Wilby fic: Say The Word, by kuonji (PG-13)
I think this is readable as a standalone, but those who haven't read "Points In Common" will not fully get the punchline.
Title: Say The Word
Series: Points In Common
Author: kuonji
Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Characters: Buddy French, various
Pairings: none
Category: character study
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: *highlight for spoilers: reference to non-con, domestic abuse, and terminal illness (yes, all that in 380 words!)
Words: ~380
Summary: It's a word that Buddy's heard many times.
Say The Word
by kuonji
Casey Hass was raped by her boyfriend in the latter half of Buddy's first month out of the academy. Her roommate was the one who called the police, and the two women were arguing loudly when Buddy's partner pulled them up to the one-story with Christmas-themed vinyl clings on the windows.
"Are you going to press charges?" Buddy's partner asked her, not gentle like Buddy would have expected, but impersonal and no-nonsense.
Ms. Hass frowned at them all, the bruise on her face made more livid by the blinking decorative lights around the doorway, and said, sure and calm, "No, I'm not."
***
Billy Matthews had a son who was fourteen the year Buddy came back to Wilby. Keith would show up at school sometimes with bruises that everybody politely pretended to believe came from biking accidents.
While on independent patrol once, Buddy had to warn a group of kids, including Keith, off of trick riding at the docks. He caught a moment alone with the boy and passed him a card with his name and number on it.
"Call if you ever need help," he said, trying to sound big-brotherly.
Keith gave him a look full of disbelieving scorn and sneered, "No, thanks," before flipping the card into the water.
***
Dr. Philip Tucker admitted Buddy's mum after she took a tumble down her front steps. This was two years after Buddy married his smart, vivacious, gorgeous wife whom his mother couldn't stand.
"Is her hip broken?" he asked, squeezing his mum's hand, both of them fearful of surgery and walkers and his energetic mother being grounded by injury.
"No," the doctor answered in a careful tone that had Buddy going rigid before he even said, "However, I might have some bad news."
Five years later, Buddy's mum died of ovarian cancer.
***
The winter after Mayor Fisher attempted to sell off Wilby Watch, Buddy became friends with a man who made his living through manual labor and who shared his bed with another man when he went home at night.
That next summer, his blood still racing from a hot run, Buddy gripped his friend's tense, hard-muscled arm and stared into his gray-blue-green eyes as he asked him, "Did he ever force you?"
And Duck said back to him, careful and calm and a touch scornful, "No."
END.
Back to Points In Common Story Index
If you enjoyed this story, you might try these:
Show Time (Due South), by kuonji
Held In Trust (Wilby Wonderful), by pocketmouse
Title: Say The Word
Series: Points In Common
Author: kuonji
Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Characters: Buddy French, various
Pairings: none
Category: character study
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: *highlight for spoilers: reference to non-con, domestic abuse, and terminal illness (yes, all that in 380 words!)
Words: ~380
Summary: It's a word that Buddy's heard many times.
Say The Word
by kuonji
Casey Hass was raped by her boyfriend in the latter half of Buddy's first month out of the academy. Her roommate was the one who called the police, and the two women were arguing loudly when Buddy's partner pulled them up to the one-story with Christmas-themed vinyl clings on the windows.
"Are you going to press charges?" Buddy's partner asked her, not gentle like Buddy would have expected, but impersonal and no-nonsense.
Ms. Hass frowned at them all, the bruise on her face made more livid by the blinking decorative lights around the doorway, and said, sure and calm, "No, I'm not."
***
Billy Matthews had a son who was fourteen the year Buddy came back to Wilby. Keith would show up at school sometimes with bruises that everybody politely pretended to believe came from biking accidents.
While on independent patrol once, Buddy had to warn a group of kids, including Keith, off of trick riding at the docks. He caught a moment alone with the boy and passed him a card with his name and number on it.
"Call if you ever need help," he said, trying to sound big-brotherly.
Keith gave him a look full of disbelieving scorn and sneered, "No, thanks," before flipping the card into the water.
***
Dr. Philip Tucker admitted Buddy's mum after she took a tumble down her front steps. This was two years after Buddy married his smart, vivacious, gorgeous wife whom his mother couldn't stand.
"Is her hip broken?" he asked, squeezing his mum's hand, both of them fearful of surgery and walkers and his energetic mother being grounded by injury.
"No," the doctor answered in a careful tone that had Buddy going rigid before he even said, "However, I might have some bad news."
Five years later, Buddy's mum died of ovarian cancer.
***
The winter after Mayor Fisher attempted to sell off Wilby Watch, Buddy became friends with a man who made his living through manual labor and who shared his bed with another man when he went home at night.
That next summer, his blood still racing from a hot run, Buddy gripped his friend's tense, hard-muscled arm and stared into his gray-blue-green eyes as he asked him, "Did he ever force you?"
And Duck said back to him, careful and calm and a touch scornful, "No."
END.
Back to Points In Common Story Index
If you enjoyed this story, you might try these:
Show Time (Due South), by kuonji
Held In Trust (Wilby Wonderful), by pocketmouse