More snippets from stories gone undone.
So, I've discovered that I have a growing collection of unfinished chapters and stories in general. Cleaning out my computer is scary business, so anything under a page or exactly a page will be going in this post, under a cut.
Title: Prairie Dreams
Author: faynia and tsuyosaoboetai
Rating: PG
Summary: Serendipity reckons she just might love Roxas enough to leave her family for him.
A/N: Cat, look what I found when cleaning out my computer *rofl*
Serendipity was alone with her thoughts again as she strolled through the tiny settlement. She gazed at all the people milling around passively. Roxas's suggestion was becoming better and better by the second. Anything was better than being stuck with her parents for the rest of her life. She loved them dearly, but she was well beyond the age where she should have started being courted. And the idea that she might never get another chance to break away solidified her nerves. But first, she had to find Roxas again and tell him about her decision. She didn't want to be abandoned in the settlement by everyone. He may have seemed keen on the idea earlier but that was earlier, before she had made up her own mind.
Roxas sighed as he roamed around as he sat on the back of Raoul, getting people moving along. "Come on, if you're staying, you get off now! We leave in a week, but you all know I hate last minute choices!" He cried out as Raoul trotted around the wagons slowly. His voice rang out clear over five of the wagons at once as he passed. "Come on, break time! Let's go!"
The mid-afternoon sun beat down on her head. Her pig-tail braids hit her shoulders gently as her bonnet fell off her head. She shaded her eyes against the bright sun and headed back towards the wagons. Roxas's powerful voice echoed across the plains and Serendipity smiled slightly. She hiked up her dirt encrusted skirt and ran forward.
"Roxas!" she shouted as she entered the line of nearly empty wagons. Everyone else had already left to go into the settlement for supplies and other wares.
Raoul turned, front hooves in the air as he made a quick change-about as Roxas pulled at the reigns. A small smile spread over the red heads face as Raoul set his hooves down and stood. "Serendipity, what are you doing out here?
She smiled up at him. "Where did ya think I'd be? I left for the settlement the moment we arrived." Serendipity bit at her lip as she played with the end of one of the braids. "I got ta thinkin', an', well, I think I might stay."
"Your folks are letting you?" Roxas asked as he looked down to her with slightly furrowed brows.
"Well, I haven' scactly spoken ta them bout it," she mumbled embarrassedly. "I figured ya should be the first ta know."
At that his right brow raised but there was the smallest hint of smile. "Why?":
"Cause it was yer idea in the first place. And cause, well, I don' really wanna ask 'em yet."
He grinned at her and slid off of Raoul, this could take a while and the walk was long.
"You should tell your ma and pa." He stated. "Not ask. Asking is below you now, you're old enough to make your own choice."
"Yer right," Serendipity said, feeling a rush of excitement pass through her. "I am old 'nough now ta make my own decisions.... don’ make it any easier though."
Roxas nodded and walked along side her, Raoul on the far side at his right. "Tough decisions take time.”
"I just don' get a lot to decide things in." She sighed, pulling hard on her sun burnt hair. "I gotta talk to 'em tonight, don' I? Let 'em get 'justed to the fact that I ain' goin' on with 'em."
"Yeah, you do," he replied with his own sigh. "You know, it's not so bad; being without your parents."
Serendipity examined his face. The sun silhouetted his face causing his hair to appear to be on fire, he looked rather fierce. "I-I I've wanted ta leave fer so long now, but I can' even remember once thinkin' about what it would be like ta be independent. Freedom, not independence." She struggled trying to formulate her thoughts into coherent sentences.
Roxas nodded as he looked back down at her. The sun, shining at her face just slightly gave her this "glow". He smiled reassuringly. "Well, if you get hitched you won't be independent or free, you'll be a wife."
"Ya make it sound like such a bad thing," Serendipity accused, bristling. "It was yer suggestion in the first place."
"I'm kidding. Marriage, I think, is a positive good thing," Roxas told with as he pushed her in a friendly manner.
"Hey!" She cried, shoving him back with a laugh.
"Pointless," he whispered into her ear before shoving her back.
Serendipity let out a yelp of laughter even as she began to fall. She grabbed Roxas's arm trying to stay upright but all she managed to accomplish was pulling him down with her. She landed on the hard packed dirt with a grunt as he fell on top her. The breath left her in one fell whoosh, but her eyes were still dancing with laughter. The fall hadn't hurt as much as expected and luckily she hadn't cracked her head on the ground.
"Not fair," she gasped.
"Stronger," Roxas whispered rather breathlessly as he looked down at her. His own blue eyes were also dancing with laughter, surprise, fun, and excitement. As he took in her face, this close, he saw any imperfections but also the perfections.
"Lady," she countered teasingly, her breath hitching in the back of her throat. "Ya don' go knockin us down, it's not gentlemanly." She couldn't tear her eyes away from his face. He was leaning so close and her mouth ran dry. She didn't know why, but half of her was expecting something.
"Neither is this," He then told her smartly, smirk on his lips. Roxas heard the hitch in her breath, for some reason he went rather... wild. Quickly he lowered his head down, only moments after he spoke, and his lips met hers. It wasn't as if he'd kissed someone before, so he wasn't sure "what to do", but he knew that instinct took over when the time came. The time, had come.
Serendipity's eyes widened in shock. He was kissing her. Her mind shuttered to a halt as a small gasp let loose from her lips. Hesitantly, she moved her lips wondering if this was right. If this was how she was supposed to do this. She clenched the hand that was wrapped around his arm tighter. She had no idea why, but she swore if he stopped she would die.
"SERENDIPITY! JUS' WHAT IN THE HELL DO YA THINK YER DOIN' CHILD!"
Roxas didn't stop kissing her, he continued on. It wasn't a French, it was just a kiss, but sweet none the less. His left hand raised, an overdue "bird" being shown.
Serendipity tried to prevent the hysterical giggles that were working up through her. Her momma was standing there, watching her kiss Roxas, a boy who just recently had graced the pages of her good book, and now obviously just fell out. She wanted him to stop kissing her, she never wanted him to stop kissing her.
"WELL, I NEVER!" Her mother roared, getting ready to pull Serendipity out from under Roxas.
Roxas pulled his head away with sorry eyes and pulled her up with him. "Ma'am." He said to her, putting his arms at his side after Serene was up. "Your daughter is old enough to do what she wants, when she wants." He started and stepped forward, clearly taller than the woman. "She is going down her own path, bless her and remember her, but move on. Serendipity is no longer your baby girl."
Serendipity bit her lip. Boy, she wished she had his courage and daring right now. Her momma looked fit to burst. She took an unconscious step behind Roxas. "Momma," she pleaded.
"Momma," she said quietly, hoping to get her say in before her mother did. But obviously she wasn't going to get her way.
"MONSTER!" Her momma shrieked into Roxas's face with a pitch that would break glass. "You've sullied my baby girl with unclean thoughts and promises and I won' have it! I won't!"
Serendipity fisted the back of Roxas's shirt in a silent plea to save both of them. She had never seen her momma in such a rage before and she knew half the anger was being shot at her as well. She watched as the enraged woman bared down upon the two of them like a woman possessed, grabbing Serendipity by her ear and forcefully pulling her.
"OW! Momma that hurts," she cried, gripping her mother's wrist trying to pull her hand away from her head.
"Let her go!" Roxas shouted loudly, voice roaring and he wasn't even in the 'angry loud' mode. Carefully, he unlatched Serendipity and put her behind him.
"You want to see monster? I can show you monster. You, ma'am, knew my parents. You know what they were like. Now imagine both of them, as one being, three stories high and in control of any element at hand." Roxas hissed as he walked at the mother. He didn't want to be mean to her, but force was the only way to get around this.
Serendipity whimpered as her mother tugged her ear hard. She watched her mother's face curl in disgust. "Yes," she hissed. "I did know you're parents and they were just as horrible as you are." Serendipity silently groaned. She pleaded with her eyes that Roxas didn't do something he would regret later. Her mother was pigheaded but doing something like that, if he could, would not only serve to embroil the woman more but also hurt Roxas in the process.
Roxas glared at her, and then turned back to Serendipity. "Come on." He said gently, holding out his hand. "You need a room in the village."
Serendipity looked at his outstretched hand and the promises it held. This was it; she had to make up her mind now. If she did this now, there was a good chance she would never see her parents or brother again ever. Did she truly want that? One look at Roxas and her resolve solidified. With a watery smile, she took his hand. She didn't know how he planned to get her mother to stop trying to rip her ear off, but she trusted him.
Roxas smiled back at Serene and then called out for Raoul who had gone off a short ways to graze. Trotting over, he stopped, and Roxas easily put Serendipity on his back. After Roxas himself joined her and grabbed the reigns.
"I'm sorry." He said gently to the mother, and then snapped the ropes. Raoul took off at a canter.
Serendipity leaned back into Roxas's hold in an unconscious movement. "Thank you," she whispered, knowing he probably couldn't hear her.
He didn't hear her, the roar of the wind in his hears as they raced towards the village.
And suddenly, they were there. Slowing to a halt, Roxas slid off Raoul and held up hands to help down Serendipity.
Serendipity placed her hands on his shoulders and practically fell into his arms. "Your horse is too tall," she muttered affectionately. The beast snorted as if in understanding as she petted his coat soothingly.
"Maybe you're too short." Roxas teased as he let her go once she was down. Smiling he back away and took the reigns to lead Raoul off to the stable.
Serendipity followed him at a leisurely pace, her mind blissfully numb for the time being. It hadn't settled in yet, the enormity of what had just occurred.
:
Half an hour passed, finally Roxas had hooked up Raoul and found them a hotel like place.
"Room for two?" The woman at the desk asked kindly, looking from one to the other and assuming they were a couple. In ALL technicalities, they kind of were...
"Uh, um, ugh..." And Roxas, for once, was lost.
Serendipity blushed furiously at the woman's assumption and it only worsened when the woman gave her an understanding smile.
"I see," she said in a very knowing manner. "Room 5 is available. You two can go right ahead."
Title: Brianna's Secret
Author: faynia
Rating: Still unknown
Summary: Bri told her sister Jill something she hadn't told anyone before.
There were no words that could begin to explain the look of utter horror and beguiling confusion on her face upon hearing the announcement.
“And you’re just telling me this now?!” she screamed, face flushed with righteous fury, green eyes burning with rage and disappointment. I swallowed thickly as she leaned over me with a wild expression, for a second it looked like she was going to strike me.
“Jill, relax,” I said agitated by the way she began to pace back and forth through our living room. Her fuzzy blue princess slippers made no noise as they crossed the floor. Running a jerky hand through my thick, long black hair, I followed her angry pacing. The black nail polish on my fingers from Halloween was flaking off in tiny chips to the leather armchair I was seated on.
“Bri, just shut the hell up.”
I rolled my eyes, leaning my head against my palm as Jill resumed her pacing. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. I felt nothing more than irritation and it wasn’t with myself. Jill had always been the worrywart. She was worse than my mom had ever tried to be. When I’d get in late she’d swoop down upon me like an angel of wrath and kick my sorry ass into my bedroom, before demanding where I had gone. Somehow older sisters don’t understand that they don’t need to know every aspect of their younger sisters lives. Jill certainly missed that memo by a few weeks. It was especially bad since mom died of a stroke last year.
“Don’t tell me to shut up, Jillian,” I answered back distractedly. My fingers traced over the threaded multi-color flower on my pant leg.
Jill sighed and perched herself on the other arm of my chair. She gazed straight ahead and I looked up at her uninterestedly.
ETA: Right, so I lied, anything that's done or is never getting anymore revision is going on here too.
Title: Saying Goodbye is Tough (COMPLETE)
Fandom: Firefly
Author: faynia and windout
Rating PG
Summary: Ethan's leaving for his first day of Medical school and Lavena is having letting go issues.
Ethan woke up and groaned. It was that day.
Vena had been awake for hours staring at the ceiling of her bunk. her mind vollying back and forth between wanting to hate him and wanting to wish him well, because it really was an honor that he had been accepted. But then she was reminded once again of how cold he had acted and she went back to the beginning. There really was no point in staying in her bunk any longer. She stretched, stood up and slipped slippers onto her bare feet.
Ethan found he couldn’t move from his little nook in the pantry. It wasn’t so much that he was stuck, as that he didn’t have the heart to move. No, they’re have to pry him from the cabinet and shove him forcibly off Hera to make him leave. He’d tell Vena and maybe she wouldn’t be made at him anymore. He’d forget all about being a doctor and helping the ship. That would make things better, wouldn’t it?
Vena wandered idly through Hera it was still early for most on the ship and she hadn't really had any definitive plans as to where she was going. She walked into the pantry with one goal in mind, food.
He heard the footsteps before he saw the feet that made them. He squirmed even further back into the nook as far as he could. He hoped whoever it was didn’t want to talk.
Vena rummaged thought the upper cabinets already knowing that the only food item was protein. She sighed. She was hungry but not that hungry. She really wanted an apple if at all possible, but she knew they had run out a week back. She sank down to the floor with a small groan. Lightly, she banged her head against the lower cabinet doors at a steady pace.
Ethan cringed. He wasn’t sure if the noise was going to stop, and if it was, he wasn’t sure he really wanted to give up his hiding place for it. It might have been Vena. He could just imagine how well that would go over.
She stopped the banging when her head began to hurt more than necessary. She sighed heavily, wrapping her arms around her knees. "Why?" she whispered into the stale reused air. The question really had no direction, it was more of a comment on everything that had occurred in the past day then a question. She sighed again.
“Because. Because I’m an ass. Because I’m selfish. Because Hera’s too small. Because I don’t know a good thing when I see it. Because I’m stupid…” He didn’t think he’d said it aloud. If he had, he hadn’t meant to. He didn’t particularly care if he did. Much.
She blinked. “You ain’ stupid, yer unfeeling.”
Ethan said nothing. He wasn’t going to instigate a conversation if he could help it.
Vena sighed, wishing she could be more surprised at inevitably running into him. Even if he was hiding out in a cabinet. She was even less surprised by his silence. She pursed her lips. “Well, if you ain’t gonna say nothin’, then I will.”
He would let her speak. She clearly had something to say while he was content to stay in his cabinet and ponder. Some might say he was agoraphobic, while others would say he was avoidant. Ethan didn’t care; damn the rational. He didn’t want to talk to her.
“I’ve been thinkin,” she began, “an’ I think yeh should go. To the school.” She sighed. “It’d make ya happy. I want ya ta be happy. You’d be an excellent doctor. Probably would graduate top of yer class, too.” Vena rubbed a hand over her face. “Yeh can be better than all of this. Get a fancy, well-paid job. Meet lotsa interestin’ people. Be all good and legal.”
Ethan sighed. It figured. She was quoting her father at him whether she realized it or not. She was saying the same things he’d said to get him to consider going in the first place. If she warned him that Eric was getting old too, he was going to scream.
“I know you want to.” She groaned, “Please, say somethin’.”
No, I really don’t, he thought. “You’re angry with me.”
“Disappointed,” she corrected, a bit shocked that he had actually said something at all.
“I’m sorry I confused the two. When there’s yelling involved, I tend to get a little beside myself,” he muttered. He didn’t try to make himself heard, either.
“You do what?’ she asked slowly.
“Never mind. Irrelevant, as most of my choices so often are.”
“That’s ain’ true!”
“No, no they are. It’s alright. I understand. I’m gonna stay.”
“Ethan, as long as I’ve known ya, all you wanted to become was a doctor. And here’s your chance. How many more chances like this do ya think yer gonna get?”
“Not so many, I know. But it obviously disappoints ‘n distresses ya ‘n I don’t wanna be responsible fer that,” he said.
“Don’ let me get in the way of your dreams. Ethan, you got the chance to get off this piece a [i]go se[/i]. Take it, please.”
“This pieve of [i]go se[/i]’s all I’ve known for eleven years,” he said sternly. “It ain’t been much of a home, but better’n what I knew. Then I met you ‘n well…” He stopped then, feeling remarkably like an ass. His face flushed red and he was immensely grateful the cabinet door was closed.
“So I’m the cause of all yer troubles?” She asked, he tone deceptively calm.
“Ain’t said that, have I?” he asked quietly. “Vena…if it weren’t fer you, I would’na considered it. Would’na not wanted ta go. You…ya confuse me.”
“Well, I try not to be.”
“Don’t change the matter none that I’m still confused ‘n torn up ‘n can’t choose what I wanna do with my ruttin life because I wanna be with you, Vena. That’s really what it comes down to.”
"Ethan..." she sighed, scooting away from the cabinet door. "Will ya come out please? I don' wanna talk bout this through a cabinet."
“It’s hard,” he muttered. At least, talking to a door, he could pretend that no one was listening.
She pressed her hand against the handle and waited. "I know."
“You’re going to make me come out if I don’t do it on my own.”
"I won' make ya come out. I may go in though."
“Not enough room. ‘S why I picked it.”
She sighed, hitting her forehead against the metal door. "I want ya ta stay, but I want ya to go more. I want ya ta come back smarter than me about lotsa stuff just so ya can lord it over me."
There was a long pause from the cabinet. It was long enough that Ethan could have either not have heard or had fallen asleep. His voice, when it came, was small, quiet. “I wouldn’t do that.”
"I know you wouldn'. Not purposeful like anyhow. " She bit her lip. "Ya could go an' iffin ya hated it I bet I could convince the cap'n to go back and get ya if ya waved us."
“No!” he snapped. “No, the captain wanted me to do this. If I go, I can’t leave until I graduate.” Or get kicked out, he added silently.
"Go," she urged, one last time.
“You want me to go.” His voice was utterly blank.
"I do..." she said her voice cracking, "Really I do. It'd be good fer you."
“Well then. Guess I know where we stand.” Ethan eased the door open, giving Vena time to move if she needed to, before crawling out and brushing himself off. “I’ll be packin’ my stuff then. Bye.”
Her eyes widened in shock. She latched onto his wrist, tears shimmering on the surface of her eyes. "Ethan..."
Ethan didn’t look back, but it was awhile before he could speak without fear of his voice cracking. “What?”
She gripped his hand, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. She didn't know what to say. "I..."
“What? Are ya gonna convince me ta stay now?” he asked sternly. As soon as he’d said it, he immediately wished he hadn’t. He wasn’t about to take it back, but he knew in the back of his mind that this could be nothing but bad.
Vena recoiled as though she had been slapped. She dropped his hand like it was a dead fish. She looked at him balefully, and shook her head. "No."
“Shiny.” His expression said that it was anything but shiny, but he was too proud to fix it. He strode out of the room without another word.
She leaned against the counter with a worried expression. She had to fix this before he left.
***
Vena heard the call from Amery that they would be landing in a manner of minutes and she still hadn't confronted Ethan again. She had wanted to put it off, but now she was running out of time. She hated the idea of having them part on bad terms after 6 years of friendship. It was the last thing she wanted.
Ethan kicked idly at one of his suitcases. They weren’t particularly full, having not acquired many possessions during his time on Hera, mostly just clothing. His animosity towards Vena was almost totally dissipated, but he couldn’t shake her comment, that yes she did want him to go. In retrospect, he knew that she must have meant it in the best possible way, but…he’d just poured his heart out for her and she couldn’t have been less tactful about it. His chest hurt.
Vena tugged at her hair in a nervous gesture. Ethan had to be down in the cargo bay by now. He was stubborn like that. But God, his face after she told him she wanted him to leave... She ran a hand vigorously over her face. It wasn't suppose to have come out the way it did. Uncaring and the like. She heard Amery start to count down to landing and she gasped. Had she really just stood there idly all that time. She ran out of her bunk and onto the landing. She had reached the stairs that led down into the mess just as she felt Hera touch ground. That was not good. She flew down the stairs taking them two at a time. Her heart beat frantically as she flew through the mess and down towards the cargo bay. For such a tiny ship, it seemed like eternity to get to the other end. She could only hope they hadn't opened the doors yet.
Ethan swung around at the sound of shoes slapping against metal, not entirely surprised to see Vena panting and trying to catch her breath. He schooled his expression to something less hopeful and settled for looking guarded. “You came.”
"Course I did," she gasped, gripping the railing of the catwalk tightly as she tried to catch her breath.
“Ya surprise me sometimes, Vena.” It wasn’t exactly true, she surprised him a lot of times.
She smiled slightly. Having caught her breath, she descended down into the cargo bay to stand next to him. Looking up at him apologetically, "I'm sorry," she blurted out.
“I um…I should’na…shouldn’a taken it quite so…hard,” he murmured. He still couldn’t look at her face, so he settled for her feet.
"No," she refuted, "ya had a right to. It was harsh." She looked towards the bulk head that was still closed. "It wasn't supposed ta though."
“That’s ‘sactly it, it weren’t s’pposed ta be harsh. ‘N I went ‘n made it so so’s I could leave without feelin’ bad about it.” Ethan’s cheeks reddened slightly.
She gazed at him curiously, trying to remember why it would sting that much. She blinked when his exact words drifted across her mind. Her cheeks flushed and her mouth formed a small "o".
He wasn’t going to bring it up again, so he left the topic alone. “How long are you going to stay here?”
"I dunno," she answered glad for the switch in topics. "I doubt I could leave. Don't got nothin better goin fer me."
“I meant Hera,” he smiled shyly.
She blushed hotly. "Only the cap'n and Amery know," she stammered, wishing something hard would knock her out know before she died of embarrassing herself further.
“If ya were plannin’ on stayin’ a bit…maybe we could…perhapmaybe we could do somethin’.” The blush got a bit brighter on his face.
"I'd like that," she whispered. Now all she had to do was convince the cap'n or maybe convince her father to get the cap'n to let them stay on Ariel just a few hours longer.
“Shiny. I’d like that too. But I think I gotta run this stuff up to the school first.”
"Ok," she said quietly. There was a slightly awkward pause as she watched him pick up his very little luggage. "Need help?"
“Not so much. But you can prolly come, iffin the cap’n will let ya.” The bags were deceptively light for their filled states and offered little resistance.
"He better let me," she muttered under her breathe offering him a brilliant smile.
Ethan laughed. “Ya might wanna ask him now then.”
She nodded, giving him a fierce hug before running off her flipflops clapping against the cold metal floor. She rounded a corner and straight into the captain's chest. She blushed furiously. "Sorry cap'n."
“Easy, girl, you nearly gave me a heart attack! Where’re you goin’ so very fast, lil one?” Sully grinned.
Vena beamed up at him, trying to look as endearing as possible, "Ta see you actually."
His eyes narrowed. “What’s in yer head, lil one. Better not be plannin’ anything dangerous.”
"Nothin dangerous," she assured. "'Less you count wantin' ta go help Ethan settle in dangerous."
“What? He can’t do it his own self? He suddenly turn into an invalid?” Sully asked incredulously.
Vena shook her head slowly. "Nah, not invalid. I jus'....I wanted ta help."
“And why should I let you?”
"Cause ya don' wan' me sulkin' an' cryin' in mah bunk?"
He shrugged. “I dunno, that’s always worth a couple a laughs.”
Her jaw dropped open in indignation and shock. "Cap'n," she whined.
“Jes sayin’,” he answered slyly. “Yes, you may go. Just try not to smother the poor boy with an over abundance of affection, all right? He’d never wanna go then. Can’t have him hangin’ about the boat like a wrath, can we? Boy needs to grow and explore, not get stifled by the same old folk day after day.”
“Yes sir," she said with a mock salute. She gave him a brief hug and smiled, "Thanks!" Then having gotten permission she ran back as fast as she dared.
“What’d he say?” Ethan called.
"I can go," she answered, excitedly.
He smiled, an earnest one. “Shiny. Let’s get out of here.”
Title: Fae: The story that was not supposed to have to slash in it
Author: faynia
Rating: PG
Summary: Damien Bryant liked living a normal and then that blasted plant had to bloom and everything went to hell.
To an outsider the plant would look like any other on a doorstep, however, this one was anything but ordinary. It hadn’t bloomed in over ten years. The bright purple flowers were almost lurid in their newly bloomed state. The strange occurrence could have been justified by any rational explanation but it was the irrational one that came to Damien first.
“Oh God,” he moaned, stumbling backwards off the step. A tanned arm wrapped around his chest steadying him.
“Whoa,” Mark gasped, “Steady. All right there, mate?”
Damien looked at Mark in confusion. “When did you get here?”
“The same time as you, moron, I drove you. Remember?” He took the key to the house out of his jeans pocket and paused. “You sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah, yeah I’m all right.” Damien assured shaking himself loose. He ran his hand through his thick blonde hair agitatedly. “Damn plant,” He muttered, glaring at the offending object.
Mark placed a calloused hand on his shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze. He peered intently at him; a small smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, “Honestly, Bryant, you get weirder everyday.”
“You’re one to talk,” Damien snapped, grabbing the silver key out of Mark’s hand and roughly jamming it in the key hole. Mark grabbed his hand preventing him from unlocking the wooden door. The black paint was slowly flaking off of it showing its original green color, the doorknob was rusty and looked ready to fall out if pulled at too violently.
Damien glared at Mark angrily, but didn’t struggle, “Let go.”
“What’s wrong with you, Damien? That plant can’t bother you that much…” He trailed off finally getting a better look at the purple flowers. “Is it new? Well, it’s got to be that thing has never flowered.”
“It’s not new,” Damien whispered miserably. He could feel Mark staring at him in disbelief; he just didn’t want to look at him.
“Of course it’s new,” Mark said reassuringly.
“No,” Damien said finally looking at him. “It’s not.”
Mark clapped him on the back with a huge smile. “You really got me going there for a second. You finally replaced it.”
“I didn’t,” he stressed, anxiously peering down the street.
Mark frowned, looking in the same direction. There was no one there, just a lonely rusting blue car, its deflated tires preventing it from moving. He vaguely remembered Damien’s cranky attitude from that morning. At the time he had brushed it off as a hangover. They had been drinking quite heavily the night before; the bin out front was proof of that. Damien’s attitude now was unexplainable. Mark watched his friend carefully noting the rings lining his light blue eyes, and the slight droop to his shoulders. He grimaced once he noticed how badly Damien’s hands were trembling as he tried to get his key to turn in the lock. He stilled Damien’s hand again, wondering how much prodding it would take to get his friend to spill.
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?” he asked again.
Damien shook his head. “I’m fine.”
“No you’re not,” Mark countered. “And once we get inside you’re going to tell me what has been going on with you today.”
Damien nodded and shook his head, allowing himself to be led in through the door.
Mark scowled shoving his discontent friend into his own favorite chair, hoping the oddness of the situation would force Damien to open up. The chair had been his since before college and when he and Damien had gotten their own place the chair had followed. Its once deep blue coloring faded now to a slate blue colour and it smelled a bit musty, but it had a perfect indent where he sat and he wouldn’t trade it for any other. He normally wouldn’t allow Damien around it. Today, however, was an exception. Mark sat on the recliner directly across from Damien and clasped his hands together.
“All right, Bryant, spill. What’s been going on with you today? Did you even make it to work today?”
Damien shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
“It is not nothing,” Mark snapped. “You drank yourself stupid last night and now…” He
scented the air. “You cleaned the house!”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“You never clean the house,” he pointed out.
Damien shrugged. “Never had a reason to.”
“And you do now?”
“Well,” he started, “yes, yes I do.”
Mark quirked an eyebrow clearly annoyed with the clipped answers. “Elaborate.”
Damien sighed, shifting nervously. He stood up jamming his hands into his pockets in one fluid move. He was restless and couldn’t just sit there any longer. There was a reason he’d kept his family life locked up and now he had about a quarter of an hour to explain it. He sighed again while scratching the back of his neck. Damien began pacing aggressively as he pulled his thoughts together. He wanted Mark to believe what he was about to say but there was no way the black haired man would believe him. He was in major jeopardy of losing his best friend and the more he thought this the more saddened and angry he became. The worst bit, he thought bitterly, was he had no choice in the matter.
Mark watched all this with fascination. He realized he’d never seen the blonde this agitated before it was almost comical. Almost.
“Damien.”
“You won’t like it.”
“I don’t like it right now because it’s gotten you all worked up. So spit it out before I make you spit it out.”
Damien quirked an eyebrow. “And if I don’t?”
Mark drummed his fingers impatiently on the armrest. Damien watched his friend’s fingers and shook his head. That might have worked before, but he was slowly growing immune to that look. It took more effort than he would have liked to admit to just raise his head to meet Mark’s eyes.
“All right, fine, I surrender.” Mark raised his hands and leaned back in the recliner. “Don’t tell me.”
“Mark.” Damien sighed seeing his own mocking expression being thrown back at him. He wasn’t going to win this argument; he would cave from either the kicked puppy expression or stress. At least he still had time he consoled himself. But time for what? Time moved differently here, slower. For all he knew he could have very precious time to tell Mark what he needed to.
Title: Middles
Fandom: Danny Phantom
Author: faynia
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Sam isn't putting out in the middle of the night
“Danny, it’s the middle of the night,” Sam grumbled, batting away the hands that were creeping up the front of her shirt. “I’m tired.” She rolled over as his hands receded and she smirked into his pouting face. The sheets tangled around their bodies as she shifted closer running her hands up his bare chest.
Danny grabbed her slender hands in his roughened palms and kissed the pads of her fingers gently. Sam closed her eyes with a small wistful smile. Her heart skipped a beat and she inhaled sharply when he bit the tip of her ring finger. She pressed herself closer to him, opening her eyes slowly.
“I thought you said you were tired?” He teased, his voice low and thick. Danny twirled a strand of Sam’s sleek black hair. He loved its longer length, the way his fingers ran through it as if it were water.
Title: Prairie Dreams
Author: faynia and tsuyosaoboetai
Rating: PG
Summary: Serendipity reckons she just might love Roxas enough to leave her family for him.
A/N: Cat, look what I found when cleaning out my computer *rofl*
Serendipity was alone with her thoughts again as she strolled through the tiny settlement. She gazed at all the people milling around passively. Roxas's suggestion was becoming better and better by the second. Anything was better than being stuck with her parents for the rest of her life. She loved them dearly, but she was well beyond the age where she should have started being courted. And the idea that she might never get another chance to break away solidified her nerves. But first, she had to find Roxas again and tell him about her decision. She didn't want to be abandoned in the settlement by everyone. He may have seemed keen on the idea earlier but that was earlier, before she had made up her own mind.
Roxas sighed as he roamed around as he sat on the back of Raoul, getting people moving along. "Come on, if you're staying, you get off now! We leave in a week, but you all know I hate last minute choices!" He cried out as Raoul trotted around the wagons slowly. His voice rang out clear over five of the wagons at once as he passed. "Come on, break time! Let's go!"
The mid-afternoon sun beat down on her head. Her pig-tail braids hit her shoulders gently as her bonnet fell off her head. She shaded her eyes against the bright sun and headed back towards the wagons. Roxas's powerful voice echoed across the plains and Serendipity smiled slightly. She hiked up her dirt encrusted skirt and ran forward.
"Roxas!" she shouted as she entered the line of nearly empty wagons. Everyone else had already left to go into the settlement for supplies and other wares.
Raoul turned, front hooves in the air as he made a quick change-about as Roxas pulled at the reigns. A small smile spread over the red heads face as Raoul set his hooves down and stood. "Serendipity, what are you doing out here?
She smiled up at him. "Where did ya think I'd be? I left for the settlement the moment we arrived." Serendipity bit at her lip as she played with the end of one of the braids. "I got ta thinkin', an', well, I think I might stay."
"Your folks are letting you?" Roxas asked as he looked down to her with slightly furrowed brows.
"Well, I haven' scactly spoken ta them bout it," she mumbled embarrassedly. "I figured ya should be the first ta know."
At that his right brow raised but there was the smallest hint of smile. "Why?":
"Cause it was yer idea in the first place. And cause, well, I don' really wanna ask 'em yet."
He grinned at her and slid off of Raoul, this could take a while and the walk was long.
"You should tell your ma and pa." He stated. "Not ask. Asking is below you now, you're old enough to make your own choice."
"Yer right," Serendipity said, feeling a rush of excitement pass through her. "I am old 'nough now ta make my own decisions.... don’ make it any easier though."
Roxas nodded and walked along side her, Raoul on the far side at his right. "Tough decisions take time.”
"I just don' get a lot to decide things in." She sighed, pulling hard on her sun burnt hair. "I gotta talk to 'em tonight, don' I? Let 'em get 'justed to the fact that I ain' goin' on with 'em."
"Yeah, you do," he replied with his own sigh. "You know, it's not so bad; being without your parents."
Serendipity examined his face. The sun silhouetted his face causing his hair to appear to be on fire, he looked rather fierce. "I-I I've wanted ta leave fer so long now, but I can' even remember once thinkin' about what it would be like ta be independent. Freedom, not independence." She struggled trying to formulate her thoughts into coherent sentences.
Roxas nodded as he looked back down at her. The sun, shining at her face just slightly gave her this "glow". He smiled reassuringly. "Well, if you get hitched you won't be independent or free, you'll be a wife."
"Ya make it sound like such a bad thing," Serendipity accused, bristling. "It was yer suggestion in the first place."
"I'm kidding. Marriage, I think, is a positive good thing," Roxas told with as he pushed her in a friendly manner.
"Hey!" She cried, shoving him back with a laugh.
"Pointless," he whispered into her ear before shoving her back.
Serendipity let out a yelp of laughter even as she began to fall. She grabbed Roxas's arm trying to stay upright but all she managed to accomplish was pulling him down with her. She landed on the hard packed dirt with a grunt as he fell on top her. The breath left her in one fell whoosh, but her eyes were still dancing with laughter. The fall hadn't hurt as much as expected and luckily she hadn't cracked her head on the ground.
"Not fair," she gasped.
"Stronger," Roxas whispered rather breathlessly as he looked down at her. His own blue eyes were also dancing with laughter, surprise, fun, and excitement. As he took in her face, this close, he saw any imperfections but also the perfections.
"Lady," she countered teasingly, her breath hitching in the back of her throat. "Ya don' go knockin us down, it's not gentlemanly." She couldn't tear her eyes away from his face. He was leaning so close and her mouth ran dry. She didn't know why, but half of her was expecting something.
"Neither is this," He then told her smartly, smirk on his lips. Roxas heard the hitch in her breath, for some reason he went rather... wild. Quickly he lowered his head down, only moments after he spoke, and his lips met hers. It wasn't as if he'd kissed someone before, so he wasn't sure "what to do", but he knew that instinct took over when the time came. The time, had come.
Serendipity's eyes widened in shock. He was kissing her. Her mind shuttered to a halt as a small gasp let loose from her lips. Hesitantly, she moved her lips wondering if this was right. If this was how she was supposed to do this. She clenched the hand that was wrapped around his arm tighter. She had no idea why, but she swore if he stopped she would die.
"SERENDIPITY! JUS' WHAT IN THE HELL DO YA THINK YER DOIN' CHILD!"
Roxas didn't stop kissing her, he continued on. It wasn't a French, it was just a kiss, but sweet none the less. His left hand raised, an overdue "bird" being shown.
Serendipity tried to prevent the hysterical giggles that were working up through her. Her momma was standing there, watching her kiss Roxas, a boy who just recently had graced the pages of her good book, and now obviously just fell out. She wanted him to stop kissing her, she never wanted him to stop kissing her.
"WELL, I NEVER!" Her mother roared, getting ready to pull Serendipity out from under Roxas.
Roxas pulled his head away with sorry eyes and pulled her up with him. "Ma'am." He said to her, putting his arms at his side after Serene was up. "Your daughter is old enough to do what she wants, when she wants." He started and stepped forward, clearly taller than the woman. "She is going down her own path, bless her and remember her, but move on. Serendipity is no longer your baby girl."
Serendipity bit her lip. Boy, she wished she had his courage and daring right now. Her momma looked fit to burst. She took an unconscious step behind Roxas. "Momma," she pleaded.
"Momma," she said quietly, hoping to get her say in before her mother did. But obviously she wasn't going to get her way.
"MONSTER!" Her momma shrieked into Roxas's face with a pitch that would break glass. "You've sullied my baby girl with unclean thoughts and promises and I won' have it! I won't!"
Serendipity fisted the back of Roxas's shirt in a silent plea to save both of them. She had never seen her momma in such a rage before and she knew half the anger was being shot at her as well. She watched as the enraged woman bared down upon the two of them like a woman possessed, grabbing Serendipity by her ear and forcefully pulling her.
"OW! Momma that hurts," she cried, gripping her mother's wrist trying to pull her hand away from her head.
"Let her go!" Roxas shouted loudly, voice roaring and he wasn't even in the 'angry loud' mode. Carefully, he unlatched Serendipity and put her behind him.
"You want to see monster? I can show you monster. You, ma'am, knew my parents. You know what they were like. Now imagine both of them, as one being, three stories high and in control of any element at hand." Roxas hissed as he walked at the mother. He didn't want to be mean to her, but force was the only way to get around this.
Serendipity whimpered as her mother tugged her ear hard. She watched her mother's face curl in disgust. "Yes," she hissed. "I did know you're parents and they were just as horrible as you are." Serendipity silently groaned. She pleaded with her eyes that Roxas didn't do something he would regret later. Her mother was pigheaded but doing something like that, if he could, would not only serve to embroil the woman more but also hurt Roxas in the process.
Roxas glared at her, and then turned back to Serendipity. "Come on." He said gently, holding out his hand. "You need a room in the village."
Serendipity looked at his outstretched hand and the promises it held. This was it; she had to make up her mind now. If she did this now, there was a good chance she would never see her parents or brother again ever. Did she truly want that? One look at Roxas and her resolve solidified. With a watery smile, she took his hand. She didn't know how he planned to get her mother to stop trying to rip her ear off, but she trusted him.
Roxas smiled back at Serene and then called out for Raoul who had gone off a short ways to graze. Trotting over, he stopped, and Roxas easily put Serendipity on his back. After Roxas himself joined her and grabbed the reigns.
"I'm sorry." He said gently to the mother, and then snapped the ropes. Raoul took off at a canter.
Serendipity leaned back into Roxas's hold in an unconscious movement. "Thank you," she whispered, knowing he probably couldn't hear her.
He didn't hear her, the roar of the wind in his hears as they raced towards the village.
And suddenly, they were there. Slowing to a halt, Roxas slid off Raoul and held up hands to help down Serendipity.
Serendipity placed her hands on his shoulders and practically fell into his arms. "Your horse is too tall," she muttered affectionately. The beast snorted as if in understanding as she petted his coat soothingly.
"Maybe you're too short." Roxas teased as he let her go once she was down. Smiling he back away and took the reigns to lead Raoul off to the stable.
Serendipity followed him at a leisurely pace, her mind blissfully numb for the time being. It hadn't settled in yet, the enormity of what had just occurred.
:
Half an hour passed, finally Roxas had hooked up Raoul and found them a hotel like place.
"Room for two?" The woman at the desk asked kindly, looking from one to the other and assuming they were a couple. In ALL technicalities, they kind of were...
"Uh, um, ugh..." And Roxas, for once, was lost.
Serendipity blushed furiously at the woman's assumption and it only worsened when the woman gave her an understanding smile.
"I see," she said in a very knowing manner. "Room 5 is available. You two can go right ahead."
Title: Brianna's Secret
Author: faynia
Rating: Still unknown
Summary: Bri told her sister Jill something she hadn't told anyone before.
There were no words that could begin to explain the look of utter horror and beguiling confusion on her face upon hearing the announcement.
“And you’re just telling me this now?!” she screamed, face flushed with righteous fury, green eyes burning with rage and disappointment. I swallowed thickly as she leaned over me with a wild expression, for a second it looked like she was going to strike me.
“Jill, relax,” I said agitated by the way she began to pace back and forth through our living room. Her fuzzy blue princess slippers made no noise as they crossed the floor. Running a jerky hand through my thick, long black hair, I followed her angry pacing. The black nail polish on my fingers from Halloween was flaking off in tiny chips to the leather armchair I was seated on.
“Bri, just shut the hell up.”
I rolled my eyes, leaning my head against my palm as Jill resumed her pacing. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. I felt nothing more than irritation and it wasn’t with myself. Jill had always been the worrywart. She was worse than my mom had ever tried to be. When I’d get in late she’d swoop down upon me like an angel of wrath and kick my sorry ass into my bedroom, before demanding where I had gone. Somehow older sisters don’t understand that they don’t need to know every aspect of their younger sisters lives. Jill certainly missed that memo by a few weeks. It was especially bad since mom died of a stroke last year.
“Don’t tell me to shut up, Jillian,” I answered back distractedly. My fingers traced over the threaded multi-color flower on my pant leg.
Jill sighed and perched herself on the other arm of my chair. She gazed straight ahead and I looked up at her uninterestedly.
ETA: Right, so I lied, anything that's done or is never getting anymore revision is going on here too.
Title: Saying Goodbye is Tough (COMPLETE)
Fandom: Firefly
Author: faynia and windout
Rating PG
Summary: Ethan's leaving for his first day of Medical school and Lavena is having letting go issues.
Ethan woke up and groaned. It was that day.
Vena had been awake for hours staring at the ceiling of her bunk. her mind vollying back and forth between wanting to hate him and wanting to wish him well, because it really was an honor that he had been accepted. But then she was reminded once again of how cold he had acted and she went back to the beginning. There really was no point in staying in her bunk any longer. She stretched, stood up and slipped slippers onto her bare feet.
Ethan found he couldn’t move from his little nook in the pantry. It wasn’t so much that he was stuck, as that he didn’t have the heart to move. No, they’re have to pry him from the cabinet and shove him forcibly off Hera to make him leave. He’d tell Vena and maybe she wouldn’t be made at him anymore. He’d forget all about being a doctor and helping the ship. That would make things better, wouldn’t it?
Vena wandered idly through Hera it was still early for most on the ship and she hadn't really had any definitive plans as to where she was going. She walked into the pantry with one goal in mind, food.
He heard the footsteps before he saw the feet that made them. He squirmed even further back into the nook as far as he could. He hoped whoever it was didn’t want to talk.
Vena rummaged thought the upper cabinets already knowing that the only food item was protein. She sighed. She was hungry but not that hungry. She really wanted an apple if at all possible, but she knew they had run out a week back. She sank down to the floor with a small groan. Lightly, she banged her head against the lower cabinet doors at a steady pace.
Ethan cringed. He wasn’t sure if the noise was going to stop, and if it was, he wasn’t sure he really wanted to give up his hiding place for it. It might have been Vena. He could just imagine how well that would go over.
She stopped the banging when her head began to hurt more than necessary. She sighed heavily, wrapping her arms around her knees. "Why?" she whispered into the stale reused air. The question really had no direction, it was more of a comment on everything that had occurred in the past day then a question. She sighed again.
“Because. Because I’m an ass. Because I’m selfish. Because Hera’s too small. Because I don’t know a good thing when I see it. Because I’m stupid…” He didn’t think he’d said it aloud. If he had, he hadn’t meant to. He didn’t particularly care if he did. Much.
She blinked. “You ain’ stupid, yer unfeeling.”
Ethan said nothing. He wasn’t going to instigate a conversation if he could help it.
Vena sighed, wishing she could be more surprised at inevitably running into him. Even if he was hiding out in a cabinet. She was even less surprised by his silence. She pursed her lips. “Well, if you ain’t gonna say nothin’, then I will.”
He would let her speak. She clearly had something to say while he was content to stay in his cabinet and ponder. Some might say he was agoraphobic, while others would say he was avoidant. Ethan didn’t care; damn the rational. He didn’t want to talk to her.
“I’ve been thinkin,” she began, “an’ I think yeh should go. To the school.” She sighed. “It’d make ya happy. I want ya ta be happy. You’d be an excellent doctor. Probably would graduate top of yer class, too.” Vena rubbed a hand over her face. “Yeh can be better than all of this. Get a fancy, well-paid job. Meet lotsa interestin’ people. Be all good and legal.”
Ethan sighed. It figured. She was quoting her father at him whether she realized it or not. She was saying the same things he’d said to get him to consider going in the first place. If she warned him that Eric was getting old too, he was going to scream.
“I know you want to.” She groaned, “Please, say somethin’.”
No, I really don’t, he thought. “You’re angry with me.”
“Disappointed,” she corrected, a bit shocked that he had actually said something at all.
“I’m sorry I confused the two. When there’s yelling involved, I tend to get a little beside myself,” he muttered. He didn’t try to make himself heard, either.
“You do what?’ she asked slowly.
“Never mind. Irrelevant, as most of my choices so often are.”
“That’s ain’ true!”
“No, no they are. It’s alright. I understand. I’m gonna stay.”
“Ethan, as long as I’ve known ya, all you wanted to become was a doctor. And here’s your chance. How many more chances like this do ya think yer gonna get?”
“Not so many, I know. But it obviously disappoints ‘n distresses ya ‘n I don’t wanna be responsible fer that,” he said.
“Don’ let me get in the way of your dreams. Ethan, you got the chance to get off this piece a [i]go se[/i]. Take it, please.”
“This pieve of [i]go se[/i]’s all I’ve known for eleven years,” he said sternly. “It ain’t been much of a home, but better’n what I knew. Then I met you ‘n well…” He stopped then, feeling remarkably like an ass. His face flushed red and he was immensely grateful the cabinet door was closed.
“So I’m the cause of all yer troubles?” She asked, he tone deceptively calm.
“Ain’t said that, have I?” he asked quietly. “Vena…if it weren’t fer you, I would’na considered it. Would’na not wanted ta go. You…ya confuse me.”
“Well, I try not to be.”
“Don’t change the matter none that I’m still confused ‘n torn up ‘n can’t choose what I wanna do with my ruttin life because I wanna be with you, Vena. That’s really what it comes down to.”
"Ethan..." she sighed, scooting away from the cabinet door. "Will ya come out please? I don' wanna talk bout this through a cabinet."
“It’s hard,” he muttered. At least, talking to a door, he could pretend that no one was listening.
She pressed her hand against the handle and waited. "I know."
“You’re going to make me come out if I don’t do it on my own.”
"I won' make ya come out. I may go in though."
“Not enough room. ‘S why I picked it.”
She sighed, hitting her forehead against the metal door. "I want ya ta stay, but I want ya to go more. I want ya ta come back smarter than me about lotsa stuff just so ya can lord it over me."
There was a long pause from the cabinet. It was long enough that Ethan could have either not have heard or had fallen asleep. His voice, when it came, was small, quiet. “I wouldn’t do that.”
"I know you wouldn'. Not purposeful like anyhow. " She bit her lip. "Ya could go an' iffin ya hated it I bet I could convince the cap'n to go back and get ya if ya waved us."
“No!” he snapped. “No, the captain wanted me to do this. If I go, I can’t leave until I graduate.” Or get kicked out, he added silently.
"Go," she urged, one last time.
“You want me to go.” His voice was utterly blank.
"I do..." she said her voice cracking, "Really I do. It'd be good fer you."
“Well then. Guess I know where we stand.” Ethan eased the door open, giving Vena time to move if she needed to, before crawling out and brushing himself off. “I’ll be packin’ my stuff then. Bye.”
Her eyes widened in shock. She latched onto his wrist, tears shimmering on the surface of her eyes. "Ethan..."
Ethan didn’t look back, but it was awhile before he could speak without fear of his voice cracking. “What?”
She gripped his hand, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. She didn't know what to say. "I..."
“What? Are ya gonna convince me ta stay now?” he asked sternly. As soon as he’d said it, he immediately wished he hadn’t. He wasn’t about to take it back, but he knew in the back of his mind that this could be nothing but bad.
Vena recoiled as though she had been slapped. She dropped his hand like it was a dead fish. She looked at him balefully, and shook her head. "No."
“Shiny.” His expression said that it was anything but shiny, but he was too proud to fix it. He strode out of the room without another word.
She leaned against the counter with a worried expression. She had to fix this before he left.
***
Vena heard the call from Amery that they would be landing in a manner of minutes and she still hadn't confronted Ethan again. She had wanted to put it off, but now she was running out of time. She hated the idea of having them part on bad terms after 6 years of friendship. It was the last thing she wanted.
Ethan kicked idly at one of his suitcases. They weren’t particularly full, having not acquired many possessions during his time on Hera, mostly just clothing. His animosity towards Vena was almost totally dissipated, but he couldn’t shake her comment, that yes she did want him to go. In retrospect, he knew that she must have meant it in the best possible way, but…he’d just poured his heart out for her and she couldn’t have been less tactful about it. His chest hurt.
Vena tugged at her hair in a nervous gesture. Ethan had to be down in the cargo bay by now. He was stubborn like that. But God, his face after she told him she wanted him to leave... She ran a hand vigorously over her face. It wasn't suppose to have come out the way it did. Uncaring and the like. She heard Amery start to count down to landing and she gasped. Had she really just stood there idly all that time. She ran out of her bunk and onto the landing. She had reached the stairs that led down into the mess just as she felt Hera touch ground. That was not good. She flew down the stairs taking them two at a time. Her heart beat frantically as she flew through the mess and down towards the cargo bay. For such a tiny ship, it seemed like eternity to get to the other end. She could only hope they hadn't opened the doors yet.
Ethan swung around at the sound of shoes slapping against metal, not entirely surprised to see Vena panting and trying to catch her breath. He schooled his expression to something less hopeful and settled for looking guarded. “You came.”
"Course I did," she gasped, gripping the railing of the catwalk tightly as she tried to catch her breath.
“Ya surprise me sometimes, Vena.” It wasn’t exactly true, she surprised him a lot of times.
She smiled slightly. Having caught her breath, she descended down into the cargo bay to stand next to him. Looking up at him apologetically, "I'm sorry," she blurted out.
“I um…I should’na…shouldn’a taken it quite so…hard,” he murmured. He still couldn’t look at her face, so he settled for her feet.
"No," she refuted, "ya had a right to. It was harsh." She looked towards the bulk head that was still closed. "It wasn't supposed ta though."
“That’s ‘sactly it, it weren’t s’pposed ta be harsh. ‘N I went ‘n made it so so’s I could leave without feelin’ bad about it.” Ethan’s cheeks reddened slightly.
She gazed at him curiously, trying to remember why it would sting that much. She blinked when his exact words drifted across her mind. Her cheeks flushed and her mouth formed a small "o".
He wasn’t going to bring it up again, so he left the topic alone. “How long are you going to stay here?”
"I dunno," she answered glad for the switch in topics. "I doubt I could leave. Don't got nothin better goin fer me."
“I meant Hera,” he smiled shyly.
She blushed hotly. "Only the cap'n and Amery know," she stammered, wishing something hard would knock her out know before she died of embarrassing herself further.
“If ya were plannin’ on stayin’ a bit…maybe we could…perhapmaybe we could do somethin’.” The blush got a bit brighter on his face.
"I'd like that," she whispered. Now all she had to do was convince the cap'n or maybe convince her father to get the cap'n to let them stay on Ariel just a few hours longer.
“Shiny. I’d like that too. But I think I gotta run this stuff up to the school first.”
"Ok," she said quietly. There was a slightly awkward pause as she watched him pick up his very little luggage. "Need help?"
“Not so much. But you can prolly come, iffin the cap’n will let ya.” The bags were deceptively light for their filled states and offered little resistance.
"He better let me," she muttered under her breathe offering him a brilliant smile.
Ethan laughed. “Ya might wanna ask him now then.”
She nodded, giving him a fierce hug before running off her flipflops clapping against the cold metal floor. She rounded a corner and straight into the captain's chest. She blushed furiously. "Sorry cap'n."
“Easy, girl, you nearly gave me a heart attack! Where’re you goin’ so very fast, lil one?” Sully grinned.
Vena beamed up at him, trying to look as endearing as possible, "Ta see you actually."
His eyes narrowed. “What’s in yer head, lil one. Better not be plannin’ anything dangerous.”
"Nothin dangerous," she assured. "'Less you count wantin' ta go help Ethan settle in dangerous."
“What? He can’t do it his own self? He suddenly turn into an invalid?” Sully asked incredulously.
Vena shook her head slowly. "Nah, not invalid. I jus'....I wanted ta help."
“And why should I let you?”
"Cause ya don' wan' me sulkin' an' cryin' in mah bunk?"
He shrugged. “I dunno, that’s always worth a couple a laughs.”
Her jaw dropped open in indignation and shock. "Cap'n," she whined.
“Jes sayin’,” he answered slyly. “Yes, you may go. Just try not to smother the poor boy with an over abundance of affection, all right? He’d never wanna go then. Can’t have him hangin’ about the boat like a wrath, can we? Boy needs to grow and explore, not get stifled by the same old folk day after day.”
“Yes sir," she said with a mock salute. She gave him a brief hug and smiled, "Thanks!" Then having gotten permission she ran back as fast as she dared.
“What’d he say?” Ethan called.
"I can go," she answered, excitedly.
He smiled, an earnest one. “Shiny. Let’s get out of here.”
Title: Fae: The story that was not supposed to have to slash in it
Author: faynia
Rating: PG
Summary: Damien Bryant liked living a normal and then that blasted plant had to bloom and everything went to hell.
To an outsider the plant would look like any other on a doorstep, however, this one was anything but ordinary. It hadn’t bloomed in over ten years. The bright purple flowers were almost lurid in their newly bloomed state. The strange occurrence could have been justified by any rational explanation but it was the irrational one that came to Damien first.
“Oh God,” he moaned, stumbling backwards off the step. A tanned arm wrapped around his chest steadying him.
“Whoa,” Mark gasped, “Steady. All right there, mate?”
Damien looked at Mark in confusion. “When did you get here?”
“The same time as you, moron, I drove you. Remember?” He took the key to the house out of his jeans pocket and paused. “You sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah, yeah I’m all right.” Damien assured shaking himself loose. He ran his hand through his thick blonde hair agitatedly. “Damn plant,” He muttered, glaring at the offending object.
Mark placed a calloused hand on his shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze. He peered intently at him; a small smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, “Honestly, Bryant, you get weirder everyday.”
“You’re one to talk,” Damien snapped, grabbing the silver key out of Mark’s hand and roughly jamming it in the key hole. Mark grabbed his hand preventing him from unlocking the wooden door. The black paint was slowly flaking off of it showing its original green color, the doorknob was rusty and looked ready to fall out if pulled at too violently.
Damien glared at Mark angrily, but didn’t struggle, “Let go.”
“What’s wrong with you, Damien? That plant can’t bother you that much…” He trailed off finally getting a better look at the purple flowers. “Is it new? Well, it’s got to be that thing has never flowered.”
“It’s not new,” Damien whispered miserably. He could feel Mark staring at him in disbelief; he just didn’t want to look at him.
“Of course it’s new,” Mark said reassuringly.
“No,” Damien said finally looking at him. “It’s not.”
Mark clapped him on the back with a huge smile. “You really got me going there for a second. You finally replaced it.”
“I didn’t,” he stressed, anxiously peering down the street.
Mark frowned, looking in the same direction. There was no one there, just a lonely rusting blue car, its deflated tires preventing it from moving. He vaguely remembered Damien’s cranky attitude from that morning. At the time he had brushed it off as a hangover. They had been drinking quite heavily the night before; the bin out front was proof of that. Damien’s attitude now was unexplainable. Mark watched his friend carefully noting the rings lining his light blue eyes, and the slight droop to his shoulders. He grimaced once he noticed how badly Damien’s hands were trembling as he tried to get his key to turn in the lock. He stilled Damien’s hand again, wondering how much prodding it would take to get his friend to spill.
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right?” he asked again.
Damien shook his head. “I’m fine.”
“No you’re not,” Mark countered. “And once we get inside you’re going to tell me what has been going on with you today.”
Damien nodded and shook his head, allowing himself to be led in through the door.
Mark scowled shoving his discontent friend into his own favorite chair, hoping the oddness of the situation would force Damien to open up. The chair had been his since before college and when he and Damien had gotten their own place the chair had followed. Its once deep blue coloring faded now to a slate blue colour and it smelled a bit musty, but it had a perfect indent where he sat and he wouldn’t trade it for any other. He normally wouldn’t allow Damien around it. Today, however, was an exception. Mark sat on the recliner directly across from Damien and clasped his hands together.
“All right, Bryant, spill. What’s been going on with you today? Did you even make it to work today?”
Damien shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
“It is not nothing,” Mark snapped. “You drank yourself stupid last night and now…” He
scented the air. “You cleaned the house!”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“You never clean the house,” he pointed out.
Damien shrugged. “Never had a reason to.”
“And you do now?”
“Well,” he started, “yes, yes I do.”
Mark quirked an eyebrow clearly annoyed with the clipped answers. “Elaborate.”
Damien sighed, shifting nervously. He stood up jamming his hands into his pockets in one fluid move. He was restless and couldn’t just sit there any longer. There was a reason he’d kept his family life locked up and now he had about a quarter of an hour to explain it. He sighed again while scratching the back of his neck. Damien began pacing aggressively as he pulled his thoughts together. He wanted Mark to believe what he was about to say but there was no way the black haired man would believe him. He was in major jeopardy of losing his best friend and the more he thought this the more saddened and angry he became. The worst bit, he thought bitterly, was he had no choice in the matter.
Mark watched all this with fascination. He realized he’d never seen the blonde this agitated before it was almost comical. Almost.
“Damien.”
“You won’t like it.”
“I don’t like it right now because it’s gotten you all worked up. So spit it out before I make you spit it out.”
Damien quirked an eyebrow. “And if I don’t?”
Mark drummed his fingers impatiently on the armrest. Damien watched his friend’s fingers and shook his head. That might have worked before, but he was slowly growing immune to that look. It took more effort than he would have liked to admit to just raise his head to meet Mark’s eyes.
“All right, fine, I surrender.” Mark raised his hands and leaned back in the recliner. “Don’t tell me.”
“Mark.” Damien sighed seeing his own mocking expression being thrown back at him. He wasn’t going to win this argument; he would cave from either the kicked puppy expression or stress. At least he still had time he consoled himself. But time for what? Time moved differently here, slower. For all he knew he could have very precious time to tell Mark what he needed to.
Title: Middles
Fandom: Danny Phantom
Author: faynia
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Sam isn't putting out in the middle of the night
“Danny, it’s the middle of the night,” Sam grumbled, batting away the hands that were creeping up the front of her shirt. “I’m tired.” She rolled over as his hands receded and she smirked into his pouting face. The sheets tangled around their bodies as she shifted closer running her hands up his bare chest.
Danny grabbed her slender hands in his roughened palms and kissed the pads of her fingers gently. Sam closed her eyes with a small wistful smile. Her heart skipped a beat and she inhaled sharply when he bit the tip of her ring finger. She pressed herself closer to him, opening her eyes slowly.
“I thought you said you were tired?” He teased, his voice low and thick. Danny twirled a strand of Sam’s sleek black hair. He loved its longer length, the way his fingers ran through it as if it were water.