.25 strangers, .48 diamonds
[.025 Strangers]
Sydney Alexis
A/N: Minor character death
The chemical smell of bleach couldn't hide the pain and death that permeated the place; it had seeped into the very walls of the hospital. And Christ how he hated it and the women that had forced him here.
Claire's phone call had dragged him from his kid's side during an all too infrequent visit, and now this...
After those bogus molestation charges, he'd sworn to himself nothing would force him within a ten mile radius of the bitch.
And now, this...
Lo and behold he finally got his greatest wish -- freedom from the Kinney name. And on Christmas no less.
He'd expected to feel something at the news, but all he could do was swallow thickly and promise to come as soon as possible.
He found room 713 easy enough -- he'd haunted these halls more than enough times during Justin's extended stay. Pushing the door open, he shuffled in, half expecting to see Claire sobbing uncontrollably. Instead, he found her sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, her lips in a thin line, her hands fisting the strap of her purse.
Brian's eyes left his sister and landed on his mother. Besides the slight blue tinge to her lips, there was no other sign of her death.
"How'd it happen?"
"Heart failure." A beat, then, "She was hoping you'd come before..."
Mouth twisted into a grim line, Brian nodded. No doubt she wanted to try to save his soul because he knew she'd never try to make amends. A tiny part of him -- the embittered, abused child -- wanted nothing more than to point out the obvious -- that Joan Kinney couldn't possibly have had a 'heart' to allow those kinds of abuses under her 'care,' that amends would have taken apologies and remorse on both sides and neither were forthcoming because pride was nearly impossible to swallow, and that he had been saved just not in the way his mother had intended. He'd escaped his father's fists and his mother's religious zealotry through schooling and hard work, and, despite never being shown an ounce of affection as a child, he'd managed to find love for himself.
And now his parents were gone and he was finally free of them both.
But that freedom tasted like ashes in his mouth.
His gaze locked on his sister. "I'll call the funeral home tomorrow," he said before turning and walking out the door.
The service was held on December 27 and was presided over by Reverend Buttfuck. The turn-out was pathetic -- only those who were obliged through church or familial connections. No one spoke on her behalf.
The cemetery service was equally unremarkable save the lower number of people present -- the Reverend, Claire, her two demon spawn, Brian, and Justin.
After the last prayer was uttered, Claire hesitated for only a moment or two before catching Brian's gaze. She smiled weakly sending a silent message -- it was over now -- before gathering her children and heading towards her car.
Reverend Buttfuck nodded respectfully before following suit.
With one last glance at the rose covered casket, Brian turned on his heel and walked up the small hill towards his 'vette.
The engine turned over, purring beneath his touch as he eased away from the curb and left the cemetery behind them. The same question turned over and over in his mind.
Was it worth it, Mother?
All the abuse that the family had suffered.
All the years they had gone without because Jack drank away his paycheck.
Choosing the Bible and the Almighty Bottle over leaving the son of a bitch.
Was it worth it, Mother?
He pulled to a stop in front of a red light, starting when Justin's hand wrapped around his forearm. Brian's white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel lessened, gaze rising to meet Justin's.
Releasing a puff of air, Brian smiled wanly, drawing his partner into a chaste kiss.
For all his mother's attempts to save him, to remind him that he'd burn in Hell, she'd never managed to find what he had -- love and acceptance.
And that, to him, was worth whatever the cost may be.
[.048 Diamonds]
Sydney Alexis
The message had been left. Short and sweet, it said: "Get your ass to Vegas," and had been followed by a street address.
Sighing, Gus pocketed his wallet, keys, packed an overnight bag, and called for a taxi to the airport. He idly wondered if Melanie knew any good lawyers or bail bondsmen in Nevada.
When Gus arrived at the address he'd dutifully taken down, he couldn't believe his eyes.
He rechecked the paper, looked at the building, and blinked slowly.
"Well shit," he said to himself, re-pocketing the paper.
Of all the places he expected to chase down his little sister, it was not here. A drunk tank? Yes. In lock-up for doing something potentially stupid and dangerous? Yes. In fact, he'd bailed his little sister out more than once for being drunk in public (much to the chagrin of their mother the lawyer.) But this was Just. Not. Right.
And, yet, here he was a 3:12am walking into the lobby of...
God, he couldn't even force his eyes away from the day-glow orange neon sign that read:
The Happiest Li'l Weddin' Chapel.
And there she was. All smiles and hanging off the arm of a guy that admittedly was hot.
And she wasn't drunk...or stoned.
He forced himself to step through the tacky, faux-stained glass doors and to JR's side, promising himself he'd hear her out before drugging her, dragging her back home, and trying to force some sense into her.
"Gus!" She cried, crossing the lobby and dragging Pretty Boy with her. "It's so good to see you."
He allowed the hug and he returned her smile before turning a calculated glance at Pretty Boy.
"Gussy Gus, this is Daniel, my fiance. Daniel, this is my brother Gus."
"So this is the Gus I've heard all about. Nice to meet you, mate," he said, sticking his hand out. Gus took it and squeezed a little too hard to show his displeasure. No one was good enough for JR.
"Wish I could say the same," he replied in greeting before turning his attention back to his kid sister. "Now, why don't you explain why you called me here?"
JR rolled her eyes. "I should think that it's totally obvious," motioning towards the sign. "We just bought the place. We're thinking of turning it into a wedding chapel slash reception hall. What do you think?"
The breath Gus didn't realize he was holding left his lungs in a solid 'whoosh,' and he allowed the relieved laughter escape.
"What did you think I called you here for, Gus," she asked, amusement clearly written across her face because she knew he'd assume the worst.
Gus let out a shaky laugh, drug a hand through his hair, and motioned towards the lobby doors.
"Well...let's have a tour then."
With a beaming smile, JR looped her elbow through her brother's and lead him on to yet another misadventure. Gus just silently prayed this one would stay on the legal or slightly shady line of things.
fanfic100: 46-47/100
Big Box of Everything
Sydney Alexis
A/N: Minor character death
The chemical smell of bleach couldn't hide the pain and death that permeated the place; it had seeped into the very walls of the hospital. And Christ how he hated it and the women that had forced him here.
Claire's phone call had dragged him from his kid's side during an all too infrequent visit, and now this...
After those bogus molestation charges, he'd sworn to himself nothing would force him within a ten mile radius of the bitch.
And now, this...
Lo and behold he finally got his greatest wish -- freedom from the Kinney name. And on Christmas no less.
He'd expected to feel something at the news, but all he could do was swallow thickly and promise to come as soon as possible.
He found room 713 easy enough -- he'd haunted these halls more than enough times during Justin's extended stay. Pushing the door open, he shuffled in, half expecting to see Claire sobbing uncontrollably. Instead, he found her sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, her lips in a thin line, her hands fisting the strap of her purse.
Brian's eyes left his sister and landed on his mother. Besides the slight blue tinge to her lips, there was no other sign of her death.
"How'd it happen?"
"Heart failure." A beat, then, "She was hoping you'd come before..."
Mouth twisted into a grim line, Brian nodded. No doubt she wanted to try to save his soul because he knew she'd never try to make amends. A tiny part of him -- the embittered, abused child -- wanted nothing more than to point out the obvious -- that Joan Kinney couldn't possibly have had a 'heart' to allow those kinds of abuses under her 'care,' that amends would have taken apologies and remorse on both sides and neither were forthcoming because pride was nearly impossible to swallow, and that he had been saved just not in the way his mother had intended. He'd escaped his father's fists and his mother's religious zealotry through schooling and hard work, and, despite never being shown an ounce of affection as a child, he'd managed to find love for himself.
And now his parents were gone and he was finally free of them both.
But that freedom tasted like ashes in his mouth.
His gaze locked on his sister. "I'll call the funeral home tomorrow," he said before turning and walking out the door.
The service was held on December 27 and was presided over by Reverend Buttfuck. The turn-out was pathetic -- only those who were obliged through church or familial connections. No one spoke on her behalf.
The cemetery service was equally unremarkable save the lower number of people present -- the Reverend, Claire, her two demon spawn, Brian, and Justin.
After the last prayer was uttered, Claire hesitated for only a moment or two before catching Brian's gaze. She smiled weakly sending a silent message -- it was over now -- before gathering her children and heading towards her car.
Reverend Buttfuck nodded respectfully before following suit.
With one last glance at the rose covered casket, Brian turned on his heel and walked up the small hill towards his 'vette.
The engine turned over, purring beneath his touch as he eased away from the curb and left the cemetery behind them. The same question turned over and over in his mind.
Was it worth it, Mother?
All the abuse that the family had suffered.
All the years they had gone without because Jack drank away his paycheck.
Choosing the Bible and the Almighty Bottle over leaving the son of a bitch.
Was it worth it, Mother?
He pulled to a stop in front of a red light, starting when Justin's hand wrapped around his forearm. Brian's white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel lessened, gaze rising to meet Justin's.
Releasing a puff of air, Brian smiled wanly, drawing his partner into a chaste kiss.
For all his mother's attempts to save him, to remind him that he'd burn in Hell, she'd never managed to find what he had -- love and acceptance.
And that, to him, was worth whatever the cost may be.
[.048 Diamonds]
Sydney Alexis
The message had been left. Short and sweet, it said: "Get your ass to Vegas," and had been followed by a street address.
Sighing, Gus pocketed his wallet, keys, packed an overnight bag, and called for a taxi to the airport. He idly wondered if Melanie knew any good lawyers or bail bondsmen in Nevada.
When Gus arrived at the address he'd dutifully taken down, he couldn't believe his eyes.
He rechecked the paper, looked at the building, and blinked slowly.
"Well shit," he said to himself, re-pocketing the paper.
Of all the places he expected to chase down his little sister, it was not here. A drunk tank? Yes. In lock-up for doing something potentially stupid and dangerous? Yes. In fact, he'd bailed his little sister out more than once for being drunk in public (much to the chagrin of their mother the lawyer.) But this was Just. Not. Right.
And, yet, here he was a 3:12am walking into the lobby of...
God, he couldn't even force his eyes away from the day-glow orange neon sign that read:
The Happiest Li'l Weddin' Chapel.
And there she was. All smiles and hanging off the arm of a guy that admittedly was hot.
And she wasn't drunk...or stoned.
He forced himself to step through the tacky, faux-stained glass doors and to JR's side, promising himself he'd hear her out before drugging her, dragging her back home, and trying to force some sense into her.
"Gus!" She cried, crossing the lobby and dragging Pretty Boy with her. "It's so good to see you."
He allowed the hug and he returned her smile before turning a calculated glance at Pretty Boy.
"Gussy Gus, this is Daniel, my fiance. Daniel, this is my brother Gus."
"So this is the Gus I've heard all about. Nice to meet you, mate," he said, sticking his hand out. Gus took it and squeezed a little too hard to show his displeasure. No one was good enough for JR.
"Wish I could say the same," he replied in greeting before turning his attention back to his kid sister. "Now, why don't you explain why you called me here?"
JR rolled her eyes. "I should think that it's totally obvious," motioning towards the sign. "We just bought the place. We're thinking of turning it into a wedding chapel slash reception hall. What do you think?"
The breath Gus didn't realize he was holding left his lungs in a solid 'whoosh,' and he allowed the relieved laughter escape.
"What did you think I called you here for, Gus," she asked, amusement clearly written across her face because she knew he'd assume the worst.
Gus let out a shaky laugh, drug a hand through his hair, and motioned towards the lobby doors.
"Well...let's have a tour then."
With a beaming smile, JR looped her elbow through her brother's and lead him on to yet another misadventure. Gus just silently prayed this one would stay on the legal or slightly shady line of things.
fanfic100: 46-47/100
Big Box of Everything