ADMIN POST: The Dating Challenge

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

So runpunkrun said in her LJ last night that she wanted to read a whole bunch of stories where the SGA characters were dating, and that rang a bell--I was like, wait! wait! someone already suggested that! somewhere in my backlog of challenge suggestions! and I just spent the last hour looking through my backlist and all the admin posts to see where it was and I couldn't find it.

And then I thought: wait, duh: we did that over at ds_flashfiction last year.

Possibly I've been doing this for too long.

But that just proves it's a good challenge suggestion, so let's do it, too. Punk wanted McShep with an AU flair, but I think her suggestions--i.e.

...at least one should be a future!Atlantis where the Wraith have been defeated and the city is full of people and Rodney works in the science district and John drives a puddlejumper service to the mainland. They meet when Rodney has to go out to the mainland with a science crew and John's their pilot. They eat their sack lunches together and Rodney accidentally, in a fit of crazy nerves, asks John out for dinner the next day. They date and fall in love and all that good stuff.

Meanwhile on Earth there's the AU where John answers Rodney's personal ad, and the one where they go to the same gym, and the one where they meet at a party, a club, a bar, a book reading, outside a restaurant after two separate failed dates -- mostly I just want them being gay together, out in public, having stupid fights over nothing, Rodney trying to make John jealous by dating other guys, John staying over at Rodney's place, Rodney meeting John's friends, John meeting Rodney's coworkers.

I don't get enough of these stories in SGA. Sure, sure, big bad space vampires, institutionalized homophobia, not really much time for dating, but that makes me want it all the more.

--work for all the characters (god, can you imagine Ronon answering Rodney's personal ad? And why can't John meet Teyla at a bar or a book reading?)--and it doesn't have to be AU, either; there's nothing to stop John from taking Ronon for one of his famous picnics, or Lorne from inviting Teyla to a weekend in a hot tub somewhere.

So! Write a story that features characters "dating" on Atlantis, or Earth, or canon, or not; all characters, all pairings, het, gen, everyone. Take someone you like out for a latte. (Actually, it occurs to me that this might be a great challenge for writers to take characters they don't normally write out for a spin. I mean, it's not a big commitment or anything. It's just--you know: LUNCH.)

It's June 5th; stories will be due on June 19th at midnight.

Comments

[hyperfocused.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, Atlantis Speed Dating! So much potential here. Great challenge.

(also, can we use extended 'dating' terminology? aka Carbon Dating, or even the fruit, the place on the calendar, etc?)

ADMIN

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Oh my god. *LOLOL*

Yes, yes, yes--I have a history of allowing EXACTLY that sort of bending of the challenges, because I love you people and all your perversity. Yes, date away! Date anything, or eat the date, or whatever!!

Re: ADMIN

[mindyfromohio.livejournal.com]

Don't eat the dates! They're poisoned! The monkey is dead!

Re: ADMIN

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

I think the quote is, "Bad dates." Which is a whole other kind of bad date!

Re: ADMIN

[hyperfocused.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I knew you generally were open to our perversions (hee!), but I wanted to be sure. God, do I love this challenge.

We love you, too!

[panisdead.livejournal.com]

there's nothing to stop John from taking Ronon for one of his famous picnics

Nothing except the CRIPPLING EMBARRASSMENT I feel even reading that phrase. Not that I expect that to stop anyone. ::g::

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

*dies*

Okay, but wait--you're not appreciating the plan! John! Ronon! LOADS OF FOOD!--I mean, guns and a picnic, my guess is, you've got Ronon for life!

[panisdead.livejournal.com]

Oh, the guns and the giant hamper of sandwiches I'm good with, it's the part where I have to read Ronon taunting John into *explaining* why they're on a blanket at the top of the romantic moonlit north tower. ::g::

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

*hand on hip* Well, Missy, it sounds like you've devoted a lot of BRAIN time to this scenario, so I suggest you WRITE IT DOWN. *g* (You know you have to, now!)

[beadattitude.livejournal.com]

Bwahahahaa. Awesome.

[chicklet-girl.livejournal.com]

I mean, it's not a big commitment or anything. It's just--you know: LUNCH.

Hee! There's a dating service called It's Just Lunch. (http://www.itsjustlunch.com/) They do have franchise info on their website -- now I just have to figure out which crew member opens the Atlantis branch. *g*

Idea for future challenge

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

It's possible I've seen POTC: At World's End more times than is strictly necessary, and/or am obsessing a bit over the character revelations in "Sunday," but wouldn't an Ex challenge be nicely ambiguous? I'm thinking past SOs and treasure maps, but Ex is such an omniverously inclusive term.

Ex Marks the Spot << [it's possible my lisence to pun has expired, as well]

Re: Idea for future challenge

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Oh--Ex is really fun. Ex-boyfriend, Ex marks the spot, x as a variable, the X factor, X as a DO NOT, X as an error, X-men, X-rays, X-mas, X-cellent!

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Sorry to be dim but I'm trying to figure out what Eastern Standard midnight is for me. I checked the World Clock and it tells me that there are two Eastern Standard time zones, one in North America and one in Australia. I assume you're the one in North America????

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Right, yes. So the challenge will close tomorrow night at midnight, my time (unless you need an extension? I have been known to grant a day or so if needed.)

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I've not found a beta yet but if I forego the beta, then I can post tonight. (I'm away from the computer all day tomorrow so it's either now or on Wednesday that I can post.) And your time is New York time, is that right?? Thanks so much for the offer of an extension! I'll wait another half an hour to see if someone offers to beta but then, I think, I'll post without. ;-) That's kind of a headier experience, anyway.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Actually, Ces, come to think of it and staring with bleary eyes at my print-out and the revisions still needed: could I take you up on that offer after all? Could I have an extension until Wednesday, 20 June, noon my time. I have no idea how to convert that into your time (I just tried via timeanddate.com) but it is 36 hours from now. Um.

ADMIN

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's fine; often, I do it the morning after, so instead of tomorrow night at midnight, I'll close Wed morning my time which should be Wed noon your time, I thinkl!

Re: ADMIN

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Thank you!! :-)

Re: ADMIN

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

After all that, I did finish revising the fic and have posted it now! Ah, I feel very accomplished having met this deadline. Thanks for the offer, though! :-)