*struggles to move* In case you hadn't heard, there's been a heatwave in the UK over the past week. So the flat is stuffy and humid and outdoors the sun glares down with no reprieve. Anthony and I are both suffering. We've been keeping a jug and bottle of water in the fridge so that we have icy cool water to drink. And we've been keeping the windows open all day. Sadly the bedroom windows are in the sloped roof and we can't open them so we cook at night. I've been having real trouble sleeping. Rain rain, please return. Let's have a proper British summer when it's grey and overcast.

On the plus side, I've been coping by reading the amazing Ties That Bind verse. It's a Stargate: Atlantis AU and it's quite extraordinary and I highly recommend it. It never fails to inspire me and make me feel better when I have bad days. However, please take note, as the author says - the 'verse contains graphic sex, anal play, BDSM, violence, and exhibitionism (does any of that really make you not want to read it?). If you don’t like this kind of thing—just don’t read it. Seriously. Evil!Carter. Marine!John. PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR’S NOTES. Take note, she ain't kidding. And don't be put off ;)

Title: Just Like The World Is Ours (We're Tearin' It Apart)
Fandom: WWE
Characters: Justin Gabriel/Alicia Fox
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: Justin Gabriel likes seeing Alicia Fox smile. He likes her laugh even more. There's pranks, a late night golf game, night clothes, and kisses.
Author Notes: Yes, the title comes from the Ke$ha song 'We R Who We R.'

( She tasted like sugared strawberries and thick chocolate cream )

So yay, we actually have some new furniture in our new flat at long last. We have things to sit on in the lounge! Yep, we actually got our deliveries finally last week - with all the right parts this time - and our flat actually looks more like a home.

Goodbye, Queen of Disco. Thanks for your stunning sensuous voice and for the songs.

This week has seen a lot of season finales. They've given me lots of feelings and I hate that I have to wait til September for the new seasons so I'm gonna scribble my thoughts down on three of my favourite shows whose current seasons ended this week.

( Cut for major Hawaii Five-0, NCIS: LA, & Criminal Minds plot spoilers - most recent season & finales. You have been warned. )

Title: A Taste So Bitter So Sweet
Fandom: Spartacus: Vengeance
Characters: Nasir/Agron, Naevia, Gannicus
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Set in the same universe as Absence Isn't Fond, It's Torture. Modern Day AU. Five things that Nasir learns from working at the bakery cafe and dating Agron.

( Those nights, when Nasir kissed him, Agron tasted of cherries and cream and still-raw sadness. He held on tight to Nasir. )

So I had a meeting with my line manager today. It was not good for my self-confidence. A student complained about me to her tutor who then told my line manager. This student had called and felt I was extremely unhelpful - the gist being she was sick and couldn't make class and wanted me to tell her tutor, I said I'd do my best but that I couldn't interrupt the class. Generally we don't interrupt any classes for any reason. The academics would murder us. So that made me feel terrific. I really hope that email doesn't go in my file. And I thought I'd gotten better with my telephone manner and general customer services disposition. Balls.

Also Dr F - head researcher here and infant terrible - had plenty to say about me. There's a large group of researchers here who we administer for and often they have things they need us to do. We do our best but Dr F is particularly frustrating, because she demands we fulfil her request instantly and often that is not possible. According to her, I need more of the 'can do' attitude of my co-worker - who has been here years longer and is an expert at hiding his frustration with her. I clearly need to learn how to mask as well as he does. Dr F even said to my line manager 'just what does Emily think her job is?' Charming. My line manager finds her very difficult to deal with too so I had his support and he said to me and to her that he's always found me amenable and helpful so that was a huge relief.

Still my self-confidence has taken a rather large kicking and the self-doubt is creeping in heavily. Maybe all the stresses of the flat has affected me at work worse than I realised? Though, lets face it, my problems with Dr F and the student incident do pre-date the flat troubles. It's just do disspiriting to know that people don't like your work so much that they email in complaints. That's not good. Please, God, I don't want to lose this job.

Watching Horrible Histories is helping me cope with the Furniture Fiasco. So I'm sharing some more of their excellent comedy songs for you guys to enjoy too.

'It's A New World' - a song about the Pilgrim Fathers and what they did when landing in America. A pastiche of 'New York State of Mind.' Pure fun and smile-inducing. I actually prefer this to the song it's pastiching.

Title: The Best Stories Are Told In Flesh and Words
Fandom: Spartacus: Vengeance
Characters: Nasir/Agron, Chadara, Spartacus, Crixus
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: Nasir used to believe in the power of words. Then he learned that the stories his body told would give him so much more. Meeting Spartacus and loving Agron shows him a new path - the power of combining both.

( He did not believe he was truly awake when he staggered into the next room and Agron kissed him. )