Just take 10 drabbles and call me in the morning...
Another writing funk came along so I think it's time to administer another dose of music drabbles.
1. There Are Worse Things I Could Do - Grease
"Actually, I don't drink." Vimes said. This always caused a change in the atmosphere. Anyone who heard him utter those words would start looking at him differently. Most people just felt slightly awkward and then change the subject. But some people, like Rust, would make that little raising a glass gesture and smirk. Then they'd be especially kind to Sybil since she was stuck with an alcoholic for a husband. Because admitting that it was a problem is definitely worse than acting like it isn't until it screws up the lives of your loved ones like most people do.
2. Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac
Inside Sybil's mind was a list of little lies that Vimes regularly told her. 'I'm just popping into the Yard for a minute', 'yes, I'll stay for the entire dinner/party/ceremony', 'it's fine, nothing to worry about' and 'no, I'm not going to start any trouble'. Every time he spoke one of them, Sybil acted skeptical and forced her face into a disapproving look. She could not under any circumstances let him think that she actually was glad to hear him tell those lies.
3. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Santa Esmeralda
Just by the way Sybil was acting, Vimes knew that she'd heard about... that bad business with the little girl. And the arrest... and that Detritus had to go in and get him...
They ate their breakfast in silence. Cutlery on plate clattered like thunder. Vimes risked a few glances at his wife and was careful not to be caught.
"Are you all right?" Sybil asked.
"Yes." Vimes lied.
Sybil met her husband's eye. She wanted to tell him something that would make him feel better. But what could she say? She could remind him that thanks to him the victim's family would have closure and peace of mind and that no one else would suffer the way that little girl had. Could she say any of that without it sounding hollow? She looked down at her food again and didn't say anything for now.
Vimes leaned back in his chair. How much had she found out? Detritus wouldn't go into detail but word got around in this city. Lots of people knew all the grisly details. Gods, she must think you're a barbarian. Looking back on it all now, he could have handled the situation better. But sometimes the system really was too good for some criminals.
"I need coffee." Vimes said and poured himself another cup.
"Rough night?" Sybil asked, not looking up.
"Yea."
Sybil watched Vimes sipping from his cup. He hasn't slept properly, she could tell that.
"I'm glad you're back." she said in that special wife tone that meant she didn't know what to tell him but that didn't mean she didn't care.
4. If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow
"Oh ____!!"
Vimes' whole body froze to prevent nicking himself with his razor. He very carefully lowered the razor from his face before he allowed himself to chuckle.
"Why are the ____ing pens open!?!" Sybil's voice rumbled from the dragon house on the ground floor and behind the house.
He knew he shouldn't laugh. Hearing the love of his life losing her temper wasn't funny. She put a lot of work into dragon breeding. To this woman who took everything in stride, even assassination attempts, dragons were Serious Business.
"WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, YOU LITTLE BLIGHTERS!?!?" Sybil roared, searching for the escaped dragons.
Vimes smirked at his reflection in the mirror. Was this how she felt all the time?
5. A.M. Radio - Everclear
The Random Aria wasn't the only song that made Sybil reminisce about her youth. Vimes discovered there there was a filing cabinet worth of sheet music that took her back to those simpler years. Each one had some specific memory attached to it. Like that one that her friend was playing when Sybil got her first kiss or the opera she'd gone to see on her first date... He later found out that sometimes, when she needed a little boost, she'd go the piano and play a few notes that were instantly recognizable only to her.
6. The Last Unicorn - America
"I'm rather sad that she's gone." Lady Ramkin said, thinking about the noble dragon.
"It... she did try to eat you." Vimes reminded her, "And it burned down my watch house."
"I know." Sybil said as if this were some minor offense that he really should stop bringing up, "But... well, seeing her flying around... it was like being a child again. Like there was magic, real magic, in the world again."
"I used to think shrubs were magic." Vimes said with a shrug.
"What?"
"When I was a kid..." he said more sheepishly, "I grew up in a flat... so we didn't have a proper garden. And I always thought shrubs and hedges were magic. That there were like... fairies and things living in them."
He smiled at her then. There was a hint of worry in his smile, that she might think him silly when he'd revealed something personal about himself. Sybil smiled back.
"So you know what I mean." She said.
7. A Taste of Hell - Everclear
Vimes ran away from another social function. It was hardly a rare occurrence. He was a master of finding some reason to sneak away. There was no point in getting angry. No point in trying to stop him. Any strategy Sybil might use to keep him in place, he'd find a way around eventually. He was quite like a thief that came across a new sort of lock. There was certainly no point in revenge. It wasn't just that Sybil didn't see the point of revenge in general but Vimes was just too difficult to take revenge against. He never dragged her to things that she'd rather not do. She couldn't think of anything that she really endured for his sake. Not in the way he endured parties anyway.
8. Somos Novios - Armando Manzanero
Married... Sybil thought blissfully for the hundredth time at the wedding reception. She and Sam were married. Every time she thought about it, she felt a little part of her giggle. She was in serious danger of getting quite soppy. Well, it was her wedding day. Surely that allowed a larger share of soppiness.
"I love you, Mister Vimes." she said smiling in a way that told anyone who might see, that they were speaking about some trivial matter.
"I love you, Missus Vimes." Vimes answered wearing a similar smile.
9. Still - Alanis Morrisette
"Being a writer is a lot like being God..." said some pompous little git that Vimes insisted that he'd never heard of but seemed to be some brilliant author.
He resisted the urge to punch him in the nose. It was hard going though. If he didn't want to to punch him for elevating himself to the level of a god, he wanted to punch him for actually being right and putting his characters through so much grief.
"You can control events..." the writer continued, "but you really can't control what your characters will do."
That doesn't stop you torturing them until they do what you want... Vimes thought bitterly.
"And no matter what they do... it's impossible for a true writer to hate his creations." he concluded.
"Oh really?" Vimes asked in a nasty tone, "What do they think of you?"
"What do you think of the gods, Commander Vimes?" the writer asked.
"Oh you know. They're a bunch of bastards. Like everyone else."
"And if there was someone that controlled all the events that happened in your life... what would you say to him?"
10. Si Nos Dejan - Luis Miguel
After having dinner with Lady Ramkin, Vimes thought carefully about what to do about his men. They'd meddled. Whether for good or ill, they'd interfered in his personal life by going to see her and asking her to look after him. He could just be grateful and accept that they only wanted to help and that out of everyone in the world, his men knew him best. But meddling... well, Vimes was against that on principle. No matter how well meaning, more often then not, it ruined things. So they'd just have to leave him and Sybil be from now on.
1. There Are Worse Things I Could Do - Grease
"Actually, I don't drink." Vimes said. This always caused a change in the atmosphere. Anyone who heard him utter those words would start looking at him differently. Most people just felt slightly awkward and then change the subject. But some people, like Rust, would make that little raising a glass gesture and smirk. Then they'd be especially kind to Sybil since she was stuck with an alcoholic for a husband. Because admitting that it was a problem is definitely worse than acting like it isn't until it screws up the lives of your loved ones like most people do.
2. Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac
Inside Sybil's mind was a list of little lies that Vimes regularly told her. 'I'm just popping into the Yard for a minute', 'yes, I'll stay for the entire dinner/party/ceremony', 'it's fine, nothing to worry about' and 'no, I'm not going to start any trouble'. Every time he spoke one of them, Sybil acted skeptical and forced her face into a disapproving look. She could not under any circumstances let him think that she actually was glad to hear him tell those lies.
3. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Santa Esmeralda
Just by the way Sybil was acting, Vimes knew that she'd heard about... that bad business with the little girl. And the arrest... and that Detritus had to go in and get him...
They ate their breakfast in silence. Cutlery on plate clattered like thunder. Vimes risked a few glances at his wife and was careful not to be caught.
"Are you all right?" Sybil asked.
"Yes." Vimes lied.
Sybil met her husband's eye. She wanted to tell him something that would make him feel better. But what could she say? She could remind him that thanks to him the victim's family would have closure and peace of mind and that no one else would suffer the way that little girl had. Could she say any of that without it sounding hollow? She looked down at her food again and didn't say anything for now.
Vimes leaned back in his chair. How much had she found out? Detritus wouldn't go into detail but word got around in this city. Lots of people knew all the grisly details. Gods, she must think you're a barbarian. Looking back on it all now, he could have handled the situation better. But sometimes the system really was too good for some criminals.
"I need coffee." Vimes said and poured himself another cup.
"Rough night?" Sybil asked, not looking up.
"Yea."
Sybil watched Vimes sipping from his cup. He hasn't slept properly, she could tell that.
"I'm glad you're back." she said in that special wife tone that meant she didn't know what to tell him but that didn't mean she didn't care.
4. If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow
"Oh ____!!"
Vimes' whole body froze to prevent nicking himself with his razor. He very carefully lowered the razor from his face before he allowed himself to chuckle.
"Why are the ____ing pens open!?!" Sybil's voice rumbled from the dragon house on the ground floor and behind the house.
He knew he shouldn't laugh. Hearing the love of his life losing her temper wasn't funny. She put a lot of work into dragon breeding. To this woman who took everything in stride, even assassination attempts, dragons were Serious Business.
"WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, YOU LITTLE BLIGHTERS!?!?" Sybil roared, searching for the escaped dragons.
Vimes smirked at his reflection in the mirror. Was this how she felt all the time?
5. A.M. Radio - Everclear
The Random Aria wasn't the only song that made Sybil reminisce about her youth. Vimes discovered there there was a filing cabinet worth of sheet music that took her back to those simpler years. Each one had some specific memory attached to it. Like that one that her friend was playing when Sybil got her first kiss or the opera she'd gone to see on her first date... He later found out that sometimes, when she needed a little boost, she'd go the piano and play a few notes that were instantly recognizable only to her.
6. The Last Unicorn - America
"I'm rather sad that she's gone." Lady Ramkin said, thinking about the noble dragon.
"It... she did try to eat you." Vimes reminded her, "And it burned down my watch house."
"I know." Sybil said as if this were some minor offense that he really should stop bringing up, "But... well, seeing her flying around... it was like being a child again. Like there was magic, real magic, in the world again."
"I used to think shrubs were magic." Vimes said with a shrug.
"What?"
"When I was a kid..." he said more sheepishly, "I grew up in a flat... so we didn't have a proper garden. And I always thought shrubs and hedges were magic. That there were like... fairies and things living in them."
He smiled at her then. There was a hint of worry in his smile, that she might think him silly when he'd revealed something personal about himself. Sybil smiled back.
"So you know what I mean." She said.
7. A Taste of Hell - Everclear
Vimes ran away from another social function. It was hardly a rare occurrence. He was a master of finding some reason to sneak away. There was no point in getting angry. No point in trying to stop him. Any strategy Sybil might use to keep him in place, he'd find a way around eventually. He was quite like a thief that came across a new sort of lock. There was certainly no point in revenge. It wasn't just that Sybil didn't see the point of revenge in general but Vimes was just too difficult to take revenge against. He never dragged her to things that she'd rather not do. She couldn't think of anything that she really endured for his sake. Not in the way he endured parties anyway.
8. Somos Novios - Armando Manzanero
Married... Sybil thought blissfully for the hundredth time at the wedding reception. She and Sam were married. Every time she thought about it, she felt a little part of her giggle. She was in serious danger of getting quite soppy. Well, it was her wedding day. Surely that allowed a larger share of soppiness.
"I love you, Mister Vimes." she said smiling in a way that told anyone who might see, that they were speaking about some trivial matter.
"I love you, Missus Vimes." Vimes answered wearing a similar smile.
9. Still - Alanis Morrisette
"Being a writer is a lot like being God..." said some pompous little git that Vimes insisted that he'd never heard of but seemed to be some brilliant author.
He resisted the urge to punch him in the nose. It was hard going though. If he didn't want to to punch him for elevating himself to the level of a god, he wanted to punch him for actually being right and putting his characters through so much grief.
"You can control events..." the writer continued, "but you really can't control what your characters will do."
That doesn't stop you torturing them until they do what you want... Vimes thought bitterly.
"And no matter what they do... it's impossible for a true writer to hate his creations." he concluded.
"Oh really?" Vimes asked in a nasty tone, "What do they think of you?"
"What do you think of the gods, Commander Vimes?" the writer asked.
"Oh you know. They're a bunch of bastards. Like everyone else."
"And if there was someone that controlled all the events that happened in your life... what would you say to him?"
10. Si Nos Dejan - Luis Miguel
After having dinner with Lady Ramkin, Vimes thought carefully about what to do about his men. They'd meddled. Whether for good or ill, they'd interfered in his personal life by going to see her and asking her to look after him. He could just be grateful and accept that they only wanted to help and that out of everyone in the world, his men knew him best. But meddling... well, Vimes was against that on principle. No matter how well meaning, more often then not, it ruined things. So they'd just have to leave him and Sybil be from now on.