Ficcage. With Amanda on top.
Aug. 11th, 2006 11:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
calimeI was writing the drabbles for the current ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
highlander100 challenge, The Paper Chase. I had vague ideas for two drabbles, but when I started writing, they kept wanting to kinda merge and go on longer than any decent drabbles should. I blame Amanda. She insisted that her eyelashes are an important thing to leave in, and it..escalated a bit. Into a ficlet-y thing.
ETA: Infinite thanks for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
holde_maid for playing spot-the-typo.
So, the proper drabbles can be found onhighlander100 here.
The ficlet they insisted on evolving into is here:
Title: Amanda's Tips on Thieving - the full version
Inspired by thehighlander100 Challenge #102:The Paper Trail
Disclaimer:Those you recognize, I do not own.
Warnings: None, except the low pun on a certain name.
"Theft - a properly executed theft - is a creative science," Amanda said, "requiring precision and flexibility in equal measures. It also calls for flair and creativity."
Joe chuckled. "You of course would have a private philosophy regarding stealing. I thought it was just Ooh! pretty!, grabbing the trinket and making a break for it," he teased.
Amanda regarded him through her long lashes, mock-annoyed.
"Joseph," she chided, "I would expect a man of your class to be less dense. You have to specify the target, then study the situation and remove the target with minimal inconvenient ... entanglements. And, of course, then you have to fence it. Leaving a paper trail is very important safety measure."
"You mean not leaving a trail?" asked Joe, somewhat confused.
"No, I meant leaving a proper paper trail that is not too obvious at the first glance nor too hard to find."
Amanda leaned closer, her voice down to a whisper.
"One leading right past you ... at a safe distance."
Joe shivered. There wasn't much of a distance and it definitely didn't feel safe.
Amanda gently trailed a finger down the back of his neck.
On the other hand, safe was probably a bit overrated anyway.
********
"So, what were you two talking about?" asked Methos, propping his feet comfortably up on the table. He took a long, thirsty draught of beer and lifted the bottle in response to Amandas’ jaunty wave at her way out.
"Amanda has been extolling the importance of a well-laid paper trail in a quality theft."
Joe felt that while it did not exactly cover all the activities of the current evening, it was still a quite informative summary on the talking part.
Methos nodded sagely. "She's right. It’s the same thing with the disappearances. You have heard that story about Don Salzer's first assignment?"
" The 'new immortal' Mr. Panzer who lost two paternity suits, was repeatedly treated for syphilis and proceeded to die of a confirmed heart attack five years later? Don must've told it at least a dozen times. He liked to say it was a textbook example of a mistaken identification."
Methos smirked. "Like Amanda said, always take care to leave a waterproof paper trail."
Joe stared at him for a long moment, then started to laugh.
"But I recall the guy also donated his body to a medical school in his will, or something," he managed to protest after regaining his breathing.
Methos gave him the patented eyeroll. "Sometimes, papers are not sufficient. In these cases one also needs to provide bodily evidence to support it."
highlander100 challenge, The Paper Chase. I had vague ideas for two drabbles, but when I started writing, they kept wanting to kinda merge and go on longer than any decent drabbles should. I blame Amanda. She insisted that her eyelashes are an important thing to leave in, and it..escalated a bit. Into a ficlet-y thing.ETA: Infinite thanks for
holde_maid for playing spot-the-typo.So, the proper drabbles can be found on
highlander100 here.The ficlet they insisted on evolving into is here:
Title: Amanda's Tips on Thieving - the full version
Inspired by the
highlander100 Challenge #102:The Paper Trail Disclaimer:Those you recognize, I do not own.
Warnings: None, except the low pun on a certain name.
"Theft - a properly executed theft - is a creative science," Amanda said, "requiring precision and flexibility in equal measures. It also calls for flair and creativity."
Joe chuckled. "You of course would have a private philosophy regarding stealing. I thought it was just Ooh! pretty!, grabbing the trinket and making a break for it," he teased.
Amanda regarded him through her long lashes, mock-annoyed.
"Joseph," she chided, "I would expect a man of your class to be less dense. You have to specify the target, then study the situation and remove the target with minimal inconvenient ... entanglements. And, of course, then you have to fence it. Leaving a paper trail is very important safety measure."
"You mean not leaving a trail?" asked Joe, somewhat confused.
"No, I meant leaving a proper paper trail that is not too obvious at the first glance nor too hard to find."
Amanda leaned closer, her voice down to a whisper.
"One leading right past you ... at a safe distance."
Joe shivered. There wasn't much of a distance and it definitely didn't feel safe.
Amanda gently trailed a finger down the back of his neck.
On the other hand, safe was probably a bit overrated anyway.
********
"So, what were you two talking about?" asked Methos, propping his feet comfortably up on the table. He took a long, thirsty draught of beer and lifted the bottle in response to Amandas’ jaunty wave at her way out.
"Amanda has been extolling the importance of a well-laid paper trail in a quality theft."
Joe felt that while it did not exactly cover all the activities of the current evening, it was still a quite informative summary on the talking part.
Methos nodded sagely. "She's right. It’s the same thing with the disappearances. You have heard that story about Don Salzer's first assignment?"
" The 'new immortal' Mr. Panzer who lost two paternity suits, was repeatedly treated for syphilis and proceeded to die of a confirmed heart attack five years later? Don must've told it at least a dozen times. He liked to say it was a textbook example of a mistaken identification."
Methos smirked. "Like Amanda said, always take care to leave a waterproof paper trail."
Joe stared at him for a long moment, then started to laugh.
"But I recall the guy also donated his body to a medical school in his will, or something," he managed to protest after regaining his breathing.
Methos gave him the patented eyeroll. "Sometimes, papers are not sufficient. In these cases one also needs to provide bodily evidence to support it."
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-11 10:32 pm (UTC)I liked that a lot!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-11 10:48 pm (UTC)I'm glad you liked!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-11 11:59 pm (UTC)Thanks for the smile.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-12 12:07 am (UTC)Happy to make you smile :)
Hee
Date: 2006-08-12 11:22 am (UTC)Re: Hee
Date: 2006-08-12 11:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-12 02:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-13 11:25 am (UTC)Cchase...I see what you mean. PaperDoll!Chase? Hmmmm...now if I could get House, and Wilson, and Cuddy and...as paper dolls, I might be tempted to start playing with paper dolls again:)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-13 07:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-12 02:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-08-13 11:27 am (UTC)There definitely should be more Methos-and-Amanda-fic, those two make a hell of a team. And Joe would never give them out, he doesn't kiss and tell*g*!
*turns pink*
Date: 2006-08-19 10:05 am (UTC)