Bright Darkness coda
Written for Tight Tales: The Doctor Who/Torchwood Porn Battle V hosted by cyus .
Bright Darkness
Alisoun shifted the parcels she was carrying as she skirted a puddle of something foul on her way back home. As she turned onto the main road, she spotted a familiar face, someone she hadn’t seen since her trip to Canterbury a year or so ago.
“Well! I never thought I’d see you again,” Alisoun said brightly. “Where are your friends? And that polite young man who told such a sad story?”
Jack looked up dully, fumbling at a wide leather strap that circled his wrist, “We were separated.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked curiously.
He stared at her for a moment, as if unsure of her meaning, and then said, “I’m traveling.”
She stood and looked at him for a moment, taking in the dark circles under his eyes and his strange garments. “Hm. Shift over.” She dropped her parcels on the bench and squeezed in next to him.
“When you say separated -.”
“I mean, I won’t be seeing him again,” Jack finished, looking down at his hands.
Alisoun leaned against him and said softly, “I’m sorry. I’m very sorry. It’s always hard, isn’t it?”
Jack looked at her briefly, then looked away.
“Come on,” Alisoun said briskly. She stood up and reached for his hand. “You can help me carry my shopping home.”
Jack allowed himself to be swept along in her wake and she didn’t seem to mind that he was largely unresponsive to her comments and observations. Once inside her home, he did look around with a kind of deadened curiosity as she drew him into the common area. The low flames cast shadows around the room, making it intimate and comfortable looking. The room was relatively bare, a bit surprising for such a large house, but it was clean and contained a few well-made furnishings.
“Do you like what you see?” Alisoun asked coquettishly, her hand on her hip.
“I … I can’t-.” Jack gestured helplessly.
“Yes,” Alisoun replied, suddenly stern. “You can. I’ve lost several husbands and I always think I can’t go on … but I do, even though people gossip about me and criticize. Life goes on. You can’t waste it being miserable - that would be a sin!” She stepped toward him, reaching up to touch his face lightly with a fingertip.
“But I am sorry for your loss. Will you let me help you?” she said softly. Without waiting for his answer, she stepped back, drawing him with her, and guided them both down onto the wide padded bench that was nearest the fire.
Bright Darkness
Alisoun shifted the parcels she was carrying as she skirted a puddle of something foul on her way back home. As she turned onto the main road, she spotted a familiar face, someone she hadn’t seen since her trip to Canterbury a year or so ago.
“Well! I never thought I’d see you again,” Alisoun said brightly. “Where are your friends? And that polite young man who told such a sad story?”
Jack looked up dully, fumbling at a wide leather strap that circled his wrist, “We were separated.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked curiously.
He stared at her for a moment, as if unsure of her meaning, and then said, “I’m traveling.”
She stood and looked at him for a moment, taking in the dark circles under his eyes and his strange garments. “Hm. Shift over.” She dropped her parcels on the bench and squeezed in next to him.
“When you say separated -.”
“I mean, I won’t be seeing him again,” Jack finished, looking down at his hands.
Alisoun leaned against him and said softly, “I’m sorry. I’m very sorry. It’s always hard, isn’t it?”
Jack looked at her briefly, then looked away.
“Come on,” Alisoun said briskly. She stood up and reached for his hand. “You can help me carry my shopping home.”
Jack allowed himself to be swept along in her wake and she didn’t seem to mind that he was largely unresponsive to her comments and observations. Once inside her home, he did look around with a kind of deadened curiosity as she drew him into the common area. The low flames cast shadows around the room, making it intimate and comfortable looking. The room was relatively bare, a bit surprising for such a large house, but it was clean and contained a few well-made furnishings.
“Do you like what you see?” Alisoun asked coquettishly, her hand on her hip.
“I … I can’t-.” Jack gestured helplessly.
“Yes,” Alisoun replied, suddenly stern. “You can. I’ve lost several husbands and I always think I can’t go on … but I do, even though people gossip about me and criticize. Life goes on. You can’t waste it being miserable - that would be a sin!” She stepped toward him, reaching up to touch his face lightly with a fingertip.
“But I am sorry for your loss. Will you let me help you?” she said softly. Without waiting for his answer, she stepped back, drawing him with her, and guided them both down onto the wide padded bench that was nearest the fire.