There's no such thing as too many fandoms
Clearly I don't have the discipline to write just one sentence of a story! As they're mostly drabbles or more, I've collected them all together.
For agent_alpo - Firefly - Jayne - smarts
Jayne's not going to admit it to anyone, but he sometimes wishes he had the doctor's smarts and his book learning and stuff - maybe then the doc'd notice him.
He's still got one of them books he borrowed, took, when he thought they were leaving the pair of them behind on Jiangyin. He returned all the rest of their gear after they went back for the rescue, but he couldn't quite bring himself to give the book back. It's a real old one, with fancy gold lettering on the cover and flimsy paper with tiny lettering inside. He wants to touch it, but his fingers look too thick and crude against something so dainty and nice.
He's never seen anything so fine before, 'cept maybe the doc himself.
*
For missu - Stargate Atlantis - Sheppard - laughter
John chuckles when he hears someone at the door. He's been expecting Rodney for the last thirty-two minutes, and John's quite impressed that Rodney has held out so long after hearing the rumor, the cunningly spread rumor, that the Colonel has a secret stash of snickers. What better way to deflect suspicion from yet another midnight visit to his quarters?
*
For romanticalgirl - Veronica Mars - Lilly/Sheriff Lamb - nerve
Lilly doesn't like to waste money on speeding tickets or parking tickets, so she doesn't. She can twist the deputy around her little finger as easily as she can wrap her legs around his when he fucks her against the wall in the evidence room.
The first time, he'd told her she had a nerve suggesting it, and she'd said no, she had balls, didn't he? And so he'd proved he did, just as she thought he would. No man could resist a taunt like that, especially from her.
*
Also for romanticalgirl - Veronica Mars - Veronica/Sheriff Lamb
Veronica hates herself every time she lies down and spreads her legs in the back of his patrol car, hates herself even more than she hates the smug grin on his face as he tosses the condom out the window afterwards. But she still comes back for more, because if there's one thing she think she's learned this last year, it's that hate makes for a better fuck than love.
*
For swtalmnd - Stargate Atlantis - Ronon/Mckay - brawn meets brains
"There's a way around this. There has to be." Rodney bit his bottom lip in concentration and thought even harder.
Ronon shrugged indifferently. "Maybe."
"I always have a solution. I refuse to be beaten by this piece of junk."
Ronon looked over his shoulder.
"What if-"
"No, no, no, just leave it to me," Rodney insisted testily as he got down on his hands and knees and crawled under the console. "Me brains, you brawn, get it?"
There was no reply, so Rodney happily assumed that he'd got his point across. Really, being stuck offworld with Ronon as his assistant was worse than useless unless he needed something heavy moving or someone shooting. Which he didn't, other than Ronon himself.
A bright flash, and Rodney hit his head on the underneath of the console with the shock. "What did you do? You long-haired idiot, you didn't touch anything, did you?"
"Just the on switch."
"Oh."
"..."
"That was a lucky guess."
*
For katkim - My So-Called Life - Angela & Brian Krakow - responsibility
That was the problem with Brian, Angela thought. He always felt so responsible, whatever happened, whether it was his fault or not. She hated when he apologized when he hadn't done anything worse than just be himself, there and dependable and so loyal it hurt.
*
For barely_bean - My So-Called Life/Veronica Mars - Rayanne/Veronica - freshman orientation
There's a girl always in the bathroom, no matter when Veronica checks. She's a freshman: Veronica's seen her in a couple of classes, though the girl never stays for more than a few minutes. She acts like the bathroom's her own, like Veronica used to back at Neptune High - sometimes she's shooting up, sometimes she's reapplying the weird-colored eyeliner she wears or fiddling with her tangled hair, and sometimes she's just hanging around, sitting on one of the basins swinging her legs idly as though she has nothing else she'd rather do.
Today she's crying, and it takes a while to register, because she doesn't look like the kind of girl who could ever be as lonely or lost as Veronica feels here, so it's minutes before Veronica goes up to her and offers her a tissue and then a hug. And, somehow, before Veronica can even work out how it's happened, they're running out of school, out to the car park, and they're driving away, she and Rayanne, and the tears have dried up and they're both laughing.
Rayanne's laugh reminds her of Lilly's, just a little. That's why the corner of Veronica's eye is moist, even while she's laughing and joking. But she thinks Rayanne understands things like that - she can see it in her eyes, hears it in all the things she doesn't say. And when they kiss, hours later on the beach after the sun's gone down, she feels it in the softness of Rayanne's lips and in her touch as gentle hands stray under Veronica's shirt.
*
For slodwick - Good Omens - Crowley/Azariphale - daffodils
Aziraphale had heard a rumour once, back in the days, that He'd intended to make daffodils white until Michael had persuaded Him that yellow would be nice and cheery after the winter and not vulgar at all. That was certainly a mark in Michael's favour, as far as Aziraphale was concerned.
Aziraphale had a soft spot in his heart for daffodils, and the bigger and brighter and sunnier they were, the more he liked them. Every day from the middle of February onwards he'd go for a walk in the park, no matter what the weather, just to make sure he'd see the first one.
It was February 29th, which Aziraphale always disliked on principle, and he still hadn't seen the first daffodil. So he was sulking. Not that he called it that, because angels really couldn't admit to something so petty, but, in essence, his mood could be described as sulky. Which was why, when Crowley suggested meeting up in the park, Aziraphale only agreed very reluctantly. Crowley wasn't necessarily the best person to meet when he was feeling-a little down.
They'd walked most of the way around the lake without talking, which was most unusual for them, when Crowley tapped him on the arm and then pointed to their left. There, under a tree, in the last place one would expect early daffodils, where, in fact, there had definitely been none the day before, was an expanse of glorious golden-yellow daffodils rippling in the breeze.
*
For mcfeste - Veronica Mars - Logan, Lilly, Veronica - questions
There are too many questions unanswered, and Logan can't think what to do about it, because you can't have answers when you don't even know the questions. And the questions he does have, questions that are spinning around in his head so fast that they feel like they'll fly out and hit someone-bam, bam, bam-they're never going to have answers because Lilly's dead and though she's left the who and the how to be discovered, he's never going to know why.
So he asks Veronica instead, late one night while he stands at her doorstep half drunk on just a couple of cans of beer and a gallon of self-pity. Asks her why she didn't trust him, why she kissed him back, if Lilly ever really loved him, and a million other questions that he's thankfully forgotten by the following day.
He wouldn't have been surprised if she'd shut the door in his face, but she doesn't. She doesn't answer his questions either, but that's all right, because she's holding him, and that's better, much better, because that's the answer to the question he hadn't thought of but needed to know more than anything else.
*
For yavannauk - Stargate Atlantis - Rodney/Radek - puddlejumpers
Everybody knew the puddlejumpers were Atlantis' version of under the bleachers - far enough away to be out of hearing range, but obvious enough to add that frisson of danger. So when Rodney and Radek suddenly needed to spend an inordinate amount of time repairing them, together, everyone understood without anything being said, and everyone had the sense to keep away.
Everyone, that is, except Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard.
As he stood at the open door of the puddlejumper, he desperately wished someone had thought to warn him. It was going to take a lot of bootlegged porn from the Daedalus to wipe this sight out of his head. And although he'd often searched for a way to shut Rodney up, he really didn't need to know that he could be silenced in quite that manner. Or that Radek was so vocal when he had his cock down someone's throat.
Sheppard let out a little moan and ran. He was a brave man, but not that brave - he'd make his trip to the mainland another day.
*
For ilexa - Stargate Atlantis - Rodney/John - broken
He listens to Rodney asking him to trust him again, listens to the heartfelt apology and wishes he didn't have to do the right thing. But he does, as ever, because he always does what he believes is right, no matter what - it's the way he's wired. So he says the words he's obliged to, both as Colonel and as a friend, even though they hurt him as much as Rodney.
"That may take a while."
John wants to walk straight back out of the transporter. Wants to slap Rodney on the back and tell him everything is fine. Wants to hold him tight, fuck him hard, kiss away that dejection, help them both forget today. He doesn't want to stand here and watch this broken Rodney apologizing, humbling himself in a way that must be so hard for him of all people. But he does, because he thinks that the only way he can keep Rodney safe, keep him alive, is if he teaches him that he's not always right, and that when he's wrong a few words won't always make everything better. Won't bring the dead back to life.
He throws out hope though, and a promise. He has to, because he can't bear not to. Rodney's strong, far stronger than he knows, but John is the one person who could completely break him, and he would never do that.
"But, I'm sure you can do it if you really try."
*
For obsessivemuch - Much Ado About Nothing - Beatrice/Benedick - cunning
"I love thee not."
"Aha, those silly words I have heard before, sweet Mistress Beatrice. I warrant they were a lie then, and methinks they are a naughty, naughty lie now.
"Sir, I promise thee, I love not thy dirty garters or thy stained doublet or thy sodden gaze. And I love not thee when the stench of ale is ripe upon thee."
"Beatrice, most sweet, beautiful, perfect turtledove-"
"Thou shalt not enter."
"'Tis all a cunning plot. Don Pedro-"
"And what purpose has this plot? To make thee look a drunken fool? It is a clever plot indeed, for it hast worked to perfection."
"Beatrice, my dearest chuck. I shall sing thee a song of my love. My love is like a red, red rose, which-"
"No, sir, desist! Your love is in the cups, and you shall spend the night outside."
A door closes, and the sound of singing fades.
*
For ice_crystal - Young Americans - Jake/Hamilton - crayon
"Are we trying to outsmart death, do you think?"
"Uh?" Hamilton raised himself up on his elbow and stared at Jake, puzzled.
"Trying to run away from our responsibilities. Run away from who we are, what we're meant to be." Jake shrugged and sighed softly. "OK, I guess I mean, am I trying to run away from who I am? Do you think I'm a coward?
"The fable we read with Finn earlier." Hamilton nods, understanding.
"Yeah, it got me thinking." She fiddled idly with a crayon resting on the desk, doodling her name and Hamilton's in a patch of sunlight without even being aware she was doing it.
"I think we all lie, at least a bit. There's always something we want to hide. And maybe it's not a good thing, maybe it's something we'll try and grow out of, but, I don't know, we're still kids, right? So I don't think it's cowardice, it's just part of life and learning and all the things we have to go through to get it right in the end."
Jake smiled wistfully at his answer, and sat and stared out the window for a long time. His answer was enough for now, but one day, soon, she was going to have to answer for what she'd done, to her mom, to the principal, to Finn and to all their friends, and she couldn't help feeling like it was an appointment with death. Inevitable, but dreaded nonetheless.
*
For drummerboy37 - Smallville - Clark/Lana - tractor
Clark feels lazy, lying here in the middle of the day, toying with a blade of grass with one hand while Lana's head rests on his chest. He can hear all the sounds of work going on around them, his dad on the tractor in the next field, the truck starting up as his mom heads off into town, traffic in the distance. But it's too good a moment to lose, so he just lifts his head a fraction and kisses Lana on the forehead, brushing back her hair so that he can see her face. She smiles up at him, and he can tell she doesn't want to move either, or say anything that will remind them that this is just one moment, one simple, perfect moment, and life's not really like this at all.
But for now it's just the two of them, lying languid under the summer sun, and they can pretend this will last forever.
*
For fille_blessee - Harry Potter - Snape - sacrifice
Snape had always assumed his life would be one of those sacrificed, a grand gesture at the height of the final battle that would tilt the fight in their favour. He'd grown accustomed to the idea, so when he realised that it wasn't going to be him, that he would be spared while others died, he felt oddly bereft.
It wasn't a death wish: although he'd never had a day when he could truthfully say he loved life, he still wanted to live. But now his life seemed of less value, less even than Sirius', and that irked him more than he liked to admit.
So many heroes that didn't deserve the accolade, but he'd be forgotten.
For agent_alpo - Firefly - Jayne - smarts
Jayne's not going to admit it to anyone, but he sometimes wishes he had the doctor's smarts and his book learning and stuff - maybe then the doc'd notice him.
He's still got one of them books he borrowed, took, when he thought they were leaving the pair of them behind on Jiangyin. He returned all the rest of their gear after they went back for the rescue, but he couldn't quite bring himself to give the book back. It's a real old one, with fancy gold lettering on the cover and flimsy paper with tiny lettering inside. He wants to touch it, but his fingers look too thick and crude against something so dainty and nice.
He's never seen anything so fine before, 'cept maybe the doc himself.
*
For missu - Stargate Atlantis - Sheppard - laughter
John chuckles when he hears someone at the door. He's been expecting Rodney for the last thirty-two minutes, and John's quite impressed that Rodney has held out so long after hearing the rumor, the cunningly spread rumor, that the Colonel has a secret stash of snickers. What better way to deflect suspicion from yet another midnight visit to his quarters?
*
For romanticalgirl - Veronica Mars - Lilly/Sheriff Lamb - nerve
Lilly doesn't like to waste money on speeding tickets or parking tickets, so she doesn't. She can twist the deputy around her little finger as easily as she can wrap her legs around his when he fucks her against the wall in the evidence room.
The first time, he'd told her she had a nerve suggesting it, and she'd said no, she had balls, didn't he? And so he'd proved he did, just as she thought he would. No man could resist a taunt like that, especially from her.
*
Also for romanticalgirl - Veronica Mars - Veronica/Sheriff Lamb
Veronica hates herself every time she lies down and spreads her legs in the back of his patrol car, hates herself even more than she hates the smug grin on his face as he tosses the condom out the window afterwards. But she still comes back for more, because if there's one thing she think she's learned this last year, it's that hate makes for a better fuck than love.
*
For swtalmnd - Stargate Atlantis - Ronon/Mckay - brawn meets brains
"There's a way around this. There has to be." Rodney bit his bottom lip in concentration and thought even harder.
Ronon shrugged indifferently. "Maybe."
"I always have a solution. I refuse to be beaten by this piece of junk."
Ronon looked over his shoulder.
"What if-"
"No, no, no, just leave it to me," Rodney insisted testily as he got down on his hands and knees and crawled under the console. "Me brains, you brawn, get it?"
There was no reply, so Rodney happily assumed that he'd got his point across. Really, being stuck offworld with Ronon as his assistant was worse than useless unless he needed something heavy moving or someone shooting. Which he didn't, other than Ronon himself.
A bright flash, and Rodney hit his head on the underneath of the console with the shock. "What did you do? You long-haired idiot, you didn't touch anything, did you?"
"Just the on switch."
"Oh."
"..."
"That was a lucky guess."
*
For katkim - My So-Called Life - Angela & Brian Krakow - responsibility
That was the problem with Brian, Angela thought. He always felt so responsible, whatever happened, whether it was his fault or not. She hated when he apologized when he hadn't done anything worse than just be himself, there and dependable and so loyal it hurt.
*
For barely_bean - My So-Called Life/Veronica Mars - Rayanne/Veronica - freshman orientation
There's a girl always in the bathroom, no matter when Veronica checks. She's a freshman: Veronica's seen her in a couple of classes, though the girl never stays for more than a few minutes. She acts like the bathroom's her own, like Veronica used to back at Neptune High - sometimes she's shooting up, sometimes she's reapplying the weird-colored eyeliner she wears or fiddling with her tangled hair, and sometimes she's just hanging around, sitting on one of the basins swinging her legs idly as though she has nothing else she'd rather do.
Today she's crying, and it takes a while to register, because she doesn't look like the kind of girl who could ever be as lonely or lost as Veronica feels here, so it's minutes before Veronica goes up to her and offers her a tissue and then a hug. And, somehow, before Veronica can even work out how it's happened, they're running out of school, out to the car park, and they're driving away, she and Rayanne, and the tears have dried up and they're both laughing.
Rayanne's laugh reminds her of Lilly's, just a little. That's why the corner of Veronica's eye is moist, even while she's laughing and joking. But she thinks Rayanne understands things like that - she can see it in her eyes, hears it in all the things she doesn't say. And when they kiss, hours later on the beach after the sun's gone down, she feels it in the softness of Rayanne's lips and in her touch as gentle hands stray under Veronica's shirt.
*
For slodwick - Good Omens - Crowley/Azariphale - daffodils
Aziraphale had heard a rumour once, back in the days, that He'd intended to make daffodils white until Michael had persuaded Him that yellow would be nice and cheery after the winter and not vulgar at all. That was certainly a mark in Michael's favour, as far as Aziraphale was concerned.
Aziraphale had a soft spot in his heart for daffodils, and the bigger and brighter and sunnier they were, the more he liked them. Every day from the middle of February onwards he'd go for a walk in the park, no matter what the weather, just to make sure he'd see the first one.
It was February 29th, which Aziraphale always disliked on principle, and he still hadn't seen the first daffodil. So he was sulking. Not that he called it that, because angels really couldn't admit to something so petty, but, in essence, his mood could be described as sulky. Which was why, when Crowley suggested meeting up in the park, Aziraphale only agreed very reluctantly. Crowley wasn't necessarily the best person to meet when he was feeling-a little down.
They'd walked most of the way around the lake without talking, which was most unusual for them, when Crowley tapped him on the arm and then pointed to their left. There, under a tree, in the last place one would expect early daffodils, where, in fact, there had definitely been none the day before, was an expanse of glorious golden-yellow daffodils rippling in the breeze.
*
For mcfeste - Veronica Mars - Logan, Lilly, Veronica - questions
There are too many questions unanswered, and Logan can't think what to do about it, because you can't have answers when you don't even know the questions. And the questions he does have, questions that are spinning around in his head so fast that they feel like they'll fly out and hit someone-bam, bam, bam-they're never going to have answers because Lilly's dead and though she's left the who and the how to be discovered, he's never going to know why.
So he asks Veronica instead, late one night while he stands at her doorstep half drunk on just a couple of cans of beer and a gallon of self-pity. Asks her why she didn't trust him, why she kissed him back, if Lilly ever really loved him, and a million other questions that he's thankfully forgotten by the following day.
He wouldn't have been surprised if she'd shut the door in his face, but she doesn't. She doesn't answer his questions either, but that's all right, because she's holding him, and that's better, much better, because that's the answer to the question he hadn't thought of but needed to know more than anything else.
*
For yavannauk - Stargate Atlantis - Rodney/Radek - puddlejumpers
Everybody knew the puddlejumpers were Atlantis' version of under the bleachers - far enough away to be out of hearing range, but obvious enough to add that frisson of danger. So when Rodney and Radek suddenly needed to spend an inordinate amount of time repairing them, together, everyone understood without anything being said, and everyone had the sense to keep away.
Everyone, that is, except Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard.
As he stood at the open door of the puddlejumper, he desperately wished someone had thought to warn him. It was going to take a lot of bootlegged porn from the Daedalus to wipe this sight out of his head. And although he'd often searched for a way to shut Rodney up, he really didn't need to know that he could be silenced in quite that manner. Or that Radek was so vocal when he had his cock down someone's throat.
Sheppard let out a little moan and ran. He was a brave man, but not that brave - he'd make his trip to the mainland another day.
*
For ilexa - Stargate Atlantis - Rodney/John - broken
He listens to Rodney asking him to trust him again, listens to the heartfelt apology and wishes he didn't have to do the right thing. But he does, as ever, because he always does what he believes is right, no matter what - it's the way he's wired. So he says the words he's obliged to, both as Colonel and as a friend, even though they hurt him as much as Rodney.
"That may take a while."
John wants to walk straight back out of the transporter. Wants to slap Rodney on the back and tell him everything is fine. Wants to hold him tight, fuck him hard, kiss away that dejection, help them both forget today. He doesn't want to stand here and watch this broken Rodney apologizing, humbling himself in a way that must be so hard for him of all people. But he does, because he thinks that the only way he can keep Rodney safe, keep him alive, is if he teaches him that he's not always right, and that when he's wrong a few words won't always make everything better. Won't bring the dead back to life.
He throws out hope though, and a promise. He has to, because he can't bear not to. Rodney's strong, far stronger than he knows, but John is the one person who could completely break him, and he would never do that.
"But, I'm sure you can do it if you really try."
*
For obsessivemuch - Much Ado About Nothing - Beatrice/Benedick - cunning
"I love thee not."
"Aha, those silly words I have heard before, sweet Mistress Beatrice. I warrant they were a lie then, and methinks they are a naughty, naughty lie now.
"Sir, I promise thee, I love not thy dirty garters or thy stained doublet or thy sodden gaze. And I love not thee when the stench of ale is ripe upon thee."
"Beatrice, most sweet, beautiful, perfect turtledove-"
"Thou shalt not enter."
"'Tis all a cunning plot. Don Pedro-"
"And what purpose has this plot? To make thee look a drunken fool? It is a clever plot indeed, for it hast worked to perfection."
"Beatrice, my dearest chuck. I shall sing thee a song of my love. My love is like a red, red rose, which-"
"No, sir, desist! Your love is in the cups, and you shall spend the night outside."
A door closes, and the sound of singing fades.
*
For ice_crystal - Young Americans - Jake/Hamilton - crayon
"Are we trying to outsmart death, do you think?"
"Uh?" Hamilton raised himself up on his elbow and stared at Jake, puzzled.
"Trying to run away from our responsibilities. Run away from who we are, what we're meant to be." Jake shrugged and sighed softly. "OK, I guess I mean, am I trying to run away from who I am? Do you think I'm a coward?
"The fable we read with Finn earlier." Hamilton nods, understanding.
"Yeah, it got me thinking." She fiddled idly with a crayon resting on the desk, doodling her name and Hamilton's in a patch of sunlight without even being aware she was doing it.
"I think we all lie, at least a bit. There's always something we want to hide. And maybe it's not a good thing, maybe it's something we'll try and grow out of, but, I don't know, we're still kids, right? So I don't think it's cowardice, it's just part of life and learning and all the things we have to go through to get it right in the end."
Jake smiled wistfully at his answer, and sat and stared out the window for a long time. His answer was enough for now, but one day, soon, she was going to have to answer for what she'd done, to her mom, to the principal, to Finn and to all their friends, and she couldn't help feeling like it was an appointment with death. Inevitable, but dreaded nonetheless.
*
For drummerboy37 - Smallville - Clark/Lana - tractor
Clark feels lazy, lying here in the middle of the day, toying with a blade of grass with one hand while Lana's head rests on his chest. He can hear all the sounds of work going on around them, his dad on the tractor in the next field, the truck starting up as his mom heads off into town, traffic in the distance. But it's too good a moment to lose, so he just lifts his head a fraction and kisses Lana on the forehead, brushing back her hair so that he can see her face. She smiles up at him, and he can tell she doesn't want to move either, or say anything that will remind them that this is just one moment, one simple, perfect moment, and life's not really like this at all.
But for now it's just the two of them, lying languid under the summer sun, and they can pretend this will last forever.
*
For fille_blessee - Harry Potter - Snape - sacrifice
Snape had always assumed his life would be one of those sacrificed, a grand gesture at the height of the final battle that would tilt the fight in their favour. He'd grown accustomed to the idea, so when he realised that it wasn't going to be him, that he would be spared while others died, he felt oddly bereft.
It wasn't a death wish: although he'd never had a day when he could truthfully say he loved life, he still wanted to live. But now his life seemed of less value, less even than Sirius', and that irked him more than he liked to admit.
So many heroes that didn't deserve the accolade, but he'd be forgotten.