Unconventional Courtship

Unconventional Courtship Masterlist 2026

2026-07-09T00:25:41Z

Posted by: aflaminghalo

It's the end of another round of unconventionalcourtship! Thank you so much to everyone who participated this year. Whether you wrote fic, read fic, signed up, made banners, promoted the fest or fell down the UC Generator rabbit hole your participation was very much appreciated.

Now the fest is over here is this year's masterlist to peruse while you give yourself a pat on the back!

2026 masterlist of fic:

June 21st: The UNIT Article (Doctor Who: Kate/Sarah Jane) by paranoidangel

June 22nd: And All the Stars Aligned [Shadow & Bone; Aleksander Kirigan/Nikolai Lantsov/Alina Starkov] by meridian_rose

June 23rd: My Favorite Things (Hazbin Hotel, Angel Dust/Husk) by cornerofmadness

June 24th: All the Same (Doctor Who (1963)) by natequarter

June 25th: fare well (out here trying to feel good again) [South Park, Kenny McCormick/Heidi Turner] by lumiosecity

June 26th: The Right Wrong Number (Stargate Atlantis, John/Rodney) by melagan

June 27th: His Noble Nature (Blake's 7) by vilakins

Amnesty Week:
July 5th: Beyond the Sunset (Octopath Traveler II - Agnea/Throné) by rubylily

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Beyond the Sunset (Octopath Traveler II - Agnea/Throné)

2026-07-05T23:12:44Z

Posted by: rubylily

Title: Beyond the Sunset
Author: rubylily
Fandom: Octopath Traveler II
Pairing/Characters: Agnea Bristarni/Throné Anguis
Rating: Explicit
Length: 8014 words
Summary: Throné's dear companion Agnea has been her rock since the journey for the dawn. So when Agnea needs Throné to attend her sister's wedding in Ku, of course she accepts. Only while in paradise Throné starts to see Agnea differently… Blame it on the exhaustion from traveling or the sultry heat — they just can’t resist stolen sunset kisses! But with their friendship at stake, dare they break the rules and take things to the next level…?
Notes: Inspired by Justine Lewis' Breaking the Best Friend Rule.
Link: Read on AO3 | Read on Dreamwidth

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unconventionalcourtship @ 2026-07-01T01:10:00

2026-07-01T16:18:32Z

Posted by: aflaminghalo

Unconventional Courtship 2026 is over and Thank You to everyone who posted their fic!

July 1-7 is amnesty week. If you missed your deadline or have another completed fic you can post it now. No need to ask for a day, just post :)

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His Noble Nature (Blake's 7)

2026-06-27T10:38:04Z

Posted by: vilakins

Title: His Noble Nature
Author: vilakins
Fandom: Blake's 7
Pairing/Characters: Dayna Mellanby/Travis, Vila Restal, Soolin, Servalan
Rating: Teen and up
Length: 8,032 words

Summary: Battle-scarred and tortured by painful memories - and the lack of earlier ones - it is only Peydro Faldin's noble nature that sees him escorting a sharp-tongued young woman on a quest to help her injured 'brother'.

Notes: Based on Her Battle-Scarred Knight by Meriel Fuller

Link: His Noble Nature

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The Right Wrong Number (Stargate Atlantis, John/Rodney)

2026-06-26T11:36:34Z

Posted by: melagan

The Right Wrong Number (7730 words) by melagan

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard (Stargate), Dave Sheppard, Jeannie Miller (Stargate), Jack O'Neill (Stargate), Sam Carter (Stargate)
Notes: Romance, Happy Ending, Family, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Summary:

Thanks to Jeannie, Rodney ends up at a charity auction where the highest bidder wins a date with an eligible bachelor or bachelorette. Nothing goes as expected. Multiple misunderstandings ensue, and Rodney finds himself trying to help John locate his missing brother.

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fare well (out here trying to feel good again) [South Park, Kenny McCormick/Heidi Turner]

2026-06-25T04:25:58Z

Posted by: lumiosecity

Title: fare well (out here trying to feel good again)
Author: lumiosecity (oceanscalamity)
Fandom: South Park
Pairing/Characters: Kenny McCormick/Heidi Turner
Rating: Teen and Up
Length: 1,511 words
Summary:

Heidi Turner goes to the same bar every Thursday night and orders the same drink: a whiskey on the rocks. She doesn’t drink it, though, just sits at the bar and watches the glass as the ice melts.
Kenny McCormick has been tending bar at Skeeter’s for the past year and a half, and through it all, he’s kept a close eye on the beautiful, sad woman who keeps to herself. She needs someone looking out for her, he can tell.
One night, she finally lets go and lets him in.

Notes: Based on the summary of Letting Go by Megan Hart. Future fic, so the characters are aged up.

Link: Read on Archive of Our Own.

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All the Same (Doctor Who (1963))

2026-06-24T13:55:31Z

Posted by: natequarter

Title: All the Same
Author: natequarter
Fandom: Doctor Who (1963)
Pairing: Fifth Doctor/Steven Taylor
Rating: Teen and Up
Length: 1,232 words
Chapters: 1/1
Summary: Moments after stumbling upon a band of thieves, terrified Steven Taylor was abducted on horseback! Trepidation soon gave way to desire for his brooding, battle-scarred captor. Steven knew any impropriety with this nameless rogue would tarnish his reputation—yet appearances could be quite deceiving!
Notes: Dreamwidth kept crashing when I tried to post this. Whoops.

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My Favorite Things (Hazbin Hotel, Angel Dust/Husk)

2026-06-23T18:31:50Z

Posted by: cornerofmadness

Title: My Favorite Things
author: cornerofmadness
Fandom: Hazbin Hotel
Pairing/Characters: Angel Dust/Husk, Niffty, Sir Pentious, Alastor
Rating: teens and up
Length: 9,822
Summary: After Angel flings himself and Valentino out into an exorcist strike from which Valentino doesn’t return, Angel flees Vee Tower. He winds up in a section of Hell he’s never seen before. He cannot leave it but after meeting someone new, does he even want to?
Notes: Written for the unconventional romance 2026 challenge. The Harlequin romantasy blurb I used for inspiration will be at the end. This is a canon divergent so it can fit the inspirational blurb. It references Valentino’s death but it is not on page. I misremembered the blurb and called Alastor the shadowman instead of the missing man which eh, no big deal. I don’t have to follow point by point and shadowman is much more Alastor’s style.

Link: here on AO3.

based on the Harlequin romantasy The Lost

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And All the Stars Aligned [Shadow & Bone; Aleksander Kirigan/Nikolai Lantsov/Alina Starkov]

2026-06-22T05:45:05Z

Posted by: meridian_rose

And All the Stars Aligned (18462 words) by meridian_rose
Chapters: 8/8
Fandom: Shadow and Bone (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: General Kirigan/Alina Starkov, The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova/Nikolai Lantsov/Alina Starkov, The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova/Alina Starkov, Tamar Kir-Bataar & Nikolai Lantsov & Tolya Yul-Bataar, Genya Safin & Alina Starkov
Characters: Alina Starkov, The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova, Nikolai Lantsov, Tamar Kir-Bataar, Genya Safin, Tolya Yul-Bataar
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Regency, Alternate Universe - No Powers, This Whole Thing is Vibes, Jealous The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova, Bisexual Nikolai Lantsov, Nikolai Lantsov being Nikolai Lantsov, Threesome - F/M/M, Throuples | Triad Relationships, Minor David Kostyk/Genya Safin, Mal Oretsev Bashing, referenced infertility, No Pregnancy, Mild Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Happy Ending, Fade to Black, based on a romance novel summary, Community: unconventionalcourtship, Title from a Taylor Swift Song, Regency Era Vibes
Summary: Regency London. Alina’s life has been one of struggle: from orphaned mapmaker to the last heir of a noble house; loved by a general and a privateer prince—then cruelly abandoned by the husband she chose over them both. Rescued by Aleksander Kirigan, she has built a marriage that is passionate, if often whispered about.
Then Nikolai returns. Kirigan’s jealousy flares, but beneath his fear of losing his bride lies something older, deeper, and long unspoken—even to the wife he vowed honesty to. Alina is faithful and always will be. Yet Nikolai’s easy charm stands in stark contrast to her husband’s brooding intensity. And as old affections stir and new truths surface, Alina begins to wonder whether there might be another way… if the stars align.
Based on the romance novel summary Lord Atwood's Lovers by Eva Clancy.
Link: And All the Stars Aligned

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The UNIT Article (Doctor Who: Kate/Sarah Jane)

2026-06-21T08:08:37Z

Posted by: paranoidangel

Title: The UNIT Article
Author: paranoidangel
Fandom: Doctor Who/The Sarah Jane Adventures
Pairing/Characters: Kate Lethbridge Stewart/Sarah Jane Smith
Rating: General
Length: 2929 words
Summary: In this UNIT story, Kate has spent years healing from a divorce and her children leaving home by throwing herself into her work at UNIT. But when Sarah Jane—her one-time best friend and secret crush—takes a job as a journalist at UNIT, life suddenly becomes more complicated! After the breakdown of her difficult wedding Sarah Jane isn’t looking for romance either. Yet old feelings soon begin to resurge. Can they risk their friendship in the hope of something more?

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/87052711

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Rules and How to Play

2026-04-01T19:51:44Z

Posted by: aflaminghalo

How to play:
( Read more... )

Rules:
( Read more... )

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Unconventional Courtship 2026: Sign Ups!

2026-04-01T19:49:32Z

Posted by: aflaminghalo

'Welcome to 'Unconventional Courtship 2026'!

Come join our thirteenth round and over a decade of proud trope subversion.

'Unconventional Courtship' is a panfandom fic fest where you write and post a 1000+ word fic based on a M&B/Harlequin plot. Fics will be posted to this community, staggered through June 2026.

This year's mod is aflaminghalo. Thank you to liadt for all your hardwork modding this fest.

Sign Ups - April 1st - June 10th 2026
Posting - 1st June - June 30th 2026
Amnesty Week - July 1st - July 7th 2026

How to play:

It's as simple as:

1. Sign up! Sign ups close on June 10 and all you need to do is comment on this post with the day you want to post your fic. You can tell us which summary/pairing you're going with, but you don't have to. You don't need a Dreamwidth to play - just comment with OpenID, although you will need to ask us to post your fic on the com. If you are on DW, please follow the community.

2. Choose a M&B/Harlequin summary (or two etc) - we have hundreds of suggestions here, but there are literally thousands. Our prompt generator may also help (thank you john_amend_all) You can do more than one fic, if you want. You can also combine prompts, if you like.

3. Replace the names (and pronouns if necessary) with the names (and pronouns) of the pairing of your choice. Any any all fandoms and pairings are welcome in this fest.

You can also replace place names and jobs as long as you keep to the spirit of the prompt. So, if you want to write Kirk/Spock, but you don't want to write a modern day AU, you could replace 'the Sahara desert' with 'a desert planet' and Kirk wouldn't need to be the boss at a law firm, he could be the boss... in the sense that he's the captain.

4. Complete a fic based on your altered summary. You can take the prompt seriously or use it as an improbable basis for lols.

4.5. Pimp the fest far and wide. I'm hardly going to do this at all, so it's up to you - the players! I've re-uploaded the make-your-own banners and of course you can use ready made ones found over here and here.

Please do pimp where ever you think would be appropriate.

5. Post to this community on your assigned day. If you unable to post on your day there is a amnesty week for those that sign up from July 1 - 7.

You can also post to our AO3 collection if you want!

You can read examples of Unconventional Courtship fic by looking through the collection, or by going through masterposts in the comm.

6. ~~Profit!~~ Fics and art for all! I'll post a masterlist once all the entries are in. Crossposting is encouraged.

Any questions? Leave a comment or PM me.

( Rules )

( Days for posting )

If you have questions, feel free to ask! And/or consult the FAQs.

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Mod Announcement

2026-02-05T14:23:11Z

Posted by: liadt

I've decided to stand down as mod for Unconventional Courtship. Founder and comm owner aralias has said another user can take over as mod if they want. If so please contact me, liadt, by either replying or PM-ing me.

In the mean time, the UC generator is still available for inspiration here (credit to john_amend_all).

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Unconventional Courtship Masterlist 2025

2025-07-08T15:30:34Z

Posted by: liadt

It's the end of another unconventionalcourtship round! Many thanks to all that participated this year. Whether you wrote fic, read fic, signed up, made banners, promoted the fest or fell down the UC Generator rabbit hole your participation was very much appreciated.

Now the fest is over here is this year's masterlist to peruse while you give yourself a pat on the back!

Here is this year's masterlist of fic:
( Read more... )

comments

[Bridgerton - Kanthony] You above all else

2025-07-08T02:33:28Z

Posted by: hydriotaphia

You above all else (9847 words) - Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 (on dreamwidth)

Chapters: 2/2
Fandom: Bridgerton (TV Show)
Rating: Teen and Up
Warnings: No Warnings Apply
Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sharma
Characters: Anthony Bridgerton, Kate Sharma, the Bridgerton family plus Simon Hastings, the Sharma family.
Additional Tags: Friends to Lovers, Regency setting, Angst, Pining, The Gulf between Social Classes, Canonical Character Death Referenced, Eldest Children Syndrome, Time Jumps, Unconventional Courtship 2025
Summary:

Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma were inseparable as children since he’d defended her from an irate tutor. Once she thought there was something more growing between them until grief and the divergent demands of their positions drew them apart.

To Kate, the warm, close knit Bridgerton family lead a charmed life and spending Christmas with them is both an honour and a relief from the challenges her own little family face.

But when she comes face-to-face with Anthony again, she hardly recognises him in the cold, aloof man he's become. Worse, he seems to see her as a spinster maid, below his notice, and an outsider

--

Inspired by HOME TO FAMILY by ANN EVANS

Amnesty post - sorry this is late!

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Amnesty Week

2025-07-01T13:59:24Z

Posted by: liadt

For those that signed up, July 1-7 is amnesty week. If you missed your deadline or have completed another fic you can post it during this time. No need to ask for a day, just post!

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[Psych - Shassie] Yours in Black Lace

2025-07-01T05:44:23Z

Posted by: altum_videtur

Yours in Black Lace (2727 words) by cuethesun

Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Psych (TV 2006)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Carlton Lassiter/Shawn Spencer
Characters: Carlton Lassiter, Shawn Spencer, Juliet O'Hara, Woodrow "Woody" Strode, McNab passes by
Additional Tags: Dirty Talk, erotic writing, Secret Admirer, Or well not so secret, Shawn hasn't got enough patience for it, Unconventional Courtship 2025, Men in Lingerie Kink, a little bit of it at least, Lassie's sorry excuse for self-esteem
Summary:

“You’ve read it? Dammit, Strode, why are you wasting my time then?” Carlton turns his eyes back to the report he’s writing. “Just give me the gist of it, tell me if it’s worth pursuing.”

“Are you sure, detective? Because—”

“Yes, I’m sure, now just—”

“Dear Detective Carlton Lassiter. I have a confession to make: you’ve turned me into a naughty, naughty boy.”

Carlton gets a letter at the station.

-----

Sorry I'm a little late! Here's my entry for the 30th.

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Trapped In Yesterday (Hit The Floor, Jude/Zero)

2025-06-30T07:45:03Z

Posted by: brokenhighways

Title: Trapped In Yesterday
Author: brokenhighways
Fandom: Hit The Floor
Pairing/Characters: Jude/Zero
Rating: R
Length: 12,000 words
Summary: Jude Kinkade is the CEO of a fledgling sportswear brand, and he's ready to throw his Hail Mary pass and do whatever it takes to save his company. Enter Zero, a washed-up former player who's more known for falling out of clubs than his three championship wins. Desperate for some publicity, his head of PR, Jelena, convinces Jude to hire Zero as the face of the brand, but is this a comeback story in the making, or a reckless gamble that will destroy both their reputations for good?

Notes: Based on the summary for 'In the Heat of the Spotlight- Kate Hewitt'

Link: Here @ AO3

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Dance of Dreams (Octopath Traveler II - Agnea/Giselle)

2025-06-29T19:19:58Z

Posted by: rubylily

Title: Dance of Dreams
Author: rubylily
Fandom: Octopath Traveler II
Pairing/Characters: Agnea Bristarni/Giselle
Rating: Mature
Length: 8073 words
Summary: Giselle had always hoped that Agnea Bristarni would one day be more than just a dear friend. But on that day Agnea and her companions brought back the dawn, Giselle swore that her feelings would remain hidden forever.

A year later and Giselle and her traveling troupe are back in Tropu'hopu – and they've been asked to team up with Agnea for the performance of a lifetime on Tropu'hopu's famous floating stage! And it's clear that those long-buried feelings are still as heartachingly, pulse-racingly powerful as before…

Surely turning back the clock would be a bad idea… except that it feels so very, very right!
Notes: Inspired by Jennifer Taylor's Best Friend to Perfect Bride.
Link: Read on AO3 | Read on Dreamwidth

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The Wedding's Off - Hi-De-Hi! - rated G, multiple ships

2025-06-28T19:55:30Z

Posted by: colisahotnorthernmess

Title: The Wedding's Off
Author: colisahotnorthernmess
Fandom: Hi-De-Hi!
Pairing/Characters: Gladys/Clive (mentioned), Spike/April, Spike/Ted, Gladys/Jeffrey (implied)
Rating: G
Length: 1318 words
Summary: Glamorous Welsh beauty Gladys Pugh's husband to be left her standing at the altar and wedding planner Spike Dixon was only too happy to fill in. Be Gladys' husband. For however long she wanted. What better way to escape his unhappy relationship than by marrying his kind and caring friend-cum-colleague..?
Notes: Based on Society Page Seduction – Maureen Child

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/66857152

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The Right Match (Stargate Atlantis)

2025-06-26T11:59:27Z

Posted by: melagan

The Right Match (14526 words) by melagan
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard, Steven Caldwell/David Sheppard, Evan Lorne/Parrish the Botanist
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Richard Woolsey (Stargate), Evan Lorne, Parrish the Botanist (Stargate), Steven Caldwell, Dave Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Alternate Universe - Regency
Summary:

With his father's death, Sentinel Prime Lord John has just come into his legacy. However, due to a provision in the will, he must take a guide or lose his entire inheritance.

The only guide John is interested in is Rodney McKay—a rogue guide who has managed to stay in hiding for years.

The hunt is on.

But once he catches him...then what?

The Right Match

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The Captain's Mistress (Nautilus TV)

2025-06-24T08:19:30Z

Posted by: meridian_rose

The Captain's Mistress (8526 words) by meridian_rose
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: Nautilus (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Humility Lucas/Captain Nemo | Prince Dakkar
Characters: Humility Lucas, Captain Nemo | Prince Dakkar (Nautilus), Crew of the Nautilus (Nautilus TV)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Romance Novel, based on a romance novel summary, Period Typical Attitudes, Unconventional Courtship 2025, Community: 100fandoms, 100 fandoms dreamwidth
Summary: To escape an arranged marriage, spirited Humility Lucas has staged her own death and — disguised as a boy — fled to London and a life of freedom.
Yet her plans to masquerade as an independent youth are thwarted by an encounter with Captain Nemo, the powerful and dangerously attractive Prince Dakkar.

Notes: Based on the romance novel summary The Accidental Mistress by Tracy Anne Warren

Link: The Captain's Mistress

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Dandelions (Hazbin Hotel Angel Dust/Husk)

2025-06-21T00:28:22Z

Posted by: cornerofmadness

Title: Dandelions

author: cornerofmadness

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel

Pairing/Characters: Angel Dust/Husk

Rating: explicit

Length: 24,404

Summary: Even though Angel is still under Valentino’s thumb, he has secretly signed on as Charlie Morningstar’s man, a protector, a faithful friend, whatever she needs and what she needs now is his help to find out who is stalking her (even if she thinks she can handle it herself)
Husker is more concerned with his casinos and clubs and his wild parties than he is with whatever reason Valentino wants him to take his best porn star to bed. He assumes Valentino is trying to get him in his debt but Husker prefers his lovers to have some brains, something - if the rumors are true – Angel Dust is lacking. But when he is being framed for trying to kill the Princess of Hell, Husker throws his lot in with Angel and the rest of Charlie’s people to clear his name.

Notes: Sorry, I wrote the post date wrong
Only the last chapter contains sexual content, though sexual innuendo and non-graphic scenes are laced throughout the story

The blurb I used:( under here )

Link: here on AO3.

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Ave Caesar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Buffy Summers/Rupert Giles)

2025-06-18T20:32:59Z

Posted by: unendingwanderlust

Title: Ave Caesar
Author: unendingwanderlust
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Pairing/Characters: Buffy Summers/Rupert Giles
Rating: Explicit (NC17)
Length: 2,685 words
Summary: For ex-cavalry officer Rupert Giles, duty always comes first. His task to escort the Roman emperor's latest captive should be easy. But one look at his fiery slave and Giles wants to put his own desires before everything else. For Buffy, her powerful, battle-honed captor has her head in conflict with her heart. Bound by a new-found bondage of emotions, it's not long before Buffy wonders whether she wants to come out of this perilous journey to Rome with her virtue intact!

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/66336622

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Wedding Date With the ER Doctor (The Pitt)

2025-06-17T04:24:35Z

Posted by: tinystarsfic

Title: Wedding Date With the ER Doctor
Author: tinystarsfic
Fandom: The Pitt (TV show)
Pairing/Characters: Mel King/Frank Langdon
Rating: Teen (for an implied sex scene)
Length: 2,355
Summary: A risk-taking emergency doctor brings her handsome colleague to a wedding
Notes: Based on this synposis

Link:Wedding Date With the ER Doctor

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