I came up with this idea at work. No other excuse.
I got this idea at work and was terribly amused by it. It's not actually so funny in person, but in my head, I was absolutely taken with it.
Title: Empire Building
Characters: Simon, Justin, Mal
Rating: Meh. Average.
Summary: Byzantines. Libertines. In which Justin learns (or not) that two of these things are not the same.
Notes: Very short, probably only about 500 words. Written in about 20 minutes, so point out mistakes if you find 'em. Also, Lucien is Simon's long-suffering grammar-junkie roommate.
Empire Building
“What are you doing?” Mal peered idly over the younger boy's shoulder.
“Don't torture him, Mal,” called Simon tolerantly from across the room where he was sitting on his bed.
Mal smiled sweetly. “So, what is it? Homework?”
Justin exchanged a long look with Simon, who eventually rolled his eyes and went back to his reading. “Writing. A paper.”
“For McManus's historical civ class,”added Simon in a bored tone. “Mal, really. Let him alone.”
“In a minute.” Mal squinted down at the paper on the desk. “What are you writing about?”
His presence was clearly unnerving the younger boy, who had started to twitch very slightly. “Um,” he said, “the um...the Libertine Empire.”
Mal blinked. On the bed, Simon developed an urgent coughing fit.
“Are you?” asked Mal calmly. “How's that going, then?”
Justin shrugged. “All right. They're kind of interesting, I suppose.”
“Imagine that,” Simon murmured. “They've got an empire, have they? Will wonders never cease?”
Mal ignored him. “I find Libertines fascinating.”
Justin looked up hopefully. “Do you really?”
“He does,” spoke up Simon suddenly. “Quite the expert on Libertines, aren't you, Mal?”
“Oh, definitely,” the red-haired boy agreed. “Have been for years, at this point.”
Justin looked back and forth between the two older boys, expectation dawning on his face.
Mal continued. “Although, Simon, you can't pretend that you're not at all knowledgeable, either.”
Simon nodded assent. “True.”
Justin's attention shifted to his friend on the bed. “You know all about the Libertine Empire, too?”
Simon snorted. “Of course I do,” he said dismissively. “I've been educated at Strathford, haven't I?” He shifted into a more comfortable position. “I have a reasonable about of information concerning Libertines at my disposal.”
“So...” began the younger boy craftily, “do you both want to help me write my paper?”
Mal's eyes gleamed in anticipation. Simon, upon noting this, cleared his throat pointedly and gave his friend a sharp look. “You're practically done already,” Simon said, eyes staying warning on Mal. “I'm sure you'll be fine.”
Mal, who had subsided somewhat, brightened. “And don't forget,” he said, “to have our resident grammar and spelling expert read through it when you've finished.”
“Who?”
Mal grinning suddenly, “Lucien, stupid.” His expression turned beatific. “I'm sure he'll love to read about your impressions of the Libertine Empire.”
Title: Empire Building
Characters: Simon, Justin, Mal
Rating: Meh. Average.
Summary: Byzantines. Libertines. In which Justin learns (or not) that two of these things are not the same.
Notes: Very short, probably only about 500 words. Written in about 20 minutes, so point out mistakes if you find 'em. Also, Lucien is Simon's long-suffering grammar-junkie roommate.
Empire Building
“What are you doing?” Mal peered idly over the younger boy's shoulder.
“Don't torture him, Mal,” called Simon tolerantly from across the room where he was sitting on his bed.
Mal smiled sweetly. “So, what is it? Homework?”
Justin exchanged a long look with Simon, who eventually rolled his eyes and went back to his reading. “Writing. A paper.”
“For McManus's historical civ class,”added Simon in a bored tone. “Mal, really. Let him alone.”
“In a minute.” Mal squinted down at the paper on the desk. “What are you writing about?”
His presence was clearly unnerving the younger boy, who had started to twitch very slightly. “Um,” he said, “the um...the Libertine Empire.”
Mal blinked. On the bed, Simon developed an urgent coughing fit.
“Are you?” asked Mal calmly. “How's that going, then?”
Justin shrugged. “All right. They're kind of interesting, I suppose.”
“Imagine that,” Simon murmured. “They've got an empire, have they? Will wonders never cease?”
Mal ignored him. “I find Libertines fascinating.”
Justin looked up hopefully. “Do you really?”
“He does,” spoke up Simon suddenly. “Quite the expert on Libertines, aren't you, Mal?”
“Oh, definitely,” the red-haired boy agreed. “Have been for years, at this point.”
Justin looked back and forth between the two older boys, expectation dawning on his face.
Mal continued. “Although, Simon, you can't pretend that you're not at all knowledgeable, either.”
Simon nodded assent. “True.”
Justin's attention shifted to his friend on the bed. “You know all about the Libertine Empire, too?”
Simon snorted. “Of course I do,” he said dismissively. “I've been educated at Strathford, haven't I?” He shifted into a more comfortable position. “I have a reasonable about of information concerning Libertines at my disposal.”
“So...” began the younger boy craftily, “do you both want to help me write my paper?”
Mal's eyes gleamed in anticipation. Simon, upon noting this, cleared his throat pointedly and gave his friend a sharp look. “You're practically done already,” Simon said, eyes staying warning on Mal. “I'm sure you'll be fine.”
Mal, who had subsided somewhat, brightened. “And don't forget,” he said, “to have our resident grammar and spelling expert read through it when you've finished.”
“Who?”
Mal grinning suddenly, “Lucien, stupid.” His expression turned beatific. “I'm sure he'll love to read about your impressions of the Libertine Empire.”