Perfect Duet's paid account and the Oakum Meme (II)

[esteven]

Some lovely person was so kind to gift perfect_duet with two months of paid time. Whoever it was, please pm me, so I can thank you properly. :D The gift makes the Oakum Meme so much easier because it brought the subject headers back.

So, once more onto the breach:

Here at this post you will find all prompts/requests we have so far received on LJ and on DW

Comments

Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

He opened his eyes with a start, and instantly curled away from Stephen into a half-crouch. He took a deep breath, got to his feet and stumbled across the little strand to the boat, trying to restrain his pace and give an outward show of calm just in case Stephen was awake. There, he rummaged hastily through the few scattered belongings for something that might offer sufficient cover. He reached for the sailcloth but dismissed it as too unwieldy and cast wildly around for anything else. There was a bundle of linen on the thwart that he realised was Stephen’s discarded shirt, too small to wear but large enough for his needs. He seized it and hunched over it, pressing the hem to his midriff, attempting to calm his breathing. Stephen had surely been dozing and could not have seen the state Jack was in, could not have seen anything. Jack could knot the shirt round his waist on the plea of sunburn and insist it was time to return immediately to the ship, and all would be well, if he could just-

There was a weight on his shoulder, Stephen’s hand, that touch again.

For a lurching moment Jack thought he might be sick. To be so brought by the lee-his eyes were hot with the shame of it. He ought to try for a convenient excuse, but could not bear to, not when Stephen might read the truth in his eyes. He sagged over the gunwale. If Stephen knew, if he understood, it would be the end of everything, the end of this precarious balance they had maintained for a dozen years by never acknowledging its fragility. To turn around now would be to watch it collapse.

He felt Stephen’s fingertips curl very softly into the hollow above his collarbone.

He stood another moment, waiting motionless as the world shifted and he found himself unchanged. It might, he realised with wary bewilderment, be possible to live with this. It might even-

“Jack?” said Stephen, and the question was so obvious that Jack could not believe it had never been spoken aloud before, nor that he had waited for it to be.

He turned and pulled Stephen roughly against him, with no time for anything but fierceness after so much time lost. One hand was in Stephen’s hair, forcing his head back to be kissed, the other tearing at Stephen’s waistband. He would have been shocked at the force of the longing, if there had been room in his mind for shock, but the one unthinkable thought was excluding all others.

They might only have a few minutes of privacy left to them, but those few minutes would be worth the living.

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

Oh my!! It is 'Worth the living' indeed!

What a beautiful, sensuous and wholly believable thing this is. I love the details of Jack scratching, the touch of Stephen's hand, the sun and plants ... the stillness of it all.

It's just wonderful. Thank you for posting it.

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

Thank you! Glad you like it :-)

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

If Stephen knew, if he understood, it would be the end of everything, the end of this precarious balance they had maintained for a dozen years by never acknowledging its fragility
But as you showed well, the change is undoubtedly for the better of them. :D

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

To be sure, though people are often horribly afraid of change, especially such a major change in their worldview.

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

Wait, what? But where's the rest of it?! You're as bad as POB! ;D

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

I can't, I can't! They're... it's... *winces* Anyway I wrote this story just for me, so I can close the bedroom door on them if I want, even if there ain't no door to close *g*

But if you would like to write part 5, by all means go for it! :-D

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

Well... *looks doubtful* ...I suppose I could.

But 'and then they fucked like bunnies' just doesn't sound as elegant next to your lovely prose!

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

LOL

It's... efficient :-D

Tho' you have been more prolix in the past. Not, obviously, that I know who you are, as we are all utterly anonymous.

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

I keep meaning to say, why do we even pretend? :D :D :D

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

Because esteven said we must! *is obedient, if unconvincing*
If there were more than three or four of us here, it might even work! Possibly there are a few lurkers out there who don't know who's who???

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

...and there are some prompts that need to be filled which have not come from any of the unconvinings...

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

There are three or four prompts from other anonymouses. I hope they will get filled.

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

*nods* You and I should not have to do all the work *g*

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

I guess the difficulty is that a number of the comm's readers do not know the books well enough...
*sighs*

Re: Of All the Islands in All the World (part 4 of 4)

[anonymous]

Hmm, that might be a problem. Although it needn't stop people requesting or writing movie-oakum, or pieces that are between books or just not described at all (like the weddings).