Fic: Call and Response
Title: Call and Response
Character: Rachel, Gary
Genre: Gen
Author: tinmiss1939
Fandom: Alphas
Word count: 550
Rating: G
Spoilers: none, really
The package is placed in front of her without ceremony, and Gary is pacing her office seconds later and looking at anything but her or the gift. He has wrapped it so precisely she can’t tell where the tape is. The paper is a simple pale green, and there is no ribbon or gift tag.
“G-Gary? Is this for me?”
“Yes. You should open it. Open it.”
Her eyebrows raise-even though he can’t interpret it-and she eases open the paper-even though he’s not looking. Gary has apparently picked up origami somewhere because there is no tape, just a series of folds and tucks that hold the wrapping paper tightly to the box. Inside she finds a gold cuff bracelet embedded with three strange charms, paired with a remote car starter.
“I don’t-“ she begins, but Gary cuts her off quickly.
“Smell-“ he points to a half-globe studded with tiny holes. “Sight-“ a small glass cube. “And touch,” a silver cylinder. There is a hinge on one side and a bulky clasp on the other. A tiny switch is tucked up next to the clasp.
She looks up at Gary. He’s got that adorable half smile on his face and he looks so proud, even though she has no clue what he is proud of.
“So we can reach you, when you’re analyzing in the field. Hicks told Nina it’s important to be able to reach us, and we couldn’t tell you when you were in his apartment because you weren't listening. Now we can reach you, and then we can keep you safe.” He actually meets her gaze as he adds, “You should be safe.” His eyes slip away again, and he’s flicking through signals like it never happened. She picks up the remote-he has crossed out the lock and unlock buttons with magic marker, leaving only the “panic” button. Smell, sight, and touch, so he can reach her. Oh. Oh, Gary.
“How does it work?”
“You put it on and when something happens, we press the button. Go ahead.”
She clasps the bracelet around her wrist. As jewelry goes it isn’t art, but there is a quirky charm to the look of it. On Nina it would look clunky, out of place. To Rachel, however, the slight weight is already comforting, like one her mother’s old pieces.
“Go ahead,” Gary waves at her, as impatient as ever.
She presses the button once, and her senses are assaulted with blue light, vibration, and Mexican vanilla, all from her wrist. She presses the button again quickly, and the light and vibration stop. The scent of vanilla, however, lingers.
“You can turn it off, if you need to. Dr. Rosen turns off his cell phone, sometimes. He says that there are boundaries and privacy is important.” That last bit sounds like he’s repeating something he’s been told many times, but Rachel appreciates the effort he has made to remember. The work he has put into this little alarm system is stunning. For you, a little voice whispers before she can squash is. He made this just for you.
“Gary, this is…” brilliant, clever, shockingly thoughtful. Trying to keep her composure, she settles. “This is good, Gary.” She smiles extra big, just for him. “This is really good. Thank you.”
He must have caught some of what she means, because his grin is incandescent.
Character: Rachel, Gary
Genre: Gen
Author: tinmiss1939
Fandom: Alphas
Word count: 550
Rating: G
Spoilers: none, really
The package is placed in front of her without ceremony, and Gary is pacing her office seconds later and looking at anything but her or the gift. He has wrapped it so precisely she can’t tell where the tape is. The paper is a simple pale green, and there is no ribbon or gift tag.
“G-Gary? Is this for me?”
“Yes. You should open it. Open it.”
Her eyebrows raise-even though he can’t interpret it-and she eases open the paper-even though he’s not looking. Gary has apparently picked up origami somewhere because there is no tape, just a series of folds and tucks that hold the wrapping paper tightly to the box. Inside she finds a gold cuff bracelet embedded with three strange charms, paired with a remote car starter.
“I don’t-“ she begins, but Gary cuts her off quickly.
“Smell-“ he points to a half-globe studded with tiny holes. “Sight-“ a small glass cube. “And touch,” a silver cylinder. There is a hinge on one side and a bulky clasp on the other. A tiny switch is tucked up next to the clasp.
She looks up at Gary. He’s got that adorable half smile on his face and he looks so proud, even though she has no clue what he is proud of.
“So we can reach you, when you’re analyzing in the field. Hicks told Nina it’s important to be able to reach us, and we couldn’t tell you when you were in his apartment because you weren't listening. Now we can reach you, and then we can keep you safe.” He actually meets her gaze as he adds, “You should be safe.” His eyes slip away again, and he’s flicking through signals like it never happened. She picks up the remote-he has crossed out the lock and unlock buttons with magic marker, leaving only the “panic” button. Smell, sight, and touch, so he can reach her. Oh. Oh, Gary.
“How does it work?”
“You put it on and when something happens, we press the button. Go ahead.”
She clasps the bracelet around her wrist. As jewelry goes it isn’t art, but there is a quirky charm to the look of it. On Nina it would look clunky, out of place. To Rachel, however, the slight weight is already comforting, like one her mother’s old pieces.
“Go ahead,” Gary waves at her, as impatient as ever.
She presses the button once, and her senses are assaulted with blue light, vibration, and Mexican vanilla, all from her wrist. She presses the button again quickly, and the light and vibration stop. The scent of vanilla, however, lingers.
“You can turn it off, if you need to. Dr. Rosen turns off his cell phone, sometimes. He says that there are boundaries and privacy is important.” That last bit sounds like he’s repeating something he’s been told many times, but Rachel appreciates the effort he has made to remember. The work he has put into this little alarm system is stunning. For you, a little voice whispers before she can squash is. He made this just for you.
“Gary, this is…” brilliant, clever, shockingly thoughtful. Trying to keep her composure, she settles. “This is good, Gary.” She smiles extra big, just for him. “This is really good. Thank you.”
He must have caught some of what she means, because his grin is incandescent.