this is what we talk about [ivan side] - 3/3
anonymous
May 15 2009, 19:38:25 UTC
This is What We Talk About [Ivan side] - part three
It is almost blinding, Alfred's smile, and Ivan finds he must look away from it. His eyes slide to the picture opposite, but find no relief for Alfred smiles at him out of that picture as well, this time standing beside Japan.
A strange feeling comes over Ivan as he straightens and hands the wallet back to Alfred, who thanks him. Ivan watches Alfred look at the pictures. There is no escaping the fact that everyone in the picture is someone Alfred fought with bitterly at one point, and defeated (if Alfred counts the Cold War his victory, which Ivan knows he does). Ivan keeps such pictures himself. But there is nothing in Alfred's photographs that speaks of conquest. Alfred's photographs speak of something else, something essentially Alfred-or at least the Alfred that comes back to Ivan when he saw that picture from Potsdam.
Alfred is sitting on the other side of the table again, drinking whisky, unwilling to acknowledge the erroneous heat. He is so steadfast in refusing to admit his mistake that he begins to hum.
But then Ivan recognizes the tune, and thinks it may not be false nonchalance after all. This is the song from the film that was playing on the television in his hotel room last night. The humming, Ivan reconsiders, may be connected to Alfred having looked at those photographs just now.
Ivan is willing to drink with Alfred and even to listen to Alfred's humming, but he does not wish to watch Alfred turn darker shades of pink or start to sweat through his bomber jacket. He opens the window behind him, allowing fresh, cool air into the room. Alfred says nothing, interrupting his humming only to drink from the flask, resuming it even as he swallows. Ivan wonders if Alfred has presumed Ivan is familiar with the song, as he seems to assume that all the world knows of his "culture," and if perhaps this is a new game.
"I know you identify yourself with Superman, Alfred," Ivan says. "But I do not think you are correct in that."
The humming breaks off, the flask coming down to the table with a surprisingly soft thud. "Christ, Ivan. Do you really think you need to tell me that?"
So it is not a game, after all. In that case, Ivan will shut his mouth. He will not tell Alfred that the superhero of his he should identify with is the Spider-Man. What was the line? 'With great power comes great responsibility.' That is the Alfred that Ivan remembers.
The Alfred before Ivan now has closed his eyes again as he drains the flask. When he offers to return it, Ivan shakes his head. "It is nothing." He does not want Alfred to think him so poorly off now that he cannot afford the loss of a simple flask. "Keep it."
"Well, if you're sure." Alfred shrugs and pockets the flask. He stands to go. "Tomorrow, then?"
"Tomorrow," Ivan agrees.
Unaccountably, Alfred pauses in the doorway, but does not turn around. Low in the sky now, the sun casts its late afternoon light through the window, bathing Alfred golden as he stands there. Not a superhero after all, Ivan muses, but ever the lone cowboy striding away in the sunset.
He smiles when Alfred has gone. Puts away his flask and, humming himself, puts his hands in his pockets as he goes.
[end]
NOTES: Author!anon did not set this at a specific meeting, but from context is guessing it takes place around 2005 or 2006. The most time-specific clue is the song Alfred is humming, which is "Hero" from Spider-Man 2.
Finally, the title is stolen from a Raymond Carver story. The full title of Carver's story is "This is What We Talk About When We Talk About Love."
Re: this is what we talk about [ivan side] - 3/3
anonymous
May 17 2009, 05:33:57 UTC
Author!anon is very happy you liked it so well, and thanks you for your praise! I share your paranoia, btw; I have lost too much by not being paranoid enough...
Thank you so much for this Anon. You captured the dynamic between these two in such an interesting way that I hardly ever see for this pairing. God, I'm not coherent enough to properly express how much I love this XD
I do hope you write more for these two in the future! I'm definitely keeping this bookmark'd!
Author!anon is really happy you enjoyed it, OP! Even though Ivan and Alfred are one of my favorite pairings, I wasn't sure I would ever write them--but I couldn't resist your prompt, which seemed open to other kinds of intimacy besides sexual and therefore intrigued me. So thank you very much for the prompt!
Re: this is what we talk about [ivan side] - 3/3
anonymous
May 17 2009, 07:16:36 UTC
ican'tbelieveyoucomparedamericatospiderman I LOVE YOU FOR THAT
Your Ivan is fantastic. It's great that despite both pieces being in third person, they each have a certain flair that fits the character they're talking about better.
It is almost blinding, Alfred's smile, and Ivan finds he must look away from it. His eyes slide to the picture opposite, but find no relief for Alfred smiles at him out of that picture as well, this time standing beside Japan.
A strange feeling comes over Ivan as he straightens and hands the wallet back to Alfred, who thanks him. Ivan watches Alfred look at the pictures. There is no escaping the fact that everyone in the picture is someone Alfred fought with bitterly at one point, and defeated (if Alfred counts the Cold War his victory, which Ivan knows he does). Ivan keeps such pictures himself. But there is nothing in Alfred's photographs that speaks of conquest. Alfred's photographs speak of something else, something essentially Alfred-or at least the Alfred that comes back to Ivan when he saw that picture from Potsdam.
Alfred is sitting on the other side of the table again, drinking whisky, unwilling to acknowledge the erroneous heat. He is so steadfast in refusing to admit his mistake that he begins to hum.
But then Ivan recognizes the tune, and thinks it may not be false nonchalance after all. This is the song from the film that was playing on the television in his hotel room last night. The humming, Ivan reconsiders, may be connected to Alfred having looked at those photographs just now.
Ivan is willing to drink with Alfred and even to listen to Alfred's humming, but he does not wish to watch Alfred turn darker shades of pink or start to sweat through his bomber jacket. He opens the window behind him, allowing fresh, cool air into the room. Alfred says nothing, interrupting his humming only to drink from the flask, resuming it even as he swallows. Ivan wonders if Alfred has presumed Ivan is familiar with the song, as he seems to assume that all the world knows of his "culture," and if perhaps this is a new game.
"I know you identify yourself with Superman, Alfred," Ivan says. "But I do not think you are correct in that."
The humming breaks off, the flask coming down to the table with a surprisingly soft thud. "Christ, Ivan. Do you really think you need to tell me that?"
So it is not a game, after all. In that case, Ivan will shut his mouth. He will not tell Alfred that the superhero of his he should identify with is the Spider-Man. What was the line? 'With great power comes great responsibility.' That is the Alfred that Ivan remembers.
The Alfred before Ivan now has closed his eyes again as he drains the flask. When he offers to return it, Ivan shakes his head. "It is nothing." He does not want Alfred to think him so poorly off now that he cannot afford the loss of a simple flask. "Keep it."
"Well, if you're sure." Alfred shrugs and pockets the flask. He stands to go. "Tomorrow, then?"
"Tomorrow," Ivan agrees.
Unaccountably, Alfred pauses in the doorway, but does not turn around. Low in the sky now, the sun casts its late afternoon light through the window, bathing Alfred golden as he stands there. Not a superhero after all, Ivan muses, but ever the lone cowboy striding away in the sunset.
He smiles when Alfred has gone. Puts away his flask and, humming himself, puts his hands in his pockets as he goes.
[end]
NOTES:
Author!anon did not set this at a specific meeting, but from context is guessing it takes place around 2005 or 2006. The most time-specific clue is the song Alfred is humming, which is "Hero" from Spider-Man 2.
Finally, the title is stolen from a Raymond Carver story. The full title of Carver's story is "This is What We Talk About When We Talk About Love."
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*bookmarks
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Bookmark'd.
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I don't bookmark, I save. Yes I'm paranoid that the internet monster might eat my goodies up.
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Thank you so much for this Anon. You captured the dynamic between these two in such an interesting way that I hardly ever see for this pairing. God, I'm not coherent enough to properly express how much I love this XD
I do hope you write more for these two in the future! I'm definitely keeping this bookmark'd!
Again, thank you so much!
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Your Ivan is fantastic. It's great that despite both pieces being in third person, they each have a certain flair that fits the character they're talking about better.
I adore it. All of it.
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