Actualize This (ensemble | PG13 | 34,636 words) has Darien, Hobbes, Jim, Blair, Jack, and Daniel attending a buzzword-filled retreat. While there, they uncover a nefarious plot. There's a lot of good humor, and the character interactions between all the teams are fantastic. However, for me, all that good stuff (and it is good) is overwhelmed by my love for Darien and Bobby's portrayals. Because this is the Darien and Bobby that convinced me to get up at 7am on Saturday to watch them. And of course Jack would decide to name the other four after
Simpsons characters.
Excerpt:
"Thank god! Coffee!" Otto practically squealed. Well, it wasn't so much of a squeal as it was a gasp of relief as he spied the gangly waiter loping up with a large green carafe. Nevertheless, Jack winced and pinched the bridge of his nose. Somehow, he didn't think Otto needed any more coffee. He glanced up to offer Hap a look of sympathy but found that the cop was chatting quite happily with his partner, a smile of endearment upon his face. Huh. Apparently Otto was the type that grew on you upon closer acquantance, kind of like Danny. He was still a complete geek, though.
As the waiter came around to fill all of their cups, Mr. Millhouse watched him tetchily, eyes narrowed as he scanned the kid for a hint of a concealed weapon.
"Don't you have lattes or anything?" he grumbled, eyeing the carafe suspiciously. "Maybe a non-fat half-caf venti mocha? With a cinnamon stick?"
When the waiter responded that they just had regular and decaf, he snorted and said, "Typical. Damn Canadians think they're too good for normal coffee."
"Hobbes, those froofy concoctions you drink do *not* count as 'normal,'" Snake groaned. His voice had a weary edge that implied that they'd had this argument before. He tapped the steaming cup demonstratively with the back of his finger. "*This* is normal coffee. See, because it's just COFFEE."
But Mr. Millhouse just shook his head, smiling at his partner with a look of affectionate condescension. "You only say that because that's what they want you to think. You're totally taken in. It'll all come out one of these days, you'll see."
Jack blinked at the pair in amazement, marveling that they had demonstrated themselves to be even more nuts than he had originally suspected.