"Forgive Me"
Moving on to the last story I have in my backlog of recent fic- and the first non-"Heroes" one I've posted here! It's called "Forgive Me", and it's based on the TV show "The Tribe" (one of my ultimate guilty pleasures). It's a rare story for me in that it's femslash, which I hardly ever read and even more rarely write, and that it's primarily dialogue. I have a habit of describing things for ages and ages in my fic and having very little conversation, so the fact that this one is so heavy on the dialogue is really something I'm happy about. Hope you enjoy!
Title: Forgive Me
Author: Saena
Rating: PG
Fandom, Pairing: The Tribe, Amber/Ebony
Also Posted At: tribefans , the_adult_tribe
Warnings: Brief mention of character death- but not either of the featured characters.
“I’m sorry.”
Amber wasn’t startled when Ebony finally spoke. She’d known for several minutes that the other girl was watching her from the doorway to the cabin, even if she didn’t acknowledge it. Instead of turning to face her, she leaned further forward on the rail of the small boat, resting her weight on her arms. “For what?”
Ebony sighed at the realization that a simple apology wasn’t going to suffice. She stepped onto the deck a few paces, but stopped before she got too close. “For what I said at the funeral,” she admitted, letting Amber hear the sincerity that crept into her voice. “You didn’t- I mean, you aren’t...I mean, I didn’t mean it.”
Amber laughed coldly under her breath and turned around with a scowl on her face, heading towards the cabin. As she brushed past Ebony, she spat out, “Oh, why don’t you go clear your conscience to somebody else and-“
“-Because I don’t have anyone else!” Ebony’s desperate exclamation stopped Amber in her tracks. “Now that Jay’s-“ At the sound of his name, Amber’s hand flew up to her mouth, as if to stifle a cry. Ebony closed her eyes and took a deep breath to regain her composure. “Now that he’s gone, and Slade and I aren’t going to work things out...you’re all I’ve got, Amber.”
Amber looked tired and grief-stricken, but a show of weakness and requests for help were both rare for Ebony, and she recognized that. She forced herself to look into the other girl’s eyes. “What do you want from me?” she asked quietly, her voice trembling.
Ebony suddenly felt even guiltier; Amber made it sound like she was planning to take advantage of her. “Nothing,” she whispered. “I guess...I guess I just want you to forgive me. I want to know that I made things right with someone.”
“This isn’t like you, Ebony,” Amber stated skeptically. “Since when have any of our opinions meant anything to you? Last I checked, you couldn’t care less about the Mallrats. What’s changed?” She was studying Ebony’s face for signs of the truth in her.
Ebony turned away, looking out into the water and the sunset far off in the horizon. “You know there’s a new life out there waiting for us, right?” Amber gave a small affirmative nod. “Everything we knew in the city, all this business about the Chosen and the Technos, Zoot... all of it’s going to be gone. We’re gone from that place. And all this time on the boat’s been making me think- maybe I want something else too. Maybe I want a new life.”
Amber moved to join her, leaning once again on the railing. “What makes you think we’ll work out? We didn’t before. Remember those fights we used to have? Everybody was wondering what had gotten into us. I’m surprised they didn’t catch on.”
“I remember,” Ebony agreed. After a pause, she added, “But we can make it better. You and me, we’re good for each other, Amber.”
Amber chuckled good-naturedly. “Where’d you get that idea?”
Ebony joined her in laughing. “Well, maybe not good for each other. But it’s the closest I’ve gotten in a long time.” She offered a small smile to Amber. In return, the blonde leaned in and rested her head on the other girl’s shoulder. Ebony put an arm around her.
They stared out into the still water. After several seconds Amber spoke, her voice small and scared. “Do you really think anything’s out there? Are we ever going to find a place to go?”
Something about the petite girl’s fear tugged at Ebony’s heart. She squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. “I know it, honey,” she informed her.
The comforting gesture managed to get a small smile out of Amber. Ebony stood up straighter and moved to take her hand. “Come on, we should get inside. The others will be back soon, and I think May was talking about starting up a poker game or something.” She grinned at Amber. “Care to try your luck?”
Amber shook her head resolutely.
“Why not?” Ebony questioned, nudging her in the side.
Amber smiled playfully. “Because you’ll win.”
Ebony slung her arm around the other girl’s shoulder and shook her head in denial as they went through the door to the lower cabin. “No way. Good always triumphs, baby. Haven’t you seen the movies?”
~*~*~*~*~
More stuff should be coming up soon- stay tuned! ;)
Sarah
Title: Forgive Me
Author: Saena
Rating: PG
Fandom, Pairing: The Tribe, Amber/Ebony
Also Posted At: tribefans , the_adult_tribe
Warnings: Brief mention of character death- but not either of the featured characters.
“I’m sorry.”
Amber wasn’t startled when Ebony finally spoke. She’d known for several minutes that the other girl was watching her from the doorway to the cabin, even if she didn’t acknowledge it. Instead of turning to face her, she leaned further forward on the rail of the small boat, resting her weight on her arms. “For what?”
Ebony sighed at the realization that a simple apology wasn’t going to suffice. She stepped onto the deck a few paces, but stopped before she got too close. “For what I said at the funeral,” she admitted, letting Amber hear the sincerity that crept into her voice. “You didn’t- I mean, you aren’t...I mean, I didn’t mean it.”
Amber laughed coldly under her breath and turned around with a scowl on her face, heading towards the cabin. As she brushed past Ebony, she spat out, “Oh, why don’t you go clear your conscience to somebody else and-“
“-Because I don’t have anyone else!” Ebony’s desperate exclamation stopped Amber in her tracks. “Now that Jay’s-“ At the sound of his name, Amber’s hand flew up to her mouth, as if to stifle a cry. Ebony closed her eyes and took a deep breath to regain her composure. “Now that he’s gone, and Slade and I aren’t going to work things out...you’re all I’ve got, Amber.”
Amber looked tired and grief-stricken, but a show of weakness and requests for help were both rare for Ebony, and she recognized that. She forced herself to look into the other girl’s eyes. “What do you want from me?” she asked quietly, her voice trembling.
Ebony suddenly felt even guiltier; Amber made it sound like she was planning to take advantage of her. “Nothing,” she whispered. “I guess...I guess I just want you to forgive me. I want to know that I made things right with someone.”
“This isn’t like you, Ebony,” Amber stated skeptically. “Since when have any of our opinions meant anything to you? Last I checked, you couldn’t care less about the Mallrats. What’s changed?” She was studying Ebony’s face for signs of the truth in her.
Ebony turned away, looking out into the water and the sunset far off in the horizon. “You know there’s a new life out there waiting for us, right?” Amber gave a small affirmative nod. “Everything we knew in the city, all this business about the Chosen and the Technos, Zoot... all of it’s going to be gone. We’re gone from that place. And all this time on the boat’s been making me think- maybe I want something else too. Maybe I want a new life.”
Amber moved to join her, leaning once again on the railing. “What makes you think we’ll work out? We didn’t before. Remember those fights we used to have? Everybody was wondering what had gotten into us. I’m surprised they didn’t catch on.”
“I remember,” Ebony agreed. After a pause, she added, “But we can make it better. You and me, we’re good for each other, Amber.”
Amber chuckled good-naturedly. “Where’d you get that idea?”
Ebony joined her in laughing. “Well, maybe not good for each other. But it’s the closest I’ve gotten in a long time.” She offered a small smile to Amber. In return, the blonde leaned in and rested her head on the other girl’s shoulder. Ebony put an arm around her.
They stared out into the still water. After several seconds Amber spoke, her voice small and scared. “Do you really think anything’s out there? Are we ever going to find a place to go?”
Something about the petite girl’s fear tugged at Ebony’s heart. She squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. “I know it, honey,” she informed her.
The comforting gesture managed to get a small smile out of Amber. Ebony stood up straighter and moved to take her hand. “Come on, we should get inside. The others will be back soon, and I think May was talking about starting up a poker game or something.” She grinned at Amber. “Care to try your luck?”
Amber shook her head resolutely.
“Why not?” Ebony questioned, nudging her in the side.
Amber smiled playfully. “Because you’ll win.”
Ebony slung her arm around the other girl’s shoulder and shook her head in denial as they went through the door to the lower cabin. “No way. Good always triumphs, baby. Haven’t you seen the movies?”
~*~*~*~*~
More stuff should be coming up soon- stay tuned! ;)
Sarah