Two old ficlets: The Christmas Play & Dialogue!Snippet
Because I have just been going through my masterlist and couldn't find these two here (I might of course not see what's right in front of me). And because I still need to make y'all feel bad. *crosses arms and pouts* A girl comes home after a summer of hard work and no internet, looking forward to catching up with all the great, funny, angsty, slashy fics posted to her favourite community while she was gone, and what happens? *flails* You have hardly been active at all!
Ahem.
Sorry.
On to the so-called fics, then.
Title:The Christmas Play
Pairing, Characters: Jack, Stephen, mentions Babbington and Killick
Rating: G
Spoilers: Tiny one for Surgeon's Mate
Disclaimer: Not mine, never has been, never will be.
Length: 294 words
Summary: Which role is Jack to play in this year's Christmas play?
Author's Note:Written two years ago as Christmassy birthday ficlet for tootsiemuppet. I am happily mixing various Christmas traditions here, the Christ Child is the Christkind of my childhood, in picture books portrayed as an angel with blond hair, looking more like a young girl than a boy…
Crossposted to / originally posted at: My personal journal here, at my fic journal here.
Written: December 2007
The Christmas Play
"No, dear, it just won't do." Stephen shook his head disapprovingly.
"But I'm the best choice. I even played Ophelia, as you very well know, Stephen!" Jack tried, convinced the Doctor would see reason in the end.
"That was a long time ago, Jack. You will have to step aside this year."
"Nonsense. I fit the role perfectly. Just look at me!" Jack straightened, his golden locks gleaming in the candle light.
Stephen pushed his glasses up and squinted, scrutinizing his friend. "Why, you are right! I see it now. You are jolly," Upon hearing those words, Jack beamed at him, "and fat. You will make a wonderful Father Christmas!"
The look Jack bestowed on him would have made Bonaparte himself shiver. Stephen was not fazed in the least, though.
"Then again, glowering like this, you are the perfect Black Peter."
The mighty Captain Aubrey heaved a heavy sigh. "You strike a hard bargain, my friend."
"Now, Jack, don't mope. It is for the best, and you know it." Stephen reached up and clapped his shoulder comfortingly.
"You are probably right, Stephen."
The Doctor turned to leave and inform the gunroom of the new lineup. "…I will remember this betrayal of yours when it comes to the handing out of gifts." And if he closed the door rather abruptly, it was only because the handle slipped from his hand.
***
And so Christmas Eve saw the Surprise peaceful and merry, enjoying a play with young Babbington in the role of the Christ Child, a constantly muttering Killick as Black Peter, and Captain Jack Aubrey gave a wonderful jolly, and fat, Father Christmas.
Upon being given his lump of coal, the Doctor decided that next year, he would let Jack play the Christ Child.
Now the other one...
Title: Dialogue!Snippet
Pairing, Characters: Jack, Stephen
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Which was the book with the sloth? HMS Surprise? Spoilers for that.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never has been, never will be.
Length: 300 words
Status: Was thought as beginning of a slash fic, but it's been months, let's just call it a gen standalone ficlet.
Summary: What kind of animal is Stephen allowed to bring aboard?
Author's Note: So. The Gilly and I were talking about naturalists yesterday, and of course from there the conversation went to sex and drugs. We got to the idea of drug-induced smexxing by frog-licking, and the Gilly asked " Also, why hasn't this been written in Aubreyad fandom yet? Stephen will happily drug himself to the gills anyway." Then I went to bed. And woke up at 2 am with the thought Hey, this would be a good way to start that fic! So here's the result, now all typed out (and trust me, deciphering my nightly handwriting was no fun). A bit of dialogue, not slashy, not snarky, not even funny, that, at some point, might lead to frog-induced smexxing.
As always, not beta'd.
Written: May 2009
Crossposted to / originally posted at: My fic journal here.
Dialogue!Snippet
"And no sloths, Stephen."
"Do you not mean no vampires, Jack?"
"Those too. And no snakes. Or bees. Nothing with a sensitive stomach, we are on a ship after all, the sea tends to get a little rough every now and then-"
"I do not think rough sea had anything to do with it!"
"-and nothing that bites or stings. Or claws."
"Jack, you do realize that nature provided all animals with the means to defend themselves, and those means usually are teeth and claws?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find something, joy!"
"But no animal, no matter how sharp its canines, would use the same without a reason, so if you just told the men to-"
"No, Stephen. This is a man-of-war, and your reasonable animal might consider the next gun practise enough of a threat to bite off your hand. That is a risk I am not willing to take, brother, I am sorry."
"D'accord. I still think you are being… overly cautious, but I cannot deny that you have a point."
"I am glad that you have come to see reason, brother."
"Yes, luckily the jaguar mates all year, so I do stand a chance of finding an infant one without dangerously sharp teeth! I am quite confident I can nurse it on goat's milk."
"Maybe I should be more specific, Doctor. You are not to bring any mammal, reptile, or insect aboard this ship. Is that clear?"
"But Jack, how am I to conduct my-"
"Is that clear, Doctor?"
"Abundantly clear, Captain."
"Stephen…"
"Now if you'll excuse me, I see the boat is ready to take of."
That evening, the doctor returned to Surprise carrying a brightly coloured frog with him. After all, frogs were amphibians.
And the licking was, of course, for scientific purpose only.
Ahem.
Sorry.
On to the so-called fics, then.
Title:The Christmas Play
Pairing, Characters: Jack, Stephen, mentions Babbington and Killick
Rating: G
Spoilers: Tiny one for Surgeon's Mate
Disclaimer: Not mine, never has been, never will be.
Length: 294 words
Summary: Which role is Jack to play in this year's Christmas play?
Author's Note:Written two years ago as Christmassy birthday ficlet for tootsiemuppet. I am happily mixing various Christmas traditions here, the Christ Child is the Christkind of my childhood, in picture books portrayed as an angel with blond hair, looking more like a young girl than a boy…
Crossposted to / originally posted at: My personal journal here, at my fic journal here.
Written: December 2007
The Christmas Play
"No, dear, it just won't do." Stephen shook his head disapprovingly.
"But I'm the best choice. I even played Ophelia, as you very well know, Stephen!" Jack tried, convinced the Doctor would see reason in the end.
"That was a long time ago, Jack. You will have to step aside this year."
"Nonsense. I fit the role perfectly. Just look at me!" Jack straightened, his golden locks gleaming in the candle light.
Stephen pushed his glasses up and squinted, scrutinizing his friend. "Why, you are right! I see it now. You are jolly," Upon hearing those words, Jack beamed at him, "and fat. You will make a wonderful Father Christmas!"
The look Jack bestowed on him would have made Bonaparte himself shiver. Stephen was not fazed in the least, though.
"Then again, glowering like this, you are the perfect Black Peter."
The mighty Captain Aubrey heaved a heavy sigh. "You strike a hard bargain, my friend."
"Now, Jack, don't mope. It is for the best, and you know it." Stephen reached up and clapped his shoulder comfortingly.
"You are probably right, Stephen."
The Doctor turned to leave and inform the gunroom of the new lineup. "…I will remember this betrayal of yours when it comes to the handing out of gifts." And if he closed the door rather abruptly, it was only because the handle slipped from his hand.
***
And so Christmas Eve saw the Surprise peaceful and merry, enjoying a play with young Babbington in the role of the Christ Child, a constantly muttering Killick as Black Peter, and Captain Jack Aubrey gave a wonderful jolly, and fat, Father Christmas.
Upon being given his lump of coal, the Doctor decided that next year, he would let Jack play the Christ Child.
Now the other one...
Title: Dialogue!Snippet
Pairing, Characters: Jack, Stephen
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Which was the book with the sloth? HMS Surprise? Spoilers for that.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never has been, never will be.
Length: 300 words
Status: Was thought as beginning of a slash fic, but it's been months, let's just call it a gen standalone ficlet.
Summary: What kind of animal is Stephen allowed to bring aboard?
Author's Note: So. The Gilly and I were talking about naturalists yesterday, and of course from there the conversation went to sex and drugs. We got to the idea of drug-induced smexxing by frog-licking, and the Gilly asked " Also, why hasn't this been written in Aubreyad fandom yet? Stephen will happily drug himself to the gills anyway." Then I went to bed. And woke up at 2 am with the thought Hey, this would be a good way to start that fic! So here's the result, now all typed out (and trust me, deciphering my nightly handwriting was no fun). A bit of dialogue, not slashy, not snarky, not even funny, that, at some point, might lead to frog-induced smexxing.
As always, not beta'd.
Written: May 2009
Crossposted to / originally posted at: My fic journal here.
Dialogue!Snippet
"And no sloths, Stephen."
"Do you not mean no vampires, Jack?"
"Those too. And no snakes. Or bees. Nothing with a sensitive stomach, we are on a ship after all, the sea tends to get a little rough every now and then-"
"I do not think rough sea had anything to do with it!"
"-and nothing that bites or stings. Or claws."
"Jack, you do realize that nature provided all animals with the means to defend themselves, and those means usually are teeth and claws?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find something, joy!"
"But no animal, no matter how sharp its canines, would use the same without a reason, so if you just told the men to-"
"No, Stephen. This is a man-of-war, and your reasonable animal might consider the next gun practise enough of a threat to bite off your hand. That is a risk I am not willing to take, brother, I am sorry."
"D'accord. I still think you are being… overly cautious, but I cannot deny that you have a point."
"I am glad that you have come to see reason, brother."
"Yes, luckily the jaguar mates all year, so I do stand a chance of finding an infant one without dangerously sharp teeth! I am quite confident I can nurse it on goat's milk."
"Maybe I should be more specific, Doctor. You are not to bring any mammal, reptile, or insect aboard this ship. Is that clear?"
"But Jack, how am I to conduct my-"
"Is that clear, Doctor?"
"Abundantly clear, Captain."
"Stephen…"
"Now if you'll excuse me, I see the boat is ready to take of."
That evening, the doctor returned to Surprise carrying a brightly coloured frog with him. After all, frogs were amphibians.
And the licking was, of course, for scientific purpose only.