Good Ol’ Fashioned Lover Boy

And look at them. 😭 The atmosphere, the intimacy, the way they’re looking at each other—this is so beautiful. I feel incredibly lucky that my writing could be part of the creative process that brought this piece into existence.

“Pretty, ain’t she?” He held his hand up, wiggling his fingers as if his weapon was saying hello. “I call her Mankira.”

“Didn’t ask, ya bastard.”

The manic smile finally dropped from Jabber’s face, replaced by a frown. “That’s no way to treat a lady. What about your girl, what’s her name?” It took Zanka a second to realize he meant his cane.

“Aibō. What’s it to ya?” He crept closer to the stairwell again. If keeping up conversation gave him an edge, so be it, he’d keep talking.

Crazed smile returned, Jabber spoke to his cane rather than to Zanka. “You sure do pack a mean punch. Too bad I gotta bump off your man, but boss’s orders.”

Zanka and Riyo infiltrate a speakeasy suspected to be operated by an up-and-coming gang. Nothing goes to plan.

1920s AU for Janka Week 2026 - Time Travel Tuesday

1) reading a longfic chapter by chapter, leaving an increasingly emotional comment on every chapter, descends into keysmashes near the end: outstanding

2) read one fic by accident, clicked the author name, now working steadily through the backlog and commenting on everything, I wake up to an AO3 inbox full of enthusiasm: precious beyond words