Fic!
Title: The Picture
Author: Halo (said-the-otter)
Rating: G
Summary: Amanda finds the picture Kyle drew
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any $$
Pairing: None
Warning: None
Spoilers: Set after the 4th episode. So probably totally AU (but really, isn't all fic?)
A/N: This is my third venture into this fandom (the unposted drabbles can be found at the bottom of this page). I'm predominantly an X-Men movieverse writer. Ahem. Comments welcome; flames make the otter cry.
He must not have heard her, when she'd called out after him. He'd left, so quickly. Charlie had glanced to her for explanation, but she hadn't had one to give him - at least, not one she wanted to share. She was torn between wanting to follow him, and wanting to stay with Charlie. Ironically, her boyfriend solved the problem. "Why don't you go see if he's okay, and I'll get us something to drink?"
She'd nodded, and he'd kissed her, and she hurried after the Tragers ... but she didn't see them anywhere. She frowned, and moved a little farther in the darkness, looking for some sign, any sign, that they'd come this way. Maybe they'd circled back around to the front? Brushing her hair out of her eyes, she looked around, and saw something floating in the pool. Curious, she made her way over.
It took her a moment to figure out what it was, and she knelt to retreive it. She shook the water off as gently as she could, but even so, some of the colors ran. It was clear enough that she could see what it was, and she sat down on the concrete, gazing at the picture.
How do you draw what you feel?
She hadn't been able to offer him any advice, not really ... but it looked like he'd gotten a handle on it, anyway. She rested her elbow on her knee, and her forehead on her hand as she studied the picture. Swirls of blue and white - water - around her. Was that how he saw her? Was that how he felt? How, exactly, was she supposed to translate that into feeling?
"Amanda?"
She jumped a little in surprise, her elbow slipping off her thigh as she turned her head. "Hey."
"Is everything all right?" Charlie crouched down beside her, resting a hand softly on her back.
"Yeah, I just --"
"What's that?" She didn't miss the slightly suspicious edge to his voice.
"It's just... a picture. Kyle must have done it."
"Your neighbor? Why would he draw a picture of you? What have you been doing while I've been gone?"
"It's not like that." She stood up, holding the picture close, but carefully. "He just showed up a few days ago. The Tragers ... adopted him. He's special. One of Mrs. Trager's patients. Nothing's going on." But even as she said the words, she had to wonder at the truth behind them. She wondered why it hadn't been this clear before.
Kyle liked her.
On reflection, she supposed she'd known. Was that why she hadn't ever mentioned Charlie to him? It seemed cruel, in retrospect. He must have been so surprised. So hurt. She gazed down at the picture, and decided she'd have to go apologize, or ... something. Tomorrow. It was too late tonight. She glanced to Charlie, smiling. "Whenever you're ready."
"Amanda. We just got here." His eyes narrowed, briefly, then he shrugged it off. "Whatever. They're your friends." He gestured to the picture she was holding. "Are you keeping that?"
"Yes." Why shouldn't she? It had been meant for her after all.
She didn't miss his expression - narrowed eyes, slight sneer. She took his hand gently, squeezing it as she glanced up to him. She felt him relax, and he smiled down at her. "You promise me there's nothing going on?"
"I promise."
Author: Halo (said-the-otter)
Rating: G
Summary: Amanda finds the picture Kyle drew
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any $$
Pairing: None
Warning: None
Spoilers: Set after the 4th episode. So probably totally AU (but really, isn't all fic?)
A/N: This is my third venture into this fandom (the unposted drabbles can be found at the bottom of this page). I'm predominantly an X-Men movieverse writer. Ahem. Comments welcome; flames make the otter cry.
He must not have heard her, when she'd called out after him. He'd left, so quickly. Charlie had glanced to her for explanation, but she hadn't had one to give him - at least, not one she wanted to share. She was torn between wanting to follow him, and wanting to stay with Charlie. Ironically, her boyfriend solved the problem. "Why don't you go see if he's okay, and I'll get us something to drink?"
She'd nodded, and he'd kissed her, and she hurried after the Tragers ... but she didn't see them anywhere. She frowned, and moved a little farther in the darkness, looking for some sign, any sign, that they'd come this way. Maybe they'd circled back around to the front? Brushing her hair out of her eyes, she looked around, and saw something floating in the pool. Curious, she made her way over.
It took her a moment to figure out what it was, and she knelt to retreive it. She shook the water off as gently as she could, but even so, some of the colors ran. It was clear enough that she could see what it was, and she sat down on the concrete, gazing at the picture.
How do you draw what you feel?
She hadn't been able to offer him any advice, not really ... but it looked like he'd gotten a handle on it, anyway. She rested her elbow on her knee, and her forehead on her hand as she studied the picture. Swirls of blue and white - water - around her. Was that how he saw her? Was that how he felt? How, exactly, was she supposed to translate that into feeling?
"Amanda?"
She jumped a little in surprise, her elbow slipping off her thigh as she turned her head. "Hey."
"Is everything all right?" Charlie crouched down beside her, resting a hand softly on her back.
"Yeah, I just --"
"What's that?" She didn't miss the slightly suspicious edge to his voice.
"It's just... a picture. Kyle must have done it."
"Your neighbor? Why would he draw a picture of you? What have you been doing while I've been gone?"
"It's not like that." She stood up, holding the picture close, but carefully. "He just showed up a few days ago. The Tragers ... adopted him. He's special. One of Mrs. Trager's patients. Nothing's going on." But even as she said the words, she had to wonder at the truth behind them. She wondered why it hadn't been this clear before.
Kyle liked her.
On reflection, she supposed she'd known. Was that why she hadn't ever mentioned Charlie to him? It seemed cruel, in retrospect. He must have been so surprised. So hurt. She gazed down at the picture, and decided she'd have to go apologize, or ... something. Tomorrow. It was too late tonight. She glanced to Charlie, smiling. "Whenever you're ready."
"Amanda. We just got here." His eyes narrowed, briefly, then he shrugged it off. "Whatever. They're your friends." He gestured to the picture she was holding. "Are you keeping that?"
"Yes." Why shouldn't she? It had been meant for her after all.
She didn't miss his expression - narrowed eyes, slight sneer. She took his hand gently, squeezing it as she glanced up to him. She felt him relax, and he smiled down at her. "You promise me there's nothing going on?"
"I promise."