52 Flavours

[Theme 52] [Death Note] Eternity's Witticism

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:15:43 GMT

Title: Eternity's Witticism
Series: Death Note
Theme no.: 52 (Speechless with the memory of the drowned moon)
Character(s)/Pairing: L & Light
Rating: PG

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In a time before Creation, before Life, when the world's dreams are still heard, they meet (and it is the first of many, the last of none). He, the orange haired boy is (Perfection's near success and eternal and ephemeral) a fallen idol with the charm of a god and the voice of a snake. And he is Human (frail and inelegant and flawed to his core) and he is enchanted by the other being.

The dichotomous moon's light catches fire on the orange hair (destruction and rebirth in one fluid cycle) and he - Human - can only stare, half awed, half wary, at this other being. "Light," he christians this deity (and Light he is, for the rest of his existence for forever and never, through black holes and infinities and times beyond time). Tentatively, he throws the orange haired boy (counterpart) a smile that is both guarded and open.

He, the fallen god, smiles in return (and there is something coiling in his chest that is as black as the Human's hair and like a vague, well worn memory, and it is not love, it is not friendship, nor is it hate, but it is the beginnings of what is them). And, even as he does, he plots and plans for this Human is too like him and he's bright so he realizes this quickly, and this Human, in his own silent way, opposes him.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

And another lifetime passes before they meet and he is Prince here and Light, too (just as he has been since the beginning of time).

This time, he is nameless and faceless, again, just Peasant. And he does not might the not really there feeling he gets because it suits him (because that is how it has always been and there is no need to change it now).

They brush past each other once. Light smiles, Peasant nods (and both stop breathing for a moment with just out of reach memories of a vanishing time when time was kept by the face of the moon). Because this is them (intertwined, interconnected), they cannot forget, cannot let go. Because this thing that binds them together is beyond dreams and whispering nights and it would not let them go. So he creates elaborate schemes, for he is (cunning and dangerous) Light and the Peasant stands back, well aware of what is going through the other's mind.

History does not allow for change, not yet, and Light knows how to use his status. They pass each other once again and Light smiles and Peasant nods and they both know what is going to happen but does not try to change it because that will always be the story (in every life he lives and he has yet to learn how to fight a God, but he will learn).

They cry of "Thief!" does not surprise and he does not try to struggle with the guards, merely looks despondently at the Prince who is wearing a slate for a face. He is not stunned by the ring they find in his pouch, but he's caught off guard by the scroll that's attached to it. It is the proverbial key to the kingdom and he is to be hanged.

As he stands on the platform, he can only look at Light (and he is not angry, rather expectant and a deeper level readies himself for the next time, and there will always be a next time for them and he contents himself with that). Light, for his part, just watches the man and it is not regret he feels when the pale skinned man dies but it is akin to (damnation) boredom.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

This time around his is (still Light) more human then he'll be ever again.

And he is nameless still, just Advisor, but plotting (because there are memories he doesn't quite recall and desire that he wonders if it's his driving him). So Light plots and plans and Advisor plots and plans and they are not certain why or when this turned into a game. But it did and neither can remember life as it was before (and never will because there was no before, only after for them).

And Light (because the ancient part of him wants to try being human, trusts the advisor a bit more than he should. And he makes his decision to not be God in this era but a human, like Advisor (and he notreally regrets it). And because he is a human, he loves and loses in the end because he gave up his kingdom to Advisor (because he had his own black holes filled with questions and his own desire to answer a 'what if' and too many lifetimes lived and yet to be lived and he wants to return the favor paid in the last lifetime and give up like he had because it really was annoyingly boring after that).

So, this time, it is he who steps down for the execution amidst the blood-thirst crowd. And he glances up to the charcoal haired man and burns with something that is sort of like resentment but more like reluctant pride and he's not sure why (and the older part says because thing swill be more interesting now that he's not afraid to fight a god). The steel is cool against his neck and Light chances a mocking smile at the new king and does not hold his breath (for he is a god once again and he does not believe that a god should have anything to fear in death).

Advisor watches as the blood of his almost friend who was never a foe seeps into the dirt. And he decides he does not like the bitter taste in his mouth that isn't pain and will never be regret but more like loneliness. A few days later he disappears (for it is in his nature in every life lifetime and every form he takes to disappear and only Light can draw him back out).
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Again and again they find each other. He is always nameless, vaguely known but hidden just beyond (memory) reach and Light always too perfect to be perfect. And in those brief moments between one eon and the next, they smile at in other in not true hatred but they are far too close for any sort of friendship. But it is a smile nonetheless and this is their in-betweenness and this is why they continue to chase after each other and break each other down and why they always forgive (because it's entirely too amusing to stop).

In the lulls of boredom, when there is only one, they each close their eyes and try to hold on to memories that seem more fiction than fact (and they are both very smart so they know it is futile but they try because there is only him and there is only Light and in-between fighting the other, each acknowledges, subconsciously, this is enough). Sometimes, eternity seems both too long and too short and they learn what it means to dream beyond this universe, dream of could bes that would never work because they would still be them and they are content with what they have.

During those moments, they remember one life in particular. And it is well before eternity that they acknowledge what they are.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

He has a pseudonym here, too: L. And he is still Light. And they are closer to their true selves then they'd ever been, ever will be. Light is the almost god again, with the power to kill criminals, and he dreams big. And, this time, L is not only the detective that's working on this case, investigating him, he's also a companion. They have never been so similar in their obsessions (or perhaps they have and they only are noticing it right now).

And Light almost remembers, as the ball flies from one end of the court to the other; he almost remembers. And, as Light looks at his almost alter-ego, he decides it is boredom coating his tongue (not regret; they had no regrets) and it tastes like bitter apples. As Light looks into ink well eyes (black as the night sky before the stars because there was just a white orb dangling in the dark, when there was only them) he smiles a bit because the man with the ink-shadow hair is L and he is the enemy that Light will never and always have.

L smiles back tentatively (and he cannot help but feel that this has happened before, that he has met this boy whose hair glows like firelight when illuminated by the computer screen before). And he knows that this boy is the mass murderer that he is looking for but does not turn him in immediately because loneliness tastes like bitter apples and he's not
entirely sure that it's Light. But mostly because Light is the friend that he's always wanted but will never accept (and they've lasted for most of forever). So he glances across the chessboard to the boy sitting on the other side and Light understands what L has said and he's always known what L would have said (because it's not just them but lifetimes and eons and ages of memories). I will not give up.

As The others watch on, they play the game that they've been playing for what he's sure now is most of eternity. And feels the others' surprise once he and L start throwing punches(but what do they know? besides, there's forever to form the apology that he will never say and L knows him and expects nothing else). And, if there's one thing that Light is sure about, it's that L knows him too well and understands and neither asks for forgiveness. As Light licks the salty blood off his lips, he wonders if this is what damnation is because he's pretty sure that he's stuck with this human beyond forever (but he is not exactly unhappy at this notion, not exactly happy either, of course, but still) - he feels like punching L again because the latter had managed to eat his way through two cakes and was working on the third during the brief moment that Light was not paying attention. And he thinks that this is just his luck that he's stuck with such a person. L tells him that the percentage of him being the mass murderer has gone up by .13 percent because the orange haired boy was glaring at L. Light closes his eyes and resists the urge to smash his head against something hard.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

He is not surprised when his chest starts to hurt (and while L does not believe in Fate, there are certain unavoidable things). He tips out of his chair and and expects to smack against the tiled floor, but it is Light who catches him. And it does not come as a shock when Light twists his lips into a maniacal smirk because he's known this would happen eventually. As he lies dying in the arms of the person who's closest to him, there are no words that will form as his eyes gaze at a forgotten time when the moon was drowned by the blackness of the night sky; a single, solitary light.

The funeral for L is a quiet, sordid affair and Light is pretty sure that the taste of bitter apples will not leave his mouth in this life time (and it doesn't). All that's left of the man is a marker-less grave that Light is sure will fade from everyone's memory. And while Light does not believe in friendship at the cost of a utopic world, this is the only moment he allows himself to flit through 'what ifs'. But it is a new day and, somehow, he's almost certain that he'll see L again and, as much as he loathes L, he loathes the taste of bitter apples even more so he lets himself believe.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Light hates Near, L's successor, because he is neither L nor interesting (though he believes them to be one and the same), so he hates Near. And he's sure that L is somewhere, watching and laughing because he knows that Light can't deal with the boredom anymore. So Light hates Near, simply because he tries and fails to be L and Light can't forgive him for that and, eventually, he gets tired of the taste of bitter apples.

He is dying now, in almost the exact same way that L did but he's glad in a way because he can finally taste the air. And he runs, runs away from the all because he does not need them, does not care for them. And, as he lies on the stairs of this dilapidated building, he sees everything that he and L will have and nearly smiles at the familiarity of it but stops himself (and he's pretty sure he's going insane by now). But, then there's L and he forgets to be afraid, forgets hatred, and all that's left is acceptance because he is Light and he is L and there is nothing that will out last them, their almost enmity that's lightly flavored with regret (and they are not lovers, and never friends, but soulmates).

[29] [Rurouni Kenshin] This Year's Harvest

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:13:11 GMT

Title: This Year's Harvest
Series: Rurouni Kenshin
Theme no.: 29 (the kind of April morning no other month can touch)
Character: Kamiya Kaoru
Rating: G
Rurouni Kenshin © Watsuki Nobuhiro, et al.

This Year's Harvest

[15] [Fullmetal Alchemist] Yesterday

Sat, 31 May 2008 09:40:55 GMT

Title: Yesterday
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)
Theme no.: 15. On purpose to confound this scoundrel’s pride
Character(s)/Pairing: Roy/Riza
Rating: G

( He walks Black Hayate whenever she cannot, being burdened with a job to support both of them while he wobbles around on his own with one eyeball and a lifetime full of regrets settled upon his shoulders. )

[1] [Labyrinth] Play The Game

Sat, 31 May 2008 09:40:09 GMT

Title: Play The Game
Series: Labyrinth
Theme no.: 1. Kan, ya ma kan
Character(s)/Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
Rating: G

( Strangers wouldn't be like this, eyeing each other warily for one and with amusement for the other. )

[14] [Yuu Yuu Hakusho] A Good Feeling About This

Tue, 13 May 2008 15:09:18 GMT

Title: A Good Feeling About This
Series: Yuu Yuu Hakusho
Theme no.: 14 (An aspiring villain from the start)
Character/Pairing: Yuusuke, Atsuko, Yuusuke/Keiko
Rating: G
Yuu Yuu Hakusho © Togashi Yoshihiro, et al.

A Good Feeling About This

[4] [Saint Seiya] This Is How I Build You

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:38:10 GMT

Title: This Is How I Build You
Series: Saint Seiya
Theme no.: 4. to cut a bouquet/of matter and antimatter roses
Character(s)/Pairing: Ikki/Esmeralda
Rating: G
Saint Seiya © Kurumada Masami, et al.

This Is How I Build You

#1 & #2, Shiki x Kohaku, Tsukihime, DREAMS OF SUNSHINE

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:58:43 GMT

Title: DREAMS OF SUNSHINE
Series: Tsukihime
Theme no.: #1 - Kan, ya ma kan
Character(s)/Pairing: Shiki x Kohaku
Rating: T, just to be safe.
Notes: Tsukihime and its characters are copyrighted by their respective owners. I do not own the series nor am affiliated with the staff. Also, this drabble is game-based and has a pretty large spoiler (you'd need to have played through the game to know, though).

Once, a girl lived through a fairytale.

Unfortunately for her, this fairytale was twisted, making her guts feel like tightly-knotted ribbons. Her life was a hellhole, and ‘tranquility’ did not exist in her dictionary. She wished to protest, but she essentially was a caged bird with an inaudible voice.

Once, a girl died, leaving only her carcass and a functioning brain. The organism had only one aim – revenge. Regardless, it was imperfect and left a remnant of its girlish self with the boy it detested.

Alas, the being was neither a simple girl nor puppet – she was simply in love.

Title: DREAMS OF SUNSHINE
Series: Tsukihime
Theme no.: #2 - let x be the value of he who lies beside me
Character(s)/Pairing: Shiki x Kohaku
Rating: K
Notes: Tsukihime and its characters are copyrighted by their respective owners. I do not own the series nor am affiliated with the staff. This story would probably take place during (or after) any route except for one.

It was a relatively quiet afternoon at the Tohno household. Akiha spent the majority of her day secluded in her room, while Hisui and Kohaku loyally worked on their typical chores. Shiki, on the other hand, had his own hurdles to fight. These hurdles, in his opinion, were perhaps harder than fighting any adversary.

“Dammit, I don’t get this!!” he shrilled at the top of his lungs, throwing away three more sheets of smudged papers.

Staring at his trashcan, he saw he had probably wasted more trees for comfort. His newly found enemy was Calculus, and not even his trusty pocketknife could defeat it.

“Well, maybe I could cut my teacher’s gradebook…” he pondered, until he thought of the consequences. “Hmm, nevermind.”

He shrugged off the thought and grabbed a blank page of paper. He once again began to write the problem and at least try to get to the solution. Shiki was no prodigy, but he knew the problem was just trying to mock him. Why, how in the world could he solve a limit like this?

After his third or four attempts, he discarded the new sheet of paper with his other sheets and lightly banged his head on the wall. Finding himself hopelessly distraught and just plain hungry, he stood up from his chair and went out to the kitchen. After all, brain food could
never hurt the starving student.

* * *

“Ah, Shiki-san, good evening!” Kohaku cheerfully greeted him when she spotted him. She had been occupied with boiling what looked like lobster tail curry, but that did not really matter much to Shiki.

“Good evening, Kohaku-san.” he sheepishly greeted her.

“You’re rather early today.” she continued with a hardly chuckle. “Dinner isn’t ready yet. If you’re hungry, I could make you a quick snack.”

“Brainfood.”

“Umm… excuse me?”

“I want brainfood.”

As he expected, Kohaku’s face cringed in confusion. She quickly turned her attention away from the anticipated dinner and moved closer to the adolescent. Tilting her face slightly sideways, she placed a fist under her chin and contemplated about the term ‘brainfood.’

“’Brainfood,’ huh?” she asked, her voice drifting across the kitchen. “Do you mean food that increases cognitive function?”

“Yes.” he deadpanned.

Much to Shiki’s dismay, Kohaku could not help but laugh until tears came out of her eyes. She held the kitchen counter tightly to retain balance and occasionally banged it with her unoccupied hand. After realizing his obvious annoyance, she took a deep breath and regained her original composure.

“Fufufu, you’re silly, Shiki-san!” she giggled. “Why would you need that? I think you have a rather sharp mind!”

“T-thanks,” Shiki spoke, “I appreciate the comment, but-”

“But? But what?” Her confused expression returned as she closed on the boy, until their faces were only a decameter away.

“Is something the matter?” she asked in a worried tone. “You look pretty flustered. Shiki-san, should I bring you some medicat-?”

“No, I’m fine! I just, um, erh, sorry. I suppose I should go back to doing my homework. Sorry to bother you”

Scratching his head, Shiki turned his face to the kitchen’s exit and began to walk back to his room. Before he could move his feet out of the kitchen, Kohaku once again abandoned her cooking and trotted to him.

“Shiki-san!” she spoke to get his attention.

“Oh, Kohaku-san.” Shiki muttered. “I’m just heading back to my room. I’ll be back when din-”

“What are you studying?”

“E-eh?”

As simple as the question was, Shiki panicked upon hearing it. Kohaku smiled empathetically and asked him yet another query, obviously on the mark.

“You’re having trouble with your homework, right?”

“H-how did you-?”

“Lucky guess. So, what subject is it for?”

He felt like pinching himself, mostly for being so obvious. He first thought of giving her a direct answer, but somewhere his curious side took over. After all, she was a perceptive maid.

“Guess.” Shiki answered with a smug grin.

“Ohoho, aren’t we playful?” Kohaku jested. “I’m up for the challenge! Hmm…”

“Well?”

“Oooh, ooh, I know! Mathematics!”

“…That was fast.”

“Yes, yes, but we mustn’t waste time. Let me put this pot on low heat first. You go back to your room – I’ll be there in a minute.”

“S-sure. Thank you, Kohaku-san.”

“No problem! Now, shoo, shoo!”

* * *

“So, as x approaches infinity…” the amber-eyed maiden contemplated as she quickly jotted down various lines of math work, “You end up reaching 5. Does that make sense?”

“…”

As she promised, Kohaku came to Shiki’s room immediately after she temporarily ‘closed’ the kitchen. She analyzed the problem and thoroughly listened to the methods Shiki had previously employed. What shocked Shiki was not how easily she solved the problem but how he understood the methodology she used.

“Shiki-san.” Kohaku spoke as she waved her hand in front of his face. “Are you okay? Oh, maybe I did not elaborate on my steps enough.”

“No, that’s not it! I’m just amazed.”

“Amazed?”

“Yes. I never knew you were proficient at mathematics!”

“Ah, you’re embarrassing me! I’m nowhere near proficient, though I did study a bit more math than I needed to during my medical education.”

“I see… You must’ve found it meddlesome, no?”

“Mmm, not really. Math is a very beautiful subject. Some people take a long time to realize that, though.”

“Uh-huh.” Despite his answer, his face showed he honestly disagreed.

“Oh, I better set up the table. Akiha-sama will be furious if I made her eat dinner without a properly arranged table.”

“Kohaku-san, thank you so much for your help!” To her surprise, Shiki slightly bowed his head. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“You needn’t thank me. You would’ve figured out something anyhow. As they say, ‘he who solves x becomes x!’”

“Wha?”

Kohaku walked towards the room’s door and wrapped her hand around the doorknob. Smiling, she answered, “We humans are like variables. If we just change ourselves to the situation, we can solve anything!”

“…”

“Hisui-chan will come fetch you in a bit for dinner. Good luck with your studies!” Kohaku gave a short bow and hurried to the kicthen, humming a nostalgic song on her way.

“We’re like variables, huh?” Shiki contemplated as he stared at the now-completed math problem.

“If that’s so, why do we eventually reach some constant value?”

[#10, Eclipse x Rein, Fushigiboshi no Futago Hime, G]

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 05:01:40 GMT

Title: Serendipity
Series: Fushigiboshi no Futago Hime
Theme no.: #10 - You close your mind/To their gentle questions/What do these people know about love?
Character(s)/Pairing: Eclipse x Rein
Rating: G
Notes (if any): No property of Fushigiboshi no Futago Hime belongs to me. All characters and related titles are copyrighted to BIRTHDAY, NAS, TV Tokyo, BANDAI NETWORKS, NEC Interchannel, Ciao Comics, Hal Film Maker, etc. Just remember that I hold no ownership to them.

#10 - You close your mind/To their gentle questions/What do these people know about love?

Shade was not alien to the wonders of love. He'd read about it many of the books lying deep, deep in the royal libraries, or overheard the young maids gossiping about their love lives. He'd received several love letters of his own, each from girls who showered him in compliments on how educated, good-looking, and generous he was.

True, he had received the highest education possible. It was not a lie that he assisted others whenever he came upon them during their moments of need.

But other than that, these girls didn't know any more about him. Anything he never made public and kept within the castle prevented the girls from understanding further. Shade often received letters asking about what type of girls he liked, if he preferred the Flame Kingdom's spicy fried rice over the crispy vegetables of the Seed Kingdom. He'd never answer to these directly; the girls could only speculate what his favorite flavor of ice cream was, or what was his favorite color. This type of information seemed harmless, but Shade knew through observation of other officials that the best way to be the strongest was never to let anyone else know too much about you.

Which was why he kept his alter ego and "secret life" out of the eyes and hears of everyone he knew and saw. This was the best thing to do, he figured. There was no need for everyone to know about Eclipse, for it would expectedly ruin his observations to what the chancellor had secretly been doing behind everyone else's backs. What was the best way to ruin him? Do the same — in secret and out of everyone else's view.

Secrets were kept in hushed, unspoken thoughts that Shade held private in his mind. He'd been branded as "mysterious", which the maids often noted as one of his charming points, an attractive allure. Keeping secrets was what he was best at, and it made him all the more desirable to females across the planet.

Bright was Shade's foil. He was like an open book — facts and information exposed out into the open, allowing people to know both his strengths and weaknesses. Had Shade been Bright's opponent in any event named, he'd easily track down one of his failing points and defeat him. Bright made it all too easy.

When Shade saw Princess Rein, he was immediately sickened at how she'd gush over Prince Bright as if she knew everything about him. Of course she didn't; she never understood any of the negative aspects of Bright. If she did, how could she not know that Bright was not as perfect as he seemed? Shade would often see flashes of stress across Bright's face that others would dismiss as their imagination. Shade noticed Bright's occasional decisions that would lead him into even more trouble. Bright was no one special. He was weak. Inferior. How could Rein claim to be in love with a guy like him? Love wasn't about perfection and the embodiment of limitless grace.

As always, Shade would try to repress these thoughts. He wasn't jealous of Bright.

[1] [Fullmetal Alchemist] Steady

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:37:30 GMT

Title: Steady
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 1. Kan, ya ma kan
Character(s)/Pairing: Roy, Hawkeye
Rating: G
Notes (if any): Very mild spoilers about Roy's apprentice days
Fullmetal Alchemist © Arakawa Hiromu, et al.

Steady

[Themes 37, 13] [FMA] [Ed/Winry, Al]

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 03:08:24 GMT

Title: Somewhat Delighted
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 37. Like two swimmers who love the water, their souls knit/together without being sewn, no seam.
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K+
Summary: He might remember how beautiful the wedding was, if he hadn’t had too much wine. Ed’s thoughts on the drive home.

(He was tired...)

Title: What You Did Not Know
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 13. Oh! Oh! Malediction!
Pairing: Ed/Winry, Al
Rating: K
Summary: Ed’s return to Rush Valley.

(The ride back to Rush Valley was calm, with absolutely no notable events whatsoever...)

[Themes 23, 38] [FMA] [Ed/Winry, Al]

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:21:41 GMT

Title: Out the Door
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 23. walk this way/we have been set free
Pairing: Ed/Winry, Al
Rating: K
Summary: Al brings home a girl. Winry’s less than impressed. Ed would be as well if he weren’t amused.
Notes: Intended to be set post series.

(Winry was washing dishes from the evening...)

Title: Take Your Time
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 38. This is not a pen for sheep./There are no separating distances here./This is love’s sanctuary.
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K
Summary: In the very beginning of their relationship, when things become Official, the workroom quickly became their favorite room in the house.

(When, after months of dancing around each other, things between them became Official, they both agreed to keep it a secret...)

[Theme no.8] [Avatar: the Last Airbender] 1000 Words

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 22:08:09 GMT

Title: 1000 Words
Series: Avatar: the Last Airbender
Theme no.: 8--But could we be together/outside of time as well as inside?
Character(s)/Pairing: Toph/Aang
Rating: PG-13
Notes: No spoilers, but character deaths.

Promise me something.

[Theme no.32] [His Dark Materials] And to Dust Will We Return

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 22:04:02 GMT

Title: And to Dust Will We Return
Series: His Dark Materials
Theme no.: 32--your kiss a city of stars
Character(s)/Pairing: Lyra/Will
Rating: PG
Notes: Character deaths and vague spoilers for the end of the series.

These are their last words.

[Themes 30, 45, 46] [FMA] [Ed/Winry, Al]

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 04:13:46 GMT

Title: Sailing Far Away
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 30. touched by a thousand invasions/and still forever an island
Pairing: Winry, Elric Brothers
Rating: K
Summary: She spent years waiting for the Elric brothers...

(There used to be a time when Winry was the one who waited for Ed and Al...)

Title: Everything She Takes
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 46. I will believe we have the same skin
Pairing: Ed, Hohenheim (Ed/Winry)
Rating: K
Summary: Ed’s disturbed by the fact that he can relate to his father.
Warning: zomg babyfic!

(There were several things that Edward Elric failed to really understand about his father...)

Title: Every Other Time
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 45. Misery with tenderness
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: M – descriptions of hand-related things.
Summary: Ed’s attitude regarding automail attachment evolves over time.
Warning: Consenting adults fooling around in a particularly non-graphic way! *gasp*

(Automail reattachment never was and never would be a pleasant experience...)

[Theme no. 2] [Yu-Gi-Oh!] Reconstruct (part the third)

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:00:06 GMT

Title: Reconstruct (part the third)
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Theme no.: 2. let x be the value of he who lies beside me
Character(s)/Pairing: Kaiba Seto/Kaiba Anzu
Rating: PG-13 (for implications of narcotics abuse)
Notes (if any): Follows this, which in turn follows this.

She lays out her demands over the breakfast tray.

He’d been up since dawn, ordering coffee and croissants and trying to pretend it was food his body craved.

Paced a bit as he waited, and she – head propped on her elbow, a slight frown on her lips – watched him as he did so.

The bellboy had tried to pretend he hadn’t been surprised that Kaiba Seto rather than Kaiba Anzu had opened the door, but he was. It was obvious. And that surprise would ricochet throughout the tabloids later in the day.

But for now, it’s still just the two of them. Repairing their marriage in an ugly little hotel room.

“I want you to get counseling,” she says.

“All right.”

“Psychiatric counseling,” she continues. “Not that psychologist psycho-babble. I want someone who can prescribe you drugs.”

“Fine.”

“Specifically,” and here she pauses, looks down at her coffee cup, then back to him. “Methadone.”

She knows how he feels about it. She knows he’s against it. She knows, and he needs her.

He looks down at his coffee, too, seeing some weird, blurry reflection of himself in the half-empty cup. Nods, wearily, because if he wants to keep her, he’s going to have to give up this fight.

[Theme no. 41] [Avatar] Lucky Seven

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 18:03:27 GMT

Title: Lucky Seven
Series: Avatar
Theme no.: 41. Scenes from the Narcissist café
Character(s)/Pairing: Zuko
Rating: PG
Notes (if any):

1 Zuko knows he’s lucky to be born. He was three months too early, and if he hadn’t been so undersized, he would have been tainted by bastardry.

(There had been whispers of that all the same.)

Azula was born the day the diviners had predicted, strong and healthy and crying out her arrival with fully-developed lungs.

2 Zuko hadn’t been able to breathe on his own at birth, and he knows it took the midwives three or four tries to get him to start.

(In the beginning there was breath, and breath made fire, and fire is the source of all things.)

3 No one had actually expected him to be able to firebend, and though he later tried to tell himself that his father’s shock was pride, a little part of him (the same part that wanted to answer the Avatar’s stupid question about friendship with a resounding yes) knows that his father was furious.

Azula was to be his father's heir because he couldn’t bend, and she could. But then Zuko could bend, and suddenly, like that, Zuko was the heir.

(And later, when Ozai became Fire Lord, there would be too many questions if two second borns became Fire Lord in succession, and Ozai is many things but a fool is not one of them.)

4 It takes Zuko longer to learn his letters than anyone else at the Peer’s School (or, as Azula likes to call it, the Royal Academy for Girls because they’re all girls – or at least, they should be, as Zuzu is a girl’s name).

Mai is the only one who doesn’t laugh when he stumbles through their reading assignment and for that alone he likes her best.

5 Zuko’s firebending does not come naturally to him, and no matter how many exercises his tutors put him through, he will never catch up with his sister – let alone surpass her.

6 He remains undersized, and this is why Azula calls him little brother.

7 When he is twelve, Uncle leaves his self-imposed exile and returns to court. His grayer and sadder than Zuko remembers, and he thinks of Lu Ten, the shining prince who would give him rides on his shoulders and let him pull on his ponytail.

Zuko never thinks of his mother. He can’t, and so he won’t, and he tells himself that it’s better not to love anyone except the Fire Lord because everyone else dies.

(But if he could dare love someone, it would be Uncle.)

[Theme no. 49 & 47] [Avatar] Luck

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:48:10 GMT

Title: Luck
Series: Avatar
Theme no.: 49. Solipsism in winter & 47. Bitterness doesn’t stand a chance
with those two.
Character(s)/Pairing: Ozai-centric (Ozai/Ursa, Zuko)
Rating: PG
Notes (if any): Playing on the "lucky to be born / born lucky" speech Zuko says at the end of S1.

i. Zuko’s conception was at the most auspicious of times, and his scheduled birth date is at the start of the new year, when the fires are new and the possibility of a newborn being a bender is strongest. Ozai is pleased: it is fitting that his first child be perfect in all things, including his birth.

Zuko is born with a caul. He is also born nearly three months too soon, as the days shorten and the old year dies.

A Fire Nation child with a caul is a child without luck, and a child born early has the odds stacked even further against him.

It is not thought he will live to see the turn of winter to spring, let alone past his first year.

For this reason, Ozai orders a wet-nurse for the child. He does not want Ursa to get too attached.

The use of a wet-nurse ensures that Ursa is soon pregnant again, and the palace – Ozai especially – rejoices. Their second child will replace the weak mistake that is their first.

And it is true: even Azula’s birth is hard, and Ozai is content that this time he and Ursa have a child worthy of Sozin’s legacy.

ii. Zuko lives.

Despite being undersized, colicky, and prone to illness, the boy lives. The priests put it down to the fortuitous early burning of his caul. Ozai makes it plain to the nursery staff that there will be no coddling. The boy will live or die as the spirits will, and he will not tolerate any interference.

Ursa frowns when he says this, Azula greedy at her breast.

It is then that he realizes that – like the hurt cat and the baby turtleducks that lost their mother – Zuko has wormed his way inside Ursa’s heart.

Ozai makes no more objections to the nursery staff, and he watches as brightly coloured toys and games make their way to his firstborn’s bedroom.

[Themes 27, 32, 44] [FMA] [Ed/Winry]

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:34:16 GMT

Title: Ain’t Nothing We Can Do
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 44. It is not for nothing he has chosen to shed tears.
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K
Summary: Ed breaks his promise but he also keeps it too.
Notes: Manga-verse, with spoilers for chapter 48, 76, and 77.

(It’s when she sees the blood that it happens...)

Title: Way Back Home
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 27. with us your hocus-pocus play
Pairing: Winry, Elric Brothers
Rating: K
Summary: Unlike everybody on the face of the planet, Winry is less than impressed.
Notes: Takes place in the manga-verse, in the period of time between when Ed and Al first return from Dublith and when they attempt human transmutation.

(The Elric brothers are home from their apprenticeship...)

Title: Perfection Not Required
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 32. Your kiss a city of stars
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K
Summary: Winry’s first kiss is memorable, but not for the reason she thinks.

(Most girls dreamed about their first kiss...)

[Themes 11, 20, 41] [FMA] [Ed/Winry]

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 02:00:36 GMT

Title: With Devotion’s Visage
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 11. My lord, you called me. I come. What does the king command?
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K
Summary: Winry never does things the usual way. Ed’s sleeping suffers as a result.

(He was dragged kicking and screaming from sleep by a persistent finger prodding the sensitive spot on his neck...)

Title: Render Up Myself
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 20. New splendour to the dead.
Pairing: Ed/Winry, Greed, RanFan
Rating: K
Summary: The time for waiting is over and now it’s time for action.
Notes: Warnings for AUishness and implausibility.

(When he finally came to, it was to the sound of his name being called in the midst of a great din and a cold hand upon his cheek...)

Title: Know My Stops
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 41. Scenes from the Narcissist café
Pairing: Roy, Ed (implied Roy/Riza and Ed/Winry? Except kinda not also.)
Rating: K
Summary: Ed and Roy’s egos are injured in the worst way.

(They were at one of those stuffy military things when they’d overheard the conversation...)

[Themes 18, 35] [FMA] [Ed/Winry]

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 01:17:18 GMT

Title: Closing the Gap
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 18. Rage at rage unblest
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K+
Summary: Ed gets a firsthand glimpse of Winry’s life in Rush Valley. Naturally, he disapproves.

(It had been a last minute decision to catch a late afternoon train out of Central...)

Title: Mad for Awhile
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 35. Their beauty is in their testimony.
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K
Summary: Ed and Winry frighten strangers.

(The train was rocking back and forth with its usual regularity...)

[Theme no.22] [Just Like That] Trinity

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 06:06:31 GMT

Title: Trinity
Series: Just Like That
Theme no.: 22—potentiality knocks on the door of my heart
Character(s)/Pairing: Hanna/Will
Rating: PG
Notes: Spoilers for the end of Just Like That. This picks up where the last chapter left off.

They are a trinity.

[Themes 2, 29] [FMA] [Ed/Winry]

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 02:34:49 GMT

Title: Midnight Musings
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 2. let x be the value of he who lies beside me
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K
Summary: Winry’s late night thoughts on Ed.

(It was a good thing Winry wasn’t asleep...)

Title: Morning Revelations
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Theme no.: 29. the kind of April morning no other month can touch
Pairing: Ed/Winry
Rating: K
Summary: Ed wakes first in the morning. It’s not a pretty picture.

(Ed was surprised when he woke up first the next morning...)

[Theme No. 19] [Forbidden Game Trilogy] Warm Like Sunlight

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:27:05 GMT

Title: Warm Like Sunlight
Series: Forbidden Game
Theme no.: 19. An ancient game of virgin sacrifice
Character(s)/Pairing: Julian/Jenny
Rating: Rish/NC-17
Notes (if any): Random psuedo-pr0n on the nature of Julian's (in)humanity. Some disturbing imagery, especially in regards to the nature of Julian's love for Jenny (as the books kind of imply that Shadow Men do horrible, horrible things to their prey...^^;;). And L.J. Smith owns all.

(Julian tries to be good...)

[Theme no. 38] [Forbidden Game Trilogy] Playacting

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:56:42 GMT

Title: Playacting
Series: Forbidden Game Trilogy
Theme no.: 38. This is not a pen for sheep / There are no separating distances here / This is love’s sanctuary.
Character(s)/Pairing: Julian/Jenny
Rating: PG-13ish
Notes (if any): A possible aftermath of Julian's return. Vague spoilers for the whole series.

Julian looks battered, smudged, like a slightly out-of-focus photograph left out in the sun too long.

But he’s solid when she – wonderingly – reaches out a hand to touch, and that’s all that matters, isn’t it?

“Jenny,” she hears him say. JennyJennyjennyjenny.

He is beautiful. It is a fact. He is cruel. That is another fact.

He breathes like a man. He feels like a man. But he is the horror lurking under her bed.

And they’re back in the closet, that closet where everything began, back when a younger, dumber Jenny opened up the door.

He’s kissing at her throat, his gentleness lost as his mouth bruises and bites.

She can feel his hands shake as he holds her, trying – so desperately trying – to be something he’s not.

“It’s all right,” she hears her voice say. “It’s all right.” She feels like she’s trying to soothe a child, but after all, isn’t that what Julian is? A monster, trying so desperately to be human, just as a child playacts the adult.

“No,” his beautiful, liquid voice tells her, muffled by the fall of her hair. His breath as cold as death, and she shivers in his arms “It’s not.”

[Theme no.6] [Avatar: the Last Airbender] Red Sunshine

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 06:06:36 GMT

Title: Red Sunshine
Series: Avatar: the Last Airbender
Theme no.: 6
Character(s)/Pairing: Toph/Aang
Rating: G

We hold up the flower to the sky, looking at it until the crimson bleeds into the sun-streaked blue. "Even if I forget your face I'll always know you."