his betters. The Major wouldn’t have fallen for it, but the Major was not here and – if Bunter was any judge – would not be coming back, for all that his physical injuries were trivial enough. On the other hand, the Doctor did seem to know what he was talking about, and McCrimmon had courage enough, however much his knowledge of modern warfare left to be desired. It went without saying that the police box was not only a non-standard design on the outside, but entirely different within. Bunter clung to an iron strut as it wheezed and rattled before depositing them on a section of the battlefield that he recognised as some miles south and, going by the sun, several hours earlier. The capsule was where the Doctor had said it would be, and the three of them heaved it inside and into the containment tank (the walls parted like jelly, things can go in, the Doctor said, but nothing can get out) just in time before the tentacled creature burst from the shell, beaked mouth roaring.

With a wheeze and a groan, they returned to headquarters.

‘Will ye no come with us?’ McCrimmon had asked, hastily echoed by the Doctor, and for a moment Bunter had thought about it. But though the Doctor had promised he could return with no-one the wiser, it would still seem running away with the war to fight. His mother would miss him, and Major Wimsey needed him, and besides he suspected that the Doctor might be a bit of an autocrat besides, and he’d had enough of that.

‘Until next time, then,’ said the Doctor, and the door slammed shut before he had time to turn round.

[white_hart]

Thank you - that's lovely!

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Wonderful!

[tree_and_leaf]

Oh, brilliant! (and I love the way Bunter has the Doctor instantly pegged as an autocrat and slumming aristocrat. He is, and has never ceased to be so, whatever accent he currently adopts).

ETA: I have removed the duplicate comment. LJ playing silly buggers again.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I doubt Bunter had to think very hard to realize who serves the tea in the Tardis (OK, it's the TARDIS tea-serving machine, but you know what I mean).

[elsane.livejournal.com]

oh, delightful! (Jamie!)

I have now been made aware of the crying need for a series of AU adventures where Bunter accompanies Jamie and II unflappably across the cosmos.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

That sounds fantastic - so you'd better get writing it!

[elsane.livejournal.com]

I really want to, except for this bit where I have pledged the entirety of my creative output to academia for the next several months. :/

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

That's OK, we can be patient...

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

Listening to Clouds of Witnesses I am liking Mary Wimsey more and more. I would love something with her and her brothers when she was an adolescent (I know they are older). Maybe a treat during a school holiday (or a school visiting day)?

[legionseagle.livejournal.com]

Miss Meteyard meets Harriet Vane, pre Gaudy Night. Neither knows the other, though they start to realise they have a common acquaintance.