AU Ficlet: Then There's Darkness
Then There's Darkness
written for au_bingo, prompt: tech regression / failure
fandom: the secret circle; pairing: jake armstrong/ adam conant; rating: pg-13; approximately 870 words
Disclaimer: This is only fiction and written based on the author's imagination. I DO NOT own copyright for The Secret Circle and its characters.
A/N: This is probably one of the toughest prompts in my bingo card. I couldn't come up with anything but this lame excuse for a ficlet. A reminder that this is AU. So Adam and Jake aren't exactly witches here.
My AU Bingo card
The lights blink rapidly from a distance. Morse Code, Adam thinks glumly. He doesn't know a damn thing about Morse Code. He knows he should start learning since it's the only way left for them to communicate. At least until the government or someone fixes this shit.
"Change of plans," Jake says, grabbing Adam by the arm. His grip is gentle but firm enough to stop Adam in his tracks.
"What?" Adam can feel the muscles in his legs throbbing. They've been walking for the past half hour already. "You're kidding, right?"
"Faye says the town hall is already full." Jake starts at the opposite direction and Adam has no choice but to follow. "There's an abandoned house over at Briar Hill. Faye and I found it yesterday. We brought over some candles in case we need a place to hang."
Adam feels a sharp stab in his chest. "And what were you doing in an abandoned house with Faye?"
"Do I sense jealousy?"
The thought itself makes Adam cringe. "In your dreams, Jake."
Jake barks a hearty laugh. "You're too cute, you know. C'mon. It's another half hour walk."
"Great," Adam says grumbling.
"Relax." Jake throws an arm around Adam's shoulder. And Adam was supposed to relax? "At least you have me to keep you company."
This sucks. Not Jake-keeping-him-company but this shitty situation they're in. They can't even use a freaking car unless they want to risk exploding along with it. When the electromagnetic pulse or whatever shit it was had struck this part of the planet two weeks ago, something went wrong. Cars blow up whenever someone's brave enough to try and start the engine; anything electronic have gone haywire; there's no electricity and oh, how Adam misses his laptop and cell phone.
It feels like they're back in the eighteenth century or something.
When they finally reach the old, ramshackle house, Adam collapses, his knees sinking on thick layers of grass. He hears Jake chuckle while panting behind him. "Let's see if you can still laugh when we have to walk back," Adam says bitterly.
Jake slides down next to him. "We don't have to go back. It's late. We can spend the night," he says, breath hot against the side of Adam's face.
"Like you can try anything funny with the girls around."
"That is…" Jake strokes Adam's arm with the back of his fingers, "…if they're coming."
A little shiver surges through Adam. "W-what do you mean?"
Moonlight spills around them so Adam can clearly see the way Jake's lips twitch, a devious smile spreading across Jake's face.
"Told you, you should learn how to decipher Morse Code." Jake leans in, his lips touching Adam's. It's just a light brush - teasing, taunting - but it makes Adam's body react in ways he never expected, not where Jake Armstrong is concerned.
"Jake." Adam pushes Jake, causing Jake to land on his butt. "Stop fooling around. What did Faye say?"
The easy smile is back on Jake's lips, replacing the momentary shocked expression. "Lighten up, man. She and the girls will meet us here in the morning."
"In the morning?" Adam doesn't like whatever this game Jake is playing. "Then why the hell did we come here? We could've just gone straight to the Town Hall." He pushes himself up, determined to put a considerable distance between him and Jake.
"Well Faye says the only reason they're stuck at the Town Hall is because Diana volunteered to help around and the others couldn't just leave her there," Jake says, clambering to his feet. "I certainly don't want to be the mayor's slave. That place has become a refuge for half the population of Chance Harbor. But if you're willing to render free labor, I'd be glad to walk you back."
Adam weighs his options. He knows if he stays, then Jake will no doubt do something… um, naughty. If he chooses to go back then that will mean he has to endure another half hour - or maybe more - walk. He probably won't be able to make it before curfew. "Fine. We'll stay here for the night then," he says then climbs up the steps, the wood creaking beneath his feet.
There are indeed candles inside the shack - lots of them. Jake lights up about a dozen and Adam stops him before Jake burns the whole place down. "What? It's romantic," Jake says.
"I don't think I'd be able to sleep with a lot of candles burning."
"Okay, okay. We'll just leave a couple on."
A series of sound goes off in the distance. Another Morse Code. "What was that about?" Adam asks when it's over.
"Just a reminder that everyone needs to be indoors soon." Jake settles on the makeshift bed - the only bed in the house - taking up half of the space.
"Of course." There's another staccato of noises that fills the air and this time Adam can make it out. "Does that mean they're starting the countdown to curfew now?"
Jake lifts his head, eyebrow raised. "Boy, you learn fast, Conant." He pats on the empty spot beside him. "Why don't you try and get some sleep. We have no choice but to stay here for the night."
Just great.
~fin~
written for au_bingo, prompt: tech regression / failure
fandom: the secret circle; pairing: jake armstrong/ adam conant; rating: pg-13; approximately 870 words
Disclaimer: This is only fiction and written based on the author's imagination. I DO NOT own copyright for The Secret Circle and its characters.
A/N: This is probably one of the toughest prompts in my bingo card. I couldn't come up with anything but this lame excuse for a ficlet. A reminder that this is AU. So Adam and Jake aren't exactly witches here.
My AU Bingo card
The lights blink rapidly from a distance. Morse Code, Adam thinks glumly. He doesn't know a damn thing about Morse Code. He knows he should start learning since it's the only way left for them to communicate. At least until the government or someone fixes this shit.
"Change of plans," Jake says, grabbing Adam by the arm. His grip is gentle but firm enough to stop Adam in his tracks.
"What?" Adam can feel the muscles in his legs throbbing. They've been walking for the past half hour already. "You're kidding, right?"
"Faye says the town hall is already full." Jake starts at the opposite direction and Adam has no choice but to follow. "There's an abandoned house over at Briar Hill. Faye and I found it yesterday. We brought over some candles in case we need a place to hang."
Adam feels a sharp stab in his chest. "And what were you doing in an abandoned house with Faye?"
"Do I sense jealousy?"
The thought itself makes Adam cringe. "In your dreams, Jake."
Jake barks a hearty laugh. "You're too cute, you know. C'mon. It's another half hour walk."
"Great," Adam says grumbling.
"Relax." Jake throws an arm around Adam's shoulder. And Adam was supposed to relax? "At least you have me to keep you company."
This sucks. Not Jake-keeping-him-company but this shitty situation they're in. They can't even use a freaking car unless they want to risk exploding along with it. When the electromagnetic pulse or whatever shit it was had struck this part of the planet two weeks ago, something went wrong. Cars blow up whenever someone's brave enough to try and start the engine; anything electronic have gone haywire; there's no electricity and oh, how Adam misses his laptop and cell phone.
It feels like they're back in the eighteenth century or something.
When they finally reach the old, ramshackle house, Adam collapses, his knees sinking on thick layers of grass. He hears Jake chuckle while panting behind him. "Let's see if you can still laugh when we have to walk back," Adam says bitterly.
Jake slides down next to him. "We don't have to go back. It's late. We can spend the night," he says, breath hot against the side of Adam's face.
"Like you can try anything funny with the girls around."
"That is…" Jake strokes Adam's arm with the back of his fingers, "…if they're coming."
A little shiver surges through Adam. "W-what do you mean?"
Moonlight spills around them so Adam can clearly see the way Jake's lips twitch, a devious smile spreading across Jake's face.
"Told you, you should learn how to decipher Morse Code." Jake leans in, his lips touching Adam's. It's just a light brush - teasing, taunting - but it makes Adam's body react in ways he never expected, not where Jake Armstrong is concerned.
"Jake." Adam pushes Jake, causing Jake to land on his butt. "Stop fooling around. What did Faye say?"
The easy smile is back on Jake's lips, replacing the momentary shocked expression. "Lighten up, man. She and the girls will meet us here in the morning."
"In the morning?" Adam doesn't like whatever this game Jake is playing. "Then why the hell did we come here? We could've just gone straight to the Town Hall." He pushes himself up, determined to put a considerable distance between him and Jake.
"Well Faye says the only reason they're stuck at the Town Hall is because Diana volunteered to help around and the others couldn't just leave her there," Jake says, clambering to his feet. "I certainly don't want to be the mayor's slave. That place has become a refuge for half the population of Chance Harbor. But if you're willing to render free labor, I'd be glad to walk you back."
Adam weighs his options. He knows if he stays, then Jake will no doubt do something… um, naughty. If he chooses to go back then that will mean he has to endure another half hour - or maybe more - walk. He probably won't be able to make it before curfew. "Fine. We'll stay here for the night then," he says then climbs up the steps, the wood creaking beneath his feet.
There are indeed candles inside the shack - lots of them. Jake lights up about a dozen and Adam stops him before Jake burns the whole place down. "What? It's romantic," Jake says.
"I don't think I'd be able to sleep with a lot of candles burning."
"Okay, okay. We'll just leave a couple on."
A series of sound goes off in the distance. Another Morse Code. "What was that about?" Adam asks when it's over.
"Just a reminder that everyone needs to be indoors soon." Jake settles on the makeshift bed - the only bed in the house - taking up half of the space.
"Of course." There's another staccato of noises that fills the air and this time Adam can make it out. "Does that mean they're starting the countdown to curfew now?"
Jake lifts his head, eyebrow raised. "Boy, you learn fast, Conant." He pats on the empty spot beside him. "Why don't you try and get some sleep. We have no choice but to stay here for the night."
Just great.
~fin~