Fic: "The Returning of the Stuff Part" (Veronica, Duncan) G
Title: "The Returning of the Stuff Part"
Author: adormecida
Characters: Veronica, Duncan
Summary: Veronica needs closure
Word Count: 710
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Not mine, sorry.
Author's Note: The title is loosely based on a High Fidelity quote. This would take place some time after OAV (2x10), in an universe where DR (2x11) doesn't happen.
It begins with a phone call. Well, if you are being perfectly truthful to yourself, it began long before that. But you rarely are, so that settles the matter. It begins with a phone call.
After much anticipation, you gather the courage to pick up the phone and dial. It is very mechanical, the number you know almost as well as your own. Your fingers feel heavy, you keep resisting the urge to hang up.
Mere seconds later, you hear the sound of his voice, and your breath catches somewhere between your throat and your chest. He still has the ability to render you into a blabbering teenager and a part of you hates him for it.
You greet him civilly, perhaps a bit on the cold side. He doesn’t seem to notice and sounds genuinely happy to hear your voice, so that warms your tone a bit and you politely ask how he’s doing. You can hear a baby cooing over the phone. So you ask about her as well. He sounds tired, you note, and your heart breaks a little. It’s funny how he still does that to you, and you hate him even more for it. It’s not your fault he has to go through all this alone… had he been honest, had he clued you in as to what was going on…
Pulling yourself together, you remind yourself of the reason you called--- In not so many words, you explain your situation. There are books you need for school, and some cds… maybe you don’t precisely need those, but it would be nice to have them back. And you’ve been also wondering if he has- before you notice, all that comes out of your mouth seems incoherent, words are stumbling out, twisted together in knots, nothing makes sense, your mind seems foggy, and you feel like the lamest person ever. Surely he has noticed that he still has this effect on you, surely he thinks you are a moron, surely…
He cuts you short. He understands, he says, you don’t need to explain. It’s hard for both of you. And you pause, at a loss of what to say. Sticking to the plan seems like the best idea, and so you go through the steps you carefully designed before. Almost as if you were buying a car, instead of talking to your ex boyfriend.
Step 1: Time and Date. Would tomorrow in the morning be perhaps a good time? He mumbles something about a nanny, then says the day after in the afternoon would work better for him. You present no objection, of course, and move on to Step 2, which is location. You agree to meet close to his place, for his convenience. You tell yourself that it’s the last thing you will ever do for his convenience. Lying to yourself comes very easy these days, you’ve found.
And so it is that you find yourself in a coffee house. You arrive first, of course. It’s a well-lighten place, with a cozy atmosphere. Very 09er, but not in an annoying way. You briefly wonder why he never brought you here back when you where dating. You wonder if he ever brought Me-
You stop yourself short. Going down that particular line of thinking isn’t going to do any of you any good. Instead, you inspect your makeup on a nearby mirror. Everything’s in place.
Glancing at your watch, desperate to focus on something, anything, you realize he’s late. Which is funny, since he was the one to set the date. You shrug it off, as it’s become so easy to do when it comes to him. With finality, you sigh. When was it exactly that you turned into this? Was it in your search of normal that you finally lost yourself like this? Was it worth it?
Perhaps not. But it doesn’t matter, because Duncan is here. You briefly fantasize with the idea of telling him off for being late, but as he takes the seat across from yours, a tired smile on his face and no offers of apologies, you ask yourself what’s the point, really? You are one cup of coffee away of ending this for good.
Author: adormecida
Characters: Veronica, Duncan
Summary: Veronica needs closure
Word Count: 710
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Not mine, sorry.
Author's Note: The title is loosely based on a High Fidelity quote. This would take place some time after OAV (2x10), in an universe where DR (2x11) doesn't happen.
It begins with a phone call. Well, if you are being perfectly truthful to yourself, it began long before that. But you rarely are, so that settles the matter. It begins with a phone call.
After much anticipation, you gather the courage to pick up the phone and dial. It is very mechanical, the number you know almost as well as your own. Your fingers feel heavy, you keep resisting the urge to hang up.
Mere seconds later, you hear the sound of his voice, and your breath catches somewhere between your throat and your chest. He still has the ability to render you into a blabbering teenager and a part of you hates him for it.
You greet him civilly, perhaps a bit on the cold side. He doesn’t seem to notice and sounds genuinely happy to hear your voice, so that warms your tone a bit and you politely ask how he’s doing. You can hear a baby cooing over the phone. So you ask about her as well. He sounds tired, you note, and your heart breaks a little. It’s funny how he still does that to you, and you hate him even more for it. It’s not your fault he has to go through all this alone… had he been honest, had he clued you in as to what was going on…
Pulling yourself together, you remind yourself of the reason you called--- In not so many words, you explain your situation. There are books you need for school, and some cds… maybe you don’t precisely need those, but it would be nice to have them back. And you’ve been also wondering if he has- before you notice, all that comes out of your mouth seems incoherent, words are stumbling out, twisted together in knots, nothing makes sense, your mind seems foggy, and you feel like the lamest person ever. Surely he has noticed that he still has this effect on you, surely he thinks you are a moron, surely…
He cuts you short. He understands, he says, you don’t need to explain. It’s hard for both of you. And you pause, at a loss of what to say. Sticking to the plan seems like the best idea, and so you go through the steps you carefully designed before. Almost as if you were buying a car, instead of talking to your ex boyfriend.
Step 1: Time and Date. Would tomorrow in the morning be perhaps a good time? He mumbles something about a nanny, then says the day after in the afternoon would work better for him. You present no objection, of course, and move on to Step 2, which is location. You agree to meet close to his place, for his convenience. You tell yourself that it’s the last thing you will ever do for his convenience. Lying to yourself comes very easy these days, you’ve found.
And so it is that you find yourself in a coffee house. You arrive first, of course. It’s a well-lighten place, with a cozy atmosphere. Very 09er, but not in an annoying way. You briefly wonder why he never brought you here back when you where dating. You wonder if he ever brought Me-
You stop yourself short. Going down that particular line of thinking isn’t going to do any of you any good. Instead, you inspect your makeup on a nearby mirror. Everything’s in place.
Glancing at your watch, desperate to focus on something, anything, you realize he’s late. Which is funny, since he was the one to set the date. You shrug it off, as it’s become so easy to do when it comes to him. With finality, you sigh. When was it exactly that you turned into this? Was it in your search of normal that you finally lost yourself like this? Was it worth it?
Perhaps not. But it doesn’t matter, because Duncan is here. You briefly fantasize with the idea of telling him off for being late, but as he takes the seat across from yours, a tired smile on his face and no offers of apologies, you ask yourself what’s the point, really? You are one cup of coffee away of ending this for good.