High Ticket Attractions

[COMPLETE]

Alex snorts and shakes his head. “Bullshit. Ok, I can’t know for sure since this is the first time we’re actually witnessing Tyrannosaurus behaviour, but I can just tell, you know?” he says with an emphatic gesture. “What they’re doing has all the hallmarks of mating behaviour. I’m certain that if we gave them an egg, they’d raise it together.” “So, what you’re telling me is that my family has unwittingly created a lesbian dinosaur utopia.” “I mean… yeah, you could certainly put it that way,” Alex allows. Henry laughs, practically giddy. “I think that may be the best thing I’ve heard all year.”

(After spending too many years writing internal memos, Henry's looking forward to his new assignment: writing educational materials for an unprecedented theme park that promises to change the world. He's also not complaining about the fact that he'll have to work in close proximity to the park's scorching hot chief paleontologist, Dr. Alex Claremont-Diaz. After a rocky start, they find common ground and a successful partnership in helping protect the park's residents—until an unexpected tropical storm and a security shutdown leaves them fighting for their lives.)

T, 40k, 7 chapters, now complete!

a firstprince new york subway meet-cute based on the prompt: strangers on a train stranded together

alex is no stranger to weird things one might see on the train. he's made many a list on his notes app in fact, including one lone child-sized mitten (eerie), two rats fighting over another rat on an unused platform (kind of moving actually), and then there was that time he saw a guy casually shooting up at west 4th.

it's not that alex doesn't notice these things. today on his work commute for example there's a man chasing a live crab down the train car, and a woman clipping her toenails in the corner. there's a really hot guy who just sat down and carefully put a tote bag in his lap next to alex.

it's just that alex is kind of busy right now, and his sister was kind of a genius when she bought him noise-canceling headphones and said, "i don't know, listen to an audiobook or something so at least you can say michelle obama made you late to work instead of—what did you call it?"

"west side story, ratatouille edition," says alex. "keep up."

anyway the audiobooks have been hit or miss (michelle's was a hit of course), but he's really enjoying this one now, a novel that's read by the author, who's warm-voiced and wry and sounds like he's kind of hot despite also being british.

still, alex won't be distracted from his usual train duties. he tips the ukelele guy and buys an overpriced candy bar from the mom with the baby strapped to her back, refusing any change.

he's about to press play again but a very excellent barbershop quartet has just stepped on—alex loves these guys—and he's pulling out another bill when he feels something cold and wet on his arm.

"god, i'm so sorry," says the man next to him, then, sternly, "david, please."

what the—? alex likes kids but he draws the line at them licking his elbow. he takes a deep breath and then looks down into the eyes of—oh. a very cute beagle peering out of a tote bag at him.

"he's terribly excited to have made his escape from the vet," says the hot owner of david the dog, "and i guess you smell—" the man blushes for some reason "—nice. to him. i mean."

"oh, everything good?" says alex. "at the vet's?"

david's hot dad looks surprised but happy to be asked. "yes. all good, thank you."

alex lets his headphones slide from his ears as they talk. this guy is super cute. so is his dog. alex is trying to figure out why the guy's voice sounds so familiar when the train abruptly comes to a stop. the conductor says something garbled about some delay. alex isn't really paying attention.

"what're you listening to?" asks the man. alex is struck with a sudden idea on how to pass the time and also maybe even get the guy's number.

"let's trade," he suggests, gesturing at the man's airpods. if he thinks it's strange, he doesn't show it, only shrugging and handing them over.

it takes a second for alex to place that the guy's been listening to an episode of the daily podcast. it takes another few seconds to recognize the sound of alex's own voice being interviewed, as he talks about his refugee work as a civil rights lawyer.

alex turns to stare at the guy as he listens intently to the audiobook play. did he know? that it was alex? is that why he's blushing so hard right now?

then the guy pulls off alex's headphones and says, "err. i'm afraid i've read this one already."

oh. maybe that's why he's embarrassed. "it's amazing, right?" alex asks. "this fox guy is fucking incredible."

the man pauses. even his ears have turned pink. then he says, "thank you."

oh. oh.

alex stares for a moment. then he holds up an airpod and asks very casually, "so—henry fox—what do you think of the podcast so far?"

"christ, where to begin?" henry asks, suddenly fervent. "i mean, i've followed mr. claremont-diaz's work for some time now, and i think he's bloody brilliant. i'm sort of enamored with the man, to be honest." he visibly reins himself in. "anyway—sorry, it's nice to meet you, err…?"

"alex," says alex. "claremont. diaz."

"oh," says henry, breathless. "fuck. hi."

alex scoots closer, which david gets very excited about. "here." alex gives one airpod back to henry, holding onto the other. "play me your favorite song next."

henry raises an eyebrow. "and if i just start this episode over?"

alex shakes his head. he's smiling.

.

... to This Is More of a Comment Than a Question!!

Incoming me being a bit smooshy and ridiculous—

I started writing this fic (and fic in general) at a very low point in my life. Things were imploding in my social life, work was becoming stressful and uninspiring, and I was creeping toward a mental health spiral about where I was and what I was doing (a crisis, if you will.)

But writing always brought me joy. RWRB brought me joy. And there was all these pieces of my life and job and interests that did bring me joy. So on a desperate little whim I decided to do, what many writers do, and ask "what if?"

What if Henry was a bestselling author? What if Alex was a weary publicist? What if they were stuck on the road for two weeks, resolving their issues, expressing their grief, and falling in love? 

What if I could pour all my favorite things into one selfish story that I wanted to read and now would have to write? What if writing and stories could be shared with other people who wanted connection too? What if, what if, what if.

That kind of became the impetus for Comment/Question (or TIMOACTAQ, if you like keysmashes) and of Henry's book, A Brief War in December - what if? That carried me through every chapter, every sentence, every moment of writers block and every breakthrough in scenes, chapters, and delicate moments.

 Not only was it the biggest, longest, most intense thing I have ever written and completed, but it was also the most vulnerable.

Alex and Henry, I think, see each other in a different light, not because of what separates them, but what joins them together. 

There is a part in Chapter 7 (Tucson) that I love to quote because it's also my love letter to the fandom in those lines:

"There are people out there who will help you not have to do it all alone. You just have to find them…  Or sometimes they find you."

So thank you for finding me. Thank you for allowing me to find you through writing and fandom. This has been a very big shining moment in my life (and I do not say that lightly). Thank you for continuing to show up and share this piece of my heart, even 2 years later.

Many thanks for the recent tags @cha-melodius @run-for-chamo-miles and for the other tags @crownedinlove @onpurposewrites

I have two WIPs (one is a surprise for a friend ;) and another is my time travel/”hug alex” fic. I originally wanted to start posting the “hug alex” fic this month, but well. Life happened. (As it does!) I’m still working on it though + will be coming soon. Here’s a small snippet of Alex (37) meeting his younger self (age 14)

“Hey, I meant to ask you last time you visited, but, uh…” Younger Alex coughs, tugging at the collar of his shirt. “You know, there was a lot going on.” It pulls Alex out of his spiral and forces him back into the present—into this strange reality where he’s sitting across from a version of himself that moves at a hundred miles an hour and never slows down. “What did you want to ask me?” Alex asks, his chest still tight. Fourteen-year-old Alex hesitates, studying his face before offering a small, almost shy smile. “When did we start... wearing glasses?”  “Oh.” Alex reaches up and gently pushes the frames up his nose. “I don’t know. I guess I just always have? At least, since I —” Alex stops himself, realizing it’s probably not a great idea to start giving away details about how his life turns out to his younger self. He’s watched Looper, he knows it fucks with the time-space continuum.  Alex considers the question, though. It’s not something he’s thought about in years. It only took a few times of Henry coming home, seeing him with his glasses on, and immediately straddling his lap to get the message.  Alex looks good in glasses. Alex feels more like himself in glasses.

I wasn’t going to share a snippet this week because I was feeling lowkey down about not meeting my personal deadline. BUT I’m encouraged by seeing everyone else’s WIPs to keep writing + sharing. Even if it's slow going. Writing can be such an isolated venture, it’s nice to be reminded that we’re part of a bigger community. open tag and no pressure tags:

Sweet Enough | OrchidScript

Henry Fox started baking on a whim — to ease his anxiety, then his grief. Not to get on Bake Off. But, when his sister and best friend submit an application on his behalf, Henry decides to turn his dread at being on camera into a way to pull his family back together. Shoved into ten Saturdays of competition, he finds perfect frosting, mild embarrassment, strange flavor combinations, and — most unexpectedly — Alex Claremont-Diaz. Alex Claremont-Diaz did not agree to Bake Off — not willingly, anyhow. After a year of accidental missteps and a career on the fritz, he’s looking for a life preserver. Being the franchise’s newest host is his best offer in months, and Alex expects quaint English countryside, group hugs, good food, and stupid intro bits. Not Henry Fox, a sharp-witted PhD student with a quiet exterior, who makes his heart flip-flop in ways Alex is pretty sure it’s not supposed to. Posting Mondays.  Recipes included ;)

Read Now on Ao3

Happy Sunday, everyone! Thanks for all the tags lately, especially @pippinoftheshire and @dizzymisslizzie for the tags last week!

ICYMI last week, the second chapter of X Marks the Couch by the Fireplace, my RWRB Game Changer AU, went up a week ago, and my version of filling in the gap between HR episodes 3 and 5 was posted this morning!

Tiny snippet of both below:

Kip couldn't believe he had agreed to see the Admirals’ potentially last home game with Elena and his dad, even though it was all for his dad for his birthday. How he was able to watch a hockey game at all after everything, let alone one with Scott Hunter as the star center, was anyone's guess.

Alex knew with a sinking pit of dread exactly what was missing. Yeah, he had Henry in his life, and that was great- but he had slowly stopped hanging out with anyone else. Not that he had a large group of people he was close to, of course, just June and Nora, but they were his entire world, the people who had his back through thick and thin. Now that he was thinking about it, he was pretty sure he had been ignoring calls from both of his parents too. That he was much less concerned about. After all, he was sure June was running interference for him.

It's been so long, so tags with no pressure at all for @cha-melodius @caterpills @miharaikko @tinyarmedtrex @theprinceandagcd @andromedaskies

@royal-chandler @run-for-chamo-miles @iboatedhere @beefybisexualrozanov @porcelainmortal

@myheartalivewrites , @onthewaytosomewhere @tailsbeth-writes @zwiazdziarka @emmalostinwonderland @anincompletelist

@anyroomsrio @welcometololaland @jenjentheboscostick @14carrotghoul @adreama-writes

@littlemisskittentoes @rockyroadkylers @judasofsuburbia @thesleepyskipper

@ashes0909 @sweetheartrozanov @miriellesandthegiantpeach @iammistressofmyfate @theoppositequeens @heavenly-lilies

@shanehollanderjpg @dntat-makesthings

A Year of Living • Chapter 6 • 75.5k • E

This isn’t anything like what Henry went through standing outside the Austin house and trying to gather his nerves; it isn’t Alex’s one and only golden opportunity to make a great first impression on Henry’s whole family, to prove right out of the gate that he’s the crème de la crème of royal suitors. He pretty much kissed that goodbye, so to speak, when he actually met them all at the pinnacle of a great big implied-sex scandal that he accidentally kickstarted, single-handedly trebucheting Henry headfirst out of the closet and directly into a colossal media shitstorm.  After something like that, it seems a little late in the game to be worrying about putting his best foot forward. 

Or: the epilogue - because the best part of the happy ending is getting to live in it. 

After literal months (and a mild TBI), it's here! many thanks to @orchidscript for the offhand comment that prompted this, @dumbpeachjuice for her cheerleading and comments, and @clottedcreamfudge for going through it with a critical eye.

It's fully written, and while I don't know how many chapters there are going to be it's all there in GDocs babey, 100+ pages of Henry panicking.

The Prince Diaries