lost fic: lightning in a bottle (jacob/richard)
Title: lightning in a bottle
Character(s)/Pairing(s): jacob/richard
Rating/Word Count: pg, 1,667
Summary: According to the laws of nature, it's long overdue.
A/N: Written for the sacred_20 prompt, silence and for the challenge at lostfichallenge - Jacob
You got a gambler's grin
In the glow of the match
Hard as steel
And as soft as ash
The beginning is simple because, here, it's always the same.
There is a crash. Sometimes, it's planes. Other times it's ships. Occasionally air balloons or other modes of transportation. Most importantly it can just be people, going from A to B and colliding in ways they never expected.
When Richard and Jacob meet, it's an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object.
The world doesn't implode upon itself like physics says it should. At least, not here, anyways.
---
Richard was running because that's all he could do. He heard the loud voices calling his name, ordering him back. The sane part of him knew there was no escape. You could only hide on an island for so long.
He looked back to check for people on his tail, and didn't notice the man right in front of him.
---
Jacob was sitting in the middle of the jungle because something told him he needed to be there.
He saw instinct - gut feelings - as celestial signs to be followed. His immortality's limitations grew more and more grating. And yet he kept his faith that there was something more for him. Some purpose.
Intuition is a blind man's version of faith.
---
And then there's the crash, which in hindsight, Richard should have expected.
Warm hands steady him and eyes settle on him. This man does not look through him - a rarity.
He introduces himself as Jacob.
He tells him his name is Ricardus and then stumbles over his slave name, Richard, and Jacob seems to understand now. He stares at the cuts on his hands from where the chains had dug through skin with intense distaste.
Richard has to look away because the sorrow in Jacob's eyes is something new and terrifying. Then, he notices that his hand no longer burns, but aches dully. When he looks down, he cannot believe what he sees. The lacerations are gone.
"How did you do that?"
---
Jacob doesn't know how he does it.
All he knows is that he felt empathy for someone for the first time in a very, very long time. And suddenly, he's healing again. A gift that he had lost over the years.
Richard looks at him with awe, but it is not the same as those who've come before him, who've bowed before Jacob like he was a god and trembled with fear at the other half of healing which he's never actually shown. Richard shows admiration, but he does not fear and he does not place Jacob on any pedestals.
He does promise that someday he should return the favor.
Jacob pats his shoulder.
Richard doesn't realize he already has.
---
A side affect of the healing is that it's somewhat permanent. As in, immortality. It shouldn't be, but Jacob was rusty, and now he can't change it back.
Richard doesn't seem to mind. His life was over long ago. There are only ghosts left to chase.
---
There are bad days.
They watch people die, and Jacob tries to console Richard. Death has long since lost its meaning to someone like Jacob, but Richard still feels it. Every loss. And Jacob hates that his gift is shrouded by terrible consequences.
There are good days too. Jacob calls him Ricardus and Richard calls him Iacobus and they both smile at the way those names sound rolling off their tongues. They talk about leaders and tribes and progress. They talk about Jacob's Enemy who remains nameless between them. They talk and talk and then there is silence.
Silence sometimes is more beautiful than conversation.
---
They find Eloise in a convent.
She ran away from an abusive father and now clings to her bible as the answer to everything. She also believes in 'paths' and 'fate' which makes Jacob very flustered, and Richard has to reach out and touch him (a tiny gesture - a hand on the small of his back) to keep him from walking away.
She whispers under her breath about their sinful nature. Jacob does not get it, but Richard won't stop laughing for days.
They do eventually get Eloise to see her purpose, and years later when she finds her soul mate in an arrogant prick named Charles Widmore, she tells Richard she was wrong about him and Jacob.
Richard laughs at that too.
This is why he likes Eloise most of all.
---
Ben is special. Of this, Jacob is at least aware.
Special does not mean good, though, and Jacob has tried to make that clear. Unfortunately, Richard holds onto the idea of free will with a vice grip and chooses that to be the most important lesson of all.
He ignores the fact that seeing dead people is a confirmation of his Enemy's work.
"You risked a lot doing what you did," Jacob comments, after Charles and Ellie have left, curses still hanging in the air between them.
"It's what you taught me to do."
Saving and healing and believing that people's lives weren't written in stone.
Jacob can see his Enemy's triumphant grin. intuition and fate are twined tightly together, he used to say, drawing intersecting lines to illustrate his point.
His enemy...he always did like vivid illustrations.
"I taught you to listen to your leaders."
Richard, who has been pacing this whole time, takes a seat next to Jacob. Their shoulders brush, and Jacob's suddenly aware of the fact that Richard is the only one who he lets this close.
"You're my leader," Richard says, and for a minute his smile reminds Jacob of the first time they met when he was explaining away his name. "You're lessons come first."
Jacob grabs one of Richard's hands, remembering the scars that never had the chance to be visible. He strokes his thumb over the imaginary lines. "Then listen more carefully next time."
---
Latin goes out of favor somewhere in the 70s, and they all have to adapt. He changes his name back to Richard. Jacob sees how his mood shifts, but cannot understand the burden the name carries.
"It was painful the first time," Richard says as a way of explaining.
Jacob knows Richard's past is something they don't discuss. It's supposed to be secret, but it's really not. He pretends it is though, for his sake.
---
"You were going to let her die."
He and Richard don't fight. It's been well over a century. Jacob fights with leaders and his Enemy and those who don't believe. He grumbles and mutters and on rare occasions finds the need to yell. He does this with men and women who are not Richard. And yet the look on Richard's face now tells him they are close to crossing that line.
And all over an infant girl.
"Yes," Jacob says simply. He doesn't lie to Richard. He doesn't even mislead for his own good.
"She's just a child," Richard argues.
Jacob thinks of a thousand things to say. A thousand responses that explain the reason why he told Charles to keep Ben away from the child. To let her die peacefully at the age of one.
"No," he says, instead, "she's not."
And they leave it at that.
---
Jacob doesn't believe in fate. He has to repeat this to himself sometimes because the world seems intent on proving him wrong. He watches how his own choices (his free will) seems to siphon into the visions he's seen, the inklings he's felt.
He reminds himself that some outcomes are the same no matter what the choice. Circumstances only account on occasion.
Richard watches Alex closely. In her, he sees his wife, strong willed and arrogant. He sees his daughter, proud and brave. Women who died lifetimes ago.
He does not see their common end.
Some answers he's just not privy to.
---
"You knew she was going to die."
Jacob ignores him because they both know he is not a fortune teller. He does not see the future. "You should be with your people at the Temple. Especially now that Ben is gone."
Richard sighs, exhausted in ways he hasn't been since he was a dying man. He sits beside Jacob, like he has time and time before. "Please answer me."
"I had a feeling."
Richard is quiet for some time, his eyes darting as if putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together.
"That's why you didn't want him to raise her. You knew it would be his final straw - what pushed him toward your enemy." Richard risks a glance at Jacob, whose eyebrows are furrowed in confusion. "That's why you didn't want me to save him. You knew he would be dangerous when he snapped."
"If that comforts you, then yes, that was my intention," Jacob says.
Richard studies him, that familiar look of disbelief and want.
Jacob prefers to leave things unfinished so Richard can figure them out for himself. This is one of those times where Richard is too tired to follow on his own. "Your pain has always been more pressing to me than all of your leaders' troubles combined."
It's the most he ever says on the subject.
---
Some things you just don't define.
The type that you know when you see.
The type that are dangerous when they're given their label.
They're usually four letter words.
---
"I love you."
Jacob smiles, though it's not as bright as he wishes it could be. "And if you're not careful, Ricardus, that will be your downfall."
He doesn't say 'our' because his burden is not one he wants to trouble Richard with.
Really, it's his own downfall.
Has been from the beginning.
---
When it happens (and it can only be one thing now), Richard's world falls apart. It's there one minute and than not the next, and all the clues pointing to this ending have been swallowed up by an all-consuming fire.
An implosion which will leave nothing to scar.
According to the laws of nature, it's long overdue.
Character(s)/Pairing(s): jacob/richard
Rating/Word Count: pg, 1,667
Summary: According to the laws of nature, it's long overdue.
A/N: Written for the sacred_20 prompt, silence and for the challenge at lostfichallenge - Jacob
You got a gambler's grin
In the glow of the match
Hard as steel
And as soft as ash
The beginning is simple because, here, it's always the same.
There is a crash. Sometimes, it's planes. Other times it's ships. Occasionally air balloons or other modes of transportation. Most importantly it can just be people, going from A to B and colliding in ways they never expected.
When Richard and Jacob meet, it's an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object.
The world doesn't implode upon itself like physics says it should. At least, not here, anyways.
---
Richard was running because that's all he could do. He heard the loud voices calling his name, ordering him back. The sane part of him knew there was no escape. You could only hide on an island for so long.
He looked back to check for people on his tail, and didn't notice the man right in front of him.
---
Jacob was sitting in the middle of the jungle because something told him he needed to be there.
He saw instinct - gut feelings - as celestial signs to be followed. His immortality's limitations grew more and more grating. And yet he kept his faith that there was something more for him. Some purpose.
Intuition is a blind man's version of faith.
---
And then there's the crash, which in hindsight, Richard should have expected.
Warm hands steady him and eyes settle on him. This man does not look through him - a rarity.
He introduces himself as Jacob.
He tells him his name is Ricardus and then stumbles over his slave name, Richard, and Jacob seems to understand now. He stares at the cuts on his hands from where the chains had dug through skin with intense distaste.
Richard has to look away because the sorrow in Jacob's eyes is something new and terrifying. Then, he notices that his hand no longer burns, but aches dully. When he looks down, he cannot believe what he sees. The lacerations are gone.
"How did you do that?"
---
Jacob doesn't know how he does it.
All he knows is that he felt empathy for someone for the first time in a very, very long time. And suddenly, he's healing again. A gift that he had lost over the years.
Richard looks at him with awe, but it is not the same as those who've come before him, who've bowed before Jacob like he was a god and trembled with fear at the other half of healing which he's never actually shown. Richard shows admiration, but he does not fear and he does not place Jacob on any pedestals.
He does promise that someday he should return the favor.
Jacob pats his shoulder.
Richard doesn't realize he already has.
---
A side affect of the healing is that it's somewhat permanent. As in, immortality. It shouldn't be, but Jacob was rusty, and now he can't change it back.
Richard doesn't seem to mind. His life was over long ago. There are only ghosts left to chase.
---
There are bad days.
They watch people die, and Jacob tries to console Richard. Death has long since lost its meaning to someone like Jacob, but Richard still feels it. Every loss. And Jacob hates that his gift is shrouded by terrible consequences.
There are good days too. Jacob calls him Ricardus and Richard calls him Iacobus and they both smile at the way those names sound rolling off their tongues. They talk about leaders and tribes and progress. They talk about Jacob's Enemy who remains nameless between them. They talk and talk and then there is silence.
Silence sometimes is more beautiful than conversation.
---
They find Eloise in a convent.
She ran away from an abusive father and now clings to her bible as the answer to everything. She also believes in 'paths' and 'fate' which makes Jacob very flustered, and Richard has to reach out and touch him (a tiny gesture - a hand on the small of his back) to keep him from walking away.
She whispers under her breath about their sinful nature. Jacob does not get it, but Richard won't stop laughing for days.
They do eventually get Eloise to see her purpose, and years later when she finds her soul mate in an arrogant prick named Charles Widmore, she tells Richard she was wrong about him and Jacob.
Richard laughs at that too.
This is why he likes Eloise most of all.
---
Ben is special. Of this, Jacob is at least aware.
Special does not mean good, though, and Jacob has tried to make that clear. Unfortunately, Richard holds onto the idea of free will with a vice grip and chooses that to be the most important lesson of all.
He ignores the fact that seeing dead people is a confirmation of his Enemy's work.
"You risked a lot doing what you did," Jacob comments, after Charles and Ellie have left, curses still hanging in the air between them.
"It's what you taught me to do."
Saving and healing and believing that people's lives weren't written in stone.
Jacob can see his Enemy's triumphant grin. intuition and fate are twined tightly together, he used to say, drawing intersecting lines to illustrate his point.
His enemy...he always did like vivid illustrations.
"I taught you to listen to your leaders."
Richard, who has been pacing this whole time, takes a seat next to Jacob. Their shoulders brush, and Jacob's suddenly aware of the fact that Richard is the only one who he lets this close.
"You're my leader," Richard says, and for a minute his smile reminds Jacob of the first time they met when he was explaining away his name. "You're lessons come first."
Jacob grabs one of Richard's hands, remembering the scars that never had the chance to be visible. He strokes his thumb over the imaginary lines. "Then listen more carefully next time."
---
Latin goes out of favor somewhere in the 70s, and they all have to adapt. He changes his name back to Richard. Jacob sees how his mood shifts, but cannot understand the burden the name carries.
"It was painful the first time," Richard says as a way of explaining.
Jacob knows Richard's past is something they don't discuss. It's supposed to be secret, but it's really not. He pretends it is though, for his sake.
---
"You were going to let her die."
He and Richard don't fight. It's been well over a century. Jacob fights with leaders and his Enemy and those who don't believe. He grumbles and mutters and on rare occasions finds the need to yell. He does this with men and women who are not Richard. And yet the look on Richard's face now tells him they are close to crossing that line.
And all over an infant girl.
"Yes," Jacob says simply. He doesn't lie to Richard. He doesn't even mislead for his own good.
"She's just a child," Richard argues.
Jacob thinks of a thousand things to say. A thousand responses that explain the reason why he told Charles to keep Ben away from the child. To let her die peacefully at the age of one.
"No," he says, instead, "she's not."
And they leave it at that.
---
Jacob doesn't believe in fate. He has to repeat this to himself sometimes because the world seems intent on proving him wrong. He watches how his own choices (his free will) seems to siphon into the visions he's seen, the inklings he's felt.
He reminds himself that some outcomes are the same no matter what the choice. Circumstances only account on occasion.
Richard watches Alex closely. In her, he sees his wife, strong willed and arrogant. He sees his daughter, proud and brave. Women who died lifetimes ago.
He does not see their common end.
Some answers he's just not privy to.
---
"You knew she was going to die."
Jacob ignores him because they both know he is not a fortune teller. He does not see the future. "You should be with your people at the Temple. Especially now that Ben is gone."
Richard sighs, exhausted in ways he hasn't been since he was a dying man. He sits beside Jacob, like he has time and time before. "Please answer me."
"I had a feeling."
Richard is quiet for some time, his eyes darting as if putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together.
"That's why you didn't want him to raise her. You knew it would be his final straw - what pushed him toward your enemy." Richard risks a glance at Jacob, whose eyebrows are furrowed in confusion. "That's why you didn't want me to save him. You knew he would be dangerous when he snapped."
"If that comforts you, then yes, that was my intention," Jacob says.
Richard studies him, that familiar look of disbelief and want.
Jacob prefers to leave things unfinished so Richard can figure them out for himself. This is one of those times where Richard is too tired to follow on his own. "Your pain has always been more pressing to me than all of your leaders' troubles combined."
It's the most he ever says on the subject.
---
Some things you just don't define.
The type that you know when you see.
The type that are dangerous when they're given their label.
They're usually four letter words.
---
"I love you."
Jacob smiles, though it's not as bright as he wishes it could be. "And if you're not careful, Ricardus, that will be your downfall."
He doesn't say 'our' because his burden is not one he wants to trouble Richard with.
Really, it's his own downfall.
Has been from the beginning.
---
When it happens (and it can only be one thing now), Richard's world falls apart. It's there one minute and than not the next, and all the clues pointing to this ending have been swallowed up by an all-consuming fire.
An implosion which will leave nothing to scar.
According to the laws of nature, it's long overdue.