Bingo
Short fic for gameofcards.
1. Childhood Hero (Saving Hope, Joel, 130 words)
Joel sighed as he sank down onto the bed in his father's spare room. His father and step-mother's spare room, now. Again. His father had gone through such a parade of them that it was starting to become ridiculous. Each one was more ridiculous than the last. Twenty-five? Australian? He shook his head and lay back.
It was hard to reconcile this man, this behaviour, with the man he'd idolized as a child. The man whose care and patience at the hospital had led Joel to swear at age seven that he too would be a doctor. That he too would earn the affectionate, almost-awed gaze of the sick. They probably still looked at his father that way.
After all, they didn't have to see the rest of the man.
2. Magic (Being Human US, Aidan, 132 words)
Bishop had told Aidan about magic early on, mostly to warn Aidan to avoid it. And Aidan, ever the dutiful son (at least then) and too busy exploring his new world to worry about things he'd never personally seen had listened. Until he'd met Julia.
Julia, fortunately for her, had met him at a party rather than alone in a dark street, which meant she survived long enough for the two of them to have a conversation. He was charmed. Smitten, even. It seemed worthwhile to let her live for a bit, to draw out the experience before he finally took her. It turned out she felt the same way.
He really had no idea what he was getting into when she invited him into her home, but he soon found out.
3. Masks (Intelligence, Lillian, 109 words)
Lillian learned all about the importance of masks from watching her father.
Leland Strand was a master of deception and disguise--a man who could smile so warmly as he drove a knife through your heart that you were already dead before you realized you'd been betrayed. A man who never revealed his true feelings or intentions, not even to his daughter.
Lillian learned about the limits of masks from her father too. The downsides of no one ever knowing you were sincere. She learned it from the way he flinched when he realized she would never trust him, no matter what assurances he offered. His masks were too good.
4. Animal, 7. Green (Being Human US, Aidan/Sally, 204 words)
"There should be more green," Sally said, and the world shifted around them, grass and trees sprouting like the world was on fast-forward. Sally glanced over at Aidan. "Why do you always do that?"
"Do what?" he asked, smiling.
"Make things grow rather than just appear. It's not like this is actual nature, you know." She emphasized the point by imagining a perfectly-formed rose into her hand and holding it out to him.
"I don't know," Aidan. "I suppose I like the natural effect. Maybe all my years as a farmer."
Sally laughed. "You weren't really a farmer."
"Sure I was," he said.
"I don't believe it. I can't picture you plowing soil or whatever you did back then."
"Most people were farmers back then," Aidan said. "But I worked for my father in his print shop too, if that makes you feel better."
"What did you--" Sally started to ask, before her attention was caught by sudden movement. "A puppy!" she said, kneeling down as a small brown form tore toward them. She gathered the dog up in her arms. "It's adorable! Thank you!"
Aidan reached out and rubbed the dog's head. "It wasn't me," he said.
"So who?"
Aidan shrugged. "Let's go find out."
This entry was originally posted at http://skieswideopen.dreamwidth.org/171968.html, where it has
comments. Comments are equally welcome on either entry.
1. Childhood Hero (Saving Hope, Joel, 130 words)
Joel sighed as he sank down onto the bed in his father's spare room. His father and step-mother's spare room, now. Again. His father had gone through such a parade of them that it was starting to become ridiculous. Each one was more ridiculous than the last. Twenty-five? Australian? He shook his head and lay back.
It was hard to reconcile this man, this behaviour, with the man he'd idolized as a child. The man whose care and patience at the hospital had led Joel to swear at age seven that he too would be a doctor. That he too would earn the affectionate, almost-awed gaze of the sick. They probably still looked at his father that way.
After all, they didn't have to see the rest of the man.
2. Magic (Being Human US, Aidan, 132 words)
Bishop had told Aidan about magic early on, mostly to warn Aidan to avoid it. And Aidan, ever the dutiful son (at least then) and too busy exploring his new world to worry about things he'd never personally seen had listened. Until he'd met Julia.
Julia, fortunately for her, had met him at a party rather than alone in a dark street, which meant she survived long enough for the two of them to have a conversation. He was charmed. Smitten, even. It seemed worthwhile to let her live for a bit, to draw out the experience before he finally took her. It turned out she felt the same way.
He really had no idea what he was getting into when she invited him into her home, but he soon found out.
3. Masks (Intelligence, Lillian, 109 words)
Lillian learned all about the importance of masks from watching her father.
Leland Strand was a master of deception and disguise--a man who could smile so warmly as he drove a knife through your heart that you were already dead before you realized you'd been betrayed. A man who never revealed his true feelings or intentions, not even to his daughter.
Lillian learned about the limits of masks from her father too. The downsides of no one ever knowing you were sincere. She learned it from the way he flinched when he realized she would never trust him, no matter what assurances he offered. His masks were too good.
4. Animal, 7. Green (Being Human US, Aidan/Sally, 204 words)
"There should be more green," Sally said, and the world shifted around them, grass and trees sprouting like the world was on fast-forward. Sally glanced over at Aidan. "Why do you always do that?"
"Do what?" he asked, smiling.
"Make things grow rather than just appear. It's not like this is actual nature, you know." She emphasized the point by imagining a perfectly-formed rose into her hand and holding it out to him.
"I don't know," Aidan. "I suppose I like the natural effect. Maybe all my years as a farmer."
Sally laughed. "You weren't really a farmer."
"Sure I was," he said.
"I don't believe it. I can't picture you plowing soil or whatever you did back then."
"Most people were farmers back then," Aidan said. "But I worked for my father in his print shop too, if that makes you feel better."
"What did you--" Sally started to ask, before her attention was caught by sudden movement. "A puppy!" she said, kneeling down as a small brown form tore toward them. She gathered the dog up in her arms. "It's adorable! Thank you!"
Aidan reached out and rubbed the dog's head. "It wasn't me," he said.
"So who?"
Aidan shrugged. "Let's go find out."
This entry was originally posted at http://skieswideopen.dreamwidth.org/171968.html, where it has
comments. Comments are equally welcome on either entry.