Five fandoms, five drabbles: NCIS, NCIS: LA, Hawaii 5-0, Covert Affairs, Exeter
NFA runs a weekly drabble challenge, and I've been participating for two weeks and expanding upon it by using the same prompt for five drabbles, one in each of my fandoms, plus one in Exeter (my original fic world). Now to see if I can make all the cuts work right. ;)
NCIS is gen Abby, LA is gen Callen/preseries, Hawaii 5-0 is slight McDanno, Covert Affairs is gen Season 1 Annie, Exeter is Becca and her niece Ellie. No warnings for any and all are rated G.
Prompt: Practice
Savasana
Abby turned down the lights in her lab and locked the glass slider to her office. She removed her boots and padded across the floor to the corner. She sank down, her legs folding beneath her. She adjusted her feet into Lotus pose, then closed her eyes.
Exhaling, she tried to quiet her mind.
“Why didn’t Ziva come down here first?”
“Gibbs forgot my Caf-Pow again. Why?”
“McGee should have skipped that last coffee. He was vibrating.”
“Tony and Jimmy wouldn’t talk about what they did last night.”
Abby frowned, then tried again, exhaling. Meditation practice was harder than sirsasana.
Drabble 2:
Does It Get Better?
Callen cried the first time, even though he hated the older boys in the house, always picking on him.
The fourth time, his eyes watered, but he didn’t cry.
The eleventh time, he kept his chin high and didn’t look back.
The seventeenth time, Callen told his foster parents to make the call.
The twenty-sixth time, a social worker picked him up from the principal’s office. His duffel bag was in her car.
The thirty-third time, Callen shrugged.
The thirty-seventh time, he was the one to leave. Nobody had even bothered to give him a card for his eighteenth birthday.
Drabble 3:
Procedure
Steve cursed as he screwed up - again. He headed to the lanai. He crouched on one side of the yard, his fingertips on the ground like he was at the line of scrimmage. A pause, then he sprinted across the yard, pivoted and returned. Back and forth, nine times, top speed, fingers tapping the invisible line on each side to ensure he didn’t cheat.
Chest heaving, he went back inside.
Steve stared at the table, then closed his eyes. He had to get this right - for Danno. “You have the right to remain silent,” he began for the tenth time.
Drabble 4:
Facade
Annie parked on L’Enfant Plaza and walked toward the Mall. Sunday was the only day she could catch up at her cover job.
She saw a couple behind the Smithsonian Castle, maps in hand.
“Can I help?” she asked.
Annie gave directions to the National Archives, then stayed to chat.
“Do you have children?” the woman asked.
“Just one,” Annie replied. “He’s adorable, with his daddy’s chocolate eyes and hair that flops everywhere.”
When Annie walked away, she reviewed what she said and caught two slip-ups.
“Rats.” She huffed out a sigh. Time to try again. Practice lying was essential.
Drabble 5:
Discretion
Becca fumed as Anderson drove off, Frances in the front seat and baby Ellie in the back. Her sister looked back, her face growing smaller with distance.
The next time, she bit her tongue. And the one after that.
As Ellie grew up, it got harder.
“Aunt Becca, Daddy says I shouldn’t make a mess.”
“Aunt Becca, Dad says dishes need to be done this way.”
“Aunt Becca, why doesn’t Dad like Riordan?”
Becca deflected or softened her words. After Frances died, she refrained so she wouldn’t lose contact with Ellie.
Her brother-in-law couldn’t take Ellie away. She hoped, anyway.
Hope you enjoyed some or all of the drabbles!
NCIS is gen Abby, LA is gen Callen/preseries, Hawaii 5-0 is slight McDanno, Covert Affairs is gen Season 1 Annie, Exeter is Becca and her niece Ellie. No warnings for any and all are rated G.
Prompt: Practice
Savasana
Abby turned down the lights in her lab and locked the glass slider to her office. She removed her boots and padded across the floor to the corner. She sank down, her legs folding beneath her. She adjusted her feet into Lotus pose, then closed her eyes.
Exhaling, she tried to quiet her mind.
“Why didn’t Ziva come down here first?”
“Gibbs forgot my Caf-Pow again. Why?”
“McGee should have skipped that last coffee. He was vibrating.”
“Tony and Jimmy wouldn’t talk about what they did last night.”
Abby frowned, then tried again, exhaling. Meditation practice was harder than sirsasana.
Drabble 2:
Does It Get Better?
Callen cried the first time, even though he hated the older boys in the house, always picking on him.
The fourth time, his eyes watered, but he didn’t cry.
The eleventh time, he kept his chin high and didn’t look back.
The seventeenth time, Callen told his foster parents to make the call.
The twenty-sixth time, a social worker picked him up from the principal’s office. His duffel bag was in her car.
The thirty-third time, Callen shrugged.
The thirty-seventh time, he was the one to leave. Nobody had even bothered to give him a card for his eighteenth birthday.
Drabble 3:
Procedure
Steve cursed as he screwed up - again. He headed to the lanai. He crouched on one side of the yard, his fingertips on the ground like he was at the line of scrimmage. A pause, then he sprinted across the yard, pivoted and returned. Back and forth, nine times, top speed, fingers tapping the invisible line on each side to ensure he didn’t cheat.
Chest heaving, he went back inside.
Steve stared at the table, then closed his eyes. He had to get this right - for Danno. “You have the right to remain silent,” he began for the tenth time.
Drabble 4:
Facade
Annie parked on L’Enfant Plaza and walked toward the Mall. Sunday was the only day she could catch up at her cover job.
She saw a couple behind the Smithsonian Castle, maps in hand.
“Can I help?” she asked.
Annie gave directions to the National Archives, then stayed to chat.
“Do you have children?” the woman asked.
“Just one,” Annie replied. “He’s adorable, with his daddy’s chocolate eyes and hair that flops everywhere.”
When Annie walked away, she reviewed what she said and caught two slip-ups.
“Rats.” She huffed out a sigh. Time to try again. Practice lying was essential.
Drabble 5:
Discretion
Becca fumed as Anderson drove off, Frances in the front seat and baby Ellie in the back. Her sister looked back, her face growing smaller with distance.
The next time, she bit her tongue. And the one after that.
As Ellie grew up, it got harder.
“Aunt Becca, Daddy says I shouldn’t make a mess.”
“Aunt Becca, Dad says dishes need to be done this way.”
“Aunt Becca, why doesn’t Dad like Riordan?”
Becca deflected or softened her words. After Frances died, she refrained so she wouldn’t lose contact with Ellie.
Her brother-in-law couldn’t take Ellie away. She hoped, anyway.
Hope you enjoyed some or all of the drabbles!