Fic: Light Conversation (HoE)
I was too tired to do anything for fic_rush (still not sure I'm really any better today *sigh*) but I did manage the Opening of the Word Doc and lo! There I found a finished ficlet I had no idea why I hadn't posted. So.
Title: Light Conversation
Author: lost_spook
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 708
Characters/Pairings: Beatrice Eliott, Jack Maddox (Bea/Jack)
Notes/Warnings: None. Fluff.
Summary: Bea and Jack, and a moment in conversation after an evening out.
For paranoidangel42 in the 500 Prompts Meme - Prompt 155 - Endless darkness - Bea/Jack (House of Eliott). (I may be subverting the prompt a little, but it was randomly chosen, so I’m not being awkward. Not any more so than usual, anyway.)
***
Bea watched as Jack battled with the lock of the door. It was dark in the doorway and it seemed to be feeling temperamental tonight. “But it is something different,” she said, as she tried not to block the street lights. “Evie’s thrilled at the idea, and I do think it will be a challenge -”
“Challenge?” said Jack, finally getting the door open and standing back for her to enter, waving her in with a flourish. “I thought the whole point was that all the costumes were supposed to be black. Isn’t that going to the limit the creativity of even the Eliott sisters? No, wait, don’t tell me. There are more shades of black than are dreamed of in my ignorant philosophy.”
“Jack -”
“Coal-black, closet-black, boot-black -”
Bea pulled a face at him as Jack shut the door behind them before turning to grin back at her.
“There is to be some colour,” said Bea, and though she attempted to sound stern, there was humour dancing in her eyes. “And, yes - or at least different fabrics will give different effects and so on. And then there are the accessories -”
“Still,” said Jack, shedding his coat and hat. “Endless Darkness about sums it up. Rather bleak, wasn’t it?”
Bea swung around. “Jack! That wasn’t what you said to Sarah - or didn’t you mean that about wanting the film rights?”
“Oh, I meant it, don’t worry,” Jack told her, as he fished in his pocket for a cigarette and his lighter. “She’s got considerable talent - and it is the kind of story that needs to be told. But you have to admit, the overall effect’s a bit - well -”
“Annihilating?” suggested Bea, and then gave a laugh. “I agree.”
Jack raised his eyebrows. “I was only going to say that it puts a bit of a dampener on an evening out, but now that you mention it -”
“Yes,” said Bea. “But you are right. It was certainly very interesting. I don’t think I shall be able to get some of those scenes out of my head for quite some time.”
“In general, though, I’m all for at least a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”
“And Sarah herself is so cheerful,” added Beatrice. “You’d never think she could write something quite that - well -”
“Annihilating?” Jack grinned again, and pulled her down to sit next to him on the sofa. “Endless Darkness… You know, it doesn’t sound like a bad description of my life before I met you.”
Bea turned her head. “Honestly, Jack, I was your secretary, you know. Your social diary wasn’t precisely empty then, either. And don’t try to tell me you hated every minute of it, because I won’t believe you.”
“Bloody pointless, though,” he said, leaning his head back. “Yes, all of it. Besides, that was meant to be flattering -”
“It sounded like unjustifiable self-pity,” she said, severely, though she might have been teasing. He couldn’t quite tell. “That or a gross exaggeration.”
“Metaphorically,” said Jack, shaking his head at her. “Ye gods, woman, is an attempt at a heartfelt compliment a crime now? Of course, I know better than to hope you’ll return the favour, but -”
“Jack!” Then Beatrice leant back against him with a laugh. “Well, you should know by now that it’s simply no good expecting me to make ridiculous flowery statements of that nature.”
“Sarah’s not the only female around here with a tendency to be annihilating.”
“Oh, Jack, you know how much I love you, but honestly -”
He kissed her. “See, that was an improvement. You could do better, though.”
“I could certainly do worse,” said Beatrice and gave him a distinctly wicked smile. “As you know only too well.” Then she kissed him in return and they lapsed into companionable silence.
After a while, he glanced down at her and murmured, “Penny for them, Bea?”
“I was only thinking,” said Beatrice, “that I’m not at all sure that using chiffon for Lady Anstice’s gown was a good idea. I should really make a note to tell Evie in the morning before I forget.”
Jack laid his head back against the back of the sofa and grinned upwards. “Ask a stupid question…”
***
Crossposted from Dreamwidth -- Comments there:
Title: Light Conversation
Author: lost_spook
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 708
Characters/Pairings: Beatrice Eliott, Jack Maddox (Bea/Jack)
Notes/Warnings: None. Fluff.
Summary: Bea and Jack, and a moment in conversation after an evening out.
For paranoidangel42 in the 500 Prompts Meme - Prompt 155 - Endless darkness - Bea/Jack (House of Eliott). (I may be subverting the prompt a little, but it was randomly chosen, so I’m not being awkward. Not any more so than usual, anyway.)
***
Bea watched as Jack battled with the lock of the door. It was dark in the doorway and it seemed to be feeling temperamental tonight. “But it is something different,” she said, as she tried not to block the street lights. “Evie’s thrilled at the idea, and I do think it will be a challenge -”
“Challenge?” said Jack, finally getting the door open and standing back for her to enter, waving her in with a flourish. “I thought the whole point was that all the costumes were supposed to be black. Isn’t that going to the limit the creativity of even the Eliott sisters? No, wait, don’t tell me. There are more shades of black than are dreamed of in my ignorant philosophy.”
“Jack -”
“Coal-black, closet-black, boot-black -”
Bea pulled a face at him as Jack shut the door behind them before turning to grin back at her.
“There is to be some colour,” said Bea, and though she attempted to sound stern, there was humour dancing in her eyes. “And, yes - or at least different fabrics will give different effects and so on. And then there are the accessories -”
“Still,” said Jack, shedding his coat and hat. “Endless Darkness about sums it up. Rather bleak, wasn’t it?”
Bea swung around. “Jack! That wasn’t what you said to Sarah - or didn’t you mean that about wanting the film rights?”
“Oh, I meant it, don’t worry,” Jack told her, as he fished in his pocket for a cigarette and his lighter. “She’s got considerable talent - and it is the kind of story that needs to be told. But you have to admit, the overall effect’s a bit - well -”
“Annihilating?” suggested Bea, and then gave a laugh. “I agree.”
Jack raised his eyebrows. “I was only going to say that it puts a bit of a dampener on an evening out, but now that you mention it -”
“Yes,” said Bea. “But you are right. It was certainly very interesting. I don’t think I shall be able to get some of those scenes out of my head for quite some time.”
“In general, though, I’m all for at least a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”
“And Sarah herself is so cheerful,” added Beatrice. “You’d never think she could write something quite that - well -”
“Annihilating?” Jack grinned again, and pulled her down to sit next to him on the sofa. “Endless Darkness… You know, it doesn’t sound like a bad description of my life before I met you.”
Bea turned her head. “Honestly, Jack, I was your secretary, you know. Your social diary wasn’t precisely empty then, either. And don’t try to tell me you hated every minute of it, because I won’t believe you.”
“Bloody pointless, though,” he said, leaning his head back. “Yes, all of it. Besides, that was meant to be flattering -”
“It sounded like unjustifiable self-pity,” she said, severely, though she might have been teasing. He couldn’t quite tell. “That or a gross exaggeration.”
“Metaphorically,” said Jack, shaking his head at her. “Ye gods, woman, is an attempt at a heartfelt compliment a crime now? Of course, I know better than to hope you’ll return the favour, but -”
“Jack!” Then Beatrice leant back against him with a laugh. “Well, you should know by now that it’s simply no good expecting me to make ridiculous flowery statements of that nature.”
“Sarah’s not the only female around here with a tendency to be annihilating.”
“Oh, Jack, you know how much I love you, but honestly -”
He kissed her. “See, that was an improvement. You could do better, though.”
“I could certainly do worse,” said Beatrice and gave him a distinctly wicked smile. “As you know only too well.” Then she kissed him in return and they lapsed into companionable silence.
After a while, he glanced down at her and murmured, “Penny for them, Bea?”
“I was only thinking,” said Beatrice, “that I’m not at all sure that using chiffon for Lady Anstice’s gown was a good idea. I should really make a note to tell Evie in the morning before I forget.”
Jack laid his head back against the back of the sofa and grinned upwards. “Ask a stupid question…”
***
Crossposted from Dreamwidth -- Comments there: