Sorry about taking a solid five days to reply to this! It’s been a little rough at work, and I’m preparing for a friend’s wedding, which will be happening in April, just a week after my birthday. I’ve never been invited to a wedding like this before, especially as part of the wedding party itself, so I’m pretty excited. 😊
😄 I’m probably going to be alternating between stories over the next little while, writing a bit of Legends (the bounty hunter story), The Lake House, or this third thing, depending on what I’m not getting writer’s block on at any given time. The hint I will give is that what I was working on is the first chapter of a story I’ve wanted to start for literally years now.
🤔 Actually since you mentioned it, I might as well throw The Spider House into that rotation as well, since at least doing the first scene would be really cool, and that’s also one I’ve wanted to write for years now.
Anyway, on to the rest of your reply!
God, it’s a great bit, and the image is pretty much just like that.
I’m glad you didn’t feel forced into writing this. I wanted to make sure that you weren’t writing stuff you didn’t love because you were trying to please me, but specifically about Sarsa healing Dylan’s hands, I definitely understand what it’s like to write yourself into a corner and then have to improvise a solution!
I hadn’t thought of the “walking biohazard” angle, but it does make sense. I did like the idea presented in the text itself, that Sarsa knew that if she didn’t pick something, Kizzy was going to get very nerdy with whatever she chose for the binding mark, either the Starfleet logo or some inscription in Klingon or who knows what else. 😄
They do. I blame the animated series The Mighty Nein and Marion Lavorre for my personal reaction, though admittedly she’s a tiefling (so...I don’t know, like 1/16 demon or something), but definitely the example that came to mind first. Sarsa has her own variation on the look here, of course, with the hooves and the black hair, but as you say it is a perennial favorite of people!
It is a good line!
I hadn’t actually thought of the “sexiness backwash” as you put it still being in effect, but that’s a good point, and as you said, a lot of Dylan’s emotional reaction could also be the normal powerful emotions that come with sex. It could lead to a long-term romance, but the story isn’t spelling that out precisely here.
You did a good job explaining it in the story itself, for sure. I had wondered about the shapeshifting, actually, specifically whether it was just a succubus thing or Sarsa could do it too. It does make sense, though, since just hiding wings and other features to blend with humans would necessitate some level of appearance modification ability.
😁 Kizzy’s seriousness works so well for that sort of deadpan comedy.
Again, welcome back, and I’ll try not to keep you waiting too long before I have something to share, whatever that may turn out to be!