"Temporary Engagement" by Kylie Lee [Harlequin]

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Title: Temporary Engagement
Author: Kylie Lee (kylielee1000)
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: thegrrrl2002 and wpadmirer read it over and said to post; and kageygirl helped out with a crucially important canon question but is otherwise blameless.
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 liviapenn.

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.

Comments

[claire.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad someone did the secretary in love with their boss.

And this was delightful!

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Secretary in love with boss = classic! Of course, I love it when the man has to be the mousy secretary.

Glad you liked!

[sweetvalleyslut.livejournal.com]

I am SQUEAKY with love for this story. Eeep. Such an awesome way to do Weir/Zelenka.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Why thank you! I always like Squeaks Of Love. I myself haven't gotten over the fact that this is kinda...het. What's that about??

I think this is the perfect pairing for this kind of silly story.

[sarren.livejournal.com]

Well obviously you should be writing trashy romance novels for a living.

*considers at above statement*

Um, that was a compliment?

It was great. And Zelenka was so cute :)

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Well obviously you should be writing trashy romance novels for a living.

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.

[elayna88.livejournal.com]

Not my normal pairing, but that was just incredibly sweet and fun. Such quiet yearning. I want to hug Zelenka.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Not my normal pairing

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!

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Oh. Oh. I have to grin now; this story made me very happy. I loved all the work you did translating the SGA universe into this one, so that it retained the essence of the original show. And oh, Radek and Elizabeth! ::sigh:: He was adorable, and she was strong, and I squeak with enjoyment.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

this story made me very happy

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.

[daneffew.livejournal.com]

This is great. I would normally never read anything like this
but Dr Z is such a woobie.

And I agree this could have been a real novel. And it probably would be sellable.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

I would normally never read anything like this

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!

[umbo.livejournal.com]

Loved it.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Loved it.

::squeezes you::

[merryish.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is lovely and fun and all of them are perfect. So much detail and care went into converting the universe, I'm way, way impressed. And it hits my secret Weir/Zelenka button, which I didn't even know I had! =)

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

So much detail and care went into converting the universe, I'm way, way impressed.

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.

[drlense.livejournal.com]

LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!

The story is great, the characters are great, and the clothes porn was FABULOUS. Tremendous thank you!!!!

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

and the clothes porn was FABULOUS

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?

[mahoy.livejournal.com]

That was so sweet.
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::

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

I really loved how secure they were in their relationship

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.

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for this fic ever since Grrrl mentioned you were working on it. It was worth the wait. Fun and sweet and I adored them all, Elizabeth and Radek, John and Rodney, and Carson sans dirk. /g/ Wonderful story.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

I really loved how secure they were in their relationship

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!

[wickdzoot.livejournal.com]

As always, lovely, great fun, and what can I say, I adore Elizabeth/Radek.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

I adore Elizabeth/Radek

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!

[burningchaos.livejournal.com]

I love this Weir/Zelanka is my favorite het couple in SGA.

[burningchaos.livejournal.com]

Gah Zelenka I can't spell today...

[flambeau.livejournal.com]

*huge grin* Oh, the romance! Loved it. :)

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Oh, the romance!

Shockingly sweet, isn't it? Hee! It was so much fun to play in the romance sandbox.

[thecomfychair.livejournal.com]

I was hoping someone would to Weir/Zelenka for this challenge! and it was the secretary in love with the boss plot, a true classic. *g* Excellent job.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

I was hoping someone would to Weir/Zelenka for this challenge! and it was the secretary in love with the boss plot, a true classic.

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::

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

that was perfect!!! romance and intrigue andespionage...and such a perfect romance plot while still maintaining all the important touchstones ofa good AU. i loved how you placed all the characters and the john/rodney relationship and the rodney/zelenka working interaction and i was so glad you didn't take radek's abilities away but used his foreign nationality to force him in the secretary position. perfect romance ploy but also alltoo realistic...just...wonderful!!!

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!!!

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Oh, hey, I didn't think of this until you said it! I very much wanted to retain the integrity of Zelenka's scientific, smart background, and you're right: the nonnational thing was a ploy to keep him a secretary (that, and his love for Elizabeth, of course).

i totally adore it and you (as if you didn't know that

Back at ya! So glad you enjoyed.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Did I mention how much I love the dancing? Because I loved the dancing. So romantic. Holding each other close, and Weir in that lovely dress, Zelenka all dashing and handsome...::sighs::

Great title, BTW!

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Yes, dancing! Romantic dancing! Zelenka discreetly feeling her up (her back, anyway); Weir closing her eyes and melting into him; *happy sigh*

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!

[in-vulnerable.livejournal.com]

Oh, I want to marry this story! Right after I've eaten Radek with a spoon. Radek in tux... *drifts off* All the cameo appearances were a hoot and I loved how you transposed the whole Atlantis world. Wonderful wonderful story. So sweet and lovely and so Radek. Thanks for a great read!

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Radek in tux... *drifts off*

Yes, he cleans up very nicely indeed, doesn't he?

Glad you liked the transposition! Thanks for your sweet FB.

[alyse]

That was lovely.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

That was lovely.

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.

[daughtershade.livejournal.com]

Okay, that was like the sweetest thing ever and I've gone all melty. Aw! I do so adore Radek... and Elizabeth at the end at a loss for words trying to confess her love. That was just great. Excellent job!

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

and Elizabeth at the end at a loss for words trying to confess her love

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!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bettina_/]

Oh yeah, much love for this story! Hee! :-D

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Ha! Thank you very much. Glad you enjoyed! I myself think it's oddly straight up, but as I say elsewhere in these comments...perhaps that is the charm of the fic.

[saba1789.livejournal.com]

This story was so cute and fabulous - I loved it! Thanks for writing and sharing it :-) .

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

This challenge is total crack. This was so much fun to write!

Glad you enjoyed.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Wow. What a lovely job you did with this. It's nice to see these romance novel tropes done well, as they sometimes are even in 'real life.' I'm very impressed. I bet you could file the serial numbers off this and publish it professionally.

And I have to tell you I giggled when I saw the name of Dr. Nisbet's company. Hee!

[bibliokat.livejournal.com]

Wow. Your icon= guh!

[teza.livejournal.com]

Eeee-eee-eee. </dorkish squealing girly noises>

I love it. Zelenka. Zelenka! Zelenka/Weir! Zelenka/Weiiiiir (with a side of mckay/shep)! ZELENKA!

Eeeeeee.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

I love it. Zelenka. Zelenka! Zelenka/Weir! Zelenka/Weiiiiir (with a side of mckay/shep)! ZELENKA!

Woohoo! I see we are in complete agreement. And thanks for your squealy noises! They totally made my day.

[rike-tikki-tavi.livejournal.com]

Very nice. Made me feel all warm and toasty.

[kylielee1000.livejournal.com]

Made me feel all warm and toasty

Aw, you're sweet. That's the Weir/Zelenka love for you: it's like toast! Warm, toasty toast!