Welcome to the Glee Angst Meme again! You know how these things work. You can come here and prompt your most angsty prompts, and write stories filling those angsty prompts to let our characters suffer
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FILL 7/? Spoilers for 3.04 -- warnings: violence, language, homophobiaemoryemsDecember 13 2011, 06:52:52 UTC
When Burt speaks, Sue jerks her gaze to the back of his head. He doesn't even bother looking at her.
"Are you going to just stand there?"
Sue clears her throat, but no words come to mind. Instead, she walks, strides stiff and uneven, to the unoccupied chair on the opposite side of Hummel's bed, and sits down slowly.
Back straight and lips pinched, Sue allows her gaze to settle on Kurt, and this time her eyes don't leave any detail unseen. Her fists clench where they rest on her tracksuit covered knees and her teeth grind roughly as she takes in the sight.
Hummel's always been pale, like he was an extra from some movie about brooding, big-haired vampires, but it's never been like this before.
His skin isn't the quality of porcelain anymore - it is dull and almost waxy, and Sue can see every mark on him as though they are painted on. Dark blues and blacks, some crimson. The bruising is the worst on his right side, radiating to cover his shoulder and up his neck.
There is a ball of lead sitting in her stomach, Sue is sure of it, because there has to be a reason for the sinking feeling that has taken hold of her.
Sue doesn't feel like this about anyone - the only person that could make her feel like the world has turned on its head was her sister. She shouldn't feel like this about Hummel.
Porcelain's father looks like he hasn't slept or showered in a week; his face is lined by stress and his eyes are dulled. His hand hasn't moved from where he has been clinging to his son's limp palm since she arrived.
Sue lets her eyes fall on Kurt's form again, trailing her gaze to the large bald patch that extends from the right side of his head just below his ear to the left side of his forehead. A thick line of stitches winds along the bare skin, creeping further passed the line of his scalp to meet with his left eyebrow.
The scarring will be bad. No matter how carefully the surgeon stitched the edges of skin together, the gash is much too rough to mend seamlessly. He'll probably carry the scar for the rest of his life.
Porcelain won't like that - he's always been obsessed about his image, and Sue can't imagine him embracing scar tissue.
"He hasn't woken up yet," Hummel says. "His brain took a hell of a beating - the swelling isn’t bad enough that they needed to drill a hole in his skull, but they were considering it for a while."
Sue continues to stare at Kurt, unwavering. Hummel must have a reason for telling her all of this; he probably wants her to feel guilty.
"They don't know the extent of the damage yet. We have to wait for him to wake up first." Hummel's voice comes out tight and choked.
This is nothing like the man who has stood against her for the last few weeks, nothing like the strong character that she's been ripping apart in her campaign.
"Is this how 'Sue 'C's it'?" Hummel blurts out, an anger in his tone that has seemingly come from nowhere. "That people like my son don't deserve to live in the greatness of this nation because they aren't what you deem appropriate?"
"Hummel," Sue starts to say, the ball of lead in her stomach doubling in size.
"I know," Hummel says, tired. "I know you didn't ask for this. But my son might wake up not knowing how to feed himself and I just - I don't know why this world hates him so much that - that strangers, people who don't know him, would want to hurt him."
Sue thinks of Jean, of all of the hard times they faced because of the hatred in this world, and she nods. "No matter what you may think, I am sorry this happened."
Hummel swallows hard, his knuckles blanching as he squeezes Kurt's hand even tighter.
--
I promise I haven't forgotten about this. I've just been very busy. Thank you to everyone who commented -- your words mean the world to me <3
Re: FILL 7/? Spoilers for 3.04 -- warnings: violence, language, homophobiafirefly_caDecember 13 2011, 15:52:19 UTC
Oh my god. You...this is really good. All the stuff about how Sue thinks of Kurt and how she somehow equates her feelings for him to feelings for her sister is just so perfect.
Take as long as you need for the next update, I will be ready to read it whenever it gets here :)
Re: FILL 7/? Spoilers for 3.04 -- warnings: violence, language, homophobianiniblackDecember 13 2011, 19:34:04 UTC
I just went from reading the update on the fic where Sue caused Kurt's head injury and coma to this fic where she didn't but feels like she did anyway and omg now I have so many feelings. I shouldn't read angst fic on my lunch my lunch. My coworkers are going to think I'm weirder.
Burt's anger at Sue is so perfect in this, even as he deflates right after lashing out at her. ;__;
Re: FILL 7/? Spoilers for 3.04 -- warnings: violence, language, homophobiamiggyDecember 13 2011, 21:31:52 UTC
Oh, this is such a punch to the gut! I love that you're delving into the real risks of such an attack and not just hand-waving the severity and possible suffering. Which is an odd way to say that I love this, I suppose. :)
Re: FILL 7/? Spoilers for 3.04 -- warnings: violence, language, homophobiaithicajackalDecember 14 2011, 01:35:55 UTC
I was so thrilled to see this update! This is wonderful, you are so talented. Your stories always rip at my heart, but I love them so. Also totally understandable you are busy. I hope the holiday season is treating you well though!
Re: FILL 7/? Spoilers for 3.04 -- warnings: violence, language, homophobiaalter_alteregoDecember 16 2011, 08:04:47 UTC
I may have flailed like a madwoman a bit to see this update in my inbox.
Then you got straight to the business of shredding my heart, so....
You do such a wonderful job at capturing Sue's guilt, even if she can't quite admit that's what it is. The stiff-legged walk to the bedside, the "ball of lead" in her stomach, her hesitance to look straight at Kurt.... She's so clearly off-balance and uncomfortable in this situation, fumbling --and failing-- to find solid footing.
Not only did you make Sue's remorse believable, but you made me feel Burt's grief. His sudden anger at Sue, followed immediately by resigned weariness makes me deseperate for someone to hold his hand. And that line about his son perhaps not remembering how to feed himself? Yeah, my heart's pretty thoroughly shredded over here.
Re: FILL 7/? Spoilers for 3.04 -- warnings: violence, language, homophobiaemoryemsJanuary 3 2012, 08:24:45 UTC
OP here...
Oh, hell.
I've had a couple of family emergencies stacked up on top of one another over the past month, and I'm afraid stalking the glee angst meme fell down a ways on my list of priorities for a while. But here you've been all this time, cranking out this masterpiece of a story while I've been gone! Talk about an incredible "welcome back, where've you been?" gift!
Seriously, this is everything I could've asked for and more so far. Your Sue Sylvester voice is just perfect, right down to her nipples that "tingle in delight" when she reads hate mail directed at herself. And I love how easy it is to see that she truly does care for Kurt, even through all of her sarcastic narratives. "She doesn't remember telling her voters to try to kill her opposition. Not explicitly, at least." That perfect balance of humor and angst is what really makes her stand out as a character.
Kurt's reaction to his soon-to-be-attackers was spot on as well. "'A dog, really?' Damn his mouth." I just love that line! It's so very, very Kurt to press on regardless of whether it might land him in trouble. Especially when it comes to pointing out his own superiority in his ability to dish out witty comebacks.
I was also rather impressed that Kurt thought to take a short video of his attackers for identification, and I certainly couldn't blame him for thinking he was safe once he made it to the more crowded streets. That attack was intense!
It was Burt's last line to Sue in this latest chapter though that really stuck with me the most. In fact, that line of thinking is exactly what inspired me to make this prompt in the first place.
Thank you so much for this! What a wonderful fill! I can hardly wait to read more.
"Are you going to just stand there?"
Sue clears her throat, but no words come to mind. Instead, she walks, strides stiff and uneven, to the unoccupied chair on the opposite side of Hummel's bed, and sits down slowly.
Back straight and lips pinched, Sue allows her gaze to settle on Kurt, and this time her eyes don't leave any detail unseen. Her fists clench where they rest on her tracksuit covered knees and her teeth grind roughly as she takes in the sight.
Hummel's always been pale, like he was an extra from some movie about brooding, big-haired vampires, but it's never been like this before.
His skin isn't the quality of porcelain anymore - it is dull and almost waxy, and Sue can see every mark on him as though they are painted on. Dark blues and blacks, some crimson. The bruising is the worst on his right side, radiating to cover his shoulder and up his neck.
There is a ball of lead sitting in her stomach, Sue is sure of it, because there has to be a reason for the sinking feeling that has taken hold of her.
Sue doesn't feel like this about anyone - the only person that could make her feel like the world has turned on its head was her sister. She shouldn't feel like this about Hummel.
Porcelain's father looks like he hasn't slept or showered in a week; his face is lined by stress and his eyes are dulled. His hand hasn't moved from where he has been clinging to his son's limp palm since she arrived.
Sue lets her eyes fall on Kurt's form again, trailing her gaze to the large bald patch that extends from the right side of his head just below his ear to the left side of his forehead. A thick line of stitches winds along the bare skin, creeping further passed the line of his scalp to meet with his left eyebrow.
The scarring will be bad. No matter how carefully the surgeon stitched the edges of skin together, the gash is much too rough to mend seamlessly. He'll probably carry the scar for the rest of his life.
Porcelain won't like that - he's always been obsessed about his image, and Sue can't imagine him embracing scar tissue.
"He hasn't woken up yet," Hummel says. "His brain took a hell of a beating - the swelling isn’t bad enough that they needed to drill a hole in his skull, but they were considering it for a while."
Sue continues to stare at Kurt, unwavering. Hummel must have a reason for telling her all of this; he probably wants her to feel guilty.
"They don't know the extent of the damage yet. We have to wait for him to wake up first." Hummel's voice comes out tight and choked.
This is nothing like the man who has stood against her for the last few weeks, nothing like the strong character that she's been ripping apart in her campaign.
"Is this how 'Sue 'C's it'?" Hummel blurts out, an anger in his tone that has seemingly come from nowhere. "That people like my son don't deserve to live in the greatness of this nation because they aren't what you deem appropriate?"
"Hummel," Sue starts to say, the ball of lead in her stomach doubling in size.
"I know," Hummel says, tired. "I know you didn't ask for this. But my son might wake up not knowing how to feed himself and I just - I don't know why this world hates him so much that - that strangers, people who don't know him, would want to hurt him."
Sue thinks of Jean, of all of the hard times they faced because of the hatred in this world, and she nods. "No matter what you may think, I am sorry this happened."
Hummel swallows hard, his knuckles blanching as he squeezes Kurt's hand even tighter.
--
I promise I haven't forgotten about this. I've just been very busy. Thank you to everyone who commented -- your words mean the world to me <3
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Take as long as you need for the next update, I will be ready to read it whenever it gets here :)
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Burt's anger at Sue is so perfect in this, even as he deflates right after lashing out at her. ;__;
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Also totally understandable you are busy. I hope the holiday season is treating you well though!
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Then you got straight to the business of shredding my heart, so....
You do such a wonderful job at capturing Sue's guilt, even if she can't quite admit that's what it is. The stiff-legged walk to the bedside, the "ball of lead" in her stomach, her hesitance to look straight at Kurt.... She's so clearly off-balance and uncomfortable in this situation, fumbling --and failing-- to find solid footing.
Not only did you make Sue's remorse believable, but you made me feel Burt's grief. His sudden anger at Sue, followed immediately by resigned weariness makes me deseperate for someone to hold his hand. And that line about his son perhaps not remembering how to feed himself? Yeah, my heart's pretty thoroughly shredded over here.
(As always, that's my way of saying "thanks!")
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Oh, hell.
I've had a couple of family emergencies stacked up on top of one another over the past month, and I'm afraid stalking the glee angst meme fell down a ways on my list of priorities for a while. But here you've been all this time, cranking out this masterpiece of a story while I've been gone! Talk about an incredible "welcome back, where've you been?" gift!
Seriously, this is everything I could've asked for and more so far. Your Sue Sylvester voice is just perfect, right down to her nipples that "tingle in delight" when she reads hate mail directed at herself. And I love how easy it is to see that she truly does care for Kurt, even through all of her sarcastic narratives. "She doesn't remember telling her voters to try to kill her opposition. Not explicitly, at least." That perfect balance of humor and angst is what really makes her stand out as a character.
Kurt's reaction to his soon-to-be-attackers was spot on as well. "'A dog, really?' Damn his mouth." I just love that line! It's so very, very Kurt to press on regardless of whether it might land him in trouble. Especially when it comes to pointing out his own superiority in his ability to dish out witty comebacks.
I was also rather impressed that Kurt thought to take a short video of his attackers for identification, and I certainly couldn't blame him for thinking he was safe once he made it to the more crowded streets. That attack was intense!
It was Burt's last line to Sue in this latest chapter though that really stuck with me the most. In fact, that line of thinking is exactly what inspired me to make this prompt in the first place.
Thank you so much for this! What a wonderful fill! I can hardly wait to read more.
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You are so wonderful OP! I figured that you either didn't see the fill or got too busy :) I'm so, so freaking happy that you like it.
I really hope that everything is okay with you and your family -- that definitely comes first. ♥
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