Generation Kill rec and a snippet: You and Me and a Bumblebee (of our own)
Sixteen Days in September by tevere [Generation Kill, ensemble, Brad/Nate, adult, 43,500 words]
I've seen this recced a couple of times already, and I'm sure most of the Generation Kill fandom have found it already, but some stories deserve a wider audience, and this is one that I think you can read without any background in the fandom. It's a beautifully written story that takes a horrific part of recent history (the violence around the fight for independence in East Timor in 1999) and shows us the human side of it all. Add to that the vivid detail in which tevere paints Timor-Leste, and the realistically handled slash relationship, and this is an epic story you really shouldn't miss.
And after reccing a magnificent story, here's- well, the exact opposite! A wee bit of nutrition-free fluff for trolleys, based on the art here. [trolleys, this isn't instead of the prompts you've given me! I just went to look at your zombie pictures again, and got distracted!]
You and Me and a Bumblebee (of our own) [Generation Kill, Brad/Nate, PG, 358 words, fluff, unbetaed.]
"So when exactly did you lose your fu-" Brad pauses midword, collects himself, and continues, "your balls?"
Nate looks up from fitting Katy into her bumblebee costume. Nate used to be able to get into full gas attack gear in seconds. Getting a wriggling, squirming, over-excited pre-schooler into a Halloween costume is a much harder task. There's one piece of velcro that doesn't seem to have a partner, the wings keep drooping, and he doesn't like to imagine what will happen if Katy needs the toilet quickly. He's gaining new found admiration for parents.
"That would be when my sister put Katy on the phone," Nate admits wryly.
"You're coming twick and tweeting too, aren't you uncle Brad?" Katy asks, bouncing on her toes as Nate puts the finishing touches to her costume.
Nate buries his smile. Just.
He gets up and turns to Brad. Brad's staring at him, the sort of stare that tells him it would be a full-blown glare accompanied by some choice epithets if there weren't a three year old in the hall.
"Pwease," Katy adds. There's a little tremble in her lower lip.
"I'm sure uncle Brad would love to, wouldn't you?" Nate says. He lets his voice drop half an octave, into officer command mode. These days Nate rarely uses it outside the bedroom. He can tell Brad notices.
"Of course, baby girl," Brad lies bravely. "Your antennae are crooked," he adds, and kneels down to straighten Katy's headband. Nate can't see Brad's face directly, but he can see the reflection in the hall mirror, the tender look he gets as soon as he thinks no one but Katy can see him.
Nate leans down and presses a chaste kiss to the nape of Brad's neck. He lingers there, hand on Brad's back. "You'd make a wonderful father," he whispers, and watches in the mirror as Brad's eyes drop closed a moment. As though he's contemplating the idea.
Brad's smirking slightly when he stands up. "No kid of mine would ever wear some pu-prissy animal costume for Halloween. Zombies are way cooler."
Nate thinks that might just be a yes.
//
I did warn you it was fluff!! Twice!!!!
I've seen this recced a couple of times already, and I'm sure most of the Generation Kill fandom have found it already, but some stories deserve a wider audience, and this is one that I think you can read without any background in the fandom. It's a beautifully written story that takes a horrific part of recent history (the violence around the fight for independence in East Timor in 1999) and shows us the human side of it all. Add to that the vivid detail in which tevere paints Timor-Leste, and the realistically handled slash relationship, and this is an epic story you really shouldn't miss.
And after reccing a magnificent story, here's- well, the exact opposite! A wee bit of nutrition-free fluff for trolleys, based on the art here. [trolleys, this isn't instead of the prompts you've given me! I just went to look at your zombie pictures again, and got distracted!]
You and Me and a Bumblebee (of our own) [Generation Kill, Brad/Nate, PG, 358 words, fluff, unbetaed.]
"So when exactly did you lose your fu-" Brad pauses midword, collects himself, and continues, "your balls?"
Nate looks up from fitting Katy into her bumblebee costume. Nate used to be able to get into full gas attack gear in seconds. Getting a wriggling, squirming, over-excited pre-schooler into a Halloween costume is a much harder task. There's one piece of velcro that doesn't seem to have a partner, the wings keep drooping, and he doesn't like to imagine what will happen if Katy needs the toilet quickly. He's gaining new found admiration for parents.
"That would be when my sister put Katy on the phone," Nate admits wryly.
"You're coming twick and tweeting too, aren't you uncle Brad?" Katy asks, bouncing on her toes as Nate puts the finishing touches to her costume.
Nate buries his smile. Just.
He gets up and turns to Brad. Brad's staring at him, the sort of stare that tells him it would be a full-blown glare accompanied by some choice epithets if there weren't a three year old in the hall.
"Pwease," Katy adds. There's a little tremble in her lower lip.
"I'm sure uncle Brad would love to, wouldn't you?" Nate says. He lets his voice drop half an octave, into officer command mode. These days Nate rarely uses it outside the bedroom. He can tell Brad notices.
"Of course, baby girl," Brad lies bravely. "Your antennae are crooked," he adds, and kneels down to straighten Katy's headband. Nate can't see Brad's face directly, but he can see the reflection in the hall mirror, the tender look he gets as soon as he thinks no one but Katy can see him.
Nate leans down and presses a chaste kiss to the nape of Brad's neck. He lingers there, hand on Brad's back. "You'd make a wonderful father," he whispers, and watches in the mirror as Brad's eyes drop closed a moment. As though he's contemplating the idea.
Brad's smirking slightly when he stands up. "No kid of mine would ever wear some pu-prissy animal costume for Halloween. Zombies are way cooler."
Nate thinks that might just be a yes.
//
I did warn you it was fluff!! Twice!!!!