51 sentences of Posner/Scripps
Title: 50 51 Sentences of Posner & Scripps
Pairing: Scripps/Posner (of History Boys fandom)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: 51 sentences follow Posner and Scripps through their relationship
Notes: Many thanks to katilara & ekaterin24 for all the support and beta'ing! These are in chronological rather than prompt order as they follow the same version of Scripps/Posner
#07 - Waste/Wasteland
Scripps gets completely wasted the night he sees Posner kissing a bloke outside the bar, but it isn't until he's sober that he realizes why - he's jealous.
#20 - Bane
Posner discovers one evening that Scripps is the bane of his existence; he can't even kiss a bloke without thinking of what Scripps' lips might feel like against his, though it isn't until he accidentally calls the bloke he's kissing by the wrong name that he realizes just what a problem it really is.
#02 - Waltz
The more Scripps thinks about it, the more he realizes that he and Pos are engaged in an elaborate waltz - secretive glances, lingering touches, communicating without actually saying anything - neither of them leading, merely dancing until one of them dares make a move.
#33 - Stupidity
When Posner kisses him, the first thing to come out of his mouth is, "I've been an idiot, haven't I?" to which Posner can only smile in agreement.
#31 - Smirk
It's Scripps' smirk in the end that makes Posner fall head-over-heels for him, though it could have been any number of things: his caring nature, the way he really watches people, his endless writing, his open mind, his good nature... no, in the end it was his smirk Posner fell for.
#45 - Natural
Kissing Scripps is as natural as living, breathing, and Posner can't help the small groan that escapes his lips when they part because it feels a bit like dying.
#26 - Jump
He wonders at jumping into a relationship with Posner, if it's a smart thing to do, before he realizes rather belatedly that he doesn't need to jump - he's already fallen right in.
#04 - Wonder Sometimes he wonders what God thinks about he and Posner, but most times he doesn't care - God has more important things to worry about.
#43 - Nuance
He supposes Posner is his boyfriend even though he's not a boy anymore and they don't go on dates and things, (actually they don't go out much at all) but still, he feels like he needs a different word to describe Posner and the nuances of their relationship in his journal (and though "love" is nudging the corners of his mind it hasn't quite entered the scene).
#17 - Belief
His parents would rather have him gay than religious which suits him just fine - David Posner has turned into something of a religion himself without Scripps even noticing.
#01 - Walking It's not a particularly special moment - they're just meandering down Addison's walk - but when Scripps looks over and sees the sunlight reflecting off Posner's face he knows he's in love.
#15 - Breathing The first time they make love Posner stays the night and Scripps is half-surprised at how easy it is to fall asleep with Posner's head on his chest and his hand on Posner's back, keeping time with each others breathing.
#48 - Virtuous
His Sheffield classmates still see him as their virtuous religious mate and while Scripps could dispel those thoughts merely by disclosing what he and Posner did last night; like a closely guarded secret he keeps their personal life to himself.
#12 - Blessing When Dakin reluctantly says, "love looks good on you," Scripps knows they're going to be okay, even if Dakin thinks he can do better than Posner (namely, with him).
#34 - Serenade
He is convinced he will never get tired of Posner singing; just one note and he forgets himself, forgets everything except the sound of Posner's voice and his own hands playing piano, a natural duet.
#11 - Birthday
Scripps has never been one for birthdays (he has his Aunt Muriel to blame for that) but when he sees Posner waiting for him on their bed - nude except for the card he's holding - he swears he could get used to this.
#29 - Jewel
Their first apartment is tucked away on an old street, shaded by trees, "the perfect thing for two bachelors" (or so their real estate agent says with a knowing smile), and it is perfect or maybe it's just perfect because it's theirs.
#28 - Jousting
They're still boys more than men - they duel using wooden spoons in the kitchen while quoting Princess Bride (or at least they do until Posner says, "oh, let's go fuck" and a startled Scripps can only blink and quip, "as you wish").
#14 - Burning
It's just the two of them enclosed in their cocoon of a bed, candles lit around them, the smell of burning and sex in the air, and Posner's sure he's never felt so at home before.
#50 - Defeat
Scripps finally has to admit defeat with two letter tiles (J, N) still on his tray but as he watches Posner's self-satisfied smile grow as he tallies up their scores, he doesn't exactly feel like he's lost.
#36 - Sordid
They jokingly refer to their relationship as 'the sordid affair' but Posner actually calls it (though only in the privacy of his own mind) 'the best thing that could have happened'.
#39 - Share Scripps doesn't realize how many of their possessions they're sharing until they come out of the shower together and both reach for the same towel.
#22 - Quirks
Scripps has his quirks like only using black pens from a particular store in London and only wearing navy socks even with black pants but Posner puts up with them fine, in fact he even encourages them as Scripps discovers when one morning when he finds all his worn, holey socks replaced with new navy ones folded perfectly in his drawer.
#32 - Sorrow
He doesn't tell his parents about he and Scripps and most of the time it doesn't matter (it's their business, he insists when Don asks), but he does feel a pang of sorrow when his mother moans yet again about his lack of girlfriend.
#35 - Sarcasm
Posner's sarcasm gets to him sometimes - that self-deprecating humour he employs - but he'd still rather have that than dishonesty.
#16 - Breaking
Scripps struggles with a thousand sentiments as he holds Posner close to him, but none of them can stop the boy from falling apart in his arms.
#05 - Worry
He doesn't need to worry about Posner - many other people do - but when he's home alone waiting for Posner to come in out of the rain, he just can't help it.
#09 - War
He wants to shout at Scripps to leave him, that he's no good and never will be, but he keeps his mouth shut - their wars are fought silently.
#25 - Quitting
When he sees Posner's crumpled form on the bathroom floor, he can't even breathe; all he can think is, 'God if you take him now we are done.'
#08 - Whiskey and rum
He doesn't normally drink - it makes him dizzy and crass - but the night Posner is admitted into hospital and Scripps can't follow because he's not fucking family he drowns his sorrows in whiskey and rum.
#03 - Wishes Scripps rests his head on the pew in front of him and prays, harder than he's ever prayed before (even for Oxford) for God - for anyone - to send Posner back to him safe and sound and in one piece.
#40 - Solitary
Posner has his own room at the hospital and while he should be grateful for the privacy, as he stares at the peeling wallpaper and wonders how he's going to get to sleep without Scripps' steady breathing beside him, he's never felt more alone.
#44 - Near
When Scripps visits Posner in the hospital, he would like to think that it is really a selfless act for Posner's benefit - to hold his hand, read him poetry, check in on him - but he knows it really is just to be near to him; to breathe in his scent, touch his hair, and to know he is still here, breathing.
#38 - Sojourn
Scripps comes and visits him every day at four in the afternoon during his three-week stint in the hospital and though it's sometimes awkward between the two of them, it's the only thing that gets him through the nights.
#21 - Quiet
It's quiet here in their apartment by himself, but when Scripps breaks the silence by turning on the radio it seems empty without Posner's lilting tenor singing along.
#23 - Question
He wants to ask Posner what happened, why he wasn't enough, why Pos couldn't just be happy, but one look into his empty eyes makes him shut his mouth and pull Posner to him instead.
#37 - Soliloquy
Without Posner around he finds he talks to himself more often - nothing crazy, just reminding himself to do the wash and finish writing the column that's due tomorrow, but he's still glad when Posner comes home and he has someone to reply.
#49 - Victory
Posner's first smile out of the hospital is more like a smirk, over something Irwin said of all people, but Scripps still counts it as a victory.
#51 - Broken
They haven't had sex since he's been home from the hospital, almost as if Scripps is afraid of breaking him; Posner doesn't have the heart to tell him he's already broken.
#41 - Nowhere
They're very good at having conversations that say everything except what they mean, what they cannot confront or admit to; it's like treading water - moving but not going anywhere.
#30 - Just
"But I'm not what you need!" Scripps shouts, "I'm just - just me," and Posner wants to hit sense into him, hard, but instead he says, "but can't you see Don, that's all I've ever needed?"
#19 - Balcony
He gets nervous when he sees Posner on the balcony - last month's episode too fresh in his mind - and when Posner turns and smiles at him, instead of making him feel better it makes him feel worse (he's seen these tricks before).
#13 - Bias
Posner's healing slowly, slowly, and while Scripps knows he's biased, he can't help but think that part of that is because of him.
#06 - Whimsy
He buys flowers during his lunch break - a bit of whimsy for their anniversary - and endures all sorts of teasing over it from his fellow journalists but when he appears in the doorway, flowers in hand, and sees Posner's face light up it's definitely worth it.
#27 - Jester
There are things they don't joke about - Hector, Posner's breakdown, Scripps' unfinished novel, and Posner's mother - but the rest is fair game, even when it probably shouldn't be.
#47 - Valiant
When he picks Posner up from play practice early, he is amazed to see his usually quiet lover transformed into a passionate director - loud and in control in a way Scripps has never quite seen, like a valiant soldier leading his troops into war.
#42 - Neutral
"You like him - that student of yours," Scripps accuses despite trying to keep his tone neutral and can't help but cringe when Posner can't meet his eyes.
#24 - Quarrel
They fight about the student - the one Posner privately tutors - and Scripps can't help but make accusations until Posner shouts, "I wouldn't touch him, I swear, not just because he's eighteen, but because I love you."
#18 - Balloon
When Scripps walks into their living room and sees Posner asleep with half-graded papers spread out on his lap he feels such tenderness ballooning inside him that it threatens to burst the cavity of his chest and escape into the night air.
#10 - Weddings
All their friends are getting married - big to-dos with confetti and cake - but when Scripps half-jokingly proposes to Posner after one of these affairs Posner just sort of tilts his head and says, "aren't we already?"
#46 - Horizon
They have ups and downs but Posner is coming to realize that that is just life, and like watching the sun set on the horizon he has no fear for he knows it must rise again tomorrow.