Author: Kylie Lee (
Pairing: Weir/Zelenka, with a touch of McKay/Sheppard ER
Length: ~12,700 words
Rating: PG
Archive: Ask first.
Summary: The mousy secretary has to pretend to be engaged to the busy executive boss. You know, because that always happens.
Challenge: Harlequin
Beta:
Warning: AU. Oh, my, AU.
Note: Czech swear words from Insultmonger. Title from Jessica Hart's Temporary Engagement (Harlequin, 1999). View the fabulous cover art by
Click on the link above to read the fic at my Web site. Alas, it is too long to fit into a single LJ post.
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September 11 2005, 15:02:16 UTC 6 years ago
And this was delightful!
September 12 2005, 12:44:15 UTC 6 years ago
Glad you liked!
September 11 2005, 15:42:03 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:45:02 UTC 6 years ago
I think this is the perfect pairing for this kind of silly story.
September 11 2005, 15:46:33 UTC 6 years ago
*considers at above statement*
Um, that was a compliment?
It was great. And Zelenka was so cute :)
September 12 2005, 12:46:05 UTC 6 years ago
I'll keep this in mind! I wrote this to be pretty straight up, but I was giggling as I was typing, esp. the long descriptions of what people were wearing, because all the conventions are just so...silly.
Glad you liked! And Zelenka is nothing BUT cute.
September 11 2005, 15:47:04 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:46:53 UTC 6 years ago
Me neither. Het? What's that about? I've only written one other het story (and it was in a slash series).
Glad you liked!
September 11 2005, 16:04:49 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:49:06 UTC 6 years ago
Oh, I'm so glad, because...well...crack!fic, you know. It's yummy.
It was interesting to write the big scene at the end, where Elizabeth professes her love, and that everything Zelenka did, she interpreted, because in the romance novels, the man always says that, but I wanted to retain her character and the fact that she's a woman. So instead of being big and strong and sweeping Zelenka away, she had to be big and strong while being ready to sob in despair, in a girlie way, because...she's a girl.
You know?
Anyway, glad you grinned and squeaked.
September 11 2005, 16:05:02 UTC 6 years ago
but Dr Z is such a woobie.
And I agree this could have been a real novel. And it probably would be sellable.
September 12 2005, 12:50:24 UTC 6 years ago
And I would normally never write anything like this! *g*
this could have been a real novel
Of course, it's already been written about ten thousand times. This is just its latest riff! And I think the thing that makes it fun is the thing that makes it unsellable: the male protagonist and POV.
Glad you enjoyed!
September 11 2005, 16:08:54 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:50:39 UTC 6 years ago
::squeezes you::
September 11 2005, 16:18:41 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:52:35 UTC 6 years ago
I'm so glad you liked the conversion!
The fic ended up being really a lot longer than I had anticipated, and I write very slowly, so the extension of the challenge deadline meant I could actually finish it. It was gonna kill me, slaving two weeks over the story only to miss the deadline by minutes, but then ces saved my bacon by extending it.
I think this story is oddly straight up. But perhaps that is its charm, if that is the word I want.
September 11 2005, 16:31:25 UTC 6 years ago
The story is great, the characters are great, and the clothes porn was FABULOUS. Tremendous thank you!!!!
September 12 2005, 12:53:58 UTC 6 years ago
I am so glad you noticed! Because that is one of the things that I always find incredibly hilarious about romance novels: the fixation on everybody's clothing. I also got in a description of an Oriental rug, as Ronon's head was being slammed into it.
It was very nice being able to write about men's clothing instead of women's, although I had to do some quick online research to get the fabrics right. It's all in the details, you know?
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September 11 2005, 16:33:23 UTC 6 years ago
And I know that this is an odd point to fixate on, considering Rodney and John were secondary characters, but I really loved how secure they were in their relationship ... the "cute couple" comment just made me smile madly for some reason.
::loves::
September 12 2005, 12:55:39 UTC 6 years ago
I was toying with the idea of doing something with their relationship, like having Weir have some big realization because of it, but decided against it; but I left their relationship in the background because I liked the idea of Rodney crushing on Radek. Oh! The irony of having a "married couple" at the dance and them being unable to dance together.
September 11 2005, 16:35:08 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:56:46 UTC 6 years ago
I'm sure you had to wait a long time...if it hadn't been for the extension, I think I would have missed the deadline, because this took me forever to write.
I'm still dreaming of Carson in formal kilt wear. ::dreams::
Glad you liked!
September 11 2005, 16:40:48 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:57:39 UTC 6 years ago
Oh, I do too! In the show itself, it's so delightfully understated, yet clear that he adores her, and she seems clueless about it. Who can resist such a challenge?
Glad you had fun!
September 11 2005, 16:43:16 UTC 6 years ago
September 11 2005, 16:44:14 UTC 6 years ago
September 11 2005, 16:50:59 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:58:31 UTC 6 years ago
Shockingly sweet, isn't it? Hee! It was so much fun to play in the romance sandbox.
September 11 2005, 17:05:45 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 12:59:35 UTC 6 years ago
Yes, it is a classic, and just a little twist was needed to make the woman the boss and the man the secretary!
This foray into het has me worried, though. What has come over me?? ::checks pulse::
September 11 2005, 17:07:14 UTC 6 years ago
this is one of the most perfect responses to this assignment...i totally adore it and you (as if you didn't know that :-)
thank you!!!
September 12 2005, 13:01:22 UTC 6 years ago
i totally adore it and you (as if you didn't know that
Back at ya! So glad you enjoyed.
September 11 2005, 17:20:22 UTC 6 years ago
Great title, BTW!
September 12 2005, 13:02:25 UTC 6 years ago
I couldn't think of a title, so I just googled Harlequin title listings and selected one that seemed appropriate. I'm just surprised there was only one, and from 1999. This plot is a classic! A classic, I tell you!
September 11 2005, 17:34:54 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 13:03:15 UTC 6 years ago
Yes, he cleans up very nicely indeed, doesn't he?
Glad you liked the transposition! Thanks for your sweet FB.
September 11 2005, 17:48:56 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 13:04:14 UTC 6 years ago
I can't get over the fact that I wrote het. Of course, there's no explicit sex (that would be completely wrong for the story), so I suppose I shouldn't be concerned. Yet.
Love your icon, btw! Radek always needs a shave. I love that about him.
September 11 2005, 18:17:48 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 13:05:55 UTC 6 years ago
Yes, our Radek has reduced the powerful CEO to tears! HA!
That scene was hard to write, because I was riffing off romance novels where the hero, at the end, lists all the things that the heroine did that, to her, seemed like everyday, stupid things, but to him, revealed her wonderfulness. I had to switch it all around while maintaining Weir's CEO-ness and her femininity. Add to that the fact that she tends to be direct...gah!
Glad you got all melty!
September 11 2005, 18:18:45 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 13:06:35 UTC 6 years ago
September 11 2005, 18:38:24 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 13:07:05 UTC 6 years ago
Glad you enjoyed.
September 11 2005, 18:47:05 UTC 6 years ago
And I have to tell you I giggled when I saw the name of Dr. Nisbet's company. Hee!
September 11 2005, 19:09:27 UTC 6 years ago
6 years ago
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September 11 2005, 18:56:30 UTC 6 years ago
I love it. Zelenka. Zelenka! Zelenka/Weir! Zelenka/Weiiiiir (with a side of mckay/shep)! ZELENKA!
Eeeeeee.
September 12 2005, 13:09:49 UTC 6 years ago
Woohoo! I see we are in complete agreement. And thanks for your squealy noises! They totally made my day.
September 11 2005, 19:05:40 UTC 6 years ago
September 12 2005, 13:10:22 UTC 6 years ago
Aw, you're sweet. That's the Weir/Zelenka love for you: it's like toast! Warm, toasty toast!
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