meta: apoca!ship moments
Apoca!ship moments
So, wifey's wanted me to do this for a while, and I've finally got round to completing it. I've chosen three moments from each six ships mentioned here, and then there's some "thinky thoughts" that may be simple squee, or may be quite insightful, perhaps none, or perhaps both. I tried, at least. XD The list is in order of the ships on the picspam, and the moments are in what, to me, seems like a logical, chronological order. You'll see what I mean. XD Okay, hope you enjoy this guys. ♥ (Oh, and apologies for any scenes that are missing, for some I wanted to do five and then for others I struggled to get three, and I wanted to have equal numbers, so, mmm. XD)
Evan/Penny
1) "I have to ask, Evan, what made you change? You're so different now from who you were four years ago."
"Do you want the truth?" Evan asked, his green eyes intense as he looked at Penny.
She nodded, watching him curiously.
"It was you."
"Me?" Penny said, startled.
"You told me I needed to grow up, and it took losing you to see that you were right. I was steadily working on throwing my life away, and then you broke up with me and it was like reality just smacked me hard in the face." He paused, looking down at his hands before raising his eyes to Penny's face. "I did it for you, Pen. I thought that if I ever saw you again, no matter how unlikely it seemed, I wanted you to see that I could change, that I did change. Not to win you back or anything, but just so you could see that your words weren't wasted." ( Second Time Around)
I love how it's just so so obvious how much Evan cares about Penny, and how he's willing to sacrifice everything for her. Obvious endgame, or obvious endgame?
2) The evening ended with cake and presents. April thanked each person as she opened her gifts: a book of poetry from Sam, a pair of sapphire earrings from Nathan, and a purse from Evan and Penny.
"I picked the color," Evan said, grinning at her. His smile faded when Penny elbowed him. "What? I did."
April laughed and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I love the color, thank you."
Evan beamed and nudged Penny with his arm. "See? She loves the color." Penny shook her head, rolling her eyes, and April giggled. ( Love and Fear)
Does this count as Evan/Penny or Evan/April? I'm going to say that it's Evan/Penny, thank you very much. I might love this moment so much due to Evan's adorable factor, but I adore the contrast between Evan and Penny, and from that how well they suit each other. And Penny's reaction to Evan being adorable is adorable too. THEY'RE JUST RIDICULOUSLY ADORABLE, OKAY.
3) He took a breath, not sure how to begin, and then it all just came in a rush.
"Pen, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for - for getting angry, and for leaving. I know it's supposed to be good news but it still feels so uncertain, and it just... the thought of losing you scares me so much. I mean... what am I supposed to do if something happens to you?"
"I'm still here, Evan," Penny said quietly, still staring down at her lap.
"I know," Evan said quickly, shifting closer to her. "I know, and I'm sorry if it seems like I forgot."
He reached for her hand and she let him take it, looking up at him as he moved closer.
"I have to believe that she's right," Penny murmured, "because I don't want to think about the alternative." She raised her eyes to Evan's face, frowning slightly as she struggled against the tears shining in her eyes. "But if - if she's wrong... I need you, Evan." Her voice broke and she raised her hand to her mouth. "I need you every day, because if she's wrong... this is all we have." She took a shaky breath and raised her eyebrows. "So I need you to believe with me. I need you to believe that she's right, and that this is all gonna be okay."
Evan nodded and leaned forward, taking her face in his hands as he kissed her and then pulling her into a tight hug, closing his eyes as he buried his face in her hair. ( Hope Persists)
Oh God, excuse me while my heart breaks. There are so many things I love about this scene. I think I've said before how it's interesting to see how Evan's character changes when he's scared, from his normal adorable self. It shows just how much he cares about Penny, and god, their vulnerability just breaks me. This scene shows how much of a team they are and how much they need each other. We see the alternative in Mistakes We Shouldn't Make, and it's just ridiculous how heartbreaking it is.
Simon/April
1) April took another bite of her ice cream, smiling as Simon's thumb swept lazily along the side of her hand.
She glanced up at him and watched as he ran his tongue along the side of his ice cream. She felt a low tingle in her stomach as she looked at him, imagining just what he could do to her with his tongue, and she looked away, taking a breath. She had a bad habit of moving too fast in relationships and messing things up, but she wanted so badly to make this thing with Simon work that she hadn't even attempted to bring up the topic of sex with him yet, though they'd been dating for almost six months now. It didn't stop her from thinking about it, though, or lessen the frequency with which such thoughts popped into her head, and she took another breath.
"Is it good?"
April looked up at him sharply. "What?"
"Your ice cream," he said, the corner of his mouth rising as he looked at her. ( A Trillion Asterisks)
Okay, because I had to choose specific scenes instead of fics, I chose this moment because it never fails to make me all giggly and flaily, but seriously, the whole of A Trillion Asterisks is just ♥. Because reading back over my apoca!flail always amuses me, this is what happened the first time I read it. Anyway, back to the scene. It's ridiculously hot, and really adorable, and sweet too, with April not wanting to mess anything up. Oh, man, and the innuendo with the "Is it good?". BRB, lol-ing forever.
2) When he awakes the next morning he can tell it's still early and that he's alone in bed. The bedroom door is open and he pushes the covers aside, finding his underwear in the clothes scattered on the floor and pulling them on as he steps from the room.
April's in the kitchen, dressed in his work shirt, the bottom hem of which comes down to the middle of her thighs. One foot is on top of the other and her hand is on her hip as she stands in front of the sink.
He's unsure of what she's doing until he steps closer and realizes she's pouring a bottle of wine down the sink. There are two more bottles on the counter along with a bottle of vodka, still cold from the freezer, and a couple of bottles of beer.
She places the now empty wine bottle on the other side of the counter and reaches for one of the full ones, pulling the cork out with a muted pop and tipping it over, tilting her head to the side as she watches the deep red liquid splash into the sink.
She doesn't seem to be aware of his presence yet and he keeps watching her, a feeling of gratitude swelling inside of him, so great that he doesn't know if he would ever be able to find the words to tell her what this means to him. ( Tell Me Again)
Ohai, more fics where the whole thing is perfect and chock-full of April/Simon goodness, and ohai, possibly favourite image ever. I can hardly put into words how adorable and gorgeous I imagine this scene to be. Modesty, I do not have it. Let's start with how unf that first description of Simon is. Oh dear god, be mine. Then let's move on to how gorgeous and sassy and adorable April sounds. And then let's consider what she's doing for Simon, and how goddamn supportive she is of him. And then to finish let's look at that bloody beautiful last line, so great that he doesn't know if he would ever be able to find the words to tell her what this means to him, and how much weight that has on their relationship. My heart, it is overfilling with adoration for this scene. I'll stop talking now.
3) Simon's phone beeped just after he closed his eyes and he opened them to see the display light up. He groaned softly and fumbled for his phone, hoping it wasn't anything serious, though serious things weren't usually texted to him in the small hours of the morning.
He flipped it open and smiled when he read the message from April.
Miss you too. Love you more.
He shut his phone and replaced it on the night stand, his heart feeling considerably lighter as he grinned broadly into his pillow. ( Hope Persists)
*g* I just love how adorable (I MUST STOP USING THAT WORD, BUT NOTHING ELSE DESCRIBES THEM ADEQUATELY) and sort of immature their texts are, or at least that's how I find them. And how Simon is cheered up instantly by one text from April, and how they text each other at any time to tell each other that they love them. I just can't even wrap my head around how much better the world would be if they existed in reality. Like, at all.
Whitman/Lily
1) "It's real, by the way," she murmurs, and he frowns, confused.
"My name," she clarifies. "It's real."
She flashes him a small smile and then starts towards the elevator. He leans against the door, staring contemplatively after her a moment before he steps back into his apartment. He pushes the door shut with much less force than he might normally have done under the circumstances and moves towards the bathroom to shower before going to bed. ( First Time For Everything)
Whitman/Lily is hardly my main ship (you would never guess which ship is would you? XD) but it's these little moments that make me love them all the same. It shows that Lily trusts Whitman, or at least almost trusts him, and the way she makes him happy makes me happy.
2) Whitman rolled over in bed, wondering how long he'd been asleep and where the hell Lily was. He threw the covers back and stood up, pulling his boxers on as he looked for his pants. He found them crumpled at the foot of the bed and pulled his wallet from the back pocket.
He knew he hadn't paid Lily yet and she hadn't taken the money from him, but she was nowhere to be seen in the bedroom and the apartment was silent.
He pulled on his discarded work shirt as he stepped into the living room to see if there was any sign of her and he noticed a sock in the middle of the floor. He picked it up and stared at it a moment before turning to look into the bedroom.
She'd taken his dirty clothes.
He'd known the women he slept with in the past to do strange things, but this probably topped all of them.
Sock in hand he left his apartment, heading in the direction of the laundry room in the basement. In a building such as this, walking around in one's underwear was not out of the norm and he didn't give a second thought to the way he was dressed.
Lily apparently hadn't either, he discovered as he walked into the laundry room. She was seated on one of the folding tables dressed in another of his work shirts, though this one looked clean, and a pair of black panties; her bare legs dangled over the edge of the table, long and tanned, her feet swinging gently back and forth as she thumbed through an already well-thumbed magazine. ( On the House)
So domestic, OMG. I just love this image, and shows that Whitman isn't just another client to Lily, which is really endearing.
3) "Lily?" Whitman muttered, frowning as he watched her climb the steps of the church and disappear inside.
He stood in place for a moment and then started across the street. He debated going inside and then moved to lean against the wall while he waited for her to come out.
It didn't take long for her to appear on the steps again and he said her name as he walked forward.
She turned to look and then smiled when she saw him.
"Hey," she said. "Merry Christmas."
"Same to you," Whitman replied, hands in his pockets as he looked at her. "What're you doing here?" he asked, glancing pointedly at the church.
"Even hookers have morals," she replied, grinning slightly.
Whitman frowned and Lily's expression softened.
"There's a lot you don't know about me, Whit."
He stared at her for a moment, and something suddenly clicked into place, like the last piece to a puzzle he'd been working on for months.
"I'd like to learn," he said softly. ( The Beginning in the End)
Momentous occasion, or momentous occasion? I just love their ~journey, especially Whitman's, and him showing that he does care about her.
Nathan/Emily
1) His eyes trail over her body, clad in a loose t-shirt with the law school crest on the front that used to be his. She stole it from him during their first month together, shuffling out of the bathroom the morning after spending the night for the first time, all rumpled with sex and sleep. He’d never seen anything more beautiful, and when she announced that she’d been inspired to write and was keeping the shirt, he didn’t have the words to protest, and he knew he’d never be able to tell her no. ( The Right Girl)
Oh God, Emily's sass makes my world go round. This is such a strange moment to choose I think (especially considering the rest of the fic which is just Emily/Nathan heaven) but right from that moment it's obvious that Nathan is head over heels, and pretty much sums up their relationship, in my opinion. And I love this image of Emily so much, so adorable yet adamant at the same time. XD
2) A short while later, the two friends find themselves engrossed in a very serious discussion of domestic commerce policy as it relates to the production and import of fine liquor. Emily Gates glides over to her husband and rests a delicate hand on his shoulder.
"May I interrupt this highly important conversation to request a dance with my favorite politician?" She angles her head towards Nathan and smiles sweetly.
Nathan grins and replies, "Of course. Sam, would you excuse -"
"Thanks!" Emily says with a wave and a backwards glance at her husband, as she leads Sam out onto the middle of the ballroom. ( Drove Through Ghosts to Get Here)
This is hardly a Nathan/Emily fic, it being Sam backstory after all, and it's debatable whether it's even a Nathan/Emily moment, yet I class it as so, and it remains to be one of my favourite moments ever. Emily's sassy, and has Nathan wrapped round her little finger, and they're both just completely in love with each other.
3) He turns his head just as he hears her gasp, and is greeted by two shadowy figures pressed together against the wall. He catches a glimpse of red hair and the glint of a wedding band, hears a breathless giggle and a low laugh, and he arches an eyebrow as he realizes who it is.
He glances at her, an amused smirk playing across his features, and even in the darkness he can tell she's blushing furiously.
"I certainly don't remember this," he says, keeping his voice low even though he knows he doesn't need to.
"Shut up," she says, swatting his arm.
He hears a gasp and though he doesn't want to look, his attention is drawn back to the silhouetted couple. As he watches, his friend lifts his wife's leg against his side, hand nudging the green silk of her dress higher along her thigh before disappearing underneath, and he looks away just before she gasps again.
"Change it," she hisses from beside him, slapping his arm again. ( Catching Up)
Hot and amusing. Cheeky Sam. Need I say more?
Nathan/Alex
1) Nathan held up his hands in a placating manner and grasped the handle to push open the door, just as it swung open, pulling him off balance. He stumbled slightly and found himself staring into a pair of bright blue eyes.
"Holy-"
"Hi," Alex breathed, her expression startled as she looked at Nathan.
"Hi," Nathan replied. He was still slightly off balance, though this might have had to do with the way the sunlight was making Alex's hair glow red, or maybe the way she was smiling at him. He found himself grinning back at her, and after a minute realized Harrison was saying his name.
"What?" Nathan said, reluctantly pulling his gaze from Alex.
"You wanted to see me?" Harrison said, his eyebrow arched as he stared at Nathan.
"I did, but I don't remember why now." He paused, frowning slightly. "If I do, I'll let you know."
"You do that," Harrison said, smiling bemusedly as he turned his attention to his desk. Alex's cheeks were flushed slightly when Nathan looked back at her, her lips curved upward in a shy smile, and he realized he was blocking the doorway. ( Hope Persists)
Nathan being literally knocked off his feet is one of my favourite moments ever. Bemused!Harrison is hilarious too, torn between being amused at his friend almost embarrasing himself, or being happy for him. Definitely a little bit of both, I think. XD
2) "Hi," Alex replied, smiling back as she hesitantly stepped forward. Nathan retrieved the pot and dropped it into the sink before he stepped around the island, wiping his hands on a towel as he looked down.
"Oh, good, you brought wine," he said, taking the bottle from her and staring at the label.
"You were expecting me to?" Alex asked, raising her eyebrows. "You told me not to bring anything."
"Yeah, but I didn't expect you to actually listen to me," Nathan replied, the corner of his mouth rising in a smirk as he set the bottle on the counter. He pulled a corkscrew from one of the drawers and held it out to Alex.
"If you want to open it while I finish getting dinner ready?"
"Sure," Alex said, her fingers brushing his as she took the utensil from him.
She stepped over to the counter and had just placed the corkscrew on the neck of the bottle when a hot wave of embarrassment flooded through her.
"I just realized, you can't drink this," she said, closing her eyes and shaking her head at her own stupidity.
"You and April can," Nathan said absently, the sound of a spoon clanging against ceramic as he poured something into a bowl. A moment later he was beside her.
"Hey," he murmured, "it's all right. It's no big deal, Simon and I will get by on water and coffee like we always do." He reached up and opened the cabinet door, pulling out two wine glasses and setting them carefully on the counter. She looked up at him and he smiled gently before he stepped away again. ( The Beginning in the End)
I see various similarities between Simon/April and Nathan/Emily, and Alex's support for Nathan is just one of them. Alex's guiltiness is so endearing, and how concerned she is about him shows how much she cares already. There's some awkwardness in this too which is cute, and Nathan's fantastic in this scene (as always).
3) They make their way to the living room, settling on the couch to chat and watch decades old Christmas specials. There's a comfortable space between them, a small wall of hesitation that neither of them is sure they should cross despite their brief kiss. After a short while, he gets up and returns with two hot cups of tea and sits down just close enough for their shoulders and arms and elbows to touch. They sip in relative silence, each enjoying the feeling of just having another person there, after so long living alone.
She's not sure when exactly the tension broke and Nathan's arm settled behind her shoulders, when she started leaning against his side, or when his fingers found their way into her hair, but for once she doesn't care about quantifying anything.
A while later, as the credits roll on the 2035 remake of It's a Wonderful Life, Nathan glances over at Alex and smiles. She looks so peaceful and calm as she sleeps. Her breath flutters a lock of hair that's fallen over the side of her face, and he lifts it away carefully, letting it slide between his fingers before it falls back to her shoulder.
He slips his arm from behind her and lowers her gently to the sofa, propping her head on the small embroidered pillow at one end. He pulls a blanket off the back of a nearby chair and lays it over her body, tucking it under her side as best he can to make sure it doesn't fall on the floor. His hand lingers on her arm a moment, eyes tracing her curves under the cover of green yarn. He makes himself leave the room before he gives in to the urge to kiss her awake. ( What the Lady Wants)
There's still that slight awkwardness here I think (which might be due to the UST XD). Just everything here is precious, from the sitting next to each other, to Nathan's sneaky arm to Alex sleeping, and then Nathan making her comfortable before waking her up. So much thought for each other, on Nathan's part especially, and it's just utterly charming.
Sam/April
1) April laughed softly, nudging him with her arm. "You're not that old, Sam."
"Feels like it sometimes," he muttered.
April shifted in her seat and was suddenly very close to him; he could sense her eyes on his face, could just feel the warmth of her breath on his neck. She placed her hand on top of his, her fingers light against his skin.
"You're selling yourself short," she said quietly. "You're a great guy, Sam. Age doesn't mean a damn thing."
The corner of Sam's mouth lifted slightly and he glanced over at April. Her face filled his view and he breathed in sharply, his eyes taking in the shape of her eyebrows, the slope of her cheeks, the curve of her lips.
The silence hung in the air between them, heavy with anticipation, and then she leaned forward and closed the gap between them, touching her lips softly to his.
His grip tightened on his drink again and he took a shaky breath when April pulled away. "What was that for?" he murmured.
April sat back, a faint flush coloring her cheeks as she smiled a bit sheepishly. "I don't really know." ( What He's Missed)
It's just a moment that makes you go "d'awwwww" isn't it? I just like the delicacy of the scene, if that makes sense, and the hesitation. Just ♥
2) It's just before the credits roll that April's head drops onto Sam's shoulder. He startles and glances over at her, almost afraid to breathe when he sees that she's sound asleep. She's so very close and he can see each individual eyelash, long and dark against her fair cheeks. Her lips are parted very slightly, full and red, and if he were a lesser man, and if Simon weren't in the other room, he would give in to the sudden urge he has to kiss her.
He looks away and takes a slow, steadying breath, trying to decide if he should wake her or not. He's not really in any rush to leave, especially not now, and he can hear the sound of talking and the clink of dishes from the kitchen, and it doesn't sound like Simon and Nathan are winding down either.
His arm is stretched along the back of the couch and he wonders if he would be crossing a line if he put it around her shoulders.
He's still mulling it over when he hears footsteps and looks up to see Nathan enter the room.
Nathan takes one look at the two of them and a broad grin appears on his face.
"I'd wake her up if I were you. She's a bit clingy, that one."
Sam gives Nathan a look and his grin widens as he bends and picks up Sam's empty wine glass from the coffee table.
"You're about to end up with wine in your lap, and I'm not washing your pants," he says, pointing to the glass tipping precariously in April's hand before striding from the room.
Sam eases it carefully from her fingers and leans forward to place it on the coffee table, and as he's settling back in his seat, April shifts suddenly. She pulls her other leg up, tucking it underneath her as well, and curls into his side as her arm slides across his stomach. She burrows her face into the space between his shoulder and his neck, sighing contentedly as she settles.
Sam stares at her, his heart pounding in his chest as he once again contemplates waking her.
Not that he isn't thrilled to have her this close, pleased that she's so comfortable with him that she can let herself be this vulnerable around him, but his damn sense of propriety has a habit of getting in the way and right now it's telling him to try and loosen her hold on him, to wake her up and reestablish the boundary he's always so careful to keep between them.
He contemplates her a moment longer and then the corner of his mouth curls upward.
"To hell with it," he says quietly and lets his arm settle around her, holding her to him and smiling when her fingers lightly grip his sweater. ( Mistletoe (or, Sam's Best Birthday Ever)
Sam's predicament is hilarious, to be quite honest, and undoubtedly adorable, yet is a little heartbreaking, for example, this line, and if Simon weren't in the other room, he would give in to the sudden urge he has to kiss her, and SAM IS JUST SO PERFECT, BASICALLY. And April's the most precious thing on the Earth also. PERFECT PEOPLE BEING PERFECT TOGETHER MAKE ME HAPPY.
3) "Why are you crying?" he asked.
"I'm scared," she admitted, smiling a little sheepishly as he squeezed her fingers.
They fell silent and April glanced back in the direction the agent had gone, wishing they would hurry up. She looked back at Sam and her heart thudded painfully in her chest when she saw his eyes were closed. She started to lean towards him but stopped when she noticed his lips moving. She couldn't make out what he was saying and she frowned.
"Sam?" she murmured.
He opened his eyes and looked right at her before saying, very quietly, "Audrey."
April's frown deepened as she stared at him, wondering who Audrey was. His eyes drifted closed again and she gave a shaky breath.
"Sam?" "Hmm?"
He opened his eyes again with what seemed like considerable effort and April looked at him a moment, her thoughts swirling in her head, unsure of what she wanted to say. His lips curved upward slightly as he looked at her and she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
"Tell me everything's going to be all right."
He opened his mouth to oblige, and then hesitated.
"Lie to me, Sam," she whispered as she leaned forward slightly. She needed to hear him say it right now, needed so badly to believe him.
"Everything's going to be all right." ( Things Fall Apart)
Oh dear God. I still can't read this excerpt without proper fat tears pouring out of my eyes. It's ridiculous. It's the "Audrey" line I think, and all the things Sam's lost or lost out on, and oh God, the unfairness of the situation. And Sam's confusion too, and hesitance even then not to betray April, makes it even worse. And of course, April's desperation not to lose him.
Okay, that's all folks, ending on that cheerful note. XD
So, wifey's wanted me to do this for a while, and I've finally got round to completing it. I've chosen three moments from each six ships mentioned here, and then there's some "thinky thoughts" that may be simple squee, or may be quite insightful, perhaps none, or perhaps both. I tried, at least. XD The list is in order of the ships on the picspam, and the moments are in what, to me, seems like a logical, chronological order. You'll see what I mean. XD Okay, hope you enjoy this guys. ♥ (Oh, and apologies for any scenes that are missing, for some I wanted to do five and then for others I struggled to get three, and I wanted to have equal numbers, so, mmm. XD)
Evan/Penny
1) "I have to ask, Evan, what made you change? You're so different now from who you were four years ago."
"Do you want the truth?" Evan asked, his green eyes intense as he looked at Penny.
She nodded, watching him curiously.
"It was you."
"Me?" Penny said, startled.
"You told me I needed to grow up, and it took losing you to see that you were right. I was steadily working on throwing my life away, and then you broke up with me and it was like reality just smacked me hard in the face." He paused, looking down at his hands before raising his eyes to Penny's face. "I did it for you, Pen. I thought that if I ever saw you again, no matter how unlikely it seemed, I wanted you to see that I could change, that I did change. Not to win you back or anything, but just so you could see that your words weren't wasted." ( Second Time Around)
I love how it's just so so obvious how much Evan cares about Penny, and how he's willing to sacrifice everything for her. Obvious endgame, or obvious endgame?
2) The evening ended with cake and presents. April thanked each person as she opened her gifts: a book of poetry from Sam, a pair of sapphire earrings from Nathan, and a purse from Evan and Penny.
"I picked the color," Evan said, grinning at her. His smile faded when Penny elbowed him. "What? I did."
April laughed and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I love the color, thank you."
Evan beamed and nudged Penny with his arm. "See? She loves the color." Penny shook her head, rolling her eyes, and April giggled. ( Love and Fear)
Does this count as Evan/Penny or Evan/April? I'm going to say that it's Evan/Penny, thank you very much. I might love this moment so much due to Evan's adorable factor, but I adore the contrast between Evan and Penny, and from that how well they suit each other. And Penny's reaction to Evan being adorable is adorable too. THEY'RE JUST RIDICULOUSLY ADORABLE, OKAY.
3) He took a breath, not sure how to begin, and then it all just came in a rush.
"Pen, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for - for getting angry, and for leaving. I know it's supposed to be good news but it still feels so uncertain, and it just... the thought of losing you scares me so much. I mean... what am I supposed to do if something happens to you?"
"I'm still here, Evan," Penny said quietly, still staring down at her lap.
"I know," Evan said quickly, shifting closer to her. "I know, and I'm sorry if it seems like I forgot."
He reached for her hand and she let him take it, looking up at him as he moved closer.
"I have to believe that she's right," Penny murmured, "because I don't want to think about the alternative." She raised her eyes to Evan's face, frowning slightly as she struggled against the tears shining in her eyes. "But if - if she's wrong... I need you, Evan." Her voice broke and she raised her hand to her mouth. "I need you every day, because if she's wrong... this is all we have." She took a shaky breath and raised her eyebrows. "So I need you to believe with me. I need you to believe that she's right, and that this is all gonna be okay."
Evan nodded and leaned forward, taking her face in his hands as he kissed her and then pulling her into a tight hug, closing his eyes as he buried his face in her hair. ( Hope Persists)
Oh God, excuse me while my heart breaks. There are so many things I love about this scene. I think I've said before how it's interesting to see how Evan's character changes when he's scared, from his normal adorable self. It shows just how much he cares about Penny, and god, their vulnerability just breaks me. This scene shows how much of a team they are and how much they need each other. We see the alternative in Mistakes We Shouldn't Make, and it's just ridiculous how heartbreaking it is.
Simon/April
1) April took another bite of her ice cream, smiling as Simon's thumb swept lazily along the side of her hand.
She glanced up at him and watched as he ran his tongue along the side of his ice cream. She felt a low tingle in her stomach as she looked at him, imagining just what he could do to her with his tongue, and she looked away, taking a breath. She had a bad habit of moving too fast in relationships and messing things up, but she wanted so badly to make this thing with Simon work that she hadn't even attempted to bring up the topic of sex with him yet, though they'd been dating for almost six months now. It didn't stop her from thinking about it, though, or lessen the frequency with which such thoughts popped into her head, and she took another breath.
"Is it good?"
April looked up at him sharply. "What?"
"Your ice cream," he said, the corner of his mouth rising as he looked at her. ( A Trillion Asterisks)
Okay, because I had to choose specific scenes instead of fics, I chose this moment because it never fails to make me all giggly and flaily, but seriously, the whole of A Trillion Asterisks is just ♥. Because reading back over my apoca!flail always amuses me, this is what happened the first time I read it. Anyway, back to the scene. It's ridiculously hot, and really adorable, and sweet too, with April not wanting to mess anything up. Oh, man, and the innuendo with the "Is it good?". BRB, lol-ing forever.
2) When he awakes the next morning he can tell it's still early and that he's alone in bed. The bedroom door is open and he pushes the covers aside, finding his underwear in the clothes scattered on the floor and pulling them on as he steps from the room.
April's in the kitchen, dressed in his work shirt, the bottom hem of which comes down to the middle of her thighs. One foot is on top of the other and her hand is on her hip as she stands in front of the sink.
He's unsure of what she's doing until he steps closer and realizes she's pouring a bottle of wine down the sink. There are two more bottles on the counter along with a bottle of vodka, still cold from the freezer, and a couple of bottles of beer.
She places the now empty wine bottle on the other side of the counter and reaches for one of the full ones, pulling the cork out with a muted pop and tipping it over, tilting her head to the side as she watches the deep red liquid splash into the sink.
She doesn't seem to be aware of his presence yet and he keeps watching her, a feeling of gratitude swelling inside of him, so great that he doesn't know if he would ever be able to find the words to tell her what this means to him. ( Tell Me Again)
Ohai, more fics where the whole thing is perfect and chock-full of April/Simon goodness, and ohai, possibly favourite image ever. I can hardly put into words how adorable and gorgeous I imagine this scene to be. Modesty, I do not have it. Let's start with how unf that first description of Simon is. Oh dear god, be mine. Then let's move on to how gorgeous and sassy and adorable April sounds. And then let's consider what she's doing for Simon, and how goddamn supportive she is of him. And then to finish let's look at that bloody beautiful last line, so great that he doesn't know if he would ever be able to find the words to tell her what this means to him, and how much weight that has on their relationship. My heart, it is overfilling with adoration for this scene. I'll stop talking now.
3) Simon's phone beeped just after he closed his eyes and he opened them to see the display light up. He groaned softly and fumbled for his phone, hoping it wasn't anything serious, though serious things weren't usually texted to him in the small hours of the morning.
He flipped it open and smiled when he read the message from April.
Miss you too. Love you more.
He shut his phone and replaced it on the night stand, his heart feeling considerably lighter as he grinned broadly into his pillow. ( Hope Persists)
*g* I just love how adorable (I MUST STOP USING THAT WORD, BUT NOTHING ELSE DESCRIBES THEM ADEQUATELY) and sort of immature their texts are, or at least that's how I find them. And how Simon is cheered up instantly by one text from April, and how they text each other at any time to tell each other that they love them. I just can't even wrap my head around how much better the world would be if they existed in reality. Like, at all.
Whitman/Lily
1) "It's real, by the way," she murmurs, and he frowns, confused.
"My name," she clarifies. "It's real."
She flashes him a small smile and then starts towards the elevator. He leans against the door, staring contemplatively after her a moment before he steps back into his apartment. He pushes the door shut with much less force than he might normally have done under the circumstances and moves towards the bathroom to shower before going to bed. ( First Time For Everything)
Whitman/Lily is hardly my main ship (you would never guess which ship is would you? XD) but it's these little moments that make me love them all the same. It shows that Lily trusts Whitman, or at least almost trusts him, and the way she makes him happy makes me happy.
2) Whitman rolled over in bed, wondering how long he'd been asleep and where the hell Lily was. He threw the covers back and stood up, pulling his boxers on as he looked for his pants. He found them crumpled at the foot of the bed and pulled his wallet from the back pocket.
He knew he hadn't paid Lily yet and she hadn't taken the money from him, but she was nowhere to be seen in the bedroom and the apartment was silent.
He pulled on his discarded work shirt as he stepped into the living room to see if there was any sign of her and he noticed a sock in the middle of the floor. He picked it up and stared at it a moment before turning to look into the bedroom.
She'd taken his dirty clothes.
He'd known the women he slept with in the past to do strange things, but this probably topped all of them.
Sock in hand he left his apartment, heading in the direction of the laundry room in the basement. In a building such as this, walking around in one's underwear was not out of the norm and he didn't give a second thought to the way he was dressed.
Lily apparently hadn't either, he discovered as he walked into the laundry room. She was seated on one of the folding tables dressed in another of his work shirts, though this one looked clean, and a pair of black panties; her bare legs dangled over the edge of the table, long and tanned, her feet swinging gently back and forth as she thumbed through an already well-thumbed magazine. ( On the House)
So domestic, OMG. I just love this image, and shows that Whitman isn't just another client to Lily, which is really endearing.
3) "Lily?" Whitman muttered, frowning as he watched her climb the steps of the church and disappear inside.
He stood in place for a moment and then started across the street. He debated going inside and then moved to lean against the wall while he waited for her to come out.
It didn't take long for her to appear on the steps again and he said her name as he walked forward.
She turned to look and then smiled when she saw him.
"Hey," she said. "Merry Christmas."
"Same to you," Whitman replied, hands in his pockets as he looked at her. "What're you doing here?" he asked, glancing pointedly at the church.
"Even hookers have morals," she replied, grinning slightly.
Whitman frowned and Lily's expression softened.
"There's a lot you don't know about me, Whit."
He stared at her for a moment, and something suddenly clicked into place, like the last piece to a puzzle he'd been working on for months.
"I'd like to learn," he said softly. ( The Beginning in the End)
Momentous occasion, or momentous occasion? I just love their ~journey, especially Whitman's, and him showing that he does care about her.
Nathan/Emily
1) His eyes trail over her body, clad in a loose t-shirt with the law school crest on the front that used to be his. She stole it from him during their first month together, shuffling out of the bathroom the morning after spending the night for the first time, all rumpled with sex and sleep. He’d never seen anything more beautiful, and when she announced that she’d been inspired to write and was keeping the shirt, he didn’t have the words to protest, and he knew he’d never be able to tell her no. ( The Right Girl)
Oh God, Emily's sass makes my world go round. This is such a strange moment to choose I think (especially considering the rest of the fic which is just Emily/Nathan heaven) but right from that moment it's obvious that Nathan is head over heels, and pretty much sums up their relationship, in my opinion. And I love this image of Emily so much, so adorable yet adamant at the same time. XD
2) A short while later, the two friends find themselves engrossed in a very serious discussion of domestic commerce policy as it relates to the production and import of fine liquor. Emily Gates glides over to her husband and rests a delicate hand on his shoulder.
"May I interrupt this highly important conversation to request a dance with my favorite politician?" She angles her head towards Nathan and smiles sweetly.
Nathan grins and replies, "Of course. Sam, would you excuse -"
"Thanks!" Emily says with a wave and a backwards glance at her husband, as she leads Sam out onto the middle of the ballroom. ( Drove Through Ghosts to Get Here)
This is hardly a Nathan/Emily fic, it being Sam backstory after all, and it's debatable whether it's even a Nathan/Emily moment, yet I class it as so, and it remains to be one of my favourite moments ever. Emily's sassy, and has Nathan wrapped round her little finger, and they're both just completely in love with each other.
3) He turns his head just as he hears her gasp, and is greeted by two shadowy figures pressed together against the wall. He catches a glimpse of red hair and the glint of a wedding band, hears a breathless giggle and a low laugh, and he arches an eyebrow as he realizes who it is.
He glances at her, an amused smirk playing across his features, and even in the darkness he can tell she's blushing furiously.
"I certainly don't remember this," he says, keeping his voice low even though he knows he doesn't need to.
"Shut up," she says, swatting his arm.
He hears a gasp and though he doesn't want to look, his attention is drawn back to the silhouetted couple. As he watches, his friend lifts his wife's leg against his side, hand nudging the green silk of her dress higher along her thigh before disappearing underneath, and he looks away just before she gasps again.
"Change it," she hisses from beside him, slapping his arm again. ( Catching Up)
Hot and amusing. Cheeky Sam. Need I say more?
Nathan/Alex
1) Nathan held up his hands in a placating manner and grasped the handle to push open the door, just as it swung open, pulling him off balance. He stumbled slightly and found himself staring into a pair of bright blue eyes.
"Holy-"
"Hi," Alex breathed, her expression startled as she looked at Nathan.
"Hi," Nathan replied. He was still slightly off balance, though this might have had to do with the way the sunlight was making Alex's hair glow red, or maybe the way she was smiling at him. He found himself grinning back at her, and after a minute realized Harrison was saying his name.
"What?" Nathan said, reluctantly pulling his gaze from Alex.
"You wanted to see me?" Harrison said, his eyebrow arched as he stared at Nathan.
"I did, but I don't remember why now." He paused, frowning slightly. "If I do, I'll let you know."
"You do that," Harrison said, smiling bemusedly as he turned his attention to his desk. Alex's cheeks were flushed slightly when Nathan looked back at her, her lips curved upward in a shy smile, and he realized he was blocking the doorway. ( Hope Persists)
Nathan being literally knocked off his feet is one of my favourite moments ever. Bemused!Harrison is hilarious too, torn between being amused at his friend almost embarrasing himself, or being happy for him. Definitely a little bit of both, I think. XD
2) "Hi," Alex replied, smiling back as she hesitantly stepped forward. Nathan retrieved the pot and dropped it into the sink before he stepped around the island, wiping his hands on a towel as he looked down.
"Oh, good, you brought wine," he said, taking the bottle from her and staring at the label.
"You were expecting me to?" Alex asked, raising her eyebrows. "You told me not to bring anything."
"Yeah, but I didn't expect you to actually listen to me," Nathan replied, the corner of his mouth rising in a smirk as he set the bottle on the counter. He pulled a corkscrew from one of the drawers and held it out to Alex.
"If you want to open it while I finish getting dinner ready?"
"Sure," Alex said, her fingers brushing his as she took the utensil from him.
She stepped over to the counter and had just placed the corkscrew on the neck of the bottle when a hot wave of embarrassment flooded through her.
"I just realized, you can't drink this," she said, closing her eyes and shaking her head at her own stupidity.
"You and April can," Nathan said absently, the sound of a spoon clanging against ceramic as he poured something into a bowl. A moment later he was beside her.
"Hey," he murmured, "it's all right. It's no big deal, Simon and I will get by on water and coffee like we always do." He reached up and opened the cabinet door, pulling out two wine glasses and setting them carefully on the counter. She looked up at him and he smiled gently before he stepped away again. ( The Beginning in the End)
I see various similarities between Simon/April and Nathan/Emily, and Alex's support for Nathan is just one of them. Alex's guiltiness is so endearing, and how concerned she is about him shows how much she cares already. There's some awkwardness in this too which is cute, and Nathan's fantastic in this scene (as always).
3) They make their way to the living room, settling on the couch to chat and watch decades old Christmas specials. There's a comfortable space between them, a small wall of hesitation that neither of them is sure they should cross despite their brief kiss. After a short while, he gets up and returns with two hot cups of tea and sits down just close enough for their shoulders and arms and elbows to touch. They sip in relative silence, each enjoying the feeling of just having another person there, after so long living alone.
She's not sure when exactly the tension broke and Nathan's arm settled behind her shoulders, when she started leaning against his side, or when his fingers found their way into her hair, but for once she doesn't care about quantifying anything.
A while later, as the credits roll on the 2035 remake of It's a Wonderful Life, Nathan glances over at Alex and smiles. She looks so peaceful and calm as she sleeps. Her breath flutters a lock of hair that's fallen over the side of her face, and he lifts it away carefully, letting it slide between his fingers before it falls back to her shoulder.
He slips his arm from behind her and lowers her gently to the sofa, propping her head on the small embroidered pillow at one end. He pulls a blanket off the back of a nearby chair and lays it over her body, tucking it under her side as best he can to make sure it doesn't fall on the floor. His hand lingers on her arm a moment, eyes tracing her curves under the cover of green yarn. He makes himself leave the room before he gives in to the urge to kiss her awake. ( What the Lady Wants)
There's still that slight awkwardness here I think (which might be due to the UST XD). Just everything here is precious, from the sitting next to each other, to Nathan's sneaky arm to Alex sleeping, and then Nathan making her comfortable before waking her up. So much thought for each other, on Nathan's part especially, and it's just utterly charming.
Sam/April
1) April laughed softly, nudging him with her arm. "You're not that old, Sam."
"Feels like it sometimes," he muttered.
April shifted in her seat and was suddenly very close to him; he could sense her eyes on his face, could just feel the warmth of her breath on his neck. She placed her hand on top of his, her fingers light against his skin.
"You're selling yourself short," she said quietly. "You're a great guy, Sam. Age doesn't mean a damn thing."
The corner of Sam's mouth lifted slightly and he glanced over at April. Her face filled his view and he breathed in sharply, his eyes taking in the shape of her eyebrows, the slope of her cheeks, the curve of her lips.
The silence hung in the air between them, heavy with anticipation, and then she leaned forward and closed the gap between them, touching her lips softly to his.
His grip tightened on his drink again and he took a shaky breath when April pulled away. "What was that for?" he murmured.
April sat back, a faint flush coloring her cheeks as she smiled a bit sheepishly. "I don't really know." ( What He's Missed)
It's just a moment that makes you go "d'awwwww" isn't it? I just like the delicacy of the scene, if that makes sense, and the hesitation. Just ♥
2) It's just before the credits roll that April's head drops onto Sam's shoulder. He startles and glances over at her, almost afraid to breathe when he sees that she's sound asleep. She's so very close and he can see each individual eyelash, long and dark against her fair cheeks. Her lips are parted very slightly, full and red, and if he were a lesser man, and if Simon weren't in the other room, he would give in to the sudden urge he has to kiss her.
He looks away and takes a slow, steadying breath, trying to decide if he should wake her or not. He's not really in any rush to leave, especially not now, and he can hear the sound of talking and the clink of dishes from the kitchen, and it doesn't sound like Simon and Nathan are winding down either.
His arm is stretched along the back of the couch and he wonders if he would be crossing a line if he put it around her shoulders.
He's still mulling it over when he hears footsteps and looks up to see Nathan enter the room.
Nathan takes one look at the two of them and a broad grin appears on his face.
"I'd wake her up if I were you. She's a bit clingy, that one."
Sam gives Nathan a look and his grin widens as he bends and picks up Sam's empty wine glass from the coffee table.
"You're about to end up with wine in your lap, and I'm not washing your pants," he says, pointing to the glass tipping precariously in April's hand before striding from the room.
Sam eases it carefully from her fingers and leans forward to place it on the coffee table, and as he's settling back in his seat, April shifts suddenly. She pulls her other leg up, tucking it underneath her as well, and curls into his side as her arm slides across his stomach. She burrows her face into the space between his shoulder and his neck, sighing contentedly as she settles.
Sam stares at her, his heart pounding in his chest as he once again contemplates waking her.
Not that he isn't thrilled to have her this close, pleased that she's so comfortable with him that she can let herself be this vulnerable around him, but his damn sense of propriety has a habit of getting in the way and right now it's telling him to try and loosen her hold on him, to wake her up and reestablish the boundary he's always so careful to keep between them.
He contemplates her a moment longer and then the corner of his mouth curls upward.
"To hell with it," he says quietly and lets his arm settle around her, holding her to him and smiling when her fingers lightly grip his sweater. ( Mistletoe (or, Sam's Best Birthday Ever)
Sam's predicament is hilarious, to be quite honest, and undoubtedly adorable, yet is a little heartbreaking, for example, this line, and if Simon weren't in the other room, he would give in to the sudden urge he has to kiss her, and SAM IS JUST SO PERFECT, BASICALLY. And April's the most precious thing on the Earth also. PERFECT PEOPLE BEING PERFECT TOGETHER MAKE ME HAPPY.
3) "Why are you crying?" he asked.
"I'm scared," she admitted, smiling a little sheepishly as he squeezed her fingers.
They fell silent and April glanced back in the direction the agent had gone, wishing they would hurry up. She looked back at Sam and her heart thudded painfully in her chest when she saw his eyes were closed. She started to lean towards him but stopped when she noticed his lips moving. She couldn't make out what he was saying and she frowned.
"Sam?" she murmured.
He opened his eyes and looked right at her before saying, very quietly, "Audrey."
April's frown deepened as she stared at him, wondering who Audrey was. His eyes drifted closed again and she gave a shaky breath.
"Sam?" "Hmm?"
He opened his eyes again with what seemed like considerable effort and April looked at him a moment, her thoughts swirling in her head, unsure of what she wanted to say. His lips curved upward slightly as he looked at her and she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
"Tell me everything's going to be all right."
He opened his mouth to oblige, and then hesitated.
"Lie to me, Sam," she whispered as she leaned forward slightly. She needed to hear him say it right now, needed so badly to believe him.
"Everything's going to be all right." ( Things Fall Apart)
Oh dear God. I still can't read this excerpt without proper fat tears pouring out of my eyes. It's ridiculous. It's the "Audrey" line I think, and all the things Sam's lost or lost out on, and oh God, the unfairness of the situation. And Sam's confusion too, and hesitance even then not to betray April, makes it even worse. And of course, April's desperation not to lose him.
Okay, that's all folks, ending on that cheerful note. XD